Asphalt Mix Design

Asphalt Mix Design
J. Murali Krishnan
Department of Civil Engineering
IIT Madras
jmk@iitm.ac.in
HINCOL Training Program - 2013
J. Murali Krishnan, IIT Madras
HINCOL-2013, Lecture IV
1/36
Outline
Basics of Mix Design
Evaluation of Aggregate Gradations
Volumetric Properties of Compacted Paving Mixtures
Marshall Method of Mix Design
2/36
3/36
Objectives
What is mix design?
Selecting and proportioning materials to obtain the desired
properties in the finished construction product.
The overall objective for the design of asphalt paving mix is to

determine a cost-effective blend and gradation of aggregates
and asphalt that yields a mix having
1
Sufficient Asphalt - Durability
Sufficient Mix Stability - Strength
Sufficient Voids - Traffic compaction, flushing, bleeding
A maximum void content - permeability
Sufficient workability - Efficient placement of mix
Proper aggregate texture and hardness - skid resistance
4/36
Important
Fundamental performance properties are not measured in a

mix design.
How do we pick an asphalt content on the basis of a
measured parameter that reflects all the above objectives?
AIR VOID CONTENT
An air void content of 3 to 5 percent is most often used.
When should this air void content be measured?
Four percent air voids is often considered the best initial

estimate for a design that balances the desired performance
properties.
5/36
Mix Type Selection
Dense graded HMA mixtures are divided into three types:

1
2
3
Surface mixtures - Finest aggregate particles

Binder or intermediate mixtures - Smaller aggregate particles
Base mixtures - Larger aggregate particles
ASTM D3515 for various gradations (dense, open graded)

Gradation influences the lift thickness.
Rule of Thumb: Minimum thickness for each lift is around 2
to 3 times the maximum aggregate size.
How much a roller can compact?
6/36
Design Method and Requirements
Marshall and Hveem Method have criteria empirically

developed by correlating the results of laboratory tests on the
compacted paving mixes under service conditions.
All mix design procedures involve preparing a set of trial
mixture specimens using materials proposed for use on the
project.
The three key components:
1
Laboratory compaction of trial mix specimens
Strength (Stability!!!) and volumetric testing and
Analysis of results
7/36
Design Method and Requirements - Compaction
The compaction technique is intended to simulate the

in-place density of HMA after it has endured several
years of traffic!!!
Four compaction methods are currently used:
1
2
3
4
Impact compaction (Marshall method of mix design)

Kneading compaction (Hveem method of mix design)
Several forms of gyratory compaction (Superpave)
Compaction using vibratory impact hammers
Five trial mixtures and for each trial mixture at least three
replicate specimens.
8/36
Evaluation and Adjustment of Mix Design

For many engineering materials, the strength of the material
frequently denotes quality;
This is not necessarily the case for asphalt mixtures.
Extreme high stability results in lowered durability and
vice-versa
Aggregate gradation and asphalt content must strike a
favorable balance between the stability and durability
requirements.
Grading curves
0.5
Fullers equation: p = 100 Dd
p=total percentage passing given sieve, d=sieve size opening
and D=largest size (sieve opening) in gradation
9/36
Fuller Curve
10/36
Fuller Curves
Fuller equation - mix conditions of maximum density and

minimum voids in mineral aggregates (VMA)
Fuller gradations are easily compacted but tend to pack very
tight and have low air voids
11/36
FHWA - 0.45 power
FHWA chart is currently followed: gradings that closely

approach this straight line must be adjusted away from it
within acceptable limits to increase the VMA values.
12/36
FHWA - 0.45 power
13/36
Aggregate Size Fractions
Coarse aggregate - retained on 2.36 mm

Fine aggregate - passing 2.36 mm
Mineral filler - passing 75m
Asphalt content may be expressed either as percentage by
weight of total mix or as percentage by weight of dry
aggregate
Most common is to express asphalt content as percentage by
weight of total mix.
14/36
15/36
Steps in Evaluating Aggregate Gradations

1
Secure representative samples from each aggregate stockpile,

including fillers
Dry all aggregate samples to constant weight at 105 - 110 C
Perform washed sieve analysis and specific gravity tests
Compute the blend of aggregates required to produce the

desired mix gradation using the full gradation for each
individual aggregate
Adjust cold aggregate feeder controls to obtain the desired

aggregate blend and combined gradation
Prepare test specimens of the design mix. Analyze the test

specimens to determine that the mixture has the same
properties
Verify, verify, verify at every stage the aggregate gradations
16/36
Adjusting for sufficient void space
17/36
Adjusting for sufficient void space

Adequate space for minimum amount of asphalt and air voids
as well as adequate stability under traffic
What is the role of particle shape and texture in creating
adequate void space?
The catch: Same aggregate gradation with the same
compaction effort, but with different shaped particles can
produce different void space!!!
Surface properties are not however considered for void
purposes, but rather for stability and skid resistance
Question: What is the different between air voids and crack
in asphalt pavements?
18/36
19/36
Introduction
Air voids (Va )
Voids in mineral aggregates (VMA)
Voids filled with asphalt (VFA)
Effective asphalt content (Pbe )
The intent of laboratory compaction is to simulate the

in-place density of HMA after it has endured several
years of traffic
Air voids analysis is the most important part of mix design
20/36
Different Specific Gravities

Bulk Specific Gravity: Includes
both permeable and impermeable
voids normal to the surface
Apparent Specific Gravity:
Volume of an impermeable material
(to asphalt and water)
Effective Specific Gravity:
Volume of permeable material
(excludes voids permeable to
asphalt)
Specific gravities should be determined to three decimal
places - Errors in air void value of as much as 0.8 percent
(corresponds to almost one year of field compaction) can
occur.
21/36
Volumetric Representation
VMA: Volume of inter-granular void
space between the aggregate particles
that includes air voids and effective
asphalt content
Pbe : Total asphalt content minus the
portion of asphalt that is lost by
absorption into the aggregate particles
Va :Total volume of small packets of
air between the coated aggregate
particles
VFA: Portion of the volume of
inter-granular void space between the
aggregate particles that is occupied by
the effective asphalt content
22/36
Outline of Procedure
1
Measure bulk specific gravity of coarse and fine aggregate
Measure specific gravity of mineral filler and asphalt cement
Calculate bulk specific gravity of aggregate combination
Calculate the maximum specific gravity of mixtures with

different asphalt content
Fabricate samples, measure the bulk specific gravity of the

compacted paving mixture
Calculate asphalt absorption, effective asphalt content
Calculate VMA, Va , VFA
23/36
24/36
Outline
Formulated by Bruce Marshall, Mississippi State Highway
Department
The original Marshall method is only applicable for paving
mixtures with maximum aggregate size of 25 mm or less
Modified Marshall method accounts for maximum sizes up to
38 mm
Marshall method is empirical in nature, hence, the meaning of
the results are lost when any modification is made to the
standard procedure - Does not work for reheated or remolded
materials
25/36
Outline
Use specimens of 64 mm height and 102 mm diameter

Density-voids analysis and stability-flow test
Stability - Maximum load resistance in Newtons that the
standard specimen will develop at 60 degree C
Flow - Total movement in units of 0.25mm occurring between
no-load and the point of maximum load during stability test
26/36
Preparation of test specimens
At least two asphalt content above the expected design value

and two asphalt content below the expected design value
Three test specimens for each asphalt content
Dry aggregate to constant weight at 105 degree C
Separate the aggregate by dry sieving into the following size
fractions
1
2
3
4
5
25.0 to 19.0 mm
19.0 to 9.5 mm
9.5 to 4.75 mm
4.75 to 2.36 mm
passing 2.36 mm
27/36
Preparation of test specimens

Mixing temperature - Viscosity
corresponding to 170 20
centistokes (kinematic)
Compaction temperature Viscosity corresponding to 280 30
centistokes (kinematic)
How do we age the samples?

How many blows on each side?
28/36
Test Procedure
Measure bulk specific gravity for each asphalt content

(measure all the 15 samples and average for each asphalt
content)
Immerse specimen in water bath at 60 degree C for 30 to 40
minutes before test
Apply constant deformation rate of 2 inches per minute till
failure
Note down the stability and flow values
Repeat for all samples (total 15 samples for each batch)
29/36
Hot-mix design data
30/36
Trends in the mix design data
Stability value increases with

increasing asphalt content up
to a maximum value after
which the stability decreases
Flow value increases with
increasing asphalt content
Percentage of air voids
decreases with increasing
asphalt content ultimately
approaching a minimum air
voids content
31/36
Trends in the mix design data

VMA generally decreases to
a minimum value then
increases with increasing
asphalt content
VFA increases with
increasing asphalt content
Unit weight of total mix
follows the same trend as
Stability - asphalt content
except that maximum unit
weight occurs at a slightly
higher asphalt content than
the maximum stability
32/36
Preliminary Design Asphalt Content
Choose the asphalt content corresponding to 4 percent air

voids
Check for the other values at this percent asphalt content
The final mix design (essentially asphalt percent) is based on
1
2
3
4
VMA
Compaction level
Air voids
Voids filled with asphalt
33/36
Hot-mix design data
34/36
The Laboratory Report for Marshall Mix Design
Section 1: Sieve Analysis (the 0.45 power plots along with the
mix design requirements from MOSTRH)
Section 2: Aggregate Blending Calculations
Section 3: Determination of specific gravity for coarse, fine
aggregates, fillers and asphalt
Section 4: Step-by-step procedure for making samples for
Marshall Mix Design
Section 5: Volumetric Calculations
Section 6: Conclusions (your recommendation for JMF, your
observations, comparison with the design values . . . )
35/36
A Sample Marshall Mix Design

Volumetric Calculation
AICTE-STTP-2009
Marshall Method of Mix Design: Analyzing compacted

mixture
AICTE-STTP-2009
Marshall Method of Mix Design: Analysing compacted

mixture
AICTE-STTP-2009

mixture
Specific gravity
determination
Bulk specific
gravity of
aggregate: For
mineral filler,
apparent Sp.
Gravity is
enough.
AICTE-STTP-2009

mixture
Effective Specific gravity of

aggregate:
Includes all the void spaces
in the aggregate particles
except those that absorb
asphalt.
The volume of bitumen
absorbed by an aggregate is
almost invariably less than
the volume of water
absorbed.
AICTE-STTP-2009

mixture
Maximum specific gravities of

mixtures with different asphalt
contents:
Maximum Sp. Gr. are needed
at different asphalt content.
AICTE-STTP-2009

mixture
Asphalt Absorption:
Expressed as a percentage
by weight of aggregate
rather than as percentage
by total weight of mixture.
AICTE-STTP-2009

mixture
Effective Asphalt Content:

Total asphalt content minus
the quantity of asphalt lost
by absorption into the
aggregate particles.
This is the asphalt content
on which the performance
depends.
AICTE-STTP-2009

mixture
Percent VMA in Compacted

mixtures:
Inter-granular void space
between the aggregate
particles in a compacted
mixture that includes the air
voids and the effective
asphalt content expressed as
percent of the total volume.
AICTE-STTP-2009

mixture
Air voids in compacted

mixtures:
Small air spaces between
the coated aggregate
particles.
AICTE-STTP-2009

mixture
VOIDS FILLED WITH

ASPHALT:
Percentage of Intergranular
void space between the
aggregate particles (VMA)
that are filled with asphalt.
VFA does not include
absorbed asphalt.
AICTE-STTP-2009

mixture
AICTE-STTP-2009
Thank you for your patience.

Murali Krishnan
IIT Madras
jmk@iitm.ac.in
36/36

Asphalt Mix Design

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Asphalt Mix Design

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Asphalt Mix Design

HINCOL Training Program - 2013

J. Murali Krishnan, IIT Madras

Basics of Mix Design

Evaluation of Aggregate Gradations

Volumetric Properties of Compacted Paving Mixtures

Marshall Method of Mix Design

J. Murali Krishnan, IIT Madras

Basics of Mix Design

Evaluation of Aggregate Gradations

Volumetric Properties of Compacted Paving Mixtures

Marshall Method of Mix Design

J. Murali Krishnan, IIT Madras

The overall objective for the design of asphalt paving mix is to

Sufficient Asphalt - Durability

Sufficient Mix Stability - Strength

Sufficient Voids - Traffic compaction, flushing, bleeding

A maximum void content - permeability

Sufficient workability - Efficient placement of mix

Proper aggregate texture and hardness - skid resistance

J. Murali Krishnan, IIT Madras

Fundamental performance properties are not measured in a

Four percent air voids is often considered the best initial

J. Murali Krishnan, IIT Madras

Mix Type Selection

Dense graded HMA mixtures are divided into three types:

Surface mixtures - Finest aggregate particles

ASTM D3515 for various gradations (dense, open graded)

J. Murali Krishnan, IIT Madras

Design Method and Requirements

Marshall and Hveem Method have criteria empirically

Laboratory compaction of trial mix specimens

Strength (Stability!!!) and volumetric testing and

J. Murali Krishnan, IIT Madras

Design Method and Requirements - Compaction

The compaction technique is intended to simulate the

Impact compaction (Marshall method of mix design)

J. Murali Krishnan, IIT Madras

Evaluation and Adjustment of Mix Design

J. Murali Krishnan, IIT Madras

J. Murali Krishnan, IIT Madras

Fuller equation - mix conditions of maximum density and

J. Murali Krishnan, IIT Madras

FHWA - 0.45 power

FHWA chart is currently followed: gradings that closely

J. Murali Krishnan, IIT Madras

FHWA - 0.45 power

J. Murali Krishnan, IIT Madras

Aggregate Size Fractions

Coarse aggregate - retained on 2.36 mm

J. Murali Krishnan, IIT Madras

Basics of Mix Design

Evaluation of Aggregate Gradations

Volumetric Properties of Compacted Paving Mixtures

Marshall Method of Mix Design

J. Murali Krishnan, IIT Madras

Steps in Evaluating Aggregate Gradations

Secure representative samples from each aggregate stockpile,

Dry all aggregate samples to constant weight at 105 - 110 C

Perform washed sieve analysis and specific gravity tests

Compute the blend of aggregates required to produce the

Adjust cold aggregate feeder controls to obtain the desired

Prepare test specimens of the design mix. Analyze the test