ASPHALT MIX DESIGN EXAM QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT ANSWERS 2026

ASPHALT MIX DESIGN EXAM QUESTIONS
WITH CORRECT ANSWERS 2026
Aggregate Sources - CORRECT ANSWER -Stone Deposits & Sand and Gravel Deposits



Stone deposits - CORRECT ANSWER -1. Hard deposits - requires blasting & crushing -

2. Sedimentary -

3. Igneous -

4. Metamorphic



Sand & Gravel Deposits - CORRECT ANSWER -1. Loose deposits -

2. Mined or Dredged



Sedimentary rocks - CORRECT ANSWER -
sediments consolidated by chemical action: limestone & Dolomite. (70% of crushed stone prod
uction)



Igneous rocks - CORRECT ANSWER -
solidification of magma or lava: granite and trap rocks (22% of crushed stone production)



Metamorphic rocks - CORRECT ANSWER -
Existing rocks subjected to heat and pressure within the earth: marble, quartzite, gneiss



% of aggregates in concrete vs asphalt - CORRECT ANSWER -Concrete: 70% -

Asphalt: 94% aggregate by volume



Mineral aggregates - CORRECT ANSWER -
Solids, definite chemical composition, crystal structure, natural.

,Naturally occurring aggregates are made of minerals



Synthetic or byproduct aggregates - CORRECT ANSWER -
1. Slag (byproduct of steel production: ABS, GBS) -

2. Foundry sand (Byproduct of metal casting)



Aggregate processing properties - CORRECT ANSWER -1. Size distribution (Gradation) -

2. Surface texture -

3. Shape -

4. Cleanliness (Clay fines)



Hardrock mining - CORRECT ANSWER -1. remove overburden -

2. blasting -

3. crushing -

4. screening



Sand and gravel puts - CORRECT ANSWER -1. less expensive -

2. dry mining or underwater dredging -

3. extracted material washed -

4. screening



Crushing by energy & Gradation - CORRECT ANSWER -
1. Abrasion : large coarse particle size and fine, no good distribution in particle size -

2. Cleavage: Smaller coarse size that abrasion, but more particle size distribution -

3. Shatter: smaller coarse size that both, but more particle size distribution



Segregation - CORRECT ANSWER -1. at Conveyer belt due to vibration -

, 2. in stockpiles due to gravity



Maximum aggregate size - CORRECT ANSWER -
smallest sieve opening through which the entire amount pass



Nominal Max Size - CORRECT ANSWER -
One sieve size larger than the first size to retain more than a specific amount



Control points in gradation graph - CORRECT ANSWER -
Depends on type of mix (S1, S2...) & nominal max aggregate size



Types of gradation - CORRECT ANSWER -1. Dense graded, -

2. gap graded -

3. open graded



why do we use 0.45 power chart for sieve analysis - CORRECT ANSWER -
(Gradation size mm)^0.45 is an easy number



Restricted zone in sieve analysis - CORRECT ANSWER -
Poorly graded: deform under load and not enough interlock due to angularity



What is VMA? - CORRECT ANSWER -Voids in Mineral Aggregates



Why do we need VMA in asphalt mixes? - CORRECT ANSWER -
Binder will cover aggregates and fill some voids. Low VMA: No enough space for binder to go b
etween aggregates