Annex 1 Appropriate aggregate gradation for CRMB mixes

It is good that IRC and MORTH have recommended use of CRMB and PMB for wearing course of bituminous roads for greater durability. While mixes with PMB are known to be durable with a long fatigue life all over the world, CRMB is being encouraged from environmental consideration. CARLTANS has passed a legislation that 50% of the HMA shall be with asphalt rubber by 2013. There is an immediate need for the modification of aggregate gradation for CRMB mixes. I happened to visit a number of highways in Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra. Many reports came from Bihar and Uttarakhand about the poor performance of CRMB mixes. It was a revelation that success rate of CRMB wearing course with dense graded aggregates recommended for Bituminous concrete was 50%. The mode of failure was cracking. Though no investigation was apparently done by anybody for the failure, many deficiencies become apparent if we look at the international practice. A look at the international practice indicates that CRMB (asphalt-rubber) is recommended with gap graded aggregates (GGP) in California, Texas, Arizona etc in USA. A test at IIT Kharagpur on CRMB with gap graded mix of Texas indicated that it has greater flexibility and its fatigue strength is about 10 times higher than that of the dense graded aggregate of BC( IRC:111:20090 and IRC:SP:2010) with CRMB in beam bending test . The gradation of aggregates of Texas( Coarse Matrix High Binder(CMHB)) are given below. There are two gradations Coarse and fine. Coarse gradation can be used from 40 to 50mm while fine can be from 30 to 40mm. It will give a good durable wearing course. CARTRANS gradation is also shown. Gap graded aggregates of CALTRANS and Texas

Sieve size,mm

Gap gradation(Caltrans) ARHM-GG

CMHB(Texas) ( DOT, Texas, Standard Specifications ---Highways.. and Bridges, 2004) Coarse surface Fine Surface 100 98-100 85-100 40-60

26.5 19 13.2 9.5 4.75

100 90-100 79-87 32-40

100 98-100 72-85 50-70 30-45

2.36 1.18 0.6 0.3 0.075 VMA and AV

18-24 9-12 2-7 VMA18, AV-3 to 5

17-27 5-27 5-27 5-27 5-9

17-27 5-27 5-27 5-27 5-9

VMA14, AV-3 to VMA15, AV-3 to 5 5

The CRMB content may approach from 5.5% to about 6% depending upon the aggregates. The mixes are highly rut resistant also as tested under rut tester at IIT Kharagpur. The mix is intermediate between dense graded and the Stone matrix Asphalt. A trial section with coarse mix laid in Tamilnadu looks good. 50 blow compaction is to be used for mix design since the aggregate may break in 75 blow compaction. In one trial, there was no difference in breakage of aggregates with 50 and 75 blow compactions and 75 blow mix was used for the construction. Breakage was very little. Flexible Pavement Committee of IRC may consider the suggestion since the current practice does not have a good success rate. Further CRMB must not be allowed to remain at higher temperature (180 C) for more than 8 hours otherwise it is to be rejected. Only one reheating shall be permitted if the CRMB is allowed to cool down.