NCAT

NCAT Report10-X
Report 11-04

Evaluation of
AN EVALUATION OF A
SMA Mixture with iBind and
HYPERTHERM® PLANT
Fibers
PRODUCED MIX

FINAL REPORT

By:
Donald E. Watson, P.E.
By
and
Jason R. Moore, P.E.
Adam Taylor

August 2011
March 2010

January 2010
 Evaluation of
SMA Mixture with iBind and Fibers

By:

Donald E. Watson, P.E.

Lead Research Engineer
National Center for Asphalt Technology
Auburn, AL

Jason R. Moore, P.E.

Laboratory Manager
National Center for Asphalt Technology
Auburn, AL

NCAT Report No. 11-04

August 2011
Watson and Moore

DISCLAIMER

The contents of this report reflect the views of the authors who are solely responsible for
the facts and accuracy of the data presented herein. This report does not constitute a
standard, specification, or regulation.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors would like to thank the Dimona Silica Industries (DSi) Corporation for its
support and funding of this research study.

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Watson and Moore

1. OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to compare volumetric and performance properties of an
SMA mixture designed with iBind - Bitumen Stabilizer, with the properties of a
conventional SMA mixture containing fibers. iBind is a proprietary bitumen stabilizer
product that is mined, processed, and chemically activated by DSI Corporation based in
Dimona, Israel. An Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT)-approved SMA
mixture with fiber stabilizer was used as the control mix for this study. The comparison
mix used the same materials except that iBind was substituted for the fiber (Figure 1).
After optimum asphalt contents for the SMA mix designs were verified with the fibers
and iBind, performance testing was conducted on the two SMA mixtures.

Figure 1 Fiber and iBind

2. SMA DESIGN
The SMA mix used in this study was an ALDOT SMA design. The types of aggregate
and percentages used are given in Table 1, and the design gradation is given in Table 2.

Table 1A Design Materials with iBind

Aggregate Description Percentage Used Source
#78 Granite 52 Lagrange, GA
#78 Limestone 30 Opelika, AL
M-10 Granite 12 Lagrange, GA
Fly Ash 5 Boral Industries
Bag House Fines 1 Plant – Opelika, AL
iBind 0.4 DSI

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Table 1B Design Materials with Fiber

Aggregate Description Percentage Used Source
#78 Granite 52 Lagrange, GA
#78 Limestone 30 Opelika, AL
M-10 Granite 12 Lagrange, GA
Fly Ash 5 Boral Industries
Bag House Fines 1 Plant – Opelika, AL
Fiberware 0.4 Birmingham, AL

Table 2 Design Gradation

Design Gradation, Percent
Sieve Size, in Sieve Size, mm Passing
1" 25.0 100
3/4" 19.0 100
1/2" 12.5 95
3/8" 9.5 71
#4 4.75 29
#8 2.36 19
#16 1.18 16
#30 0.600 14
#50 0.300 11
#100 0.150 10
#200 0.075 8.3

The design method used was 50-blow Marshall, and the asphalt binder was a Superpave
performance grade (PG) 76-22. The volumetric properties obtained from the mix designs
are given in Table 3 below. The optimum asphalt binder content was determined based
on the 4.0 % air voids ALDOT design criteria. Four percent air voids is also the
optimum air void content based on Superpave design criteria.

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Table 3 Design Volumetric Properties

Volumetrics Fiber iBind
Optimum AC, % 6.40 5.20
Air Voids, Va, % 4.0 4.1
Voids in Mineral
18.6 16.0
Aggregate, VMA, %
Voids Filled with
78.3 76.0
Asphalt, VFA, %
Effective AC, % 6.39 5.19
Dust / Asphalt Ratio 1.3 1.6

The iBind design contained 1.2 % less asphalt binder in its mix design, and the
production and compaction temperature was 15°C less than that of the fiber mixture.
This temperature reduction was used based on recommendations of DSI Corporation.

3. PERFORMANCE TESTING
Several performance tests were conducted to determine the performance of the iBind
mixture versus the fiber mixture at the design optimum asphalt content of the mixes
(Table 3). For the performance testing, asphalt specimens were compacted to 7 ± 0.5
percent air voids. This air void percentage represents the expected air void level during
pavement construction.

American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) test

procedures were used where a standard was available. The draindown test was conducted
according to AASHTO T 305 at the respective optimum asphalt content (Figure 2).

4. DRAINDOWN TEST – AASHTO T 305

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Figure 2 Draindown

This test determines the amount of asphalt binder draindown in an uncompacted mixture.
Mixture samples are placed in a forced-draft oven at a preselected temperature for one
hour. The draindown test is run at two different temperatures: production temperature
and 15°C above production temperature. This simulates a mixture held at an elevated
temperature during the production, storage, transportation, and construction phase of a
mix. The maximum percentage of draindown allowed for an SMA mixture is 0.30%. The
draindown results are given in Table 4.

Table 4 Draindown Percentages

Production
Draindown, Production Draindown,
Design Temperature,
% Plus 15 °C %
°C
Fiber 170 0.00 185 0.00
iBind 155 0.00 170 0.00

Table 4 shows that both mixtures had no draindown at the two temperatures.

5. MOISTURE SUSCEPTIBILTY TEST – AASHTO T 283

Secondly, the mixtures were tested for moisture susceptibility using AASHTO T 283.
This test determines if a mixture will have a moisture susceptibility problem in the form
of stripping. For this test, six specimens were compacted to an air void level of 7.0 ± 0.5
percent. The six specimens were then placed in two subsets of three specimens. A set of
three specimens were vacuum-saturated so that 70-80% of the internal voids were
saturated with water. The samples were then placed in a freezer for a minimum of 16
hours prior to being placed in a warm-water bath at 60oC for 24 hours. This process
constitutes one freeze-thaw cycle. These “conditioned” specimens, along with a group of
three unconditioned specimens that had not been saturated, were then tested for indirect
tensile strength using a Marshall press apparatus (Figure 3). All samples are placed in a
25oC water bath for two hours to equalize their temperature prior to testing. The ratio of
the indirect tensile strengths of the conditioned and unconditioned specimens is recorded
as the tensile-strength ratio (TSR). The TSR value obtained should be 0.80 or higher. A
TSR value below 0.80 can indicate a potential for early stripping of the asphalt mixture.

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Figure 3 Marshall Press Apparatus

The TSR value for the fiber mixture was 1.02, and 0.90 for the iBind mixture. These
values were above the minimum-required TSR value and indicate these mixtures should
not have moisture susceptibility problems.

6. CANTABRO WEAR TEST – EN NLT 352

Next, the Cantabro loss test was performed to determine the potential abrasion loss of the
compacted mixtures. The results of this procedure give an indication of a mixture’s
resistance to raveling. This test is a European procedure, EN NLT 352, and the results
are given as a percentage of stone loss. The Cantabro test uses asphalt specimens
compacted to 7 ± 0.5 percent air voids. Samples are individually tested in a Los Angeles
(LA) abrasion machine (Figure 4). The LA abrasion machine is then run for 300
revolutions without the steel balls normally used in the LA abrasion procedure. Three
specimens were tested for each stabilizer.

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Figure 4 LA Abrasion Machine and Tested Cantabro Specimen

The specimens (Figure 4) are then taken out and weighed to calculate their percent loss.
For the fiber mixture, the percent loss was 8.2, and for the iBind mixture the percent loss
was 9.6. For the Cantabro test, a loss of less than 20% is considered to indicate a durable
mixture. The fiber and iBind mixtures both performed well for the durability test.

7. INDIRECT TENSILE STRENGTH – ASTM D 6931

The strengths of these mixtures were determined by test method ASTM D 6931, which
measures the indirect tensile strength of mixtures. The strengths are measured in pounds
per square inch (psi) and strength of 100 psi or greater is considered to be a good rule of
thumb as to adequate strength of the mixture. For this test, three asphalt specimens
compacted to 7 ± 1.0 percent air voids are placed in the Marshall press apparatus and
loaded at a rate of two inches per minute to determine their maximum strength. The
strength obtained for the fiber mixture was 115.7 psi, and for the iBind mixture the
strength obtained was 102.2 psi. An Avova statistical test was performed on the tensile
strengths, and a single factor Anova statistical difference in the two data sets (α = 0.05, p-
value = 0.002) shows that there is a statistical difference between the two sets of strengths
of the mixtures, but both mixtures had strengths above 100 psi and should be considered
good-quality mixtures in relation to tensile strength.

8. RUTTING SUSCEPTIBILTY – AASHTO T 340

The rutting susceptibility of these mixtures was determined using AASHTO T 340. This
test determines the rutting characteristics of the mixtures using the Asphalt Pavement
Analyzer (APA) (Figure 5). Six replicates were tested for each mix. The samples were
tested at a temperature of 76oC, the high PG grade of the binder. The specimens were
loaded by a steel wheel to 100 pounds resting on a pneumatic hose pressurized to 100 psi
for 8,000 cycles. Manual depth readings were taken at two locations on each specimen.
The rut depths for the mixtures are measured in millimeters. An average rut depth of 4.50
mm and below is considered a rut-resistant mixture. For the fiber mixture, the rut depth

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determined was 4.14 mm, and for the iBind mixture the rut depth was 3.68 mm. An
Avova statistical test was performed on the APA data, and a single factor Anova
statistical difference in the two data sets (α = 0.05, p-value = 0.541) shows that there is no
statistical difference between the two sets of rut depths. Also, both mixtures are within
the rut criteria for rutting susceptibility.

Figure 5 Asphalt Pavement Analyzer

9. HAMBURG WHEEL-TRACK TEST – AASHTO T 324

Next, the Hamburg wheel-tracking test, AASHTO T 324, shown in Figure 6, was
performed on the mixtures. Two replicates were tested per mix. The specimens were
originally compacted to a diameter of 150 mm and a height of 95 mm. These specimens
were then trimmed so that two specimens, with a height between 38 mm and 50 mm,
were cut from the top and bottom of each compacted asphalt specimen. The air voids on
these cut specimens were 7 ± 0.5 percent. The specimens were tested under a 158 ± 1 lbs
wheel load for 10,000 cycles (20,000 passes) while submerged in a water bath, which
was maintained at a temperature of 50oC.

The Hamburg test is a severe test for moisture susceptibility of asphalt mixes and
is used to measure the potential for premature failure of mixtures from moisture damage.
Moisture susceptibility is determined by the calculation of a stripping inflection point.
The stripping inflection point is the point where these mixes start to experience stripping
or moisture damage. The typical criterion for this test is that a minimum of 5,000 cycles
are complete before reaching the stripping inflection point. For the fiber and iBind
mixtures, both mixtures had a stripping inflection point of over 5,000 cycles. The fiber
mixture stripping inflection point was determined at 8,750 cycles, and the iBind
mixture’s stripping inflection point was obtained at 6,285 cycles. This confirms these
mixes should be resistant to moisture problems, as indicated by the high TSR values for
these mixes.

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Figure 6 Hamburg Wheel-Tracking Device

10. FATIGUE RESISTANCE – OVERLAY TESTER – TXDOT 248-F

Finally, the fatigue resistance of mixtures was tested using the Texas Overlay Tester.
This test measures the number of cycles before cracking failure develops in mixtures (see
Appendix). The TxDOT 248-F specification is the current testing methodology used for
running the overlay tester (Figure 7). The specification states that a 150 mm diameter
asphalt specimen should be compacted to a height of 115 ± 5 mm. Upon achieving the
desired height, the specimens are trimmed to the following dimensions: 150 mm long by
75 mm wide by 38 mm in depth (Figure 7). At least two replicates with air voids
between 6 and 8 percent are required for testing. For this project, four replicates of both
the iBind and fiber mixes were tested.

Figure 7 Overlay Tester (left) and Overlay Tester Specimen (right)

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The samples are tested at 25°C in controlled displacement mode. Loading occurs
when a movable steel plate attached to the asphalt specimen slides away from the other
plate. Loading occurs at a rate of one cycle every 10 seconds with a saw tooth waveform,
and the maximum displacement per cycle is 0.63 mm. The maximum load the specimen
resists in controlled displacement mode is recorded for each cycle. The test continues
until sample failure, which is defined as a 93% reduction in load magnitude from the first
cycle. A minimum number of cycles, typically 700, are required to indicate if a mixture
is fatigue resistant. For the fiber mixture, the number of cycles to failure was 992, and
for the iBind mixture, the number of cycles to failure was 1,340. An Anova statistical
test was performed on the overlay data, and a single-factor Anova statistical difference in
the two data sets (α = 0.05, p-value = 0.487) shows that there is no statistical difference in
the overlay test results of the two mixtures. Both mixtures did well in the overlay testing
and indicate fatigue crack-resistant mixtures.

11. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

For this study, two SMA mixtures were compared, one with fiber and one in which the
fiber was replaced with iBind. The mixtures were then verified for volumetric properties.
When the optimum volumetric properties were reached, the iBind mixture contained
5.2% binder versus 6.4% binder in the fiber mixture, a 18.75% reduction in binder
content. The iBind mixture also had a production and compaction temperature 15°C less
than the fiber mixture. The optimum binder content was selected as the binder value at
which 4.0% air voids was reached. Once volumetric properties were determined, the
mixtures then underwent performance testing. A summary of the performance testing is
given in Table 5.

Table 5 Performance Testing Summary

Test Criteria iBind Fiber
Draindown,
≤ 0.30% 0% 0%
AASHTO T 305
Tensile Strength Ratio,
≥ 0 .80 0.90 1.02
AASHTO T 283
Cantabro Loss Test,
≤ 20% 9.6% 8.2%
EN NLT 352
Indirect Tensile Strength,
≥ 100 psi 102.2 psi 115.7 psi
ASTM D 6931
Rut Test,
≤ 4.5 mm 3.68 mm 4.14 mm
AASHTO T 340
Moisture Susceptibility Test, ≥ 5,000
6,285 cycles 8,750 cycles
AASHTO T 324 cycles

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Overlay Test, ≥ 700

1,340 cycles 992 cycles
Texas 248 –F cycles

When viewing the results of the performance testing, it can be seen that the iBind
mixture met the tests’ criteria even with 1.2% less asphalt binder content than the fiber
mixture. The lower asphalt binder content could be a result of the iBind additive acting
as an asphalt binder extender. Although the iBind mixture does not meet ALDOT
specifications for minimum asphalt content and VMA, it performed as well as the fiber
mixtures in the performance testing. However, performance testing does not always
determine how the mixture will perform under field conditions. Therefore, a field test is
recommended to further evaluate the iBind mixture.

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REFERENCES
1. Chen, D. Field Experiences with RDD and Overlay tester for Concrete Pavement
Rehabilitation. Journal of Transportation Engineering, Vol. 134, No. 1, pp. 24-33,
2008.

2. Zhou, F., S. Hu, D. Chen, and T. Scullion. Overlay Tester: Simple Performance Test
for Fatigue Cracking, Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation
Research Board, No. 2001, pp. 1-8, 2007.

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APPENDIX

Texas Overlay Tester Procedure

The TxDOT 248-F specification is the current testing methodology used for running the
overlay tester. The specification states that a 150 mm (6 in.) diameter Superpave
gyratory compactor sample (SGC) should be compacted to a height of 115 ± 5 mm (4.5
inches). Upon achieving the desired height, the specimens are trimmed to the following
dimensions: 150 mm (6 in) long, by 75 mm (3 in) wide by 38 mm (1.5 in) tall. At least
two replicates with air voids between 6 and 8 % are required for testing. Samples can
also be fabricated from field cores if desired. For this project, four replicates of both the
iBind-modified and fiber control mixes were tested.

The samples are tested at 25°C in controlled displacement mode. Loading occurs when a
movable steel plate attached to the asphalt specimen slides away from the other plate
(Figure 1). Loading occurs at a rate of one cycle every 10 seconds with a saw tooth
waveform (Figure 2) and the maximum displacement per cycle is 0.63 mm (0.025 in.).
The maximum load the specimen resists in controlled displacement mode is recorded for
each cycle. The test continues until sample failure, which is defined as a 93% reduction
in load magnitude from the first cycle. Chen proposed that a mixture can be adequately
classified as fatigue resistant if it exceeds 700 loading cycles at 25°C (Chen, 2008). Zhou
and Scullion conducted variability analyses to determine the repeatability of this test. Six
samples of a singular dense-graded mix were run in the overlay tester to conduct this
experiment. The standard deviation and coefficient of variation (COV) for the six tests
were 11.7% and 8.3%, respectively. Generally speaking, the typical COV of overlay
tester testing has been reported between 10 and 25% (Zhou et al., 2007).

Figure 1 Overlay Tester Specimen

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Figure 2 Loading Form of the Overlay Tester (Zhou et al., 2007)

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