GCTS is comm mitted to designiing accurate te esting systems

by integrating in
nnovative softw ware engineerin ng with
advanced hardware. GCTS systems perform m at the highesst
evels of reliabillity, providing efficient
le system
ms that satisfy
customer needs s and expectattions.

ATM-025/ATTM-100
Asph
halt Mix Performance Tester

DESCR
RIPTION
Advanced testing for Ho
ot Mix Aspha
alt (HMA)
The GCTTS ATM-025/ATTM-100 Equipmeent is a modular system that
Dynamic co omplex modu ulus, flow nu
umber, flow can be configured to ttest asphalt in a variety of moodes. Two
time, indirect tension, beam flexuraal fatigue, standardd models are offeered with the onnly difference being the load
and resilien
nt modulus te ests capacity. The ATM-0225 is limited to 25 kN dynamicc loads and
offers ann excellent dynaamic accuracy foor testing softerr specimens
Electro-Hyd
draulic Digita
al Servo Con
ntrol (i.e. HMAA at elevated tem
mperatures) while the ATM-100 is also able
25 kN (ATM
M-025) or 100 kN (ATM-100) to perform strength tessts as required by AAASHTO--322 Creep
dynamic loa
ad capacity Compliannce and Strenggth where 1000 kN capacity iss specified.
GCTS a lso offers a coombination systtem with a duaal actuators
Frequencie
es up to 70 Hz (25 kN & 100 kN) forr improved dynnamic performannce at low
Modular deesign with ac
ccurate and easy to use dynamicc loads and fullyy capable of performing tests too specimen
software an
nd electronic
cs failure.

Meets the newest AASHHTO (Superp pave), ASTM, Both sysstems can be supplied with an environmentaal chamber
and Europeean (EN-1269
97-24,25,26) standards which h ouses the opptional accessoories required to perform
dynamicc complex moddulus, flow number, flow tim me, indirect
Complete turn-key sy
ystems tension, beam flexural fatigue, and reesilient modulus tests. The
GCTS e nvironmental chamber is a high quality staiinless steel
6103 S. Maple Av. Tempe AZ 85283 U.S.A. Tel: (480) 456-0110 gcts.com
 chamber with a fulll size front winddow and a dual temperature PID
conttrol loops
of botth heating and cooling. Chamber
temperature is
directly controlled through GCTS S application sooftware providinng
efficcient and precisee temperature coontrol typically better than 0.2 C
C.
Thiss system can either control the chamber air teemperature or thhe
internal temperaturee of any instrummented dummy sample to ensurre
thatt test specimeens have reacched the desired temperaturre
throoughout. A temperature sensorr that can be em mbedded inside a
dummmy sample is also provided. The ATM-025/AT TM-100 includes a
slidiing drawer to eaasily remove/insttall test specimens minimizing thhe
timee the environmenntal door is openn.
GCTTS has conducted extensive verification of these systems,
mparing the ressults for the full temperaturee range against
com
Witcczaks predictivee model as well as test data on multiple replicatees
obtaained at a leadinng research univeersity.
channelss (28 inputs annd 8 control ouutputs with optional SCON
2000). A ll signal conditiooning, as well ass high speed data acquisition
and conntrol functions are done by the GCTS SCO ON unit and
controlleed by the user through CATS,, the GCTS winndows-based
servo coontrol software ruunning on a stanndard PC.
The fullyy Integrated Digital Servo Coontroller has ann embedded
microproocessor capablee of performing all test functions even if the
Windowss computer is turned off. It provides automatic dynamic
control mode switchingg between anyy connected trransducer or
calculateed parameter. This controller allso conditions alll transducers
used in the ATM-025 system. This digital controller is capable of
updatingg the control looop at up to 6 kHz as is requuired for high
frequenccy dynamic testss. The GCTS coontroller has sevveral adaptive
compenssation techniquees to improve the control preccision without
user inteervention. Adapptive control alloows the system m to precisely
match thhe desired cyclicc stress amplituddes throughout thhe tests.

Comparison Study
At the core of thee GCTS ATM-0025/ATM-100 iss our applicatioon
softwware. GCTS has developed the most advannced software foor
perfforming dynamiic modulus, inddirect tension, fatigue, resilient
moddulus and seveeral other tests for HMA. Our software offers
advice to the user on how to conduct each test annd in some casees
even provides real time comparisons of tests results with publisheed
preddicted values.
Unlike o ther systems, thhe GCTS SCON N is fully integraated with the
sensor s ignal conditioninng, servo controoller and test sooftware into a
single coomponent. At the same time, the SCON offers a modular
approachh with easy to install expansioon boards to accommodate
future neeeds. The GC CTS SCON cann directly interfaace with load
ressure transduccers, LVDTs, strain gages, theermocouples,
cells, pre
etc. The user is free to connect sennsors to any unniversal input
channel from any manuufacturer withouut requiring the purchase of
expensivve normalizing electronics. This universal digital signal
conditionning includes automatic sensoor recognition and software
managem ment of excitattion, offset, gainn, and linearizaation settings
reducingg the possibility of accidentally or inadvertentlyy changing or
using thee wrong sensor calibration. Linnearization of eaach sensor is
performeed in real-time using high ordeer polynomials automatically
calculateed for every inpput range. These are essenttial time and
money s aving features for asphalt testinng systems to accommodate
the diffeerent sensor coonfiguration andd ranges speciffied for each
different test mode.
1400

Axial Load
Def 1
300 180

160
/ Strain
3.00

Def 2 Stress
1200 295
Def 3 2.95

140

Eveery aspect of thee test is softwarre controlled, froom turning on thhe

1000 290

120 2.90

hydraulic pump annd monitoring thhe oil level andd temperature to

o
Axial Deformation (m)

800 285
Stress, kPa
Load, N

100
o

Strain
2.85

executing the test with a simple mouse click. All standard test
600 280 80

60 2.80

proccedures are pree-programmed, but the CATS sooftware is flexible

400 275

40
osin
n(t)
2.75

and powerful enouggh to allow custoom test procedurres as well.

200 270

20
o sin(t)
0 265
0 2.70
9.8 9.8
85 9.9 9.95 10 10.05 10.1
9.80 9.85 9.90 9.95 10.0
00 10.05 10.10
Time, sec Time, seconds

Raw Data & Real-Time calculated data output

The GCTTS software hass simplified the operation of our instruments

ATM-025 / ATM-100 Frequency Response Curve
Behhind GCTS CA ATS software iss the SCON-15500 digital servvo
conttroller that can be configured with up to 8 univeersal sensor input
channels, two dediicated temperatture inputs and 3 control output
allowing the user to direectly program teest calculated parameters in
the unitss of interest (sttress, strain, ettc.) based on thhe specimen
geometryy and size. Thhese parameterss are calculatedd in real time
and are a vailable for display, graph and//or control in anyy desired unit
system. In addition, dynnamic parameteers such as stress and strain
amplitudde as well as phhase shift are also calculated at the end of
each cyccle. These parrameters are caalculated using sophisticated
regressioon analysis inccluding all dataa points within each cycle.
Curve fittting of waveformm regression is the most accuraate technique
as systeems that only use the maximuum and minimuum waveform
values m ay introduce significant errorss for small amplitudes where
the signaal-to-noise ratio is also significaant. Using the mathematical
functionss to calculate phase shift is the only way of ensuring
accurate results.. This is especially important when testing at colder
teemperatures whhere the cyclic deformations
couuld be very smaall and
thhe sensor varriability may inntroduce a signnificant error in the
calculation of thee cycle amplitudee and phase shifft.
The base system m offers all of thee above generic functions and specific
solutions are offfered as options allowing the user to configure the
system with onlyy the required fixtures. Each one of the test fiixtures
inncludes solution software moodules that aree pre-programm med to
automatically perrform the requireed test and reduuce the data acccording
too the listed speccifications. This makes the GCT TS ATM-025/ATM-100
a complete custoom-made solutioon for the custom mer.
DYNAMIC MO
ODULUS
The Dynamic Complex Moduluus is an importtant property of HMA
mixtures. It is used to determ mine both the linear viscoelastiic and
elastic propertiess of pavement materials. The dynamic moduluus |E*|,
thhe absolute vallue of the compplex modulus, iss used to predict the
permanent defoormation (ruttingg) potential of HMA. The GCTS
systems can peerform this test with ease, in both unconfined and
confined conditioon, and automatiically obtain the master curve.
GCTS Dynamic Complex Modullus (E*) softwaree allows for autoomatic
teest execution foor one or multiple tests. Each individual test can be
programmed forr different tempeeratures and freequencies as well as
number of repliccates at each teemperature and frequency pair. This
program includes a function sollver to obtain thhe Master Curvee from
teest data according to AASHTO or Witczak functtions
AASHTO TP-62 & EN-12697-25 Fixtures
The GCTS WIN--UDMA Software for obtaining the Dynamic Moodulus
of Asphalt Mateerials includes automated tesst control and report
generation to peerform AASHTO O TP 62-07, ASTM D3497-20033, and
EN 12697-25 speecifications as well as user definnable test proceddures.
Dynamic Modulus (E*) Test Software
The apparatus inncludes small raange deformation sensors that can be
conffigured for multiiple ranges to achieve the preccision required by
the specifications. The axial deforrmation device is mounted to th he
speccimen on pre-gglued gauge pooints with predetermined gaug ge
lenggth. The GCTS GPF-100 Auutomatic Positioning Fixture wa as
desiigned for easy and accurate exxtensometer holdder positioning on
the cylindrical asphhalt specimens used in Dynam mic Modulus testts.
Alignment and secuure fastening of the extensometters is essential in
runnning a successfuul test. With the GPF-100 along with the specially
desiigned extensom meter holding piins the need foor labor intensivve
effort is eliminated and the preparaation time is reduced to a fractio
on
of thhe time required otherwise.
Automatic Positioning Fixture & Pin Holder
Thee pin holder fronnt face includes a recess to avooid squeezing th he
epoxxy out while it pressed againsst the sample. A rigid support is
esseential to eliminatte errors from seensor friction or spring resistancce
at b oth low and hiigh temperaturees. These pins together with th he
GPFF-100 fixture proovides the mostt accurate methhod of affixing th he
axiaal strain measureement sensors foor Dynamic Testting
In thhis case the gauuge lengths are fixed by locking the device in on ne
of seeveral preset poositions during innstallation and reeleasing it prior to
testiing. Asphalt specimens can be placed on the platens with
mem mbranes and axxial deformation mounting pointts outside the ce ell
while another test is running insiide the cell. When the test is
commplete, the first specimen is removed from the cell and th he
defoormation device transferred to thhe new specimen, which is simp ply
set i nto position insiide the cell
Master Curve Solver
BEA
AM FLEXUR
RAL FATIGUE
E
Fatiggue or alligator cracking is one of the principal modes of Hot Mix
 Asphalt (HMA) pavement failure. Fatigue life of the HMA layer is available standards of the Modulus test
determined by lower stresses than in the other modes of failure,
meaning that in many cases the fatigue properties of the HMA
determine how long the pavement will be functional. The GCTS
Beam Flexural Fatigue apparatus is designed to perform flexural
tests on the HMA beam specimen, in a controlled environment, in
order to determine their fatigue properties and estimate the
pavement life. GCTS offers the Beam Flexural Fatigue as a stand
alone unit and as a fixture for the ATM Asphalt Testing Systems.

Indirect Tension Software

GCTS WIN-IDT-MR Software includes automated test control and

report generation to perform SHRP-P07, ASTM D4123-95,
EN12697-24, EN12697-26 and NCHRP 1-28 specifications as well
as user definable test procedures.

RESILIENT MODULUS

Beam Flexural Fatigue
GCTS Beam Flexural Fatigue software allows for automatic
execution and control of a long term fatigue test with relative ease
and flexibility. The fatigue test on the asphalt beam can be
conducted in two modes: constant strain/deflection or constant
stress/load. GCTS WIN-FBA includes automated test control and
report generation to perform AASHTO T 321-07, SHRP M009, EN
12697-24 and EN 12697-26 specifications as well as user
definable test procedures.
The Resilient Modulus is an indicator of the stiffness of the soil and
the aggregate materials that are found in the subgrade and base
layers. The structural integrity of a pavement depends on this
parameter. The GCTS Resilient Modulus Testing System is
specifically designed for this test; however all of the ATM Asphalt
Testing Systems can perform this test with the optional triaxial cell.

INDIRECT TENSION

The tensile strength of the HMA is a major predictor of the

serviceable life of the pavement. The cracking potential of the
HMA is directly related to its tensile strength. The higher the
tensile force or tensile strain at failure, the longer the life of the
pavement will be. In combination with the ATM Asphalt Testing
Systems, the Indirect Tension Test module can be used to conduct
tests at different temperature conditions.

Resilient Modulus for Unbound Material

GCTS Resilient Modulus software allows the user to either select

Indirect Tension Fixtures
The Indirect Tension software module allows the user to perform
Creep Compliance, Fatigue, Resilient (Stiffness) Modulus and
Tensile Strength using the Indirect Tension apparatus (either
American or European standard/apparatus). While the user can
configure/setup the test to be done according to one standard the
software will also calculate and display the results of the other
from one of the standard resilient modulus test programs, or allows
the user to setup a user defined test program (up to 30 sequences)
with selections for cell pressure, cyclic stress and contact stress for
each sequence. The user has complete control over how many
cycles are applied in pre-conditioning and normal loading stages.
GCTS WIN-TRX-MR Software includes automated test control and
report generation according to AASHTO T-274, AASHTO T 307,
SHRP P46, and NCHRP 1-28, EN 13286-7 as well as user
definable test procedures.