Polyvoids: Analytical Tool for Superpave HMA Design
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 23, Issue 8
Abstract
This paper demonstrates the application of the polygon of voids, or “polyvoids,” as an analytical technique to produce a hot-mix asphalt (HMA) job-formula based only on voids specifications, to Superpave hot-mix asphalt design and analysis. Polyvoids is one of the original analytical tools of RAMCODES (an acronym for rational methodology for compacted geomaterials’ densification and strength analysis). Functions for the definition of voids (i.e., air voids, voids in mineral aggregate, and voids filled with asphalt) as used in this paper are the same as found in the Asphalt Institute’s MS-2: Mix Design Methods and SP-2: Superpave Mix Design manuals. Definition and construction of polyvoids are herein described completely from a logical point of view. The polyvoids centroid is proposed as the job-formula or optimum-binder content for HMA design, based on voids specifications only. Three actual examples of Superpave hot-mix design were used to prove that the asphalt-binder content of the centroid is roughly the same as the one obtained by the sixteen-specimen AASHTO PP28 procedure (AASHTO 2001), but the polyvoids approach needs only six specimens. Also, the polyvoids approach allows the designer avoid a compacted state that is too close to the voids specification limits, allowing the maximum possible variability during production. Obtaining the polyvoids vertices and centroid is easier and more rapid if equations are programmed into spreadsheet software. As it does in the Marshall Mix design method, the polyvoids approach produces important savings in resources and response time in design and research related to Superpave.
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Information
Published In
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 23 • Issue 8 • August 2011
Pages: 1129 - 1137
Copyright
© 2011 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Mar 5, 2009
Accepted: Jan 13, 2011
Published online: Jan 17, 2011
Published in print: Aug 1, 2011
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