ABSTRACT

Construction of a working platform is important on soft, unstable soils to facilitate paving operations without developing excessive rutting under the construction equipment. The subgrade must be sufficiently stable to: (i) prevent excessive rutting and shoving during construction, (ii) provide good support for placement and compaction of paving layers, (iii) limit pavement resilient deflections after construction, and (iv) restrict the development of excessive permanent deformation buildup during pavement service life, which can happen due to climatic effects, such as a significant moisture content increase during spring thaw. Construction of working platform plays an important role in pavement construction in the state of Illinois, USA, as the local soils are relatively soft (Tutumluer et al., 2005).