MARSHALL MIX DESIGN METHOD

- Developed by Bruce Marshall & the U.S. Corps of

Engineers.
Objective: To determine the optimum asphalt content for
a particular aggregate blend and asphalt to be used.

PROCEDURES:
1. Prepare asphalt concrete specimens (4 inches in
diameter & 2.5 inches in height) for a range of asphalt
content at and near the estimated optimum asphalt content.
(A) Mixing temperature:
at asphalt viscosity of 170 ± 20 cSt

(B) Compaction temperature:

at asphalt viscosity of 280 ± 30 cSt

(C) Compactive Effort:

35, 50 or 75 blows with a Marshall hammer
(10 lbs, 18 inches drop) on each side of the specimen.

(D) Number of Samples:

3 replicates at each asphalt content

Typically, 5 different asphalt contents are used.

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BATCHING AGGREGATES FOR
MAKING SPECIMENS

ADDING ASPHALT TO AGGREGATE

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MIXING OF AGGREGATE AND ASPHALT

PEDESTAL, HAMMER AND MOLDS FOR

COMPACTION OF MARSHALL SPECIMENS

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 Placing asphalt
mixture in a
compaction
mold

Placing a filter paper on asphalt

mixture in compaction mold

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 Automatic
Marshall
Compaction
Machine

2. Measure the bulk specific gravity (Gmb) of the

compacted samples, and compute
(A) Air Voids
(B) VMA
(C) VFA
for each specimen from Gmb and other known properties of
the asphalt and aggregate.

3. Run Marshall test

Test Temperature : 60 °C
Loading Speed: 2 inches/minute
Marshall Stability = Maximum load the specimen can
take before failure.
Marshall Flow = Vertical deformation of the specimen
when maximum load is reached, in units of 0.01 inch.

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 Proving Ring

Flowmeter

Breaking Head

Marshall Stability and Flow

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4. Plot (A) Marshall Stability v.s. % Asphalt
(B) Marshall Flow v.s. % Asphalt
(C) % Air Voids v.s. % Asphalt
(D) Bulk Density v.s. % Asphalt
(E) % VMA v.s. % Asphalt
(F) % VFA v.s. % Asphalt

5. Obtain % Asphalt at 4% air voids

% AIR VOIDS V.S. % ASPHALT

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 % AC at 4% air voids: 6.7

6. Verify mix design criteria at the optimum

asphalt content. The five mix criteria to check
against are:
(A) Marshall stability
(B) Marshall flow
(C) Air Voids
(D) VMA
(E) VFA

MARSHALL MIX DESIGN REQUIREMENTS ON

STABILITY, FLOW, AIR VOIDS AND VFA

Traffic
Light Medium Heavy
Category
Compaction,
No. of 35 50 75
blows/side
Min. Max. Min. Max. Min. Max.
Stability, lb 750 1200 1800
- - -
(N) (3333) (5333) (8000)
Flow, 001 in.
8 18 8 16 8 14
(0.25 mm)
Air Voids, % 3 5 3 5 3 5
VFA, % 65 75 65 78 70 80

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MARSHALL MIX DESIGN REQUIREMENT ON VMA

Nominal Maximum Minimum Required VMA, %

Aggregate Size Design Air Voids, %
3.0 4.0 5.0
#8 (2.36 mm) 19.0 20.0 21.0
#4 (4.75 mm) 16.0 17.0 18.0
3/8 in. (9.5 mm) 14.0 15.0 16.0
½ in. (12.5 mm) 13.0 14.0 15.0
¾ in. (19.0 mm) 12.0 13.0 14.0
1 in. (25.0 mm) 11.0 12.0 13.0
1.5 in. (37.5 mm) 10.0 11.0 12.0
2 in. (50 mm) 9.5 10.5 11.5
2.5 in. (63 mm) 9.0 10.0 11.0

MARSHALL STABILITY V.S. % ASPHALT

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 VMA V.S. % ASPHALT

At 6.7% AC,
VMA = 18.0 %

MARSHALL FLOW V.S. % ASPHALT

At 6.7% AC,
Marshall Flow
= 14

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 BULK DENSITY V.S. % ASPHALT

Mix properties at optimum asphalt content (6.7%)

(for Medium Traffic)
Marshall stability: 1800 lb > 1200 O.K.
Marshall flow: 14 >8 & <16 O.K.
% VFA: 77.8 >65 & < 78 O.K.
% VMA: 18 >15 O.K.
(Nominal maximum aggregate size = 0.5 inch)

So, 6.7% will be the design asphalt content.

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