Comparative Study of Physical and Mechanical Properties of Base Course Materials from 3 Different Gravel Pits within the Municipality of Brack Alshatti, Libya

Abstract

Base course layer is an essential element of the geometry of roadways. Its quality and performance can directly influence the durability and safety of roadways. Problems encountered in roadways such as rutting, surface deformation, water infiltration, resistant to traffic load can be linked to inefficient construction of one or more roadways elements amongst which can be selection of poor base course materials leading to less durable pavement, lower service capacity, and threatening the safety and serviceability of the roadways. There is a crucial need for defining the best base course source within the municipality of Brak Al-Shatti for usage in construction and maintenance of roadways in the region. This study presents a comparative analysis of physical and mechanical properties of three base course material obtained from three different aggregate producers namely Rwawas Company, Al-jebal Al-Afreqiya Company, and Al-Moatamed Alawal Company. The ranking of tested base course materials was based on the results of an experimental program used for base course examination including grain size distribution, maximum dry density, strength, and other physical and mechanical parameters. The results confirm the superiority of the base course materials produced by Al-Moatamed Alawal Company (denoted as BC3 in this study) followed by the base course materials produced by Rwawas Company (denoted as BC1 in this study) and lastly the base course materials produced by Al-jebal Afreqiya Company (denoted as BC2 in this study).