Good Quality Control 2005 PDF

A guide to good quality control practices
on asphalt productios and construction

Cawangan Jalan, Ibu Pejabat JKR, K.L
FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Item Page
Rocks and aggregates 1
Classification of rocks 2
Aggregate stockpiles 4
Aggregates 7
Bitumen 8
Mix design 10
Compliance 11
Mixing plants 12
Batch plant mixing operation 14
Site preparation 17
Delivery of asphalt 21
Laying of asphalt 23
Hand casting 26
Compaction of asphalt 28
Construction joints 31
Joint preparation 32
Transverse joint construction 35
Longitudinal joint construction 37
Surface waves and roughness 39
Checklist 41
Page1
Rock s and aggr egat es
Rocks are classified relative to their geological origins and these are termed
igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic.
Igneous rocks - formed from hot liquid or magma, cooling either above or
beneath the earth's surface. Typical examples are granite and basalt.
Sedimentary rocks - the action of wind or-water on a rock's surface results in
the formation of smaller particles. These particles are deposited on river or sea
beds or depressions in the earth's surface. This sediment accumulates and is
buried - compaction and cementation over the years removes the air and water
to form sedimentary rocks. A typical example is limestone.
Metamorphic rocks - heat, pressure and chemical substances deep beneath
the earth's surface act on existing igneous and sedimentary rocks to form a
new type called metamorphic rocks, eg. marble.
In the tropics, the minerals in surface deposits of igneous rocks are always
likely to be weathered. High temperatures and high humidity can produce
physical and chemical changes to a considerable depth. The weathering may
only be slight as in the brown staining often evident in spots on granite mason-
ry. In more humid areas, chemical weathering may proceed quite rapidly and
many of the rock minerals will be found to be at least partially weathered
towards their ultimate clayey form. Such deterioration may not be obvious by
hand inspection but the consequences of using such weathered rocks in roads
may be disastrous.
There are relatively simple laboratory tests which can be used to indicate
whether the aggregate contains particles of suspect hardness and durability.
The best known of these is the soundness test as per BS 812 or ASTM C88.
This test will identify aggregates which are weak and porous. However, its use
to identify aggregates that are partially weathered is less certain since some of
the aggregates may not be porous. Magnesium sulphate is prferred to sodium
sulphate because of the greater penetrating power of the saturaed solution.
Aggregates must have certain properties to withstand the stresses imposed on
the road surface and sub-surface layers. For every stockpile that prduces
2,500 tonnes of mix, all coarse and fine aggregates should conform to the
physical and mechanical quality requirements as per Clause 4.2.4.2 (a) of
SPJ.
Page 2
Cl assi f i c at i on of r ock s
Typical types of rock.
Pic, from left weathered granite, basalt
and unweathered granite. In tropical
region, high temperatures and humidity
can produce physical and chemical
decomposition as evident by
brown discolouration on the surface.
Weathered and
unweathered rocks.
Weathered rocks should not be used in
roads, neither as coarse and fine
aggregates nor as roadbase crusher run.
Aggregates suspected of weathering
should undergo soundness test as per
Clause 4.2.4.2 (a) of SPJ.
Typical aggregates.
Granite (pic), a coarse grained igneous
rock, is siliceous and susceptible to
stripping. Bitumen stripping test should
be regularly carried out if granite is used
as aggregate. Basalt, a fine grained
igneous rock, contains less silica and has
better affinitywith bitumen but can be
brittle and splintery. Limestone, a calcer-
ous
sedimentary rock, is softer than igneous
rock but usually has adequate strength for
use in roads. However, the material is
susceptible to polishing under traffic
and therefore should not be permitted for
use in wearing course as per Clause
4.2.4.2 (a) of SPJ
Page 3
Cl assi f i c at i on of r ock s
Weathered granite.
The brown staining on the surface gives
an indication that some degree of weath-
ering may have taken place on this gran-
ite.
Weathered granite.
This granite is obviously porous, an indi-
cation that the weathering may have been
substantial.
Weathered rocks.
Weathered rocks should not be used in
any of the pavement layers.
Page 4
Aggr egat e st ock pi l es
Good separation of stockpiles.
Quality control of asphalt begins with
aggregate stockpiles. Different sizes of
aggregate should be kept separated.
Clean and stable stockpile
base.
Aggregates should be stockpiled on a
clean surface. Paved pads should be used
to facilitate drainage and to avoid contami-
nation with soil. Stockpiles of fine aggre-
gates shall be kept dry using waterproof
covers and other means as necessary as
per Clause 4.2.4.5 (c) of SPJ.
Building aggregate stockpiles.
Stockpiles should be built in horizontal or
gently sloping layers to minimise segrega-
tion. Conical stockpiles will cause the
coarser aggregates to roll down the sides
resulting in segregation.
Page 5
Contaminated stockpile.
This aggregate stockpile has been severely
contaminated and should be discarded.
No foreign objects should be dumped on
to aggregate stockpiles.
Without proper foundation and drainage,
this stockpile is susceptible to contamina-
tion by the surface water.
Page 6
Feeding the cold bins.
The cold bins must contain the nominal
aggregate size for which they are intend-
ed, otherwise problems with unbalanced
hot bins and excessive aggregate carry-
over may occur (refer to page 16).
No intermingling of aggre-
gates.
Intermingling and overflow of aggre-
gates in the cold bins should be avoid-
ed.
Aggregate feeder units.
Aggregate feeder units located beneath the
cold bins should provide a uniform flow of
aggregates to the elevator. The rate of feed
shall be such that the screens at the hot bins
shall never be overloaded.
Page 7
Aggr egat es
Contaminated aggregates.
Coarse aggregates should be screened
hard rock, angular in shape and free from
dust, clay, vegetative and other organic
matter, and other deleterious substances.
Cleanliness of aggregates is important for
good bitumen adhesion. Impurities can
cause incomplete bitumen films or weak
bonding. Coarse aggregates should con-
form to physical and mechanical quality
requirements as per Clause 4.2.4.2 (a) of
SPJ.
Fine aggregates.
Fine aggregates should be screened quarry
dust, or clean natural sand or mining sand.
Mining sand should be thoroughly washed
before use. Fine aggregates should con-
form to physical and mechanical quality
requirements as per Clause 4.2.4.2 (a) of
SPJ.
Anti-stripping agent.
Ordinary Portland cement or lime based
product should be added to the combined
aggregates to serve as an anti-stripping
agent cum filler. This is to prevent strip-
ping of aggregates by the action of traffic
and water which can lead to disintegration
of the surfacing as shown in pic.
Page 8
Bi t umen
Bitumen is a dark brown or black sticky substance which occur in nature or is obtained
from the refining of crude oil. It is semi-solid at room temperatures but becomes fluid
when heated. It is commercially available in several standard grades. For many years,
grades of bitumen are designated by the penetration values. They are five standard grades:
40-50, 60-70, 80-100, 120-150 and 200-300 with the numerical grade indicating the
allowable ranges of penetration for each grade. In Malaysia, grade 80-100 conforming to
MS 124 is used as per Clause 4.2.4.2 (c) of SPJ.
In the production of asphalt, both the bitumen and the aggregates are heated to relatively
high temperatures to liquidify the bitumen and dry the aggregates before they are mixed
together. For some processes, it is either not convenient or not possible to heat the bitumen
and/or aggregates, for example, in surface dressing and in priming a surface. Therefore,
cutback bitumen and bitumen emulsion are used.
Cutback bitumen is produced by fluxing bitumen with a lighter fraction oil. It can
then be applied either at ambient temperature or heated to relatively low temperatures. It
starts to harden by the volatilisation of the flux oil. The rate of hardening is determined by
the volatility of the flux oil. Where rapid hardening is needed, as in surface dressing, a
light oil such as kerosene is used. Where slow hardening is needed, as in patching materi-
als and soil stabilisation, a less volatile oil such as diesel is used. Cold application cutback
bitumen may contain up to 30 percent of flux oil where as cutback bitumen which is
applied warm contains less.
Cutback bitumen is available by type and grade. The types (rapid-curing RC, medium-cur-
ing MC and slow-curing SC) indicate the relative speed of evaporation while the grades
(30, 70, 250 and 3000) indicate the minimum allowable kinematic viscosity in centistoke
at 60 C. Cutback bitumen shall comply with MS 159. Clause 4.2.1.2 of SPJ stipulates that
prime coat material shall be cutback bitumen of grade MC-70.
Page 9
Bi t umen
Bitumen emulsion is dispersion in water of minute drops of bitumen of average diam-
eter about 2 microns. It provides a means of using bitumen at ambient temperature. The
water evaporates shortly after the emulsion is exposed to the atmosphere. It is muddy
brown in colour and the `breaking' of the emulsion is indicated by the appearance of a
glossy black film of bitumen on the surface to which the emulsion is applied. It can be
divided into four classes of which the first two are the most widely used; anionic, cationic,
non-ionic and clay-stabilised.
Bitumen emulsion shall comply with MS 161. The requirements for anionic bitumen
emulsion are excluded from MS 161 as this type of emulsion is not used in road construc-
tions. Cationic emulsion in general is more versatile. It can be used over a broader range
of aggregate than the anionic emulsion.
Bitumen emulsion is classified into three types: rapid setting (RS), medium setting (MS)
and slow setting (SS). Each type is classified into various grades, based largely on bitumen
content and viscosity. RS-1K and RS-2K are recommended for tack coating, RS-3K for
surface dressing, MS-1K and MS-2K for penetration macadam, and SS-1K for slung seal
and prime coating. Clause 4.2.1.2 of SPJ stipulates that prime coat material shall be bitu-
men emulsion of grade SS-1K whereas Clause 4.2.2.2 of SPJ stipulates that tack coat
material shall be bitumen emulsion of grade RS-1 K.
Page 10
Mi x desi gn
Loratory mix design.
Using the aggregate gradation and bitumen content as allowed for in Table 4.8 and Table 4.9 of SPJ
respectively, five set of three Marshall specimens with bitumen content increasing at an increment of
typically 0.5% shall be prepared as per Clause 4.2.4.3 of SPJ. The design bitumen content is the
average bitumen content which gives the maximum stability and density, and the median flow, air
voids in aggregate filled with bitumen and air voids in the mix as allowed for in Table 4.10 of SPJ.
Plant trials. A minimum of 10 tonnes of mix shall be placed in trial areas to demonstrate that the
mixing, laying and compacting equipment conform to the requirements of SPJ and that the proposed
mix is satisfactory. A comprehensive sampling and testing of the trial mix shall be carried out to check
for satisfactory compliance with the job mix formula and satisfactory degree of compaction.
Page 11
Compl i anc e
Job mix formula. As a result of the plant trials, the mix shall be approved for full
scale production. The gradation and bitumen content, with the allowable tolerances set
forth in Table 4.11 of SPJ then becomes the job mix formula for use in full scale produc-
tion. The mixing, laying and compacting temperatures, and the types of roller and number
of roller passes should be consistent with the plant trials.
Sampling and testing. During the production of mix, it is required that a comprehensive
Marshall method test and analysis as per Clause 4.2.4.3 (a) of SPJ together with aggregate gra-
dation and bitumen content analysis be carried out for every 200 tonnes of mix produced and at
least once for each plant operating session. Gradation analysis of aggregates from the hot bins
should be carried out once for each bin per day of production.
Page 12
Mi x i ng pl ant s
Mixing plant shall be either a batch plant, a continuous plant or a drum mix plant.
In a batch plant, aggregates are fed from the cold bins into a dryer in controlled
amounts. After they are dried and heated, the aggregates are passed over a screening unit
that segregates the material into different sizes and kept in hot bins. The aggregates and
mineral filler are then fed into a pugmill in fixed proportions and mixed with a known
quantity of hot bitumen as a batch. The mix is loaded into tip-trucks and delivered to the
paving site.
In a continuous plant, the process is similar up to the hot bins but differs from the
batch plant in the procedure for combining the materials for mixing. The plant uses a con-
tinuous flow of aggregates into the pugmill with the amount of each size fraction con-
trolled by adjustable gate openings. Hot bitumen is sprayed into the pugmill continuously.
Mixing is thus a continuous process. The tip-trucks are loaded by continuous discharge
from the pugmill.
In a drum mix plant, aggregates with controlled gradation are stored in the cold bins
from which they are continuously fed in exact proportions on to a conveyor. An automatic
aggregate weighing system monitors the amount of aggregates flowing into the drum
mixer. The weighing system is interlocked with the controls on the bitumen storage pump
which draws bitumen from a storage tank and introduces into the drum mixer where bitu-
men and aggregates are thoroughly blended by the rotary motion of the drum. As the
ingredients mix, they move slowly towards the discharge end of the drum. By the time
they reach the end, they are thoroughly mixed. From the drum, the hot mix is transported
by a conveyor to a surge silo from which it is loaded into tip-trucks.
Page 13
Mi x i ng pl ant s
Schematic diagram of a drum mix plant.
Page 14
Bat ch pl ant mi x i ng oper at i on
Bitumen heating.
The temperature of bitumen should be in
the =s range of 140 C to 160 C when
delivered to the pugmill as per Clause
4.2.4.5 (d) of SPJ. ASTM D 3515 recom-
mends that bitumen shall not be exposed
during storage and mix production to tem-
peratures of more than 350
F (177 C).
Mix production temperatures.
The temperature of mix immediately after
discharge from the pugmill may be as low
as can be demonstrated to get good coat-
ing and compaction to reduce binder hard-
ening. However, the temperature immedi-
ately before unloading from the tip-truck
should not be less than 125 C and at the
commencement of initial rolling should
not be less than 110 C as per Clause
4.2.4.5 (f) and 4.2.4.5 (g) of SPJ respec-
tively. On the upper limit, Asphalt Institute
recommends that the temperature shall be
not more than 325 F (163 C).
Dry and wet mixing times.
The dry mixing time of aggregate and
filler in the pugmill should be minimal -
usually not more than 10 seconds. The
wet mixing time of bitumen, aggregate
and filler should be no longer than needed
to uniformly mix the aggregate and coat
the aggregate with bitumen - usually
about 30 to 35 seconds.Unnecessary long
wet mixing time reduce plant output and
promote additional age hardening of the
mix.
Page 15
The pugmill live zone.
Aggregates, mineral filler and bitumen
are mixed in the pugmill. It should be
operated at or just below nominal
capacity; overloading and underload-
ing the pugmill will decrease the effi-
ciency of the mixing process.
Overloading the pugmill.
Non-uniform mixing will occur if the
pugmill is overloaded. At maximum
operating efficiency, the paddle tips
should be barely visible in the material
at the top during mixing. Material
above this level tends to float above
the paddle and is not mixed.
Underloading the pugmill.
An insufficient batch will not be
mixed properly because there is not
enough material to carry around in the
paths of the paddle tips.
Page 16
In a batch plant, vibrating screens are used to separate hot and dry aggregates into frac-
tions of specified sizes and deposit each into separate hot bins. The separation should be
made so that the amount of material in each hot bin is in balance. Imbalance hot bins sig-
nal a need for corrective action elsewhere, usually in the cold aggregate feed.
If screen openings are plugged or if too much aggregates are fed to the screens, carry-over
ie. depositing of fine aggregates into larger aggregate bins will result. Varying cant'-over
will cause a lack of uniformity in the aggregate gradation. Excessive cant'-over will result
in a dry mix due to an increase in the amount of fine aggregates in the mix. Corrective
measures include cleaning screens and adjusting the cold aggregate feed.
If screens are excessively worn out, oversize aggregates will be deposited into fine aggre-
gate bins.
Each hot bin should be large enough to prevent depletion of aggregates during full capaci-
ty operation of the mixing plant. Each bin should have an overflow pipe to prevent aggre-
gates from backing up into other bins and avoid overfilling to the point where the vibrat-
ing screen will ride on the aggregate. Should this happen, it will result in a heavy cant'-
over and damage to the screen.
Worn gates at the bottom of the bins will allow leakage of aggregates into the weigh hop-
per and affect the specified aggregate gradation.
Page 17
Si t e pr epar at i on
Paving work should only be carried out on dry surface or if so specified, has received a
bituminous tack coat which should have a satisfactory degree of tackiness.
Immediately prior to applying bituminous tack coat, the full width of the surface to be
treated should be swept using a power broom followed by a compressed air blower, and if
necessary, scraped using hand tools to remove all dirt, dust and other objectionable materi-
als.
Bituminous tack coat should only be applied to a clean, dry, bituminous or bitumen
primed surface. It should be applied as far in advance as is necessary to achieve a satisfac-
tory degree of tackiness before the overlying material is placed.
The rate of application of bituminous tack coat is typically in the range 0.25 to 0.55
litres/sq.m. It should be distributed uniformly over the surface without streaking (see pic
below).
Traffic should be kept off the tack coat at all times.
Page 18
Surface preparation and clean-
ing.
Bituminous tack coat should be
applied only to a clean and dry bitumi-
nous or bitumen primed surface. The
surface should be thoroughly cleaned
of all dirt, dust and other objectionable
material including loosely scattered
cold mix as per Clause 4.2.2.4 (b) of
SPJ.
No loose materials.
Loosely scattered cold mix should be
removed prior to the application of
tack coat.
Tack coat.
Tack coat material should be rapid set-
ting bitumen emulsion of grade RS-
1K. The rate of application is usually
between 0.25 to 0.55 litres/sq.m, dis-
tributed uniformly over the surface
without streaking (not as shown in pic)
as per Clause 4.2.2.4 (c) of SPJ. Tack
coat of inferior grade such as RS-OK
or K1-40 should not be used.
Page 19
Too much tack coat.
Too much tack coat will promote slip-
page of the new layer on the old pave-
ment or bleeding into the new layer.
Too little tack coat.
Too little tack coat or non-uniform dis-
tribution will not provide the needed
bond between the old and new layers,
and will promote slippage and crack-
ing in the new layer.
Surface protection.
Traffic should be kept off the tack coat
at all times prior to the placement of
asphalt. Thus tack coat should only be
achieve a satisfactory degree of tacki-
ness.
Page 20
No paving in the rain. Paving work should only be carried out in dry weather. Rain
will reduce mix temperatures and thus affect compaction. Cavities will also be formed
once the trapped moisture eventually evaporates.
Page 21
Bel i vet y of asphal t
The contractor should provide a suitable number of tip-trucks of a type approved by the
S.O. for transporting asphalt from the mixing plant to the site.
The trucks should have trays with smooth, flat beds and sides with tailgates.
The truck bed should be free of material that may be detrimental to asphalt. Any debris in
the bed from previous use of the truck should be removed.
After being cleaned, the inside surface of truck bodies shall be treated with a thin coating
of a non-petroleum based release agent such as soap or detergent solution to prevent
asphalt from sticking. Petroleumbased materials such as diesel may change the properties
of the asphalt.
Each truck should be equipped with a tarpaulin which should be large enough to cover the
bed and wrap over the sides and ends. This is to protect the asphalt from contamination by
water, dust, dirt and other deleterious materials, and to maintain the temperature. The tar-
paulin should be made of water repellent material and should be of sufficient strength and
weight to resist tearing.
Care should be taken in the truck loading, hauling and unloading to prevent segregation of
the mix.
Page 22
Del i ver y of asphal t
Loading the tip-truck.
The truck should be loaded in multiple
drops of mix on to different parts of
the truck bed. This method will min-
imise the distance that any coarse
aggregates can roll and thus reduce
segregation.
Delivering mix to paver.
In delivering mix to the paver, the tip-
truck should be reversing and stop
short of the paver. The paver then
should move forward to pick up the
truck. The truck should never back
into and bump the paver.
Discharging mix into
paver hopper.
Only the rear wheels of the tip-truck
should be in contact with the paver
push rollers. The truck bed when raised
should not be in contact with the hop-
per and should not press down the
paver. The truck bed should be raised
smoothly to reduce segregation.
Page 23
l ayi ng of asphal t
There are three main types of paver;
Fixed screed paver.
Normally used for laying a concrete pavement. Have a screed which is fixed at the beginning of
the paving operation and cannot be adjusted while the paver is in motion. The height of the screed
and thus the thickness of the mat produced is determined by road forms upon which the paver
runs. The road forms also form the edge of the mat.
Slipforrn paver.
Also a concrete paver but does not need road forms to contain the material. The edge of the mat is
contained by long forms which travel with the paver and are connected to the sides of the paver at
its varying laying widths.
Floating screed paver.
Most associated with the laying of asphalt pavement. The paver may be fitted with a fixed screed
or a hydraulically extendable screed which can lay varying widths. The screed can be mounted on
either wheels or tracks. There are three types of screed; vibrating screed, tamping screed, combina-
tion vibrating/tamping screed. The screed strikes off, partially compacts and irons the surface of
the mat as it is pulled forward.
Generally, each paving layer should have a compacted thickness of not less than twice the nominal
maximum aggregate size of the mix and not more than 100 mm.
Laying should commence along the lower side of the carriageway and progress to the higher side.
Laying should not be carried out in a downhill direction along any section of the road.
As the paver spreads its load, the mat should be frequently checked for thickness. The texture of
the unrolled surface should be uniform. If it is not, screed adjustments may be necessary. The
adjustment of the screed, tamping bars or vibrators, spreading screw hopper feed and other adjust-
ments should be checked frequently to ensure uniform spreading of the mix.
The paver screed is usually equipped with heaters to prevent the mix from sticking to the screed
plate. They are used to heat the screed at the start of paving operation. They should never be used
to heat the mix being delivered to the paver.
Page 24
Layi ng of asphal t
The amount of mix carried ahead of the screed should be kept uniform; variation may
result in surface roughness. This will require maintaining sufficient material in the hopper
to supply the spreading screws with enough mix to cover at least 2/3 of the depth of the
screws out to their ends.
When the next truck is ready to move into position, the hopper wings can be folded to pre-
vent excessive build-up of cold mix in the hopper corners. If excessive, this cold material
may result in a poor surface texture and an area prone to ravelling.
When automatic screed controls are used to control the grade and slope of the pavement
layer being constructed, all sensors should be checked regularly.
If a stringline is used as the grade references, the line should be very taut. Every effort
should be made to keep personel and equipment from comming in contact with the string-
line and disturbing it.
Page 25
Layi ng of Asphal t
Continuous paving.
The paver should be operated continu-
ously at a uniform speed. The supply
of bituminous mix should be regulated
so as to enable continuous paving.
Intermittent stopping and restarting of
the paver should be avoided and trans-
verse joints kept to a minimum (Clause
4.2.4.5 (g) of SPJ).
Constant feed of mix to
screed.
Substantial fluctuation of the quantity
of mix in front of the paver screed will
cause the screed to fall and rise in
response to the change of forces acting
on it. Uncontrolled falling and rising of
the screed will cause a change in mat
thickness and the formation of surface
waves.
Operating hopper wings.
The hopper wings should be folded
only when necessary to prevent exces-
sive build up of cold mix in the hopper
corners. The cold mix may result in
poor surface texture and an area prone
to ravelling. The paver hopper should
be about one third to half full when the
wings are folded. Dumping of mix
from the wings into a relatively empty
hopper promotes segregation and poor
surface texture.
Page 26
Hand c ast i ng
As far, as is practicable, laying should be carried out using a paver. Hand casting of mix
on to the paver finished surface for correcting localised blemishes and irregularities should
be kept to a practicable minimum. If the defects are substantial, paving should be stopped
and mix composition, delivery and placement should be reviewed.
If the paver is in good condition and properly adjusted, and if the paver is not spreading
the mix at an excessive rate or speed, there should be little or no need for hand casting.
Surplus mix should not be cast on to the mat surface as this will result in poor surface tex-
ture even after proper compaction is obtained. In addition, coarse aggregates on the sur-
face tend to crack under the roller, will not bond properly with the mix placed by the paver
and tend to be dislodged by traffic. The surplus mix shall be added back into the paver
hopper.
Only in areas inaccessible to the paver shall laying be carried out by hand methods using
rakes, lutes and other approved hand tools.
Page 27
Hand c ast i ng
Minimum hand casting.
The most uniform surface texture can be
obtained by keeping hand casting behind
the paver to a minimum as per Clause
4.2.4.5 (g) of SPJ. If the mat placed by the
paver shows substantial blemishes and
irregularities, mix composition, delivery
and placement should be reviewed and
corrected.
No excessive hand casting.
Excessive hand casting and raking to cor-
rect blemishes and irregularities, and man-
ual addition or removal of mix to correct
levels will result in poor surface texture
and inadequate functional performance of
the pavement even after proper com-
paction is obtained.
Discard coarse aggregates.
If occasional hand casting of mix is
required to correct localised blemishes
and irregularities. coarse aggregates cast
on top of the mat must be removed and
discarded by arake because they tend to
cack under the roller and will not bond
properly with the mix placed by the paver.
Page 28
Compac t i on of asphal t
Compaction is the densification of asphalt by the application of pressure initially from the paver
tamper and subsequently from the rollers.
The performance and durability of the pavement depend largely on the degree of compaction
achieved. Good compaction improves structural strength and resilience of the pavement, increases
resistance to rutting and reduces moisture penetration and age hardening.
For each layer of mix, compaction by rolling should commence as soon after laying as the materi-
al will support the rollers without undue displacement. As a guide, the temperature at which rolling
begins for normal asphalt is usually between 125 C to 135 C. It should not be less than 110 C as
per Clause 4.2.4.5 (i) of SPJ because even if the density is adequate, compaction at low tempera-
tures could induce excessive strains in the binder film which result in hair-line cracks. Too high a
temperature is also not advisable as the mix will tend to flow under the rollers, resulting in an
uneven surface and many fine cracks.
Initial or breakdown rolling should be carried out with an approved steel wheel roller. The princi-
pal heavy rolling should then follow immediately with an approved pneumatic tyre roller. The
final rolling should be carried out with an approved steel wheel roller to eliminate minor surface
irregularities or roller marks left by the pneumatic tyre roller.
All rollers should operate in a longitudinal direction with their driven wheels towards the paver.
Rolling should generally commence at the lower edge and progress uniformly to the higher edge
except where there is a longitudinal joint which should be rolled first.
If the rollers can not keep up with the speed of the paver, more rollers should be used or the
paving operation be slowed down.
Compaction should be carried out in such a mannerthat each section receives equal compactive
effort and that no roller marks are visible after final rolling.
Page 29
Establishing compactive effort.
Rolling temperatures, rolling pattern, and
the type and weight of rollers should be
established during the plant trial. As a
guide, the temperature at the commence-
ment of rolling for normal asphalt is usual-
ly between 125 C to 135 C. The rolling
pattern should not only include the number
of passes but also the location of the first
pass, the sequence of succeeding passes
and the overlapping between passes.
Steel wheel roller.
Steel wheel roller can be either two-axle
tandem or three-wheeled. The operating
weight should be in the range of 8 to 10
tonnes and its driven roller drum should
exert a rolling force of not less than 3.5
tonnes per metre width of roller drum as
per Clause 4.2.4.4 (e) of SPJ. The roller
should be regularly checked for wear of
the wheel rims.
Pneumatic tyre roller.
The operating weight of pneumatic tyre
roller should be not less than 15 tonnes as
pe Clause 4.2.4.5 (i) of SPJ. All tyres must
bE inflated to an equal pressure and
should be not less than 0.7 Mpa.
Also note that the speed of all types of
roller should not exceed 5 km/h. Sharp
turns and quick starts or stops should be
avoided.
Page 30
Taking core samples.
Within 24 hours after compaction, core
samples should be obtained at a rate of 1
sample for every 500 sq.m of mix laid but
not less than 2 samples for each paving
session as per Clause 4.2.4.5 (i) of SPJ.
The core samples should be used to deter-
mine the compacted thickness and density
of the mix.
Density & thickness require-
ments.
The required compacted density is 98-
100% of the Marshall density for wearing
course and 95-100% of the Marshall den-
sity for binder course as per Clause 4.2.4.5
(i) of SPJ. The average thickness over any
100 metre length should be not less than
the required thickness and the minimum
thickness at any point should be not less
than the required thickness minus 5 mm as
per Clause 4.2.4.5 0) of SPJ.
Opening to traffic.
Newly laid mix should not be opened to
traffic until compaction has been complet-
ed and the material has thoroughly cooled
and set. This will usually be not less than
4 hours after the commencement of rolling
as per Clause 4.2.4.5 (k) of SPJ.
Premature opening to traffic will promote
secondary compaction and thus deforma-
tion along the wheelpaths.
Page 31
Const r uc t i on j oi nt s
Construction joints are generally the weakest part of a pavement; every effort should be made to
keep the total number of longitudinal and transverse joints as low as practicable.
Joints are typically constructed either as hot joints (longitudinal only) or cold joints.
True hot joints are produced with pavers operating in echelon.
Paving in echelon is often not feasible because of traffic restrictions and/or the plant is not capable
of producing sufficient mix for more than one paver. In this case, a paver is operated on a lane
over some distance before it is shifted back to pave an adjacent lane. This technique is called
semi-hot joint construction.
There are no firm rules on semi-hot joint construction. As a guide, lanes of approximately 300 m
length (or about 2 hours paving time) have been constructed successfully without joint treatment.
Where cold longitudinal or transverse joints are required, the material first laid and compacted
should be cut back to a vertical face for the full thickness of the layer on a line satisfactory to the
S.O. before the adjacent area is paved.
At all construction joints, a thin uniform coating of bitumen emulsion of grade RS1K should be
brushed on to the vertically cut joint faces before laying the adjacent section to ensure good bond-
ing. All contact surfaces of kerbs, manholes etc should also be treated similarly.
Construction jpints should be pffset from those in any immediately underlying layer by at least
100 mm for longitudinal joints and 500 mm for fransverse joints as per Clouse 4.2.4.5 (h) of SPJ.
Page 32
Joi nt pr epar at i on
Cutting joints.
Where longitudinal or transverse joints
are required, the material first laid and
compacted shall be cut back to a vertical
face for the full thickness of the layer as
per Clause 4.2.4.5 (h) of SPJ, using saw
cutting or wheel cutting, unless other sat-
isfactory methods are used (refer to page
36). Avoid having longitudinal joints in
the wheelpaths.
Determining cut back line.
The distance of the cut back line from the
edge of the paved lane may vary- it
should be sufficient to remove all loose
and inadequately compacted material. If
rounding down of the edge has occurred,
a straight edge should be used to deter-
mine the location of the cut back line.
Unsatisfactory cut back line.
If the cut back line is too close to the
edge, the relatively loose material in the
compacted lane will form a weak zone
which will readily crack.
Page 33
Cut joint faces must be pro-
tected.
Cutting and preparation of joints should
be carried out only as far in advance of
paving as is necessary. Cut joints must be
adequately protected from construction
machinery and traffic.
Applying tack coat to cut
faces.
At all construction joints, a tack coat
using RS-1K should be brushed or
sprayed neatly on to the vertically cut
joint faces. Vertical faces of existing pave-
ment such as kerbs and manholes should
also be tre; similarly as per Clause 4.2.4.5
(h) of SPJ.
Shoddy practice.
The aftermath of spraying the cut joint
faces with tack coat material at an uncon-
trollable rate.
Page 34
An example of a neatly cut and prepared longitudinal joint.
Page 35
Tr ansver se j oi nt c onst r uc t i on
Starting blocks.
The screed of the paver must be set on
starting blocks on the cold side of a trans-
verse joint to provide space above the sur-
face of the compacted lane and thus allow
placement of mix of sufficient thickness.
The excess material should be pushed
back with an appropriate hand tool
towards the joint. The thickness of the
overlap should be about one-fourth of the
desired compacted thickness. It is an
improper and a very poor practice to set
the screed directly on the cold mat.
No excessive hand work.
Placement of hot mix at the joint by hand
and excessive raking to correct levels in
the absence of starting blocks will result
in poor joints.
Compacting transverse joints.
Ideally, a transverse joint should be com-
pacted in a transverse direction with a
roller. The roller should operate on the
compacted lane and overlap the joint by
about 150 mm over the uncompacted
lane. The roller is gradually shifted across
the joint until the entire roller drum is on
the new mix.
Page 36
Tr ansver se j oi nt c onst r uc t i on
Bond breakers.
To allow for easier removal of material
downstream of a transverse butt joint, a
bond breaker in the form of thick paper or
sand shall be used, otherwise the material
must be sawed. Alternatively, a bulkhead
shall be inserted before the material is
rolled (see pic). Unless the bulkhead is
firmly placed, this method shall not be
encouraged as it may be dislodged by traf-
fic.
Surface roughness.
Poorly constructed transverse joints con-
tribute towards surface roughness and rid-
ing quality of the pavement.
A bad joint.
An example of an unsatisfactorily con-
structed transverse joint.
Page 37
Longi t udi nal j oi nt c onst r uc t i on
Constructing longitudinal
joints.
During the construction of longitudinal
joints, the end plate of the screed should
overlap the compacted lane by about 25
to 50 mm; the excess material should be
pushed back with an appropriate hand
tool towards the joint. The thickness of
the overlap should be about one-fourth of
the desired compacted thickness.
Compacting longitudinal
joints.
During the compaction of longitudinal
joints, the roller should operate on the
compacted lane and overlap the joint by
about 150 mm over the uncompacted
lane. The roller should continue to operate
along this line, its position being shifted
gradually across the joint until a thor-
oughly compacted neat joint is obtained.
No excessive hand work.
Excessive raking during the construction
of longitudinal joints should not be
allowed except to push excess material
towards the joint.
Page 38
Longi t udi nal j oi nt c onst r uc t i on
Roll the joint first.
Late compaction is detrimental to joints
because at a cold joint, heat is transferred
from the edge of the hot mat to the adjoin-
ing cold mat. This heat loss contributes to
the lower densities at joints.
Roll in static mode.
A roller must not be operated in a vibratory
mode if part of the roller drum is supported
by the cold mat.
Cracking along joints.
Poorly constructed longitudinal joints are
weak zones in the newly laid layer which
may duly succumb to even thermal stress-
es.
Page 39
Sur f ac e waves and r oughness
There are two primary types of waves in asphalt surfacing; short waves and long waves. Short
waves are generally 0.5 to 1.0 m apart. Long waves are considerably further apart. A washboard
effect is a defect which is typically caused by improper operation of the vibratory roller. The dis-
tance between this type of waves is generally small, typically less than 0.5 m.
Clause 4.4.3 of SPJ terms surface roughness as longitudinal irregularity and is defined as a varia-
tion in profile of the road surface as measured by a rolling straight edge or a straight edge device
and a wedge. The maximum permissible number of longitudinal irregularities over a traverse
length of 300 m for depth exceeding 4 mm and 7 mm is given in Table 4.14 for three classes of
surface regularity. The maximum permissible depth of transverse irregularities for three classes of
surface regularity is also given in Table 4.14 of SPJ.
Page 40
Sur f ac e waves and r oughness
Short waves.
The waves are generally 0.5 to 1.0 m
apart. Possible causes are;
- Fluctuating head of material in front of
paverscreed.
- Frequent changes in paver speed.
- Poor mechanical condition of screed.
- Improper mounting or use of automatic
grade control devices.
- Bumping of paver by tip-trucks.
- Improper rolling technique.
- Excessive hand casting.
Long waves.
The waves are considerably further apart
(greater than 3 m) and are frequently asso-
ciated with overall lack of bearing capaci-
ty of the subgrade. They may also corre-
spond to the distance between tip-truck
loads of mix. Variation in mix composi-
tion or temperature may be the cause.
Washboard effect.
This defect is typically caused by improp-
er operation of the vibratory roller.
Overrolling, rolling when mix is too hot
or roller travelling too fast may be the
cause. The distance between waves is
generally less than 0.5 m.
Page 41
CHECKLIST
CHECKLIST
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Page 54

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A guide to good quality control practices

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