Performance evaluation of road base stabilized with styrene–butadiene copolymer latex and Portland cement

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of the addition of a carboxylated styrene–butadiene emulsion (Tylac® 4190) and Portland cement on the long-term performance of road base. To achieve the goals of this study, a literature review, laboratory investigation, and data processing and analyses were accomplished. The specimens stabilized with Portland cement (0–6%) and Tylac® 4190 (5–10%) and subjected to different stress sequences in order to study the unconfined compressive strength, flexural strength, soaked and unsoaked California bearing ratio, dynamic creep, and wheel-tracking characteristics of 7-day-cured specimens. The permanent strain behavior of the samples was assessed by the Zhou three-stage creep model. The results of dynamic creep and wheel-tracking tests showed that the permanent deformation characteristics were considerably improved by the addition of a 4% Portland cement–8% Tylac® 4190 mixture, which resulted in reduction of permanent strain of the mixture. The use of the 4% cement–8% Tylac® 4190 mixture increased the flexural strength by 81.4% and 288.2% as compared to the use of 4% cement and 8% Tylac® 4190, respectively.