Validate Surface Performance-Graded (SPG) Specification for Surface Treatment Binders

The design and selection of surface treatment binders is currently based on experience and traditional specifications that are not performance related and do not directly consider climate. A surface performance-graded (SPG) specification for these materials was developed and initially validated previously in Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Project 0-1710. This SPG specification utilizes the equipment and format of the performance-graded (PG) binder specification for hot-mix asphalt (HMA) binders and ensures adequate surface treatment performance in service in terms of aggregate loss and bleeding by measuring binder properties at critical high and low surface pavement temperatures. In this project, the original SPG specification was revised and further validated with field performance.