This paper considers how the development of asphalt surfacing properties can be predicted in the laboratory. The research has been prompted by the ideals of sustainability coupled with the practical issues being faced by many countries around the world of how to improve, better manage and maintain their highway network. The properties of different types of asphalt surfacing evolve in different ways with time in relation to interactions with factors such as trafficking and climatic conditions. The examples given illustrate a range of methods that help understand these interactions and offer better prediction of likely in-service performance.