Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) Volumetric Properties

Weight-Volume Relationship
oMix design is a volumetric relationship to determine the
volume of asphalt cement and aggregates required to
produce a mixture with desired properties.
oVolume measurements are impractical
oweights are used instead
ospecific gravity is utilized

oApplicable to HMA paving mixtures, laboratory

compacted or undisturbed samples cut from pavement

HMA Volumetric Terms

Bulk specific gravity of compacted HMA
Maximum theoritical specific gravity
Air voids
Effective specific gravity of aggregate
Voids in mineral aggregate, VMA
Voids filled with asphalt, VFA

Composition of Compacted HMA

VOLUME
VMA

MASS

Vol air

air

Vol eff
aspht

asphalt

Mass air = 0
Mass
aspht

Mass
eff aspht

Vol abs aspht absorbed asphalt

Unit
Volume
Bulk
agg
vol

Eff.
agg
vol

aggregate

Total
Mass
Mass agg

Laboratory Compaction
Laboratory compaction level is very critical
in HMA mixture design to provide adequate
field performance.
Laboratory compaction replicates field
density based on the density achieved after
the pavements had sustained reasonable
traffic load.
Thus, laboratory mixtures are compacted to
void content that represent pavements voids
content under service condition.

Specific Gravity, G

Ratio of the weight of a unit volume of

the materials to the weight of an equal
volume of water at approximately 25C

Mass
Volume

Bridge Between
Mass and
Volume

Specific Gravity (Contd)

w = 1.000 g/cm3
w = 1000 kg/m3
w = 62.4 lb/ft3

Mass
G
, (SI System)
Volume

Mass
, (English System)
Volume 62.4

Aggregate Bulk Specific Gravity

G sb

Aggregate
Particle

Dry Mass
1.000 g / cm 3
Bulk Vol

Bulk Volume = solid volume +

water permeable pore volume

Gsb

Ws
Vs Vpp w

Aggregate Apparent Specific Gravity

G sa

Dry Mass
1.000 g / cm 3
App Vol

Apparent Volume = volume of solid

aggregate particle only

Aggregate
Particle

Gsa

Ws
Vs w

not included

Aggregate Effective Specific Gravity

G se

Aggregate
Particle

Dry Mass
1.000 g / cm 3
Eff Vol

Effective Volume = solid volume

+ volume of water permeable pores not
filled with asphalt

Gse

Ws
Vs V pp Vap w

asphalt coating

Aggregate Specific Gravity

3 Types

Same Mass
Bulk Specific Gravity, (Gsb )
Bulk Volume
Effective Specific Gravity, (Gse )
Permeable
Effective Volume
excludes absorbed asphalt volume Pores
Apparent Specific Gravity, (Gsa )
Apparent Volume
excludes absorbed water volume
Solid

Bulk Specific Gravity of Compacted HMA

AC mixed with agg. and compacted into sample

Mass agg. and AC

Gmb =

Vol. agg., AC, air voids

Determining Gmb
Mix asphalt and aggregate
Compact sample
Determine mass of dry sample
Determine mass under water
Determine mass saturated surface dry (SSD)

Determining Gmb
Obtain mass of dry
compacted sample

Determining Gmb

Obtain mass of
specimen at SSD

Determining Gmb
Gmb = A / ( B - C )
Where:
A = mass of dry sample
B = mass of SSD sample
C = mass of sample under water

Maximum Theoretical Specific Gravity

Loose (uncompacted) mixture

Mass agg. and AC

Gmm =

Vol. agg. and AC

Determining Gmm
Mixing of asphalt and aggregate
Mass in air
Mass under water

Determining Gmm
Loose Mix at
Room
Temperature

Determining Gmm
Residual
Manometer

Metal Bowl with Lid

Vacuum Pump
Shaker Table

10

VOL
air
asphalt

Air Voids
(Va or VTM)

MASS

agg
Definition
volume concentration of air voids

% by volume of total mix: Va or V TM

Va= (Vv /VT) * 100

Air Voids
o

Calculated using both mix specific

gravities
Air voids = ( 1 -

Gmb
Gmm

) 100

G G mb
100
Va mm
G mm

Mass agg + AC
Vol. agg, AC, Air Voids
Mass agg + AC
Vol. agg, AC

Vol. agg, AC

Vol. agg, AC, Air Voids

11

Example Calculations
Air voids:
Gmb = 2.222
Gmm = 2.423

( 1 (2.222 / 2.423 )) 100 = 8.3 %

Aggregate Effective Specific Gravity

G se

Aggregate
Particle

Dry Mass
1.000 g / cm 3
Eff Vol

Effective Volume = solid volume

+ volume of water permeable pores not
filled with asphalt

Gse

Ws
Vs V pp Vap w

asphalt coating

12

Effective Specific Gravity

Gse =

100 - Pb
100 - Pb
Gmm
Gb

Gse is an aggregate property

Once Gse is known (normally at OAC), Gmm at
any other AC content can be calculated:

G mm

1
1 %AC %AC

G se
Gb

Voids in Mineral Aggregate

13

MASS

VOL

Voids in
Mineral Aggregate
(VMA)

air
asphalt
agg

Definition

volume concentration of intergranular void space in a compacted

mix
% by volume of total mix
Does not include volume of absorbed asphalt

VMA = [(Vv + VEAC) / VT ] * 100

VMA = [(VT - VAgg) / VT ] * 100

Voids in Mineral Aggregate

G mb 1 %AC
VMA = 100 1
G sb

Aggregate
Particle

14

Example Calculations
Given that Gmb = 2.455, % AC = 5% and Gsb = 2.703

VMA = 100 -

(2.455) (95)
2.703

= 13.7%

Voids Filled with Asphalt

VMA - Va
VFA =
100
VMA
VFA is the percent of VMA that
is filled with asphalt cement

15

Mass Relationships

Ma = 0
M b = P b MT

MT = M b + M s

Ms = P s MT

Asphalt Content
( %AC, Pb )

VOL
air
asphalt

MASS

agg

oTotal Asphalt Content

omass concentration of total asphalt binder
o% by mass of total mix, %AC
o%AC = (MAC / MT )* 100
o%AC = [(MEAC + MAAC )/ MT]* 100

16

Percent Binder Absorbed (%AC

absorbed,

Pba

Definition
mass concentration of asphalt absorbed by
aggregate
% by mass of aggregate
%ACabsorbed = (MAAC / Magg )* 100

G G sb
Gb
%AC absorbed = 100 se
G se G sb

Effective
Asphalt Content
( %ACeffective, Pbe )

VOL
air
asphalt

MASS

agg

Definition
mass concentration of asphalt not lost due to
absorption

% by mass of total mix,

%ACeffective = (MEAC / MT )* 100

%AC effective = %AC -

%AC absorbed %Agg in the mix

100

17

Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) Volumetric

Properties
Using
Phase Diagram

Composition of Compacted HMA

VOLUME
VMA

MASS

Vol air

air

Vol eff
aspht

asphalt

Mass air = 0
Mass Mass
aspht eff aspht

Vol abs aspht absorbed asphalt

Unit
Volume
Bulk
agg
vol

Eff.
agg
vol

aggregate

Total
Mass
Mass agg

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VOL (cm3 )

Gmb = 2.329

MASS (g)

air
asphalt
Gb = 1.015
Pb = 5% by mix
absorbed asph
1.000
aggregate
Gsb = 2.705
Gse = 2.731

VOL (cm3 )

Gmb = 2.329
air

MASS (g)
Ma = 0

asphalt
Gb = 1.015
Pb = 5% by mix
absorbed asph
Mm = 1.0 x 2.329 x 1.0 = 2.329

1.000
aggregate
Gsb = 2.705
Gse = 2.731

M = V x G x 1.000

19

VOL (cm3 )

Gmb = 2.329

MASS (g)
0

air
asphalt
Gb = 1.015
Pb = 5% by mix

Mb = 0.05 x 2.329 = 0.116

absorbed asph
2.329

1.000
aggregate
Gsb = 2.705
Gse = 2.731

Ms = 2.329 - 0.116 = 2.213

VOL (cm3 )

MASS (g)
0

air
asphalt
Gb = 1.015

0.116

absorbed asph
2.329

1.000
0.818
0.810

aggregate
Gsb = 2.705
Gse = 2.731

Vse = 2.213
= 0.810
2.731x 1.0
Vsb = 2.213
= 0.818
2.705x 1.0

2.213

M
V=
G x 1.000

20

VOL (cm3 )

MASS (g)
0

air
asphalt
Gb = 1.015

0.114
0.008

0.116

absorbed asph
2.329

1.000
0.818

Vb =

aggregate
Gsb = 2.705
Gse = 2.731

0.810

0.116
= 0.114
1.015 x 1.0
Vba = 0.818 - 0.810 = 0.008

2.213

M
V=
G x 1.000

VOL (cm3 )

0.114

MASS (g)

0.076

air

0.106

asphalt
Gb = 1.015

0.008

0.116

absorbed asph
2.329

1.000
0.818

0.810

aggregate
Gsb = 2.705
Gse = 2.731

2.213

Vbe = 0.114 - 0.008 = 0.106

Va = 1.000 - 0.114 - 0.810 = 0.076

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VOL (cm3 )

MASS (g)

0.076

air

0.106

asphalt
Gb = 1.015

0.114
0.008

absorbed asph

0
0.108

0.116

0.008
2.329

1.000
0.818

aggregate
Gsb = 2.705
Gse = 2.731

0.810

M = V x G x 1.000

2.213

Mbe = 0.106 x 1.015 x 1.000 = 0.108

Mba = 0.116 - 0.108 = 0.008

VOL (cm3 )

0.182

MASS (g)

0.076

air

0.106

asphalt
Gb = 1.015

0.114
0.008

absorbed asph

0
0.108
0.008
2.329

1.000
0.818

0.116

0.810

aggregate
Gsb = 2.705
Gse = 2.731

2.213

Air Voids = 0.076 x 100 = 7.6 %

VMA = Vbe + Va = ( 0.106 + 0.076 ) x 100 = 18.2 %

22

VOL (cm3 )

0.182

MASS (g)

0.076

air

0.106

asphalt
Gb = 1.015

0.114
0.008

absorbed asph

0
0.108

0.116

0.008
2.329

1.000
0.818

aggregate
Gsb = 2.705
Gse = 2.731

0.810

2.213

Air Voids = 7.6 %

VMA = 18.2 %
VFA = ( 0.106 / 0.182 ) x 100 = 58.2 %

VOL (cm3 )

0.182

MASS (g)

0.076

air

0.106

asphalt
Gb = 1.015

0.114
0.008

absorbed asph

0
0.108
0.008
2.329

1.000
0.818

0.116

0.810

Air Voids = 7.6 %

VMA = 18.2 %
VFA = 58.2 %

aggregate
Gsb = 2.705
Gse = 2.731

2.213

Eff. Asp. Cont. = ( 0.108 / 2.329 ) x 100 = 4.6 %

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VOL (cm3 )

MASS (g)

0.076

air

0.106

asphalt
Gb = 1.015

0.182
0.114

0.008

absorbed asph

0
0.108

0.116

0.008
2.329

1.000
0.818

aggregate
Gsb = 2.705
Gse = 2.731

0.810

Air Voids = 7.6%

VMA = 18.2 %
VFA = 58.2 %

2.213

Effective Asphalt Content = 4.6%

Abs. Asph. Cont. = ( 0.008 / 2.213 ) x 100 = 0.4%

VOL (cm3 )

0.182

MASS (g)

0.076

air

0.106

asphalt
Gb = 1.015

0.114
0.008

absorbed asph

0
0.108

0.116

0.008
2.329

1.000
0.818

0.810

Air Voids = 7.6%

VMA = 18.2 %
VFA = 58.2 %

aggregate
Gsb = 2.705
Gse = 2.731

2.213

Max Theo Sp Grav = 2.329

= 2.521
1.000 - 0.076

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VOL (cm3 )

0.182

MASS (g)

0.076

air

0.106

asphalt
Gb = 1.015

0.114
0.008

absorbed asph

0
0.108

0.116

0.008
2.329

1.000
0.818

0.810

Air Voids = 7.6%

VMA = 18.2 %
VFA = 58.2 %

aggregate
Gsb = 2.705
Gse = 2.731

2.213

Effective Asphalt Content = 4.6%

Absorbed Asphalt Content = 0.4%
Max Theo Sp Grav = 2.521

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