To　understand　the　relationship　between　the　surface　color　and　ageing　of　asphalt,　the　evaluation　method　for　asphalt　surface　color　was　established　with　the　color　parameter　of　Munsell　Value,　then　two　asphalts　were　adopted　to　study　the　influence　of　asphalt　ageing　on　its　surface　color,　and　the　mechanism　of　whitening　was　investigated　by　the　four　generic　fractions　experiment,　color　spectrum　tests　and　scanning　electron　microscopy　(SEM)　test.　The　results　show　that　the　surface　color　of　asphalt　will　be　changed　by　some　factors,　while　ageing　is　an　important　factor.　The　thermal-oxidative　ageing　(TOA)　of　asphalt　would　lead　to　the　asphalt　to　be　darker　in　color　due　to　the　component　migration　caused　by　ageing,　while　the　ultraviolet　ageing　(UVA)　of　asphalt　will　result　in　a　grey　or　white　asphalt　surface　because　of　the　fact　that　UVA　makes　the　surface　wrinkled　and　rough　which　would　cause　the　asphalt　surface　to　change　from　specular　reflection　to　diffuse　reflection.　Since　the　whitening　of　asphalt　surface　caused　by　UVA　is　much　more　serious　than　the　blacking　caused　by　TOA,　the　asphalt　pavement　always　tends　to　appear　grey　or　white　during　its　service　life.　To　verify　the　close　relationship　between　the　surface　color　and　UVA　degree　of　asphalt,　two　modified　asphalts　with　anti-ultraviolet　ageing　agents,　carbon　black　and　layered　double　hydroxides,　were　suffered　from　UVA,　and　their　ageing　degrees　were　assessed　with　the　parameters　of　Munsell　Value　and　conventional　physical　properties,　results　indicate　the　two　evaluations　on　UVA　degree　have　much　consistency,　which　means　it　is　feasible　to　adopt　Munsell　Value,　a　parameter　of　asphalt　surface　color,　to　evaluate　the　UV　ageing　degree　of　asphalt.　©　2023　IOP　Publishing　Ltd.