ABSTRACT
Each layer in a pavement can only be as durable as the layers below it. If a layer below is weak, it will require the layer itself to be stiffer or thicker to compensate provided that extra stiffness does not make it too brittle. The gradient can also have an effect on the asphalt temperature if the slope faces towards the equator because the surface will be exposed more directly to the sun. The type of traffic that travels on pavements will affect the type of asphalt required to successfully produce that pavement. The ambient temperature has an influence on the selection of asphalt mixture type in terms of its maximum, its minimum and its range. Pavements covered by snow for extensive periods obviously tend to have low minimum temperatures. However, studded tyres are often used in such areas which abrade the aggregate in the mixture.
