I

n the UK, the new European

Standards for asphalts came
into force on 1 January 2008
and the previous standards,
BS 4987 and BS 594, were
withdrawn from use in
December 2007.This paper gives
an overview of the main
requirements of the new

European Standards
standards and, in particular, the
differences compared with the
previous standards.While the
asphalt mixtures themselves do
not change, the descriptions and

the methodology leading up to
their manufacture, supply and
conformity differ from those
previously applicable.
The new European Standards
for asphalt comprise two families
of standards:
the EN 13108 family of
product and associated
standards
the EN 12697 family of
testing standards.
These ENs (the UK versions of
the ENs are designated BS EN
and are published by BSI) replace
the current Part 1 of BS 49871,
which addresses coated
macadams, and Part 1 of BS 5942,
which deals with hot-rolled
asphalts. Additionally, the BS EN
12697 series of testing standards
will, at the same time, replace the
majority of those parts of BS 598
where an equivalent European
test Standard exists. A list of the
mixture standards is shown in
table 1 with the testing standards
listed in table 2.
European Standards (ENs) are
drafted using a similar process to
that used by the British Standards
Institution. However, as a result
of their wide applicability across
the 27 member states of Europe
that have agreed to adopt the
European Standards for asphalt,
for Asphalt
An introduction to the new European Standards and PD document, and
their application in the UK
By John B-Bullock, Aggregate Industries (technical Manager - Yeoman Asphalt)
their practical use without
national guidance for individual
countries would be almost
impossible and would inevitably
lead to the selection of
inappropriate mixture
compositions, resulting in
performance levels that would be
unacceptable to clients,
producers and laying contractors.
To address this, the UK has
published a national guidance
document (designated Published
Document or PD) to address
the applicability of the new EN
13108 series in the UK.
The guidance document PD
6691, Asphalt - Guidance on the
use of BS EN 13108 Bituminous
Mixtures - Material specifications
is particularly important as
issues such as climate, traffic
density and road safety demand
specific properties and
performance criteria to be
selected and applied within the
UK.
Development of the ENs
started after the issue of the
Construction Products Directive
(CPD) in December 1988 with
the work on harmonizing the
standards commencing in 1989.
The first EN construction
standard published was that for
cement in 2000.The bitumen
standard EN 125913 was
published later the same year.The
European Standards for
aggregates were published in
2002 and implemented in January
2004. It has taken until this year

QM January 2008 www.quarrymanagement.com 17

Asphalt Technology
Table 1. European asphalt mixture standards
BS EN 13108-1 Bituminous mixtures. Material specifications.
Asphalt Concrete
BS EN 13108-2 Bituminous mixtures. Material specifications.
Asphalt Concrete for very thin layers
BS EN 13108-3 Bituminous mixtures. Material specifications.
Soft Asphalt
BS EN 13108-4 Bituminous mixtures. Material specifications.
Hot Rolled Asphalt
BS EN 13108-5 Bituminous mixtures. Material specifications.
Stone Mastic Asphalt
BS EN 13108-6 Bituminous mixtures. Material specifications.
Mastic Asphalt
BS EN 13108-7 Bituminous mixtures. Material specifications.
Porous Asphalt
BS EN 13108-8 Bituminous mixtures. Material specifications.
Reclaimed Asphalt
BS EN 13108-20 Bituminous mixtures. Material specifications.
Type Testing
BS EN 13108-21 Bituminous mixtures. Material specifications.
Factory Production Control
to reach a point where the
asphalt standards can be
implemented, some 18 years after
work commenced.
The principle involves the
harmonization of individual
European countries
specifications and test methods.
While there are currently
27 countries represented and
bound to implement the ENs, in
1989 there were only 12.Their
implementation will remove the
geographical barriers to trade
within Europe and introduce a
common approach to testing and
performance assessment.
Key differences
between the old
British Standards
and the new
European
Standards for
asphalts
It is very important to note that
the new standards have greater
authority and legal standing
than the previous British
Standards, therefore requiring
particular attention to the detail
of product certification through
CE marking.
The British Standards left
compliance to be a requirement
of the contract, whether directly
with the customer/user of the
road or pavement, or through
other contractual supply
arrangements including Sector
Scheme 14, whereas the
European Standards bring
product compliance and
conformity into the materials
18
standards. protocols applicable to what is
The ENs relate to the product called type testing, proof of
in the back of the lorry, but in conformity prior to supply, will
the UK some properties are be utilized.
installation trial dependent (the The grading and binder
protocols for the trials are content for the asphalt products
annexes within the new BS are based on the principle of
594987, which addresses the selecting specific target values
issues covered in Part 2 of both and then applying the production
BS 4987 and BS 594 and is control tolerances to these
discussed below). However, there individual target values.This
will still be requirements written concept was first introduced in
into contracts including, for BS 4987 and BS 594 in 2005 as a
example, proof of adequate lead in to the new standards but
compaction, and the same only against the 2mm sieve.The
Table 2. BS EN 12697 Bituminous mixtures - Test methods for
hot asphalt
BS EN 12697-1 Soluble binder content
BS EN 12697-2 Determination of particle size distribution
BS EN 12697-3 Bitumen recovery. Rotary evaporator
BS EN 12697-4 Bitumen recovery. Fractionating column
BS EN 12697-5 Determination of the maximum density
BS EN 12697-6 Determination of bulk density of bituminous specimens
BS EN 12697-7 Determination of the bulk density of bituminous specimens by
gamma rays
BS EN 12697-8 Determination of void characteristics of bituminous specimens
BS EN 12697-9 Determination of the reference density
BS EN 12697-10 Compactability
BS EN 12697-11 Determination of the affinity between aggregate and bitumen
BS EN 12697-12 Determination of the water sensitivity of bituminous specimens
BS EN 12697-13 Temperature measurement
BS EN 12697-14 Water content
BS EN 12697-15 Determination of the segregation sensitivity
BS EN 12697-16 Abrasion by studded tyres
BS EN 12697-17 Particle loss of porous asphalt specimen
BS EN 12697-18 Binder drainage
BS EN 12697-19 Permeability of specimen
BS EN 12697-20 Indentation using cube or Marshall specimens
BS EN 12697-21 Indentation using plate specimens
BS EN 12697-22 Wheel tracking
BS EN 12697-23 Determination of the indirect tensile strength of bituminous
specimens
BS EN 12697-24 Resistance to fatigue
BS EN 12697-25 Cyclic compression test
BS EN 12697-26 Stiffness
BS EN 12697-27 Sampling
BS EN 12697-28 Preparation of samples for determining binder content, water
content and grading
BS EN 12697-29 Determination of the dimensions of a bituminous specimen
BS EN 12697-30 Specimen preparation by impact compactor
BS EN 12697-31 Specimen preparation by gyratory compactor
BS EN 12697-32 Laboratory compaction of bituminous mixtures by vibratory
compactor
BS EN 12697-33 Specimen prepared by roller compactor
BS EN 12697-34 Marshall test
BS EN 12697-35 Laboratory mixing
BS EN 12697-36 Determination of the thickness of a bituminous pavement
BS EN 12697-37 Hot-sand test for the adhesivity of binder on pre-coated
chippings for HRA
BS EN 12697-38 Test equipment and calibration
BS EN 12697-39 Binder content by ignition
BS EN 12697-40 In-situ drainability
BS EN 12697-41 Resistance to de-icing fluids
BS EN 12697-42 Amount of coarse foreign matter in reclaimed asphalt
BS EN 12697-43 Resistance to fuel
www.quarrymanagement.com QM January 2008

specification tolerances for
grading and binder content are
not included in the individual
product standards; they sit within
EN 13108-21 and, of course, PD
6691.
Target binder contents are
adjusted according to the relative
density of the aggregate
combination used, thereby
ensuring that the more critical
aspect of the binder volume of
the mixture is fully taken account
of in the design of the mixture.
Within PD 6691 the example
specifications found in the
annexes already take the nature
of the aggregate into account
and, therefore, state the actual
binder contents that should be
found on analysis.
In terms of product
conformity, binder and filler
contents are not adjusted to
allow for any sampling bias.While
this is particularly relevant to the
larger 32mm lean binder content
mixtures, in respect of all
mixtures it increases the
importance of ensuring that
representative samples are taken
from the material, whether it be
in the lorry, a heap or even from
the laid mat, for contractual audit
testing.
There are provisions for the
use of reclaimed asphalt in each
of the asphalt product standards
and reclaimed asphalt is formally
recognized as an ingredient and
covered under EN 13108-8,
where it is identified and
categorized according to any
contaminants and the properties
of the binder.
EME2 (Enrob Module
lev), the very stiff and resilient
base and binder course material
that has now replaced HMB35
and which utilizes approximately
5.5% of a very hard 15/20 or
20/25 pen binder, is now officially
covered by a national standard in
addition to its inclusion in the
Specification for Highway
Works4,5. SMA (stone-mastic
asphalt), which again was not
covered under a British Standard
specification, is now addressed by
EN 13108-5 (SMAs also feature
in a number of proprietary
BBA/HAPAS-certified mixtures6
for use in a number of motorway
and trunk road applications).
All mixtures supplied in
compliance with one of the EN
13108 product standards are
QM January 2008
prefixed by an abbreviation which
identifies the mixture type, the
principal ones being: AC (asphalt
concrete), HRA (hot-rolled
asphalt) and SMA (stone-mastic
asphalt). More details on mixture
designations are given below.
The national
guidance
document for
asphalt mixtures
PD 6691
This is the indispensable
document for engineers,
specifiers, contractors and
suppliers, ie for all those involved
in asphalt in the UK. It facilitates
the selection of the appropriate
asphalt mixture for the majority
of paving applications and must
be read and understood before
attempting to grasp the contents
of the individual standards in the
BS EN 13108 series.Without the
advice given in PD 6691 it would
be almost impossible to specify
asphalt mixtures capable of
handling and performing in an
equivalent manner to the
mixtures used previously.
PD 6691 principally covers BS
EN 13108-1 Asphalt Concrete, BS
EN 13108-4 Hot Rolled Asphalt
and BS EN 13108-5 Stone Mastic
Asphalt, with limited reference to
BS EN 13108-2 Asphalt Concrete
for Thin Layers, which is covered
primarily through BBA/HAPAS
certification. PD 6691 does not
cover BS EN 13108-3 Soft
Asphalt, which is principally used
in the Nordic countries, BS EN
13108-7 Porous Asphalt or BS
EN 13108-6 Mastic Asphalt.While
the use of porous asphalt on
motorways and trunk roads is
now limited in the UK, guidance
can still be sought from the
Specification for Highway Works.
For mastic asphalt, contact
should be made with the Mastic
Asphalt Council7 and for asphalt
specifically to be used on
airfields, reference should be
made to the series of Defence
Estates Standards8.
For ease of use, the format of
PD 6691 has been made very
similar to that of BS 4987 and BS
594.While it provides guidance
on the use and selection of
asphalt mixtures, full details of
the specification requirements for
each of the principle mixture
types used in the UK (AC, HRA
www.quarrymanagement.com
Asphalt Technology
and SMA) are covered and these
take account of the requirements
associated with UK climate,
traffic and safety issues.
Importantly, it also contains
stand-alone example
specifications for the most
commonly used asphalts from BS
4987, BS 594 and from the
Specification for Highway Works
for SMA and EME2.
The UK will continue to follow
the empirically-based recipe
approach to mixtures with,
initially, few ancillary property
tests; the principal tests being
voids content and, where
necessary, wheel-tracking and
stiffness. Some of the EN test
methods will change, eg wheel-
tracking, where the method used
is dependant on the material
being tested and a different
format is used for reporting the
results of AC and SMA. As a
result, testing against the new BS
EN test method will be carried
out alongside testing undertaken
in accordance with BS 598-1109.
This will continue until sufficient
data are available to correlate the
results from the two methods,
which, in time, will permit the
specification of limits applicable
to the new EN methods.
The more fundamental
approach to mixture design will
take a number of years to be
introduced and can only be
considered once the required
experience with the new
European Standard tests and how
they relate to performance in the
pavement has been gained.
As previously stated, target
binder contents are adjusted
according to the relative density
of the aggregate combination
used to ensure the binder
volume relationship for the
mixture is maintained. However,
in the UK allowance has always
been made for another key
attribute of the aggregate its
microtexture. Accordingly, target
binder contents in PD 6691 are
recommended depending on the
type and nature of aggregate
used. For CE marking purposes,
the binder content by mass used
in the manufacture of the asphalt
is back-calculated to ensure that
it is declared in the correct
format, in line with the
requirements of the EN.This
binder content is quoted as Bmin
on the CE mark and is likely to
21
Asphalt Technology
be a different figure to the actual
binder content used in the
manufacture of the asphalt, which
is known as Bact and is the binder
content against which product
conformity is adjudged.
With regard to the use of
reclaimed asphalt, it is classified in
terms of its content of foreign
matter and the properties of its
binder. Recommended maximum
limits for its use in mixtures are
10% for surface course and 50%
for bases and binder courses.
Where more than 10% and 20%
of reclaimed asphalt is used in
surface courses or bases and
binder courses, respectively, the
recovered binder from the
mixture is evaluated by
penetration testing.Thus, there is
little difference from the current
requirements given in the
Specification for Highway Works.
In the UK the normative
product designations of the
asphalt concretes have been
further expanded to permit
identification of the full grading
range of the mixtures used.These
descriptions will be familiar to
the users of BS 4987 materials
as:
dense (dense)
open (open graded)
close (close graded)
med (medium graded)
fine (fine graded).
The terms HDM (heavy-duty
macadam) and HMB (high-
modulus base) will also continue
to be used to differentiate
between the mixtures providing
improved performance
characteristics in use.
Additionally, the PSV of the
aggregate can be added to the
designation for surface course
and binder courses exposed to
traffic in their early life.This is
not a mandatory requirement
within the ENs but must be
considered a safeguard from the
customers perspective ensuring
that appropriate skid-resistant
mixtures are supplied.To identify
design mixtures from recipe
mixtures, as applicable to HRA
and AC dense mixtures, the
designation des will be used.
Examples of these product
designations are:
AC 32 HDM base 40/60
AC 10 close surf 100/150
PSV60
HRA 35/14F surf 40/60 des
PSV50
22
SMA 10 surf 40/60 PSV65. that the mixture composition and
It should be noted that performance do not change
individual asphalt producers may significantly when transferring the
add further information to the specification of the asphalts to
product designation/description. the new EN Standards.The
In most cases, the description of contents of the annexes are:
proprietary asphalts will be Annex A:The importance of
unchanged. example mixture specifications;
Product conformity Annex B: Asphalt Concrete;
(Attestation of Conformity) is Annex C: Hot Rolled Asphalt
evidenced by CE marking, which (including PCC); and Annex D:
is similar to a product conformity Stone Mastic Asphalt
certificate and works on similar The fundamental differences
principles to those applicable to between specifying the grading
the ENs for aggregates. However, using the European Standards and
it is anticipated that the CE the UK method contained in BS
marking for asphalt will be more 4987 and BS 594, and other
rigidly applied and more widely documents, is easier to
used in the UK. understand by way of an
PD 6691 contains four very example.Table 3 identifies the
important annexes which provide process for selecting target
detailed information and guidance gradings and binder content from
on the mixture specifications. the target grading ranges and
These annexes occupy some applying the FPC tolerance using
two-thirds of the document and 32mm asphalt concrete dense
are the key reference areas for binder course as an example.
the selection of appropriate Readers should note the use of a
target gradings and binder comma, which replaces the
contents for the type of mixture decimal point traditionally used in
that is required.The use of the the UK.
tables in the annexes ensures For the purposes of
Table 3. Example of a declared specification (AC 32 HDM
dense bin 40/60)
Target
Declared
Test sieve composition Tolerances Conformity
target
mm Annex B from Table 8 specification
grading/binder
Table B.11
40 100 100 2 + 0 98-100
31,5 99-100 99 9 + 5 90-100
20 80-86 82 9 73-91
6,3 52 52 9 43-61
2 27-33 28 7 21-35
0,250 11-15 12 5 7-17
0,063 8 8 3 5,0-11,0
Binder
(Limestone 4,0 4,0 0,6 3,4-4,6
Aggregate)
Notes
1. Test sieves from the appropriate table in Annex B, together with the
appropriate binder content as allowed in BS EN 13108-1 are included in the
table.
2. The target grading ranges and binder content limiting values have been taken
from the relevant table in Annex B.
3. The specific target grading values and target binder content are selected from
the values in the column headed Target composition Annex B.Where the
latter column contains only a single value, as is the case for the percentage
passing the 6,3mm sieve, only this value can be selected.Where a range is
shown, eg 2733 for the percentage passing the 2mm sieve, any value between
27 and 33 can be selected as the target grading value.
4. The values shown in the column headed Tolerances from Table 8 are the
tolerances taken from PD 6691 (BS EN 13108-21) to be applied to the
individual target grading values and the target binder content and used to
formulate the compliance specification.
5. The conformity specification is similar to the equivalent specification that
would be found within BS 4987.
www.quarrymanagement.com QM January 2008
 Asphalt Technology
monitoring quality and checking Table 4. Conformity specification alternative format (AC
on the deviation of the results 32 HDM dense bin 40/60)
from the declared target values
Test sieve Conformity
used for type testing, the mm specification
compliance specification is better
40 100
reported as the declared target
31,5 99-9 + 5
values with the tolerances
20 82 9
alongside in a similar format to
that shown in table 4. 6,3 52 9
To convert the Bact target 2 28 7
values within PD 6691 back to 0,250 12 5
the regulatory Bmin value 0,063 8 3
required by the BS EN Standard, Binder 4,0 0,6
the following formula is used: (Limestone Aggregate)

to prove mix conformity with the compliance specification for

Bmin declared = b x Bact
EN/PD requirements at the conformity assessment.
2,650
selected target composition.The The documented FPC
where b is the mean particle
protocols identified in this requirements to manufacture the
density of the aggregate mixture
section and used as part of the product are followed. It is
in Mg/m3, determined in
type testing procedure are found noteworthy that these are
accordance with BS EN 1097-6,
in BS 594987. narrower in scope than those
with the resultant binder content
The type test record is contained in BS EN 9001 as
being declared to the nearest
completed and includes: customer-related issues and
0,2%.
a declaration of the types continuous improvement are not
Thus, if the mean particle
and sources of constituent covered in EN 13108-21. Industry
density of the aggregate in a
materials Sector Scheme 1410 refers to EN
mixture is 2,730Mg/m3, the
test data proving conformity 13108-21 and expands on the
binder content for CE marking
of the constituents with the FPC requirements.The FPC
purposes (Bmin) would be
relevant requirements system, including the additional
calculated from the selected
a declaration of the target requirements of Sector
target binder content (Bact) used
composition of the mixture Scheme14, is currently third
to manufacture the mixture using
test data showing party assessed by registered
the above formula as follows:
conformity of the mixture notified bodies (NoBos).
with any specified The Sector Scheme
Bmin declared = 2,730 4,0% Bact
performance requirements. 14 requirements are considered
2,650
It is important to note that in addition to those from the
= 4,2%
type testing is mixture specific ENs and the FPC procedures are
(4,12 rounded to
and does not have to be followed to check conformity of
the nearest 0,2%)
repeated where the same type, the product supplied. Conformity
The process for the approval
source and proportion of is checked against the single
of CE-marked asphalt mixtures
constituents are used on another result criteria within PD 6691
on contracts is formalized
plant. However, certain type tests (EN 13108-21).The mean
through type testing disciplines
will not have to be repeated deviation from target is a new
covered by EN 13108-20 and the
where the change in a concept in the UK and is
factory product control covered
constituent leads to a result determined as a check on
by EN 13108-21.The asphalt
which will be better than that product consistency to ensure
industry is identifying this process
obtained with the original production results do not
using the acronym CE MAP,
constituent. wander too far from the target
which stands for the CE Marking
For example, a mixture values proposed under type
and Approval Process.
containing 100/150 pen for testing.
The CE MAP - The wheel-tracking would be assumed In place of the Q level
to comply if the binder grade was previously used in the UK, a
methodology for
changed to 40/60 pen, providing system to determine the OCL
type testing and no other mixture constituents (operating compliance level) is
factory production nor any mixture proportions used.This is determined from the
control were altered. last 32 results (Q level utilized
Section 13 of PD 6691 details the Under the requirements for the last 30 results). However, the
requirements for the Evaluation factory production control OCL is also marked down by a
of Conformity and the covered in EN 13108-21, the type failure in mean deviation.The
obligations of the asphalt testing procedure for an asphalt OCL determines the sample
producer.Target grading values mixture has to be repeated at rates for groups of mixtures and
and the target binder content are intervals not exceeding five years. linked to this are recommended
selected from the tables in The EN 13108-21 factory minimum test frequencies
annexes B, C or D in PD 6691 product control (FPC) tolerances identified within Sector Scheme
and type testing is carried out in are applied to the target 14. CE marking is carried out by
accordance with BS EN 13108-20 composition to formulate the self-certification with the CE

QM January 2008 www.quarrymanagement.com 25

Asphalt Technology
marks being subject to
examination by the notified
bodies.
To ensure that clients and
customers are made fully aware
of the supply specification, it is
likely that the majority of asphalt
suppliers will provide an
additional product information
sheet for each of their mixtures,
which will show the types and
sourcing of all the ingredients
along with the compliance
specification and any ancillary
test data.
BS 594987
Asphalt for roads
and other paved
areas
specification for
transport, laying
and compaction
and design
protocols
This new standard replaces Parts
2 of BS 498711 and BS 59412 and
covers all the EN 13108 asphalt
mixtures found in PD 6691. It has
been produced for UK use
because there is no European
Standard that addresses the
issues of transport, laying and
compaction. In a similar format
to Parts 2 of BS 4987 and BS
594, it must be considered as the
baseline document for all hot
asphalt pavement applications. It
details minimum and maximum
compacted thicknesses along
with the accuracy of finish
required for each of the
pavement layers, and it provides
improved clarity on laying, the
formation of joints and all the
other key issues associated with
site preparation.
Readers should note that, at
the same time as the full
implementation of the European
Standards for Asphalt, the
Highways Agency have had to
amend their documents and
have produced two Interim
Advice Notes covering the
European Standards for asphalt
and the amended 900 series.
These are covered in summary
below.
The application of pre-coated
chippings to hot-rolled asphalt
surface course is detailed along
with the rates of spread and the
measurement of texture depth.
As previously, the importance and
the requirements for achieving
26 www.quarrymanagement.com
compaction are detailed. An area
not previously covered which is
now included is the sampling and
testing for type testing the
asphalt through the use of trial
strips.This is detailed within a
series of very important
informative annexes, a number of
which cover protocols previously
found within the Specification for
Highway Works, as indicated by
the SHW clause references in
brackets.
The annexes are:
Annex A: Details delivery and
rolling temperatures for a full
range of mixtures including SMA
Annex B: Details the rates of
spread including the range of
Asphalt Concretes, Hot Rolled
Asphalts, Stone Mastic Asphalt
and EME2
Annex C: Details the procedure
for the determination of
DBM/HDM/HMB design voids
(SHW 929)
Annex D: Details the procedure
for the determination of
DBM/HDM/HMB deformation
resistance (SHW 952)
Annex E: Details of the EME2
design procedure and the
properties testing (extracted
from TRL 636)
Annex F: Details of the
procedure for the determination
of performance HRA properties
(SHW 943)
Annex G: Details of the
procedure for the determination
of SMA binder course properties
(SHW 937)
Annex H: Details of the
procedure for the determination
of the HRA surface course design
(including the requirements of BS
598-107)
Annex I: Calibration and
operation of indirect density
gauges including both nuclear and
other indirect gauges.
Changes to the
Highways Agency
Specification for
Highway Works
During November 2007 two
Interim Advice Notes (IANs)
were published by the Highways
Agency covering the introduction
of the European Standards for
Asphalt: IAN 102/0713, entitled
The introduction of BSEN
standards for bituminous
mixtures site supervision
aspects, and IAN 101/0714,
entitled Revised MCHW
specification 900 series.
IAN 102/07 introduces the
changes taking effect from
1 January 2008 focusing on
product description changes, the
introduction of reclaimed asphalt
and, of course, the implications of
initial type testing, factory
production control and CE
marking.The IAN also identifies
and details the transitional
arrangements on contracts and
explains that CE mark
certification from all suppliers
will not necessarily be available
from January due to the
assessment work needing to be
carried out by the notified bodies
before certification can be issued
by suppliers.
The significant changes to
the 900 series are covered in
IAN 101/07 with references
to PD6691 in respect to all the
key areas of the changes,
including the important
product designation/description
changes.
However, further important
changes have been brought in
by the Highways Agency since
1 January concerning the
durability of base and binder
course layers.These have arisen
from joint collaborative work and
have been fully supported by the
asphalt industry in full
recognition of the early-life
failures and the resultant
significant costs arising from
water ingress to the lower layers
of flexible asphalt pavements.
Within clause 903, in summary,
the following are the
most significant additional
requirements to the base
and binder course layers to
enhance those of the new BS
594987.
A detailed method
statement is required for
each contract covering
laying and compaction of
each of the layers along
with details of longitudinal
and transverse joint
formation.
Full interlayer bonding
required between all flexible
pavement layers.
All longitudinal joints will
be outside defined wheel-
track zones and offset by
300m from any parallel
joints in the underlying layer.
Additional, and specifically for
QM January 2008

the base and binder course
layers:
Compaction will be
measured within 100m of
the joints in each of the
layers with the voids content
being not more than 2%
higher than that required
for the layer in the contract.
All joints will be overbanded
with a bitumen sealant to a
width of 75mm either side
of the joint.
The same sealant will be
applied to the whole of any
freestanding edge on the
outside of the finished
pavement on the high side of
the camber and on the low
side when specified in App
7/1.
These changes in clause 903 do
involve significant additional costs
and are therefore not mandatory
for contracts that have already
been priced, awarded or were
under construction before
1 January 2008.
References
1. BRITISH STANDARDS
INSTITUTION: Coated macadam
(asphalt concrete) for roads
and other paved areas Part 1:
QM January 2008
Specification for constituent
materials and for mixtures, BS
4987-1:2005, BSI, London.
2. BRITISH STANDARDS
INSTITUTION: Hot-rolled asphalt
for roads and other paved areas,
Specification for constituent
materials and asphalt mixtures, BS
594-1:2005, BSI, London.
3. BRITISH STANDARDS
INSTITUTION: Bitumen and
bituminous binders, Specifications
for paving grade bitumens, BS EN
12591:2000, BSI, London.
4. HIGHWAYS AGENCY et al:
Manual of Contract Documents
for Highway Works,Vols 0-6,
various dates,The Stationery
Office, London.
5. http://www.standardsforhighways.
co.uk/index.htm
6. http://www.bbacerts.co.uk/hapas.
html
7. http://www.masticasphaltcouncil.
co.uk/
8. http://www.defence
estates.mod.uk/publications/airfiel
d/airfields.php
9. BRITISH STANDARDS
INSTITUTION: Bituminous
mixtures for roads and other
paved areas, Methods of test for
the determination of texture
depth, BS 598-110:2004, BSI,
London.
10. UKAS: National Highways Sector
Scheme for Quality Management
in Highway Works, Sector Scheme
www.quarrymanagement.com
Asphalt Technology
16, For the quality assurance of
the production of asphalt mixes,
March 2004, Sector Scheme
Advisory Committee, Feltham,
Middlesex.
11. BRITISH STANDARDS
INSTITUTION: Coated macadam
for roads and other paved areas,
Specification for transport, laying
and compaction, BS 4987-2:2003,
BSI, London.
12. BRITISH STANDARDS
INSTITUTION: Hot rolled asphalt
for roads and other paved areas,
Specification for transport, laying
and compaction, BS 594-2:2003,
BSI, London.
13. HIGHWAYS AGENCY: Interim
Advice Note 102/07 The
introduction of BSEN standards
for bituminous mixtures
site supervision aspects, Nov
2007. Available for download
from:
www.standardsforhighways.co.uk/i
ans/index.htm
14. HIGHWAYS AGENCY: Interim
Advice Note 101/07, Revised
MCHW specification 900 series,
Nov 2007. Available for download
from:
www.standardsforhighways.co.uk/i
ans/index.htm
27