CalAPA Fall Conference

October 26 - 27, 2016

Sacramento, CA

Rubberized Hot Mix Asphalt

(RHMA) Mix Design

By
Jack Van Kirk
Director of Asphalt
Technology
George Reed Inc.
Rubberized Hot Mix Asphalt
(RHMA)
• What is rubberized HMA?
• Binder, aggregate requirements ?
• How do you design it?
• How do you test it?
• What are the differences from
conventional HMA?
• Critical factors?
 What is RHMA?
• Completely different than
conventional HMA
• Uses asphalt rubber binder
• Uses gap-graded or open graded
aggregate gradation
• Used in reduced thickness
pavement design
Asphalt Rubber Specifications
Rubberized hot mix asphalt (RHMA)
Type “G” *
Type “O”
Type “O-HB”

* For this presentation will

only discuss Type G
 Extremely Important
• RHMA mixes are more
temperature sensitive
• Lab and field compaction must be
achieved at higher temperatures
Parameters of the Mix Design
• Binder requirements
• Aggregate requirements
• Volumetrics and performance tests
• Mix and compaction requirements
• Major differences from
conventional HMA
 Quality characteristic Test method Requirement
Air voids content (%) AASHTO T 269a Ndesign = 4.0
Gyration compaction (no. of gyrations) AASHTO T 312 Ndesign = 50–
150b
Voids in mineral aggregate (min, %) SP-2
Asphalt
Mixture 18.0–23.0
Volumetricsc

Hamburg wheel track (min, number of passes at AASHTO T

0.5-inch rut depth) 324 (Modified)d
Binder grade: 15,000
PG 58 20,000
PG 64 25,000
PG 70

Hamburg wheel track (min, number of passes at the inflection AASHTO T 324
point) (Modified)d
Binder grade:
PG 58 10,000
PG 64
PG 70
10,000
12,500
Moisture susceptibility, dry strength (min, psi) AASHTO T 283d 100
Moisture susceptibility, wet strength (min, psi) AASHTO T 283d, 70
 Selection of Materials
• Binder
– Asphalt rubber binder
– PG 58-22, PG 64-16, PG 70-10
base asphalt
• Aggregate
– Quality requirements
– Gap-graded aggregate gradation
 Asphalt Rubber Binder
• Uses a minimum of 20 +/- 2 % crumb
rubber
• Uses 10 mesh (2mm) maximum size
crumb rubber
• Reacts/interacts crumb rubber for a
minimum of 45 min. at elevated
temperatures
• Modifies original properties of asphalt
cement
Asphalt Conventional
Rubber Asphalt
 Laboratory Binder Design
• Asphalt heated to 400 to 425°F
• Asphalt modifier added to asphalt
• Crumb rubber (18-22 %) blended into
asphalt/asphalt modifier blend
• Reacted for a minimum of 45 minutes
• Agitated (stirred) frequently during
reaction period
• Properties tested over 24 hour period
Compatibility of components
 Optimum Binder Content
(OBC) (by total weight)
• Minimum 7.5% for RHMA Type G
• OBC target value cannot go below 7.5%
• For best practice - field produced AR
binder should be used for the mix design
Minimum OBC (by total weight)
• Minimum 7.5% for RHMA Type G is
extremely important for good
performance in the field (resistance to
reflective cracking and raveling)
• Some aggregate sources encounter
difficulty meeting the minimum binder
content, volumetrics and performance
requirements
 Aggregate Requirements

• High quality aggregate is required

because of the reduced thickness
pavement design
– High % fractured faces
– Low % flat and elongated
– Sound durable particles
 Aggregate Gradation
• Uses a gap-graded aggregate gradation
• Limits of proposed gradation tolerances
much tighter
• For gap graded and open graded mixes -
40% higher binder content (7.5 -8.5% by
total weight)
• Use of asphalt rubber allows for higher
binder contents and thicker film thickness
Aggregate Gradations for RHMA-G
(Percentage Passing)

1/2 inch
Sieve size Target value limit Allowable
tolerance
3/4" 100 --
1/2" 90–98 TV ± 6
3/8" 83–87 TV ± 5
No. 4 28–42 TV ± 6
No. 8 14–22 TV ± 5
No. 200 0.0–6.0 TV ± 2.0
Gap-Graded Aggregate
 Gap-Graded
Aggregate

Dense Graded
Aggregate
 Rubber particles
in the binder help fight cracking
 Mixing and Compacting
• Select a combined grading
• Prepare samples at 4 binder contents
 7.5 % – 9.0 %
• Compact using the gyratory compactor
 Select gyrations (50-150) and pressure (600-
825 kPa)
 30 - 90 minute dwell or squaring time (use of
fan to cool optional)
• Analyze volumetric properties for each binder
content
 Air voids (4.0 or 5.0 % and VMA (18 – 23 %)
6 “ Diameter Specimen
Fan to Aid in Cooling

SuperPave
Gyratory
Compactor
Aggregate/Binder Combination
Selection
• Select best aggregate and binder
combination that meets the
requirements
• Select optimum binder content
(OBC)
 OBC Verification

• Mix and compact 3 specimens at

the OBC
• Verify mix volumetrics
• If volumetrics meet requirements
proceed with performance testing
Performance Tests of the
RHMA Mix
AASHTO T-283
Hamburg Wheel Tensile Test
Tracking Device
(HWTD)
 HWTD Performance Test
• Hamburg Wheel Tracking Device
(HWTD) for rut resistance
• 15,000 – 25,000 minimum passes for
maximum rut depth of 0.5 “depending
on grade of binder
• No stripping inflection
point requirement
(pending)
Stripping Inflection Point
Diagram

No discernable SIP
For RHMA

Normal SIP
For HMA Type A
AASHTO T-283 Performance
Test
• AASHTO T-283 for moisture
induced damage resistance
• Only dry and wet strengths required
(100 psi and 70 psi)
• No tensile strength
ratio (TSR) required
(except for selected areas)
 Critical Issues With RHMA
• 7.5 % binder content (by total wt.)
– For RHMA mixes the voids and VMA must
be met for the 7.5 % binder content (this is
why we have a range for gyration and
pressure)
– For HMA Type A the binder content is
adjusted to meet the voids and VMA Dwell or
squaring time critical for cooling specimens to
eliminate swelling of specimens
 Critical Issues With RHMA
• Voids and VMA requirements
– Must adjust grading, gyrations and pressure to
achieve requirements
– 18 vs. 20 % CRM
– The higher the CRM % and the coarser the CRM the
more difficult to compact and achieve volumetric
requirements (longer dwell time is required for higher
% of CRM)
• HWTD minimum number of passes are higher for the
0.5” rut requirement because of the higher viscosity
(5000 higher than HMA Type A for each grade)
 Summary
• Mix design is similar to
conventional HMA
• But there are some significant
differences
• Industry continues to work
together with agencies in a
partnering effort with the goal of
improving the mix design process
Thank You