Moisture Susceptibility and Aging

Moisture susceptibility is a primary cause of distress in HMA pavements. HMA should not degrade
substantially from moisture penetration into the mix. HMA mixtures may be considered susceptible
to moisture if the internal asphalt binder-to-aggregate bond weakens in the presence of water. This
weakening, if severe enough, can result in stripping .

To measure the potential for moisture damage to HMA mixtures, moisture susceptibility testing can
be performed. Results from the moisture susceptibility test may be used to predict the potential for
long-term stripping and to evaluate anti-stripping additives, which are added to the asphalt binder,
aggregate, or HMA mixture to help prevent stripping.

Moisture susceptibility of asphalt mixture can be determined by different tests indirect tensile
strength test, Retained Marshall stability value and boiling water test with varying the percentage of
lime content from 0% to 2.5%.

Rather, aging effects are accounted for by subjecting asphalt binder samples to simulated aging then
conducting other standard physical tests (such as viscosity, dynamic shear rheometer (DSR), bending
beam rheometer (BBR) and the direct tension test (DTT)). Simulating the effects of aging is important
because an asphalt binder that possesses a certain set of properties in its as-supplied state, may
possess a different set of properties after aging. Asphalt binder aging is usually split up into two
categories:

Short-term aging. This occurs when asphalt binder is mixed with hot aggregates in an HMA mixing
facility.

Long-term aging. This occurs after HMA pavement construction and is generally due to
environmental exposure and loading.

Related Tests

Typical aging simulation tests are:

Thin-film oven (TFO) test

Rolling thin-film oven (RTFO) test

Pressure aging vessel (PAV)