This report, NCHRP Report 269, and a companion report, NCHRP Report 268, "Influence of Asphalt Temperature Susceptibility on Pavement Construction and Performance," will be of special interest and value to individuals responsible for materials testing, mix designs, and construction of asphaltic concrete pavements. This report is a field manual containing suggestions for making adjustments in materials selection, mix design, and construction operations to overcome the variations in asphalt cement properties that have been found to occur. The suggestions in the manual are based on field experience and thus are suitable for immediate implementation. The findings of laboratory and field studies on the effects of asphalt cement properties on pavement construction operations and short-term performance are described in the companion report. These findings indicate that the physical properties of asphalt cements aree likely to be more variable today than they were 20 years ago, even though they remain within specification values; but, variations in other factors may mask the influence of this variation on pavement performance. (Author).
Abstract