Asphalt Notes

1. Prime coat is applied on the top surface of aggregate base coarse.

2. Tack coat is applied on the top surface of asphalt binder coarse.
3. Prime coat is an asphaltic material of medium curing (M.C).
4. Prime coat: It is the asphalt bituminous material that is place on the substrate
prior to placement of the first asphalt mixture (the binder course). It must be
allowed to cure and to soak into the capping layer (usually select fill) and 24
hours a good indication that the material cured is when the colors turns to
pitch black i.e. the brownness is gone.
5. The purpose of MC-1 (medium curing cutback asphalt) is to stabilize and
seal the granular surface or subgrade and to promote bonding to bituminous
surface.
6. Tack coat: It is the asphalt bituminous material which is applied on existing
concrete or asphalt surfaces to bond the new subsequent asphalt pavement to
them. Tack coat is not necessary to place on new asphalt before placing the
next layer of asphalt, unless it is soiled (dirty).
7. Tack coat is an asphaltic material of rapid curing (R.C).
8. The purpose of RC-2 (rapid curing cutback asphalt) is to ensure or promote
bonding between the previously laid asphalt pavement and the newly paved
layer.
9. Minimum curing time for prime coat is 24 hours.
10.Prime coat material is M.C 70 & M.C 250.
11.Tack coat material is R.C 250 & R.C 800.
12.Temperature for prime coat M.C 70 application shall be 50 0C to 80 0C.
13.Temperature for prime coat M.C 250 application shall be 65 0C to 105 0C.
14.Temperature for tack coat R.C 250 & R.C 800 application shall be 65 0C to
105 0C (85 ± 20 0C).
15.The rate of application of MC-1 & RC-2 find: It is find by trial test on a trial
stretch, in which you put a 50 cm by 50 cm cardboard on the stretch then let
the distributer run through this cardboard. Then compute for the rate of
application.
16.Difference in MC-1 & RC-2: By just looking and smelling, MC-1 smells
kerosene and looks dull and is thicker, while RC-2 smells benzene (gasoline)
and looks shiny and is thinner and dries rapidly.
17.Rate of application of prime coat shall be 0.65 to 1.75 lit/m2.
18.Rate of application of tack coat shall be 0.25 lit/m2.
19.Prime coat shall be applied both sides over the min of 300 mm.
20.Heating of aggregate temperature shall not exceed 163 0C.
21.Heating of asphalt concrete shall be 139 to 163 0C.
22.Tolerance of asphalt using 4 m straight edge:
Wearing coarse: 3 mm perpendicular to center line, 4 mm parallel to center
line. Base coarse: 6 mm perpendicular to center line, 6 mm parallel to center
line. Subgrade: ± 10 mm.
23.The maximum tolerance for asphalt thickness is 15%.
24.The tolerance requirement of subgrade asphalt surface smoothness prior to
placing asphalt is 6 mm by using 3 meter straight edge.
25.The tolerance requirement of finished asphalt surface smoothness, using 3
meter straight edge is 4 mm longitudinally, 3mm laterally.
26.Tolerance in asphalt content shall be ± 0.4%.
27.Atmospheric temperature at the time of placing asphalt concrete shall be not
less than 4 0C.
28.Temperature of asphalt mixing truck at placing spot shall not exceed 163 0C.
29.Compacted layer of asphalt mix minimum thickness shall be 50 mm.
30.Compacted layer of asphalt mix maximum thickness shall be 80 mm.
31.Maximum thickness for base coarse is 80 mm for 1st layer & 60 mm for 2nd
layer, and for wearing coarse is 80 mm for 1st layer & 50 mm for surface
layer (compacted).
32.Minimum acceptable core compaction for asphalt concrete shall be 96% of
marshal density as per ASTM D 1559.
33.Standards cover for asphalt concrete paving is SAES-Q-006.
34.Aramco standard of MC 70 or MC 250 is SAES-A-973/974.
35.Aramco standard for tack coat RC 250 is SAES-A-971.
36.Minimum atmospheric temperature for prime coat is 16 0C.
37.Different types of compaction of asphalt: a) Tandem steel roller; initial
rolling of the asphalt (only 2 passes at ½ overlap) and final rolling to
smoothen the surface and to see to it that the edge of the roller is not visible
in the asphalt. b) Pneumatic tired roller; to attain the required compaction (8
passes minimum, not less than 5 tons).
38.During raining, foggy or sand storm not to be applying the prime coat.
39.When rain start during laying of asphalt, Stop asphalting and continue
rolling.
40.When there is bleeding in MC-1 or if the MC-1 is not dry after 48 hours, so
we will apply blotting by spreading sands on wet portion only then removing
the excess by rake or any suitable equipment.
41.Rutting is the longitudinal settlement of asphalt pavement due to heavy loads
of the vehicles passing the road.
42.Remedies to prevent or minimize rutting: To limit or minimize the loads of
vehicle, to make the gradation of aggregates coarser but conducive to the
project, to lower the asphalt content and or lower the asphalt penetration (as
 from 60-70 to 40-50), to follow the instruction of the M.O.C as to the limits
of air voids which is 3-5 with 4 as the median and actual air voids to be
gotten.
43.Minimum and maximum overlapping of asphalt in longitudinal joints is 15
to 30 cm.
44.Overlapping need to prevent cracking at the longitudinal joint.
45.When the asphalt content is more than 0.3% it will be more than the required
limits and bleeding will occur and there by weakening the pavement.
46.Maximum loss of stability for asphalt is 25%.
47.Maximum variation of asphalt content is ± 0.3% from the approved asphalt
content.
48.Type of compaction and moisture range:
Type AAA = 100% compaction, 78% relative density, moisture ± 3%.
Type AA = 95% compaction, 74% relative density, moisture ± 3%.’
Type A = 90% compaction, 70% relative density.
49.Temperature of asphalt pavement before breakdown or initial rolling at
minimum 120 0C or as what we get from trial test.
50.Two types of asphalt batching plant: Batch type – it is easy to control and it
is batch by weight, Continues type – it has a greater output.
51.SPT is Standard Penetration Test, It is usually made to evaluate the bearing
capacity of soil.
52.The pattern of rolling asphalt pavement: Start from the lowest part of the
pavement, then going upward to the higher portion with overlapping
distance of half the rear wheel width.
53.Difference between mobile & stationary string line: mobile string line is
attached to the stakes and moved manually as the power goes.
54.Passes of rollers before reaching the required density of pavement: It
depends upon the result of a trial test on a trial stretch, in which you paved a
certain stretch, then rolled it, then took coring and computed for its density,
which in turn compared to the marshal density at the laboratory. If the
compaction is satisfactory, the number of passes that the roller was made at
that time is the number of passes to be used in further paving and rolling
process.
55.The temperature of asphalt, required to stop rolling is 80 to 90 0C.
56.Check the density of asphalt through marshal test.
57.Check the thickness of asphalt by coring.
58.Check the alignment of asphalt by naked eyes & by survey equipment’s.
59.The max time allowed to application of asphalt on the tack coats are 3 days.
60.Without covering of asphalt in the truck shall be not accepted.
61.Each test sample taken from paving area to be; 1 sample/200 ton.
62.Any asphalt pavements contacts with pipeline shall be catholically protected.
63.In paved area depression shall not be more than 10 mm.
64.The asphalt viscosity grades are generally used is AC-40.
65.The maximum amount of water permissible in bitumen (RC-250) is 0.2 %.