3. Preparing Marshall hammer compacted specimens: AASHTO T-245 specifies the
procedure for compacting specimens with a Marshall hammer and testing the specimens
for stability and flow, after running bulk-specific gravity (AASHTO T-166). The bulkspecific
gravity could be used along with the theoretical maximum density to determine
the percentage of density and air voids.
4. Preparing a specimen with a Superpave gyratory compactor: AASHTO 312 specifies the
method for using a Superpave gyratory compactor for the compaction of 150 mm diameter
HMA specimens for subsequent determination of bulk-specific gravity.
5. Determination of bulk-specific gravity of a compacted HMA specimen: AASHTO T-166
specifies the procedure for the determination of bulk-specific gravity of a laboratorycompacted
HMA specimen and in-place cores from pavement. Note that cores should be
dried at 110°C to constant mass before running this test.
6. Maximum specific gravity of HMA: AASHTO T-209 specifies the method for determination
of maximum specific gravity of HMA specimens, by determining the ratio of the weight of
a void-less than the mass of HMA and the mass of an equal volume of water.
7. Determination of thickness of HMA specimen: ASTM D-3549 specifies the method of
determination of thickness of a compacted HMA specimen. The devices that can be used
are metal tape, a rule, a measurement jig, and a set of calipers. Required accuracy for
measurements is specified in the standard. Measurements are made between the horizontal
planes of the upper and lower surfaces of the specimens or between lines of demarcation
(as in a thickness of a layer inside a full-depth core). The measurements are taken at four
different points around the periphery, and the average of the four numbers is reported as
the thickness of the specimen