HMA Testing
HMA Testing
(OP)
What is "normal" procedure for the compaction testing of an HMA surface? Do they core and send it to the lab?
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS Come Join Us!Are you an
Engineering professional? Join Eng-Tips Forums!
*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail. Posting GuidelinesJobs |
|
RE: HMA Testing
Commonly, this includes developing a "control strip" density standard using nuclear density readings correlated to cores. Once the control strip density is established, the production testing is usually done with a nuclear gage, with periodic verification using cores.
If you are dealing with a small parking lot or other similar small private project, then nuclear density gage readings correlated to cores is often done.
Check the procedures of your state's DOT. Some states have well establish procedures and are usually in the forefront of paving technology/research...these include:
California
Washington
Florida
Texas
Iowa
Ohio
and a few others
RE: HMA Testing
RE: HMA Testing
RE: HMA Testing
Thanks
RE: HMA Testing
RE: HMA Testing
RE: HMA Testing
RE: HMA Testing
Density testing is usually done on large pavement projects at a frequency of at least one test per 500 square yards of pavement. If you have a small project, you might want to test more frequently, since small projects often have more density problems than large projects, because of the difficulty of working in smaller, more confined areas. Further, the contractors doing the work are usually not as aware of asphalt technology as those who do larger pavement projects.
I would do a correlation/calibration of the density gage, using cores, for each day's production, assuming you have a multiple day paving job. This helps to pick up mix issues and pavement laydown procedure problems. For instance, the asphalt plant may have variations in the mix on a daily basis (due to variations in the plant settings, mix constituents, the stockpiles, and the consumption of asphalt cement).
The reason I use a 3-core minimum is that a single core might be anomalous, with either a high density or low density...you won't know which unless you take multiple cores to average them.
BigH...thanks for your more clear paraphrasing!
RE: HMA Testing
RE: HMA Testing
RE: HMA Testing
Paving on interstates and similar roads get cored 4 times per day
Other state highways get 4 cores.
Local roads are tested with an NDM.
Inspection of other pavements (parking lots, patching, small areas, etc.)is based on compactive effort.
It makes sense to me. Inspection effort is proportional to the importance of the pavement.
"...students of traffic are beginning to realize the false economy of mechanically controlled traffic, and hand work by trained officers will again prevail." - Wm. Phelps Eno, ca. 1928