Driving Surface Aggregate Introduction

Driving Surface Aggregate Update

What is New with DSA
Potential Upcoming Additions to 
Specification
Information for PM Field Trip
Dave Shearer, Tim Ziegler, Eric Nevel
Driving Surface Aggregate Introduction
Driving Surface Aggregate Update

OUTLINE
•Introduction
•DSA Issues 
•Plasticity Index
•Results of Center DSA testing
•DSA Testing Overview
•DSA placement this afternoon
 Driving Surface Aggregate Introduction

What is Driving Surface Aggregate DSA:

1.Well‐graded aggregate for surfacing roads

2.Created by Center in 2000.

3.Only approved surface material in Dirt and 
Gravel Road Program (Forestry and Cons Dist)

4.Approved for purchase by Liquid Fuels.
PennDOT Publication 447 (MS-0450-0004)
Driving Surface Aggregate Introduction
Picture taken just after aggregate placement and compaction

DSA
Driving Surface Aggregate Introduction
Picture taken 2½ years after aggregates were placed with a paver

DSA 2A
 Driving Surface Aggregate Introduction

What is in the DSA Spec:

1.Gradation (size) Specification

2.Hardness

3.Optimum Moisture

4.pH
DSA ESMPsSurface Aggregate
Driving Introduction
Purchasing

SCC Certification
A certification is REQUIRED FRONT
-for each job.
-anytime the source material
changes.
-MUST be collected by
project manager with first
load of DSA delivered.
-Certification applies to source
pile of aggregate, not the
quarry as a whole.
-Defensible
DSA ESMPsSurface Aggregate
Driving Introduction
Purchasing

SCC Specification
Complete certification BACK
includes DSA specification on
back of page.
DSA ESMPsSurface Aggregate
Driving Introduction
Purchasing

DCNR ONLY
DSA Certification
FRONT
Plasticity Index
Forestry changed their DSA specification
to include a Plasticity Index (PI) in mid
2012. DCNR made this change because
of inconsistencies and difficulties they
were having with DSA jobs around the
state. Center staff began extensive testing
Plasticity Index
of DSA parameters, including PI, in 2010.
Based on these tests and PI parameters
used by other entities, Forestry
implemented a maximum allowable
PI value of 6 into their specification in Lots more to
2012. come on this
DSA ESMPsSurface Aggregate
Driving Introduction
Purchasing

DCNR ONLY
DSA Certification BACK

Lots more to
come on this

Plasticity Index < 6

Driving Surface Aggregate Introduction
Driving Surface Aggregate Update

OUTLINE
•Introduction
•DSA Issues 
•Plasticity Index
•Results of Center DSA testing
•DSA Testing Overview
•DSA placement this afternoon
 Driving Surface Aggregate DSA Issues

Three most common issues with DSA:

1.Out of spec (gradation)
‐ If it is out of spec, it’s not DSA!

2.Optimum Moisture (usually to dry)
‐ Dry DSA will segregate by size & will not compact.

3.To much clay
‐ Most difficult to control with current standards
‐ Fines (‐#200) must be crushed rock, not clay.
 Driving Surface Aggregate DSA Issues

To much clay: retains moisture, rutting, dust
 Driving Surface Aggregate DSA Issues

To much clay: retains moisture, rutting, dust
 Driving Surface Aggregate DSA Issues

To much clay: retains moisture, rutting, dust
 Driving Surface Aggregate DSA Issues

To much clay: retains moisture, rutting, dust
 Driving Surface Aggregate DSA Issues

To much clay: retains moisture, rutting, dust
 Driving Surface Aggregate DSA Issues

To much clay: retains moisture, rutting, dust

So what can we do to control this problem?
Driving Surface Aggregate Introduction
Driving Surface Aggregate Update

OUTLINE
•Introduction
•DSA Issues 
•Plasticity Index
•Results of Center DSA testing
•DSA Testing Overview
•DSA placement this afternoon
 Driving Surface Aggregate Plasticity Index (PI)

What is PI:  Plasticity Index is the range of 
moistures at which a material behaves in a “plastic”
state and is neither a solid or a liquid.
 Driving Surface Aggregate Plasticity Index (PI)

What is PI:  While not a direct measurement, PI is 
the accepted methodology for quantifying CLAY in 
soil.

PI for Dummies:
High PI = Clayey Soil
Low PI = free of silt or clay
 Driving Surface Aggregate Plasticity Index (PI)

How is PI determined?:  
PI is determined on portion of material passing a 
#40 sieve.  That’s 40 holes per linear inch and 1600 
holes per square inch.
 Driving Surface Aggregate Plasticity Index (PI)

How is PI determined?:  
Liquid Limit Device
Soil is soaked and allowed to dry 
to desired consistency.  Soil is 
spread into brass cup and a ½”
groove is cut.  At the Liquid Limit, 
the 2 “sides” will come together 
at ~25 drops of the cup.
If it takes more than 25 blows/drops 
to bring sides together, material is 
too dry and water must be added.  
If it takes less than 25 blows, soil is 
too wet and must be allowed to dry 
further.
 The plastic limit is defined as the 
moisture content where the thread 
breaks apart at a diameter of about 1/8 
inch.  A soil is considered non‐plastic if a 
thread cannot be rolled out down to 
1/8” at any moisture.
The soil is then placed in a drying oven 
and reweighed to determine water 
content and percent moisture of 
original sample.
Driving Surface Aggregate Plasticity Index (PI)

• The Plasticity Index (PI) is the difference 
between the Liquid Limit (LL) and the plastic 
limit (PL), so:
• PI = LL – PL.
• Soils with a high PI tend to be clay.
• Soils with a low PI tend to be silt.
• Soils with a PI of zero or less are considered 
non‐plastic and usually have little or no clay or 
silt.
 Driving Surface Aggregate Plasticity Index (PI)

What is PI:  While not a direct measurement, PI is a 
reliable methodology for quantifying CLAY in soil.

PI for Dummies:
Samples to pass 
High PI = Clayey Soil
around.
Low PI = free of silt or clay

Most DSA we’ve encountered has a PI of 0 to 12.  
Ideally, it should be no higher than 6.
 Driving Surface Aggregate Plasticity Index (PI)

2011 DSA Study:  
•Done in 2011 by Quality Engineering Solutions for 
PennDOT under Low‐Volume‐Roads Program.  
•Tested DSA with various fine contents (10%, 
15%,18%) and levels of plasticity (0, 4, 8)
•Results:
 Driving Surface Aggregate Plasticity Index (PI)

2011 DSA Study:  
•Done in 2011 by Quality Engineering Solutions for 
PennDOT under Low‐Volume‐Roads Program.  
•Tested DSA with various fine contents (10%, 
15%,18%) and levels of plasticity (0, 4, 8)
•Results:
• Gradation: "the current DSA specification 
range for fine content (‐#200) of 10‐15% was 
reasonable”. 
• Plasticity: “the tolerance threshold for the PI 
limit (max) in DSA lies between 4 and 8.”
Driving Surface Aggregate Introduction
Driving Surface Aggregate Update

OUTLINE
•Introduction
•DSA Issues 
•Plasticity Index
•Results of Center DSA testing
•DSA Testing Overview
•DSA placement this afternoon
 Driving Surface Aggregate Results of Testing

History and reason for PI testing
2005‐08 Forestry asks Center to investigate problems with DSA

2009 Center began testing samples of DSA to determined problem 
and solution.  Discovered clay was the likely problem

2009: Material from several quarries began to be “rejected” due to 

high clay content. 

2011:  PennDOT DSA study completed.

2012:  BOF incorporated PI into their DSA spec in 2012 (max 6)

2013:  Center continued testing aggregate in order to determine if 
PI should be included in general DSA spec.  
 Driving Surface Aggregate Results of Testing

Plasticity Index: 28 samples
PI Range: 0‐11 PI Avg: 3.1

Sample here today

Sample here today
 Driving Surface Aggregate Results of Testing

Fine Content: 26 samples
•8/26 out of spec (3 low & 5 high)
•‐#200 Avg: 12.8

DSA range
 Driving Surface Aggregate Results of Testing

Maximum Dry Density: 15 samples
•Average: 141 Lbs/Cuft
 Driving Surface Aggregate Results of Testing

Optimum Moisture: 15 samples
•Average: 6.7%
 Driving Surface Aggregate Results of Testing

Results:
•Plasticity Index is a cheap and reliable method to quantify 
clay content.
•Higher clay content = poor aggregate performance.
•A DSA PI limit of <6, as implemented by Forestry in 2012, 
will be recommended to the SCC for next construction 
season.
• 6 is low enough to insure quality aggregate.
• 6 is high enough to keep it “makeable”.
•Will recommend to SCC that DSA testing (sieve and PI) 
be required on all jobs over 1,000 feet in length.
•Many other states have PI limits in the surface aggregate 
specifications.
 Driving Surface Aggregate Results of Testing

Results:
•Center aggregate testing is ongoing.

•Contact the Center before performing aggregate testing.
Driving Surface Aggregate Introduction
Driving Surface Aggregate Update

OUTLINE
•Introduction
•DSA Issues 
•Plasticity Index
•Results of Center DSA testing
•DSA Testing Overview
•DSA placement this afternoon
 Driving Surface Aggregate Testing Overview

Testing:
•Eliminate aggregate problems before delivery.
•Serve as a legally defensible backup if there are
problems with the aggregate in the future.
•Allowable expense in the Program as part of the
Project Costs (or district admin).
•The use of these tests is Strongly Encouraged (and
will likely become required) on larger aggregate jobs
(+1,000’ projects).

Start building these testing costs into the grant

applications on DSA projects!!!
 Driving Surface Aggregate Testing Overview
Testing:
•Gradation w/wash: $100
•Std. Proctor (Density &Opt. Moisture): $145
•Liquid Limit & Plasticity (PI): $100
•Field Technician (on site density): $200
*varies with location, charged as hourly rate

TOTAL: $~550 *cost will vary

Gradation w/ Wash (sieve analysis): $100
•Will give you size analysis of aggregate
•Make sure you are getting DSA!!!
•8 out of 26 the Center tested were out of spec!
 Driving Surface Aggregate Testing Overview
Testing:
•Gradation w/wash: $100
•Std. Proctor (Density &Opt. Moisture): $145
•Liquid Limit & Plasticity (PI): $100
•Field Technician (on site density): $200
*varies with location, charged as hourly rate

TOTAL: $~550 *cost will vary

Standard Proctor: $145
•Will give you maximum density and optimum
moisture.
•Required if you are going to do on-site density
testing.
 Driving Surface Aggregate Testing Overview
Testing:
•Gradation w/wash: $100
•Std. Proctor (Density &Opt. Moisture): $145
•Liquid Limit & Plasticity (PI): $100
•Field Technician (on site density): $200
*varies with location, charged as hourly rate

TOTAL: $~550 *cost will vary

Plasticity: $100
•Will give you Plasticity Index (clay content).
•Proposing to implement PI limit of <6 next year.
•Insures you are don’t pay for DSA and getting 2RC!
 Driving Surface Aggregate Testing Overview
Testing:
•Gradation w/wash: $100
•Std. Proctor (Density &Opt. Moisture): $145
•Liquid Limit & Plasticity (PI): $100
•Field Technician (on site density): $200
*varies with location, charged as hourly rate

TOTAL: $~550 *cost will vary

Field Technician: $200‐500
•Insures optimum moisture and maximum
compaction during placement.
•Proctor test required beforehand.
•Billed hourly, so cost varies by location.
 Driving Surface Aggregate Testing Overview

Sampling Protocol: 
•Quarry visit should be scheduled to obtain aggregate
sample (~75 lbs).

•Sample must be at the lab at least 2 week before

placement.

•Center is creating a technical bulletin about

proper sampling protocol for distribution next
Spring.
Driving Surface Aggregate Introduction
Driving Surface Aggregate Update

OUTLINE
•Introduction
•DSA Issues 
•Plasticity Index
•Results of Center DSA testing
•DSA Testing Overview
•DSA placement this afternoon
 Driving Surface Aggregate Garden Hollow DSA

Garden Hollow Road (Bald Eagle SF)

• Live DSA placement this afternoon.

• Part of Center’s annual Demonstration Project with

Bureau of Forestry.

• Material from Hanson, Salona Quarry.

• Results of material testing:

Refer to your Handout
 Driving Surface Aggregate Garden Hollow DSA

Sieve In your 
Analysis Handout

DSA This
Sieve
Spec Material
Size
% passing % passing

1.5” 100 100

0.75” 65-95 88

#4 30-65 44

#16 15-30 21

#200 10-15 10.4

 Driving Surface Aggregate Garden Hollow DSA

Plasticity

In your 
Handout
 Driving Surface Aggregate Garden Hollow DSA

Proctor In your 
Handout

143.5

5.9
 Driving Surface Aggregate Garden Hollow DSA

What you will see this Afternoon:
• Base preparation including
• Keys cut into existing road to support aggregate.
• Proper crown in road base

• Live DSA placement through a track paver in single

pass 6” loose lift.

• Compaction with 10 ton vibratory roller from 6”

loose to 4” compacted lift.

• On site density and moisture testing with nuclear

density gauge.
 Driving Surface Aggregate Trail Surface Aggregate

Trail Surface Aggregate (TSA):
• Developed by the Center in 2009 as a “Downsized
DSA” designed for trail surface.

• Over 24 miles of TSA have been placed on rail-trail

projects since 2011.

• Brief stop at 17 mile Buffalo

Valley Trail on tomorrow’s field trip.

• More info available online

www.dirtandgravelroads.org.
 Driving Surface Aggregate Bottom Line

Bottom Line:

•Would you buy a car without a test drive?

•If you are spending $20,000 (or much more) 
on DSA, isn't it worth $500 bucks to make 
sure it is right?
Driving Surface Aggregate Introduction
Driving Surface Aggregate Update

Look for more guidance as we 
move forward with these 
recommendations to the SCC for 
policy changes. 
www.dirtandgravelroads.org