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BETTER PERFORMING ASPHALT - THE SUPERPAVE STEPS

In 1987 the U.S. Congress passed legislation providing $150 million over 5 years for the Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP), the largest and most ambitious highway research effort ever undertaken in the United States. The legislation specified 0.25 percent of all Federal Aid Highway monies, normally provided to the States, be directed to fund a major research effort. During the program, the contracting plans were revised in several significant areas based on dialogue with the SHRP Asphalt Advisory Committee and others in the highway industry. Three of these changes are: (1) The term "asphalt" was expanded to asphalt binder in order to recognize a specification that includes both unmodified and modified asphalt cements. (2) The original concept of an asphalt-aggregate mixture analysis system (AAMAS) specification was broadened to a performance-based specification for asphalt-aggregate mixtures supported by a mixture design system. (3) In 1991, the term SUPERPAVE was coined to signify the integration of performance-based specifications, test methods, equipment, testing protocols, and a mixture design system. As a result, the SUPERPAVE system became the ultimate final product of the SHRP asphalt research program. The SUPERPAVE products addressed the following pavement distresses for dense graded asphalt mixtures: permanent deformation; fatigue cracking; low temperature cracking.

Language

  • English

Media Info

  • Features: Figures; References; Tables;
  • Pagination: p. 20-38

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00666148
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Report/Paper Numbers: VTI 1A, Part 3
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: Sep 22 1994 12:00AM