A REVIEW OF RESEARCH PERTAINING TO ASPHALT COMPOSITION AND ITS RELATION TO QUALITY

This report reviews both early and recent research on asphalt quality with emphasis on compositional factors and how the findings of such research relate to present-day problems with asphalt cements and asphaltic paving mixtures. It is shown that historically the quality of an asphalt as a paving material has been judged by its physical characteristics and its performance in a pavement. When properly used, asphalts of widely different physical characteristics can provide good service. Conversely, if asphalts that normally provide good performance are used in improperly designed mixtures, poor performance can result. Accordingly, since many factors enter into pavement performance and these factors often interact with each other, it is difficult to define the quality of an asphalt on the basis of its other characteristics alone. It is concluded that asphalt specifications based on chemical composition do not now, or in the near future, appear feasible.

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• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/19104
• Corporate Authors:

  Virginia Highway and Transportation Research Council

  Charlottesville, VA  United States 

  Virginia Department of Highways

  Traffic and Planning Division, 1221 East Broad Street
  Richmond, VA  United States  23219
• Authors:
  • Halstead, W J
• Publication Date: 1984-12

Media Info

• Pagination: n.p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Asphalt cement; Asphalt mixtures; Chemical composition; Mix design; Pavement performance; Physical properties; Quality control; Research; Specifications
• Uncontrolled Terms: Quality
• Subject Areas: Highways; Materials; Research; I31: Bituminous Binders and Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00454802
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: VHTRC 85-R16
• Files: NTL, TRIS, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Jul 31 1986 12:00AM