
HMA consists of two basic ingredients: aggregate and asphalt binder. HMA mix design is the process of determining what aggregate to use, what asphalt binder to use and what the optimum combination of these two ingredients ought to be. There are several different methods used to go about this process, of which the Superpave, Marshall and Hveem methods are the most common. The mix design fundamentals discussed here are applicable to all mix design methods.