6.

Laydown

6.1. Responsibilities and Authority • Final grade (and prime or tack) approval
of the Laydown Inspector • Traffic control
6.1.1 Areas of Responsibility If others have the prime responsibility in these areas,
There are many aspects of a paving operation that you still must work with them. Traffic may ruin a
require monitoring and inspection. As the laydown surface that a grade inspector has approved for paving.
inspector, you have the prime responsibility for: If so, you must not allow paving until the problem is
repaired and/or the grade inspector has a chance to
• Paving mix quantities and thickness check the area again. An approved traffic control plan
• Rolling and compaction may need revision as the work moves down the road.
Signs can blow over. You must remain alert to these
• Joint preparation and construction needs.
• Raking You will always share responsibility for the quality of
the paving mix. A materials inspector does the density
• Surface tolerances and asphalt content tests on the pavement, but you
You will have help in these areas from the scale must make sure these are being done as required. The
operator (who measures quantities) and, on most jobs, plant inspector is responsible for seeing that good mix
a ticket taker. leaves the plant, but you must be alert to the mix
quality too. Mix can become too segregated, cold, or
You may also have the prime responsibility for: contaminated after it leaves the plant. Materials

Asphalt Pavement Inspector’s Manual 6-1 6. Laydown

Revised January 2003
testing is discussed in Chapter 3 of this manual; plant shown at the end of this chapter. If someone else is
inspection is discussed in Chapter 4. completing the Inspector’s Daily Reports, the laydown
inspector may limit his or her records of work to the
Laydown inspection can be hectic and demanding. Be Paving Log. Make sure you know what records you
sure you read the specifications, gather tools and are required to keep before work begins.
equipment, and calculate the spread prior to the start
of paving. Be sure there is good communication 6.1.3 Laydown Inspector’s Checklists
between you; the contractor; and the grade, materials,
and plant inspector. Inspector’s Equipment Checklist
• Straight edge 16’
The laydown inspector may reject the condition of the
grade as being unsuitable for paving. The laydown • Air thermometer
inspector may also reject loads of asphalt concrete
based on quality, contamination, or temperature. • Surface thermometer

You must document any rejection you make and the • Asphalt thermometer
reasons for it.
• 50’ tape
Knowing what good concrete looks like, both in the
trucks and on the grade, requires some experience. • Pavement depth gauge, ruler, or tape
The Troubleshooting Guide (Appendix A) lists the • Clipboard
most common problems and their probable causes.
• Paving log
6.1.2 Records
Records of the paving operation may be organized • Calculator
differently on different projects, but they usually
Preliminary Checklist (Before Paving)
include Weight Tickets, the Asphalt Concrete Field
Book (Paving Log), and the Inspector’s Daily Report. • Trucks adequate (checklist in Section 6.2)

Weight tickets are issued for each truckload of asphalt • Paver(s) adequate (checklist in Section 6.2)
concrete at the scales. They are collected at the paver
• Rollers adequate (checklist in Section 6.2)
and the time and location that the mix is placed is
written on them. The ticket taker does this, if there is • Grade and prime (or old pavement and tack)
one. If there isn’t, the laydown inspector must do this. acceptable for paving
The Asphalt Concrete Field Book (Paving Log) is • Weather warm enough and dry enough for
used to record the placement of individual loads, to paving
calculate the yield, and to note temperature
measurements, weather conditions, etc. This is • Stringline or other paver guide in place
discussed in more detail in Section 6.3. Placement. A
sample page of a paving log is included at the end of • Screed heated before paving begins
this chapter. • Screed blocked to loose depth before paving
The Inspector’s Daily Report is used to summarize the begins
day’s activities. This includes a listing of the • Cold joint surfaces cleaned and prepared
contractor’s men and equipment and their hours and adequately
locations of work. It also includes a record of the
conditions of work – the pace of it and its quality, Production Checklist (During Paving)
work stoppages and the reason for them, etc.
Construction problems should be noted, along with • Paver starting and stopping minimized
the steps taken to correct them. • Placement location and time marked on all
On some projects the Inspector’s Daily Report covers weight tickets
a number of items of work other than just the paving • Mix temperature within specs for laydown
operation. This is the case on the sample report

6. Laydown 6-2 Asphalt Pavement Inspector’s Manual

Revised January 2003
 Figure 6-1
Truck Dumping into Paver
• No visible segregation or contamination 6.2. Equipment
• Mix appearance not too wet or dry 6.2.1 Hauling Units (Trucks)
• Hopper never completely emptied; feed Airports 401-4.3 and Highways 401-3.04 (03) contain
augers always at least two-thirds full the standard specifications for trucks. All trucks must
have canvas covers to protect the hot mix from the
• Yield calculated periodically and thickness weather if needed. Truck beds should be lightly
adjustments made as needed treated with an approved bed release agent.
• No flinging (broadcasting) or long distance Diesel fuel can dissolve asphalt cement, causing it to
raking of hand-placed material ooze (“bleed”) to the pavement surface after paving.
The uncoated aggregate left behind may ravel,
• Joints and edges raked properly resulting in potholes. Diesel is not an approved bed
• Rolling begins as soon as possible without release agent. For the same reason, trucks leaking
shoving fuel, lubricating oil, or hydraulic oil must not be
allowed.
• Proper rolling sequence followed
Truck weights must be within legal limits unless
• Compaction finished before mat cools to permission has been given otherwise. Ask your
185°F project engineer for the current formula or form to
calculate the legal loads for the contractor’s trucks.
• Good mat surface texture without roller Overloads are sometimes allowed on gravel
checking embankments before they have been paved. They
should be avoided on bridges and paved surfaces
• Surface smoothness within tolerance
(even old pavements that will be overlaid).
(including joints)
• Materials inspector makes tests as needed Truck Inspection Checklist
• Trucks are equipped with covers
• Traffic stays off mat until it cools to 140oF

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Revised January 2003
 Figure 6-2
Basic Paver Components
Courtesy of the Asphalt Institute

• Approved bed release agents are used screed (see Figure 6-2). The screed spreads the asphalt
concrete and partially compacts it by using either
• Legal loads are calculated for each truck tampers or vibrators.
• Trucks are not leaking oils or fuels
Tractor Unit
• Truck beds are clean (free of dirt) The tractor provides power for forward motion and for
spreading the asphalt concrete. The tractor unit has a
6.2.2 Pavers hopper, feed slats, feed gates, augers (screws), engine,
Standards specifications for pavers are found in transmission, and controls. The feed slats, feed gates,
Highways 401-3.05(03) and Airports 401-4.4. Pavers and augers should be adjusted so that the augers and
are also called paving machines or laydown machines.
They consist of a tractor unit that pulls an activated

6. Laydown 6-4 Asphalt Pavement Inspector’s Manual

Revised January 2003
 Figure 6-3
Paver Feed Slats
feed slats are running most of the time and the feed Thickness Controls: The screed is attached to the
augers are about half full. Sensors that detect the tractor by long leveling arms and rides on top of the
amount of asphalt reaching the end of the screed new mat like a water skier towed behind a boat. This
control the augers. These need to be properly located arrangement compensates for irregularities in the
and adjusted to keep the augers running most of the existing surface and helps to produce a smooth
time and half full. The NAPA paving handbook pavement. The mat thickness is controlled by the head
recommends keeping the mix level at the midpoint of of asphalt built up on the augers and on the screed
the augers rather than three-fourths full as angle. The head of asphalt on the augers should be
recommended by the Asphalt Institute. constant under normal operation. The thickness
controls change the angle of the screed. It may take
Screed Unit about 50 feet for a paver to completely react to any
The screed includes the tamper and/or vibrator, adjustments to the thickness controls.
thickness controls, crown controls, and heater.
Crown Controls: These can put a vertical angle
Automatic screed controls are required (Highways
(“crown”) in the front and/or back of the screed. The
401-3.05 [03], Airports 401-4.4).
front of the screed should be crowned slightly higher
Tamper or Vibrator: The screed strikes off the surface than the rear so that asphalt flows into the “shadow”
of the asphalt concrete. Some pavers have vibrators to left by the auger differential. A stripe will appear
make the screed oscillate, which partially compacts down the center of the mat if this is not done
the mix. On other pavers there are tamper bars for correctly. The screed crown should match the crown
this purpose. Some pavers have both. About 80 (if any) on the grade or an existing pavement. If the
percent of the compaction is accomplished by the screed crown is improperly set, the mat may be too
screed. Paving crews should not be allowed to turn the
vibrator off.

Asphalt Pavement Inspector’s Manual 6-5 6. Laydown

Revised January 2003
 Figure 6-4
Checking Pavement Thickness
thin in places and tear during placement or too thick point ram should be watched to make sure it is
in places, causing an over-run in quantities. working in conjunction with the automatic controls.
It should be centered well enough so that it won’t go
Heater: The screed heater is used to warm the into the stops. Check both sides of the paver.
screed surfaces before paving begins. It is generally
not used at other times. Overheating will cause the This side slope or crown is sensed by reference to a
screed to warp and require the plates to be replaced. (vertical) pendulum. The automatic controls raise or
lower one side of the screed to keep the side slope at
Automatic Screed Controls the amount set on a dial. When the side slope
Automatic screed controls allow the screed to follow changes, as it does approaching the superelevation
a smooth line, even if there are irregularities in the on a road curve, the “automatic” side slope controls
surface being paved. Many automatic screed must be worked manually.
controls have a long ski, which rides smoothly over
Automatic controls do a good job when they work
the grade. A stringline or other device is used on
properly. There should be little need for tinkering
other pavers. An automatic sensor detects any
with the controls, except when a side slope is
vertical movement of the ski (or stringline). The
changing. Even so, inspectors and operators must
sensor signals the screed control, which raises or
remain alert to what the paver is doing. When the
lowers the tow point on both sides of the screed to
controls go haywire, you can have a sorry mess in a
compensate for the grade changes.
hurry. The screed may jerk up and down, for
The manual controls are used until the correct instance, causing a long ripple in the pavement
pavement thickness is achieved. The automatic surface.
controls are then switched on to maintain the
required depth. If everything is working correctly, Paver Inspection
few other adjustments are needed. Once the The standard specifications require pavers to have
automatic screed controls (and the hydraulic valve to certain equipment, but they do not describe the
the tow point hydraulic ram) are turned on, the equipment’s required condition. Instead they require
manual screed controls no longer have any effect. pavers to be capable of producing a pavement with a
The automatic controls will override them. The tow specified grade, smoothness, etc. (Highways 401-

6. Laydown 6-6 Asphalt Pavement Inspector’s Manual

Revised January 2003
3.05 [03], Airports 401-4.4). A paver in bad
condition won’t produce such a mat and is
unacceptable. The following checklists will help to
inspect pavers.

Paver Inspection Checklist

The tractor unit should be checked for:
• Loose or worn tracks
• Frozen or worn rollers
• Clutch adjustments
• Clean slat feeders and conveyor belting
• Tire pressure (rubber-tired pavers)
• Engine performance and governor
Tamper type screeds should be checked for:
• Worn tampers
• Tamper clearance from nose of screed plate
(0.015” – 0.020”)
• Tamper stroke (1/8” total and 1/64” below
screed)
• Oscillating type screeds should be checked
for:
• Parallel and true alignment of oscillating
screed and vibrating compactor
• Vibrators adjusted and working. Paving
crews should not be allowed to turn the
vibrator off.
Either type screed should be checked for:
• Warped or worn-thin screed plate. A string
line can be used to check the screed surface.
• Uniform heater action
• Both ends of box closed
• Augers working and correctly spaced
• Thickness and crown controls working
• Screed extensions have full augers and
vibration
• Counter-flow augers used to push material
under the center box are oriented correctly

Asphalt Pavement Inspector’s Manual 6-7 6. Laydown

Revised January 2003
 Figure 6-5
Pickup Machine and Paver

6.2.3 Pickup Machines existing surface cools faster than the rest of the mix
and may result in an area with low density. It may also
Some contractors use belly dump trucks, which dump
leave a strip of segregated mix along each edge of the
hot mix in windrows on the grade. Then a pickup
windrow.
machine (also called a windrow elevator) is used to
deposit the mix into the paver. The windrows of hot
6.2.4 Rollers
mix must be the right size and in the correct location
to give the proper spread without segregation. Standard specification for rollers is found in
Highways 401-3.06 (03) and Airports 401-4.5.
A skilled dump man is important to good windrowing.
He must tell the truck drivers where to start dumping Steel Wheel Rollers
and how fast to drive, and know when and if to adjust Steel wheel rollers have one powered steel drum and
the truck gate widths. either a steering (guide) drum or rubber-tired steering
wheels. A scraper keeps the drum clean. A reservoir
Windrows tend to segregate in their long direction,
supplies water to wet the drum surface, which
with too much coarse material at the end. Long, thin
prevents asphalt pick-up. Diesel is not allowed as a
windrows that overlap help compensate for the lineal
drum wetting agent.
segregation. Windrow length is a function of vehicle
speed and belly gate width. The weight on the drive drum should be at least 250
pounds per inch of width for breakdown and
Windrowed asphalt concrete cools rapidly. You must
intermediate rollers. Roller weight can be adjusted by
carefully monitor the temperature of the windrows. If
adding or removing water from the drum. Usually
they are cooling too rapidly the contractor may have
less weight is used for finish rolling.
to hold the mix in the trucks longer and slow plant
production. Overheating the asphalt at the plant is not The pavement surface will be smooth only if the drum
an acceptable solution to this problem. surface is smooth and true. The drum face should be
checked with a straight edge or string line before
The pickup machine must pickup pick up as much
paving to see if it is warped. Also look for pits in the
asphalt concrete as possible. Paving mix left on the

6. Laydown 6-8 Asphalt Pavement Inspector’s Manual

Revised January 2003
 Figure 6-6
Steel Wheel Roller
drum surface. Check the pavement surface carefully, recommendations. Usually low amplitude is used for
after rolling at the beginning of the project. pavements less than 2 inches thick, medium amplitude
for pavements that are 2 to 4 inches thick, and high
The transmission, brakes, and drum bearings must be amplitude for pavements more than 4 inches thick.
in good condition. Wheel bearing wobbling or rough
starts and stops leave marks in the pavement. Pneumatic (Rubber Tired) Rollers
Pneumatic rollers have smooth rubber tires instead of
Vibratory Rollers
steel drums. They usually have two axles with three to
Steel drum rollers used for breakdown rolling usually five tires per axle. They should weigh 3,000 to 3,500
are equipped with vibrators. Both the frequency and pounds per wheel. The weight can be adjusted by
the amplitude of the vibration can be varied to achieve adding ballast.
the best compaction.
Between tires, tire pressures should not vary more
There should be at least ten downward impacts per than five psi. Some pneumatic rollers have an air
foot of travel of the roller. This requires a minimum of system that automatically adjusts the tire pressure to a
880 vibrations per minute for every mile per hour of given setting that is controlled by the operator. All of
roller speed. If the roller is moving too fast for the the tires are connected to this air system and should be
vibration rate, a short wavy pattern will appear in the the same air pressure, unless a tire has been punctured
asphalt surface. Use a straight edge to monitor this, or an air line damaged. A soft tire leaves a ridge of
and increase the frequency or slow the roller if it is a uncompacted asphalt, which may become a string of
problem. potholes a few years later.
The vibration amplitude should be high enough to get Pneumatic rollers are generally used for intermediate
the desired compaction. If set too high, however, the rolling. They work the aggregate with a kneading
roller may bounce, break the aggregate, and de- action, which provides a more tightly knit mat than
compact the mat. Follow the manufacturer’s

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Revised January 2003
can be obtained by a steel drum roller. When used for The screed should be set on blocks of loose depth
intermediate rolling, tire pressure should be about 90 thickness when starting on an unpaved grade. When
psi when hot and 70 or 75 psi when cold. starting paving against a transverse joint, the screed is
set on boards resting on the end of the old pavement.
Pneumatic rollers have independent wheel suspension. The boards should be as thick as the difference
They find weak spots and holes in the base course that between loose and compacted depth. This ensures that
a steel wheel roller would bridge over. This is the paver places the full loose depth when starting.
especially beneficial in compacting leveling courses
on irregular surfaces or in wheel ruts. Airport projects require test strips to assure that
pavement produced will meet specifications. Test
Fresh asphalt concrete sticks to cold tires. Sticking strips may be required on highway projects too.
may be a problem the first few minutes until the tires
heat up. Skirts around the base help prevent heat loss The first strip paved on airport projects (after the test
from the tires, and are especially helpful in cold and strips) is normally the highest part of the surface. On a
windy weather. If a pneumatic roller continues to pick crowned runway or taxiway, this is along centerline.
up asphalt it is because the tires are still too cold. The On both, airport and highway projects, the contractor
problem can be alleviated by working the roller closer must have a stringline, curb or other means to align
to the paver (this may require the breakdown roller to the paving. The screed must be heated before mix is
work closer to the paver as well) or by improving the added to the paver.
skirts so more heat is held around the tires.
A bump forms every time the paver stops, so it is
Roller Inspection Checklist desirable to have the paver move continuously at a
uniform speed. A balance between paver speed, plant
• Number of rollers adequate for the job
output, the number of trucks, and the haul distance is
• Weight of rollers adequate and/or meets specs needed to accomplish this. Trucks should be
dispatched from the plant at a uniform rate during
• Rollers start and stop smoothly continuous paving so that the paver speed can be set
to maintain a continuous operation.
• Steel drums not warped or pitted
Trucks should not jolt the paver when they back up to
• Drums have scrapers and are wetted with it, or a bump in the mat may result. The rollers on the
water paver should push against both sets of rear wheels on
• Pneumatic roller tires have smooth treads the trucks.
Coarse aggregate tends to roll to the tailgate of a
• Tire pressures differ by less than 5 psi
truck. Trucks should be unloaded in a surge, which
minimizes this potential cause of segregation.
6.3. Placement
Standard specifications for placement are found in Keeping the paver’s hopper partially full at all times
Highways 401-3.12 (03) and Airports 401-4.10. also reduces the potential for segregation. Any coarse
aggregate, which rolls to the tailgate of a truck, drops
The base and prime (or for old pavement and tack) into the hopper first. If the hopper is empty the coarse
must be inspected just before paving. Any oil puddles, aggregate will all be fed to the screed at the same
soft spots, or potholes must be corrected before paving time. A line of coarse (segregated) material across the
begins. Asphalt concrete must not be placed on a wet, mat will result. If the hopper is partially full the coarse
frozen, or unstable base. Air temperature must be at aggregate tends to mix back in with the rest of the
least 40oF (Highways 401-3.01, Airports 401-4.1 for asphalt concrete.
3” or more).
Before paving the contractor should determine what
the “loose depth” of uncompacted material is needed
to produce the desired compacted depth. Loose depth
is usually about 25 percent more than compacted
depth.

6. Laydown 6-10 Asphalt Pavement Inspector’s Manual

Revised January 2003
 Figure 6-7
Pneumatic Roller
The paver should place the mix wherever possible. If 6.4. Joints
it must be placed by hand, it should be shoveled to the
required location. Flinging the mix with a shovel or The Standard specifications for joints are found in
raking it for long distances causes segregation. Highways 401-3.14 (03) and Airports 401-4.12.
Surface tolerance and segregation require special care
whenever pavement is placed by hand. 6.4.1 Transverse Joints
Transverse joints are placed wherever paving is ended
6.3.1 Hand Raking and begun again at a later time. The cold pavement
Hand raking should not be done unless absolutely edge must be clean, tacked and in good condition.
necessary. The most uniform surface texture can be Two ways of forming a clean edge are illustrated in
obtained by keeping the handwork behind the screed Figure 6-10. A lumber bulkhead must be placed just
to a minimum. The raker should be alert to a crooked after the paver leaves, while the mat is hot. The end
edge on the mat so he or she can straighten it of the hot mat is cut to a clean, straight edge with
immediately. The raker does this by either removing shovels, the board placed against it, and the ramp
or discarding the mix that bows outside the edge line formed against the board.
or by adding mix from the hopper if the edge of the A somewhat similar joint can be made with paper in
mat is indented. The raker will occasionally need to place of the board. Sawcut faces may be required by
work along the longitudinal joint. If the paver follows project specifications. They are made in cold mats just
the guideline, the back work will not be necessary. before the new pavement is laid.
Surplus hot-mix should not be cast across the mat
surface as this will result in nonuniformity of the
surface texture, even after proper compaction.

Asphalt Pavement Inspector’s Manual 6-11 6. Laydown

Revised January 2003
 Figure 6-8
Paver in Operation
The fresh mix at the joint should be “loose depth” The new mat is placed with a one or two-inch overlap
(thicker than the previously compacted pavement). on the old mat, as shown in Figure 6-9. The coarse
Inexperienced rakers may try to rake the hot asphalt aggregate should be raked out of this excess and
concrete to the thickness of the cold mat. This may wasted. The remainder of the excess is pushed back to
look better before the joint is rolled but results in a form a bump at the edge of the new mat, as the figure
low spot along the joint after compaction. shows.
Transverse joints should be rolled parallel to the joint Many rakers work very hard to push back the material
(crosswise to the paving direction) before any other at the edge of the joint and fling it on to the hot mat.
rolling begins on the new mat. Transverse joints must This is a poor procedure, which will result in a weak
be compacted in static mode (with the vibrator off) joint and an open surface texture along the joint. If
since the vibrator may crack cold pavement. the raker does not pile up the correct amount of
asphalt at the joint the asphalt at that point will be of
6.4.2 Longitudinal Joints lower density then the rest of the mat.
Longitudinal joints run in the direction of paving.
The breakdown roller then “pinches” the longitudinal
They are generally weak spots in the pavement and
joint with a small part of the drum on the old mat and
should be kept out of high traffic areas whenever
part of the drum on the new mat. Rollers should
possible. On highway projects they must be placed at
operate in static mode, as for transverse joints. The
lane lines or centerline (401-3.14) (03). On airport
joint should be pinched before the breakdown rolling
projects, paving strips are normally at least 20 feet
on the rest of the mat.
wide, which minimizes longitudinal joints (Airports
401-4.10). If two pavers are working in adjacent lanes, a hot
longitudinal joint may be formed. In this case the
Most longitudinal joints are formed by placing hot
rollers behind the first paver should leave the edge of
asphalt concrete against cold pavement. The cold
the mat uncompacted. The rollers behind the second
pavement edge may need sweeping (especially if
paver compact this edge along with the second strip as
vehicles have driven on it) and must be tacked.
shown in Figure 6-11.

6. Laydown 6-12 Asphalt Pavement Inspector’s Manual

Revised January 2003
 Figure 6-9
Longitudinal Joint Formed against a Cold Mat
Courtesy of the Asphalt Institute

Surface smoothness tolerances are the same at joints Asphalt pavements are at about 80 percent density as
as everywhere else in the mat. It is a good idea to they leave the paver. The remainder of the compaction
check joints with a straight edge while the material is is mostly done by initial or “breakdown” rollers
still hot; if there is a problem, the rakers can often (usually vibratory steel wheel) and somewhat by
correct it. intermediate rollers (usually pneumatic). The
pavement is then rolled with a steel wheel finish roller
6.5. Compaction to remove surface irregularities.
Standard specifications for compaction are found in The amount of rolling required depends on several
Highways 401-3.13 (03) and Airports 401-4.11. factors, including the size of the rollers, the paving
Proper compaction is important to the life of the mix and mat thickness, the surface temperature, and
pavement. It increases the strength and stability of the the weather. One reason for placing test strips when
mix and closes gaps through which water and air can paving first begins is to find out how many roller
penetrate and cause damage. Insufficiently compacted passes will be needed to get the required density.
pavements shove, rut, and ravel from traffic and age Rollers should have the drive drum or wheels forward
faster than properly compacted mats. Over- in the paving (that is, closest to the paver). If a
compacted pavements flush (bleed liquid asphalt at steering drum precedes the drive drum onto the mix, it
the surface) and will lose stability. Over-compaction
can also loosen the mat and check (crack) the
pavement surface.

Asphalt Pavement Inspector’s Manual 6-13 6. Laydown

Revised January 2003
 Figure 6-10
Transverse Joint Construction
Courtesy of the Asphalt Institute

can shove the asphalt instead of compacting it, as package named “PaveCool” is available; it factors in
shown in Figure 6-12. This is usually less of a more variables to the cooling process in determining
problem with pneumatic rollers, but the drive wheels the amount of time for compaction.
should be forward for them too.
Rolling a pavement after it has cooled below 175oF
On highways projects the most important place to will provide little or no additional compaction, but
achieve compaction is along the wheel paths where may cause checking (cracking) of the surface.
truck traffic will run. Roller operators sometimes tend
to roll the center of the lane more than the wheel Initial or Breakdown Rolling
paths. As the inspector, you should see that this Joints, if there are any, should be rolled first (see
doesn’t happen. Section 6.4), except for hot longitudinal joints. They
should be rolled in static mode.
Temperature
The asphalt concrete will “shove” (move out from The main breakdown rolling is then done with a
under the roller) if the mix is rolled when it is too hot. vibrator on (if there is one). The operator should drive
This causes a rough surface. Rolling should begin as the roller toward the paver and then return on the
soon as the pavement has cooled enough to support same path. He or she then moves the roller over for
the rollers without shoving. If the mat shoves below the next pass. Turning movements should be made on
275oF, you have poor mix design. Inform the project previously compacted areas to avoid roller marks that
engineer immediately. are difficult to remove. Succeeding passes should
overlap previous ones.
Figure 6-13 contains graphs, which show the
approximate amount of time for compaction
depending on the temperature of the base and the
temperature of the mix at the screed. A software

6. Laydown 6-14 Asphalt Pavement Inspector’s Manual

Revised January 2003
 Figure 6-11
Rolling a Hot Longitudinal Joint
Courtesy of the Asphalt Institute

Breakdown rollers should make two complete passes tired rollers is the material pick-up problem. Tips to
over the entire area (or more if needed to get the prevent the pickup problem include:
required density). Maximum roller speed should be 3
mph for vibratory rollers and 4 mph for static rollers. • Clean the tires. Diesel fuel should not be used to
clean the tires.
Rolling patterns vary with the width of paving, the • Inflate tires to the proper air pressure. Over-
equipment, the number of passes needed, etc. The inflated tires may cause rutting, and underinflated
standard specifications for highways require that the tires reduce the compactive effort and increase the
passes progress from the lowest side of the mat to the chance for material pickup. All tires must have
highest, while for airport projects the rolling begins at equal inflation pressure.
the longitudinal joint and progresses across the mat. • Prior to production, the pneumatic-tired roller
operator should run the unit up and down a
Intermediate Rolling compacted surface for about 40 to 50 minutes.
Pneumatic rollers usually do intermediate rolling. This builds heat and pre-warms the tires.
Intermediate rolling should consist of three complete • The use of skirts is recommended. Skirts hold the
passes over the mat (or more if needed to get the heat in longer around the outer tires.
required density). The rolling should progress across • The travel speed should never exceed 3.5 miles
the mat in the same way as the breakdown rolling. per hour.
Pneumatic rollers can sometimes help “heal” checking • Keep cocoa mats in good repair. They consist of a
that may have occurred during breakdown rolling. material that rubs against the individual rubber
tires, ensuring that release agents are spread
Some Superpave mixes have a tender zone, when the evenly and helping prevent material buildup.
asphalt temperature ranges from 200 to 240 0F,
pneumatic rollers are used as intermediate rollers. A
primary reason contractors don’t want to use rubber-

Asphalt Pavement Inspector’s Manual 6-15 6. Laydown

Revised January 2003
 Figure 6-12
Proper & Improper Rolling Direction
Courtesy of the Asphalt Institute

Finish Rolling either closer to or farther back from the paver to

prevent this problem. The rubber-tired roller can
The finish roller removes any roller marks and
usually drop back and fix these cracks if they occur.
smoothes surface imperfections. You should inspect
the new pavement, using a straight edge as needed.
Traffic Control
Inform the roller operator if any areas need surface
improvement. Occasionally the finish roller will crack Traffic should be kept off the finished pavement until
the new asphalt as it rolls. This is usually caused when it cools to 140oF. Traffic on a hot pavement can cause
the top and bottom surfaces of the asphalt have bleeding, rutting, or checking, and may leave
hardened (cooled) while the center is still soft (hot). permanent marks in the surface. You should make
Typically this happens in the surface temperature sure that traffic control is maintained in the area, until
range of 150-170oF. The finish roller needs to work regular traffic patterns can be resumed.

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 Figure 6-13
Time Allowed for Compaction
Courtesy of the Asphalt Institute

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Revised January 2003
6.6. Spread Calculations and Control 6.6.1 Spread and Yield Ratio
Asphalt concrete is expensive, so quantities must be Calculations
carefully controlled. Screed operators usually monitor The following information is needed to make the
paving by checking the mat thickness with a metal calculations:
probe rod or other device. The mat just behind the
paver must be thicker than shown in the plans (by
about 25 percent) so that it will be the same as on the Data Source
plans after the rollers compact it. One reason for test
strips is to determine what the “loose depth” must be.
1. Pavement thickness Typical section (plans)
Paving inspectors should check loose depth
periodically and record it in the Asphalt Concrete 2. “Target” density Mix design sheet
Field Book (Paving Log). This procedure isn’t very (Marshall Weight)
exact, however, nor does it directly monitor what is
actually paid for, which is almost always the weight of 3. Paver width Measured in the field
asphalt concrete, not the thickness or volume. 4. Distance paved Measured in the field
By carefully monitoring the weight of asphalt concrete 5. Asphalt weight Project scales via the
used and the area over which it is spread, you can tickets truck driver
calculate how many lb/yd2 are actually being used.
This figure, called the “spread” or the “yield,” can
then be compared with the “theoretical” amount
needed based on the plan thickness and the “target” Theoretical Yield
density from the mix design. The first two figures are used to calculate the
“theoretical yield” in pounds per square yard
The figures for yield calculations are kept in the (#/sq.yd.). This can be done using the following
Paving Log; a sample page is shown in Figure 6-15. formula:
You should also keep track of the total (cumulative)
yield for the project and inform the project engineer of Theoretical yield = 0.75 x thickness (in) x target
any potential quantity over-runs or under-runs. density (pcf)
Project engineers may ask the inspector to keep the For a 2” thickness and a lab density of 152 pcf the
yield a little under the theoretical value (that is, to theoretical yield is 0.75 x 2 x 152 = 228 #/sq.yd. This
keep the pavement a little thinner than planned) as a is the “Theo. Yield” shown on the Sample Plant Mix
contingency against an asphalt quantity over-run. Log page (Figure 6-15).
This is undesirable, since pavement life is roughly
proportional to the square of the thickness. Project If the lane width remains constant, the theoretical
funding constraints, however, may make this an yield can be converted to pounds per station (#/sta).
economic necessity. This saves calculating areas in the field. In the
Sample Plant Mix Log, the lane width is 12’, so there
are 1200 square feet of pavement per station. The
theoretical yield is therefore 1200/9 (sq.ft./sq.yd.) x
228 = 30,400 #/sta, which is the figure shown in the
log.

Actual Yield
The truck driver should have his ticket marked with
gross, tare, and net weights for each load of mix.
Inform the contractor of any overweight trucks. The
lane and stationing where the load is placed should be
marked on the back of the tickets, along with the time.
All the information needed to calculate the yield is
thus on the ticket.

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The first entry in the sample shows that a truckload of actual yield is consistently low, the pavement is too
mix with a net weight of 30,880 pounds was used to thin.
pave 70 feet or 0.70 stations. The actual yield for that
truck was 30880/0.70 = 44144 #/sta, which is rounded When this happens the screed operator should adjust
44,110 in the log. The inspector has noted “off on the thickness controls. It takes as much as 50 feet for
yield” in the log, since this is much more than the the paver to completely react to an adjustment. Let the
theoretical yield. screed stabilize to the new conditions before making a
new yield calculation to check the adjustment.
Usually the weight of four or five truckloads is added Making adjustments too rapidly can create a bump in
together and yield is calculated for the combined total. the mat. Limit adjustments to ¼ turn in 50 feet.
This has been done for the other loads recorded in the
sample Paving Log. The point here is that you have to control the spread
without demanding constant tinkering with the
If lane widths don’t remain constant, you can’t controls. Checking the yield at 1,000-foot intervals is
calculate the theoretical yield in pounds per station. usually adequate to maintain depth control after the
This happens when paving approaches left turn first few loads of the day. Jacking the screed up and
pockets, gores, etc. down will result in rough pavement as well as destroy
your credibility.
In these situations you must first calculate the area
paved (in square yards). You can then calculate the Remember that you must not operate the screed
actual yield in pounds per square yard. Alternatively, controls yourself. If you do, the Department will be
you can calculate the “theoretical” weight for the area held responsible for any improper work rather than the
and compare it to the actual weight used. This is contractor. If the screed operator will not correct the
simpler when a similar area occurs repeatedly on a asphalt thickness problems, contact the paving
job. You might calculate the “theoretical” weight foreman and the project engineer.
needed to pave any residential approach on the
project, for example. This can be done ahead of time, 6.7. Inspecting the Finished Mat
saving work in field. The main areas of concern in the finished mat are the
final density, the surface smoothness, and the surface
Yield Ratio texture (appearance).
The actual spread or yield divided by the “theoretical”
one is called the yield ratio. If the actual yield is the Density testing is the materials inspector’s
same as the theoretical one the yield ratio will equal to responsibility, but you need to coordinate with the
1.00. A yield ratio greater than one indicates a thicker materials inspector to make sure the needed tests are
pavement than planned. A yield ratio less than one done promptly so any problems can be corrected
indicates a thinner pavement than planned. The yield quickly.
ratio for the first truckload in the sample log is
Smoothness should be tested with a 16’ straight edge
44,110/30,400 = 1.45. This indicates the pavement is
for highway work (401-3.15) and 12’ for airports
45 percent too thick (almost an inch).
(401-5.2[f][5]). The variation of the mat surface from
the straight edge must not exceed 3/16” for highways
6.6.2 Adjusting the Spread
or ¼” for airports in either the longitudinal or
If the actual yield you calculate differs from the transverse direction. Smoothness tolerances are just as
theoretical one, your distance estimate may be strict for joints as for the rest of the pavement.
inaccurate. For an accurate estimate the paver must
have the same amount of asphalt in it at the beginning It takes some experience to judge the appearance of a
and end of the yield calculation section. finished mat, but some problems are obvious. The
texture of the mat should be uniform; that is, there
Small errors in your distance are less significant on should be no sign of segregation or raveling. There
longer sections. Don’t ask for thickness adjustments should not be pieces of wood, large stones, or other
based on the yield for a single truckload. But if the contamination in the mat, nor should there be “fat”
yield is consistently high after several loads the (oily) spots or bleeding. There should be no cracking
pavement is being placed too thick. Similarly, if the (checking) or tearing of the mat. The Troubleshooting
Guide (Appendix A) lists these and other common

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problems to look for, along with the most probable
causes of them.
Defective areas of pavement must be marked, cut out,
and replaced by the contractor. These patched areas,
however, are almost never as high in quality as a
pavement that is mixed and placed correctly in the
first place.
Most defects in the finished mat can be avoided by
careful inspection of the production and placement
processes. Correcting defects is also easier the earlier
in the process they are detected. If a consistent mix is
produced, the pavement is placed in a dry weather on
a firm base, and a good rolling pattern is established
and followed, there should be no problem achieving
required density. With good quality control, there
should be no segregated or contaminated areas to be
cut out and replaced. If the base is good and joints are
properly built, the surface smoothness should be
within tolerance.

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 Figure 6-14
Segregation Visible in the Finished Mat

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 Figure 6-15
Sample Plant Mix Log

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 Figure 6-16
Sample Inspector’s Daily Report

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