Superpave Volumetric Calculations Review

Bulk Specific Gravity of the Combined Aggregate

𝑃𝑃1 + 𝑃𝑃2 + 𝑃𝑃3 …
𝐺𝐺𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 =
𝑃𝑃1 𝑃𝑃2 𝑃𝑃3
+ + …
𝐺𝐺1 𝐺𝐺2 𝐺𝐺3
Where

Pn = Cold Feed Percentage of Each Aggregate in the Blend

Gn = Bulk Specific Gravity of Each Aggregate in the Blend

Example Calculation:

Aggregate 1 → G1 = 2.60, P1 = 15

Aggregate 2 → G2 = 2.61, P2 = 16

Aggregate 3 → G3 = 2.65, P3 = 49

Aggregate 4 → G4 = 2.69, P4 = 20
15 + 16 + 49 + 20
𝐺𝐺𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 =
15 16 49 20
2.60 + 2.61 + 2.65 + 2.69
100
𝐺𝐺𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 =
5.769 + 6.130 + 18.491 + 7.435
100
𝐺𝐺𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 =
37.825
𝐺𝐺𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 = 2.64

Calculation Activity

Find Gsb where:

Aggregate 1 → G1 = 2.68, P1 = 40

Aggregate 2 → G2 = 2.66, P2 = 20

Aggregate 3 → G3 = 2.65, P3 = 20

Aggregate 4 → G4 = 2.60, P4 = 20
Effective Specific Gravity of the Mixture
100 − 𝑃𝑃𝑏𝑏
𝐺𝐺𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 =
100 𝑃𝑃
− 𝑏𝑏
𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺 𝐺𝐺𝑏𝑏
Where

Gse = Effective Specific Gravity of the Mixture

Pb = Percent Asphalt Content in the Mixture

Gb = Specific Gravity of the PG Binder = 1.030

Gmm = Maximum Specific Gravity of the Mixture

Example Calculation:

Pb = 5.5 %

Gb = 1.030

Gmm = 2.470
100 − 5.5
𝐺𝐺𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 =
100 5.5
2.470 − 1.030
94.5
𝐺𝐺𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 =
40.486 − 5.340
94.5
𝐺𝐺𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 =
35.146
𝐺𝐺𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 = 2.689
Calculation Activity

Find Gse where:

Pb = 5.2%

Gb = 1.030

Gmm = 2.468
Bulk Volume of the Specimen

𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉 = 𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆 𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊ℎ𝑡𝑡 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃 − 𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊ℎ𝑡𝑡 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃
Example Calculation:

Weight in Water = 2680.2 g

SSD Weight of Pill = 4646.3 g

𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉 = 4646.3 − 2680.2

𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉 = 1966.1 𝑔𝑔
Calculation Activity

Compute Bulk Volume where:

Weight in Water = 2729.4

SSD Weight of Pill = 4733.5

Bulk Specific Gravity

𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊ℎ𝑡𝑡 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴
𝐺𝐺𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 =
𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆 𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊ℎ𝑡𝑡 − 𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊ℎ𝑡𝑡 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊

Example Calculation:

Weight in Air = 4728.4 g

Weight in Water = 2759.9 g

Saturated Surface Dry Weight = 4739.1 g

4728.4 𝑔𝑔
𝐺𝐺𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 =
4739.1 𝑔𝑔 − 2759.9 𝑔𝑔
4728.4 𝑔𝑔
𝐺𝐺𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 =
1979.2 𝑔𝑔
𝑮𝑮𝒎𝒎𝒎𝒎 = 𝟐𝟐. 𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑
Calculation Activity

Weight in Air = 4769.2 g

Weight in Water = 2744.6 g

Saturated Surface Dry Weight = 4773.2 g

𝐺𝐺𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 = ?
Unit Weight
𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙
𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈 𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊ℎ𝑡𝑡 = 𝐺𝐺𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 × 62.4
𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 3
Example Calculation:

Given Gmb = 2.389

𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙
𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈 𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊ℎ𝑡𝑡 = 2.389 × 62.4
𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 3
𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙
𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈 𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊ℎ𝑡𝑡 = 149.0736
𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 3
Calculation Activity

Given Gmb = 2.353, what is the Unit Weight?

Percent Air Voids

𝐺𝐺𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 − 𝐺𝐺𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚
% 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉 = 100 × � �
𝐺𝐺𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚
Where

Gmm = Maximum Specific Gravity of the Mixture

Gmb = Bulk Specific Gravity of the Specimen

Example Calculation:

Gmm = 2.451

Gmb = 2.350
2.451 − 2.350
% 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉 = 100 × � �
2.451
0.101
% 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉 = 100 × � �
2.451
% 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉 = 100 × (0.0412)
% 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉 = 4.1 %

Calculation Activity

Find Pa where:
Gmm = 2.491

Gmb (Calculation Activity # 1) = 2.382

Percent of Absorbed Asphalt by Weight of Aggregate

𝐺𝐺𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 − 𝐺𝐺𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠
% 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴ℎ𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊ℎ𝑡𝑡 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 = 𝑃𝑃𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 = 𝐺𝐺𝑏𝑏 × �(100 − 𝑃𝑃𝑏𝑏 ) × �
𝐺𝐺𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 × 𝐺𝐺𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠
Where

Gb = Specific Gravity of Binder = 1.03

Pb = Percent Asphalt Content in Mix

Gse = Effective Specific Gravity of the Aggregate Mixture

Gsb = Bulk Specific Gravity of the Aggregate Mixture

Example Calculation:

Gb = 1.03

Pb = 3.9%

Gse = 2.697

Gsb = 2.66
2.697 − 2.66
𝑃𝑃𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 = 1.03 × �(100 − 3.9) × �
2.697 × 2.66
0.037
𝑃𝑃𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 = 1.03 × �(96.1) × �
2.697 × 2.66
0.037
𝑃𝑃𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 = 1.03 × �(96.1) × �
7.17
𝑃𝑃𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 = 1.03 × [(96.1) × 0.0052]
𝑃𝑃𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 = 1.03 × [0.500]
𝑃𝑃𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 = 0.52
Calculation Activity

Find Pba where:

Gb = 1.03

Gse = 2.708

Gsb = 2.67

Pb = 5.7 %
Percent Effective Asphalt Content

% 𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴ℎ𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶 = 𝑃𝑃𝑏𝑏 − 𝑃𝑃𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏

Where

Pb = Percent of Asphalt Content in the Mixture

Pba = Percent of Absorbed Asphalt

Example Calculation:

Pb = 5.7%

Pba = 0.54

% 𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴ℎ𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶 = 5.7 − 0.54

% 𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴ℎ𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶 = 5.16 = 5.2%

Calculation Activity

Find Pbe where:

Pba = 0.91 %

Pb = 5.7 %

Voids in Mineral Aggregate (VMA) @ Ndes

𝐺𝐺𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 × (100 − 𝑃𝑃𝑏𝑏 )

% 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉 = 100 − � �
𝐺𝐺𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠

Where

Gmb = Bulk Specific Gravity of the Specimen (Pill)

Gsb = Bulk Specific Gravity of the Combined Aggregate

Pb = Percent of Asphalt Content in the Mixture

Example Calculation:

Gmb = 2.389

Gsb = 2.66

Pb = 5.7%
 2.389 × (100 − 5.7)
% 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉 = 100 − � �
2.66

2.389 × (94.3)
% 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉 = 100 − � �
2.66
225.283
% 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉 = 100 − � �
2.66
% 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉 = 100 − (84.69)
% 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉 = 15.3%

Calculation Activity

Find VMA where:

Gmb = 2.367

Gsb = 2.66

Pb = 5.2%

Voids Filled with Asphalt @ Ndes

%𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉 − 𝑃𝑃𝑎𝑎
% 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉 = 100 × � �
%𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉
Where

%VMA = Percent Voids in Mineral Aggregate

Pa = Percent of Air Voids

Example Calculation:

%VMA = 12.4%

Pa = 5.3
12.4 − 5.3
% 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉 = 100 × � �
12.4
7.1
% 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉 = 100 × � �
12.4
% 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉 = 100 × (0.573)
% 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉 = 57.3%
Calculation Activity

Find VFA where:

VMA = 12.7 %

Pa = 4.7 %

Percent of Maximum Specific Gravity @ Nini

𝐻𝐻𝐻𝐻 @ 𝑁𝑁𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 100

% 𝐺𝐺𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 @ 𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁 = 𝐺𝐺𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 @ 𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁 × � × �
𝐻𝐻𝐻𝐻 @ 𝑁𝑁𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝐺𝐺𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 @ 𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁

Where:

% Gmm @ Nini = Maximum Specific Gravity of a Paving Mixture at Nini

Gmb @ Ndes = Bulk Specific Gravity of a Paving Mixture at Ndes

Ht @ Ndes = Pill Height @ Ndes

Ht @ Nini = Pill Height @ Nini

Gmm @ Ndes = Maximum Specific Gravity of a Paving Mixture at Ndes

Calculation Example:

Gmb = 2.386

Ht @ Ndes = 116.2

Ht @ Nini = 129.1

Gmm = 2.578
116.2 100
% 𝐺𝐺𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 @ 𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁 = 2.386 × � × �
129.1 2.578

% 𝐺𝐺𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 @ 𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁 = 2.386 × [0.90 × 38.790]

% 𝐺𝐺𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 @ 𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁 = 2.386 × [34.911]

% 𝐺𝐺𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 @ 𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁 = 2.386 × [0.90 × 38.790]

% 𝐺𝐺𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 @ 𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁 = 83.3 %

Calculation Activity

Find Percent of Maximum Specific Gravity @ Nini where:

Gmb = 2.384

Ht @ Ndes = 122.8

Ht @ Nini = 119.6

Gmm = 2.518

Dust to Asphalt Ratio

𝑃𝑃#200
𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷 𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴ℎ𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅 =
𝑃𝑃𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏
Where

P#200 = Percent Passing the #200 sieve

Pbe = Percent of Effective Asphalt Binder

Example Calculation:

P#200 = 5.9%

Pbe = 3.8%
5.9
𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷 𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴ℎ𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅 =
3.8
𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷 𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴ℎ𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅 = 1.55 = 1.6

Calculation Activity

Find D/A given:

P#200 = 7.5%

Pbe = 4.8%

Percent of Maximum Specific Gravity @ Nmax

𝐺𝐺𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 @ 𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁
% 𝐺𝐺𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 @ 𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁 = 100 × � �
𝐺𝐺𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 @ 𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁

Where:
 % Gmm @ Nmax = Percent of Maximum Specific Gravity of a Paving Mixture
at Nmax

Gmb @ Nmax = Bulk Specific Gravity of a Paving Mixture at Nmax

Gmm @ Ndes = Maximum Specific Gravity of a Paving Mixture at Ndes

Calculation Example:

Gmb @ Nmax = 2.470

Gmm @ 4.0 = 2.528

2.425
% 𝐺𝐺𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 @ 𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁 = 100 × � �
2.528
% 𝐺𝐺𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 @ 𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁 = 0.977 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 97.7 %

Calculation Activity:

Gmb @ Nmax = 2.396

Gmm @ 5.5 = 2.468

Computing Maximum Specific Gravities at Different Asphalt Contents

𝑃𝑃𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚
𝐺𝐺𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 =
𝑃𝑃𝑠𝑠 𝑃𝑃𝑏𝑏
𝐺𝐺𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 + 𝐺𝐺𝑏𝑏
Where

Pmm = Percent of Total Loose Mix = 100%

Ps = Percent Aggregate by Weight of Mix

Gse = Effective Specific Gravity of Aggregate

Pb = Percent of Asphalt Content in Mixture

Gb = Specific Gravity of Binder = 1.03

Example Calculation

Pmm = 100%

Ps = 94.5%

Gse = 2.665

Pb = 5.5%
Gb = 1.03
100
𝐺𝐺𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 =
94.5 5.5
+
2.665 1.03
100
𝐺𝐺𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 =
35.460 + 5.340
100
𝐺𝐺𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 =
40.8
𝐺𝐺𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 = 2.451
Calculation Activity

Pmm = 100%

Ps = 94.2%

Gse = 2.726

Pb = 5.8%

Gb = 1.03