VOLUMETRICS OF MIXTURE

• Volumetric analysis is conducted on asphalt mixtures irrespective of

mix design method

• Volumetrics very significantly affect performance in field

• Five volumetric parameters have been known to affect

• Mixture density
• Air voids (AV)
• Voids in Mineral Aggregates (VMA)
• Voids filled with Asphalt (VFB)
• Asphalt content (AC)

• Specific gravity, weight and volume plays a major role in mix design

Dr. Anush K. Chandrappa, SIF, IIT BBS 22

 VOLUMETRICS OF MIXTURE
• Conventional mix design method – No performance parameters are
measured

• Optimum asphalt content is selected based on the air voids

• Air voids was found to be significant parameter

• Asphalt content is selected corresponding to 4% air voids

• 3-5% air voids is preferred in field after years of service

• Asphalt content should also satisfy other volumetric properties

Dr. Anush K. Chandrappa, SIF, IIT BBS 23

VOLUMETRICS OF MIXTURE

Volume composition
Aggregate
Bitumen
Air voids

Mass composition
Aggregate
Bitumen

Dr. Anush K. Chandrappa, SIF, IIT BBS 24

VOLUMETRICS OF MIXTURE

Microscopic View

Macroscopic View
Dr. Anush K. Chandrappa, SIF, IIT BBS 25
VOLUMETRICS OF MIXTURE

PHASE DIAGRAM
Dr. Anush K.OF ASPHALT
Chandrappa, SIF, IIT BBS SPECIMEN 26
VOLUMETRICS OF MIXTURE
Specific Gravity

Binder Aggregate Mixture

specific specific specific
gravity gravity gravity

Bulk Specific Bulk Specific

Gravity (Gsb) Gravity (Gmb)

Apparent Specific Theoretical

Gravity (Gsa) Maximum Specific
Gravity (Gmm)
Effective Specific
Gravity (Gse)

Dr. Anush K. Chandrappa, SIF, IIT BBS 27

 VOLUMETRICS OF MIXTURE
• Binder Specific Gravity
• Ratio of mass of unit volume of bitumen to mass of same volume of
water
• Varies from 0.99 to 1.05

• Bulk Specific Gravity of Aggregate

• Ratio of mass of oven dried aggregate of a unit volume of aggregate
(including both permeable and impermeable void volumes) to mass of
same volume of water

• Apparent Specific Gravity of Aggregate

• Ratio of mass of oven dried aggregate of a unit volume of aggregate
(including only impermeable void volume) to mass of same volume of
water

Dr. Anush K. Chandrappa, SIF, IIT BBS 28

 VOLUMETRICS OF MIXTURE
• Effective Specific Gravity
• Ratio of mass of oven dried aggregate to unit volume of aggregate
(including both impermeable voids and water permeable voids not filled
with asphalt)
GsaGse Gsb

Bitumen
Voids filled voids

Water filled Water filled

voids voids

Dr. Anush K. Chandrappa, SIF, IIT BBS 29

 VOLUMETRICS OF MIXTURE
• Percent air voids (Pa)
• Volume of air voids in compacted mixture expressed as percentage
of total mixture volume

• Voids in Mineral Aggregates (VMA)

• Voids created by the aggregate structure of a compacted mixture
expressed as a percentage of total volume of mixture
• VMA represents volume of air voids and effective bitumen

• Voids filled with Bitumen (VFB)

• Percentage of VMA filled with effective bitumen

• Percent Aggregate (Ps)

• Total percentage of aggregates expressed as total mass of mixture
Dr. Anush K. Chandrappa, SIF, IIT BBS 30
 VOLUMETRICS OF MIXTURE
• Percent of Bitumen (Pb)
• Total percentage of bitumen expressed as total mass of mixture

• Percent binder effective (Pbe)

• Portion of total bitumen which helps in coating the aggregates

• Percent Binder Absorbed (Pba)

• Portion of total bitumen that is absorbed in the aggregates

Dr. Anush K. Chandrappa, SIF, IIT BBS 31

 VOLUMETRICS OF MIXTURE
Parameters to be Experimentally Measured:
• Specific Gravity of Bitumen (Gb)
• Bulk Specific Gravity of Aggregates (Gsb)
• Bulk Specific Gravity of Mixture (Gmb)
• Theoretical Maximum Specific Gravity of Mixture (Gmm)

Parameters to be Calculated:
• Effective Specific Gravity of Aggregate (Gse)
• Voids in Mineral Aggregate (VMA)
• Voids filled with Bitumen (VFB)
• Volume of Voids (AV)
• Volume of Absorbed Bitumen (Vba)
• Volume of Asphalt(Va)

Dr. Anush K. Chandrappa, SIF, IIT BBS 32