Advances in asphalt mix

evaluation

Con Sinadinos, CEO

IPC Global, Australia
 Advances in asphalt mix
evaluation
• The greatest advances in asphalt mix evaluation
have come from the USA
• Strategic Highways Research Program (SHRP)
• Superpave Design System:
– Superior Performing Asphalt Pavements
• Mechanistic-Empirical Design Guide
 Pre SHRP

• Binder Specifications
• Aggregate Specifications
• Volumetric Design
• Moisture Sensitivity
• Simple Test
 Marshall Stability
 Hveen Stability
 Strategic Highways Research
Program (SHRP)

• Meant to be based upon fundamental

material characterization tests
• Ran into technical problems relating to the
predictive model
• Technical problems relating to the predictive
model for rutting and fatigue cracking resulted
in the abandonment of this approach by
Federal Highways Administration (FHWA)
 SHRP Mixture
Tests

• Shear Test AASHTO TP7

 Modulus
 Permanent Deformation
• Flexural Fatigue AASHTO TP8
 Fatigue Cracking
• Indirect Tensile Test AASHTO TP9
 Thermal Cracking
 Issues With SHRP
Products

• High Costs
 Equipment
 Training
• Performance Models
 Errors
 Not Calibrated
 Not User Friendly
• Change The Way We Do Business
 Engineer Mixtures to Perform
 Superpave Design System

• The final product of the SHRP asphalt program

area was the Superpave System.
 Superpave Design System

Superpave
Evolution…..
NCHRP
 Steps of Superpave Mix
Design

1. Materials Selection 2. Design Aggregate Structure

3. Design Binder Content 4. Mixture Performance Testing

 National Cooperative
Highway Research Program
(NCHRP) Reports

• 9-19: Superpave Support and Performance

Models
• 9-29: Simple Performance Tester for Superpave
Mix Design
• 9-33: Mix Design Manual for Hot Mix Asphalt
NCHRP Project 9-19

• Recommend
Test(s)
• Develop
Protocol(s)
• Develop Criteria
• Validate Criteria
 Project 9-19 Correlation Study
MnRoad

WesTrack FHWA-ALF
 AL F : R u t D e p th v s . E *m a x /s in  @ 1 3 0 °F (5 4 .4 °C )
U n c o n fin e d -- L in e a r R a n g e
R u t D ep th @ 10,000 P asses (m m )

60

S e/S y = 0.35
50 5 - A C-10
2
R = 0.90
7 - S ty relf
40
8 - Novophalt
30 9 - A C-5
10 - A C-20
20
11 - B as e A C-5

10 12 - B as e A C-20

0
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25

E*m a x /sin  (10^ 6 p si)

Project 9-19 Candidate Tests

• Dynamic Modulus
 Rutting
 Cracking
• Static Creep Test
 Rutting
• Repeated Load Creep Test
 Rutting
Dynamic Modulus Test
Stress
Strain

0
E* 
0
Time

Rutting
Min |E*| at High Temp
Fatigue Cracking
Max |E*| at Intermediate Temp
 Static Creep Test

TIME

Flow Time

Rutting
Min FT at High Temp
Repeated Load Creep Test

TIME

Flow Number

Rutting
Min FN at High Temp
 Sample preparation
100mm

150mm
170mm

150mm
NCHRP Project 9-29

• Equipment Specs
• Procure Prototype
Equipment
• Evaluate Prototype
Equipment
• Revise Specs
 Project 9-29 Equipment
Specifications

• Simple Performance Test System

 Static Creep / Flow Time Test
 Repeated Load / Flow Number Test
 Dynamic Modulus
• Test Automated Specimen Fabrication
Equipment
 Project 9-29 Specification
Research Test
Development
Protocols

Draft Equipment Specs Manufacturer’s Review

Cost Estimate

Prototype Equipment
User’s Workshop Specs
Ideas Revised Estimate
 Project 9-29 Prototype Simple
Performance Test Procurement

• EnduraTec
• Instron
• Interlaken • Specifications
• Advantages
• IPC Global • Cost
• Past Performance
Project 9-29 Prototype Simple
Performance Test Systems
• Tests
Flow Time
Flow Number
Dynamic Modulus
• Temperature Range
20 to 60°C (now 4 to 60°C)
• Confining Pressure Range
0 to 210 kPa
Project 9-29 Prototype Simple
Performance Test Systems

Interlaken

IPC Global
 Project 9-33 Mix Design
Manual for HMA
• Final report January 2010 (AAT)
• Test procedures for dense, gap, and open-graded mixes
• HMA performance tests
• Criteria developed with M-E Design Guide
• Final critical issues being evaluated:
 FAA values and CAA values
 Flat & elongated requirements
 Performance Tests
 Design VMA values
 Design gyration levels
 RAP
 Asphalt Mix Performance
Tester (AMPT)
NCHRP 9-29
Evaluate mixture fatigue
& response (E*) rutting (Fn)
Published as TP 79 (also
PP 60, PP 61, and PP 62)
Relatively inexpensive and
ease of use
Provides MEPDG input
 AMPT Uses

• Dynamic Modulus Master Curve for

Structural Design
AASHTO MEPDG
• Mixture Design
NCHRP Project 9-33 “Mix Design Manual for
Hot Mix Asphalt”
• Material Evaluations
Homogenity of RAP Mixtures
 Pavement Structural Design

• AASHTO Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement

Design Guide
HMA Characterized by a Dynamic Modulus
Master Curve
Plant Aged Conditions
Modulus Needed
Stress-Strain Analysis
Rutting Model
Fatigue Cracking Model
 Temperature and Loading
Rate Effects
10000
Dynamic Modulus, ksi

4C
1000 20 C
40 C

100
3.0
2.0

Shift Factor
1.0
0.0
-1.0
10
-2.0
-3.0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
Temperature, C
1
0.0001 0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10 100 1000

Reduced Frequency, Hz
 NCHRP 9-29 Draft Practice

• Developing Dynamic Modulus Master

Curves for Hot-Mix Asphalt Concrete
Using the Asphalt Mixture Performance
Tester
Testing Conditions
Temperature
Frequency
Replicates
Data Analysis
Excel Spreadsheet
 Rutting Resistance

• Shear Deformation - Major

• Densification - Minor
• High Temperatures
• Early in Pavement Life

2-3 in
 Repeated Load Test

5.0 Permanent Strain Permanent Strain Rate 0.0050

4.5 0.0045

Permanent Strain Rate, % per Cycle

4.0 0.0040

3.5 0.0035
Permanent Strain, %

3.0 0.0030

2.5 0.0025

2.0 0.0020
Flow Number = Minimum
1.5 Permanent Strain Rate 0.0015

1.0 0.0010

0.5 0.0005

0.0 0.0000
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000
Load Cycle
 NCHRP 9-33 Tentative
Criteria
F lo w
M ESAL N u m b er
3 --
10,000
3 to < 1 0 340
1 0 to < 3 0 560
 30 890
Flow Num ber

1,000

100
1 10 100 1,000 10,000

Estim ated M axim um M ESALs

 AMPT
Flow Number (Fn)
• Developed as indicator of rutting potential
• 9-33 relationship flow number/maximum
traffic with lab mixes (field mix issue-age)
• Issues
• High temperature 50% reliability PG
LTPPBind 3.1
• Confined/unconfined
• Load: various levels have been used
 IDT for E* Determination

• FHWA Sponsored - NC
State
• Procedure Ruggedness
Testing
• ETG review underway
 Implementation
• Pooled fund purchase and deliver AMPT for
highway Agencies
 Initially 9 units with option for 29 more
• Provide training to use AMPT to perform
proposed standard practices for measuring
dynamic modulus and flow number
 2 Day Training Course
• Evaluate nationwide implementation and use
of AMPT for assessing performance over a
wide range of climatic conditions, materials,
and structures.
 Pooled Fund Progress

• FHWA, eighteen states, and the Ministry of

Transportation in Ontario, Canada have
committed over $1.8 million to participate in this
study
• AMPT Equipment will be delivered to study
participants in 2010
• Continuum Damage Fatigue software and
hardware is available from IPC
 still in research stage
Pooled fund participants
 AMPT (2009/2010)

• Develop pooled fund for training and equipment

purchase of the equipment

• Technician training for operation of the

equipment (AAT contractor/NCAT Lab)

• Remaining issue with

determination Flow Number, Fn
 AMPT Uses

• Dynamic Modulus Master Curve for Structural

Design
 AASHTO MEDG
• Mixture Design
 NCHRP Project 9-33 “Mix Design Manual for Hot
Mix Asphalt”
• Material Evaluations
 Modified Binders
 Forensics
 Etc
 AMPT Summary
• Specifically for HMA Testing
• Three Performance Related Tests
 Dynamic Modulus
 Repeated Load
 Creep
• User Friendly, Second Generation Mixture
Performance Testing Equipment
• Available from at least two manufacturers
• Extensive National Efforts to Develop and
Implement
 Acknowledgements
Field Engineer
Learning & Development Seminar
Dallas, TX -- April 19-23, 2010

DEVELOPMENT OF A FUNDAMENTALLY BASED

SIMPLE PERFORMANCE TEST(S) TO SUPPORT The Future of the Superpave
THE SUPERPAVE VOLUMETRIC MIX DESIGN
PROCESS Mixture Design System
Dr.M.W.Witczak Asphalt Mix Part II
Professor, ASU
John Bukowski
Asphalt Team Leader
TASK C
Superpave Models Project
NCHRP 9-
9-19
CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

Development and
Application of the Asphalt
Mix Performance Tester

Ramon Bonaquist, Ph.D., P.E

Advanced Asphalt Technologies, LLC
A d v a n c e d A s p h a lt T e c h n o lo g ie s , L L C

“E n g in e e rin g S e rv ic e s fo r th e A s p h a lt In d u s try ”
Questions?