Compacted vs loose asphalt — place compacted depth, order loose tons

Run tonnage on the COMPACTED depth, then bump the order for loose delivery: HMA ×1.10–1.15, aggregate base ×1.15–1.25 (4″ compacted base ≈ 4.6″ loose). Never compute tons from the loose depth.

A diagram showing that hot-mix asphalt and aggregate base are delivered loose and densify under the roller. A loose lift about three inches deep is compacted by a steel roller down to a 2.5-inch finished thickness. The tonnage formula always uses the final compacted depth, and the order quantity is then bumped up because material ships loose: hot-mix asphalt about 1.10 to 1.15 times and aggregate base about 1.15 to 1.25 times. For example, four inches of compacted crusher-run base is ordered as roughly 4.6 inches loose. Never plug the loose depth into the tonnage formula. — Source: Asphalt Institute MS-22 compaction guidance

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A diagram showing that hot-mix asphalt and aggregate base are delivered loose and densify under the roller. A loose lift about three inches deep is compacted by a steel roller down to a 2.5-inch finished thickness. The tonnage formula always uses the final compacted depth, and the order quantity is then bumped up because material ships loose: hot-mix asphalt about 1.10 to 1.15 times and aggregate base about 1.15 to 1.25 times. For example, four inches of compacted crusher-run base is ordered as roughly 4.6 inches loose. Never plug the loose depth into the tonnage formula.

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