Training - Ce.washington - Edu Wsdot Modules 05 Mix Design 0.Pdf2

6HMA- TESTING
When aggregate and asphalt binder are combined to

produce a homogenous substance, that substance, HMA,
takes on new physical properties that are related to but
not identical to the physical properties of its components.
Mechanical laboratory tests can be used to characterize
the basic mixture or predict mixture properties.

6.1MixtureCharacterizationTests
Mixture characterization tests are used to describe fundamental mixture parameters such as
density and asphalt binder content. The three primary mixture characterization tests discussed
here are:
Bulk specific gravity
Theoretical maximum specific gravity
Asphalt content/gradation

6.1.1BulkSpecificGravity
Bulk specific gravity is essentially the density of a compacted (laboratory or field) HMA specimen.
The bulk specific gravity is a critical HMA characteristic because it is used to calculate most other
HMA parameters including air voids, VMA, and TMD. This reliance on bulk specific gravity is
because mix design is based on volume, which is indirectly determined using mass and specific
gravity.Bulkspecificgravityiscalculatedas:

There are several different ways to measure bulk specific gravity, all of which use slightly different
ways to determine specimen volume:
1. Water displacement methods.Thesemethods,basedonArchimedesPrinciple,calculate
specimen volume by weighing the specimen (1) in a water bath and (2) out of the water
bath.Thedifferenceinweightscanthenbeusedtocalculatetheweightofwater
displaced, which can be converted to a volume using the specific gravity of water.
Saturated Surface Dry (SSD).Themostcommonmethod,calculatesthe
specimen volume by subtracting the mass of the specimen in water from the
mass of a saturated surface dry (SSD) specimen. SSD is defined as the
specimen condition when the internal air voids are filled with water and the
Major Topics on this Page
6.1 Mixture Characterization Tests
6.2 Performance Tests
6.3 Summary
Volume
Mass
Gravity Specific =
Page 1 of 24 5.6 HMA Mix Design - Testing
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surface (including air voids connected to the surface) is dry. This SSD condition
allows for internal air voids to be counted as part of the specimen volume and is
achieved by soaking the specimen in a water bath for 4 minutes then removing
it and quickly blotting it dry with a damp towel. One critical problem with
this method is that if a specimen's air voids are high, and thus
potentially interconnected (for dense-graded HMA this occurs at about
8 to 10 percent air voids), water quickly drains out of them as the
specimen is removed from its water bath, which results in an
erroneously low volume measurement and thus an erroneously high
bulk specific gravity.
Paraffin.Thismethoddeterminesvolumesimilarlytothewaterdisplacement
method but uses a melted paraffin wax instead of water to fill a specimen's
internal air voids (see Figure 5.15). Therefore, after the wax sets there is no
possibility of it draining out and, theoretically, a more accurate volume can be
calculated.Inpractice,theparaffinisdifficulttocorrectlyapplyandtestresults
are somewhat inconsistent.

Figure 5.15: Paraffin Coated Sample
Parafilm.Thismethodwrapsthespecimeninathinparaffinfilm(seeFigure
5.16) and then weighs the specimen in and out of water. Since the specimen is
completely wrapped when it is submerged, no water can get into it and a more
accurate volume measurement is theoretically possible. However, in practice
the paraffin film application is quite difficult and test results are inconsistent.

Figure 5.16: Parafilm Application
CoreLok.Thismethodcalculatesspecimenvolumeliketheparafilmmethodbut
uses a vacuum chamber (see Figure 5.17) to shrink-wrap the specimen in a
high-quality plastic bag (see Figure 5.18) rather than cover it in a paraffin film.
This method has shown some promise in both accuracy and precision.
2. Dimensional.Thismethod,thesimplest,calculatesthevolumebasedonheightand
diameter/width measurements. Although it avoids problems associated with the SSD
condition, it is often inaccurate because it assumes a perfectly smooth surface thereby
ignoring surface irregularities (i.e., the rough surface texture of a typical specimen).
3. Gamma ray.Thegammaraymethodisbasedon
the scattering and absorption properties of gamma
rays with matter. When a gamma ray source of
primary energy in the Compton range is placed
near a material, and an energy selective gamma
ray detector is used for gamma ray counting, the
scattered and unscattered gamma rays with
Figure 5.17: CoreLok Vacuum Chamber Figure 5.18: CoreLok Specimen
energies in the Compton range can be counted
exclusively. With proper calibration, the gamma
ray count is directly converted to the density or
bulk specific gravity of the material (Troxler,
2001).Figure5.19showstheTroxlerdevice.
The standard bulk specific gravity test is:
AASHTO T 166: Bulk Specific Gravity of
Compacted Bituminous Mixtures Using Saturated
Surface-Dry Specimens (this is the SSD water
displacement method discussed previously)

6.1.2TheoreticalMaximumSpecific
Gravity
The theoretical maximum specific gravity (often referred to as theoretical maximum density and
thus abbreviated TMD) is the HMA density excluding air voids. Thus, theoretically, if all the air
voids were eliminated from an HMA sample, the combined density of the remaining aggregate and
asphalt binder would be the TMD - often referred to as Rice density after its inventor. TMD is a
critical HMA characteristic because it is used to calculate percent air voids in compacted HMA and
provide target values for HMA compaction.
TMD is determined by taking a sample of oven-dry HMA in loose condition (versus compacted
condition), weighing it and then completely submerging it in a 25C water bath. A vacuum is then
applied for 15 minutes (see Figure 5.20) to remove any entrapped air. The sample volume is then
calculated by subtracting its mass in water from its dry mass. The formula for calculating TMD is:

Figure 5.19:Gamma Ray Device

C A
A
TMD
=
where: TMD = theoretical maximum density
A = mass of oven dry sample in air in grams
C = mass of water displaced by sample at 25C in
grams

Figure 5.20: Containers Used to Agitate and Draw a Vacuum on Submerged TMD Samples
The standard TMD test is:
AASHTO T 209 and ASTM D 2041: Theoretical Maximum Specific Gravity and Density of
Bituminous Paving Mixtures

6.1.3AsphaltBinderContentandGradation
The asphalt content and gradation test can be used for HMA quality control, acceptance or forensic
analysis.Thethreemajortestmethods,solvent extraction, nuclear and ignition furnace are
discussed here. Each method offers a way to determine asphalt content and aggregate gradation
from an HMA sample.

6.1.3.1SolventExtraction
Solvent extraction, the oldest of the three test methods, uses a chemical solvent (trichloroethylene,
1,1,1-trichloroethane or methylene chloride) to remove the asphalt binder from the aggregate.
Typically, a loose HMA sample is weighed and then a solvent is added to disintegrate the sample.
The asphalt binder/solvent and aggregate are then separated using a centrifuge (see Figures 5.21
and 5.22) and the aggregate is weighed. The initial and final weights are compared and the
difference is assumed to be the asphalt binder weight. Using this weight and the weight of the
original sample a percent asphalt binder by weight can be calculated. A gradation test can then be
run on the aggregate to determine gradation.
Today, the solvent extraction method is only sparingly used due to the hazardous nature of the
specified solvents.
The standard solvent extraction test is:
AASHTO T 164 and ASTM D 2172: Quantitative Extraction of Bitumen from Bituminous
Paving Mixtures

6.1.3.2NuclearAsphaltContentGauge
A nuclear asphalt content gauge (see Figure 5.23) measures asphalt content by estimating the
actual number of hydrogen atoms contained within a sample. Similar in theory to a nuclear
moisture content gauge used in construction, the nuclear asphalt content gauge uses a neutron
source (such as a 100 Ci specimen of Californium-252) to emit high energy, fast neutrons,
which then collide with various nuclei in the sample. Due to momentum conservation, those
neutrons that collide with hydrogen nuclei slow down much quicker than those that collide with
other, larger nuclei. The gauge detector counts only thermal (low energy) or slow neutrons
thereby making the detector count proportional to the number of hydrogen atoms in the sample.
Since asphalt is a hydrocarbon, the more hydrogen atoms, the more asphalt. A calibration factor is
used to relate thermal neutron count to actual asphalt content.
The nuclear asphalt content gauge offers a relatively quick (4 to 16 minutes depending upon
desired accuracy) method for measuring asphalt content. Since the gauge actually measures
hydrogen nuclei and then correlates their number with asphalt content, anything affecting the
number of hydrogen nuclei in the sample can be a potential source of error. Because water
contains a significant amount of hydrogen (H
2
O), anything that adds moisture to the sample (e.g.,
moisture in the aggregate pores) is a potential error source (Black, 1994).
Figure 5.21: Open Centrifuge Used in
Solvent Extraction
Figure 5.22: Secondary Centrifuge Used in
Solvent Extraction

Figure 5.23: Nuclear Asphalt Content Gauge

6.1.3.3IgnitionFurnace
The ignition furnace test, developed by NCAT to replace the
solvent extraction method, determines asphalt binder
content by burning off the asphalt binder of a loose HMA
sample.Basically,anHMAsampleisweighedandthen
placed in a 538C (1072F) furnace (see Figure 5.24) and
ignited.Oncealltheasphaltbinderhasburnedoff
(determined by a change in mass of less than 0.01 percent
over 3 consecutive minutes), the remaining aggregate is
weighed.Theinitialandfinalweightsarecomparedandthe
difference is assumed to be the asphalt binder weight. Using
this weight and the weight of the original sample, a percent
asphalt binder by weight can be calculated. A gradation test
can then be run on the aggregate to determine gradation.
A correction factor must be used with the ignition furnace
because a certain amount of aggregate fines may be burned
off during the ignition process. The correction factor is
determined by placing a sample of known asphalt binder
content in the furnace and comparing the test result with the known asphalt binder content.
Based on a limited National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) study (Prowell, 2002), both
traditional and infrared ignition furnaces, if properly calibrated, should produce statistically similar
asphalt contents and recovered aggregate gradations.
The standard ignition furnace test is:
Figure 5.24: Ignition Furnace
AASHTO T 308: Determining the Asphalt Binder Content of Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) by the
Ignition Method

6.2PerformanceTests
Performance tests are used to relate laboratory mix design to actual field performance. The Hveem
(stabilometer) and Marshall (stability and flow) mix design methods use only one or two basic
performance tests. Superpave is intended to use a better and more fundamental performance
test.However,performancetestingistheoneareaofSuperpaveyettobeimplemented.The
performance tests discussed in this section are used by various researchers and organizations to
supplement existing Hveem and Marshall tests and as a substitute for the Superpave performance
test until it is finalized. This section focuses on laboratory tests; in-place field tests are discussed
in Module 9, Pavement Evaluation.
As with asphalt binder characterization, the challenge in HMA performance testing is to develop
physical tests that can satisfactorily characterize key HMA performance parameters and how these
parameters change throughout the life of a pavement. These key parameters are:
Deformation resistance (rutting).Akeyperformanceparameterthatcandependlargely
on HMA mix design. Therefore, most performance test efforts are concentrated on
deformation resistance prediction.
Fatigue life.Akeyperformanceparameterthatdependsmoreonstructuraldesignand
subgrade support than mix design. Those HMA properties that can influence cracking are
largely tested for in Superpave asphalt binder physical tests. Therefore, there is
generally less attention paid to developing fatigue life performance tests.
Tensile strength.TensilestrengthcanberelatedtoHMAcracking- especially at low
temperatures.ThoseHMApropertiesthatcaninfluencelowtemperaturecrackingare
largely tested for in Superpave asphalt binder physical tests. Therefore, there is
generally less attention paid to developing tensile strength performance tests.
Stiffness.HMA'sstress-strain relationship, as characterized by elastic or resilient
modulus, is an important characteristic. Although the elastic modulus of various HMA mix
types is rather well-defined,testscandeterminehowelasticandresilientmodulusvaries
with temperature. Also, many deformation resistance tests can also determine elastic or
resilient modulus.
Moisture susceptibility.Certaincombinationsofaggregateandasphaltbindercanbe
susceptible to moisture damage. Several deformation resistance and tensile strength
tests can be used to evaluate the moisture susceptibility of a HMA mixture.

6.2.1PermanentDeformation(Rutting)
Research is ongoing into what type of test can most accurately predict HMA pavement deformation
(rutting)Theremethodscurrentlyinusecanbebroadlycategorizedasfollows:
Static creep tests.Applyastaticloadtoasampleandmeasurehowitrecoverswhenthe
load is removed. Although these tests measure a specimen's permanent deformation,
test results generally do not correlate will with actual in-service pavement rutting
measurements.
Repeated load tests.Applyarepeatedloadataconstantfrequencytoatestspecimen
for many repetitions (often in excess of 1,000) and measure the specimen's recoverable
strain and permanent deformation. Test results correlate with in-service pavement
rutting measurements better than static creep test results.
Dynamic modulus tests.Applyarepeatedloadatvaryingfrequenciestoatestspecimen
over a relatively short period of time and measure the specimen's recoverable strain and
permanent deformation. Some dynamic modulus tests are also able to measure the lag
between the peak applied stress and the peak resultant strain, which provides insight into
a material's viscous properties. Test results correlate reasonably well with in-service
pavement rutting measurements but the test is somewhat involved and difficult to run.
Empirical tests.TraditionalHveem and Marshall mix design tests. Test results can
correlate well with in-service pavement rutting measurements but these tests do not
measure any fundamental material parameter.
Simulative tests.Laboratorywheel-tracking devices. Test results can correlate well with
in-service pavement rutting measurements but these tests do not measure any
fundamental material parameter.
Each test has been used to successfully predict HMA permanent deformation characteristics
however each test has limitations related to equipment complexity, expense, time, variability and
relation to fundamental material parameters.

6.2.1.1StaticCreepTests
A static creep test (see Figure 5.25) is conducted by applying a static load to an HMA specimen and
then measuring the specimen's permanent deformation after unloading (see Figure 5.26). This
observed permanent deformation is then correlated with rutting potential. A large amount of
permanent deformation would correlate to higher rutting potential.
Creep tests have been widely used in the past because of their relative simplicity and availability of
equipment.However,staticcreeptestresultsdonotcorrelatewellwithactualin-service
pavement rutting (Brown et al., 2001).
Unconfined Static Creep Test
The most popular static creep test, the unconfined static creep test (also known as the simple
creep test or uniaxial creep test), is inexpensive and relatively easy. The test consists of a static
axial stress of 100 kPa (14.5 psi) being applied to a specimen for a period of 1 hour at a
temperature of 40C (104F).Theappliedpressureisusuallycannotexceed206.9kPa(30psi)
and the test temperature usually cannot exceed 40C (104F) or the sample may fail prematurely
(Brown et al., 2001). Actual pavements are typically exposed to tire pressures of up to 828 kPa
(120 psi) and temperatures in excess of 60C (140F).Thus,theunconfinedtestdoesnotclosely
simulate field conditions (Brown et al., 2001).
Confined Static Creep Test
The confined static creep test (also known as the triaxial creep test) is similar to the unconfined
static creep test in procedure but uses a confining pressure of about 138 kPa (20 psi), which allows
test conditions to more closely match field conditions. Research suggests that the static confined
creep test does a better job of predicting field performance than the static unconfined creep test
(Roberts et al., 1996).
Diametral Static Creep Test
A diametral static creep test uses a typical HMA test specimen but turning it on its side so that it is
loaded in its diametral plane.
Some standard static creep tests are:
AASHTO TP 9: Determining the Creep Compliance and Strength of Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA)
Using the Indirect Tensile Test Device

6.2.1.2RepeatedLoadTests
Figure 5.25: Unconfined Static
Creep Test
Figure 5.26: Static Creep Test Plot
A repeated load test applies a repeated load of fixed magnitude and cycle duration to a cylindrical
test specimen (see Figure 5.27). The specimen's resilient modulus can be calculated using the its
horizontal deformation and an assumed Poisson's ratio.Cumulativepermanentdeformationasa
function of the number of load cycles is recorded and can be correlated to rutting potential. Tests
can be run at different temperatures and varying loads. The load varies is applied in a short pulse
followed by a rest period. Repeated load tests are similar in concept to the triaxial resilient
modulus test for unconfined soils and aggregates.
Repeated load tests correlate better with actual in-service pavement rutting than static creep tests
(Brown et al., 2001).

Most often, results from repeated load tests are reported using a cumulative axial strain curve like
the one shown in Figure 5.28. The flow number (FN) is the load cycles number at which tertiary
flow begins. Tertiary flow can be differentiated from secondary flow by a marked departure from
the linear relationship between cumulative strain and number of cycles in the secondary zone. It is
assumed that in tertiary flow, the specimen's volume remains constant. The flow number (FN) can
be correlated with rutting potential.
Figure 5.27: Repeated Load Test Schematic
Note: this example is simplified and shows only 6 load repetitions, normally there are
conditioning repetitions followed by a series of load repetitions during the test at a
determined load level and possibly at different temperatures.

Figure 5.28: Repeated Load Test Results Plot
Unconfined Repeated Load Test
The unconfined repeated load test is comparatively more simple to run than the unconfined test
because it does not involve any confining pressure or associated equipment. However, like the
unconfined creep test, the allowable test loads are significantly less that those experience by in-
place pavement.
Confined Repeated Load Test
The confined repeated load test is more complex than the unconfined test due to the required
confining pressure but, like the confined creep test, the confining pressure allows test loads to be
applied that more accurately reflect loads experienced by in-place pavements.
Diametral Repeated Load Test
A diametral repeated load test uses a typical HMA test specimen but turning it on its side so that it
is loaded in its diametral plane. Diametral testing has two critical shortcomings that hinder its
ability to determine permanent deformation characteristics (Brown et al., 2001):
1. The state of stress is non-uniform and strongly dependent on the shape of the specimen.
At high temperature or load, permanent deformation produces changes in the specimen
shape that significantly affect both the state of stress and the test measurements.
2. During the test, the only relatively uniform state of stress is tension along the vertical
diameter of the specimen. All other states of stress are distinctly nonuniform.

Shear Repeated Load Test
The Superpave shear tester (SST), developed for Superpave, can perform a repeated load test in
shear.Thistest,knownastherepeatedshearatconstantheight(RSCH)test,appliesarepeated
haversine (inverted cosine offset by half its amplitude - a continuous haversine wave would look
like a sine wave whose negative peak is at zero) shear stress to an axially loaded specimen and
records axial and shear deformation as well as axial and shear load. RSCH data have been shown
to have high variability (Brown et al., 2001).
Some standard repeated load tests are:
AASHTO TP 7: Determining the Permanent Deformation and Fatigue Cracking
Characteristics of Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) Using the Superpave Shear Tester (SST) -
Procedure F
AASHTO TP 31: Determining the Resilient Modulus of Bituminous Mixtures by Indirect
Tension
ASTM D 4123: Indirect Tension Test for Resilient Modulus of Bituminous Mixtures

6.2.1.3DynamicModulusTests
Dynamic modulus tests apply a repeated axial cyclic load of fixed magnitude and cycle duration to
a test specimen (see Figure 5.25). Test specimens can be tested at different temperatures and
three different loading frequencies (commonly 1, 4 and 16 Hz). The applied load varies and is
usually applied in a haversine wave (inverted cosine offset by half its amplitude - a continuous
haversine wave would look like a sine wave whose negative peak is at zero). Figure 5.29 is a
schematic of a typical dynamic modulus test.

Figure 5.29: Dynamic Modulus Test Schematic
Dynamic modulus tests differ from the repeated load tests in their loading cycles and frequencies.
While repeated load tests apply the same load several thousand times at the same frequency,
dynamic modulus tests apply a load over a range of frequencies (usually 1, 4 and 16 Hz) for 30 to
45 seconds (Brown et al., 2001). The dynamic modulus test is more difficult to perform than the
repeated load test since a much more accurate deformation measuring system is necessary.
The dynamic modulus test measures a specimen's stress-strain relationship under a continuous
sinusoidal loading. For linear (stress-strain ratio is independent of the loading stress applied)
viscoelastic materials this relationship is defined by a complex number called the complex
modulus (E*) (Witczak et al., 2002) as seen in the equation below:

The absolute value of the complex modulus, |E*|, is defined as the dynamic modulus and is
calculated as follows (Witczak et al., 2002):

The dynamic modulus test can be advantageous because it can measure also measure a
specimen's phase angle (), which is the lag between peak stress and peak recoverable strain.
The complex modulus, E*, is actually the summation of two components: (1) the storage or elastic
modulus component and (2) the loss or viscous modulus. It is an indicator of the viscous
properties of the material being evaluated.
where: E* = complex modulus
|E*| = dynamic modulus
=
phase angle - the angle by which
o
lags behind
o
.

For a pure elastic material, = 0, and the complex
modulus (E*) is equal to the absolute value, or
dynamic modulus. For pure viscous materials, =
90.
i = imaginary number
where: |E*| = dynamic modulus
o
o

= peak stress amplitude
(applied load / sample cross sectional area)
c
o

= peak amplitude of recoverable axial strain = A
L/L.Eithermeasureddirectlywithstraingauges
or calculated from displacements measured with
linear variable displacement transducers (LVDTs).
L = gauge length over which the sample deformation
is measured
A L = the recoverable portion of the change in sample
length due to the applied load
Unconfined Dynamic Modulus Test
The unconfined dynamic modulus test is performed by applying an axial haversine load to a
cylindrical test specimen. Although the recommend specimen size for the test is 100 mm (4 inch)
in diameter by 200 mm (8 inches) high, it may be possible to use smaller specimen heights with
success (Brown et al., 2001). Unconfined dynamic modulus tests do not permit the determination
of phase angle ().
Confined Dynamic Modulus Test
The confined dynamic modulus test is basically the unconfined test with an applied lateral confining
pressure.Confineddynamicmodulustestsallowforthedeterminationofphaseangle().
Although the recommend specimen size for the dynamic modulus test is 100 mm (4 inch) in
diameter by 200 mm (8 inches) high, it may be possible to use smaller specimen heights with
success (Brown et al., 2001). Figures 5.30 and 5.31 show a prototype Superpave Simple
Performance Test (SPT). The SPT will provide a performance test for the Superpave mix design
method.
Shear Dynamic Modulus Test
The shear dynamic modulus test is known as the frequency sweep at constant height (FSCH) test.
Shear dynamic modulus equations are the same as those discussed above although traditionally
the term E* is replace by G* to denote shear dynamic modulus and o
o
and

c
o
are replaced by t
0

and
0
to denote shear stress and axial strain respectively. The shear dynamic modulus can be
accomplished by two different testing apparatuses:
1. Superpave shear tester (SST).TheSSTFSCHtestisaisaconstantstraintest(as
opposed to a constant stress test). Test specimens are 150 mm (6 inches) in diameter
and 50 mm (2 inches) tall (see Figure 5.32). To conduct the test the HMA sample is
essentially glued to two plates (see Figures 5.33 through 5.35) and then inserted into the
SST.Horizontalstrainisappliedatarangeoffrequencies(from10to0.1Hz)usinga
haversine loading pattern, while the specimen height is maintained constant by
compressing or pulling it vertically as required. The SST produces a constant strain of
Figure 5.30: A Prototype
Superpave Simple Performance
Test (SPT)
Figure 5.31: The SPT is a Confined Dynamic
Modulus Test
about 100 microstrain (Witczak et al., 2002). The SST is quite expensive and requires a
highly trained operator to run thus making it impractical for field use and necessitating
further development.
2. Field shear tester (FST).TheFSTFSCHtestisaisaconstantstresstest(asopposedtoa
constant strain test). The FST is a derivation of the SST and is meant to be less
expensive and easier to use. For instance, rather than compressing or pulling the sample
to maintain a constant height like the SST, the FST maintains constant specimen height
using rigid spacers attached to the specimen ends. Further, the FST shears the specimen
in the diametral plane.
Figure 5.32: Superpave Shear Tester (SST) Figure 5.33: Loading Chamber

Standard complex modulus tests are:
Unconfined dynamic modulus.ASTMD3497:DynamicModulusofAsphaltMixtures
Shear dynamic modulus.AASHTOTP7:DeterminingthePermanentDeformationand
Fatigue Cracking Characteristics of Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) Using the Simple Shear Test
(SST) Device, Procedure E - Frequency Sweep Test at Constant Height.

6.2.1.4EmpiricalTests
The Hveem stabilometer and cohesiometer and Marshall stability and flow tests are empirical tests
used to quantify an HMA's potential for permanent deformation. They are discussed in their mix
design sections.

6.2.1.5SimulativeTests- Laboratory Wheel- Tracking Devices
Laboratory wheel-tracking devices (see Video 5.1) measure rutting by rolling a small loaded wheel
device repeatedly across a prepared HMA specimen. Rutting in the test specimen is then
correlated to actual in-service pavement rutting. Laboratory wheel-tracking devices can also be
used to make moisture susceptibility and stripping predictions by comparing dry and wet test
resultsSomeofthesedevicesarerelativelynewandsomehavebeenusedforupwardsof15
years like the Laboratoire Central des Ponts et Chauses (LCPC) wheel tracker - also known as the
French Rutting Tester (FRT). Cooley et al. (2000) reviewed U.S. loaded wheel testers and found:
Results obtained from the wheel tracking devices correlate reasonably well to actual field
performance when the in-service loading and environmental conditions of that location
are considered.
Figure 5.34: Prepared Sample Figure 5.35: Prepared Sample (left) and
Sample After Test (middle and right).
Wheel tracking devices can reasonably differentiate between binder performance grades.
Wheel tracking devices, when properly correlated to a specific sites traffic and
environmental conditions, have the potential to allow the user agency the option of a
pass/fail or go/no go criteria. The ability of the wheel tracking devices to adequately
predict the magnitude of the rutting for a particular pavement has not been determined
at this time.
A device with the capability of conducting wheel-tracking tests in both air and in a
submerged state, will offer the user agency the most options of evaluating their
materials.
In other words, wheel tracking devices have potential for rut and other measurements but the
individual user must be careful to establish laboratory conditions (e.g., load, number of wheel
passes, temperature) that produce consistent and accurate correlations with field performance.

Video 5.1: Asphalt Pavement Analyzer - A Wheel Tracking Device

6.2.2FatigueLife
HMA fatigue properties are important because one of the principal modes of HMA pavement failure
is fatigue-related cracking, called fatigue cracking.Therefore,anaccuratepredictionofHMA
fatigue properties would be useful in predicting overall pavement life.

6.2.2.1FlexuralTest
One of the typical ways of estimating in-place HMA fatigue properties is the flexural test (see
Figures 5.36 and 5.37). The flexural test determines the fatigue life of a small HMA beam
specimen (380 mm long x 50 mm thick x 63 mm wide) by subjecting it to repeated flexural
bending until failure (see Figure 5.38). The beam specimen is sawed from either laboratory or field
compacted HMA. Results are usually plotted to show cycles to failure vs. applied stress or strain.

Figure 5.38: Flexural Test Schematic (click picture to animate)
The standard fatigue test is:
AASHTO TP 8: Determining the Fatigue Life of Compacted Hot-Mix Asphalt (HMA)
Subjected to Repeated Flexural Bending
Figure 5.36 (left): Flexural Testing Device
Figure 5.37 (right): Flexural Testing Device


6.2.4TensileStrength
HMA tensile strength is important because it is a good indicator of cracking potential. A high
tensile strain at failure indicates that a particular HMA can tolerate higher strains before failing,
which means it is more likely to resist cracking than an HMA with a low tensile strain at failure.
Additionally, measuring tensile strength before and after water conditioning can give some
indication of moisture susceptibility. If the water-conditioned tensile strength is relatively high
compared to the dry tensile strength then the HMA can be assumed reasonably moisture resistant.
There are two tests typically used to measure HMA tensile strength:
Indirect tension test
Thermal cracking test

6.2.4.1IndirectTensionTest
The indirect tensile test uses the same testing device as the diametral repeated load test and
applies a constant rate of vertical deformation until failure. It is quite similar to the splitting
tension test used for PCC.
Standard indirect tension test is a part of the following test:
AASHTO TP 9: Determining the Creep Compliance and Strength of Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA)
Using the Indirect Tensile Test Device

6.2.4.2ThermalCrackingTest
The thermal cracking test determines the tensile strength and temperature at fracture of an HMA
sample by measuring the tensile load in a specimen which is cooled at a constant rate while being
restrained from contraction. The test is terminated when the sample fails by cracking.
The standard thermal cracking test is:
AASHTO TP 10: Method for Thermal Stress Restrained Specimen Tensile Strength

6.2.5StiffnessTests
Stiffness tests are used to determine a HMA's elastic or resilient modulus.Althoughthesevalues
are fairly well-defined for many different mix types, these tests are still used to verify values,
determine values in forensic testing or determine values for new mixtures or at different
temperatures.Manyrepeatedloadtestscanbeusedtodetermineresilientmodulusaswell.
Of particular note, temperature has a profound effect on HMA stiffness. Table 5.13 shows some
typical HMA resilient modulus values at various temperatures. Figure 5.39 shows that HMA
resilient modulus changes by a factor of about 100 for a 56 C (100 F) temperature change for
"typical" dense-graded HMA mixtures. This can affect HMA performance parameters such as
rutting and shoving.ThisisonereasonwhytheSuperpave PG binder grading system accounts for
expected service temperatures when specifying an asphalt binder.
Table 5.13: Typical Resilient Modulus Values for HMA Pavement Materials
Material
Resilient Modulus (M
R
)
MPa psi
HMA at 32F (0
C)
14,000 2,000,000
HMA at 70F (21
C)
3,500 500,000
HMA at 120F (49
C)
150 20,000
Compare to other materials

Figure 5.39: General Stiffness-Temperature Relationship for Dense-Graded Asphalt
Concrete

6.2.6MoistureSusceptibility
Numerous tests have been used to evaluate moisture susceptibility of HMA; however, no test to
date has attained any wide acceptance (Roberts et al., 1996). In fact, just about any performance
test that can be conducted on a wet or submerged sample can be used to evaluate the effect of
moisture on HMA by comparing wet and dry sample test results. Superpave recommends the
modified Lottman Test as the current most appropriate test and therefore this test will be
described.
The modified Lottman test basically compares the indirect tensile strength test results of a dry
sample and a sample exposed to water/freezing/thawing. The water sample is subjected to
vacuum saturation, an optional freeze cycle, followed by a freeze and a warm-water cycle before
being tested for indirect tensile strength (AASHTO, 2000a). Test results are reported as a tensile
strength ratio:

Generally a minimum TSR of 0.70 is recommended for this method, which should be applied to
field-produced rather than laboratory-produced samples (Roberts et al., 1996). For laboratory
samples produced in accordance with AASHTO TP 4 (Method for Preparing and Determining the
Density of Hot-Mix Asphalt (HMA) Specimens by Means of the Superpave Gyratory Compactor),
AASHTO MP 2 (Specification for Superpave Volumetric Mix Design) specifies a minimum TSR of
0.80.
In addition to the modified Lottman test, some state agencies use the Hamburg Wheel Tracking
Device (HWTD) to test for moisture susceptibility since the test can be carried out in a warm water
bath.
The standard modified Lottman test is:
AASHTO T 283: Resistance of Compacted Bituminous Mixture to Moisture-Induced
Damage

6.3Summary
All pavements can be described by their fundamental characteristics and performance. Thus, HMA
tests are an integral part of mix design because they provide (1) basic HMA characteristics and (2)
the means to relate mix design to intended performance. Without performance tests, mix design
has no proven relationship with performance (Roberts et al., 1996). The Hveem and Marshall mix
design methods use two basic performance tests (Hveem stabilometer and the Marshall stability
and flow), but these tests are empirical and limited in their predictive ability. New and better
performance tests are still being developed and evaluated. In fact, Superpave has yet to
implement performance testing because of this. The performance tests presented in this section
are those that are most commonly used in the industry today, although it is quite likely that these
tests will change in the future as better methods and equipment are developed.
where: TSR = tensile strength ratio
S
1

= average dry sample tensile strength
S
2

= average conditioned sample tensile
strength
WSDOT Moisture Susceptibility
WSDOT uses a minimum TSR = 0.80 and
uses the optional freeze cycle.


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6HMA- TESTING

When aggregate and asphalt binder are combined to

Figure 5.19:Gamma Ray Device

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