GIVING SUPERPAVE MIX SOME BYTE

With the recent debut of the new Superpave volumetric mix design software, state highway agencies and contractors now have a standardized platform for designing Superpave mixes. The software allows users to design asphalt mixes using the Superpave mix design procedures. It contains five modules: volumetric mix design procedures, field quality control (QC) procedures, field quality assurance (QA) procedures, binder classification procedures, and test data entry procedures. The software was designed for use by pavement materials engineers and technicians, mix designers, asphalt paving contractors, and other asphalt paving professions. The new software incorporates the more than 50 changes to four Superpave mix design standards approved in 1999 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Subcommittee on Materials. Other significant improvements include the modules for QC/QA, which allow the user to check QC/QA in the field, and simplified compaction levels recommended by the Asphalt Mix Expert Task Group and the Superpave Lead States team.