Marshall Method of Mix

Design
ENGR. KASHIF RIAZ

10/20/2014

Engr. Kashif Riaz

What is HMA?
HMA consists of two basic ingredients:
Aggregate
Asphalt binder
Hot Mix Asphalt mix design is the process of determining
What aggregate to use
What asphalt binder to use
What the optimum combination of these two ingredients.
HMA mix design has evolved as a laboratory procedure that uses
several critical tests to make key characterizations of each trial HMA
blend. Although these characterizations are not comprehensive, they
can give the mix designer a good understanding of how a particular
mix will perform in the field during construction and under
subsequent traffic loading.
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Engr. Kashif Riaz

Objectives of Mix Design

The main objective is to determine an economical and workable mix which
comprises of a suitable blend of aggregates and a corresponding asphalt
content.

Deformation resistance (stability)

HMA should not distort (rut) or deform (shove) under traffic loading
Fatigue resistance
Low temperature cracking resistance
Durability
Moisture damage resistance
Skid resistance
Workability

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Engr. Kashif Riaz

The Job Mix Formula

The end result of a successful mix design is a recommended mixture of
aggregate and asphalt binder. This recommended mixture, which also
includes aggregate gradation and asphalt binder type is often referred to
as the job mix formula (JMF) or recipe.

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Engr. Kashif Riaz

Marshall Method of Mix Design

Designation: ASTM D1559

Bruce Marshall, formerly Bituminous Engineer

with the Mississippi State Highway Department,
formulated the concepts of Marshall Method of
designing paving mixtures. The U.S. Corps of
Engineers, through extensive research and
correlation studies, improved and added certain
features to Marshalls test procedure, and
ultimately developed mix design criteria. The
Marshall test procedures have been standardized
by the American Society for Testing and
Materials.

This method is applicable only to hot mixtures

using penetration grades of asphalt cement and
containing aggregates with a maximum size of
25mm.
Marshall Stability Apparatus
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Engr. Kashif Riaz

Steps
The Marshall mix design method consists of 6 basic
steps:

Aggregate Selection
Asphalt Binder Selection
Sample Preparation (Including Compaction)
Density and Voids Calculations
Stability determination Using Marshall Stability
and Flow Test.
Optimum Asphalt Binder Selection
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Engr. Kashif Riaz

1) Aggregate Selection
Marshall mix design methods includes three basic steps for
aggregate selection
1) Determine aggregate physical properties. This consists of
running various tests to determine properties such as:

Toughness and Abrasion

Durability and Soundness
Cleanliness and Deleterious Materials
Particle Shape and Surface Texture

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Engr. Kashif Riaz

1) Aggregate Selection
2) If the aggregate is acceptable according to step #1,
additional tests are run to fully characterize the
aggregate. These tests determine:

Gradation and Size

Specific Gravity and Absorption

3) Perform blending calculations to achieve the mix design

aggregate gradation. Often, aggregates from more than one
source or stockpile are used to obtain the final aggregate
gradation used in a mix design. Trial blends of these
different gradations are usually calculated until an
acceptable final mix design gradation is achieved.
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Engr. Kashif Riaz

Gradation
Gradation is one of its most influential characteristics.
In HMA, gradation helps determine almost every important
property including stiffness, stability, durability, permeability,
workability, fatigue resistance, frictional resistance and resistance
to moisture damage.
Gradation is usually measured by a sieve analysis.
The in-place, after compaction, gradation is the acceptance that
the inspector should test.

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Engr. Kashif Riaz

2) Asphalt Binder Selection

The Marshall test does not have a common generic asphalt
binder selection and evaluation procedure. Each specifying
entity uses their own method with modifications to
determine the appropriate binder and, if any,
modifiers. Binder evaluation can be based on local
experience, previous performance or a set procedure

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3) Sample Preparation

As the possible range in asphalt content is from 3 to 6 percent of the total mix, mixture is
prepared that contain 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0% of asphalt.

Sufficient mixture is generally prepared, at each asphalt content to form at least three
specimens (each of 1.2kg).

Asphalt and aggregates are heated separately before mixing. Mixing and compaction
temperatures to which asphalt must be heated to produce viscosities, respectively, of
+7020 and 28030 centistokes kinematics.

Mixture is placed in mold and compacted. Hammer of

4.5kg (101b) used for compaction dropped from a height
of 457mm (18in). A compactive effort of 35, 50 and 75
blows is specified depending upon traffic, category.
Compaction effort is applied on both sides of each specimen.

Sample size = 102 mm (4-inch) diameter cylinder 64 mm

(2.5 inches) in height. After a specified number of blows,
the sample is turned over and the procedure repeated

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4) Density and Voids Calculation

Bulk Specific Gravity of Aggregate, Gsb

The ratio of the mass in air of a unit volume of a permeable material

(including both permeable and impermeable voids in the aggregates) at a
stated temperature to the mass in air of equal density of an equal volume of
gas-free distilled water at a stated temperature.
When the total mass of aggregates consists of separate fractions of coarse
aggregates, fine aggregates, and mineral filler, all having different measured
specific gravities, then bulk specific gravity is calculated as:

+ +
=

+ +

Gsb= Bulk specific gravity for the total aggregates

P1, P2, PN = Individual percentages by mass of aggregates
G1, G2, GN =Individual (e.g. coarse, fine) bulk specific gravity of
aggregates.
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4) Density and Voids Calculation

Effective Specific Gravity of Aggregate, Gse
The ratio of the mass in air of a unit volume of a permeable material
(excluding voids permeable to asphalt) at a stated temperature to the mass in
air of equal density of an equal volume of gas-free distilled water at a stated
temperature.

P
P
se= P mm Pb
mm b
G
G
mm

Gse = Effective specific gravity of aggregates

Gmm = Maximum specific gravity of paving mixes.
Pmm = Total loose mixture (%age by total weight of mixture = 100%)
Pb = Asphalt content at which Gmm test was performed, percent by
total mass of mixture.
Gb = Specific gravity of asphalt.
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4) Density and Voids Calculation

Effective Asphalt, Pbe
The effective asphalt content of a mixture is the total asphalt content of a paving mixture
minus the portion of asphalt absorbed into the aggregates particles. It is the portion of the
total asphalt content that remains as a coating on the outside of the aggregates particles, and
it is the asphalt content that governs the performance of an asphalt mixture.

=
Pbe
Pb
Pba
Ps

100

= Effective asphalt content, percent by total mass of mixture

= Asphalt content, percent by total mass of mixture.
= Absorbed asphalt, percent by mass of aggregates
= aggregates content, percent by total mass of mixture.

Pba = 100 x [(Gse Gsb)/(Gse.Gsb)] x Gb

=

Gmb=Bulk specific gravity
Wa=mass of test specimen in air
Ww =mass of test specimen in water.
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4) Density and Voids Calculation

Voids in mineral Aggregates, VMA
The voids in the mineral aggregates are defined as the intergranular void space
between the aggregates particles in a compacted paving mixture that includes the air
voids and the effective asphalt content, expressed as a percent of the total volume of
the sample. The VMA is calculated based on the bulk specified gravity of the
aggregates and is expressed as a percentage of the bulk volume of the compacted
paving mixture.

VMA= voids in the mineral aggregates, percent of bulk volume.

Or, if the mix composition is determined as percent by mass of aggregates

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4) Density and Voids Calculation

Air Voids, Va
The total volume of the small pockets of air between the coated aggregates
particles throughout a compacted paving mixture, expressed as percent of the
bulk volume of the compacted paving mixture. The air voids in the total
compacted paving mixture consists of the small air spaces between the coated
aggregates particles.

Va = air voids in compacted mixture, percent of total volume.

Gmm= maximum specific gravity of paving mixture
Gmb = bulk specific gravity of compacted mixture
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4) Density and Voids Calculation

Voids filled with Asphalt, VFA
The percentage portion of the volume of intergranular void space between the
aggregates particles that is occupied by the effective asphalt. It is expressed as
the ratio of (VMA-Va) to VMA. The voids filled asphalt, VFA is the
percentage of the integral void space between the aggregates particles (VMA)
that are filled with asphalt.

VFA= Voids filled with asphalt, percent of VMA

VMA= Voids in the mineral aggregates, percent of bulk volume
Va= air voids in compacted mixture, percent of total volume.
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5) Stability Determination Using The Marshall

Stability And Flow Test

It measure
Maximum load resistance
Corresponding deformation to load (flow) of standard
specimen at 60o C
Immerse specimen in water bath at 60o C + 1o C (140o F +1.8o F) for
30 to 40 minutes before test.
Apply testing load to specimen at constant rate of deformation. 51mm
(2in) per minute, until failure occurs.
Total number of Newton (1b) required to produce failure is recorded
as Marshall Stability Value.
Deformation (flow) at maximum
load is recorded and expressed in
units of 1/100 in. If specimen is
deformed 0.18in, the flow value is 18.
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6) Selection of Optimum Asphalt

Binder Content
The optimum asphalt binder content is finally selected based on
the combined results of Marshall stability and flow, density
analysis and void analysis.
Plot the following graphs:
Stability vs. Asphalt Content
Gmm vs. Asphalt Content
Percent Air Voids vs. Asphalt Content

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