CEG552 HIGHWAY & TRAFFIC ENGINEERING

PRACTICAL #5: QUALITY OF BITUMINOUS MATERIALS

OPEN ENDED LAB LEVEL 1
PREAMBLE

Introduction
Unlike some substances bituminous materials do not have a definite melting
point. Instead, as the temperature rises, these materials slowly change from
brittle or very thick and slow-flowing materials to softer and less viscous liquids.
For this reason, the determination of 'softening point' must be made by a fixed,
arbitrary and closely defined method if results are to be comparable.
Being very simple in concept and equipment, the Ring-and-Ball Test has
remained a valuable consistency test for control in refining operations,
particularly in the production of air-blown bitumens. It is also an indirect measure
of viscosity or, rather, the temperature at which a given viscosity is evident. The
softening point value has particular significance for materials, which are to be
used as thick films, such as joint and crack fillers and roofing materials.
A high softening point ensures that they will not flow in service. For a bitumen of
a given penetration (determined at 25 oC), the higher the softening point the
lower the temperature sensitivity.
Research has shown that, for conventional paving grade bitumens, the Ringand-Ball softening point temperature is the same as that which would give a
penetration of 800 d-mm. This, together with the penetration at 25 oC, can be
used to compute the Penetration Index.
Objectives
This laboratory is to determine the quality of bitumen used in flexible pavement.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this open ended lab, the students should be able to:
1. To determine the softening point of bitumen using Ring-and-Ball
apparatus (Figure 1).
2. To examine the consistency of a sample of bitumen by determining the
distance in tenths of a millimetre that a standard needle vertically
penetrates the bitumen specimen under known conditions of loading,
time and temperature (Figure 2).

PROBLEM
STATEMENT

Your firm has given a task to design a new asphalt road connecting to a new
building complex in the campus. One of the task required is to make sure that
the material to be used shall conform to the requirement in the standard given
by the Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR).
Your team is required to take few samples of bitumen to the laboratory and to
determine the softening point of the samples using Ring-and-Ball apparatus and
the Penetration Index of the sample.


WAYS
MEANS

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References:
ASTM D5-2006 Standard test method for Penetration of Bituminous
Materials.
ASTM D36 Test Method for Softening Point of Bitumen (Ring-and-Ball
Apparatus)
Arahan Teknik (Jalan) 5/85 Manual on Pavement Design

Procedures: Ring-and-Ball Test

1. Heat the sample to a temperature between 75 and 100C above the
approximate softening point until it is completely fluid.
2. Place the sample in the brass ring and suspend the in the water at a
given temperature.
3. Place a steel ball on the sample and heat the water such that the water
temperature increases by 5C per minute.
4. Take the temperature reading when the softened sample touches the
metal plate. The noted temperature is the softening point of the bitumen.
Procedures: Penetration Test
1. Prepare 3 specimens of bitumen samples and place the samples in a
water bath for 1 to 1.5 hours before test.
2. For normal test, position the needle on the surface to the bitumen at right
angles, apply the load and allow it to penetrate for 5 s. Make sure the
temperature of the specimen is maintained at 25 C.
3. Measure the penetration in tenths of a millimeter (deci-millimetre, d-mm).
4. Make at least three determinations on the specimen. Make sure to use a
clean needle for each determination.
5. In making repeat determinations, start each with the tip of the needle at
least 10 mm from the side of the container and at least 10 mm apart.

RESULTS

Discussion
How do you determine the softening point of the specimen?
Report the source and type of bitumen.
Calculate the PI using the nomograph provided and comment on the value
obtained. (Make sure the
penetration and softening point values are obtained from the same batch of
bitumen).
Please discuss the application of the test result in the design of asphalt
pavement?
Select a suitable way to present your result.

Figure 1: Ring-and-Ball apparatus

Figure 2: Apparatus for the bitumen penetration test

Figure 1. Nomograph for the Penetration Index of bitumen

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