It has been known for some time that some Western Kentucky bank gravels perform rather poorly as base or shoulder material. In the fall of 1956, the Division of Research participated in the experimental design and evaluation of a group of ten rural highway base stabilization projects. Two of these projects, one in Ballard County and one in Marshall County involved the stabilization of Western Kentucky bank gravels with a bituminous material; AE-200, a mixing-type emulsion, was used.
The performance of these bitumirlous-stabilized gravels has not been entirely satisfactory. Even though little tendency was noted for the asphalt to bleed to the surface, some sections were deeply marked and remarked by each passing vehicle. It may have been that the addition of the bituminous material served to lubricate rather than cement the materials together.
It was pointed out in the above mentioned report that Western Kentucky gravels have usually been treated with bituminous materials or calcium chloride in attempted stabilizations with generally unsatisfactory results. It was pointed out that portland cement, lime, or limefly ash might be more successfully used to stabilize these gravels.
To further investigate these bank gravels, a preliminary laboratory study has been made on two samples from the Jackson Purchase Region. The area from which the samples were taken represents the highest elevations in the undulating plain of the Purchase Region - the ridges in the area consist of chert and limestone of Mississippian age capped by the Tuscaloosa gravel or the Lafayette formation.
Digital Object Identifier
Deen, Robert C., "Portland Cement Stabilization of Western Kentucky Gravels" (1961). Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report. 1283.