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Abstract
Cement stabilization is a common method used in southern Georgia to strengthen fine-grained soils that are locally available and prepare them for pavement construction. Flexible pavements over cement-stabilized soils are expected to experience mild reflective cracking originating from the shrinkage cracks on top of the stabilized layer. However, inadequate soil-cement construction, including thin stabilized layers, low compaction, deviations in cement content from the mix design, and rapid moisture loss, can significantly reduce the flexible pavement strength and overall life cycle. In this study, ground penetrating radar (GPR) was used to capture the stabilized soil's inconsistent cement content, and hydration rate. A predictive model derived from laboratory testing was created based on the distinct hydration rates, dielectric constants, and electrical conductivities associated with different water to cement (w/c) ratios. Field validation shows that GPR can detect these inconsistencies in cement-stabilized layers within the first days after construction through non-destructive testing.