SCDOT Asphalt Roadway Technician Practice Exam

High slump means the mix is more flowable and less stiff when discharged. The direct factor behind this is the amount of binder relative to the aggregate. If there is too much binder, a thinner, more lubricating asphalt film coats the aggregates, reducing internal friction and allowing the mix to flow more easily. That increased flow is what you observe as a high slump. Other signs, like blue smoke, point to overheating or binder degradation and don’t explain the workability the same way. Temperature can change viscosity, but excess binder content is the key reason a batch would slump more than intended.