SCHOOL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

ENGINEERING CAMPUS
UNIVERSITI SAINS MALAYSIA
14300 NIBONG TEBAL

ACADEMIC SESSION 2017/18

EAL 339 SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT

ASSIGNMENT 1

Question 1
Consider an expressway that is designed to traverse an environmentally sensitive area. In
addition, there is a pressing need to address the issue of global warming. From your knowledge
on sustainable asphalt, explain what you will do to address the above issue. Your explanation
should include the following topics:
 materials production
 pavement design
 pavement construction
 pavement preservation, maintenance and rehabilitation

Question 2
Warm mix asphalt (WMA) is a technology that enables asphalt production at lower
temperatures. Lowering asphalt mixing temperatures can be beneficial in terms of fuel
consumption savings, emissions at plant and site, workability at low temperatures, working
environment, paving window and temperature segregation. Despite all these benefits, WMA is
subjected to failure due to moisture damage. Explain the sources of moisture damage in warm
mix asphalt and how does it contribute to asphalt mixture failure.

Question 3
The proportion of aggregates and hydrated lime filler of a porous asphalt mix is shown in Table
1, which also shows the specific gravities. Polymer modified bitumen is used as the binder.

Table 1
Specific Gravity
Materials Percentage (%)
(g/cm3)
Coarse Aggregate 84.0 2.67
Fine Aggregate 14.5 2.70
Filler 1.5 2.75
Bitumen Variety 1.02

A mix design exercise was carried out by firstly preparing and compacting Marshal samples at
varying binder contents. Each specimen was extruded once it has cooled down. The mass in air
and dimensions of each specimen is shown in Table 2. The Marshal stability test was carried out
at 60oC on each specimen.

To test for abrasion loss, the Cantabro test was carried out. In each test, one specimen pre-
conditioned at 25oC was subjected to 300 rotations (without balls) in a Los Angeles drum. The
sample mass before and after test, and also other test results are shown in Table 2.
 Table 2
Bitumen Specimen Specimen Specimen Specimen Mass Marshal
Content Height Diameter Mass in Air After Cantabro Stability
(%) (cm) (cm) (g) Test (g) (kN)
3.5 6.99 10.03 1000.8 697.3 5.1
4.5 6.89 10.10 1062.8 894.4 6.2
5.5 6.61 10.02 1037.8 958.6 5.4
6.5 6.73 10.15 1098.1 1032.3 5.9

Binder drainage test was carried out on loose porous asphalt samples at varying binder contents.
Each sample of known mass was placed in a perforated drainage basket and hung in an oven set
to the mix production temperature for 3 hours. The test results are shown in Table 3.

Table 3
Mass of Tray +
Bitumen Mass of Mass of
Drained
Content (%) Sample (g) Tray (g)
Binder (g)
4.5 1100.4 320.4 320.4
5.5 1111.6 318.4 322.5
6.5 1138.2 323.1 339.6
7.5 1148.2 314.8 355.2

i. Determine the design binder content of the porous asphalt mixture using the JKR Method by
firstly determining the upper and lower limits to the design binder content.
ii. What would be the design binder content if the upper limit is determined using the tangent
method?
iii. At the design binder content, determine the following porous asphalt specimen volumetric
properties:
 Air voids
 Voids filled with bitumen
 Voids in mineral aggregate
 Density
From the literature or previous examples, obtain typical values of air voids, voids filled with
bitumen, voids in mineral aggregate and density for asphaltic concrete mixtures. Compare
these values with the values you obtained for the porous asphalt mixture in this assignment.
iv. The Cantabro test is said to simulate raveling. Do you agree with this statement? What is
the main drawback of the Cantabro test?
v. In the above test, the Cantabro test was carried out at 25oC. If the test is carried out at 15oC,
do you expect to obtain a higher or lower percentage abrasion loss. Justify your answer.
vi. Based on the results shown in Table 2, plot the following relationship:
 Marshal stability versus binder content
 density versus binder content
Comment on the trends of each curve. Is it possible to optimise the bitumen content from the
graphical relationships?
What kind of relationship would you get if you are testing dense mix instead of porous mix?