ASTM Highway and Road Standards

In today’s competitive infrastructure landscape, the difference between project success and costly setbacks often comes down to one critical factor: adherence to internationally recognized standards.

The financial implications of non-compliance can be devastating. Research shows that repairs and modifications stemming from substandard materials cost the industry over $1.2 billion annually.

ASTM International’s comprehensive suite of highway standards represents the gold standard in the industry, covering everything from asphalt quality and concrete durability to safety barriers and pavement marking materials.

By supporting the science and technology of highway construction, safety, maintenance and sustainability, ASTM standards ensure that our roadways are reliable, safe and built to last.

Another important focus for Committee D04 is developing standards for materials used in highway signs and pavement markings. Road safety depends upon the availability of readable information both day and night, regardless of the overhead lighting, under a variety of weather conditions and against backgrounds of varying complexity.

Highway Traffic Control Material standards help to achieve these safety goals through the implementation of specification for retroreflective sheeting for traffic control (ASTM D4956).

Retroreflection which focuses on standards for measuring pavement marker performance because visibility is affected by wear, is one of the ways ASTM highway standards contribute to highway safety.

In addition, nighttime driving is aided by an ASTM practice for measuring photometric characteristics of retroreflectors (E809). E809 focuses on the relationship between the vehicle headlamp, retroreflector and the driver’s eye geometry.

ASTM’s concrete standards for the specification for Portland cement (C150) covers the physical and chemical requirements for manufacturing eight types of Portland cement, the basic ingredient of concrete.

ASTM standard C150 is used by manufacturers and purchasers of cement as well as concrete producers, specifiers and users, and is harmonized with the AASHTO specification for Portland cement.

Many ASTM concrete standards contribute to the quality and extended service life of roads and highways. Notable among these is a test for electrical indication of concrete’s ability to resist chloride ion penetration (C1202).

Similarly, the standards developed by Subcommittee C09.26 on Chemical Reactions provide guidelines to test reactions that can cause damage to road surfaces.

The use of geosynthetic technologies in highway systems is also a focus of ASTM efforts. Geosynthetics, a range of polymeric materials and products that provide durability in civil engineering applications, improve the lifespan of roads and other structures by stabilizing foundations, promoting drainage and preventing erosion, generally at a lower cost than other products.

ASTM Committee D35 on Geosynthetics has developed more than 140 standards that facilitate the design and selection of geosynthetic materials in the construction and environmental industries.

Such D35 standards as tests for deterioration of geotextiles by exposure to light, moisture and heat in a xenon arc type apparatus (D4355) and for water permeability of geotextiles by permittivity (D4491) help measure the endurance of geotextiles for drainage and erosion control in highway construction projects.

Fortifying the United States’ bridges is just one of the focus areas of ASTM Committee A01 on Steel, Stainless Steel and Related Alloys. A01, ASTM International’s founding committee, has helped specify the steel used in bridge construction for more than 100 years.

ASTM Subcommittee A01.02 on Structural Steel for Bridges, Buildings, Rolling Stock and Ships coordinates today’s standards. These standards include a specification for structural steel for bridges (A709/A709M).

A standard from Subcommittee A01.05 on Steel Reinforcement offers a tool for promoting the long-term strength of bridges and supports the production of high performance, corrosion-resistant steel; the specification covers zinc and epoxy dual-coated steel reinforcing bars (A1055/A1055M).

The standard is beneficial for locations that require high performance corrosion protection of reinforcing steel bars in coastal environments and that use deicing salts on roads, bridges and decks.