ASTM D977-20

Standard Specification for Emulsified Asphalt

ABSTRACT
This specification covers the requirements for thirteen grades of emulsified asphalt for use in pavement construction in the manner designated. The emulsified asphalts shall be homogeneous after thorough mixing and shall be tested within 14 days of delivery. Asphalts separated by freezing shall no longer be tested. Materials shall be appropriately sampled and tested, and shall conform accordingly to the following physical requirements: viscosity; storage stability; demulsibility; coating ability and water resistance; cement mixing; residue by distillation; oil distillate; ductility; solubility in trichloroethylene; and behavior during sieve, penetration, and float tests.
SCOPE
1.1 This specification covers 13 grades of emulsified asphalt for use in pavement construction in the manner designated.  
1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.  
1.3 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 30-Jun-2020
• ICS: 91.100.50 - Binders. Sealing materials
• ICS: 93.080.20 - Road construction materials
• Technical Committee: D04 - Road and Paving Materials
• Drafting Committee: D04.41 - Emulsified Asphalt Specifications

Relations

• Refers: ASTM D140/D140M-16(2023) - Standard Practice for Sampling Asphalt Materials
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2023
• Refers: ASTM D6936-23 - Standard Test Method for Determining Demulsibility of Emulsified Asphalt
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2023
• Refers: ASTM D139-23 - Standard Test Method for Float Test for Asphalt Materials
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2023
• Refers: ASTM D244-23 - Standard Test Methods and Practices for Emulsified Asphalts
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2023
• Refers: ASTM D5/D5M-19a - Standard Test Method for Penetration of Bituminous Materials
• Effective Date: 15-Dec-2019
• Refers: ASTM D6930-19 - Standard Test Method for Settlement and Storage Stability of Emulsified Asphalts
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2019
• Refers: ASTM D7496-18 - Standard Test Method for Viscosity of Emulsified Asphalt by Saybolt Furol Viscometer
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2018
• Refers: ASTM D8078-18 - Standard Test Method for Ash Content of Asphalt and Emulsified Asphalt Residues
• Effective Date: 01-Apr-2018
• Refers: ASTM D8078-18e1 - Standard Test Method for Ash Content of Asphalt and Emulsified Asphalt Residues
• Effective Date: 01-Apr-2018
• Refers: ASTM D244-09(2017) - Standard Test Methods and Practices for Emulsified Asphalts
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2017
• Refers: ASTM D7496-17 - Standard Test Method for Viscosity of Emulsified Asphalt by Saybolt Furol Viscometer
• Effective Date: 01-Sep-2017
• Refers: ASTM D6936-17 - Standard Test Method for Determining Demulsibility of Emulsified Asphalt
• Effective Date: 01-Sep-2017
• Refers: ASTM D139-16 - Standard Test Method for Float Test for Bituminous Materials
• Effective Date: 15-Nov-2016
• Refers: ASTM D8078-16 - Standard Test Method for Ash Content of Asphalt and Emulsified Asphalt Residues
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2016
• Refers: ASTM D140/D140M-16 - Standard Practice for Sampling Asphalt Materials
• Effective Date: 01-Jun-2016

Overview

ASTM D977-20: Standard Specification for Emulsified Asphalt establishes the requirements for thirteen grades of emulsified asphalt used in pavement construction. Developed by ASTM International, this standard ensures that emulsified asphalts meet stringent quality and performance criteria when applied as part of road and paving projects. The standard mandates homogeneous emulsified asphalt products, strict testing timelines, and specific test methods to verify physical performance properties such as viscosity, storage stability, demulsibility, coating ability, residue content, and solubility.

Meeting the ASTM D977-20 standard is essential for infrastructure projects where reliable paving materials are required, supporting the durability and longevity of roads and related surfaces.

Key Topics

• Grades Covered: Thirteen emulsified asphalt grades for various uses in pavement construction, including rapid-setting, medium-setting, slow-setting, and quick-setting types.
• Performance Requirements:
  • Viscosity (measured at 25°C and 50°C)
  • Storage stability
  • Demulsibility
  • Coating ability and water resistance
  • Cement mixing compatibility
  • Residue by distillation and oil distillate content
  • Ductility and penetration of residue
  • Sieve, float, and solubility tests
• Testing Protocols: All materials must be sampled and tested in accordance with referenced ASTM test methods such as D5/D5M (penetration), D113 (ductility), D139 (float), D140/D140M (sampling), and others. Testing should occur within 14 days of delivery to ensure quality and compliance.
• Homogeneity and Storage: Emulsified asphalt must be homogeneous after mixing. Materials that have separated due to freezing are not to be tested.
• Units of Measure: Only SI units are used in this standard, reinforcing consistency for international projects.

Applications

ASTM D977-20 is widely used by:

• Road Construction and Maintenance Contractors: Ensuring that emulsified asphalts supplied for projects such as road surfacing, patching, sealing, or slurry sealing comply with industry best practices and regulatory requirements.
• Materials Testing Laboratories: Verifying product quality, performance, and compliance with ASTM specifications for emulsified asphalt.
• Government Agencies and Infrastructure Planners: Specifying compliant emulsified asphalt materials for public road and highway construction.
• Emulsified Asphalt Manufacturers and Suppliers: Developing and certifying products to meet recognized standards, improving competitiveness in the marketplace.

Complying with this specification supports pavement durability, enhances roadway safety, and reduces the likelihood of premature road failure due to material nonconformance.

Related Standards

ASTM D977-20 references several additional ASTM standards for consistent testing and product verification, including:

• ASTM D5/D5M: Test Method for Penetration of Bituminous Materials
• ASTM D113: Test Method for Ductility of Asphalt Materials
• ASTM D140/D140M: Practice for Sampling Asphalt Materials
• ASTM D244: Test Methods and Practices for Emulsified Asphalts
• ASTM D2042, D7553: Solubility of Asphalt Materials
• ASTM D6930: Storage Stability of Emulsified Asphalts
• ASTM D6933: Sieve Test for Emulsified Asphalts
• ASTM D6997: Distillation of Emulsified Asphalt

These related documents provide complementary requirements for quality assurance and testing procedures in asphalt and paving materials.

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Keywords: ASTM D977, emulsified asphalt, pavement construction, quality standards, asphalt testing, road maintenance, infrastructure materials, bituminous emulsions, ASTM standards, paving materials compliance.

Standards Content (Sample)

This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation:D977 −20
Standard Specification for
Emulsified Asphalt
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D977; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense.
1. Scope D6997 Test Method for Distillation of Emulsified Asphalt
D7226 Test Method for Determining the Viscosity of Emul-
1.1 This specification covers 13 grades of emulsified asphalt
sified Asphalts Using a Rotational Paddle Viscometer
for use in pavement construction in the manner designated.
D7496 Test Method for Viscosity of Emulsified Asphalt by
1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as
Saybolt Furol Viscometer
standard. No other units of measurement are included in this
D7553 Test Method for Solubility of Asphalt Materials in
standard.
N-Propyl Bromide
1.3 This international standard was developed in accor- D8078 Test Method for Ash Content of Asphalt and Emul-
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
sified Asphalt Residues
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
3. Requirements
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
3.1 The emulsified asphalt shall be tested within 14 days of
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
delivery. The emulsified asphalt shall be homogeneous after
thorough mixing, provided separation has not been caused by
2. Referenced Documents
freezing. Emulsified asphalts separated by freezing shall not be
2.1 ASTM Standards:
tested.
D5/D5M Test Method for Penetration of Bituminous Mate-
3.2 Emulsified asphalt shall conform to the requirements
rials
prescribed in Table 1. Specify the test method to be used.
D113 Test Method for Ductility of Asphalt Materials
Specify either Test Method D7226 or D7496.
D139 Test Method for Float Test for Bituminous Materials
D140/D140M Practice for Sampling Asphalt Materials
4. Sampling
D244 Test Methods and Practices for Emulsified Asphalts
4.1 Samples of emulsified asphalt shall be taken in accor-
D2042 Test Method for Solubility of Asphalt Materials in
dance with Practice D140/D140M.
Trichloroethylene
D3910 Practices for Design, Testing, and Construction of 4.2 Samples shall be stored in clean, airtight, sealed con-
Slurry Seal
tainers as specified in Practice D140/D140M at a temperature
D6930 Test Method for Settlement and Storage Stability of of not less than 4 °C until tested.
Emulsified Asphalts
5. Test Methods
D6933 Test Method for Oversized Particles in Emulsified
Asphalts (Sieve Test)
5.1 The properties of the emulsified asphalts given in Table
D6935 Test Method for Determining Cement Mixing of
1 shall be determined in accordance with the followingASTM
Emulsified Asphalt
test methods:
D6936 Test Method for Determining Demulsibility of Emul-
5.1.1 Viscosity—Test Method D7496 or D7226.
sified Asphalt
5.1.2 Storage Stability—Test Method D6930.
5.1.3 Demulsibility—Test Method D6936.
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D04 on Road
5.1.4 Coating Ability and Water Resistance—Test Methods
and Paving Materials and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D04.41 on
D244.
Emulsified Asphalt Specifications.
5.1.5 Cement Mixing—Test Method D6935.
Current edition approved July 1, 2020. Published July 2020. Originally approved
5.1.6 Sieve Test—Test Method D6933.
in 1948. Last previous edition approved in 2019 as D977 – 19a. DOI: 10.1520/
D0977-20.
5.1.7 Distillation—Test Method D6997.
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
5.1.8 Tests on Residue from Distillation—Test Methods
contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
D244.
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
the ASTM website. 5.1.8.1 Penetration—Test Method D5/D5M.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
D977−20
TABLE 1 Requirements for Emulsified Asphalt
NOTE 1—QS-1h emulsions shall meet the requirements outlined in Practices D3910.
NOTE 2—QS-1h is used for quick-set slurry seal systems.
NOTE 3—For viscosity, specify either Test Method D7226 or D7496.
NOTE 4—Specify either ash content (Test Method D8078) or solubility tests (Test Method D2042 or D7553).
Rapid-Setting Medium-Setting
Type
RS-1 RS-2 HFRS-2 MS-1 MS-2 MS-2h
Grade min max min max min max min max min max min max
Tests on Emulsified Asphalts:
Viscosity, Saybolt Furol at 25 °C SFS 20 100 . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 100 100 . . . 100 . . .
Viscosity, Saybolt Furol at 50 °C SFS . . . . . . 75 400 75 400 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Viscosity, Rotational Paddle at 25 °C, mPa s 45 220 . . . . . . . . . .
...

This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
´1
Designation: D977 − 19a D977 − 20
Standard Specification for
Emulsified Asphalt
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D977; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense.
ε NOTE—The headings in Table 1 were corrected editorially in December 2019.
1. Scope
1.1 This specification covers 13 grades of emulsified asphalt for use in pavement construction in the manner designated.
1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.
1.3 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization
established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued
by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
2. Referenced Documents
2.1 ASTM Standards:
D5/D5M Test Method for Penetration of Bituminous Materials
D113 Test Method for Ductility of Asphalt Materials
D139 Test Method for Float Test for Bituminous Materials
D140/D140M Practice for Sampling Asphalt Materials
D244 Test Methods and Practices for Emulsified Asphalts
D2042 Test Method for Solubility of Asphalt Materials in Trichloroethylene
D3910 Practices for Design, Testing, and Construction of Slurry Seal
D6930 Test Method for Settlement and Storage Stability of Emulsified Asphalts
D6933 Test Method for Oversized Particles in Emulsified Asphalts (Sieve Test)
D6935 Test Method for Determining Cement Mixing of Emulsified Asphalt
D6936 Test Method for Determining Demulsibility of Emulsified Asphalt
D6997 Test Method for Distillation of Emulsified Asphalt
D7226 Test Method for Determining the Viscosity of Emulsified Asphalts Using a Rotational Paddle Viscometer
D7496 Test Method for Viscosity of Emulsified Asphalt by Saybolt Furol Viscometer
D7553 Test Method for Solubility of Asphalt Materials in N-Propyl Bromide
D8078 Test Method for Ash Content of Asphalt and Emulsified Asphalt Residues
3. Requirements
3.1 The emulsified asphalt shall be tested within 14 days of delivery. The emulsified asphalt shall be homogeneous after
thorough mixing, provided separation has not been caused by freezing. Emulsified asphalts separated by freezing shall not be
tested.
3.2 Emulsified asphalt shall conform to the requirements prescribed in Table 1. Specify the test method to be used. Specify
either Test Method D7226 or D7496.
4. Sampling
4.1 Samples of emulsified asphalt shall be taken in accordance with Practice D140/D140M.
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D04 on Road and Paving Materials and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D04.41 on Emulsified
Asphalt Specifications.
Current edition approved Nov. 1, 2019July 1, 2020. Published November 2019July 2020. Originally approved in 1948. Last previous edition approved in 2019 as
D977 – 19.D977 – 19a. DOI: 10.1520/D0977-19AE01.10.1520/D0977-20.
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM Standards
volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on the ASTM website.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
D977 − 20
TABLE 1 Requirements for Emulsified Asphalt
NOTE 1—QS-1h emulsions shall meet the requirements outlined in Practices D3910.
NOTE 2—QS-1h is used for quick-set slurry seal systems.
NOTE 3—For viscosity, specify either Test Method D7226 or D7496.
NOTE 4—Specify either ash content (Test Method D8078) or solubility tests (Test Method D2042 or D7553).
Rapid-Setting Medium-Setting
Type
RS-1 RS-2 HFRS-2 MS-1 MS-2 MS-2h
Grade min max min max min max min max min max min max
Tests on Emulsions:
Tests on Emulsified Asphalts:
Viscosity, Saybolt Furol at 25 °C SFS 20 100 . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 100 100 . . . 100 . . .
Viscosity, Saybolt Furol at 50 °C SFS . . . . . . 75 400 75 400 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Viscosity, Rotational Paddle at 25 °C, mPa s 45 220 . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 220 220 . . . 220 . . .
Viscosity, Rotational Paddle at 50 °C, mPa s . . . . . . 165 880 165 880 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
A
Storage stability test, 24 h, % . . . 1 . . . 1 . . . 1 . . . 1 . . . 1 . . . 1
Demulsibility, 35 mL, 0.02 N CaCl , % 60 . . . 60 . . . 60 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Coating ability and water resistance:
Coating, dry aggregate . . . . . . . . . good good good
Coating, after spraying . . . . . . . . . fair fair fair
Coating, wet aggregate . . . . . . . . . fair fair fair
Coating, after spraying . . . . . . . . . fair fair fair
Cement mixing test, % . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
...