BITUMEN CONTENT CALCULATION IN DESIGNED ASPHALT MIXTURES

The composition of standard asphalt specimens is unambiguously defined using two elements of three-component asphalt specimen model. In three-component model, the composition can be defined by means of three main elements: a) Voids concentration in asphalt specimen (Cv/as); b) Bitumen concentration in asphalt specimen (Cb/as); and c) Mineral aggregate concentration in asphalt specimen (Cm/as) or by means of two derived, frequently used elements: voids in mineral aggregate (Cvim/as) or fill of mineral aggregate voids with bitumen (Fb). Theoretically there are nine two-element combinations, which unambiguously define the standard asphalt specimen composition. Based on the above described principle, the procedure for bitumen content calculation in designed asphalt mixture has been developed as a function of two asphalt specimen composition elements and densities of asphalt ingredients (bitumen, mineral aggregate and air). This procedure can be applied for bitumen content calculation in any asphalt mix design procedure, regardless of the type of mix presentation, or the method or energy used for preparing the standard asphalt specimen. For the covering abstract see ITRD E107185.