Briefing: The UK asphalt laying standard: a user's view

Abstract

This briefing paper critically considers the content of the British standard for the transportation, laying and compaction of asphalts, namely BS 594987, from the standpoint of a professional user of the documentation. It begins by setting out the background to the standards that currently govern asphalt manufacture, testing and laying. It then considers a variety of provisions or suggested omissions: the designation of the standard itself; the lack of definition of normative and informative content; the lack of a tolerance for the finished level of surface course; the section dealing with hand laying, nominal and compacted layer thicknesses for asphalt concrete mixtures, including the allowable minimum thickness at any point; the minimum crossfall; and the lack of definition as to what constitutes substantial compaction. The paper concludes by suggesting that BS 594987 is proving to be wholly inadequate and warrants fundamental revision.