Establish Performance-Based Acceptable Lab-Molded Density Range for Mix Design and QC/QA

Lab-molded density of asphalt mixes is a critical factor for laboratory mix design, plant production, and field performance. Current mix design and production quality control and quality assurance (QC/QA) are developed around a fixed lab-molded density of 96 percent. Adherence to a fixed lab-molded density is not only one of the main factors leading to drier, more crack susceptible mixes where low asphalt binder content is often caused by balancing high lab-molded density values at plant production, but it also impacts the implementation of the Balanced Mix Design approach. Furthermore, various field test sections designed with densities ranging from 96.5 to 98 percent were previously constructed in different areas of Texas, and they performed well in the field with no observed rutting problems. Thus, the objective of this project is to establish an acceptable range of lab-molded densities for laboratory mix design and production QC/QA testing. To achieve the objective, the Performing Agencies shall review the literature, conduct extensive laboratory performance tests, construct test sections and monitor their performance, and finally recommend an acceptable range of lab-molded density based on all the information and data collected.

Language

  • English

Project

  • Status: Active
  • Funding: $829,999
  • Contract Numbers:

    0-7104

  • Sponsor Organizations:

    Texas Department of Transportation

    125 E. 11th Street
    Austin, TX  United States  78701-2483
  • Managing Organizations:

    Texas Department of Transportation

    125 E. 11th Street
    Austin, TX  United States  78701-2483
  • Project Managers:

    Dassi, Martin

  • Performing Organizations:

    Texas A&M Transportation Institute

    Texas A&M University System
    3135 TAMU
    College Station, TX  United States  77843-3135

    University of Texas at El Paso

    El Paso, TX  United States 
  • Principal Investigators:

    Zhou, Fujie

  • Start Date: 20210901
  • Expected Completion Date: 20250430
  • Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01782620
  • Record Type: Research project
  • Source Agency: Texas Department of Transportation
  • Contract Numbers: 0-7104
  • Files: RIP, STATEDOT
  • Created Date: Sep 22 2021 4:42PM