Overview
ISO 15642:2003 - Road construction and maintenance equipment - Asphalt mixing plants - Terminology and commercial specifications provides standardized terminology and commercial/technical specification requirements for asphalt mixing plants used in motorway, road and airport pavement construction and maintenance. The standard applies to fixed (including transferable) plants during production, for both continuous and batch systems, and covers mixing or coating plants processing materials treated with hydrocarbon binders. It does not define safety requirements (these are covered by other standards) nor product quality-control test methods.
Key topics and requirements
- Scope and applicability
- Applies to fixed asphalt mixing plants (continuous and batch production); excludes mobile soil‑stabilization or retreading equipment.
- Covers asphalt for roads, motorways and airport pavements.
- Terminology
- Defines core terms: asphalt mix, batch, batch cycle, continuous plant, output (t/h), RAP (reclaimed asphalt pavement), filler, dosing units (continuous‑volume, continuous‑mass, batch‑mass), drum dryer, drum dryer‑mixer, mixer/pug mill, dwell/mixing times, anti‑segregation hopper, etc.
- Plant functions
- Required functions: aggregate storage/charging, aggregate measurement, drying/heating, dust collection and fines recovery, binder storage/measuring, mixing, handling and storage of mixed material, fuel storage for heating systems.
- Components and configurations
- Lists typical components: cold feed bins, dosing units, conveyors, screens, dryer or dryer‑mixer, dust collector, filler silo, hot aggregate storage, weighers, batch or continuous mixers, control station.
- Covers additional RAP recycling equipment and mastic asphalt (higher temperature) production considerations.
- Performance and commercial specifications
- Specifies characteristics useful for determining theoretical performance and drafting technical documents (e.g., output definition, batching accuracy, batch cycle).
- Clause 6 addresses technical characteristics of components and global plant characteristics to be supplied by manufacturers.
- Control and automation
- Defines operating modes: automatic, semi‑automatic, manual.
- Describes automatic function controls (interlocks, proportioning prerequisites) and control station requirements for monitoring and data logging.
Applications
- Use ISO 15642:2003 to:
- Prepare technical specifications and tender documents for asphalt plants.
- Standardize product descriptions and performance claims from manufacturers.
- Guide design reviews and equipment selection for road and airport pavement projects.
- Assist consultants, engineers and procurement teams in comparing plants (batch vs continuous, RAP capability, mastic production).
Who should use it
- Plant manufacturers and OEMs, road and airport authorities, civil engineering contractors, procurement specialists, consulting engineers, and specification writers involved in asphalt production equipment and plant procurement.
Related standards
- Safety requirements for asphalt mixing plants are covered by EN 536 (referenced in ISO 15642:2003).
- Quality control equipment and test methods for produced asphalt mixes are defined by product‑specific standards; consult relevant ISO or national standards for testing procedures.