Superpave Mix Design

S. M DAVE
Reader
Civil Engg Deptt
The M.S.University of Baroda
1
 INTRODUCTION
• SHRP (Strategic Highway Research Program
was established by USA congress in 1987 as
a five year $150million research program to
improve the performance and durability of
roads.
• $50 million of SHRP research funds were
used for development of performance based
asphalt specifications to directly relate
laboratory analysis with field performance.
• Superpave (SUperior PERforming Ashalt
PAVEment) is a product of SHRP asphalt
research
2
 INTRODUCTION
• Superpave asphalt binder tests measure
physical properties that can be directly
related to field performance through
engineering principles.
• Superpave binder tests are conducted at in-
service pavement temperatures.
• Superpave gyratory compactor is used for
preparing HMA specimens

3
MIXTURE DESIGN

4
 Asphalt Binder Behaviour
• Temperature Susceptibility
Asphalt is stiffer at colder temp and softer at
high temp.
• Viscoelasticity
Asphalt act as viscous fluid at high
temp(>100 ºC) and as elastic solid at low
temp.(<0 ºC ).At intermediate temp it act like
viscous fluid.
• Aging
Oxidation of asphalt causes age hardening
5
 Mineral Aggregate Behaviour
• Types: Natural, Processed (Quarried) and
Synthetic(Blast furnace slag),Recycled
• Must provide enough shear strength to resist
repeated load application.
• Shear strength depends on Internal friction
provided by aggregates
• Cubical, Rough textured offer more
resistance.
• Rounded aggregates not preferred (Natural
sand not desirable )
6
 Asphalt Mixture Behaviour

• Primary pavement Distress Types

 Permanent Deformation( Rutting)
 Fatigue Cracking
 Low temperature cracking

7
Permanent Deformation

Courtesy of FHWA
9
10
 HMA Mix Design
• Objective:
• Develop an economical blend of
aggregates and asphalt binder that meet
design and functional requirements
• Historical mix design methods
• Marshall
• Hveem
• New
• Superpave gyratory Mix design
11
 Marshall Mix Design
Advantages:
• Density & Void properties of asphalt mixture
relatively easy to measure
• Required equipment is relatively inexpensive
and portable
Disadvantages:
• Impact compaction does not simulate
mixture densification in real pavement
• Marshall stability does not estimate shear
strength of HMA
12
 Hveem Design Method
Advantages:
 Mixture’s resistance to swell in presence of
water is also determined
 Kneading laboratory compaction simulate
densification of real pavement.
 Hveem stability is a direct measurement of
internal friction component of shear strength
Disadvantage:
 Testing equipment is expensive and not
portable
 Selecting binder content is too subjective 13
 Superpave Mix Design
• Individual steps used to select asphalt and
aggregate materials
• Method integrates material selection and mix
design into procedures based on project’s
climate and design traffic
• Laboratory compaction is accomplished
using a Superpave gyratory compactor.
• SGC can be used to design mixtures that do
not exhibit classic tender mix behaviour and
do not densify to dangerously low air void
content under traffic action
• Perfomance based tests and models 14
 Requirements in Common

• Sufficient asphalt binder to ensure a durable

pavement
• Sufficient stability under traffic loads
• Sufficient air voids
• Upper limit to prevent excessive environmental
damage
• Lower limit to allow room for initial densification
due to traffic
• Sufficient workability

15
4 Steps of Superpave Mix Design

1. Materials Selection 2. Design Aggregate Structure

TSR

3. Design Binder Content 4. Moisture Sensitivity

16
 Step 1: Materials Selection

• Materials Selection consists of:

• Choosing the correct asphalt binder
• Choosing the aggregates that meet the
quality requirements for the mix

17
Superpave Asphalt Binder Specification

• Three critical stages during binder’s life:

• First stage: Transport, storage &
handling
• Second Stage: Mix production and
construction
• Third Stage: Aging over a long period
as part of the hot mix
asphalt

18
 Superpave Binder Test Equipment
Equipment Purpose

• Rolling thin film oven(RTFO) • Simulate binder aging

• Pressure Aging Vessel characteristics

• Dynamic Shear • Measure binder

Rheometer(DSR) properties at high and
intermediate temp
• Measure binder
• Rotational Viscometer(RV) properties at high temp

• Bending beam Rheometer • Measure binder propertis

at low temp 19
Rolling Thin Film Oven Test

20
Bottles in RTFO test

21
 Pressure
Aging
Vessel(PAV)

22
Pan
Pan Holder
PAV
23
 Table 1: Performance Graded Asphalt Binder RTFO
Specification
Property of
Material Value Specification
Concern

Unaged binder Mass loss1 ≤ 1.0% None

Table 2 PAV Test Temp. Pressure:300Pa

Time 20hours
Temperature Simulation
194°F (90°C) cold climate
212°F (100°C) moderate climate
230°F (110°C) hot climate
24
 Dynamic
Shear
Rheometer

25
 DSR
Equipments

26
Upper and Lower plate of DSR Equipment

27
Rotational Viscometer

28
 Table 3: Performance Graded Asphalt Binder RV Specification

Material Value Specification Property of Concern

Pumping, mixing and

Unaged binder Dynamic viscosity ≤ 3 Pa•s
workability

Table 4: Performance Graded Asphalt Binder DSR specifications

HMA Distress of
Material Value Specification
Concern

Unaged binder G*/sinδ ≥ 1.0 kPa (0.145 psi) Rutting

RTFO residue G*/sinδ ≥ 2.2 kPa (0.319 psi) Rutting

PAV residue G*sinδ ≤ 5000 kPa (725 psi) Fatigue cracking

29
Bending Beam Rheometer

30
 Bending Beam Rheometer

BBR Set up BBR Mould

31
 Bending Beam Rheometer

Deflection Transducer
Computer
Air Bearing
Load Cell Fluid Bath
BBR Output

33
 Summary

Fatigue Low Temp

Cracking Cracking
Construction Rutting

[DTT]

[RV] [DSR] [BBR]

RTFO
No aging Short Term Aging
PAV
Long Term Aging
Superpave Asphalt Binder Specification

The grading system is based on Climate

PG 64 - 22

Min pavement
Performance temperature
Grade
Average 7-day max
pavement temperature

35
 Pavement Temperatures are
Calculated
• Calculated by Superpave software
AASHTO Suerpave program OR LTPP
Bind (long term pav performance program
• High temperature
– 20 mm below the surface of mixture
• Low temperature
– at surface of pavement

Pave temp = f (air temp, depth, latitude)

 Pavement Temperature

• T20mm =(Tair-0.00618Lat2+0.2289Lat+42.2)
(0.9545)-17.78

Where T20mm= High pave. Design temp at depth

of 20mm
Tair= Seven –day high air temp C
Lat= The geographical latitude of the
project in degrees.

37
38
 Reliability concept

• Reliability is the percent probability in a single

year that the actual temperature (one-day low
or seven day high) will not exceed the design
temperature.
• Higher reliability means lower risk.

39
 Binder selection on basis of traffic
speed and traffic level
Design ESALs Adjustment to Binder PG grade
(million) Traffic load Rate
Standing Slow Standard

<0.3 - - -
0.3to<3 2 1 -
3 to<10 2 1 --
10 to<30 2 1 --
>30 2 1 1

Standing: Average traffic speed <20 kmph

Slow: Average traffic speed 20—70kmph
Standard :Average traffic speed >70kmph 40
 Mineral Aggregate Selection
Consensus
Properties Source Properties
• Coarse agg Angularity • Toughness

• Fine agg Angularity • Soundness

• Deleterious Materials
• Flat & Elongated
particles

• Clay Content
41
Coarse Aggregate Angularity

42
Fine Aggregate Angularity

43
Flat & Elongated Particles

44
 Coarse Aggregate Angularity
Criteria
Traffic Depth from Surface
Millions of ESALs < 100 mm > 100mm

< 0.3 55/-- --/--

<1 65/-- --/--
<3 75/-- 50/--
< 10 85/80 60/--
< 30 95/90 80/75
< 100 100/100 95/90
> 100 100/100 100/100

First number denotes % with one or more fractured faces

Second number denotes % with two or more fractured faces
 Aggregate Consensus Properties

Coarse Aggregate Fine Aggregate

Angularity Angularity

Traffic Level
< 100 mm > 100 mm < 100 mm > 100 mm
< 0.3 75 / --- 50 / --- 40 40
0.3 to < 3.0 85 / 80 60 / --- 45 40
3.0 to < 30.0 95 / 90 80 / 75 45 40
> 30.0 100 / 100 100 / 100 45 45

46
 Aggregate Properties

Sand Flat and

Traffic Level
Equivalent, % Elongated, %
135
< 0.3 40 ---
0.3 to < 3.0 45 10
3.0 to < 10.0 45 10
10 to < 30.0 45 10
> 30.0 50 10

47
100 Aggregate Size Definitions 100
100 99
90 • Nominal Maximum Aggregate Size 89
72 • one size larger than the first sieve to 72
65 retain more than 10% 65
48 • Maximum Aggregate Size 48
36 36
• one size larger than nominal
22 maximum size 22
15 15
9 9
4 4
 Superpave Mix Size Designations

Superpave Nom Max Size Max Size

Designation (mm) (mm)

37.5 mm 37.5 50
25 mm 25 37.5
19 mm 19 25
12.5 mm 12.5 19
9.5 mm 9.5 12.5
Percent Passing
100
max density line

restricted zone

control point nom max

max size
size

0
.075 .3 2.36 4.75 9.5 12.5 19.0

Sieve Size (mm) Raised to 0.45 Power

 Table 1. 37.5 mm (1.5 inch) Nominal Size
Sieve Size Control Points Restricted Zone
(mm) (U.S.) Lower Upper Lower Upper
50 2 inch 100 - - -
37.5 1.5 inch 90 100 - -
25 1 inch - 90 - -
19 3/4 inch - - - -
12.5 1/2 inch - - - -
9.5 3/8 inch - - - -
4.75 No. 4 - - 34.7 34.7
2.36 No. 8 15 41 23.3 27.3
1.18 No. 16 - - 15.5 21.5
0.60 No. 30 - - 11.7 15.7
0.30 No. 50 - - 10.0 10.0
0.15 No. 100 - - - -
0.075 No. 200 0 6 - -
51
 Superpave Aggregate Gradation

Percent Passing
100

Design Aggregate Structure

0
.075 .3 2.36 12.5 19.0
Sieve Size (mm) Raised to 0.45 Power
 Step 2: Aggregate Gradation
• Establish trial aggregate blends
• 3 suggested
• evaluate combined aggregate properties
• Estimate optimum asphalt binder content
• Manufacture and compact trial blends
• Evaluate the trial blends
• Select the most promising blend

53
 Steps of Superpave HMA Mix Design

1. Materials Selection 2. Design Aggregate Structure

TSR

3. Design Binder Content 4. Moisture Sensitivity

54
Goals of Compaction Method

• Simulate field densification

• traffic
• climate

• Accommodate large aggregates

• Measure compactability
• Conducive to QC

55
AASHTO T 312 Gyratory Compaction

56
 Superpave Gyratory Compactor
• Basis
• Texas equipment ?
• French operational
characteristics
• 150 mm diameter
• up to 37.5 mm nominal size
?
• Height Recordation
?

57
 height control and data
measurement acquisition panel

reaction
frame loading
ram

tilt bar mould

rotating
base

58
 ram pressure
600 kPa

150 mm diameter mould

30 gyrations 1.25 degrees

per minute

59
 Compaction
• Gyratory compactor
• Axial and shearing action
• 150 mm diameter molds
• Aggregate size up to 37.5 mm
• Height measurement during
compaction
– Allows densification during compaction to be
evaluated Ram pressure
600 kPa

1.25o
Three Points on SGC
Curve
% Gmm
Nmax
Ndes

Nini

10 100 1000
Log Gyrations
• Ninitial. The number of gyrations used as a measure of mixture
compactability during construction. Mixes that compact too
quickly (air voids at Ninitial are too low) may be tender during
construction and unstable when subjected to traffic. Often, this
is a good indication of aggregate quality – HMA with excess
natural sand will frequently fail the Ninitial requirement. A mixture
designed for greater than or equal to 3 million ESALs with 4
percent air voids at Ndesign should have at least 11 percent air
voids at Ninitial.

• Ndesign. This is the design number of gyrations required to produce

a sample with the same density as that expected in the field
after the indicated amount of traffic. A mix with 4 percent air
voids at Ndesign is desired in mix design.

• Nmax. The number of gyrations required to produce a laboratory

density that should never be exceeded in the field. If the air
voids at Nmax are too low, then the field mixture may compact too 62
much under traffic resulting in excessively low air voids and
 SGC Critical Point Comparison
%Gmm= Gmb / Gmm
Gmb = Bulk Mix Specific Gravity from compaction
at N cycles
Gmm = Max. Theoretical Specific Gravity
Compare to allowable values at:
NINI : %Gmm < 89%
NDES: %Gmm < 96%
NMAX: %Gmm < 98%
 Ndesign Table

Compaction Level
Traffic
Level Ninitial Ndesign Nmaximum

Gyrations
< 0.3 50 75
6
0.3 to < 3.0 7 75 115
3.0 to < 30.0 8 100 160
> 30.0 9 125 205

64
 General Notes to Revised Table

• Traffic Level is Based Upon 20 Year

Pavement Design Life

• Slow / Standing Traffic : Increase Ndesign

by 1 Level.

65
 Superpave Gyratory Compaction

• Select mixing and compaction temperature

based on asphalt binder properties

• Select number of gyrations to use based on

design traffic level

66
 Steps of Superpave HMA Mix Design

1. Materials Selection 2. Design Aggregate Structure

TSR

3. Design Binder Content 4. Moisture Sensitivity

67
 Establish Trial Blends

• Develop three gradations based on

• Stockpile gradation information
• Gradation specification
• Optimize use of materials in the most
economical blends
• Estimate properties of combined stockpiles

68
 Trial Asphalt Binder Content

• Use known or estimated values for

• Effective aggregate specific gravity, Gse
• Asphalt binder absorbed, Vba
• Calculate the effective binder content, Vbe

69
 Trial Asphalt Binder Content

• Calculate the initial asphalt binder content:

Pbi = 100 Gb (Vbe + Vba)
(Gb (Vbe + Vba)) + Ws

• Where:
Ws = Ps (1 – Va)
(Pb / Gb) + (Ps /Gs)

70
 Next steps

• Sample preparation
• Select mixing and compaction
temperatures
• Preheat aggregates and asphalt
• Mix components
• Compact specimens
• Extrude and determine volumetrics

71
 Temp-Vis Relationship
5

1
Viscosity, Pa-s

Compaction Range

Mixing Range

0.1

0.05
100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200
Temperature, C
72
 Determine the sample mass

• Estimate an asphalt binder content

• Mix up a sample & determine Gmm
• Calculate the bulk gravity needed to achieve
4 % air voids (Va)
• Calculate the weight for a pill with a Diameter
of 150 mm and height 115mm.
• Superpave mix specimen requires
approximately 4700gms of aggregate.
73
Mixing & Compaction Temperatures

• Select the mixing and compaction

temperature corresponding with following
binder viscosity values:
• Mixing Temp:0.17 ± 0.02Pa* s
• Compaction Temp: 0.28 ± 0.03 Pa* s
• Practically Mixing temp should not exceed
165º C
• Compaction temp. should not be lower than
115 º C
74
 Sample Mass
Sample mass = (Est. Gmb) (Sample Volume)

π d 2 hx
Sample Volume = Vmx = * 0.001 cm3/mm3
4
Where: Vmx = volume of specimen in mold)
d = diameter of mold (150 mm)
hx = height of specimen in mold

h d

75
 Mixing
Place pre-heated aggregate in
bowl and add hot asphalt

76
 Mixing
Place bowl on mixer and mix until
aggregate is well-coated

77
Short Term Aging

78
 Short Term Aging Importance

• Allows time for aggregate to absorb asphalt

binder
• Helps minimize variability in volumetric
calculations
• Most terms dependent upon volumes which
change with changes in the amount (volume) of
absorbed asphalt binder

79
 Compaction
After aging, take mix and preheated mold
from oven. Place paper in bottom of mold.

80
Compaction

Place mix in mold

81
Overview of Compaction Procedure

• Initialize Compactor
• verify/set ram pressure at 600 kPa
• verify/set number of gyrations for Ndes
• Fill Gyratory Mold With HMA
• paper disk on bottom
• one lift of HMA
• slightly round top of HMA
• paper disk on top
• Load Mould into Gyratory Compactor

82
Compaction

Place another
paper disc on top
of the mix

83
Compaction

Slide mold into the

compactor

84
 Overview of Compaction
Procedure (cont.)

• Start Test (the following occurs automatically):

• ram lowers
• angle is applied
• compaction occurs
• ram raises
• Extrude Specimen
• Allow Specimen to Cool
• Determine Bulk Specific Gravity
85
Compaction

Start compactor

86
Compaction

Extrude sample
and remove paper
from both sides
while still warm

87
Three Points on SGC
Curve
% Gmm
Nmax
Ndes

Nini

10 100 1000
Log Gyrations
88
 Estimate Aggregate Blend Properties
(Example)

Property Criteria Trial Blend

1 2 3

Ninitial, % < 89.0 87.1 85.6 86.3

Ndesign, % 96.0 97.6 97.4 96.5
Nmax, % < 98.0 96.2 95.7 95.2
Air Voids, % 4 4.4 4.4 4.4
VMA, % 13 12.7 13.0 13.5

89
 4 Steps of Superpave Mix Design

1. Materials Selection 2. Design Aggregate Structure

TSR

3. Design Binder Content 4. Moisture Sensitivity

90
 General Guidance
• Compact the trial mixtures in accordance with
AASHTO T 312 which now requires
specimens be compacted to the design
number of gyrations

• When doing a mix design when you compact

a pair of samples to Nmaximum and check them to
see if the Nmaximum value of 98% is exceeded.

91
Design Asphalt Binder
Content
% Gmm
increasing
binder

10 100 1000
Log Gyrations
92
Superpave Mixture Requirements

• Mixture Volumetrics
• Air Voids (Va)
• Mixture Density Characteristics
• Voids in the Mineral Aggregate (VMA)
• Voids Filled with Asphalt (VFA)
• Dust Proportion
• Moisture Sensitivity

93
Mix VMA Requirements VMA
Voids in the Mineral Aggregate

% asphalt binder
Nominal size
Minimum VMA, %
Of Aggregate
9.5 mm 15.0
12.5 mm 14.0
19.0 mm 13.0
25.0mm 12.0
37.5mm 11.0
94
 VFA
Mix VFA Requirements
Voids Filled with Asphalt

% asphalt binder

Traffic Level Design VFA, %

A(<0.3) 70 – 80
B (0.3to <3) 65 – 78
C(3 to <10) 65 – 75
D(10 to<30) 65 – 75
E (≥ 30) 65 - 75
95
 Mix Requirement 100
for Dust Proportion 100
92
83
65
% weight of 0.075 mm sieve material 48
0.6 < < 1.2 36
% weight of effective
asphalt binder
22
15
9
4

96
 Selection of Design Asphalt Binder Content
VMA
VFA

% asphalt binder % asphalt binder

%Gmm
at Nmax
Va

% asphalt binder
% asphalt binder
%Gmm
at Nini
DP

% asphalt binder % asphalt binder

97
 Example

• Using the data on the next sheet,

determine:
• The design asphalt binder content
• The VMA at the design asphalt binder
• The VFA at the design asphalt binder
• The dust to asphalt ratio

98
 Example

% AC Va VMA
4.5 5.5 15.1

5.0 4.5 15.0

5.5 3.3 14.9

6.0 2.4 15.0

99
 98.0
97.5
97.0
%Gmm @ N des

96.5
96.0
95.5
95.0
94.5
94.0
4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5
% Asphalt Binder

100
 15.3

15.2

15.1
% VMA

14.9

14.8

14.7
4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5
% Asphalt Binder

101
 85

81

76
% VFA

72

67

63
4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5
% Asphalt Binder

102
 4 Steps of Superpave Mix Design

1. Materials Selection 2. Design Aggregate Structure

TSR

3. Design Binder Content 4. Moisture Sensitivity

103
 T-283 Procedure

• Six specimens are made at optimum asphalt

binder content
• VTM is 7.0 + 0.5 % for all other mixes
• Three specimens are vacuum saturated
• 90 % saturation minimum
• One freeze-thaw cycle
• Determine the indirect tensile strength for all six
of the specimens
• Determine the percent retained strength

104
 Vacuum Saturation

• Place the specimen in vacuum chamber covering

with at least one-inch of water
• Drop the pressure by 26 inches of mercury for 30
minutes
• Tap the chamber to dislodge trapped bubbles
• Release the vacuum and leave in water for 30
minutes.

105
 Vacuum saturation

• After 30 minutes determine the percent saturation

% Saturation = {(100) (D-A)}

{(C-B)(E)}
A: Dry wt
B: Wt in water before saturation
C: SSD wt. Before vacuum
D: SSD wt. After vacuum
E: Percent air voids in specimen

106
Vacuum Saturation

107
Heating Pills in Hot Water Bath

108
Specimens placed in chamber at 25 C

109
Applying Load

110
INDIRECT TENSILE
STRENGTH

S = 2p/π h D
S – strength
P = load
H = width of specimen
D = the diameter

111
 Moisture Sensitivity
AASHTO T 283 Test Procedure
Deformation Rate: 51 mm / min @ 25 oC

Dry Tensile Strength Wet Tensile Strength

(average) (average)
Wet
TSR = x 100 ≥ 80 %
Dry 112
 Procedural Outline
I Selection of Materials
A Selection of Asphalt Binder
(i)Determine project weather condition
(ii) Select reliability
(iii)Determine design temperature
(iv) Verify Asphalt grade
(v)Temperature-viscosity relationship for lab
mixing and compaction

113
B Selection of Aggregates
1 Consensus properties
(a)Combined gradation
(b)Coarse aggregate angularity
(C)Fine aggregate angularity
(d) Flat & elongated particles
2 Source properties
(a)Toughness
(b)Soundness
(c)Deleterious materials

114
II Selection of Design Aggregate
Structure
A Establish Trial Blends
(a)Develop three blends
(b)Evaluate combined aggr.properties
B Compact Trial Blend Specimens
(a) Establish trial asphalt binder content
(b) Establish trial blend specimen size
(c) Determine Ninitial and Ndesign
(d) Batch trial blend specimens
(e) Compact specimen & generate
densification tables 115

(f) Determine mix properties Gmm & Gmb

C Evaluate Trial Blends
(1) Determine % Gmm @ Ninitial & Ndesign
(2)Determine %Air voids and % VMA
(3)Estimate asphalt binder content to get 4% Va
(4)Estimate mix properties@ estimated asphalt
binder content
(5)Determine dust asphalt ratio
(6)Compare mixture properties to criteria

D Select Most Promising Design

Aggregate Strucure for Further Analysis

116
III Selection of Design Asphalt
Binder content
A Compact Design Aggregate structure
Specimens at Multiple Binder Content
(1)Batch design aggregate structure specimens
(2)Compact specimens & generate densification
table
B Determine Mix Properties V/s Asphalt Binder
(1)Determine %Gmm @ Ninitial & Ndesign
(2)Determine volumetric properties
(3)Determine dust-asphalt ratio
(4) Graph mixture properties V/s Asphalt Binder 117
C Select Design Asphalt Binder Content
(1)Determine asphalt binder content at 4% Va
(2)Determine mixture properties at selected
asphalt binder content (VMA, VFA,Dust
proportion, %Gmm @N initial)
(3)Compare mixture properties to criteria

IV Evaluation of Moisture sensitivity of Design

Asphalt Mixture Using AASHTO T283

118