Laboratory and Field Evaluations of Geocell Reinforced Bases for Locally Available Material in the Himalayan Region

The primary objective of this study is to develop a geocell-reinforced pavement composition suitable for high-altitude roads using locally available materials and establish a correlation between laboratory and field evaluations. To achieve this goal, the research encompasses the evaluation of layers reinforced with geocell through both laboratory experimental setups and field test sections. In the laboratory, unbound material layers were assembled in a dynamic testing facility with varying compaction levels—specifically, 80%, 90%, and 95%. Subsequent cyclic plate load tests were conducted on these test setup surfaces. The results are notably indicative that the incorporation of geocell led to a significant reduction in permanent deformation within the base layer, resulting in reductions of 10% to 30% across different compaction conditions. Furthermore, this addition of geocell correlated with a noteworthy reduction in base course thickness, ranging from 14 to 50%, aligning with Modulus Improvement Factor (MIF) values ranging from 1.5 to 4. To authenticate the benefits of geocell reinforcement, field sections were constructed, and field California Bearing Ratio (CBR) testing was carried out. The CBR value of the geocell-reinforced field section notably exceeded that of the control section, registering an increase of more than twofold. This augmentation led to a calculated MIF of 1.4. Importantly, the comparison between laboratory and field assessments emphasized that the effectiveness of geocell reinforcement is notably more pronounced in field applications.