Small-Strain Behavior of Cement-Stabilized Recycled Concrete Aggregate in Pavement Base Layers

A novel approach has been used to simulate the true field performance of cement-stabilized recycled concrete aggregate in pavement bases using a unique, large-scale, fully instrumented pavement model tank (PMT). Vertical deformation and horizontal strains were measured under cyclic loading conditions that simulate traffic loading in the PMT, with a pavement structure comprising a cement-stabilized recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) base layer with 4% cement overlying a typical subgrade material. The stabilized base layer showed anisotropic resilient properties. Minimal measured strains at the interface of the base and subgrade layers demonstrate acceptable performance of the stabilized base layer under repeated loads. The cement-stabilized RCA base layer was modeled using the hardening soil model for small strains and was found to have anisotropic resilient properties. The shear moduli and resilient moduli were adjusted during the back-calculation process to match the measured and calculated deformations.