HMA consists of two basic ingredients: aggregate and asphalt binder. HMA design is the process of determining what aggregate to use, what asphalt binder to use and what the optimum combination of these two ingredients ought to be. There are several different methods used to go about this process, of which the Marshall and Superpave methods are the most common.
McA Asphalt Technician Training Manual Basic Asphalt Materials
Basic Asphalt Materials Mixtures Design and Testing – Technical Training Manual