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MARSHALL MIX DESIGN METHOD

- Developed by Bruce Marshall & the U.S. Corps of
Engineers.
Objective: To determine the optimum asphalt content for
a particular aggregate blend and asphalt to be used.
PROCEDURES:
1. Prepare asphalt concrete specimens (4 inches in
diameter & 2.5 inches in height) for a range of asphalt
content at and near the estimated optimum asphalt content.
(A) Mixing temperature:
at asphalt viscosity of 170 20 cSt
(B) Compaction temperature:
at asphalt viscosity of 280 30 cSt
(C) Compactive Effort:
35, 50 or 75 blows with a Marshall hammer
(10 lbs, 18 inches drop) on each side of the specimen.
(D) Number of Samples:
3 replicates at each asphalt content
Typically, 5 different asphalt contents are used.
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BATCHING AGGREGATES FOR
MAKING SPECIMENS
ADDING ASPHALT TO AGGREGATE
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MIXING OF AGGREGATE AND ASPHALT
PEDESTAL, HAMMER AND MOLDS FOR
COMPACTION OF MARSHALL SPECIMENS
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Placing asphalt
mixture in a
compaction
mold
Placing a filter paper on asphalt
mixture in compaction mold
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Automatic
Marshall
Compaction
Machine
2. Measure the bulk specific gravity (G
mb
) of the
compacted samples, and compute
(A) Air Voids
(B) VMA
(C) VFA
for each specimen from G
mb
and other known properties of
the asphalt and aggregate.
3. Run Marshall test
Test Temperature : 60 C
Loading Speed: 2 inches/minute
Marshall Stability = Maximum load the specimen can
take before failure.
Marshall Flow = Vertical deformation of the specimen
when maximum load is reached, in units of 0.01 inch.

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Flowmeter
Proving Ring
Breaking Head
Marshall Stability and Flow
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4. Plot (A) Marshall Stability v.s. % Asphalt
(B) Marshall Flow v.s. % Asphalt
(C) % Air Voids v.s. % Asphalt
(D) Bulk Density v.s. % Asphalt
(E) % VMA v.s. % Asphalt
(F) % VFA v.s. % Asphalt
5. Obtain % Asphalt at 4% air voids

% AIR VOIDS V.S. % ASPHALT
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% AC at 4% air voids: 6.7
6. Verify mix design criteria at the optimum
asphalt content. The five mix criteria to check
against are:
(A) Marshall stability
(B) Marshall flow
(C) Air Voids
(D) VMA
(E) VFA


Traffic
Category
Light Medium Heavy
Compaction,
No. of
blows/side
35 50 75
Min. Max. Min. Max. Min. Max.
Stability, lb
(N)
750
(3333)
-
1200
(5333)
-
1800
(8000)
-
Flow, 001 in.
(0.25 mm)
8 18 8 16 8 14
Air Voids, % 3 5 3 5 3 5
VFA, % 65 75 65 78 70 80

MARSHALL MIX DESIGN REQUIREMENTS ON
STABILITY, FLOW, AIR VOIDS AND VFA
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Minimum Required VMA, %
Design Air Voids, %
Nominal Maximum
Aggregate Size
3.0 4.0 5.0
#8 (2.36 mm) 19.0 20.0 21.0
#4 (4.75 mm) 16.0 17.0 18.0
3/8 in. (9.5 mm) 14.0 15.0 16.0
! in. (12.5 mm) 13.0 14.0 15.0
" in. (19.0 mm) 12.0 13.0 14.0
1 in. (25.0 mm) 11.0 12.0 13.0
1.5 in. (37.5 mm) 10.0 11.0 12.0
2 in. (50 mm) 9.5 10.5 11.5
2.5 in. (63 mm) 9.0 10.0 11.0

MARSHALL MIX DESIGN REQUIREMENT ON VMA
MARSHALL STABILITY V.S. % ASPHALT
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VMA V.S. % ASPHALT
At 6.7% AC,
VMA = 18.0 %
MARSHALL FLOW V.S. % ASPHALT
At 6.7% AC,
Marshall Flow
= 14
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BULK DENSITY V.S. % ASPHALT
Mix properties at optimum asphalt content (6.7%)
(for Medium Traffic)
Marshall stability: 1800 lb > 1200 O.K.
Marshall flow: 14 >8 & <16 O.K.
% VFA: 77.8 >65 & < 78 O.K.
% VMA: 18 >15 O.K.
(Nominal maximum aggregate size = 0.5 inch)
So, 6.7% will be the design asphalt content.