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TxDOT Houston SH 36 Corridor

Project Background

HVJ has been providing construction materials testing services for the TxDOT Houston SH 36 Corridor Construction in Brazoria County as part of the HNTB's CEI Team.

The objective of this project, as explained by TxDOT, is to "improve safety by providing additional capacity during hurricane evacuation events, to reduce traffic congestion due to population growth, and to improve intermodal relationships with the Port of Freeport."

Our extensive experience in the area played an essential role in overcoming soil challenges that needed to be remedied before the construction could move forward.  

Practice: Construction Materials Engineering and Testing
Sector: Transportation, Roads
Location:  Brazoria County, Texas
Services: Construction Materials Testing
SH 36

The Problem

 The geography presented a unique challenge: the area contains wetlands and soils with high organic content. The material excavated from the project area's ditch/pond for the proposed embankment fill underneath the pavement. Our testing found that the soil contained unacceptable organic contents of 2 to 4%, significantly exceeding TxDOT's allowable limit of 1%. 

The Goal

We aimed to overcome the high organic content soil challenges so TxDOT could complete the construction. This included: 
  • Avoiding the cost and logistical difficulties of importing new fill material.   
  • Maximizing the use of onsite materials 
  • Reducing construction costs 
  • Developing a solution that aligns with TxDOT's standards 

Our Solution

We selected material samples from various depths of the ditch/pond area, carefully selecting samples with the highest anticipated organic content. We determined the pH of the soil-lime mixture at varying lime contents per TxDOT's standards outlined in Tex 128 E and Tex-121E. Next, we determined the lime percentage required to achieve a pH of 12.4, the value necessary to stabilize the soil. Our solution was a soil-lime mixture with 6% lime, which allowed the soil to meet fill material guidelines.  


The Results

By treating the high-organic soil onsite, HVJ's solution enabled the use of existing materials, reducing overall construction costs by eliminating the need to import new borrow material. This cost-effective and sustainable approach was instrumental in keeping the project within budget and on schedule, enabling durable, long-lasting pavement construction.  

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