A

BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, PILANI

HYDERBAD CAMPUS
Second Semester 2015-16
TEST 2 (CLOSED BOOK)
Course No: CE F244
Date: 7.04.2016
Max Duration: 60 Min.

Course Name: Highway Engineering

Maximum Marks: 45
Component Weightage: 15%

Note: 1. Use illustrations wherever necessary

2. Non programmable scientific calculators are allowed
3. Use of Mobiles / electronic gadgets is strictly prohibited
4. Each question in Part III carries 1 mark and -0.5 for the wrong answers
5. Attach Part III and Page 3 of the question paper along with your answer sheet/s.

PART I
Answer all the questions. Each question carries 2 marks

[2 x 5 = 10]

1.

Name any 2 tests on bitumen that are carried out for testing the consistency of bitumen?
Penetration
Softening Point
Viscosity
Ductility

2.

Mention any 2 differences between Marshall and Super-Pave Mixture Design procedure?
Marshall Mixture Design
Super Pave Mixture Design
Impact Loading
Kneading action
Simple operation
Complicated operation
Economical equipment setup
Costly equipment setup

3.

Mention any 2 technical reasons for use of Polymer modified bitumen in bituminous mixtures?
Polymer Modified Bitumen can be used for extreme climatic conditions (very hot and very cold
climate)
PMB extends life of the pavement
Mention any 2 desirable properties of bituminous mixtures for a pavement surface course?
Stability
Workable
Durable
Flexible
Minimum air voids

4.

Page 1 of 11

5.

Draw a phase diagram showing the volumetric properties of a compacted bituminous mixture?

PART II
Answer all the questions. Each question carries 5 marks

[5 x 5 = 25]

1. The Marshall specimens were prepared in a laboratory at binder contents of 5.0 and 5.5 % by weight of
mixture and the water absorption of the aggregate was 0.4 %. Calculate the Voids in Mineral Aggregate
(VMA), Air Voids in the Mixture (Va) and Voids Filled by Bitumen (VFB) for the data given below:
% of Aggregate by wt of mixture

95.0

94.5

% of Bitumen by wt of mixture

5.0

5.5

Specific gravity of aggregate

2.650

2.650

Specific gravity of bitumen

1.000

1.000

Density of specimen (g/cm3)

2.370

2.390

VMA (%)

15.04

14.77

Va (%)

3.31

1.76

VFB (%)

78.02

88.11

2. Design a conventional flexible pavement as per IRC:37-2012 for data given below:
i.
CBR of the existing subgrade is 3 %
ii.
CBR of the borrow material is 10 %
iii.
Design Traffic = 150 msa
iv.
Bitumen grade = VG40
v.
Volume of bitumen Vb = 13 %
vi.
Volume of air voids in the mixture, Va= 3 %
vii.

Computed horizontal tensile strain at the bottom of bituminous layer,

= 135.9 strains
t

viii.
Computed vertical compressive strain on the top of sub-grade, v = 228.2 strains
Design the pavement showing the thicknesses of various layers and check the safety for fatigue and rutting
using relevant charts, equations and tables from IRC:37-2012 (see Appendix 1).
Effective CBR = 7 %
Page 2 of 11

Pavement composition is
BC = 50 mm
DBM = 140 mm
WMM = 250 mm
GSB = 230 mm
Using equation 6.3, M= 0.593 and C= 3.916
Allowable horizontal tensile strain at the bottom of bituminous layer,
Allowable vertical compressive strain on the top of sub-grade,

= 156.01 strainsUsing equation 6.5,

t

= 291.71 strains
v

Hence, the design is safe.

3. A flexible pavement with a Cement Treated Base (CTB) layer was designed from the following data:
i.
CBR of the sub-grade is 10 %
ii.
Design Traffic = 140 msa
iii.
VDF= 5.0
Calculate only the fatigue cumulative damage due to individual axles and verify if the cumulative damage is <1.
The fatigue equations and the relevant templates followed for design are given in Appendix 2.
Axle Load Spectrum Data
Load Group
(kN)

Cumulative Fatigue Damage Analysis for Single Axle

Modulus of Rupture of cement
treated base = 1.4 MPa

Vehicle Proportion =
100.00 %

From

To

Mid-Point
of Load
Group
(kN)

155

165

160

4.00

40000

11,20,000

0.644

0.460

1607166

0.697

95

105

100

30.00

25000

84,00,000

0.392

0.280

244274868

0.034

<

80

80

66.00

20000

184,80,000

0.330

0.236

840766356

0.022

Cum.
Damage =

0.753

Vehicle
Distribution
(%)

Wheel
Load
(Newtons)

Expected
repetitions,
N

Stress
in MPa

280,00,000
100

Stress
Ratio,
SR

Fatigue Life,
Nf

Fatigue
Life
Consumed,
N/Nf

Pavement composition is
BC = 50 mm
DBM = 50 mm
WMM = 100 mm
CTB = 190 mm
GSB= 250 mm
The Cumulative Damage is <1, Hence the design is safe.
4. A brief description of the Super-Pave binder testing is given below, name the binder test equipment
against each description :
Page 3 of 11

Sl
No.
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.

Description

Name the binder test equipment

Simulate short term binder ageing

Rolling Thin Film Oven (RTFO)
Simulate long term binder ageing
Pressure Ageing Vessel (PAV)
Measure binder stiffness and elasticity properties at Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR)
high and intermediate temperatures
Measures binder viscosity at higher temperatures
Rotational Viscometer
Measures low temperature stiffness
Bending Beam Rheometer (BBR)

Page 4 of 11

5. Marshall mixture design was carried out in a laboratory and the charts were plotted as given below.
Arrive at the optimum binder content and verify the values of flow, VMA and VFB at the optimum binder
content. Submit this sheet along with your answer sheets after plotting the optimum binder content.
Verify if VFB is within the range of 65 to 75 % and flow between 2 to 4 mm.

Binder Vs Marshall Stability

2.372

1300

2.370

1200

Marshall Stability (kg)

Bulk Density (g/cm3)

Binder Vs Bulk Density

2.368
2.366
2.364
2.362
2.360
2.358
4.0

4.5

5.0

5.5

6.0

1100
1000
900
800
700
600

6.5

4.0

4.5

Bitumen %

6.0

6.5

6.0

6.5

6.0

6.5

Binder Vs Flow
5.0

Flow (mm)

8.0

Air Voids (%)

5.5

Bitumen %

Binder Vs Air Voids

7.0
6.0

4.0
3.0

5.0

2.0

4.0

1.0

3.0

0.0
4.0

4.5

5.0

5.5

6.0

6.5

4.0

4.5

Bitumen %

5.0

5.5

Bitumen %

Binder Vs VMA

Binder Vs VFB
85.00

VFB (%)

18.00

VMA (%)

5.0

17.60
17.20

80.00
75.00
70.00
65.00
60.00

16.80

55.00
16.40

50.00
4.0

4.5

5.0

5.5

Bitumen %

6.0

6.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

5.5

Bitumen %

Optimum binder content = average of (5.4,5.5 and 5.75) = 5.55 %, VFB = 75-76 %, Flow = 3.7-3.8 mm

Page 5 of 11

ID No. ________________________

Name__________________________________ Code: ______

PART III
Answer all the questions. Each question carries 1 mark (-0.5 for the wrong answers)

[10 x 1 = 10]

1. Given that the minimum measured pavement temperature at site is -20 C and the maximum 7 day
average temperature is 70 C, which PG grade bitumen should be used for this location when the traffic

(c)

is 10-30 msa :
a. PG 70-16
b. PG 70-22
c. PG 76-22
d. PG 76-16

(b)

2. The 2 critical stresses in the design of flexible pavements are :

a. Vertical compressive stress on top of the granular layer and the horizontal tensile stress at the
bottom of bituminous layers
b. Vertical compressive stress on top of the sub-grade and the horizontal tensile stress at the bottom
of bituminous layer
c. Vertical compressive stress on top of the granular sub-base and the horizontal tensile stress at the
bottom of bituminous layer
d. Vertical compressive stress on top of the bituminous layer and the horizontal tensile stress at the
bottom of granular layer
3. Loss on heating, spot test, solubility and water content tests carried out with bitumen are:
a. Consistency test
b. Composition test
c. Performance test
d. Ageing test
4. For a RTFOT aged bitumen, the G*/sin has to be :
a. 2.2 kPa
b. 1.0kPa
c. 5000kPa
d. None of the above

(b)

(a)

5. In a bituminous mixture design, the filler binder ratio has to be in the range of
a. 0.5 to 0.8
b. 0.9 to 1.5
c. 0.6 to 1.2
d. 1.0 to 2.0

(c)

6. In a flexible pavement overlay design the procedure adopted for Benkelman beam deflection studies is:

(a)
a.
b.
c.
d.

CGRA
MEPDG
ARRB
TRB

7. The ambient temperature influences resilient modulus of sub-grade soil:

a. True
b. False

(b)
Page 6 of 11

8. In a 2 lane carriageway the lane distribution factor works out to be :

a. 45 % of traffic in each direction
b. 60 % of traffic in each direction
c. 75 % of traffic in each direction
d. 100 % of traffic in each direction

(c)

9. As per IS:73-2013, absolute viscosity is expressed in Poise and the testing temperature is :
a. 25 C
b. 60 C
c. 135 C
d. 150 C
10. Pressure Ageing Vessel simulates ageing of bitumen for :
a. 3-6 years
b. 4-7 years
c. 7-10 years
d. 9-12 years

(b)

(c)

****** BEST OF LUCK *****

Page 7 of 11

Appendix 1
I. Effective CBR

II. a. Thickness template for 7% CBR

Page 8 of 11

b. Thickness template for 9 & 10 % CBR

IV. Fatigue Equations for bituminous layers

Page 9 of 11

V. Rutting Equations for subgrade soil:

VI. Resilient Modulus of Bituminous Layers, MR is given in the Table below:

Page 10 of 11

Appendix 2
I. Thickness template for 10 % CBR with CTB layer

II. Fatigue Equation for Cumulative Damage Analysis

Page 11 of 11