Abstract
This paper presents information on how compaction (specifically, air voids) influences the performance of dense asphalt concrete pavement surfaces. The information is based on three separate sources: the existing literature on the subject, a questionnaire survey of 48state highway agencies on compaction practice, and performance data from the washington state pavement management system. All three information sources show some correlation between the degree of compaction and the performance of asphalt concrete pavement. Overall, a 1 percent increase in air voids (over the base air-void level of 7 percent) tends to produce about a 10 percent loss in pavement life.