Development of Acceptance Criteria of Compacted Hot Mixture Asphalt Bulk Specific Gravity Based on Vacuum Sealed Specimens

A number of test methods are available to measure the bulk specific gravity of compacted hot mix asphalt (HMA). The most commonly used test methods (ASTM D 2726 and AASHTO T 166) were designed for use with specimens that do not contain open or interconnected air voids. With increased traffic loading, coarse and open-graded asphalt mixtures have become more common to improve in-situ performance. These mixtures are known for open or interconnected air voids. The current methods for addressing coarse and open-graded mixtures (ASTM D 1188 and AASHTO T 275) can lead to erroneous bulk specific gravity measurements and can prevent specimens from further testing. Thus a vacuum sealing method (ASTM D 6752) was developed to address asphalt mixtures that contain interconnected or open air voids. In an evaluation of the new method for determining bulk specific gravity it has been found that a criterion test would help to identify when the new test method would be most suitable. The research objective is to define the point at which the vacuum sealing method (ASTM D 6752) more accurately predicts the bulk specific gravity of an HMA as compared to the conventional method (ASTM D 2726 and AASHTO T 166). For this reason permeability was the fundamental property that was investigated. Permeability is a measure of the asphalt mixtures ability to transmit fluid, which in turn represents the mixtures connectivity of void space. A laboratory method for measurement of permeability of hot mix asphalt (ASTM PS 129-01) has been hypothesized as a criterion test for method selection in determining the bulk specific gravity of hot mix asphalt.

• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/39326
• Corporate Authors:

  Michigan Technological University, Houghton

  Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  1400 Townsend Drive
  Houghton, MI  United States  49931-1295

  Michigan Department of Transportation

  Construction and Technology Division, P.O. Box 30049
  Lansing, MI  United States  48909
• Authors:
  • Williams, R Chris
  • Williams, Brett
  • Stanton, Brett
  • Kvasnak, Andrea
  • Van Dam, Thomas John
• Publication Date: 2005-10

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 239p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Acceptance tests; Air voids; Asphalt mixtures; Coarse aggregates; Hot mix asphalt; Open graded aggregates; Permeability; Specific gravity; Traffic loads
• Uncontrolled Terms: Vacuum sealing method
• Subject Areas: Highways; Materials; I35: Miscellaneous Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01115114
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: RC-1522
• Contract Numbers: 96-5434
• Files: NTL, TRIS, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Nov 25 2008 7:31AM