Comparison of Marshall and Superpave Asphalt Design Methods for Sudan Pavement Mixes

The quality of asphalt concrete in flexible pavements plays a major role in the performance and durability of these pavements. The literature review revealed that Superpave mix design provides better performance than Marshall method, especially for roads exposed to heavy traffic loadings and climatic changes. This study aims to compare the design of asphaltic concrete by the traditional Marshall and the Superpave methods of mix design. Intensive laboratory testing program was conducted on samples of both mixes prepared at the design asphalt contents and aggregate gradations. A comparison between the design results obtained by two mix design procedures is presented. The Superpave mix showed better results of the studied properties compared to Marshall mix. This result proved the superiority of Superpave mixes over Marshall mixes. Therefore, adopting the Superpave design procedure in Sudan might help in enhancing the performance of the asphalt surface roads.