Last Revised: December 2006

Material Test Framework for Warm Mix Asphalt Trials

A number of new processes have been developed to allow asphalt mixtures to be mixed
and compacted at lower temperatures. These processes tend to reduce the viscosity of the
mixture at mixing and compaction temperatures. Collectively, these processes are
referred to as warm mix asphalt (WMA). In an effort to evaluate WMA technologies,
contractors and agencies have constructed or are planning to construct trial sections.
When considering a WMA trial, a minimum desired test section would be 800-1000 tons
of WMA. This will allow a plant run of approximately four hours at reasonable
production rates. Further, it is desirable to have a hot mix control section to be produced
using the same mix design (without the WMA additives).

In order to maximize the benefit from these trial sections, it is desirable to have a
framework which provides for a minimum level of uniform data collection which can be
shared with other contractors and agencies. Additional testing is described, which may
enhance the knowledge learned from the trial sections. The following is a working
document which will be periodically updated in order to improve the knowledge gained.
The primary goals of the framework are as follows:

ƒ Document the WMA project,

ƒ Evaluate the effect on laboratory compaction and volumetric properties to develop
information for future mix design and quality control procedure,
ƒ Evaluate potential impact on performance in terms of:
o Rutting – reduced aging of the binder could increase rutting potential,
o Moisture susceptibility – incomplete drying of the aggregate could
increase moisture susceptibility,
o Low temperature cracking – certain WMA additives may increase the
potential for low temperature cracking based on binder tests, conversely
the reduced aging of the binder could reduce the potential for low
temperature cracking,
o Mixture stiffness – reduced aging of the binder may reduce the mixture
stiffness
o Fatigue life – reduced aging of the binder may increase the mixtures
fatigue capacity.
ƒ Production, construction and in-place compaction,
ƒ Provide a limited quantity of materials for future research.

The following describes the desirable data to be collected as part of a WMA trial:

1) Project Summary
a) Project location
b) Agency (if applicable)
c) Contractor
d) Paving date(s)
e) Paving time(s), day, night, ect.

Page 1 of 6
Last Revised: December 2006

f) Weather conditions – particularly ambient air and surface temperatures during

laydown
g) WMA process(es) used
h) Tonnage produced
i) Digital photos or video of the project during construction (production and/or
laydown of HMA, photos of key operations, photos after completion, etc.)
j) Any reports about the project produced by the agency, contractor or others
k) Traffic: AADT, percent trucks and ESAL factor or load spectra, number of lans,
and ecetera
2) Material Properties
a) Aggregate properties
i) Aggregate type(s)
ii) Dry bulk specific gravity
iii) Water absorptions
iv) Stockpile moisture contents
v) Superpave consensus and source properties (generally should be part of mix
design, including: coarse aggregate angularity (ASTM D5821), uncompacted
voids in fine aggregate (AASHTO T304 Method A), flat and elongated
particles (ASTM D4791), sand equivalent (AASHTO T176), LA Abrasion
(AASHTO T96), and soundness (AASHTO T104).
b) Binder properties
i) Binder supplier
ii) Binder grade (attach copy of Manufacturer’s certification)
iii) Base binder grade, if WMA used to modify binder, e.g. Sasobit
iv) Modifiers (if any)
c) Mix Design (attach copy of mix design volumetric properties)
i) Nominal maximum aggregate size
ii) Target gradation
iii) Optimum asphalt content
iv) Laboratory compaction effort
3) Production information
a) Plant type
b) Plant model
c) Describe method of introducing WMA additive(s)
d) Production rate
e) Aggregate discharge temperature temperature (if applicable)
f) Mix discharge temperatures (history during production)
g) Observations regarding motor amperages, particularly drag chain
h) Collect fuel consumption data for both the HMA and WMA1
i) Observations regarding baghouse after WMA run (moisture problem?)
j) Use of silos and typical storage time.
4) Laydown information
a) Temperature range of WMA at load out
b) Truck type (tandems, live bottom etc.)
c) Haul distance/Haul time
d) Release agent used (if any)

Page 2 of 6
Last Revised: December 2006

e) Observations regarding dumping material/sticking in truck beds (if any)

f) Use of windrow or transfer vehicles
g) Paver type and model
i) Vibratory screed on?
ii) Screed heated?
h) Compacted thickness
i) Temperature immediately behind screed (history)
j) Roller Train
i) Type and model
ii) Weight
iii) Amplitude and frequency of vibratory rollers (if applicable)
iv) Tire pressure of pneumatic roller (if applicable)
k) Roller Pattern – a separate roller pattern should be performed for the WMA and
control mixes
l) Time and mat temperature when opened to traffic
5) Testing
a) Laboratory Mix Tests (Field Mixed/Laboratory Comapcted) – to be performed on
both the WMA and control sections.
i) Moisture content of mix at load out (sampled from truck) – AASHTO T329
ii) Gyratory compaction of six pills for each sample to specified Ndesign
compaction effort without reheating mix other than to desired compaction
temperature. Record time needed to reheat samples (if any). After the
volumetric properties are measured, the samples will be tested in the Asphalt
Pavement Analyzer2 (APA) for rutting potential at the recommended climatic
high temperature for the site.
iii) Maximum specific gravity
iv) Prepare 6-8 samples to 7 ± 0.5 percent air voids and a height of 95 mm for
Tensile Strength Ratio Testing3 without reheating mix other than to desired
compaction temperature. Record time needed to reheat samples (if any).

The following equation has been used to estimate TSR sample weight in order to
obtain 7 percent voids:

M = (0.915)(Gmm)(π )(56.25)(9.5) = 1536.1(Gmm)

The 150 mm diameter samples should be compacted to a constant height of 95

mm. Typically NCAT will compact two trial samples first, allow to cool, bulk,
and adjust the mass as necessary to obtain 7 percent voids for an additional six
samples.

v) Compact three samples in the gyratory compactor to a height of 170 mm at the

anticipated in-place (field) density for simple performance testing (SPT)4.
The following equation has been used to estimate the target sample weight for
150 mm diameter samples compacted to a height of 170 mm. The first factor,
0.895, is the anticipated in-place density (93 percent of Gmm) minus 4.5
percent. The adjustment to the anticipated in-place density is necessary to

Page 3 of 6
Last Revised: December 2006

correct for surface texture and the fact that the center of the sample is denser
than the total samples (100 mm diameter samples, 150 mm tall, will be cored
from the oversize SGC samples).
M = (0.895)(Gmm)(π )(56.25)(17.0) = 2688.7(Gmm)

vi) Low Temperature Cracking – comparisons can be made between the low
temperature cracking potential using the IDT test (AASHTO T322).
b) Field Tests (Field Mixed/Field Compacted) – to be performed on both the WMA
and control sections
i) Density Tests – in-place density should be determined based on cores. A
minimum of nine cores should be taken from stratified random locations from
each section. The cores should be sawed and measured for thickness. After
density testing, the indirect tensile strength of three of the cores should be
determined at 77 °F. Loading rate for the indirect tensile strength shall be 2
inches/minute (same rate as for TSR).
ii) The three remaining cores should be used to determine bond strength between
layers5.
iii) Recoveries should be performed on the cores and the recovered binder graded
to assess the reduced aging during construction. Extractions and recoveries
should be performed according to AASHTO T319 or AASHTO T164 Method
A with Rotovap recovery. The extraction solvent should be toluene and 95%
ethanol mixed at a ration of 85:15. The 95% ethanol contains 5 percent water.
A maximum Rotovap temperature of 140 °C should be used, lower if reduced
pressures are utilized.
iv) An additional six cores should be taken, three in and three between the wheel
paths at three months, one year and two years after construction. The cores
should be tested for density and the indirect tensile strength determined at 77
°F. The additional coring with time is to serve two purposes: 1) WMA
additives have indicated reduced asphalt contents during design, the cores will
be used to assess the in-place densification under traffic. This data will be
related back to the QC air voids; 2) indirect tensile strength will be used to
assess binder aging.
v) Recoveries should be performed on the cores taken after construction, once
indirect tensile strength has been determined, and the recovered binder graded
to assess the aging as a function of time. Extractions and recoveries should be
performed according to AASHTO T319 or AASHTO T164 Method A with
Rotovap recovery. The extraction solvent should be toluene and 95% ethanol
mixed at a ration of 85:15. The 95% ethanol contains 5 percent water. A
maximum Rotovap temperature of 140 °C should be used, lower if reduced
pressures are utilized.
c) Sampling
i) Obtain at least one-gallon of the binder, preferably in 4 quart cans.
ii) Obtain approximately 30 lbs of each aggregate stockpile and RAP, if used.
iii) Obtain three five-gallon buckets (approximately 180 lbs) of mix.
iv) Obtain at least a one-gallon sample of any warm mix additive added directly
at the plant (zeolite or Sasobit).

Page 4 of 6
Last Revised: December 2006

d) Additional Performance Testing (Field Mixed/Lab Compacted) – The following

tests should be considered desirable, but not mandatory. Since WMA reduces the
aging of the binder, it should improve mixture performance in terms of certain
durability parameters such as fatigue life and low temperature cracking.
i) Hamburg Tests for moisture susceptibility and rutting
ii) Fatigue Life
(1) Beam fatigue tests – samples for beam fatigue testing should be prepared,
preferably with out reheating, to the anticipated in-place air void content.
Improved densification tends to improve fatigue life. Therefore, every
effort should be made to capture the effect of improved compaction
obtained with WMA (AASHTO T321).
(2) Fracture energy – an alternative method of assessing resistance to cracking
is fracture energy testing, performed on SGC samples, using the IDT.
(3) Other methods of assessing cracking potential may also be used, such as
the TTI overlay tester.
iii) TSRST Low Temperature testing
iv) Smoothness testing, prior to opening to traffic
v) Rut depth profiles, prior to opening to traffic (mark set locations for future
testing)

6) Materials Testing Contacts:

a) Warm Mix Asphalt Technical Working Group (WMA TWG)
i) Dave Newcomb – National Asphalt Pavement Association – (888) 468-6499
DNewcomb@hotmix.org
ii) Matthew Corrigan – Federal Highway Administration – (202) 366-1549
Matthew.Corrigan@FHWA.DOT.gov

Testing Notes
1
Fuel consumption can be difficult to measure. Natural gas usage is the easiest to
quantify. Tank dips can be inaccurate, particularly if recycled oil is used as fuel or
another fuel which may not be completely atomixed.
2
APA testing to be conducted climatic PG high temperature, e.g. 64 °C, with a hose
pressure of 100 psi and a vertical load of 100 lbs.
3
The testing conducted by NCAT to date has been completed according to ASTM D4867.
For laboratory prepared mixes, the 72-96 hour counter curing period of the compacted
sample, specified in AASHTO T283, has been eliminated. Practically speaking, this
curing period has been included in the field testing due to the shipping time required to
get the samples back to the laboratory. One freeze-thaw cycle was applied to the
conditioned samples. Freeze-thaw cycles simulate the pore pressure which develops in
the mix under traffic and are valid even in areas where freezing temperatures are not
likely to occur.

Page 5 of 6
Last Revised: December 2006

4
Dynamic modulus and repeated load permanent deformation should be conducted
according to the test procedures described in NCHRP Report 513. More up-to-date test
procedures are available from the NCHRP 9-29 contractor. Repeated load creep testing
to be performed at the base climatic PG binder grade -6°C, e.g. IF a PG 64-XX meets the
climatic requirements, conduct the repeated load permanent deformation test at 58 °C. A
vertical load of 600 kPa (87 psi) is generally believed to simulate mixed traffic expected
on most sites. Confinement pressure is important for certain mix types such as OGFC
and SMA. A confinement pressure of 20 psi is recommended. Repeated load creep
testing may be conducted following dynamic modulus testing, assuming the maximum
permanent strain criterion for dynamic modulus testing is not exceeded.
5
There is some concern that the reduced mixture temperatures for WMA may fail to
adequately bond to the underlying layer, particularly when PG binders are used as tack
coat. A number of tests have been used to assess bond strength. Florida DOT and NCAT
have both used guillotine type devices to measure bond strength. Some of NCAT’s work
is described in NCAT Report No. 05-08, which is available at www.NCAT.us

Page 6 of 6