Superpave System

Selection of Aggregate

Design Aggregate Structure

Two categories of aggregate properties were identified These are referred to as consensus standards and source (agency) standards. Superpave uses a gradation system that is based on the 0.45 power gradation chart

Consensus Standards
The aggregate characteristics that generally have good performance of the hot mix asphalt as accepted by the experts are classified as consensus properties. These properties include
Angularity of the coarse aggregates, Angularity of the fine aggregates, Amount of flat and elongated particles in the coarse aggregates, and Clay content. Other properties are toughness, soundness, and maximum allowable percentage of deleterious materials

Angularity of coarse aggregate

The is defined as the percent by weight of coarse aggregates larger than 4.75 mm with one or more fractured faces.

Angularity of fine aggregates

The is defined as the percent of air voids in loosely compacted aggregates smaller than 2.36 mm (AASHTO TP33) Standard cylinder of known volume (V) is filled with a washed sample of fine aggregates by pouring the aggregates through a standard funnel. The mass (W) of the fine aggregates filling the standard cylinder of volume V is then determined. The volume of the fine aggregates in the standard cylinder then is determined as (W/Gbfa), and the void content is determined as a percentage of the cylinder volume, Gbfa is bulk specific gravity of the fine aggregate.

Flat and elongated particle

It is defined as one that has its maximum dimension five times greater than its minimum dimension. The amount of fine and elongated particles in the coarse aggregate (larger than 4.75 mm) is obtained by conducting ASTM D4791 Flat or Elongated Particles in Coarse Aggregates. This test involves the use of a proportional caliper device that automatically tells whether a particle is flat or elongated. The test is performed on a sample of the coarse aggregate and the percentage by mass determined.

Clay Content
The clay content is defined as the percentage of clayey material in the portion of aggregate passing through the 4.75-mm sieve. It is obtained by conducting the AASHTO T176 designated test Plastic Fines in Graded Aggregates and Soils by Use of Sand Equivalent Test.
Mixing a sample of fine aggregate in a graduated cylinder with a flocculating solution. The clayey fines coating the aggregates are loosened from the aggregates by shaking the cylinder. The mixture then is allowed to stand for a period during which time the clayey material is suspended above the granular aggregates (sedimented sand). The heights of the suspended clay and the sedimented sand are measured. The ratio (expressed in percentage of the height of the sedimented sand to that of the suspended clay) is the sand equivalent value.

Gradation
The distribution of aggregate particle sizes for a given blend of aggregate mixture is known as the design aggregate structure. The gradation system used for Superpave is based on the 0.45 gradation plot. This is a plot of the percent passing a given sieve against the sieve size in mm raised to the 0.45 power. That is, the vertical axis of the graph is percent passing and the horizontal axis is the size of the sieve in mm raised to the 0.45 power. These are maximum size, nominal maximum size, and maximum density gradation.

Nominal and Maximum size

the nominal maximum size is one sieve larger than the first sieve that retains more than 10 percent of the aggregate. Maximum size is defined as one sieve larger than the nominal maximum size, and Five mixture gradations are specified in the Superpave system Maximum density gradation is obtained when the aggregate particles fit together in their densest form. (maximum density gradation for a sample of soil is given by a straight line joining the maximum size and the origin), An acceptable aggregate gradation is defined by specifying control points on the maximum density gradation chart for the smallest sieve size (0.075 mm), the nominal maximum size, and an intermediate size sieve (2.36 mm). An acceptable soil blend therefore should have a maximum density gradation line that lies within these control points

Restricted Zone
Is established along the maximum density curve between the 0.3 mm sieve and the intermediate sieve (2.36 mm). For a soil blend to be acceptable, its gradation must not pass within the restricted zone. Soils that have gradations that go through the restricted zone create compaction problems during construction and tend to have inadequate VMA. Superpave system recommends that the gradation pass below the restricted zone although this is not a requirement.

Aggregates that have maximum density gradation lying between the control points and outside the restricted zones are considered as having an acceptable design aggregate structure