SUPERPAVE, MARSHALL AND HVEEM MIX DESIGN METHODS

Although there are several methods of asphalt mix design, their goal is mainly to
develop an economical blend of asphalt and aggregates that will meet the design requirements.
Marshall and Hveem mix design method is being widely used to construct the pavement.
However, a new method was established later known as Superpave Mix Design which is a
design to replace Marshall and Hveem. All of these methods share the same requirements
which are sufficient asphalt to ensure durable pavement, sufficient stability under traffic loads
without displacement or distortion, sufficient air voids and enough workability to allow
placement and proper compaction without segregation.

Marshall Mix Design Method is the most widely used method to construct pavement.
According to Asphalt Institute, it is designed to find the optimum asphalt binder content at a
desired density that fulfills minimum stability and range of flow values (as cited in Khalid
Salim Alshamsi, 2006). As for the Hveem method, it is designed to select the asphalt content
resulting in the highest durability without falling below a minimum allowable stability and it
is more comprehensive than the Marshall Method as it provides quite a basic approach towards
mix characterization. Later in 1993, an initiative was carried out by Strategic Highway
Research Program (SHRP) to improve materials selection and design of a mixture known as
Superpave. It is a new method of asphalt binder evaluation and mixture analysis that can be
applied to various traffic volumes, axle loads and climatic conditions. The main components
include a new grading system called Performance Grading (PG) system for asphalt cement
binders, aggregates specifications, compaction procedure as well as test and analysis procedure
for mixtures.

Among these three design methods, the basic procedures is the selection of aggregates
and asphalt binder. Same aggregates selection procedure is implemented to determine
aggregates physical properties (toughness and abrasion, durability and soundness, cleanliness
and deleterious materials, particle shape and surface texture, gradation and size and specific
gravity and absorption) and aggregates gradation. Next, for the sample preparation, all methods
use several trial aggregates-asphalt binder blends with different asphalt binder content. Then,
optimum asphalt binder content can be selected by evaluating the performance of each sample.
For Marshall Method, the optimum asphalt content can be estimated by using any suitable
estimation method and usually it depends on local procedures or experiences. Then, the trial
mix of aggregates and asphalt binder will be heated and put into 100 mm diameter molds. It is
then compacted by using a Marshall hammer as shown in figure 1. For the Hveem method, the
estimation method used to estimate the optimum asphalt binder content is the Centrifuge
Kerosene Equivalent (CKE) Test. This test involves two steps which is determining surface
capacity of aggregates and estimating the optimum asphalt content. The sample is then heated
and put into 100 mm diameter molds and compacted by using California kneading compactor
as shown in figure 2. As for the Superpave method, the preheated aggregate is mixed with hot
asphalt in a bowl until it is well-coated. Then, it is put in a pan and placed in the oven to undergo
short term aging. It is important for the aggregates to absorb asphalt and it helps minimize
variability in volumetric calculations. Then, it is placed in 150 mm diameter molds and
compacted by using a Superpave Gyratory Compactor as shown in figure 3.

Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3

After all samples are ready, it need to be tested for its performance. For Marshall
Method, the test is called Marshall Stability and flow test. The stability test measures the
maximum load that can be sustained by the sample specimen at a loading rate of 50mm/min.
The load is increased to the maximum value and when the load just begins to drop, the loading
is stopped and maximum load is recorded. The flow reading is recorded from an attached dial
gauge corresponds to the vertical deformation of the specimen. For the Hveem method, the
stability of the specimen is measured by the Hveem stabilometer and the cohesive strength is
measured by using the Hveem cohesionmeter. The stabilometer measures the lateral pressure
developed by applying vertical load while the cohesionmeter measures cohesive strength by
knowing the forces required to break or bend samples as a cantilevered beam. The values is
required to know the ability of the sample to resist raveling under traffic loading. For the
Superpave method, the performance test is currently under development but the main objective
was to subject with various trial mix design.

Next step that must be done is the density and voids analysis. All of the mix design
methods need to do density and voids analysis to determine the samples’ physical
characteristics. The densities used to calculate volumetric parameters are bulk specific gravity
and theoretical maximum specific gravity while the void expressions used are air voids or voids
in the total mix (VTM), voids in mineral aggregates (VMA) and voids filled with asphalt.
Basically, these values have to meet the required criteria.

After that, optimum asphalt binder content must be selected. For Marshall Method, it
is selected based on the combined results from Marshall Stability and flow and density and
void analysis. From that results, a set of graphs need to be plotted which are asphalt binder
content versus density, asphalt binder content versus Marshall stability, asphalt binder content
versus flow, asphalt binder content versus air void and asphalt binder content versus VMA. All
of the graphs are shown in figure 4 and figure 5. Then, the optimum asphalt binder content is
determined based on the specification median air voids which is 4% and compare the values
against specification values. For Hveem, optimum asphalt binder is determine based on
combined results of the stabilometer test, density analysis and void analysis. When the asphalt
binder increase, Hveem stability and percent air void should decrease and the density should
increase. The common method used is the “pyramid” method. The optimum asphalt binder
content should at least has 4% air void. For Superpave method, the properties of mix at NDesign
need to be determined and compared to the required criteria. The asphalt binder content that
results is 4% air voids at NDesign is then selected as the optimum binder content. In addition,
moisture susceptibility test need to be done for Superpave method to measure the tensile
strength of the dry and wet specimen.

Figure 4
 Figure 5
On the other hand, there are pros and cons of the three methods. The Marshall and
Hveem method focus on voids, strength, and durability to make sure that the mix are at the
optimum level to achieve durable HMA. However, Marshall Method is the most widely used
as it requires inexpensive equipment. It is also portable and easy to be used. It is in opposite
with Hveem which the equipment is expensive and not portable. In Hveem Method, the
strength parameter is the direct indication of internal friction component of shear strength. It
can measure the ability of test specimen to resist lateral displacement from application of
vertical load. As for Marshall, it does not consider shear strength. The impact method of
compaction also does not simulate densification that occurs under traffic in real pavement.
Unlike in Superpave method, it used Superpave gyratory compactor which take into account
the traffic load.
REFERENCES

Alshamsi, K. S. (2006). Development of a mix design methodology for asphalt mixtures with
analytically formulated aggregate structures.

Hveem Mix Design. (2018, September 19). Retrieved June 20, 2020, from
https://pavementinteractive.org/reference-desk/design/mix-design/hveem-mix-design/

Marshall Mix Design. (2018, September 19). Retrieved June 20, 2020, from
https://pavementinteractive.org/reference-desk/design/mix-design/marshall-mix-
design/

Superpave Mix Design. (2018, September 24). Retrieved June 20, 2020, from
https://pavementinteractive.org/reference-desk/design/mix-design/superpave-mix-
design/