Investigation of Permeability Function of Pavement Materials in Unsaturated Condition and Its Application

Abstract

The moisture content of the pavement material is an important factor that affects the strength of the pavement structure. This paper presents a study on the permeability function in unsaturated conditions of pavement materials with the Instantaneous Profile Method (IPM). The gravel and laterite were selected for testing with suction between 0 and 100 kPa. The results showed that the coefficient of permeability was in the range of 1x10-5 to 1x10-10 m/s and the air entry suction value of soil water characteristic curve varied between 1 to 3 kPa. The result of this study was applied to estimate moisture variation in the pavement due fluctuating groundwater level and to find the preventive solution for moisture-related deterioration of pavement materials in the future.