This field demonstration project was conducted on the SR9B construction project in Jacksonville, Florida from May 16 to May 19, 2011. A Caterpillar CS74 vibratory smooth drum self-propelled roller weighing about 34,000 pounds was used on the project. The machine was setup with a roller-integrated compaction monitoring (RICM) system. Four test beds (TBs) were constructed and tested using the on-site poorly-graded sand embankment fill (A-3 according to the AASHTO classification system).

TB1 involved constructing six test sections incorporating several different geosynthetic reinforcement materials: biaxial geogrid (BX), geogrid/nonwoven geotextile geocomposite (C30), polypropylene woven fabric (PPWF), and 100 mm or 150 mm geocell (GC) materials, and one control section. TB2 involved compacting a thick loose lift (about 1.2 m deep) in two sections―one with BX geogrid reinforcement and one without reinforcement. TBs 3 and 4 involved mapping project production areas using the RICM roller and selecting test locations based on the color-coded on-board computer display in the roller for in situ testing.

The main objectives of this demonstration project were as follows:

• Evaluate the use ofRICM technology with on-board computer display for compacted fill quality control (QC) and quality assurance (QA) testing
• Evaluate compaction influence depth under the RICM roller
• Evaluate differences in engineering properties between different types of geosynthetic and geocell reinforced fill test sections along with unreinforced fill test section using different QC/QA testing methods
• Evaluate differences in the in-ground dynamic stresses under the roller between different test sections
• Provide hands-on experience with RICM technology and various QC/QA testing technologies, and various geosynthetic/geocell reinforcement products to researchers and practitioners