Examination and Quantification of Moisture Content Influence on CBR for Geogrid Reinforced Base Course

The primary goal of this study is to investigate the impact of moisture content on the California Bearing Ratio of geogrid-reinforced base course samples. Thirty-six soil samples were performed using different types of geogrids and moisture content levels. Three geogrid types were used in this study with different geogrid apertures and tensile stiffness: Type A features a triaxial aperture that provides higher radial stiffness, type B features a triaxial aperture that provides lower radial stiffness, and type C has biaxial geometry providing improved interlocking characteristics.The effect of reinforcement type on the load penetration curve and the simulated performance of various geogrid types has been investigated. The ideal configuration was to use the Type A geogrid in a modified proctoring experiment using a base course sample that was 1% moister than the optimal moisture content (wet side). The California bearing ratio test results for all geogrid types show that CBR values increase as the geogrid layers are placed in the base course samples. The Traffic Benefit Ratio for samples with varied moisture content ranges from 0.74 to 1.81, with the maximum value found in sample A with (OMC + 1%) and geogrid Type A. The TBR for samples with different moisture content ranges from 0.71 to 2.14, with the highest value found in sample B with (OMC + 1%) and geogrid Type A.