Implementation of Subgrade with Lime Research Reduces Construction Costs

Event Date: February 4, 2013
Lime Application
Lime application on US 231 adjacent to Purdue's Bowen Laboratory (2012)
In 2009 Chulmin Jung, Sochan Jung, Antonio Bobet and Nayyar Siddiki completed "SPR-3380: Field Investigation of Subgrade Lime Modification." That project investigated the quality of the treatment that would be obtained using current construction procedures and also explored other methods that could provide a more uniform and better quality subgrade.JTRP research project investigates the quality of the treatment that would be obtained using current construction p


As a result of that project, consensus among INDOT and FHWA personnel was reached regarding the following: (1) increase for design the Resilient Modulus of the subgrade treated with lime by 25% over that of the natural soil; (2) change the target thickness of the treated subgrade from 16 inches to 14 inches; (3) continue to monitor performance of new pavements where the subgrade is treated with lime.

INDOT Technical specifications (Sec 207, 215) were revised and design guidelines were updated by the Office of Geotechnical Engineering to incorporate these recommendations. During 2011 and 2012, 4.5 million square yards of subgrade construction was built following the recommendations of the study. Subgrade construction cost savings on the order of 10-20% were realized due to reduction in subgrade thickness and increase in Resilient Modulus.

More Information | In additional to the JTRP technical report, the results of this research were disseminated in three journal entries as well a paper presented at the 87th Transportation Research Board annual meeting. Publication details, and hyperlinks to those publications, are listed below:

  • Jung, C., S. Jung, A. Bobet, and N. Z. Siddiki. Field Investigation of Subgrade Lime Modification. Publication FHWA/IN/JTRP-2009/38. Joint Transportation Research Program, Indiana Department of Transportation and Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, 2009. DOI: 10.5703/1288284314271.
  • Jung, C.M., Bobet, A., Siddiki, N.Z., and Kim, D., "Long-term Performance of Chemically-Modified Subgrade Soils in Indiana," Transportation Research Record, No. 2059, pp. 63-71, 2008. DOI: 10.3141/2059-07
  • Jung, C.M., Bobet, A., Siddiki, N.Z., and Kim, D., "Post-construction Evaluation of Subgrades Chemically Treated with Lime Kiln Dust," ASCE Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, Vol. 23, No. 7, pp. 931-940, December 2010. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0000251
  • Jung, C.M., Jung, S., Siddiki, N.Z., and Bobet, A., "Field investigation of engineering properties and uniformity of subgrades chemically treated with LKD," International Journal of Pavement Engineering, Vol. 14, No.2, pp. 134-145, June 2011. DOI: 10.1080/10298436.2011.590194
  • Jung, C.M., Bobet, A., Siddiki, N.Z., and Kim, D., "Long-term Performance of Lime-Modified Subgrade Soils in Indiana," Transportation Research Board Conference. Proceedings of the 87th Annual Meeting. Washington DC, 21 pp, 2008. DOI: 10.3141/2059-07