Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA) was developed in Germany in the 1960s. Over the last several decades it has become one of the most used asphalt pavement wearing courses in road construction and, with the expectation of increasing traffic volumes and loads, the use of SMA is predicted to increase. The German SMA design process is based on the careful selection of appropriate aggregate particle grading and quality and on knowledge gained over many years of experience. The global uptake of SMA technology in pavement surfacings has seen the implementation of a wide variety of different interpretations of the original German SMA concept. This paper will give an overview of the German experience from the selection of materials, through to design, production and laying of the mixture and will demonstrate why the original German SMA concept has become the most used asphalt mixture for high trafficked roads in Germany. Local Australian practice in the design and application of SMA mixtures will be compared with the German approach. (Author/publisher) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. E208431.
Abstract