Reflective Cracking in Cement Stabilized Pavements

Cracking in asphalt pavements What is reflection cracking?

Cracks occur in flexible (asphalt) pavements for a wide variety of Cracks in the base layer, regardless of their cause, can result in
reasons. Some cracks are indicative of failure in the pavement, stress concentrations and cracking in the asphalt surface layer. The
such as fatigue cracking, thermal cracking, or cracking due to surface cracks tend to follow the same pattern as the cracks in the
base failure. Other cracks, such as reflective cracks in cement-sta- base, and are referred to as “reflection” cracks.
bilized pavement bases, are mainly cosmetic in nature. They can
be present for many years without the need for significant mainte-
Reflection Crack Growth
nance, yet they do not reduce pavement’s smoothness.
in Asphalt Pavement
The use of cement stabilized bases, such as soil-cement, cement-
treated aggregate base, or full-depth recycling, actually reduces Stabilized Base
the occurrence of failure-related cracking:
• Fatigue cracking, with its typical “alligator” pattern, is
decreased because the stiff, stabilized base reduces vertical Subgrade
deflection and tensile strain in the asphalt surface.
• Base failure, and resultant cracking and potholes, is de-
creased because cement stabilization helps keep moisture out Care must be taken in determining what mechanism is causing
of the base and improves base material performance in satu- cracks in the asphalt surface. They can occur for a number of rea-
rated or freezing conditions. sons, such as poor construction, structural failure, asphalt aging,
temperature cracking, etc. The only way to be sure a crack in the
• Subgrade failure is decreased because cement-stabilized
surface of an asphalt pavement is reflecting a crack in the stabi-
bases spread traffic loads over wide areas and can span weak
lized base layer is to take a pavement core and visually see the
subgrade locations.
crack in the same location in the base and asphalt layers.
However, cement-stabilized bases can also be the source of
shrinkage cracks in the stabilized base layer, which can reflect Does reflection cracking occur with all stabilized
through the asphalt surface. Examples of base failure cracking and bases?
reflection cracking are shown in figures below. Not always, but usually materials that have been treated with a
stabilizer will experience some shrinkage through the natural
processes of hydration and curing. Soil-cement and cement treat-
ed aggregate bases will typically experience narrow transverse
cracks at 8 to 20 ft (2.4 to 6 m) intervals, that will maintain struc-
tural integrity through aggregate interlock. In wide paving areas,
such as multiple lane roadways or parking lots, the cracks may
take on a bi-directional rectangular “block” pattern with the rec-
tangular sides having widths of 8 to 20 ft (2.4 to 6 m) or greater.
These cracks may or may not be reflected through the asphalt sur-
face. If they are reflected, the resulting asphalt crack will usually
be narrow if the crack in the base is also narrow.

Are reflection cracks a problem?

Reflection cracks may or may not be a problem. If the cracks are
narrow (< 1/8 in. or 3 mm), sufficient load transfer normally exists
through aggregate interlock to keep the pavement structure func-
Base Failure Cracking Reflection Cracking tioning. Also, narrow cracks are usually tight enough that mois-
ture intrusion into the base/subgrade layers is minimal and non- the shrinkage potential because the soil/aggregate particles are
problematic. If the cracking causes no “tenting” or roughness, packed densely together, with little room to undergo high
there may be no need for maintenance action. shrinkage. Also, good compaction leads to better aggregate
interlock and structural support if a crack does develop.
However, if wide cracks (> 1/4 in. or 6 mm) occur at the pave-
ment surface, they can result in poor load transfer and increased e) Using excessive amounts of cement in the stabilized mix.
stress in the asphalt that will lead to deterioration of the structure. Although cement hydration contributes less to shrinkage than
In addition, wider cracks in the surface provide an avenue for does moisture loss, excessive amounts of cement can exacer-
water to enter the pavement. This can result in pumping of sub- bate cracking in two ways: Increased cement contents cause
grade material, faulting of the base, and increased pavement greater consumption of water during hydration, thus increasing
roughness. A “working” crack with moisture intrusion will also shrinkage. More importantly, higher cement levels cause high-
cause eventual deterioration of the base material, even though it er rigidity and excessive strength (both tensile and compres-
is stabilized. Therefore, wide cracks in stabilized pavement bases sive). Higher tensile strength results in cracks which are spaced
should be avoided to ensure smooth pavements and long life. further apart, but because the material undergoes at least as
much total shrinkage as a lower cement content material, the
What causes wide cracks? width of each individual crack is wider.
Cracking in a cement treated material is caused by volume
change (shrinkage). This shrinkage can occur for a number of rea- How can wide cracks be minimized?
sons, such as cement hydration, temperature change, and drying. Hundreds of thousands of miles of roads with cement stabilized
The greatest amount of shrinkage occurs early in the life of the bases have been constructed in all climates with excellent perfor-
pavement (within the first couple months). When a pavement mance. There are a number of preventative measures that can be
layer undergoes shrinkage, its movement is resisted by friction taken to minimize the chance that wide cracks will occur in a
from the layer below, causing tension to build in the shrinking cement-stabilized material:
layer. Since cement treated materials have limited tensile strength
a) Provide proper construction techniques. As with any construc-
(especially before they have undergone much curing) the forces
tion process, following the proper construction techniques and
due to shrinkage can cause cracking. As previously noted, the
providing good quality control during field operations is para-
cracks are not harmful to the pavement structure as long as they
mount to achieving superior results. With cement stabilized
are narrow. Narrow cracks with good interlock may not reflect
bases, a quality project relies on several important factors
through the asphalt at all. And reflection of a crack through the
including the use of appropriate cement and moisture con-
asphalt, if it does occur, may occur rapidly (within a few months),
tents, thorough mixing, adequate compaction, and curing. And
or may be delayed for many years (especially in the case of nar-
the stabilization process must be accomplished within a rea-
row cracks and/or thick asphalt surface mats).
sonable time-frame (within two hours of cement mixing) to
Studies have shown that wide cracks (> 1/4 in. or 6 mm) in ensure that the cement does not hydrate before final com-
cement treated materials are due primarily to drying (water loss) paction is achieved. PCA publications EB003, Soil-Cement
shrinkage rather than hydration or temperature change. Excessive Construction Handbook and PA050, Soil-Cement Inspector’s
cracking in cement treated materials is caused by a number of Manual provide details on the soil-cement process.
factors:
a) Compacting material at high moisture levels (above optimum
moisture content). Moisture in excess of that needed for maxi-
mum density provides higher potential for shrinkage, since the
material can undergo more drying.
b) Using a soil that contains a high percentage of clay. Clay par-
ticles have a large surface area relative to their weight, so they
hold a large amount of water, and have a high optimum mois-
ture content. This is especially true if the clay particles have a
very high surface area, such as montmorillonite.
c) Rapid moisture loss. After a cement treated material is placed,
it immediately begins to lose moisture through evaporation
unless proper curing procedures are followed. Moisture loss
causes two problems: 1) the material dries quickly and will b) Compact the cement treated material at or slightly less than
undergo more shrinkage, and 2) there may not be enough optimum moisture content. Too much water in the soil-cement
moisture to continue hydration of the cement (which will mix creates the potential for excessive drying, which can lead
reduce the final strength). to wide shrinkage cracks. Optimum moisture content should
d) Failing to achieve required compaction. Poorly compacted be determined by developing a moisture-density curve from
materials have high void ratios, with more unrestricted space the standard Proctor procedure (ASTM D 558). Ideally, the
to undergo movement, thus resulting in higher shrinkage and field moisture content during compaction should be within a
wider cracks. A tight matrix of a well-compacted soil reduces range of zero to slightly below (minus 2%) optimum.

2
c) Reduce the percentage of clay in the treated soil. Because
clay holds more water and is compacted at a higher moisture Pavement Designs for Stress Relief
content, the potential for shrinkage cracking is greater.
Granular
Blending in granular, sandy materials can help reduce the clay Chip-Seal Geotextile Layer
percentage. However, the use of clay often cannot be avoided,
and blending in additional materials may be costly. Therefore,
if the stabilized material has a high clay content, monitoring
the water content during compaction is especially important.
d) Proportion the proper amount of cement in the mix. Enough
cement should be added to the soil-aggregate mixture to
achieve the desired engineering properties, but more than that Cement-Stabilized Base
amount is unnecessary, uneconomical, and can lead to addi-
tional cracking. Therefore, laboratory testing should be con-
ducted to evaluate the engineering properties desired. This h) Delay paving as long as practical following the placing of the
could include unconfined compression tests, freeze-thaw, wet- prime coat. If the final paving of the asphalt surface is delayed
dry durability testing, and Atterberg Limits (liquid limit, plastic for a period of time (14 to 28 days), it allows more time for
limit, plasticity index). Typically, a 7-day unconfined compres- any shrinkage cracks to develop. Placing the surface after most
sive strength of 300 to 400 psi (2.1 to 2.8 MPa) provides good of the shrinkage has occurred can result in fewer and/or thin-
bearing capacity, durability, and shrinkage properties. PCA ner cracks in the asphalt layer, as the asphalt will tend to
publication EB052, Soil-Cement Laboratory Handbook pro- bridge the already-formed cracks. This strategy can be com-
vides details for proportioning soil-cement mixtures. bined with item g) to delay final asphalt application if a com-
e) Use admixtures. Various admixtures have been investigated for bined chip seal and asphalt surface are used. The chip seal can
reducing the shrinkage potential of soil-cement. Among these be applied soon after the base is constructed (even the next
are shrinkage-compensated cement, gypsum, water reducers, day) to seal the surface and provide a durable surface for traf-
fly ash, and ground granulated blast-furnace slag. Admixtures fic. The asphalt course can then be placed many months (or
often reduce water demand, aid in the mixing process, extend even years) after the chip seal depending on the traffic and
mixing time, and for many granular soils, provide a filler mate- extent of surface wear.
rial that can effectively reduce the need for excess cement.
i) “Precrack” the pavement. This method to reduce or eliminate
f) Provide a stress relief layer in the pavement structure. Cracks reflection cracking is relatively new, but has shown excellent
in the base layer can cause stress concentrations in the asphalt results to date. The procedure is to apply loading to the soil-
surface. These stress concentrations lead to reflective cracks in cement (using several passes of a vibrating roller) 1-2 days
the asphalt. Placing a flexible material between the base and after final compaction. This introduces a network of closely
surface layers will provide stress relief. This can be accom- spaced hairline cracks into the cement-treated material, which
plished by using: acts to relieve the
shrinkage stresses
1) A bituminous surface treatment (chip seal) between the
early in its life, and
stabilized base and surface.
provides a crack pat-
2) A geotextile fabric between the stabilized base and sur- tern that will mini-
face, or between the asphalt binder and surface courses. mize the develop-
ment of wide shrink-
3) A 2 to 4 in. (50 to 100 mm) layer of unbound granular
age cracks. Further-
material between the stabilized base layer and the asphalt
more, since the pre-
surface.
cracking is performed
Good field performance in minimizing or eliminating reflective shortly after place-
cracking has been achieved in each of the options noted ment, the “micro-
above (see figure). cracking” will not
impact the pave-
g) Take positive steps for curing immediately after final com-
ment’s overall struc-
paction. The surface of the cement-treated layer must be kept
tural capacity as the
moist until a permanent moisture barrier is in place. Normally
cracks will heal and
water trucks supply moisture to the pavement, although sprin-
the cement-treated
kler systems can also be used. The compacted stabilized base
material will continue
should never be allowed to dry completely, even for a short
to gain strength with
period of time. Once a moisture barrier is placed, water curing
time.
can stop. The moisture barrier can be a curing compound, a
bituminous emulsion prime coat or even a chip seal.

3
What to do if reflection cracks develop? Bibliography
Not all reflection cracks require maintenance. For low to medium George, K.P., “Shrinkage Characteristics of Soil-Cement Mixtures,”
volume roadways, narrow (< 1/8 in. or 3 mm) reflection cracks in Highway Research Record 255, Washington, D.C., 1968.
the asphalt surface will likely not be a performance problem at
Garrett, E.B., and L.T. Norling, “Minimizing Reflective Cracks in
all, and can be left alone.
Soil-Cement and Cement-Treated Base Pavements in North
If wider cracks develop (> 1/4 in. or 6 mm), or if the pavement America – A Status Report of Laboratory Studies and Field
supports a high volume of traffic, sealing of the reflection cracks Practice,” Annual Conference of the Roads and Transportation
should be performed. Standard bituminous sealing compounds Association of Canada, Halifax, Nova Scotia, October 1973.
normally used with asphalt pavements will suffice to eliminate George, K.P., “Minimizing Cracking in Cement-Treated Materials
moisture intrusion into the base and subgrade levels. This should for Improved Performance,” RD123, Portland Cement Association,
be sufficient to preclude maintenance problems such as raveling, 1999.
pumping, faulting, and base deterioration.
Kuhlman, R.H., “Cracking in Soil Cement – Cause, Effect,
If cracks in a stabilized pavement have deteriorated, more exten- Control,” Concrete International, August 1994, pp 56-59.
sive repair procedures will be necessary. This may include milling Scullion, Tom, “Field Investigation: Pre-Cracking of Soil-Cement
the deteriorated joint and filling with appropriate repair materials, Bases to Reduce Reflection Cracking,” Transportation Research
removing and replacing the base material at the crack location, Record 1787, Washington, D.C., 2002, pp 22-30.
and repair/filling of the subgrade if substantial pumping and mois-
ture intrusion have occurred. Further Help
Usually proper construction procedures, crack minimization For assistance with your soil-cement project, call PCA at 847-
strategies, and maintenance sealing, if necessary, can eliminate 966-6200, or visit our web site at www.cement.org. Also, the
requirements for significant maintenance. A well designed and following useful publications can be ordered through the web site
properly maintained cement-stabilized base will normally outlast or PCA Publications at 800-868-6733.
several asphalt overlays, providing decades of low maintenance EB003 Soil-Cement Construction Handbook
service. EB052 Soil-Cement Laboratory Handbook
EB068 Thickness Design for Soil-Cement Pavements
PA050 Soil-Cement Inspector’s Manual
SR221 Cement Treated Aggregate Base
IS008 Suggested Specification for Soil-Cement Base Course
LT120 State-of-the-Art Report on Soil-Cement

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