High Modulus Asphalt Concrete Base Pilot Program ... - Resperion

High Modulus Asphalt Concrete Base 

Pilot Program – State Route 138 

December 2006

Goal of Project 

To refine the technical guidance and 

specifications written for higher strength 

asphalt concrete base in order to allow its 

routine use cost effectively on California State 

Highway projects. 

Road Engineering Solutions

Objectives of Pilot Program 

• Evaluate the bidibility, buildibility, constructibility, and performance of the material specified 

by the specification; 

• Evaluate the applicability of current mix design procedures, and QC/QA specifications; 

• Ensure that during production the resilient modulus of the hot mix asphalt base achieves the 

levels specified in the specification; 

• Confirm that aging of the modified asphalt binder can be controlled during the construction 

process; 

• Evaluate in-service aging, and hardening to determine that these will not cause premature 

cracking of the pavement; 

• Obtain unit cost information for project estimating purposes; 

• Obtain material samples and collect material information that will allow the Gravel Equivalent 

Factor to be determined for the base material specified by this specification; and, 

• Collect additional project information, and material data that assists the analysis to be 

performed under the long-term objective. 

• Determine effective pavement strategies that can control the in-service aging, and hardening 

of the modified asphalt binder; 

• Characterize the material properties so that principles of engineering mechanics can be used 

to analyze thickness design 

• Determine whether or not the modified hot mix asphalt base can be represented by 

equations typically used to describe the fatigue behavior of hot mix asphalt bases containing 

neat asphalt binders; and, 

• Understand the distress mechanism so that distress/transfer functions can be developed for 

low temperature cracking (if used under thin surface courses), repeated load fatigue, and 

permanent deformation. 


Location of Project 

State Route 138 is an east-west highway generally following the northern foothills of the San 

Gabriel Mountains of southern California, USA from its junction with Interstate 5 south of Goman 

eastward to Mount Anderson Junction, its eastern junction with State Route 18 south of Crestline in 

the San Bernardino Mountains. Except for the western two miles of the route between Interstate 5 

and just east of Gorman Post Road and a segment shared with State Route 14 between Avenue D in 

Lancaster and Palmdale Boulevard in Palmdale, it is all surface road, mostly undivided two-lane 

road. 


Project Cross Sections 


IntegraBase Project Details 

• Phase 1: December 2006 Phase 2: April 2007 

• ½ Mile in length 

• 80 Feet wide 

• 2 different modified basecourse depths: 240mm & 160mm 

• Wearcourse: 60mm Type A mix 

• Total modified mix: 11,000 Tons 


Tested Product: IntegraBase (Chemcrete) 

• Multi-metallic catalyst (MMC) in asphalt soluble form 

• Injected into aggregate and asphalt cement at a rate of 2% by 

weight of asphalt cement directly into the asphalt feed line at the 

mixing plant 

• Creates asphalt base that is resistant to extreme (hot & cold) 

temperatures and heavy loads 

• Exhibits superior water resistance and anti-stripping properties 

• Can be used with marginal aggregates as well as all asphalt additives 

such as rubber, polymers, etc. 

Overlay or Seal 

IntegraBase Basecourse 

Crushed Aggregate Base 

Subgrade (Soil) 

Overlay or Seal 

IntegraBase Bindercourse 

HMA Stress Relief Layer 

Rubblized PCC 

Road Engineering Solutions 

IntegraBase Enables Versatility in Pavement Designs 

PCC Overlay 

IntegraBase Basecourse 

Subgrade (Soil)

IntegraBase: The Technology 

Traditional Asphalt 

Hydrogen 

Bond 

IntegraBase -Treated Asphalt 

IntegraBase 

Bond 


Resperion-Treated Asphalt 

Molecular Composition 

• Series of sequential 

chemical reactions occur, 

replacing weak, 

electrostatic bonds with 

strong, irreversible bonds 

• Resperion treated asphalt 

is resistant to 

temperature 

susceptibility 

• Normal increase in 

modulus in the range of 

40% - 300%

Application: Roads & Highways 

• Provides superior load-spreading ability, 

which literally takes the stress and strain off 

of any wearing course material placed 

above it 

• Support at least twice as many standard 

axle loads 

• Demonstrates considerably longer 

constant-stress fatigue life 


• High traffic 

interstates, toll ways 

and freeways 

• Slow speed/heavily 

loaded intersections, 

beltways, main 

thoroughfares, bus 

and truck lanes, etc. 

• Major reconstruction 

• Road widening

IntegraBase – Seamless Integration 

• Once IntegraBase is added to asphalt at plant, all normal 

procedures can be used for mixing, placing & compacting 

• Hydrocarbon constituents ensure that IntegraBase is 

readily blended and soluble in asphalt cement & can be 

stored indefinitely 

• IntegraBase’s low viscosity makes it easily pumpable 

NO 

STICKY 

MESS 

NO 

VALVE 

BUILD-UP 


NO 

SPECIAL 

HANDLING 

NO 

CHANGES 

TO PLANT

Granite Littlerock Hot Mix Plant 


Granite plant is located about 15 

minutes from job site. 

IntegraBase was delivered to 

plant in 6 – 250 Gallon totes.

Set Up and Integration 


Resperion provided a Coriolis Mass 

Flow Meter and Frequency Drive 

Inverter – Granite installed 

equipment in control tower. 

Pump and flow tube were 

installed near asphalt feed line

Set Up and Integration 


Because of outside temps (20 o -30 o F) totes 

were equipped with heating blankets, 

insulation and tarps to keep product at 

pumpable temperatures (at least 55 o F) 

Insulated hose containing modifier 

was hooked directly into the asphalt 

feed line at 90 o to ensure a good 

blending of the IntegraBase and 

asphalt

Lay Down and Compaction 


Mix is delivered to jobsite and is laid down 

for first lift on subgrade. Temperatures for 

laydown and compaction were about 45 o 

F and higher. 

Vibratory roller is used to compact 

first lift of IntegraBase modified mix

Lay Down and Compaction 


There are no special handling needs 

or changes to the typical lay down 

and compaction practices for 

IntegraBase modified mix 

All of the Granite workers commented on 

how much they enjoyed working with the 

mix, as the lubricating effect of 

IntegraBase makes the mix much easier to 

work with, even as the mix cools down – 

resulting in great density results

High Modulus Asphalt Concrete Base Pilot Program ... - Resperion

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