Speakers
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Ben Reese PEAssociate/Project Engineer | Raba KistnerAfter earning a masters degree from BYU, Mr. Reese has been involved in the construction materials testing for the last 19+ years. He has managed laboratories in two states and enjoys using his skills and expertise to help projects move along effectively. He currently serves as a quality officer for Raba Kistner, headquartered in San Antonio. Beyond materials engineering, his passions include research and pavement design.
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Randy Bowers PEDirector of Cement Stabilization | Cement Council of Texas: Randy Bowers, P.E. has been with the Cement Council of Texas for over 6 years and is the Director of Cement Stabilization. He is a professional engineer with 35 years of service with TxDOT, where he served as Area Engineer in Tarrant County and Assistant Director of Maintenance for the Fort Worth District. While in the Johnson County Area Office, he served as the Area Engineer and Assistant Area Engineer where he constructed numerous cement stabilized pavements. Previously as planning/design engineer, he directed analysis and testing and submitted numerous pavement design reports and recommendations for the Fort Worth District of TxDOT. Randy now focuses on offering concrete and cement related solutions and support for end users.
Local Time
- Timezone: America/Chicago
- Date: Sep 18 2026
- Time: 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
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Convention Center First Floor
- 1901 N Shoreline Blvd, Corpus Christi, TX 78401
Category
High-PI Stabilization for Concrete Pavement Performance
Concrete pavements are widely recognized for their structural capacity and long service life; however, long-term performance is fundamentally dependent on uniform and stable foundation support. Expansive, highly plastic clays (PI ≥ 35) contribute to differential movement, moisture-driven distress, and reduced pavement reliability, underscoring the importance of effective subgrade stabilization in resilient pavement systems.
This presentation provides a concrete pavement performance overview with emphasis on foundation engineering and soil treatment strategies. It then examines recent research evaluating the stabilization of low-, medium-, and high-PI soils using cement (Type I/II and IL), lime, and combined lime–cement treatment. Laboratory testing included Atterberg limits, moisture–density relationships, unconfined compressive strength (UCS) under soaked and non-soaked conditions, and CBR, LWD, and DCP to assess strength development, plasticity reduction, and swell mitigation.
Results indicate that highly plastic clays can be effectively treated with cement, and that as plasticity increases, combined lime–cement stabilization may provide enhanced reductions in PI and swell while maintaining strength. The findings support performance-based stabilization approaches and encourage broader consideration of treatment options to improve foundation uniformity, manage risk, and enhance the long-term performance of concrete pavement systems.
