Ways to Improve Asphalt

Pavement Performance

Pavement Technology Inc.(PTI)

Wade Collins
Vice-President

Predominant Asphalt Pavement

Issues in the US are:
Permanent Deformation(Rutting)

Cracking/Fatigue Behavior
Moisture Damage(Stripping)
It is estimated that 80% of Asphalt Failures
are due to some type of Pavement Shear
Distress, Rutting, Pushing, Shoving, Rippling,
Etc.

Asphalt Pavement Analyzer Junior

(APA Jr.)

APA Junior with Chiller

Features of the APA Jr.

Used to predict the Rutting, Fatigue, and Moisture susceptibility

characteristics of asphalt mixes in an environmentally controlled
chamber wet or dry.

Has the ability to run the Hamburg Test Method (AASHTO T 32411)utilizing (2)Solid-Steel Wheels which apply a repeated load
directly atop the asphalt specimens.

Has the ability to run APA Rut Test Method (AASHTO T 340-10)
utilizing (2) Concave-Steel Wheels which apply a repeated load.
The concave wheels run atop rubber pneumatic hoses.

Can test 4 cylindrical (Marshall Pills, Superpave Gyratory

Specimens, Roadway Cores) or 2 beam specimens during one
test.

The APA Jr. can also accommodate solid rubber wheels and
pneumatic wheels

Utilizes a PLC PC based Control System for all calibrations and

operations.

Additional Features of APA Jr.

Has an on-board Hi-Pressure Feature that allows a user to
test airport runway/taxiways(250+psi)
Frequency Drive that allows a user to test mixes at multiple
speeds and multiple rates of loading
Optional Chiller can be added to test low temperature Fatigue
Testing of Asphalt Mixes
Ability to perform Studded Tire Wear Test
Can be used to reduce mix design cost by comparing current
approved mixes with new innovative mixes

BENEFITS OF PERFORMANCE
TESTING

Ability to identify marginal or poor mixes in the laboratory prior to

making an investment to place them on the roadway.

Allows a user to develop a performance history of their mix designs,

plant produced mixes, and in-place compacted mixes.

Utilize it as a forensic tool when evaluating a road/runway slated for

rehabilitation. Ex. Cores can be cut from the roadway/runway and each
layer can be tested to determine where failures are occurring. This
information can help determine the proper rehabilitation strategy
needed for a road.

Allows a user to qualify aggregate sources.

Allows a user to determine the performance of mixes with different

percentages of RAP, RAS, Etc.

AASHTO T340-10

AASHTO T 340-10 Test Method

Test Temperature: Hi-PG Temp(Ex. 76C, 64C,
58C, 52C)
Load
100lbs.
Speed
60 cycles per minute
Test Duration 8,000 cycles (2 hours 15 minutes)
Samples are tested in a dry environment
Gyratory Samples(75mm or Design 115mm
samples are utilized for testing
Field Cores and Slab Specimens can also be
tested

Rutted Beam and Cylindrical

Specimens Tested in the APA Jr.

AASHTO T324-11

AASHTO T 324-11 (Hamburg Test

Method)

Test Temperature: 50C

Load
158lbs.
Speed
50 passes per minute
Test Duration
20,000 passes (5-1/2 hours)
Samples are submerged in water during test
Gyratory Samples(62+/- 2mm height x 150mm
diameter) will need to cut and Butted
Together inside the molds
Field Cores and Slab Specimens can also be
tested

Completed Hamburg Test

Hamburg-Type Cylindrical
Samples(Testing Complete)

Asphalt Vibratory Compactor (AVC)

ASPHALT VIBRATORY COMPACTOR (AVC)

AVC Features
Compacts Hot Mix Asphalt into cylindrical and beam test
specimens. Target air void level can be controlled.
Compacts specimens at the same amplitude, same
frequency, and same relative weight that is experienced
with a vibratory roller on the roadway.
Beam specimens are used for fatigue testing in the APA
Can compact mixes at multiple frequencies and multiple
amplitudes
Produces beam specimens for the 4-point bending beam
fatigue test
Produce other geometric shaped samples

Bending Beam Fatigue Test

250 lb

HMA Specimen

Superpave Designed Beam

Properties Tested in APA

9.5mm HMA Rut

Susceptibility Tested in APA

12.5mm HMA Rut

Susceptibility
Tested in APA

Superpave Designed Beam

Properties Tested in APA

Fatigue Beam Tested to Failure

Warm Mix Asphalt Laboratory Foaming System

What Some States are Doing

Today-WMA?

90% of all Warm Mix is the US today utilize water as the Foaming Agent

States use the same design as conventional HMA for WMA. Some states use WMA designs due to
the reduced absorption of the asphalt binder into the aggregate if lower construction
temperatures are utilized.

Most states use the "drop-in method" where the mix is designed in the lab as a standard HMA
and then the WMA additive (foam, chemical, etc) is dropped-in at the plant during construction.
This tends to yield slightly lower air voids with the QC samples during production due to the
increased compactability offered by the WMA even at lower compaction temperatures. This can
be seen in the field as well where increased compactability causes lower air voids or higher
densities with the WMA compared to HMA.

One of the main benefits of performing a Warm Mix Design in the Lab is that you will have a much
better idea of the densities expected in the field.

In addition, if states use some type of water sensitivity test(TSR, Hamburg, APA, APA Jr., Etc), the
results with foamed asphalt may be different than with conventional HMA at elevated
temperatures.

Finally, the mechanical properties of WMA are different from HMA in the early pavement life.
These properties include rutting, stiffness (E*), fatigue and thermal cracking (tensile strength and
stiffness) of the mixtures.

Robotic Truck Sampling Device

(RTSD)

RTSD at NCAT

Benefits of the Robotic Truck

Sampling Device (RTSD)
Safely captures a representative sample along the cross section of
the mix
RTSD can be used to sample asphalt or aggregate
Sample sizes can be obtained up to 40lbs.
Sampling time is less than a minute
Volumetrics are more consistent (Asphalt Content, Gradation, VMA,
VFA)
Adjustments to the plant can be made in a timely manner
Fewer adjustments have to be made
Contractors have fewer test result disputes with DOTs.
Contractors can maximize pay factors by producing mix that is close
to the original job mix formula
Prevents user from obtaining a segregated sample

REAL-TIME QUALITY CONTROL SYSTEM (RTQC)

Automatic Belt Sampler (ABS)

DRYING OVEN

Automatic Gradation Unit

Real Time Quality Control (RTQC)

QUESTIONS