CHAPTER 2: HOT MIX DESIGN

Premix - Materials
 Aggregate Gradation
• Distribution of particle sizes expressed as a percentage of
total weight (total % passing various sieve sizes)
• Determined by sieve analysis
• Gradation affect stiffness, stability, durability, permeability,
workability, fatigue, skid, and moisture damage resistance >>
limits on the agg gradation to be used in HMA
• HMA need to have sufficient air voids in grading mix for
durability (permits enough AC to be incorporated) and avoid
bleeding and rutting (yet still have enough air space in
mixture)
• Graphically presented on semi-log graph
• 4 gradations : well (dense), uniform (single), gap graded ,
open graded (air space in mixture)

3
 Types of Gradations
1. Well graded (dense)
• Good interlock
• Low permeability
• Near maximum density
• AC14/AC10/AC28

2. Uniformly graded (single size)

• Few points of contact
• Poor interlock (shape dependent)
• High permeability
•Surface dressing

3. Gap graded
• Small % of agg in the mid size range
• Only limited sizes
• Good interlock
• Low permeability
• Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA)
4
 0.45 Power Grading Chart
Percent Passing
100

80
max
60
size
40

20
maximum density line
0
0 .075 .3 .6 1.18 2.36 4.75 9.5 12.5 19.0
Sieve Size (mm) Raised to 0.45 Power
NCAT 5
Aggregate Gradation

6
 Aggregate Size Definitions
100 • Two designation for max size
100
100 1. Max size 99
90 2. Nominal max size 89
72 72
65 • Mix designations in spec typically use 65
48 nominal max size 48
36 36
• Nominal Maximum Aggregate Size
22  Largest sieve size that retains some of the 22
agg, but not more than 10%
15 15
9 • Maximum Aggregate Size 9
4  Smallest sieve size which 100% of the agg
pass
4

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 Steps in Gradation Analysis

Mechanical sieve analysis

– Place dry aggregate in standard stack of sieves
– Place sieve stack in mechanical shaker
– Determine mass of aggregate retained on each
sieve

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 Mechanical Sieve

Individual Sieve Stack of Sieves

9
 Mechanical Sieve

Stack in
Mechanical
Shaker

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Exercise 2.9.1
 Analisis Ayakan

100 Sieve Analysis

90

80

70
Percent Passing, %

60

50

40

30

20

10

0
0.01 0.10 1.00 10.00 100.00
Sieve Size, mm

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Aggregate Stockpile
 Aggregate Blending
• Two or more stockpile need to be blended to get max density
and desired void for HMA (or meet spec envelope)
• Reasons for blending:
1. Obtain desired gradation
2. Single natural or quarried material not enough
3. Economical to combine natural and processed
materials
• Normally three or more stockpiles plus mineral filler
• Most common method for determining proportion – trial &
error
• Blended aggregate specific gravity

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 Blending Stockpiles
• Basic formula for combining stockpiles to
achieve a target gradation is:
p = Aa + Bb + Cc + ….

where:
p = percent of material passing given sieve size for the combined agg
A, B, C, .. = percent passing given sieve for each agg.
a, b, c, … = proportion (decimal fraction) of A, B, C, …
to be used in blend, a + b + c +… = 1.00

16
 Trial and Error
• Aided by experience and plots of indiv.
gradation curves and spec limits
• Calculated grading compared with spec
– adjust until pass
• Guided by reasoning, maths,
experience
• Use of spreadsheet now common

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 Blending of Aggregates
Material Agg. A Agg. B
% Used Blend Target
% % % %
U.S. Sieve
Passing Batch Passing Batch
3/8 “ 100 100
No. 4 90 100
No. 8 30 100
No. 16 7 88
No. 30 3 47
No. 50 1 32
No. 100 0 24
No. 200 0 10

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 Blending of Aggregates
Material Agg. A Agg. B First Try
(remember trial & error)
% Used 50 % 50 % Blend Target
% % % %
U.S. Sieve
Passing Batch Passing Batch
3/8 “ 100 50 100 100 * 0.5 = 50 100
No. 4 90 45 100 90 * 0.5 = 45 80 - 100
No. 8 30 15 100 30 * 0.5 = 15 65 - 100
No. 16 7 3.5 88 7 * 0.5 = 3.5 40 - 80
No. 30 3 1.5 47 3 * 0.5 = 1.5 20 - 65
No. 50 1 0.5 32 1 * 0.5 = 0.5 7 - 40
No. 100 0 0 24 0 * 0.5 = 0 3 - 20
No. 200 0 0 10 0 * 0.5 = 0 2 - 10

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 Blending of Aggregates

Material Agg. A Agg. B

% Used 50 % 50 % Blend Target
% % % %
U.S. Sieve
Passing Batch Passing Batch
3/8 “ 100 50 100 50 100 100
No. 4 90 45 100 50 95 80 - 100
Let’s Try
No. 8 30 15 100 50 65 65 - 100
and get
No. 16 7 3.5 88 44 47.5 40 - 80
a little closer
No. 30 3 1.5 47the middle
to 23.5of 25 20 - 65
No. 50 1 0.5 32target values.
the 16 16.5 7 - 40
No. 100 0 0 24 12 12 3 - 20
No. 200 0 0 10 5 5 2 - 10

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 Blending of Aggregates

Material Agg. A Agg. B

% Used 30 % 70 % Blend Target
% % % %
U.S. Sieve
Passing Batch Passing Batch
3/8 “ 100 30 100 70 100 100
No. 4 90 27 100 70 97 80 - 100
No. 8 30 9 100 70 79 65 - 100
No. 16 7 2.1 88 61.6 63.7 40 - 80
No. 30 3 0.9 47 32.9 33.8 20 - 65
No. 50 1 0.3 32 22.4 22.7 7 - 40
No. 100 0 0 24 16.8 16.8 3 - 20
No. 200 0 0 10 7 7 2 - 10

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 Blended Aggregate Specific Gravities

• Once the percentages of the stockpiles

have been established, the combined
aggregate specific gravities can also be
calculated
100
Combined G =
P1 + P2 + ……. Pn
G1 G2 Gn

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Exercise 2.9.2 and 2.9.3
 Mix Design
Design objectives – Develop an economical blend of aggregates
and asphalt that meet design requirements
Historical mix design methods
1. Marshall – use impact hammer
2. Hveem – use kneading compactor, Hveem Stabilometer
New
1. Superpave gyratory – use gyratory compactor to simulate
field compaction, able to accommodate large size aggregate
Mix design methods
 Requirements in Common
• Sufficient asphalt to ensure a durable pavement
• Sufficient stability under traffic loads
• Sufficient air voids
– Upper limit to prevent excessive environmental
damage
– Lower limit to allow room for initial densification
due to traffic
• Sufficient workability
 Design bitumen content (JKR, 2008)
Mix type Bitumen content (%)

AC10 5-7

AC14 4-6

AC28 3.5-5.5
Volumetric Properties of Asphalt
Mix
 Aggregate Specific Gravity

• Ratio weight of mat. to water of equal volume at 23C,

useful in making weight-vol conversion
• In metric units, G simply:
G = weight / vol
• Four Gs – apparent, bulk, effective, bulk impregnated
1. Apparent – weight / vol solid …… Dry
2. Bulk – weight / overall vol …… SSD
3. Effective – weight / (overall vol – asp asorb. pores)
4. Bulk impregnated –  eff. but immerse in asphalt

Gsb < Gse < Gsa

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Apparent Specific Gravity

Mass of oven dry agg

Gsa =
Vol of agg

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 Bulk Specific Gravity

Surface Voids Mass of oven dry agg

Gsb =
Vol of agg, + perm. pores

Vol. of water-perm. pores

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 Effective Specific Gravity
Mass oven dry agg
Gs, eff =
Vol of agg, + perm. pores not absorb. asphalt

Surface Voids

Solid Agg. Vol. of water-perm. voids

Particle not filled with asphalt

Absorbed asphalt
Property When Asphalt cement is Near optimum asphalt
varied in mix design cement
VTM 2.5-8 3-5
VMA 10-16 12-15
VFA 50-85 65-85

•VTM 3-5%
•<3 – rutting, bleeding, loss of friction
•> 5- permebility, oxidation (aging, asphalt get stiffened)

•VMA 13-14
•Low VMA- loss of durability, not enough asphalt.Change in asphalt
cement content could be more critical
•High VMA- loss of strength, increased cost

•VFA- flip of VTM, VTM<3VFA goes up, VTM>5 VFA goes down
MARSHALL
MIX
DESIGN
 Marshall Design Method
• Bruce Marshall, 1939, Mississipi Highway Department,
refined-US army.
• WES began to study it in 1943 for WWII
– Evaluated compaction effort
• No. of blows, foot design, etc.
• Decided on 10 lb.. Hammer, 50 blows/side
• 4% voids after traffic
• Initial criteria were established and upgraded for increased
tire pressures and loads
 Lab Mix - Material

•Aggregate and
bitumen test
•Aggregate blend
Course Aggregate
Fine Aggregate
 Lab Mix - compaction

•Sample preparation
•Mix 160 ˚C
•4 sample at each bitumen content
•75 blows/face compaction
•Compact 145˚C
 Lab Mix - density
Bulk SG ASTM D 2726
 Calculations
• Gmb = A / ( B - C )

Where:
A = mass of dry sample
B = mass of SSD sample
C = mass of sample under water
 Lab Mix – Marshall Test

Stability- max load (kN) , loading rate

50.8mm/min
Flow- diff sample height (mm)
 Lab Mix – Marshall Form

SG and voids analysis

Exercise 2.9.4
 OBC determination
• 4 graphs (JKR, 2008):
– Peak stability
– Peak bulk SG
– VFB= 75% WC, 70% BC
– VTM= 4% WC, 5% BC
 Lab Mix – OBC Determination
2.370 1400

2.360 1300
Density (g/cu.cm)

Stability (kg)
1200
2.350
1100
2.340
1000
2.330
900
2.320 800
4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5 7.0
a
Bit. Content (%)
4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5
b
6.0
Bit. Content (%)
6.5 7.0

85.0
8.0
80.0
7.0
75.0

VFB (%)
6.0
VTM (%)

70.0
5.0
65.0
4.0
60.0
3.0
55.0
2.0
4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5 7.0
4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0
cBit. Content (%)
6.5 7.0
d
Bit. Content (%)
 Lab Mix – OBC Determination

OBC =(a + b + c + d)/4 = e

Check parameters @ OBC

- Stability
- Flow
- Stiffness
- VTM
- VFB
 Lab Mix – Value @ OBC
1400

1300

Stability (kg)
1200

1100

1000

900

800
e
4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5 7.0
Bit. Content (%)

85.0
8.0
80.0
7.0
75.0

VFB (%)
6.0
VTM (%)

70.0
5.0
65.0
4.0 60.0
3.0 55.0
2.0 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5 7.0

4.0 4.5 5.0

e5.5 6.0 6.5 7.0 e
Bit. Content (%)

Bit. Content (%)

 Lab Mix – Value @ OBC
6.00 400

5.50 350

Stiffness (kg/mm)
5.00
Flow (mm)

300
4.50
250
4.00
200
3.50
150
3.00
4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5 7.0 100
e
Bit. Content (%) 4.0 4.5 5.0
e 5.5 6.0 6.5 7.0
Bit. Content (%)

Compare parameters with specification

Pass? >> OBC = e
Fail? >> redesign
 Mix design test and analysis
parameters (JKR, 2008)
Parameter WC BC
Stability, S >8000N >8000N
Flow, F 2-4mm 2-4mm
Stiffness, S/F >2000N/mm >2000N/mm
VTM 3-5% 3-7%
VFB 70-80% 65-75%
Exercise 2.9.5
 WHAT IS PREMIX PRODUCTION?
• Premix production
is a process of
mixing the
aggregates and
asphalt in the hot
Stock Pile Asphalt (Bitumen)
mix facilities, to be
used as road
material regardless HOT MIX
FACILITES
whether it’s an ACW, a) Drum mix
b) Batch mix

ACB or DBM.
Agregate Stockpile
Premix - Materials
 HOT MIX ASPHALT FACILITIES

Purpose of an HMA facility is to properly proportion,

blend, and heat aggregate and asphalt to produce
an HMA that meets the requirements of the job mix
formula.
 Types Of Plants

BATCH DRUM MIXER

 DIFFERENCE

• drum mix plants dry the aggregate and blend it with

asphalt in a continuous process and in the same
piece of equipment.
• batch plants dry and heats the aggregate and then in
a separate mixer blend the aggregate and asphalt
one batch at a time
 Drum Mixer Plant
typical layout
Asphalt Storage
Aggregate Conveyor Belts
Bins

Dryer

Storage
Burner Silo
 Batch plant
typical layout
Asphalt Storage

Aggregate Conveyor Belt

Bins

Batch
Dryer Tower

Burner Hot Storage

Silo
elevator
 Drim Mix Plant

61
 DRUM MIX

62
Drum Dryer Mixer
 DRUM MIX

65
66
 BATCH PLANT

67
THE END