HIGHWAYS

Material Construction
Design Practices
Types of Bituminous
Courses
Bituminous Macadam (BM)
Bitumen Macadam is a mixture of aggregate, filler and bitumen
It is mixed in a hot mix plant and laid with a mechanized paver.
It is an open graded mixture suitable for base course.
Used for profile corrective course laid over existing pavement to
correct the crossfall and profile as per drawings.
Laid as a separate layer if thickness is more than 40mm and if laid over
WMM Surface thickness is varying from 50mm to 100mm.
Since the bituminous macadam is an open-graded mixture there is a
potential that it may trap water or moisture vapour within the
pavement system. Therefore, providing proper drainage outlet to the
BM layer should be considered to prevent moisture-induce damage to
the BM and adjacent bituminous layers.
Types of Bituminous
Courses
Dense Bituminous Macadam (DBM) –
DBM is a closely graded mixture used as a Binder Course for pavements
subjected to heavy traffic.
Hydrated Lime or Cement shall be used as filler, if the mix fails to meet
the water sensitivity requirement.
Laid on WMM or BM as specified in drawings, Contract.
The thickness of single layers will be 50mm to 100mm.If thickness
beyond 100mm,to be laid in 2 layers.
Mostly used for NH, Expressways, State Highways.
Types of Bituminous Courses
Bituminous Concrete (BC) (Asphaltic concrete)
Considered as surface course/wearing course laid over underlying
bituminous surface. Layer thickness varies from 30 to 50mm thick
 WHAT IS DBM ?

• DBM is Closely Graded.

• DBM is used as a Binder Course for pavements subjected
to heavy traffic.
• Hydrated Lime or Cement shall be used as filler, if the mix
fails to meet the water sensitivity requirement.
• Binder course : This layer provides the bulk of the asphalt concrete
structure. It's chief purpose is to distribute load to the base course.
The binder course generally consists of aggregates having less
asphalt and doesn't require quality as high as the surface course, so
replacing a part of the surface course by the binder course results in
more economical design.
Materials Required for DBM
Binder- Asphalt/Bitumen
The bitumen shall be viscosity grade paving bitumen complying
with the IS-73, Modified bitumen complying with MORTH clause
501.2.1 or IS-15462.
Aggregate- Coarse aggregate
The coarse aggregates shall consist of crushed rock, crushed
gravel or other hard material retained on the 2.36 mm sieve. They
shall be clean, hard, durable, of cubical shape, free from dust and soft
or friable matter, organic or other deleterious matter.
Note: Where crushed gravel is proposed for use as aggregate for bituminous
concrete, not less than 95 percent by weight of the crushed material retained on
the 4.75 mm sieve shall have at least two fractured faces.
 Materials
Aggregate- Fine aggregate
Fine aggregates shall consist of crushed or naturally occurring material, or a
combination of the two, passing 2.36 mm sieve and retained on the 75 micron
sieve.
• They shall be clean, hard, durable, dry and free from dust, and soft or friable
matter, organic or other deleterious matter.
• Natural sand shall not be allowed in binder and wearing courses. However,
natural sand up to 50 % of the fine aggregates may be allowed in base courses.

Filler- Hydrated lime/ Cement

Filler shall consist of finely divided mineral matter such as rock dust,
hydrated lime or cement approved by the Engineer. The use of hydrated lime
should be encouraged because of its very good anti-stripping and antioxidant
properties.
PROPERTIES OF BITUMINOUS MIXES

1) STABILITY
 It is defined as resistance of paving mix to deform under
Imposed loads.
 Minimum requirement 9KN at 600C.
 Stability is a function of frictional and interlocking resistance
of the aggregate in mix. We can get better stability if the
frictional and interlocking resistance of aggregates are high.
 Frictional resistance increases with the surface roughness
and angularity of aggregate.
 Interlocking resistance increases with non flaky, non
elongated and angular aggregate.
 Stability increases with the density of compacted mix.
 Excessive asphalt in mix lowers the internal friction of the
aggregate causes the reduction in stability of mix.
PROPERTIES OF BITUMINOUS MIXES

2. Durability
It is the resistance of the mix against weathering and abrasive
action.

To resist the weathering and abrasive action mix should be

Dense graded, adequate asphalt content and properly
compacted.

Insufficient asphalt in mix may dislodge the aggregate from mix

surface- Ravelling.

High asphalt content in mix increases durability but stability Will

reduce due to less internal friction and bleeding of Asphalt to the
surface would take place.
It is very important to determine the Optimum asphalt Content in
mix.
PROPERTIES OF BITUMINOUS MIXES

3. Flexibility
It is the ability of asphalt mix to bend without
cracking. Flexibility of mix increases by increasing
asphalt content & keeping the mix open graded.
4.Fatigue Resistance
It is the ability of asphalt mix to resist the repeated
flexing Caused by wheel load.
 Dense graded asphalt mix has high Fatigue
resistance compared to open graded mix.
5.Skid Resistance
It is defined as the resistance of the finished pavement
Against skidding. Rough surface texture of aggregate
Increases skid resistance.
AGGREGATE AND
BITUMEN TEST
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AGGREGATES

Coarse aggregate- MoRTH Tab. 500-8

Property Test Limit Specification

Cleanliness (dust) Grain size analysis Max 5% passing IS 2386-I

0.075 mm sieve

Particle shape Flakiness Index and Combined

Elongation Index Max 35% IS 2386-I

Strength Los Angeles Abrasion Value Max 35%

Aggregate Impact Value Max 27% IS 2386-IV

Durability Soundness either : 5 Cycles

Sodium Sulphate or Max 12%
Magnesium Sulphate Max 18% IS 2386-V

Water Absorption Water Absorption Max 2% IS 2386-III

Stripping Coating and Stripping of Minimum retained

Bitumen Aggregate Mixtures coating 95% IS 6241

Water Sensitivity Retained Tensile Strength* Min 80% ASHTO 283

Note: * If the minimum retained tensile test strength falls below 80 percent, use of anti-
stripping agent is recommended to meet the requirement.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS OF AGGREGATES

Fine aggregates

Property Test Limit

Specification
Sand equivalent Sand equivalent not less than 50 IS:2720-37.

Plasticity index PI not exceed 4 IS:2720-5.

Filler
• The filler shall be free from organic impurities.
• The filler have a Plasticity Index not greater than 4.
• The Plasticity Index requirement shall not apply if filler is cement or lime.
• Where the aggregates fail to meet the requirements of the water sensitivity test (ASTHO-
283) in MoRTH-Table 500-8, then 2 per cent by total weight of aggregate, of hydrated lime
shall be used and percentage of fine aggregate reduced accordingly.
Effect of Shape of aggregate on Asphalt Mix

• As the flakiness increases

– Stability decreases
– Flow and OBC increases
Paving Bitumen Properties

Bitumen is a dark brown to black viscous material.

It is Soluble in Trichloroethylene (Solubility Test).
It is highly waterproof and durable material.
It is highly resistance to the action of most acid, alkalis and
salt.
Bitumen having elastic and plastic behavior.
Sensitive to temperature changes.
Types of Bitumen and their climatic
suitability
Petroleum Product

Bitumen

Normal Bitumen Modified Bitumen

VG 10 VG 20 VG 30 VG 40

PMB CRMB NRMB

Moderate Hot Hot
Cold

PMB PMB PMB NRMB NRMB NRMB

40 70 120 40 70 120

Hot Moderate Cold Hot Moderate Cold

CRMB CRMB CRMB

50 55 60

Hot Moderate Cold

SELECTION CRITERIA OF BINDER

Binder –

Accordingly Physical requirement-

Viscosity Grade- IS-73
Modified Bitumen IS-15462
PAVING BITUMEN TESTS
Standard
Sr.N. Name of Test Apparatus IS Code Objective of Test
Temperature for test

1 Penetration Test Penetrometer IS 1203-1978 25.0 + 0.1oC Load Bearing

Ring and Ball

2 Softening Test IS 1205-1978 5.0 + 0.5oC Melting Point
Apparatus

3 Ductility Test Ductilometer IS 1208-1978 27.0 + 0.5oC Elastic Properties

Pen sky-Martens Increase @ 5.0oC Loss of Properties

4 Flash and Fire Test IS 1209-1978
Closed Tester per min & Burning

Viscosity Test
5 Viscometer IS 1206 (II)-1978 60oC,Poise,Min Flow Properties
(Absolute Viscosity)

Viscosity Test
6 (Kinematics Viscometer IS 1206 (III)-1978 135oC cSt, Min Flow Properties
Viscosity)