ABSTRACT
Conventional limit equilibrium-based design approach considers the unpaved road structure to be rigid in nature. However, in real field scenario, under vehicular loading, the unpaved road undergoes permanent deformation in the form of rutting. This paper presents the detailed outcome of stress-deformation based finite element (FE) analyses of unpaved road system comprising a soil subgrade represented by generalized shear strength parameters. From the analysis, the amount of additional strength required by the subgrade and the aggregate layers is determined. The FE output results also illustrate the optimum stiffness required by a geotextile layer to arrest the strains generated due to vehicular load at the unpaved road system. Further, due to the presence of geotextile, the thickness of aggregate layer can be reduced to half of this original thickness. Rutting can be significantly reduced due to the reinforcing mechanism of the geotextile, thereby reducing the maintenance cost of the unpaved road.
