Civil Engineering Department

College of Engineering
KAAF UNIVERSITY COLLEGE

__________________________________ Highway Engineering II CIV 467

Lecture 4_ Design of Bitumen Mixes
Kwasi Agyeman Boakye ( kwasi.agyeman.boakye@gmail.com)

Bituminous Mix Design

KAAF UNIVERSITY COLLEGE

The bituminous mix design aims to determine the proportion of bitumen, filler, fine aggregates, and coarse aggregates to produce a mix which is workable, strong, durable and economical. The objective of the mix design is to produce a bituminous mix by proportioning various components so as to have: 1. Stability 2. Durability 3. Impermeability 4. Workability 5. Flexibility 6. Fatigue resistance 7. Skid resistance

Different kinds of bituminous mix design may occur which include; Premix carpet Thin surfacing Surface dressing Thick surfacing Mixed seal surfacing Thick binder course Bituminous Macadam Cold Mixes and Hot Mixes Dense Bituminous Macadam Semi dense Bituminous Concrete (SDBC) Bituminous Concrete (BC) Stone Matrix Asphalt
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Bituminous Mix Design

Requirement of Bituminous Mixes
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Sufficient Binder: To ensure a durable pavement by coating thoroughly the aggregate particles and water proofing and binding them together under suitable compaction. Sufficient Stability: This is for providing resistance to deformation under sustained or repeated loads. This resistance in the mixture is obtained from aggregate interlocking and cohesion which usually develop due to binder in the mix. Sufficient Flexibility: This is to withstand deflection and bending without cracking. To obtain desired flexibility it is important to have proper amount and grade of bitumen. Sufficient Voids: This is needed in the total compacted mix to provide space for slight amount of additional compaction under traffic loading. Sufficient Workability: This is for an efficient construction operation in laying the pavement mixture. Sufficient Skid Resistance: This offers resistance to vehicles from skidding. A bleeding surface (rich in bitumen) results in reduction in skid resistance.
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Bituminous Mix Design

Volumetrics of Bituminous Mixes
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A bituminous mix has; -Bituminous binder -Aggregates of different sizes (coarse, fine and filler) It is identified by the maximum size of the aggregate used. (Maximum aggregate Size or Nominal Maximum Aggregate Size)

Bituminous Mix Design

Volumetrics of Bituminous Mixes
KAAF UNIVERSITY COLLEGE

Vma = Volume of Voids in mineral aggregates Vmb = Bulk Volume of Compacted Mix Vmm = Void less Volume of Paving Mix Vfa = Volume of Voids Filled with Asphalt Va = Volume of Air Voids Vb = Volume of Ashpalt Vba = Volume of absorbed Asphalt Vsb = Volume of mineral aggregates (by bulk Sp.Gr) Vse = Volume of mineral aggregates ( by effective Sp. Gr.)

Bituminous Mix Design

Case 1: Non absorptive Aggregates
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Given Information Vmb = Bulk volume of compacted Mix ( say 100cm3 ) Vsb = Volume of mineral aggregates ( Gsb = 86cm3 ) Vb = Volume of asphalt ( say 10cm3 ) Vba = Volume of absorbed asphalt ( 0cm3 ) Calculation Vse = Volume of mineral aggregate (by effective sp. Gr.) = 86 0 = 86cm3 Va = Volume of air voids = 100 86 10 = 4cm3 (4%) Vma = Volume of voids in mineral aggregates = 100 86 = 14cm3 Vmm = Void less volume of paving mix = 86+10 = 96cm3 Vfa = Volume of voids filled with asphalt = 10cm3 (10*100/14)= 71.43%

Bituminous Mix Design

Case 2: Absorptive Aggregates
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Given Information Vmb = Bulk volume of compacted Mix ( say 100cm3 ) Vsb = Volume of mineral aggregates ( Gsb = 86cm3 ) Vb = Volume of asphalt ( say 10cm3 ) Vba = Volume of absorbed asphalt ( 2cm3 ) Calculation Vse = Volume of mineral aggregate (by effective sp. Gr.) = 86 2 = 84cm3 Va = Volume of air voids = 100 84 10 = 6cm3 (6%) Vma = Volume of voids in mineral aggregates = 100 86 = 14cm3 Vmm = Void less volume of paving mix = 86+8 = 96cm3 Vfa = Volume of voids filled with asphalt = 10-2= 8cm3 (8*100/14)= 57.14%

Bituminous Mix Design

Volumetrics Parameters
KAAF UNIVERSITY COLLEGE

To calculate the volumetrics of a bituminous mix design the parameters that are needed are; -Specific Gravity of Binder (Gb) -Bulk Specific Gravity of mineral aggregates (Gsb) -Bulk Specific Gravity of Compacted Mix (Gmb) -Specific Gravity of Void-less Volume of Paving Mix (Gmm) With the above the following parameters can be computed; -Effective Specific Gravity of mineral aggregate -Volume of voids in mineral aggregates(%) -Volume of voids filled with asphalt (%) -Volume of air voids (%) -Volume of asphalt (%) -Volume of absorbed asphalt (%)

Bituminous Mix Design

Volumetric Analysis of Bituminous Mixes
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- Bulk (Dry) Specific Gravity of Aggregates, (Gsb) = mass . Volume of water replaced by the saturated surface dry aggregate - Bulk (Dry) Specific Gravity of Compacted Mix, (Gmb) = Dry mass of mix . Volume of water replaced by the saturated surface dry specimen - Bulk (Dry) Specific Gravity of Void less Volume of Paving Mix , (Gmm) = Dry mass of loose mix Volume of water replaced by the saturated surface dry loose mix

Significance of Volumetric Parameters

Significance of Air Void Content
KAAF UNIVERSITY COLLEGE

Studies in several countries , especially in hot tropical countries , indicates that mixes who air void content reduced to less than 2 to 3% are more likely to fail by rutting and bleeding.

Air Void Mix (%)

Days After Construction

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Significance of Volumetric Parameters

Significance of Air Void Content
KAAF UNIVERSITY COLLEGE

Low Air Void Content In this scenario load is transmitted by the bitumen and not by aggregates. The mix looses strength when bitumen is in a continuous phase. It also leads to bleeding mixes due to secondary compaction and expansion of bitumen.

High Air Void Content This scenario allows free circulation of air ( causing oxidation of bitumen)- becomes stiff and breaks easily. Also it allows free circulation of water ( causing raveling and stripping).
Most agencies design mixes to have 4% air void content after years of traffic.

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Primary Objective of Design Mix Exercise

KAAF UNIVERSITY COLLEGE

The primary objective of design mix exercises carried out by most agencies is to select aggregate gradation and binder content, which when compacted by standard compaction effort should yield an air void content of 4%. The compaction effort should correspond to that attained in the field after years of traffic. The mix also has to satisfy other volumetric and strength criteria. The binder content should have the following characteristics;

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Primary Objective of Design Mix Exercise

Effect of aggregate size and gradation
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The effect of aggregate size and gradation may affect the following; -Workability -Layer thicknesses - Stability -Stiffness -Resistance to deformation -Fatigue strength -Durability -Permeability -Surface texture and frictional resistance

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Primary Objective of Design Mix Exercise

Aggregate Size
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Aggregate of different sizes are normally used in a combination. Minimum thickness of a layer is 2 to 3 times the maximum aggregate size. Maximum Size Represents the smallest size of sieve through which 100% of the aggregate sample particles pass. Nominal Maximum Size Represents the largest sieve that retains some of the aggregate particles but not more than 10% by weight. Similar to Maximum Size. For example Sieve Size(mm) % of aggregate passing the sieve 19 100 13.2 92 9.5 77 4.75 62 2.36 50 1.18 41 0.60 32 0.30 23 0.15 16 0.075 7

Maximum aggregate size is 19mm Nominal maximum aggregate size is 13.2mm

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Aggregate Gradation
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Aggregate gradation is obtained by sieving material through successive sieves

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Aggregate Gradation
Densest
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Densest aggregate gradation is mostly desired and could be achieved by several means; -Fuller and Thompson 0.5 Power. P(%) = 100 ( d )0.5 D where P = Percentage of aggregate (by weight) passing the sieve of size d D = Maximum sieve size -FHWA 0.45 Power Gradation (for crushed aggregates). where P(%) = 100 ( d )0.45 D

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Aggregate Gradation 0.45 Chart

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The 0.45 chart enables densest gradation to be obtained for any given sieve size. This is done by obtaining the percentage passing for any given sieve size by comparing it with the largest sieve size which is 13.2.

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Aggregate Gradation 0.45 Chart

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Typically from the dense gradation chart we have;

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Aggregate Gradation
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Dense or Well Graded Closely packed, lesser voids, more particle contacts Gap Gradation Contains only a small percentage of aggregate particles in the mid-size range, more voids, less workability, seggregation Open Gradation Contains only small portion of aggregate particles in the small ranges ( near vertical in the mid-range and flat near small range) Uniform Gradation Most of the particles are in a narrow range.

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Blending of Aggregates
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After selecting the aggregates and their gradation, proportioning of aggregates has to be done and following are the common methods of proportioning of aggregates: Trial and error procedure: Vary the proportion of materials until the required aggregate gradation is achieved.

Graphical Methods: Two graphical methods in common use for proportioning of aggregates are, Triangular chart method and Rothfuch's method. The former is used when only three materials are to be mixed.
Analytical Method: In this method a system of equations are developed based on the gradation of each aggregates, required gradation, and solved by numerical methods. With the advent of computer, this method is becoming popular and is discussed here. The resulting solution gives the proportion of each type of material required for the given aggregate gradation.

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Blending of Aggregates by Analytical Method

KAAF UNIVERSITY COLLEGE

Blending of aggregates by weight is done by finding the proportions in which aggregates from different sources are to be mixed to attain a gradation that is closer to the target gradation. The basic equation governing the blending process is given by;

P = Aa + Bb + Cc + .
P = % of the combined aggregates passing a given sieve A, B, C, = % of material passing a given sieve for the individual aggregates a, b, c, ..= Proportion of individual aggregates used in the combination (total = 100)

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Blending of Aggregates by Analytical Method

Example
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A hypothetical gradation given in table is found in column 1 and 2. The gradation of available three aggregate A, B, and C are given in column 3, 4, and 5. To construct the system of simultaneous equations, the midpoint of the lower and upper limits of the required gradation is computed in column 6. The decision needed to be taken is the proportion of aggregate A, B, C needed to be blended to get the gradation of column 6.

Sieve Size (mm)

1 25.4 12.7 4.76 1.18 0.3 0.15 0.075

Required Gradation Range 2 100 90 - 100 60 - 75 40 - 55 20 - 35 12 - 22 5 - 10

Filler (A) 3 100 100 100 100 100 73.6 40.1

Fine Aggr. (B) 4 100.0 100.0 100.0 66.4 26.0 17.6 5.0

Coarse Aggr. (C) 5 100.0 94.0 54.0 31.3 22.8 9.0 3.1

Extract Gradation 6 100.0 95.0 67.5 47.5 27.5 17.0 7.5

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Blending of Aggregates by Analytical Method

Example
KAAF UNIVERSITY COLLEGE

Let x1, x2, x3 represent the proportion of A, B, and C respectively. Equation of the form ax1+bx2+cx3 = p can be written for each sieve size, where a, b, c is the proportion of aggregates A, B, and C passing for that sieve size and p is the required proportion for that sieve size. This will lead to following system of equation:

x1 + x2 + x3 = 1 x1 + x2 + 0.94x3 = 0.95 x1 + x2 + 0.54x3 = 0.675 x1 + 0.664x2 + 0.313x3 = 0.475 x1 + 0.260x2 + 0.228x3 = 0.275 736x1 + 0.176x2 + 0.09x3 = 0.170 401x1 + 0.050x2 + 0.031x3 = 0.075
Solution to this problem is x1 = 0.05, x2 = 0.3, x3 = 0.65. Table 28:1 shows how when these proportions of aggregates A, B, and C are combined, produces the required gradation.

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Blending of Aggregates by Analytical Method

Example
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Below shows how when these proportions of aggregates A, B, and C are combined, and produces the required gradation.

Sieve
size (mm) 1 25.4 12.7 4.76 1.18 0.3 0.15 0.75

Filler
Aggr. (A) 2 100x0.5=5.0 100x0.5=5.0 100x0.5=5.0

Fine
Aggr. (B) 3 100x0.3=30 100x0.3=30 100x0.3=30

Coarse
Gradation (C) 4 100x.65=65 94x0.65=61 54x0.65=35.1 22.8x.65=14.8 9x0.65=5.9 3.1x0.65=2.0

Combined
mix 5 100 96 70.1 45.2 27.6 14.9 5.5

100x0.5=5.0 66.4x0.3=19.8 31.3x0.65=20.4 100x0.05=5.0 26.3x0.3=7.8 73.6x0.05=3.7 17.6x0.3=5.3 40.1x0.05=2.0 5x0.3=1.5

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Blending of Aggregates by Analytical Method

Example
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Grading Curve 120

100

Percent Passing

80

Upper Boundary Lower Boundary Exact Gradation Fines Fine Aggreg. Coarse Aggreg.

60

40

20

0 0.01

0.10

1.00

10.00 Sieve Size(mm)

100.00

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