ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: This study evaluates the effect of moisture hysteresis on resilient modulus (MR) of a subgrade soil. Cylindrical specimens were prepared at near optimum moisture content and maximum dry unit weight. The moisture content in each compacted specimen was altered to achieve a target moisture content following a drying-wetting-drying path (i.e. hysteresis). Specimens were then tested for MR to study the effect of moisture hysteresis. The laboratory results revealed that theMR values following the drying curve differ significantly from the corresponding MR values on the wetting curve. The relationship between MR and moisture content exhibits a hysteretic behavior similarly to the SWCC; specimens subjected to drying exhibited higher MR values than specimens subjected to wetting. The findings from this study provided useful information on MR hysteretic behavior with differing moisture content, which would be helpful in predicting the changes in bearing capacity of pavements due to seasonal variations.
