The effects of the testing history and preparation method on the superpave simple performance test

The Superpave Simple Performance Test (SPT) has been gaining use within the asphalt pavement research community. Testing has been conducted to better understand the response of materials to the proposed testing scheme. This paper presents the affects of testing history on the materials response with particular emphasis on the dynamic modulus and flow number tests. Also examined is the method of specimen preparation in terms of sawed/cored or compacted test geometries. This work has shown that the testing history of the specimen does not affect the mean response, but does tend to increase the variability. Also shown is that the method of specimen preparation does not affect the materials response to loading and this finding is confirmed through pavement design with the aid of the 2002 Design Guide software.