Effects of construction time on the performance of cement treated base

Abstract

Cement treated base (CTB) has been widely used as a stabilized base layer in pavement for highways, roads, airports, parking areas and some storage areas. CTB comprises mainly three components, namely, cement, water and either natural soil or aggregates. The mixture will become strong and durable after proper compaction and curing. CTB can be produced in central plant, haul to the laying area by dump trucks or can be mixed in-placed using proper materials and equipment. One of the key factors which can affect the performance of CTB is the construction time which consists of mixing to transportation, laying and compaction. This paper describes a study that was conducted to analyse the effects of construction time on the performance properties of CTB. Laboratory tests were conducted for various CTB mixtures. The CTB mixtures were compacted at different time frames and then tested for dry density and unconfined compressive strength. The results were then analysed to study the effects of construction time.