The use of cyclic triaxial tests in the characterization of portuguese UGM

Abstract

Coarse aggregate is widely used in the unbound granular layers (UGM) of roads, in particular as granular sub-base and base. However, although various studies have been conducted on these materials, their mechanical behaviour still has not been properly characterized, in Portuguese conditions, especially due to reasons connected to the heterogeneity of the rock masses from which they come from. This has special importance for Portuguese pavement technology. In the attempt of contributing for a better knowledge of that behaviour, a work was developed having the aim of obtain the mechanical characterization and the establishment of behaviour models for crushed materials coming from different lithologies, namely limestone and granite, susceptible of being used as UGM. This paper describes the principal results obtained from the work and pointing out the main directives that can be extracted from it, in terms of the global behaviour of a road pavement.