MARSHALL STABILITY TEST AND MIX

DESIGN
STEP: 1. SELECTION OF AGGREGATES:
Aggregates, which possess sufficient strength, hardness, toughness
and soundness are chosen keeping in view the availability and
economic considerations.
STEP: 2. SELECTION OF AGGREGATE GRADING:
Use dense graded mixes and not open graded mixes.
Higher size of aggregates gives higher stability, maximum size of 25
to 50 mm are used in base course and 12.5 to 18.7 mm size are used
in surface course.
Maximum size of aggregates varies from 1/3rd to 2/3rd of the layer
thickness.
GradeI or GradeII as per IRC Guidelines
TABLE: 1.SPECIFIC GRADING OF AGGREGATES AND BINDER FOR
BITUMINOUS CONCRETE
Nominal aggregate
size
Layer thickness
Sieve size in, mm
26.5
19
13.2
9.5
4.75
2.36
1.18
0.6
0.3
0.15
0.075
Bitumen Content %
by weight of total mix
Bitumen Grade

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19 mm

13 mm

50-65 mm
30-45 mm
Percentage passing by wt.
Grade-I
Grade-II
100
79-100
100
59-79
79-100
52-72
70-88
35-55
53-71
28-44
42-58
20-34
34-48
15-27
26-38
10-20
18-28
5-13
12-20
2-8
4-10
5.0 to 6.0
5.0 to 7.0
VG 30
(Penetration 65)

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VG 30
(Penetration 65)

STEP: 3. DETERMINATION OF SPECIFIC GRAVITY:

Determine the of Specific Gravity of Aggregates and Bituminous
Material
STEP: 4. PROPORTIONING OF AGGREGATES: (ANALYTICAL METHOD)
After selecting the aggregates and their gradation, proportioning of
aggregates has to be done and following are the common methods of
proportioning of aggregates:
1. Trial and error procedure: Vary the proportion of materials until
the required aggregate gradation is achieved.
2. Graphical Methods: Two graphical methods in common use for
proportioning of aggregates are, Triangular chart method and
Rothfutchs method. The former is used when only three materials
are to be mixed.
3. Analytical Method: In this method a system of equations are
developed based on the gradation of each aggregates, required
gradation, and solved by numerical methods. With the advent of
computer, this method is becoming popular and is discussed below.
The resulting solution gives the proportion of each type of material
required for the given aggregate gradation.
GRADATION BY ANALYTICAL METHOD USING EXCEL-SOLVER
A dense mixture may be obtained when this particle size distribution follows
Fuller law which is expressed as:
d/ D

P=100 x

Where, P= is the percent by weight of the total

mixture passing any given sieve sized,
d=is sieve size in mm
D=is the size of the largest particle in that
mixture in mm
n= parameter depending on the shape of the
aggregate (0.5 for rounded aggregates).

Based on this law Fuller-Thompson gradation charts were developed by

adjusting the parameter n for fineness or coarseness of aggregates. Practical
considerations like construction, layer thickness, workability, etc. are also
considered. For example Table: 1 provides a typical gradation for bituminous
Concrete for a thickness of 40 mm.

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The gradation required for a typical mix is given in Table: 2.in column and
2. The gradation of available for three types of aggregate A, B, and C is given
in column 3, 4, and 5. Determine the proportions of A, B and C if mixed will get
the required gradation in column 2.
TABLE: 2.GRADATION
Sieve
Size
in (mm)
(1)

Required
Gradation
Range
(2)

Filler
Material
(A)
(3)

FineAggregat
e (B)
(4)

Coarse
-Aggregat
e (C)
(5)

26.5

100

100

100

100

19

100

100

100

100

13.2

79-100

100

100

84

9.5
4.75
2.36
1.18
0.6
0.3
0.15
0.075

70-88
53-71
42-58
34-48
26-38
18-28
12--20
4--10

100
100
100
100
100
100
71
40

100
100
71
50
35
25
18
13

71
50
36
25
20
13
9
5

The solution is obtained by constructing a set of equations considering

the lower and upper limits of the required gradation as well as the percentage
passing of each type of aggregate. The decision need to take is the proportion
of aggregate A, B, C need to be blended to get the gradation of column 2. Let
x, y, and z represent the proportion of A, B, and C respectively. Equation of the
form ax + by + cz >= pl or <= pu can be written for each sieve size, where
a, b, and c are the proportion of aggregates A, B, and C passing for that sieve
size and pl and pu are the required gradation for that sieve size. This will lead
to the following system of equations:
Subjected to:

x+ y + z = 1

Constraints: x + y + 0.840z 0.790

x + y + 0.710z 1.000
x + y + 0.710z 0.700
x + y + 0.710z 0.880
x + y + 0.500z 0.530
x + y + 0.500z 0.710
x + 0.710y + 0.360z 0.420
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x + 0.710y +0.360z 0.580

x + 0.500y + 0.250z 0.340
x + 0.500y + 0.250z 0.480
x + 0.350y + 0.200z 0.260
x + 0.350y + 0.200z 0.380
x + 0.250y + 0.130z 0.180
x + 0.250y + 0.130z 0.280
x + 0.180y + 0.090z 0.120
0.710x + 0.180y+ 0.090z 0.200
0.400x + 0.130y + 0.050z 0.040
0.400x + 0.130y + 0.050z 0.100

Solving the above system of equations manually is extremely difficult. Good

computer programs are required to solve this. Software like solver in Excel
can be used. Soving this set of equations is outside the scope of this book.
Suppose the solution to this problem is x = 0.06, y = 0.36, and
z = 0.58. Then Table: 3.Shows how when these proportions of aggregates A, B,
and C are combined, produces the required gradation.
TABLE: 3.RESULT OF MIX DESIGN
Sieve
Size
in (mm)
(1)

Required
Gradatio
n Range
(2)

Filler
Materia
l
(A)
(3)

FineAggregat
e (B)
(4)

Coarse
-Aggrega
te (C)
(5)

26.500
19.000
13.200
9.500
4.750
2.360
1.180
0.600
0.300
0.150
0.075

100.000
100.000
79-100
70-88
53-71
42-58
34-48
26-38
18-28
12-20
4-10

6.074
6.074
6.074
6.074
6.074
6.074
6.074
6.074
6.074
4.313
2.430

35.926
35.926
35.926
35.926
35.926
25.508
17.963
12.574
8.982
6.467
4.670

58.000
58.000
48.720
41.180
29.000
20.880
14.500
11.600
7.540
5.220
2.900

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Combine
d
Gradatio
n
Obtained
(6)
100.000
100.000
90.720
83.180
71.000
52.462
38.537
30.248
22.596
15.999
10.000

STEP: 5. PREPARATION OF SPECIMEN:

The preparation of specimen depends on the stability test method
employed.
The stability test methods, which are in common use for the design
mix, are, Marshall, Hubbard Field and Hveem.
Hence the size of specimen, compaction and other specifications
should be followed as specified in the stability test method.
PREPARATION & STABILITY TEST BY MARSHALL METHOD:
Stability of the bituminous mix specimen is defined as a maximum
load carried in kg at the standard test temperature of 60 C when
load is applied under specified test conditions.
Flow Value is the total deformation that the Marshall test specimen
undergoes at the maximum load expressed in mm units.
In this test an attempt is made to obtain optimum binder content for
the aggregate mix.
There are two major features of the Marshall method of designing
mixes namely,
1) Density void analysis
2) Stability flow test
THE SPECIFICATIONS OF APPARATUS:
Cylindrical mould, 101.6 mm diameter and 63.5 mm height.
Base plate and collar.
A compaction pedestal and hammer are used to compact.
Sample extractor is used to extrude the compacted specimen from
the mould.
A breaking head is used to test the specimen by applying a load on
its periphery perpendicular to its axis in a loading machine at a rate
of 50 mm per minute.(50mm/min)
A dial gauge fixed to the guide rods of the testing machine serves as
flow meter to measure the deformation of the specimen during
loading.

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MARSHALL STABILITY TEST MACHINE

Fig:BREKING HEAD

Fig:MOULD WITH COLLAR

TEST PROCEDURE:
1. The coarse aggregates, fine aggregates and the filler material are
proportioned and mixed in a such way that final gradation of the
mixture is within the range specified for the type of bituminous mix.
2. Approximately 1200 gm. of the mixed aggregates and the filler are
taken and heated to a temperature of 175 to 190 C.
3. The bitumen is heated to a temperature of 121 to 145 C.
4. The required quantity of the first trial percentage of bitumen (say,
3.5 or 4.0 percent by weight of aggregates) is added to the heated
aggregates.
5. It is thoroughly mixed at the desired temperature of 154 to 160 C.
6. The mix is placed in a preheated mould and compacted by a rammer
(4.54 kg) with 75 blows on either side at temperature of 138 to 149
C
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7. Three or four specimens may be prepared using each trial bitumen

content.
8. The compacted specimens are cooled to room temperature in the
mould and then removed from the molds using a specimen extractor.
9. The diameter and mean height of the specimen are measured.
10. The weight of each specimen in air and suspended in water is
determined.
11. The specimens are kept immersed in water in a thermostatically
controlled water bath at 60 10 C for 30 to 40 minutes.
12. The specimens are taken out one by one.
13. The specimen is placed in the Marshall Test head.
14. It is then tested to determine Marshall Stability Value which is the
maximum load before failure and the Flow value which is the
deformation of the specimen up to the maximum load.
15. The corrected Marshall Stability value of each specimen is
determined by multiplying the proving ring reading with its constant.
16. If the average thickness of the specimen is not exactly 63.5 mm, a
suitable correction factor is applied.
17. The above procedure is repeated on specimens prepared with
other values of bitumen contents in suitable increments; say 0.5
percent, up to about 7.5 or 8.0 percent.
18. If the average thickness of the specimen is not exactly 63.5 mm, a
suitable correction factor is applied.
CALCULATIONS:
I.

DENSITY AND VOID ANALYSIS:

i.
Voids in Mineral Aggregates (VMA):
VMA =Vv + Vb
Where, Vv =Volume of air voids in compacted mass
Vb =Volume of the bitumen in compacted mass
ii.

Voids Filled with Bitumen (VFB):

Vb
VFB in percentage = VMA
Vb
VFB in percentage = Vv +Vb

II.

x 100

x 100

SPECIFIC GRAVITY:
i.

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Bulk Specific Gravity of Bituminous mix(Gb):

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Weight Air
Gb = Weight airWeight Water
ii.

Theoretical Specific Gravity of Bituminous mix(Gt):

100
Gt = W 1 + W 2 + W 3 + W 4
G1 G2 G3 G 4
Where, G1, G2, G3, G4 are apparent specific gravity of coarse
aggregates, fine aggregate, filler, and bituminous binder
respectively.
Where, W1, W2, W3, W4 are percent by weight of coarse aggregate,
fine aggregate, filler and bituminous binder respectively.

III.

VOLUME:
i.

Volume of Air Voids (Vv):

Vv =

ii.

Gb

x100

Volume of Bitumen (Vb):

Vb =

W4
G4

x Gb

GRAPH:
The average value of each of the above properties are found for each
mix with the different bitumen content
Graphs are plotted with the bitumen content on the X-axis and the
following values on Y-axis.
1. Marshall Stability Value.
2. Flow Value.
3. Unit Weight.
4. Percentage Voids in total mix.(Vv)
5. Percentage Voids Filled with Bitumen(VFB)

OPTIMUM BITUMEN CONTENT (OBC)

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The optimum bitumen content (OBC) for the mix design is found by
taking the average value of the following three bitumen contents found from
the graphs of the rest results.
1. Bitumen content corresponding to maximum stability.
2. Bitumen content corresponding to maximum unit weight.
3. Bitumen content corresponding to the median of designed limits
of percent air voids in total mix (5%)
The Marshall Stability value, Flow value and percent voids filled with
Bitumen at the average value of bitumen content are checked with the
Marshall Stability design criteria/specification.
DESIRED VALUES:
TABLE: REQUIREMENT FOR BITUMEN CONCRETE LAYERS
(TABLE 500-19,MoRTH,2001)
Minimum Stability (kN at 60 C )
Minimum Flow (mm)
Maximum Flow (mm)
Compaction level (No.of blows)
Percent air voids
Percent voids in mineral
aggregate(VMA)
Percent voids filled with
bitumen(VFB)
Loss of stability on immersion in
water at 60 C (ASTMD 1075)

9.0
2
4
75 blows on each of two faces of
the specimen
3-6
See Table No.
65-75
Min.75 % retained strength

TABLE: MINIMUM PERCENT OF VOIDS IN MINERAL AGGREGATE

(VMA)
BITUMINOUS CONCRETE (TABLE 500-12, MoRTH, 2001)
Nominal
Maximum
Particle size
in mm
9.5
12.5
19.0
25.0
37.5

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Minimum VMA percent related to Design Air Voids,

percent
3.0
14.0
13.0
12.0
11.0
10.0

4.0
15.0
14.0
13.0
12.0
11.0

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5.0
16.0
15.0
14.0
13.0
12.0