ABSTRACT
Since the 1960s a substantial body of research knowledge has been built up in relation to the design and use of bituminous-bound materials in road pavements. This has provided the impetus for the current trend towards the use of mechanical test methods in bituminous mix design to measure particular properties of mixes and ensure that they meet desired performance-related specifications. Nonetheless, current practice in many countries is still biased towards the use of standard `recipe-type' specifications that are based on historical technical and commercial experiences. Indeed, the recipe-type specifications may well continue to be relied on for minor roads where `hi-tech' performance-based specifications are not required.
