AGGREGATE-VOIDS CHARACTERISTICS IN ASPHALT PAVING MIXES

ASPHALT PAVING MIXES ARE COMPRISED OF THREE BASIC COMPONENTS: MINERAL AGGREGATE, ASPHALT AND AIR. KNOWLEDGE OF THE INTERRELATIONSHIPS EXISTING AMONG THESE THREE COMPONENTS, AND THEIR RESPECTIVE EFFECTS UPON THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PAVING MIX, IS ESSENTIAL TO THE HIGHWAY ENGINEER. THE ASPHALT INSTITUTE IS ENGAGED IN A COMPREHENSIVE INVESTIGATION OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF ASPHALT PAVING MIXES. THIS INVESTIGATION INCLUDES A STUDY OF THE RELATIVE EFFECTS OF THE VARIABLE COMPONENTS OF THE MIX UPON THE PROPERTIES AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE COMPACTED ASPHALTIC PAVEMENT. A WIDE VARIETY OF AGGREGATE TYPES, GRADATIONS AND COMBINATIONS HAS BEEN SUBJECTED TO EXTENSIVE TESTS BY THE MARSHALL, HVEEM, HUBBARD-FIELD AND TRIAXIAL TEST METHODS. THE RESULTING DATA HAVE PROVIDED A SUBSTANTIAL BASIS FOR A STUDY OF THE AGGREGATE VOID CHARACTERISTICS IN ASPHALT PAVING MIXES COMPACTED BY THE SPECIFIED PROCEDURES FOR THESE SEVERAL TEST METHODS.