Implementation of new European

asphalt specifications and standards

Nordic co-operation on new requirements for
deformation

CEN-NORD seminar
Reykjavik 29th October 2006

Ragnar Bragstad
Asfaltteknisk Institutt
Norge
 Background
• The new asphalt standards shall be implemented within 1st
of January, 2008 in each European country.
• The new standards involve new procedures for test
methods and material specification as well as initial type
testing and factory production control.
• The new standards represent significant changes for the
whole road construction sector and there is some
uncertainty connected to the requirements to be set.
• Especially the new methods for documentation of
deformation properties have created a lot of discussion.
 Solution:
Form a committee
• Katri Eskola, Finland (The Public Road Administration)
• Vesa Laitinen, Finland (Lemminkäinen oy)
• Rainer Laaksonen, Finland (VTT)
• Nils Ulmgren, Sweden (NCC)
• Torsten Nordgren, Sweden (Public Road Administration)
• Leif Bakløkk, Norway (Public Road Administration)
• Nils Uthus, Norway (Public Road Administration)
• Ragnar Bragstad, Norway (ATI)
 The main objectives for this co-
operation
• To establish as good basis as possible for
setting the requirements according to the
new standards.
• Try to harmonize the new requirements in
the Nordic countries.
• To “learn from each other” and join forces
in getting as good results as possible.
 Test methods for documenting
deformation properties in the new
European asphalt standards
• Triaxial testing (only for AC-mixes)
• Wheel track (For Nordic conditions the
small equipment)
• Marshall (AC-mixes for airfields)
• Indentation tests (Asphalt mastic)
 Triaxial cyclic compression test device making use
of a partial vacuum as confining pressure

1 actuator for dynamic pressure 4 vacuum membrane

2 specimen put under partial vacuum 5 vacuum pump
3 'O' ring
 Present testing equipment
Country Wheel Track Com- Test rigs
paction
According Not of slabs NAT- Tri-
to the according (EN 12967 rigs1) axial
standard to the -33)
standard
Finland 0 1 3 4 1
Sweden 0 4-5 7 10-12 3
Norway 1 3 1 4 2
Uniaxial cyclic compression test
(with some confinement)
Alternatives regarding requirements
for deformation properties
• Adopting the standard
• Put the requirements on the finished pavement
• Combination
– Indirect properties like voids filled with bitumen in the
lab and cyclic creep on specimens from the road
– Choice between WT in the lab or testing of specimens
from the road
 Correlation between WT and
Uniaxial Cyclic Compression test
• Swedish experiences: Uniaxial Cyclic
Compression and WT shows poor
correlation.
• Norway and Finland wants to do some
further testing, and hope to be able to
establish a correlation between these two
tests.
 Proposed testing program
Lab Field
Marshall Uniaxial Wheel T Uniaxial Wheel T

Norway 12 12 12 12 12
Finland
Road-lab
- 7-10 - 7-10 -
Finland
Creep- - 3-5 3-5 - -
WT
 Status
Currently laboratory testing of these mixtures
is underway and field samples will be tested
during the autumn. The results are expected to
be ready at the beginning of the year 2007
 Former Nordic coordination wishes

“The Danes have in 1932 published a ”Nomenclature” for

binders, road materials and pavements.
NVF are working with these things and it would be of great
importance to have similar/uniform designations for the Nordic
countries as soon as possible.”