The application of locally developed pavement temperature prediction algorithms in performance grade (PG) binder selection

The stiffness and rutting performance of Hot-mix asphalt (HMA) is highly temperature dependent due to the visco-elastic nature of bituminous binders. Hence, design temperature is an important parameter in the selection of the binder grade. In this paper, locally developed algorithms for asphalt pavement temperature prediction are validated against new field data. The algorithms provide acceptable estimates of the actual pavement temperatures at the monitored sites. The algorithms were translated into software that, using air temperature data from weather stations, calculates the temperature regimes under which HMA performs. The software can be used in Performance Grade (PG) binder selection as per the Superpave HMA design methodology. With both the pavement temperature prediction software and the PG binder classification for South African binders available, the validation of the PG binder selection methodology for local use can commence.