What is BS 594987 about?
BS 594987 is a British Standard that discusses best industry specifications for asphalt used for roads and other paved areas.
BS 594987 specifies requirements for the transport, laying, and compaction of asphalt mixtures conforming to BS EN 13108‑1, BS EN 13108‑4, and BS EN 13108‑5, and described in PD 6691, from the time that they leave the mixing plant until they are placed on the road ready to receive a superimposed layer or traffic.
Note: Although BS 594987 does not contain explicit requirements for asphalt materials covered in other parts of BS EN 13108 or other proprietary asphalt mixtures, the general requirements of this standard can be applied to those mixtures, in addition to special requirements for particular mixtures specified in individual quality plans and/or method statements.
Note: The term “asphalt” used in this standard is the generic term used to describe the wide range of mixtures of aggregate and bituminous binder individually known as asphalt concrete (AC), hot rolled asphalt (HRA), stone mastic asphalt (SMA), porous asphalt (PA), or mastic asphalt, and other proprietary materials which are available for use in constructing and maintaining roads and other paved areas that are on the market in the UK.
Note: Methods for ensuring that the correct surface drainage characteristics are imparted to pavements with PA surface courses are outside the scope of BS 594987.
Note: BS 594987 does not specify requirements for asphalt incorporating bitumen emulsion binders.
Note: BS 594987 does not cover additional or specific requirements relating to the laying and compaction of reduced temperature asphalts.
Who is BS 594987 for?
BS 594987 on asphalt for road and other paved areas is useful for:
- Asphalt product manufacturers
- Public sector highway authorities
- Private infrastructure owners
- Asset managers
- Consultant engineers
- Architects
- Test houses
- Test equipment manufacturers and suppliers
- Research laboratories
- Highway and civil engineering contractors
- The Defence Infrastructure Organization (DIO)
Why should you use BS 594987?
BS 594987 specifies requirements for transporting asphalt mixtures, for preparatory site work, and for laying and compacting asphalt mixtures, including the covering of concrete and sett paving.
BS 594987 provides technically updated information on how to treat asphalt from the time it leaves the plant to when it is placed on the road. It also details the preliminary work needed to prepare the substrate to receive the asphalt.
With BS 594987-compliant practices for transport, laying, compaction and product type testing, you can ensure the asphalt used for your civil engineering needs, meets the performance requirements and is fit for purpose. You can thus enhance the stability and service-life of roads and paved areas.
What’s changed since the last update?
BS 594987:2015+A1:2017 supersedes BS 594987:2015, which is withdrawn. BS 594987:2015+A1:2017 includes some technical changes with respect to BS 594987:2015. These include:
- Nominal thickness note (Table 1A)
- Wheel tracking sub-clause
- Air void content formula
- Approximate rate of spread (Table B.1)
- Binder proportions (Table H.3)
- Compacted aggregate density formula
