Home Exercises – Highway Materials

1. Show that voids in total mix (VTM) of an asphalt concrete specimen can be related to its
bulk density (d) and theoretical maximum density (D) by a relationship of the form:
VTM = (D-d) / D

2. A dense-graded asphalt concrete Marshall specimen weighed 1241.80 g in air; it weighed

714.50 g when suspended from the balance into a tank of water. The binder content was
5.00% of the specimen’s mass. Bulk specific gravity for the aggregates is 2.59. Specific
gravity of the binder is 1.02. Binder absorption is 0.50% of aggregate mass. [Formulas on
mass-volume relationships – see supplementary notes]
For this Marshall specimen, determine the following:
 Bulk density (g/cm3) [2.36]
 Maximum theoretical density (g/cm3) [2.43]
 Voids in the total mix (%) [3.17]
 Voids in the mineral aggregate (%) [13.62]
 Voids filled with binder (%) [76.72]
Also, what is the effective specific gravity of the constituent aggregates? [2.62]

3. Repeat the calculations as in Question 2 above but assuming negligible (0%) binder
absorption in the aggregates.
Ans: [2.36g/cm3; 2.40g/cm3; 2.07%; 13.62%; 84.76%; 2.59]

WYD-1
VTM = (D-d)/D
With reference to diagram
VTM is given by:
VTM = VA / V VOLUME
MASS
 (V-VMM) / V
Air voids VA
 [(V-VMM)/M] / [V/M]
 [1/d – 1/D] / [1/d] Effective binder VBE
 [(D-d) / (dD)]  d VB

 (D-d)/D Absorbed binder VBA

V

M VMM

Aggregate VG
VGE

WYD-2
 A dense-graded asphalt concrete Marshall specimen weighed 1241.80 g in air; it weighed 714.50 g when
suspended from the balance into a tank of water. The binder content was 5.00% of the specimen’s mass. Bulk
specific gravity for the aggregates is 2.59. Specific gravity of the binder is 1.02. Binder absorption is 0.50% of
aggregate mass.

Weighed 1241.8g in air & 714.5g in water; 5% binder; Bulk SG for aggregates
is 2.59 & binder is 1.02. Also, 0.5% binder absorption of aggregate mass.
WYD-3
 455.49 - 5.78

=455.49

Bulk density of mix, d = M/V = 1241.8/527.3 = 2.36

Maximum theoretical density of mix, D = M/VMM = 1241.8/510.58 = 2.43
Effective density of aggregates = MG/VGE = 1179.71/449.71 = 2.62
 =455.49

Voids in total mix, VTM =100xVA/V = 16.72 / 527.3 = 3.17 (%)

Voids in mineral aggregate, VMA = 100x(VBE +VA)/V (%) = 13.62 (%)
Voids filled with binder, VFB = 100xVBE/(VBE +VA) (%) = 76.72 (%)
WYD-5