Construction Materials – Asphalt UPDATED ACTUAL Exam
Questions and CORRECT Answers
What is asphalt binder + aggregate used for? - Mainly for hot mix asphalt pavement surfacing
(HMA)
What is asphalt cement made of? - Asphalt binder
What is asphalt concrete made of? - Asphalt binder + aggregate
True or false, asphalt is highly affected by temperature? - True
What does asphalt that is too brittle result in? - Thermal cracking
What does asphalt that is too soft result in? - Rutting
What are the different grades of asphalt? - Soft (low viscosity) asphalt
Hard (high viscosity) asphalt
Where is soft (low viscosity) asphalt used? - In cold climates to avoid thermal cracking
Where is hard (high viscosity) asphalt used? - In hot climates to avoid rutting
Bituminous materials are hydrocarbons. What are hydrocarbons? - - Very complex chemical
composition that depends on the oil source and refining method
- Mostly hydrogen & carbon atoms with some sulfur, nitrogen, and oxygen
- Molecular structure is more important than composition
, What is the common way to grade asphalt nowadays? - Performance grading (PG)
What methods of asphalt grading were used in the past? - - Penetration grading (pen)
- Viscosity grading (AC)
- Aged residue grading (AR)
What is superpave and what does it stand for? - Superior Performing Asphalt Pavements
- Mix design method for asphalt concrete
- Performance grading method for asphalt binder specification
What are the different performance grade binder characterizations? - - Control specific distresses
(rutting, fatigue cracking, thermal cracking)
- Specific aging conditions (unaged, construction, long term)
What is the aging process known as Rolling Thin-Film Oven (RTFO)? - Short-term aging to
simulate hardening during construction at 325F for 75 min
What is the aging process know as Pressure Aging Vessel? - Long-term aging to simulate
hardening in service. It is aged in RFTO first, then 20 hours at 305 psi & 90-110C
What are the performance grade binder tests? - 1. Flash Point
2. Viscosity (rotational)
3. Dynamic shear rheometer
a. Neat
b. Rutting
c. Fatigue
4. Bending Beam rheometer
Questions and CORRECT Answers
What is asphalt binder + aggregate used for? - Mainly for hot mix asphalt pavement surfacing
(HMA)
What is asphalt cement made of? - Asphalt binder
What is asphalt concrete made of? - Asphalt binder + aggregate
True or false, asphalt is highly affected by temperature? - True
What does asphalt that is too brittle result in? - Thermal cracking
What does asphalt that is too soft result in? - Rutting
What are the different grades of asphalt? - Soft (low viscosity) asphalt
Hard (high viscosity) asphalt
Where is soft (low viscosity) asphalt used? - In cold climates to avoid thermal cracking
Where is hard (high viscosity) asphalt used? - In hot climates to avoid rutting
Bituminous materials are hydrocarbons. What are hydrocarbons? - - Very complex chemical
composition that depends on the oil source and refining method
- Mostly hydrogen & carbon atoms with some sulfur, nitrogen, and oxygen
- Molecular structure is more important than composition
, What is the common way to grade asphalt nowadays? - Performance grading (PG)
What methods of asphalt grading were used in the past? - - Penetration grading (pen)
- Viscosity grading (AC)
- Aged residue grading (AR)
What is superpave and what does it stand for? - Superior Performing Asphalt Pavements
- Mix design method for asphalt concrete
- Performance grading method for asphalt binder specification
What are the different performance grade binder characterizations? - - Control specific distresses
(rutting, fatigue cracking, thermal cracking)
- Specific aging conditions (unaged, construction, long term)
What is the aging process known as Rolling Thin-Film Oven (RTFO)? - Short-term aging to
simulate hardening during construction at 325F for 75 min
What is the aging process know as Pressure Aging Vessel? - Long-term aging to simulate
hardening in service. It is aged in RFTO first, then 20 hours at 305 psi & 90-110C
What are the performance grade binder tests? - 1. Flash Point
2. Viscosity (rotational)
3. Dynamic shear rheometer
a. Neat
b. Rutting
c. Fatigue
4. Bending Beam rheometer
