Abstract

The physical properties of materials used in the base course of pavement play a critical role in determining the quality of road construction. Aggregates from different river sources exhibit varying physical, chemical, and geotechnical properties. In Madhesh Province, different aggregate sources are used for road construction, so determining the values of the physical properties of aggregates for the base course and conducting suitability research is essential for road construction projects. The primary objective of this research is to assess the physical properties of base course aggregates available in Madhesh province and to evaluate their suitability according to the “SSRBW 2016 (2nd Amendments 2022)” published by the DoR, with a focus on strength and durability. Base course aggregate samples from Madhesh Province were collected for this research. According to the IS code and the manual of standard tests published by the DoR, laboratory tests were conducted on sixty-six samples of twenty-two locations of twenty-two rivers to determine various physical properties, including gradation analysis, water absorption & specific gravity, combined EI and FI, ACV, LAAV, AIV and CBR value. Out of twenty-two river sources, twenty-one source samples met the specified requirements.

Keywords

Water Absorption, Specific Gravity, Combined EI and FI Aggregate, Impact Value Test, Gradation Analysis, Aggregate Crushing Value, Base Course, California Bearing Ratio Value Test, Los Angeles Abrasion Value Test.

Citation(in IEEE Format)

Ram Kumar Malepati and Gopal Gautam, “Determination of Physical Properties and Suitability of Base Course Materials of Selected Sources in Madhesh Province, Nepal,” International Journal of Multidisciplinary Innovative Research (IJMIR), vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 46–60, January 2026.