Construction and Performance of a Stone Matrix Asphalt Mix Test Section in Virginia

Construction and Performance of a Stone Matrix Asphalt Mix Test Section in Virginia

Author: G. W. Maupin

Publisher:

Published: 1995

Total Pages: 40

ISBN-13:

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SMA is a gap-graded mix filled with a rich asphalt-fines mastic developed in Europe. In 1991 five states constructed trial sections to determine if satisfactory mixes could be produced in the United States with current materials and high rates of production. This report discusses Virginia's first section, placed in 1992 near Lynchburg. During construction, better equipment was necessary to control the amount of fines contained in SMA mixes. Lack of control in the mix gradation caused variability on the roadway and on routine mix tests conducted during construction. The mix containing the cellulose fiber, Arbocel, has rotted more at stop-lights than the mix containing the polymer, Vestoplast, or the high-stability control mix. However, all mixes continue to perform well. Laboratory creep tests and gyratory shear tests predicted that the control mix and Vestoplast mix would be more resistant to rutting and consolidation under traffic. This investigation and work in other states have improved the current Virginia specification for SMA. The gradation was coarsened, a stiffer asphalt cement was required, and plant equipment that can adequately handle the aggregates was used. With these changes, future installations will perform better than the current dense graded mixes.


Methods to Achieve Rut-resistant Durable Pavements

Methods to Achieve Rut-resistant Durable Pavements

Author: Gerald A. Huber

Publisher: Transportation Research Board

Published: 1999

Total Pages: 72

ISBN-13: 9780309068529

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This synthesis report will be of interest to state, local, and federal agency pavement materials, design, and construction engineers, as well as pavement research engineers and scientists. Those with supervisory oversight for pavement programs will also find it of interest. It describes the current practice for methods to achieve rut-resistant durable pavements. The synthesis documents current experience with permanent deformation of asphalt pavements and identifies methods to improve performance. Information for the synthesis was collected by surveying U.S. and Canadian transportation agencies and by conducting a literature search using domestic and international sources. This report of the Transportation Research Board describes the extent of the rutting problem on the National Highway System, pavement mixture design issues, and the design of rut-resistant mixtures. In addition, alternate mixture types, including stone matrix asphalt and porous asphalt, are discussed, as well as international approaches to mixture design. Finally, the construction of rut-resistant mixtures, including the role of quality control and quality assurance methods, are discussed. A summary of permanent deformation causes and solutions is included in the appendix.


Stone Matrix Asphalt

Stone Matrix Asphalt

Author: Krzysztof Blazejowski

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 2016-04-19

Total Pages: 332

ISBN-13: 1439819726

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In the years since the development and subsequent success of Stone Matrix Asphalt (SMA), a plethora of articles have emerged, scattered throughout various publications. The time is right for a comprehensive resource that collects, examines, and organizes this information and makes it easily accessible. A compilation and distillation of the latest k


A Performance Baseline for Stone Matrix Asphalt

A Performance Baseline for Stone Matrix Asphalt

Author: Kevin K. McGhee

Publisher:

Published: 2005

Total Pages: 32

ISBN-13:

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In 2003, Virginia launched an expanded commitment to stone matrix asphalt (SMA). By the end of 2004, contracts that encompassed nearly 400,000 tons of SMA had been awarded and most of the material produced and placed. During this 2-year timeframe, more construction districts and contractors were engaged in the design, production, and placement of SMA than at any time in the history of the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). Most were experiencing it for the first time. This report documents many aspects of the 2003/2004 SMA "implementation initiative." It summarizes and presents detailed information on costs and quantities, volumetric properties, compaction, permeability, aggregate quality, and initial functional character (ride and friction) for SMA pavements placed during the 2003 and 2004 seasons. SMA is a complex and expensive HMA material. Carefully documenting (or "baselining") today's experiences and understanding the consequences in terms of lifetime costing are important keys to the continued successful deployment of the best HMA technologies for Virginia. If the cost savings associated with SMA (as identified by the National Asphalt Pavement Association) continue and are applied to only the 14% of VDOT's annual program allotted to SMA in 2005, the fruits of this research can contribute to more than $14 million per year in savings.