SECTION 02722

AGGREGATE BASE COURSE

PART 1 - GENERAL

1.1 SCOPE. This section covers the furnishing of labor, materials and equipment for the construction of
graded crushed aggregate base course and subbase course at the locations indicated on the
drawings.

1.2 REFERENCES.

1.2.1 Governing Standards. The following organizations, their standards and specifications referenced in this
section make up a part of this specification. Standards current at the time of Tender shall be used.
AASHTO American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
ASTM American Society for Testing and Materials
NSA National Stone Association
SASO Saudi Arabian Standards Organization

1.3 COORDINATION. The Contractor shall coordinate the construction of aggregate course with the
excavation, and other construction.

1.4 QUALITY ASSURANCE.

1.4.1 Testing. All testing to determine moisture content, compaction, and density of materials will be
performed at the expense of the Contractor.

1.4.2 Tolerances.

1.4.2.1 Thickness. The completed thickness of base course shall be within 13mm of the thickness as indicated
on the drawings. When the measured thickness is more than 13mm deficient, such areas shall be
corrected by excavating to required depth and replacing with new materials.

1.4.2.2 Smoothness. The surface of each aggregate layer work shall be tested for surface smoothness by using
a 5- meter straightedge applied parallel to and at right angles to the centerline of surfaced area.
The aggregate surface shall have no deviation in excess of 13mm at any point of contact. No
pockets or depressions which cause water to pool shall be permitted.

Crowns of the roadway shall be tested with a crown template, centered and at right angles to the crown
with a surface smoothness variation not exceeding 15mm from the template. The Contractor shall
establish and maintain the required lines and grades, including crown and cross slope during
construction operations.

1.4.2.3 Density. The minimum acceptable density of in-place aggregate course shall be 100 percent of the
recorded density of a laboratory specimen made in the proportions of the job mix formula.

1.5 SUBMITTALS.

1.5.1 Samples and Data. All submittals of samples and data shall be in accordance with the procedures of the

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 applicable ASTM and AASHTO specifications and as set forth in the Submittal Procedures
section.

1.5.2 Test Reports. The Contractor shall submit four copies of laboratory test reports conforming with the
applicable ASTM and AASHTO requirements.

PART 2 - PRODUCTS

2.1 MATERIALS.

Sieve Size Percent by Weight Passing

(mm) Base Course Subbase Course
50.0 --- 100
37.5 100 90 – 100
25.0 60 - 100 55 – 85
12.5 30 - 65 ---
4.75 20 - 50 30 - 60
2.00 15 - 40 ---
0.425 5 - 25 ---
0.075 0 - 10 0 - 15

2.2 PERFORMANCE AND DESIGN REQUIREMENTS.

2.2.1 Design Criteria. The aggregate material shall consist of crushed stone, crushed gravel, and other sound,
durable materials processed and blended. Aggregate shall be free from lumps or balls of clay and
other soft and objectionable material. The abrasion loss shall be no more than 40 percent when
subjected to 500 revolutions in a Los Angeles abrasion machine as determined by ASTM C131.
That fraction passing the 19mm sieve and retained on the 4.75mm sieve shall have a loss not
greater than 15 percent by weighted average at 5 cycles of ASTM C88. The specific gravity shall
not be less than 2.54. That fraction of the material passing the 19mm sieve and retained on the
4.75mm sieve shall contain less than 20 percent by weight of flat and elongated particles. The
materials shall consist of angular particles with not less than 90 percent of particle count having
two or more fractured surfaces.

2.3 PROPORTIONING.

2.3.1 Design Mix. A job mix formula shall be established by the Contractor and be acceptable to the
Ministry Representative prior to the start of work. This mix shall not be changed without prior
authorization from the Ministry Representative.

PART 3 - EXECUTION

3.1 INSPECTION.

3.1.1 Subgrade Preparation. Preparation of the subgrade as specified in the Earthwork section shall be
completed for the full width of the road prior to the placement of any base materials.

3.2 PREPARATION.

3.2.1 Field Preparation. Ditches and drains along the subgrade shall be maintained as required for effective
drainage. Whenever ruts of 50mm or more in depth are formed, the subgrade shall be brought to
grade, reshaped and recompacted. Storage or stockpiling of materials on the subgrade will not be

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 permitted.

Any deviation of the subgrade surface in excess of 25mm as indicated by a 5 meter straightedge, or
template cut to typical section shall be corrected by loosening, adding or removing material,
reshaping and recompacting.

3.3 APPLICATION.

3.3.1 Aggregate Course. The aggregate base and subbase courses shall be placed as indicated on the
drawings or as directed by the Ministry Representative and shall be constructed in layers not more
than 150mm of compacted thickness or as indicated on the drawings. The material shall be of
uniform gradation with no pockets of fine or coarse materials. Any necessary sprinkling shall be
kept within this limit.

When the aggregate surfacing is constructed in more than one layer, the previously constructed layers
shall be cleaned of loose and foreign matter. The water content of the material shall be maintained
during placement to ensure maximum compaction at optimum moisture content. Moisture content
shall be maintained at plus or minus 1-1/2 percent of optimum.

After spreading or mixing, the aggregate course shall be thoroughly compacted by rolling and
sprinkling. Sufficient rollers shall be furnished to adequately handle the rate of placing and
spreading of the base material. Rolling shall progress gradually from the sides to the center or
from one side toward previously placed material, by lapping uniformly each preceding track by at
least 300mm. The rolling shall continue until the material is thoroughly set and stable, and the
base material has been compacted to not less than 100 percent of maximum density at optimum
moisture as determined by ASTM D1557 and D1556 or D2167. Blading and rolling shall be done
alternately, as required or directed, to obtain a smooth, even, and uniformly compacted aggregate
course.

3.4 FIELD QUALITY CONTROL.

3.4.1 Sampling and Testing. Samples of the in-place compacted aggregate shall be taken at random in
accordance with the requirements of ASTM D75. A minimum of one sample per day or one
sample per layer for every 2000 square meters of compacted in-place aggregate, whichever is
greater, shall be taken. Sieve analysis shall be made from samples in accordance with the
requirements of ASTM C136 to determine compliance with these specifications. Portion of the
aggregate passing the 0.425mm sieve shall have a liquid limit of not more than 25 and a plasticity
index of not more than 5 as determined by ASTM D4318. Prepare samples in accordance with
ASTM D2217, procedure A. The laboratory compacted California Bearing Ratio ASTM D1883 of
the material shall not be less than 100 after 4 days soaking. The test specimens shall be compacted
at optimum moisture content by the modified method ASTM D1557, Method D.

End of Section

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