Superpave Mix Design

Gyration Levels
NW Pavement Management Association
October 28, 2009

John Duval, P.E.

Duval Engineering LLC
www.duvalengineering.com
 NCHRP Project 9-9 (1)
 NCAT
◦ Brian Prowell
◦ Ray Brown
 AI

NCHRP Report 573 (2007)

 Stability  Materials Selection
 Durability  Volumetric design
 Impermeability
 Workability
 Flexibility
 Fatigue Resistance
 Skid Resistance

We want them all!

Important HMA Mix Properties

Aggregate Asphalt Binder
 Makes up 93 to  Makes up 4 – 7% of
96% of the mixture the mixture
 Acts as the skeleton  Acts as the “glue”
of the pavement or “muscle” of the
mixture mix
◦ Skid resistance ◦ Flexibility
◦ Stability ◦ Durability
◦ Workability

Materials Selection
 Desired Air Voids
Source: Asphalt Institute MS-22
 Intent of Laboratory Compaction?
Simulate the in-place density of HMA after it has
endured several years of traffic in the roadway

Design
In-place Density
Density
Future Lab
Traffic
Air Voids
Air Voids
3 – 5% Marshall
15-25% Before Rolling
4% Superpave
6 – 9% After Rolling
 Intent of Laboratory Compaction?
Simulate the in-place density of HMA after it has
endured several years of traffic in the roadway

Design
In-place Density
Density
? Lab
Future
Traffic
Air Voids
Air Voids
3 – 5% Marshall
15-25% Before Rolling
4% Superpave
6 – 9% After Rolling
 Rule of Thumb:
10% Loss of Service Life
for each
1% increase in Air Voids

Effect of Air Voids on Life

Source: Linden, Mahoney, and Jackson (1989)
Typical Permeability vs. Voids
 20-yr ESALs (millions) NDesign

< 0.3 50

0.3 to < 3 75

3 to < 30 100

>= 30 125

Superpave Gyratory Compaction

 Use 20-year Design Life
 AADT = 4,850 vehicles per day
 Daily Truck Traffic Assumptions
◦ School Buses = 50
◦ Delivery Trucks (UPS-style) = 10
◦ Garbage Trucks = 4
◦ City Buses = 20
◦ Tractor/Semi-trailers = 1
 Traffic Growth Rate = 2% annually

Example ESAL Calculations

Single Unit (2-axle) Truck

10,000 lb 10,000 lb 20,000 lb

+ =
0.09 ESAL 0.09 ESAL 0.18 ESALs
Single Unit (3-axle) Truck

18,000 lb 42,000 lb 60,000 lb

+ =
1.00 ESAL 2.51 ESAL 3.51 ESALs
Single Unit (2-axle) Bus

12,400 lb 22,600 lb 35,000 lb

+ =
0.23 ESAL 2.44 ESAL 2.67 ESALs
Tractor Semi-Trailer (5-axle)

12,000 lb 34,000 lb + 34,000 lb 80,000 lb

+ =
0.19 ESAL 1.10 ESAL 1.10 ESAL 2.39 ESALs
 Class Vehicle Type Day Year 20Y* (k) Factor 20Y* ESALs
II Autos 2425 885,125 17,702 0.00012 2,124
III Pickups 2425 885,125 17,702 0.008 141,620
IV School Buses 40 7,200 144 1.0 144,000
IV City Buses 20 7,300 146 2.67 389,820
V UPS Trucks 10 2,600 52 0.18 9,360
VI Garbage 4 1,040 20.8 3.51 73,008
Truck
IX 18-Wheelers 1 250 5.0 2.39 11,950
Total 771,882

Example ESAL Calculations

*assumes no growth
 20-yr ESALs (millions) NDesign

< 0.3 50

0.3 to < 3 75

3 to < 30 100

>= 30 125

Superpave Gyratory Compaction

Findings
As Constructed Density-trends as expected

Source: NCHRP Report 573

 63% increase
in density in
initial 3 mos
of traffic

Source: NCHRP Report 573

 Month Constructed
had a major impact
on 3mos densification

Source: NCHRP Report 573

Low volume hwy
20YR ESAL < 1M
High initial density w/
little further increase

Mod volume hwy

20YR ESAL = 6.7M
Low initial density, but
Major 3mos increase

High volume hwy

20YR ESAL = 16.0M
Typical initial density w/
Steady increase for 2 yrs

Source: NCHRP Report 573

Conclusions
 Pavements reach ultimate density after 2y
 Approx 66% of traffic-related densification
occurs in the first 3mos after construction
 Stiffer PG binders  less densification

 Ultimate in-place densities were

found to be 1.5% lower than
laboratory-compacted samples at
agency-specified Ndesign

Ultimate In-Place Density

 Ninitial (tenderness): there is no strong
evidence to keep Ninitial requirement
 Nmaximum (rutting): Nmaximum does not
appear to be a good indicator of rut
potential and should be eliminated

 Analyses indicated that Ndesign levels

could be reduced

Superpave Gyration Levels

Source: NCHRP Report 573
20-yr ESALs 2-yr ESALs Ndes (PG<76) Ndes (PG<76)

< 300K < 30K 50 NA

300K to 3M 30K to 230K 65 50

3M to 10M 230K to 925K 80 65

10M to 30M 925K to 2.5M 80 65

> 30M > 2.5M 100 80

Superpave Ndesign Levels

 John Duval, P.E.
Duval Engineering LLC
Thank You! john@duvalengineering.com