Comparative Study Between Bituminous Mixtures Prepared by Superpave Gyratory and Marshall Impact Compactors

Flexible pavement performance is increasingly vital due to the rapid development of traffic volume and axle loads in Erbil. The main purpose of this study is to differentiate between the mix design prepared by Superpave Gyratory Compactor (SGC) and Marshall Impact Hammer (MIH), in order to achieve the same performance of Superpave mix by using MIH. Therefore, the samples were evaluated on the basis of mechanical behavior and moisture sensitivity according to AASHTO T283 and AASHTO T165, and Asphalt Institute procedures. The results demonstrate that both mix designs provide excellent correlation and performance, but the Superpave mix design is more cost- effective than the Marshall mix design due to its low asphalt content requirement. In addition, identical results of Superpave mix design can be obtained by using the Marshall mix design method in such a way that, in order to obtain the same performance of Superpave mix at Ndesign such as Marshall stability, density, indirect tensile strength, and compressive strength, Marshall mix requires approximately an average of 22 blows more than specified.