SUPERPAVE MIX

DESIGN

Superpave Mix Design 1

 Superpave Gyratory Compaction
and Mixture Requirements
• Section objectives
–Describe the Superpave gyratory compactor
–Review the Superpave mixture requirements
–Summarize the moisture sensitivity test

Final Result
Participant will know the principles
of the SGC and what mix criteria
are included in the Superpave
system
Superpave Mix Design 2
 Goals of Compaction
Method
• Simulate field densification
– traffic
– climate
• Accommodate large aggregates
• Measure of compactability
• Conducive to QC

Superpave Mix Design 3

 Superpave Gyratory
Compactor
• Basis ?
– Texas equipment
– French operational
characteristics
• 150 mm diameter
?
– Up to 37.5 mm
nominal size
?
• Height recordation

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 height control and data
measurement acquisition panel

reaction
frame loading
ram

tilt bar mold

rotating
base

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 ram pressure
600 kPa

150 mm diameter mold

30 gyrations 1.25 degrees

per minute (external)

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 Common SGC Types

Troxler Pine Brovold Interlaken Rainhart

4140 AFGC125X HM-293 GYR-001 144
4141 AFG1A

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 SGC Compaction Curve
% Gmm

The increase in density

(%Gmm) with each gyration
is used to graph this
compaction curve.

10 100 1000
Log Gyrations
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 Gyratory Compaction
• We will evaluate the density of the HMA
at two points:
– Ninitial
– Ndesign
• These N’s represent numbers of
gyrations.

Superpave Mix Design 9

 Current AASHTO Ndesign Table

Compaction Level
Traffic
Level Ninitial Ndesign
< 0.3 6 50
0.3 to < 3.0 7 75
3.0 to < 30.0 8 100
> 30.0 9 125

Some States use different Ndesign Tables

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 Gyratory Compaction
• The density (Gmb) @ Ndesign is the most
important. This is where we will
calculate the volumetric properties.

• Ninitial and Ndesign are points at which we

use to check the compactability and
densification of the HMA.

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 Four Steps for Superpave Mix Design

1. Materials Selection 2. Design Aggregate Structure

TSR

3. Design Binder Content 4. Moisture Sensitivity

Superpave Mix Design 12
 Example Project Data-
• Project on I-43
• Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• 18,000,000 ESAL Design
• Asphalt Overlay - 88 mm total thickness
• 38 mm - wearing course (12.5 mm NMAS)
• 50 mm - intermediate course (19 mm NMAS)

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 4 Steps of Superpave Mix Design

1. Materials Selection 2. Design Aggregate Structure

TSR

3. Design Binder Content 4. Moisture Sensitivity

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 Step 1. Materials Selection
• Binder Selection
– Binder grade is specified in nearly all cases
– Selecting the supplier of the binder is most
often based on cost.

• Aggregates Selection
– Choice of aggregates is usually limited to
locally available materials

Superpave Mix Design 15

 Project Weather
52
Conditions 55

-32 -26

-40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Pavement Temperature (°C), Milwaukee, Wisc.

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 PG 58-34

PG 52-28

Asphalt Binder Grades

Milwaukee, Wisc.
Climate Based Selection

-40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Pavement Temperature (°C), Milwaukee, Wisc

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 Binder Selection
Milwaukee, Wisc

PG 52-28 PG 58-34

Reliability(%) 50 74.5 99.9 99.6

Selected PG 58-34

Superpave Mix Design 18

 Temp-Vis Relationship
5
PG 58-34 Binder

Mix Temp Range: 165-172°C

1 Comp Temp Range: 151-157°C
Viscosity, Pa-s

Compaction Range

Mixing Range

0.1

0.05
100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200
Temperature, C
Superpave Mix Design 19
 Select Aggregates
Available Stockpiles
• #1 stone
• 12.5 mm chip
• 9.5 mm chip
• Manufactured sand
• Screen sand

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 Aggregate Properties

Superpave Mix Design 21

Coarse Aggregate Angularity
Test Results
Aggr. 1+ Frac Faces Crit. 2+ Frac Faces Crit.
#1 Stone 92% 88%
12.5 mm Chip 97% 95% min 94% 90% min
9.5 mm Chip 99% 95%

Superpave Mix Design 22

 Fine Aggregate Angularity
Test Results
Aggregate % Air Voids Criterion
Manufactured Sand 52% 45% min
Screen Sand 40%

Superpave Mix Design 23

 Flat & Elongated Particles
Test Results
Aggregate %Flat & Elongated Criterion
#1 Stone 0%
12.5mm Chip 0% 10% max.
9.5mm Chip 0%

Superpave Mix Design 24

 Sand Equivalent
Test Results
Aggregate Sand Equivalent Criterion
Manufactured Sand 47 45 min

Screen Sand 70

Superpave Mix Design 25

 4 Steps of Superpave Mix Design

1. Materials Selection 2. Design Aggregate Structure

TSR

3. Design Binder Content 4. Moisture Sensitivity

Superpave Mix Design 26
 Selection of Design
Aggregate Structure
• Establish trial blends
• Check aggregate consensus properties
• Compact specimens
• Evaluate trial blends
• Select design aggregate structure

Superpave Mix Design 27

 Gradation
Percent Passing
100
max density line

nom max
control point max size
size

0
.075 .3 2.36 4.75 9.5 12.5 19.0
Sieve Size, mm (raised to 0.45 power)

Superpave Mix Design 28

 IH-43 Trial Gradations
19.0 mm Nominal Mixture
100.0
90.0
80.0
70.0
Trial Blend 3
% PASSING

Trial Blend 1
60.0
50.0
40.0
Trial Blend 2
30.0
20.0
10.0
0.0
0.075 2.36 19.0

Sieve Size (mm) raised to 0.45 power

Superpave Mix Design 29
 Example Trial Blends
Trail Blend 1 Trial Blend 2 Trial Blend 3
#1 Stone 25 30 10
½” Chip 15 25 15
3/8” Chip 22 13 30
Mfg Sand 18 17 31
Scr. Sand 20 15 14

Superpave Mix Design 30

 Aggregate Consensus
Properties
• Blended aggregate properties are
determined

Property Criteria Blend 1 Blend 2 Blend 3

Coarse Ang. 95%/90% min. 96%/92% 95%/92% 97%/93%
Fine Ang. 45% min. 46% 46% 48%
Flat/Elongated 10% max. 0% 0% 0%
Sand Equiv. 45 min. 59 58 54
Combined Gsb n/a 2.699 2.697 2.701
Combined Gsa n/a 2.768 2.769 2.767

Superpave Mix Design 31

 Compact Specimens (Trial
Blends)
• Establish trial asphalt binder content
• Establish trial aggregate weight
• Batch, mix, and compact specimens
• Determine Nini and Ndes
• Determine mixture properties

Superpave Mix Design 32

 Specimen Preparation
• Specimen height
– Mix design - 115 mm (4700 g)
– Moisture sensitivity - 95 mm (3500 g)
• Loose specimen for Gmm (Rice)
– Sample size varies with NMAS
• 19 mm (2000 g) 150 mm
• 12.5 mm (1500 g)

Superpave Mix Design 33

 Batching Samples of Trial Blends

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Superpave Mix Design 35
 Short Term Aging

Two hours at the

compaction temperature

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 Measure Gmb, Gmm and
calculate volumetric properties

Superpave Mix Design 40

 Superpave Mixture
Requirements
• Specimen height
• Mixture volumetrics
– Air voids
– Voids in the mineral aggregate
(VMA)
– Voids filled with asphalt (VFA)
• Dust proportion
• %Gmm @ Nini

Superpave Mix Design 41

 Trial Blend Results
Property 1 2 3
Trial Binder Content 4.4% 4.4% 4.4%
%Gmm @ Ndes 96.2% 95.7% 95.2%
%Gmm @ Nini 87.1% 85.6% 86.3%

%Air Voids 3.8% 4.3% 4.8%

%VMA 12.7% 13.0% 13.5%
%VFA 68.5% 69.2% 70.1%
Dust Proportion 0.9 0.8 0.9

Superpave Mix Design 42

 Estimated Volumetric at 4% AV
Pbe = Pbi – 0.4 x (4-Va)
Pbe: estimated design asphalt content
Pbi: asphalt content used in trial blends

VMAe = VMAi + C x (4-Va)

VMAe: estimated VMA at design asphalt
content
VMAi: initial VMA of trial blend
C= constant: 0.1 when air voids < 4% and
0.2 when air voids > 4%
Superpave Mix Design 43
 Volumetric Design Criteria
SGC
Traffic Dust
ESAL
Criteria VMA VFA Binder
Nini Ndes
< 0.3 <91.5 70-80
see 0.6
<3 <90.5 =96.0 slide 65-78 -to-
53 1.2
>3 <89.0 65-75

Superpave Mix Design 44

 Compare Trial Blends to
Mixture Criteria
Blend 1 2 3 Criteria
Binder Content 4.3% 4.5% 4.7%
%Gmm @ Nini 86.9% 85.9% 87.1% < 89%

%Air Voids 4.0% 4.0% 4.0% 4.0%

%VMA 12.7% 13.0% 13.3% ≥ 13.0%
%VFA 68.5% 69.2% 70.1% 65-75%
Dust Proportion 0.9 0.8 0.9 0.6-1.2

Superpave Mix Design 45

 Select Design Aggregate
Structure
What to do if none of the 3 trial blends are
acceptable?

• Recombine aggregates to form further trial

blends (i.e., Blend 4, Blend 5, etc.)

• Obtain new materials (aggregates, asphalt

binder, modifiers)
Superpave Mix Design 46
 4 Steps of Superpave Mix Design

1. Materials Selection 2. Design Aggregate Structure

TSR

3. Design Binder Content 4. Moisture Sensitivity

Superpave Mix Design 47
 Determining the Design Asphalt Content
• The selected trial blend becomes the design
aggregate structure.

• Batch, mix, and compact more samples with this

gradation with four asphalt contents.

• Determine volumetric properties

• Select Pb at 4.0% air voids and check other

volumetric properties.
Superpave Mix Design 48
Superpave Mix Design 49
 Design Binder Content Samples

Binder Content 4.2% 4.7% 5.2% 5.7%

%Gmm @ Nini 85.7% 87.1% 87.4% 88.6%
%Gmm @ Ndes 94.6% 96.1% 97.1% 98.2%

%Air Voids 5.4% 3.9% 2.9% 1.8%

%VMA 13.3% 13.1% 13.3% 13.5%
%VFA 59.4% 70.2% 78.2% 86.7%
Dust Proportion 1.0 0.9 0.8 0.7

Superpave Mix Design 50

 Densification Curves
I-43, 19.0 mm NMAS, Blend 3
% MAX THEORETICAL DENSITY

98.0
96.0

89.0
4.2% AC
85.0
4.7% AC

5.2% AC
80.0
5.7% AC

75.0
1 10 100 1000
NUMBER OF GYRATIONS
Superpave Mix Design 51
 air voids

Mix Air Voids

Requirement
% binder

4% at Ndes
Regardless of the
Traffic Level
Superpave Mix Design 52
 Air Voids - Example Mix Design
I-43 Binder Course, Blend 3
8.0

6.0

Air Voids = 4% 4.0

2.0

0.0
3.7 4.2 4.7 5.2 5.7 6.2
% ASPHALT BINDER

Superpave Mix Design 53

 Mix VMA VMA

Requirements
Voids in the Mineral
Aggregate % binder

NMAS, mm Minimum VMA, %

9.5 15.0
12.5 14.0
19.0 13.0
25.0 12.0
37.5 11.0
Superpave Mix Design 54
 VMA – Example Mix Design
I-43 Binder Course, Blend 3
14.5

13.5
VMA = 13.2%

12.5
3.7 4.2 4.7 5.2 5.7 6.2
% ASPHALT BINDER

Superpave Mix Design 55

 Mix VFA VFA

Requirements
Voids Filled with Asphalt
% binder
Traffic
Range of VFA, %
106 ESALs

< 0.3 70 - 80
<1 65 - 78
<3 65 - 75
>3 65 - 75

Superpave Mix Design 56

 VFA – Example Mix Design
I-43 Binder Course, Blend 3
100.0

90.0

80.0

VFA = 70% 70.0

60.0

50.0
3.7 4.2 4.7 5.2 5.7 6.2
% ASPHALT BINDER

Superpave Mix Design 57

 Mix Requirement 100
100
for Dust Proportion 92
83
65
% weight of - 0.075 material 48
0.6 < < 1.2 36
% weight of effective asphalt 22
15
9
4

Unabsorbed binder in mix

Superpave Mix Design 58

 Dust Proportion –
Example Mix Design
I-43 Binder Course, Blend 3

1.8

1.2

DP = 0.9
0.6

0
3.7 4.2 4.7 5.2 5.7 6.2
% ASPHALT BINDER

Superpave Mix Design 59

 %Gmm @ Nini
I-43 Binder Course, Blend 3

90.0

88.0
%Gmm @ Nini
= 87.1% 86.0

84.0

82.0

80.0
3.7 4.2 4.7 5.2 5.7 6.2
% ASPHALT BINDER

Superpave Mix Design 60

 Select Design Asphalt
Binder Content
Summary of Mixture Properties @ 4.7% AC

Property Result Criteria

%Air Voids 4.0% 4.0%
%VMA 13.2% >13.0%
%VFA 70% 65-75%
D/A Ratio 0.9 0.6-1.2
%Gmm @ Nini 87.1% <89%

Superpave Mix Design 61

 4 Steps of Superpave Mix Design

1. Materials Selection 2. Design Aggregate Structure

TSR

3. Design Binder Content 4. Moisture Sensitivity

Superpave Mix Design 62
 Moisture Sensitivity
AASHTO T 283
• Measured on proposed aggregate blend
and asphalt content

80 %
minimum

3 Conditioned Specimens

3 Dry Specimens Tensile Strength Ratio

Superpave Mix Design 63
 AASHTO T 283
Conditioning
• Short term aging
– Loose mix 16 hrs @ 6 to 8 % air
60°C
Dry
– Comp mix 72-96 hrs @
25°C
6 to 8 % air
• Two subsets with equal
voids
55 to 80 % saturation
– One “dry”
– One saturated
Superpave Mix Design 64
 AASHTO T 283
Conditioning
• Optional freeze
cycle
16 hours @ -18 oC

• Hot water soak

24 hours @ 60 oC

Superpave Mix Design 65

 AASHTO T 283 Test Procedure
51 mm / min @ 25 oC

Avg Dry Tensile Strength Avg Wet Tensile Strength

Wet
TSR = ≥ 80 %
Dry
Superpave Mix Design 66
 Calculate %TSR
Wet Strength
%TSR = 100*
Dry Strength
721 kPa
= 100* = 82.6%
872 kPa

Criterion is 80% minimum. Design

asphalt mixture exceeds the minimum
requirement.

Superpave Mix Design 67

 Design Asphalt Mixture
• Aggregate: • Aggregate Gradation:
25 mm 100%
– 10% #1 Stone
19.0 mm 97%
– 15% 12.5mm Chip 12.5 mm 89%
– 30% 9.5mm Chip 9.5 mm 77%
– 31% Manuf. Sand 4.75 mm 44%
2.36 mm 32%
– 14% Screen Sand
1.18 mm 22%
0.6 mm 15%
• Asphalt Binder:
0.3 mm 8%
– 4.7% PG 58-34 0.15 mm 4%
0.075 mm 3.5%

Superpave Mix Design 68

 Questions –
does it all
make
sense?

Superpave Mix Design 69