Standards & Specifications

B5 - Transport, Laying & Compaction

The methods of transporting, laying and compacting bituminous mixtures are defined in British (BS) Standards.  The BS EN Standards for bituminous mixtures only apply to the mixture ‘in the delivery vehicle’.  They do not specify how the mixtures are to be used.

This Topic page gives details of:

• Transport and delivery
• Tack coat and bond coat
• Laying in adverse conditions
• Hand laying
• Joints
• Compaction
• Layer thickness
• Delivery and rolling temperatures
• Rates of spread.

The BS requirements and guidance can be considered as ‘best practice’ for all road surfacing work, including pedestrian areas and car parks.  The Specification for Highway Works (SHW) uses the BS requirements as the basis of its clauses.

Full details are given in:

• Standard: BS 594987, Asphalt for roads and other paved areas.
  Specification for transport, laying and compaction and design protocols

BS 594987 replaced: BS 594-2, Hot rolled asphalt for roads and other paved areas. Specification for transport, laying and compaction of hot rolled asphalt and BS 4987-2, Coated macadam (asphalt concrete) for roads and other paved areas. Specification for transport, laying and compaction.