86
Effects of Mineral Fillers on Properties of
Stone Matrix Asphalt Mixtures
WALAA S. MOGAWER AND KEVIN D. STUART
Stone matrix asphalt (SMA) is a gap-graded hot mixture that has higher
proportion of coarse aggregate, lower proportion of middle-size aggre-
gate, and higher proportion of mineral filler than a dense-graded mix-
ture. Because of the high quantity of mineral filler, the type and quantity
of this fraction should play a major role in the properties of these mix-
tures and their mastics. Determination of whether mastic and mixture
properties can distinguish good mineral fillers from bad ones is the
objective. Eight mineral fillers with known performance were obtained
from three European countries. Mastics were tested for stiffness using a
bending beam rheometer (AASHTO TP1), a dynamic shear rheometer
(AASHTO TP5), and softening point of bitumen using the ring-and-ball
apparatus (AASHTO T53-92). None of the tests distinguished among
mastics with good and bad mineral fillers. Mixtures were tested for
draindown of mastic using the National Center for Asphalt Technology
draindown test, rutting using the French pavement rutting tester, low-
temperature cracking using the indirect tensile test, workability using
the U.S. Corps of Engineers gyratory testing machine, and moisture
susceptibility using the ASTM D 4867 method. None of the tests
distinguished among SMA mixtures with good and bad mineral fillers.
Stone matrix asphalt (SMA) is a gap-graded hot mixture that has
higher proportion of coarse aggregate, lower proportion of middle-
size aggregate, and higher proportion of mineral filler than a dense-
graded mixture. A stabilizing additive composed of cellulose fibers,
mineral fibers, or polymers is added to SMA mixtures to prevent
draindown of their mastics. The mastic in SMA mixtures is the sum
of the filler fraction of the aggregate, the added filler, the binder,
and the stabilizing additive. FHWA SMA Technical Working
Group (TWG) recommends using between 8 and 13 percent aggre-
gate by weight finer than 75 µm in SMA mixtures (1). Because the
quantity of minus 75-µm material in SMA mixtures is relatively
large, the type and quality of this fraction should play a significant
role in the properties of SMA mastics and mixtures. Also, mineral
fillers affect workability, moisture resistance, stiffness, and aging
characteristics of hot mix asphalt (HMA) mixtures (2–4 ). There-
fore, the effects of different mineral fillers on SMA mastics and
mixtures need to be examined.
SOURCE AND PROPERTIES OF
MINERAL FILLERS
Eighteen mineral fillers collected from Sweden (SWE), Germany
(GER), and Switzerland (CHE) were available at the FHWA’s
Turner Fairbank Highway Research Center. The performance of
these mineral fillers was reported by the users as clearly good or
bad for use in SMA or HMA. A preceding study used these min-
eral fillers to explore the relationships between the performance of
W. S. Mogawer, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, 285 Old Westport
Rd., North Dartmouth, Mass. 02747-2300. K. D. Stuart, FHWA, 6300
Georgetown Pike, McLean, Va. 22101-2296.
TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH RECORD 1530
the mineral fillers in pavements and the filler and mastic proper-
ties. The gradations and specific gravities of the fillers were mea-
sured and the stiffening power of the mastics was measured using
the ring-and-ball apparatus and a dynamic shear rheometer. For
the study documented in this paper, eight of the European mineral
fillers were chosen. The eight mineral fillers, their origins, and
reported performance are tabulated in Table 1. The previous study
concluded
The percent voids in a compacted sample of mineral filler, as found
through the Anderson modified Rigden voids method, was the only
independent variable that could singly distinguish between most of the
‘good’ and ‘bad’ fillers. With the range for ‘good’ fillers being between
34% and 39%, only one ‘good’ filler was out of this range (2).
The eight mineral fillers were chosen on the basis of their
reported performance, gradations, and the Anderson modified Rig-
den voids. Mineral fillers with Anderson modified Rigden voids
within and outside of the 34 to 39 percent range were selected. The
GER-8 mineral filler was chosen specifically because its perfor-
mance was reported as good; however, its Anderson modified Rig-
den voids (32.1 percent) was less than the lower limit (34 percent)
for good mineral fillers obtained in the preceding study. The grada-
tions, specific gravities, and Anderson modified Rigden voids of
the eight mineral fillers are presented in Table 2.
The Anderson modified Rigden voids can be used to predict the
stiffening effect of a mineral filler on an asphalt (2). The volume of
the voids in a compacted sample of dry mineral filler is equated to the
fixed volume of the binder in the mastic. This volume of the binder is
unavailable to participate in the mixture as a whole. The hypothesis
is that when the percent voids in a compacted sample of filler is too
high, not enough binder is free, leading to exceedingly stiff mixtures
or mixtures susceptible to cracking failure. If the percent voids is too
low (too much free binder), then the mixtures will be susceptible to
excessive draindown, bleeding, and rutting (2).
Figure 1 describes the parameters used to calculate the percent-
age of free binder in each mixture. To determine the percent free
binder, the volume of the filler (solid volume) used in a mixture is
first calculated from the mass used in the mixture and the apparent
specific gravity. The Anderson modified Rigden voids and the vol-
ume of the solids are used to calculate the volume of the voids (vol-
ume of fixed binder content). The fixed binder content is subtracted
from the total volume of binder used in a mixture to calculate the
volume of free binder.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to determine whether mastic and
mixture properties can distinguish good mineral fillers from bad
TABLE 1 Origins and Reported Performance of Mineral Fillers

TABLE 2 Gradations and Physical Properties of Mineral Fillers and Free Binder Contents
88
FIGURE 1 Volumetric parameters used to describe voids in
mineral filler and mastic.
mineral fillers. A second objective was to determine whether free
binder content relates to mastic and mixture properties.
EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM
The experimental design involved performing Marshall mix
designs and testing the mastics and the mixtures. The mastics and
the mixtures were given the same designations as the mineral fillers
in the preceding study (2).
The mastics and mixtures were tested to determine the effects of
mineral fillers on them. Mastics were tested because if a measured
property of the mastics was found to adversely affect the perfor-
mance of the mixtures the test method can be used to optimize the
properties of the mastics.
Eight Marshall mix designs were performed to determine the
optimum asphalt contents (OAC) of the SMA mixtures prepared
with the eight mineral fillers.
Mastics were prepared by blending each mineral filler with the
asphalt using the filler-to-asphalt ratio by volume at the OAC for
each mixture. A stabilizing additive was not included in the mas-
tics; however, if a test was able to distinguish between mastics with
good and bad mineral fillers, it was planned to retest them with the
stabilizing additive.
The mastics were tested to determine the effects of the mineral
fillers on their stiffnesses using a bending beam rheometer (AASHTO
TP1), the softening point of bitumen using the ring-and-ball
apparatus (AASHTO T53-92), and a dynamic shear rheometer
(AASHTO TP5).
The mixtures were tested to evaluate the effects of the mineral
fillers on SMA’s properties. Draindown of the mastic, rutting, low
temperature cracking, workability, and moisture susceptibility
were measured. The draindown of the mastic was evaluated using
the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) draindown
test. The mixtures were tested for rutting using the French pave-
ment rutting tester, for low temperature cracking using the indirect
tensile test, for workability using the U.S. Corps of Engineers gyra-
TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH RECORD 1530
tory testing machine, and for moisture susceptibility using the
ASTM D 4867 method.
The results were statistically analyzed using Fisher’s least sig-
nificance difference procedure (LSD). The Fisher’s LSD procedure
was performed at a level of significance α = 0.05. Fisher’s LSD
determined which averages were not statistically different.
MIXTURE DESIGN
The mixtures were designed to sustain heavy traffic using 50
blows. SMA mixtures are designed in Europe for heavy traffic
using 50 blows (5). The design air-void content was 3.5 percent.
The aggregate gradations met the recommended gradations given
by the SMA TWG (1).
The aggregate blend consisted of No. 68 diabase (aggregates
retained on the 4.75-mm sieve) and No. 10 diabase (aggregates
finer than the 4.75-mm sieve and retained on the 0.150-mm sieve).
The diabase aggregates were obtained from Virginia Trap Rock, in
Leesburg, Virginia. A cellulose fiber, trade-named Technocel, was
used as a stabilizer. The Technocel was added at 0.3 percent by
mixture mass, based on the supplier’s recommendation.
To evaluate the effects of the added filler on the SMA mixtures,
it was necessary to remove the aggregate’s filler fraction. There-
fore, the diabase aggregates were sieved down to the 0.150-mm
sieve and washed to remove all material finer than this size (0.150-
mm was the maximum size of the mineral fillers). The aggregates
were then blended. A washed sieve analysis was performed on the
blend to determine the amount of the minus 0.150-mm material in
the blend after washing. Only 0.6 percent of the material was finer
than the 0.150-mm sieve. This percentage was considered insignif-
icant. The results of the washed sieve analysis are presented in
Table 3. The fillers were then added to the blend.
Table 3 shows the gradations of the eight mixtures. Seven of the
eight mixtures had equivalent gradations from the 19.0-mm sieve
to the 75-µm sieve. One mixture (SWE-1) had a different gradation
from the 0.600-mm sieve to the 0.150-mm sieve size because the
SWE-1 filler had a very coarse gradation (only 60.8 percent passed
the 75-µm sieve).
EVALUATION OF MASTICS
The eight mastics were prepared by blending each filler with the
neat binder on a hot plate using the ratios of the filler to neat binder
by volume that were used in the mixtures. The proportions of the
filler to the neat binder in each mastic are presented in Table 2. The
neat binder was an AC-20. The GER-7 filler required the most time
to be coated with the binder. This mastic was extremely gummy
and very difficult to pour.
Table 2 shows the percentage of free binder in each mixture.
The GER-4, GER-7, and SWE-1 had the lowest percent free
binder contents among the eight mastics and mixtures; based on
the hypothesis, these three fillers should provide the stiffest mas-
tics and mixtures. The SWE-7 had the highest free binder content;
therefore, this filler should provide the stiffest mastic and mixture.
Bending Beam Rheometer (AASHTO TP1)
A bending beam rheometer (BBR) was used to measure the stiff-
ness of each mastic at –28°C. The mineral fillers with the lowest
Mogawer and Stuart
TABLE 3 Washed Aggregate Gradations of Mixtures and Diabase Aggregate
free binder contents (GER-4, GER-7, and SWE-1) were expected
to produce the stiffest mastics. The BBR measures the stiffness of
a small asphalt beam sample under creep load. A 980 ±5mN load
was applied for 240 sec and the deflection of the beam was mea-
sured during this period. Two parameters were evaluated with the
BBR: (a) the creep stiffness at 60 sec loading time—a measure of
how the asphalt resists loading—and (b) the m-value—a measure
of how the asphalt stiffness changes as the load is applied.
Softening Point of Bitumen Using Ring-and Ball
Apparatus (AASHTO T 53-92)
The stiffening powers of the mastics were measured as the differ-
ence between the softening point (AASHTO T 53-92) of a mastic
and the softening point of the neat binder. The stiffening power is
used in Germany to qualify mineral fillers for use in pavements. In
this study, the mineral fillers with the lowest free binder contents
(GER-4, GER-7, and SWE-1) were expected to produce the stiffest
mastics. The Germans use a range in stiffening power for accept-
able mineral fillers of 10°C to 20°C (2). Mastics that exceed 20°C
would be considered too stiff and the mineral fillers would be dis-
qualified to avoid placing crack susceptible pavements. Mastics
that test below 10°C would not be stiffened enough; these would be
susceptible to excessive draindown, bleeding, shoving, and rutting.
In testing the mastics and the neat binder, the standard testing
procedure for the softening point of bitumen, AASHTO T 53, was
followed using ethylene glycol as the bath liquid. The softening
point of the neat binder was found to be 50°C.
Dynamic Shear Rheometer (AASHTO TP5)
The stiffening powers of the mastics were also measured using a
dynamic shear rheometer (DSR). This stiffening power was defined
89
as the increase needed in test temperature so that the stiffness (G*
measured by the DSR) of the mastic matched the stiffness of the
neat binder. The G* of the neat binder was measured at 50°C,
which was its softening point. The mineral fillers that had the low-
est free binder contents (GER-4, GER-7, and SWE-1) were
expected to have the highest stiffening power.
EVALUATION OF MIXTURES
The effects of the mineral fillers on SMA properties in terms of
draindown of the mastic, rutting, low temperature cracking, work-
ability, and moisture susceptibility were evaluated. To measure the
draindown of the SMA mixtures, loose mixtures were used. To
measure the other properties, the SMA mixtures were compacted to
approximately 5.5 percent air voids. A target air void range of 5 to
6 percent was used because an SMA mixture should have less than
6 percent air voids after compaction in the field.
Draindown
The NCAT draindown test was used to evaluate the effects of the
different mineral fillers on the draindown of the mastic. In this test,
the sample is placed in a wire basket that is positioned on a
preweighed, dry paper plate. The sample, basket, and plate are
placed in a forced-air oven for 60 min at 143°C. The basket con-
taining the sample is then removed from the oven along with the
paper plate and the paper plate is weighed. The percent loss due to
draindown is calculated as:
100 (final paper mass − initial paper mass)
loss ( percent ) =
initial sample mass
90
When this test was performed some particles of the mixture fell
through the basket onto the paper plate. These particles were placed
back into the basket before placing the basket in the oven.
Rutting
The French pavement rutting tester was used to determine the
effects of the mineral fillers on the rutting susceptibilities of SMA
mixtures at 60°C. This wheel-tracking device tests slabs that are
500 × 180 × 50 mm or 100 mm thick using a smooth, reciprocat-
ing, pneumatic rubber tire at 0.61 MPa and loaded at 5000 ± 50N.
The tire is 415 mm in diameter and 109 mm wide. A hydraulic
jack underneath the slab pushes the slab upward to create the
load. The machine tests two slabs at a time. A slab thickness of
50 mm is used if the pavement layer will be 50 mm or less. For
layers thicker than 50 mm, 100-mm slabs are tested. SMA pave-
ment layers are generally less than 50 mm thick, hence 50-mm-
thick slabs were tested in this study. The slabs were fabricated
using the French plate compactor. Two slabs were fabricated at
the OAC per mixture.
For a 50-mm-thick slab, the test is performed to 3,000 cycles
and the average rut depths at 30, 100, 300, 1,000, and 3,000
cycles are measured. A cycle is two passes of the tire. If the aver-
age percent rut depth at 3,000 cycles is more than 20 percent of
the slab thickness, the mixture is considered failed (unaccept-
able). Slopes for different mixtures taken from log rut depth ver-
sus log number of cycles plots can also be compared. Rut
susceptible mixtures generally have higher slopes.
The hypothesis in this study stated that the lower the free binder
content in a mixture, the less susceptible to rutting the mixture will
be. Therefore, the GER-4, GER-7, and the SWE-1 mixtures were
expected to be the least susceptible to rutting.
Low-Temperature Cracking
The effects of the different mineral fillers on the resistances of the
SMA mixtures to thermal cracking were evaluated using the indirect
splitting tensile test at a low temperature with a loading rate of
1.27 mm/min. This research study was performed at the FHWA’S
Turner Fairbank Highway Research Center in Virginia; Superpave
states that the lowest temperature of a pavement in Virginia is
–28°C. Therefore, –28°C was used as the test temperature. This test
evaluated tensile strength (St), horizontal tensile strain at failure (et),
and the amount of work needed to cause tensile failure. The work is
the area under the stress-strain curve from the beginning of the test
until failure. Higher et and higher amounts of work are associated
with increased resistance to low-temperature cracking. The equation
used to compute et, assuming a Poisson’s ratio of 0.35, is (6):
et = 0.0205 Ht
where et is horizontal tensile strain at failure and Ht is total
horizontal deformation, mm.
The mixtures were short-term and long-term aged in a forced-
draft oven according to AASHTO provisional Method PP2-94.
Short-term oven aging was performed on the loose mixtures at
135°C for 4 hr, and long-term oven aging was performed on com-
pacted specimens at 85°C for 5 days. After aging, the specimens
were stored at room temperature for 24 hr and then placed in a
freezer at –28°C for 24 hr.
TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH RECORD 1530
The hypothesis in this study stated that the lower the free binder
content in a mixture, the more susceptible to low-temperature
cracking the mixture will be compared with the mixtures with
higher free binder content. Therefore, the GER-4, GER-7, and the
SWE-1 mixtures were expected to be the most susceptible to low
temperature cracking.
Workability
The effects of the different mineral fillers on the workabilities of
the SMA mixtures were evaluated using the U.S. Corps of Engi-
neers gyratory testing machine (GTM). Workability is the ease
with which paving mixtures may be placed. The compaction efforts
required to compact specimens to an air-void level representative
of the average in-place field level (5.5 percent) after construction
were measured. The mixtures were compacted at 20 or 40 and
60 gyrations, or both, at 135°C with a vertical pressure of 120 psi
and a 0.014-radian angle of gyration. The air voids at the different
number of gyrations were measured and the number of gyrations
required to achieve a 5.5 percent air void level was calculated. The
hypothesis stated that the mixtures with higher volumes of free
asphalt such as CHE-1, GER-8, GER-9, CHE-2, and SWE-7 would
be easier to compact (i.e., requires fewer gyrations to reach 5.5 per-
cent air voids) than mixtures with lower volumes of free asphalt
such as GER-4, GER-7, and SWE-1. Table 2 shows the volumes of
the free asphalt in the mixtures.
European suppliers of the GER-7 and SWE-1 mineral fillers pro-
vided small quantities (5 kg). Insufficient material existed to deter-
mine the effects of these two mineral fillers on the workabilities of
the mixtures.
Moisture Susceptibility
ASTM D 4867 entitled Effect of Moisture on Asphalt Concrete
Paving Mixtures was used to determine whether the mineral fillers
had any effect on the moisture susceptibilities of the mixtures.
Three unconditioned (dry) and three conditioned (wet) speci-
mens were tested per mixture. Wet specimens were (a) vacuum-
saturated with distilled water so that 55 to 80 percent of their air
voids were filled with water, (b) subjected to a freezing cycle for 15
hr at –18.0°C ±2.0°C, (c) soaked in a 60°C distilled water bath for
24 hr, and (d) tested at 25°C along with the dry specimens. Speci-
mens were compacted to approximately 5.5 percent air voids by the
Marshall hammer. Use of an air void level near the upper allowable
field level provides a more severe condition than lower levels.
The diametral modulus-retained ratio (MdR) and tensile
strength-retained ratio (TSR) were computed for each mixture in
percentages. A retained ratio is the average wet value divided by
the average dry value. Statistics could not be applied to the
retained ratios because they were averages.
The average percentage of visual stripping was also estimated for
each mixture. Visual stripping is the percentage of area that is
stripped relative to the total area of the split surfaces of the specimen.
The percent swell for each mixture was also measured. This is the
average change in the volumes of the specimens due to moisture
conditioning. A high amount of swell indicates internal damage.
A TSR below 80 percent, an MdR below 70 percent, and visual
stripping above 10 percent are suggested criteria for considering a
mixture susceptible to moisture susceptibility. Swells equal to or
greater than 1 percent were used as indicators of high internal dam-
Mogawer and Stuart
age, although a reliable limit on the percent swell has not been estab-
lished. These criteria were developed for dense-graded mixtures.
Their applicability to SMA mixtures has not been established.
Sufficient materials of the GER-7 and the SWE-1 mineral
fillers were not available to determine their effects on the mois-
ture susceptibilities of the mixtures.
RESULTS AND ANALYSIS
Table 4 shows the results of the Marshall mixture design. The
VMAs of each SMA mixture did not vary with the binder content,
and the air voids versus binder content relationships were linear.
Only three binder contents were used in designing the mixtures.
All mixtures except the GER-7 mixture had approximately 6.5
percent binder by mass of mixture and a VMA of approximately
19. The GER-7 mixture had a 7.8 percent binder content and a
VMA of 22.3. The GER-7 mixture had a higher binder content and
VMA because its ratio of the filler to binder by volume was 27 to
73 percent; the low filler volume in comparison to the other mix-
tures was due to the high specific gravity of the GER-7 filler. Con-
sequently, more asphalt was used in the GER-7 mixture leading to
the higher asphalt content and VMA. The volume of the filler in
the GER-7 mixture was 14 cm3 lower than the volume of the min-
eral filler in the other mixtures, and the volume of the asphalt in
the GER-7 mixture was 14 cm3 higher than the volume of the
asphalt in the other mixtures. (Future studies should consider
adding the mineral fillers by volume.) Table 2 shows the propor-
tions of the components of the mastic and the volume of the mas-
tic in each mixture.
To determine whether the Marshall flow and stability can distin-
guish among SMA mixtures with good and bad mineral fillers, the
LSD procedure was performed. The flows and the stabilities of the
SMA mixtures with good and bad mineral fillers were not statisti-
cally different. Therefore, the Marshall flows and stabilities did not
distinguish among SMA mixtures with good and bad mineral fillers.
EVALUATION OF MASTICS
BBR
Table 5 shows the results of the BBR test. The m-value was
unable to identify the mineral fillers based on performance. The
TABLE 4 Marshall Mix Design Properties of Mixtures
91
LSD showed that the means of the mastics with good and bad
mineral fillers are not significantly different. Based on the
hypothesis used in this test, the GER-4, GER-7, SWE-1 should be
the stiffest mastics. The GER-4 and the SWE-1 satisfied the
hypothesis; the GER-7 did not satisfy the hypothesis. The GER-7
mastics was difficult to mix and pour; therefore it is questionable
whether the measured stiffness of the GER-7 is correct. There
was a good correlation (R2 = – 0.95) between the stiffness and the
free binder content.
Softening Point of Bitumen Using
Ring-and-Ball Apparatus
Table 5 shows the results of this test. The stiffening power was
unable to identify the mineral fillers based on performance. Never-
theless, a good correlation (R2 = 0.92) existed between the stiffening
power and the free binder content.
The GER-7 mastic was difficult to pour into the testing ring;
therefore, it was not tested. The GER-4 and SWE-1 mastics were
the only mastics that had a stiffening power value greater than the
10°C to 20°C acceptable range set by the German method. This
agrees with the hypothesis used in this test.
DSR
Table 5 shows the results from the DSR. The stiffening power from
the DSR failed to distinguish among mastics with good and bad
mineral fillers. A poor correlation (R2 = 0.49) existed between the
stiffening power measured by the DSR and the free binder content.
Furthermore, a poor correlation existed between the stiffening
power found by the ring-and-ball test and the stiffening power
found by the DSR (R2 = 0.05).
EVALUATION OF MIXTURES
Draindown
Table 5 shows the draindown data from the NCAT test. No drain-
down of the mastics occurred from any of the mixtures. This was
attributed to the stabilizer in the mixture.
92
TABLE 5 Properties of Mastics
Rutting
Table 6 shows the rut depths and the percent rut depths of the
eight mixtures. For 50-mm-thick slabs the test is performed to
3,000 cycles; if the percent rut depth is greater than 20 percent of
the slab thickness, then the mixture is considered a rut susceptible
mixture. At 3,000 cycles all mixtures passed the test; therefore,
this test did not distinguish between SMA mixtures with good and
bad mineral fillers.
In an attempt to find a procedure that could distinguish between
SMA mixtures with good and bad mineral fillers, the test was
extended to 10,000 cycles. At 10,000 cycles, all mixtures had a
percent rut depth less than 20 percent. Therefore, none of the
mixtures was rut susceptible.
The LSD was performed on the percent rut depths at 3,000
and 10,000 cycles. Based on the LSD procedure, mixtures
with good mineral fillers and mixtures with bad mineral fillers
were not significantly different. Hence, the percent rut depths
using 50-mm slabs were not a function of the filler. A poor corre-
lation existed between the percent rut depth and the free binder
contents. At 3,000 and 10,000 cycles, the R2 was 0.28 and 0.12,
respectively. Furthermore, the results from this test did not agree
with the hypothesis because the GER-4, GER-7, and SWE-1,
which had the three lowest volumes of free asphalt, did not rut the
least.
In another attempt, 100-mm-thick slabs were prepared and
tested. Only two mixtures CHE-1 (good) and CHE-2 (bad) were
tested. The CHE-1 and CHE-2 mixtures were used because prepar-
ing the thick slabs required a large amount of filler and the CHE-1
and CHE-2 mineral fillers were supplied in large quantities. When a
100-mm-thick slab is tested, a mixture is considered a rut suscepti-
ble mixture if the percent rut depth is greater than 10 percent of the
slab thickness at 30,000 cycles. The average rut depth was mea-
sured at 300, 1,000, 3,000, 10,000, and 30,000 cycles. The data
from testing the 100-mm slabs are presented in Table 6. The CHE-
1 (good) and the CHE-2 (bad) mixtures failed the test when testing
100-mm slabs instead of 50-mm slabs. Therefore, this test did not
distinguish between SMA mixtures with good and bad mineral
fillers.
TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH RECORD 1530
Low-Temperature Cracking
Table 7 presents the results of the indirect tensile test. The LSD
procedure was performed to determine whether the work, strain,
and the tensile strength can distinguish among SMA mixtures with
good and bad mineral fillers. The LSD showed that the works,
strains, and tensile strengths of all the mixtures were not signifi-
cantly different; therefore, they failed to distinguish among SMA
mixtures with good and bad mineral fillers. Also, the variability
was high among the work and strain data.
A poor correlation existed between the stiffnesses of the mastics
measured by the BBR and the properties of the mixtures measured
using the indirect tensile test. The R2 between the stiffnesses and
the tensile strength, strain, and work were 0.36, 0.44, and 0.13,
respectively. A poor correlation existed between the tensile
strengths and the free binder contents (R2 = 0.35).
Workability
Table 7 shows the results from the GTM. Because the two
mixtures (SWE-1 and GER-7) with the lowest volumes of
free asphalt could not be tested (insufficient materials), the
hypothesis could not be verified. Mixtures with good mineral
fillers such as CHE-1 and GER-9 and mixtures with bad mineral
fillers such as CHE-2 and GER-4 required similar numbers of
gyrations to reach a 5.5 percent air void level. Therefore, the
number of gyrations required to reach a 5.5 percent air void level
did not distinguish between SMA mixtures with good and bad
mineral fillers.
Moisture Susceptibility
Table 8 presents the moisture susceptibility test results. The GER-4
mixture was the only mixture that had failing retained ratios. The
conditioned specimens of the GER-4 mixture looked dull after
splitting them. One hypothesis was that the filler was stripped.
Nevertheless, all mixtures showed more than 10 percent visual
stripping; therefore, based on visual stripping all the mixtures are
Mogawer and Stuart
TABLE 6 Results from French Rutting Tester
susceptible to moisture damage. Statistically, the dry and wet ten-
sile strengths and diametral moduli did not distinguish among
SMA mixtures with good and bad mineral fillers. A good correla-
tion existed between the free binder contents and the tensile
strength ratios. Also, a good correlation existed between the free
binder contents and the diametral modulus retained ratios; R 2 was
0.76 and 0.85 respectively.
CONCLUSIONS
1. The tests used to evaluate the mastics did not distinguish
among mastics with good and bad mineral fillers.
93
2. The tests used to evaluate the mixtures did not distinguish
among SMA mixtures with good and bad mineral fillers.
3. There was a good correlation between the free binder
content and the stiffnessess of the mastics measured by the
BBR and the stiffening power measured using the ring-and-
ball apparatus. The ramification of this is unknown since the
tests did not distinguish between good and bad mineral
fillers.
4. A poor correlation existed between the stiffening power
measured by the DSR and the free binder content.
5. A poor correlation existed between the percent rut depth
measured by the French pavement rut tester and the free binder
content.
94
TABLE 7 Results from Indirect Tensile Strength Test at T = –28°C and Gyratory Testing Machine
TABLE 8 Moisture Susceptibility Results
6. A poor correlation existed between the tensile strengths mea-
sured by the indirect tensile strength test and the free binder contents.
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