CE 382 Asphalt Concrete

Fall 2015
Lecture 1 - Asphalt Cement Introduction

Learning Objectives
Understand the components of
asphalt concrete
Understand manufacturing asphalt
cement
Understand the types of asphalt
Understand asphalt specifications
Historical
Viscosity

Asphalt Concrete
Asphalt concrete is commonly
referred to as Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA)
94% of roads in US are surfaced
with asphalt
Materials
% by
weight
Aggregates
Asphalt
95
(Binder)
5
Air

HMA Components

Asphalt Stress Response

Two Types of Asphalt

Natural Asphalts: Occurs in
geologic strata as both soft and
hard asphalt material.

Petroleum Asphalts: Colloidally

dispersed hydrocarbons in crude
petroleum and are obtained by

Asphalt Legends and Myths

La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles
Canadian Tar Sands
Roofing Tar
Brother-in-law says he needs to Tar
his driveway

Myth Busted!
La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles
Canadian Tar Sands
Roofing Tar
Brother-in-law says he needs to Tar
his driveway

Asphalt versus Tar

Asphalt Cement (bitumen): Naturally
occurring or produced by petroleum
distillation
asphalt pavements
driveway sealcoats
roofing shingles

Tar: Naturally occurring or manufactured by

distillation of coal
Coal tar is listed at number 1999 in the United
Nations list of dangerous goods

Trinidad Lake Asphalt

Background
First US hot mix asphalt (HMA)
constructed in 1870s
Pennsylvania Ave
Used naturally occurring asphalt from
surface of lake on Island of Trinidad

Demand for paved roads exceeded the

supply of lake asphalts in late 1800s
Led to use of petroleum asphalts

Asphalt Components
Asphaltenes
Large, discrete solid inclusions (black)
High viscosity component

Resins
Semi-sold or solid at room temperature
Fluid when heated
Brittle when cold

Oils
Colorless liquid
Soluble in most solvents
Allows asphalt to flow

Petroleum Asphalt

Refinery Operations

Crude Petroleum Variation

Can vary significantly, resulting in very
different levels of performance.
American Petroleum Institute
API Gravity (60 F) = [141.5/specific gravity] 131.5
API Gravity of Water is 10.
Low API gravities (<25) have relatively low %s of
distillable overhead fractions & high %s of
asphalt cement. These crudes are known as
heavy crudes. If they contain a lot of sulfur, they
are known as sour.
High API gravities are the converse. Are known as
light crudes. If they contain little sulfur, they are

Asphalt Types
Asphalt cements
Generally refinery produced materials
Air blown asphalt cements

Cutbacks
Asphalt cements cut with petroleum
solvents

Emulsions
Mixture of asphalt cement, water, and
emulsifying agent

Air-Blowing
Air blowing is used to increase the
viscosity of the vacuum resids.
Used for roofing industry products (batch
blowing).
Used to improve the temperature
susceptibility of asphalt cements
(continuous blowing).
Oxidization is occurring.

Cutbacks = Asphalt +
Solvent
Rapid-Curing (RC):
naptha

Gasoline or

High volatility of solvent

Tack coats, surface treatments

Medium-Curing (MC): Kerosene

Moderate volatility
Stockpile patching mix

Slow Curing (SC):

Road oils

Low volatility
Prime coat, dust control

Emulsions = Asphalt + H20 + Emulsifying

agent
Emulsifier gives surface charge to asphalt
droplets suspended in water medium
Selection of emulsifier type is dependent
upon aggregate used (electrical charge)
Asphalt Emulsions are needed to set or
break
Anionic Emulsion (-)
Emulsion (+)

Cationic

Asphalt Distributor (for

emulsions)

Grades of Emulsions
ANIONIC EMULSIFIED
ASPHALT
RS-1
RS-2
MS-1
MS-2
MS-2h
HFMS-1
HFMS-2
HFMS-2h
HFMS-2s
SS-1
SS-1h

CATIONIC EMULSIFIED
ASPHALT
CRS-1
CRS-2
--CMS-2
CMS-2h
--------CSS-1
CSS-1h

Early Specifications
Chew test
Penetration
Solubility
Ductility
Flash Point
Softening Point (Ring-and-Ball
Method)
Specific Gravity

Penetration (early 1900s)

Pen Grades

Flash Point (Cleveland Open

Cup)

Solubility Test

Ductility

Measure of a materials ability to undergo

deformation without breaking.

Thin Film Oven

Pan

Thermometer

Rotating Shelf
Outside of Oven

Penetration, 0.1 mm
Medium
Low

High
25C (77F)
Temperature

Softening Point (Ring-and-Ball

Method)

The temperature at which the bituminous

material touches the bottom of the

Viscosity Graded Specifications

(1970s)

Definition
Viscosity: the ratio between the applied
shear stress and the rate of shear.

Absolute and Kinematic

Viscosity
Absolute
Viscosity at 60C
Time required for a fixed volume of
liquid to be drawn through a capillary
tube with a vacuum.
(flow time) x (viscometer calibration)
= poises

Kinematic
Viscosity at 135C
Measured in cm2/sec = stokes
(centistokes)

Types of Viscosity

Viscosity Specifications
AC Grades
AC 2.5, AC 5, AC 10, AC 20, AC 40

AR Grades (Aged Residue)

AR 1000, AR 2000, AR 4000, AR 8000,
AR 16000

Mixing/Compaction
Temps
Viscosity, Pa s
10
5

1
.5
.3
.2
.1

Compaction Range
Mixing Range
100

110

120

130

140

150 160

Temperature, C

170 180 190 200

Rotational Viscometer
Pumpabilit
y
Mixability
Workabilit
y

Pavement Performance
Related to A.C. Rheological
Properties

Ravelling
Cracking

Load-Associated
Non-Load Associated

Rutting
Stripping

Temperature Dependency

Superpave Physical Tests

for Asphalt Binders

Rolling Thin Film Oven (RTFO)

Pressure Aging Vessel (PAV)
Rotational Viscometer (RV)
Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR)
Bending Beam Rheometer (BBR)
Direct Tension Tester (DTT)