FORCE DUCTILITY TEST OF BITUMINOUS MATERIALS

PROCEDURE

1. Preparation of the apparatus assemble the mold on the base plate. To prevent
material under test from sticking, coat the surface of the plate and interior surfaces of
sides a and a with a suitable release agent (Note1).
Note 1: Mixtures of glycerine and dextrin or talc (3g of glycerine to 5g dextrin or talc),
Dow cooling silicone Stop-Cock Grease or castor oil and Versamid 900 (100:1
mixture by weight heated to 204 to 232 0C and stirred until homogenous).
2. Molding Test Specimens Heat the sample with care to prevent local overheating
until it has become sufficiently liquid to pour. After thorough stirring, pour the
bituminous material into the mold taking care not to entertain any air bubbles. Pour
the material in thin stream back and forth, from end to end until the mold is more than
level full. In filling the mold take care not to disarrange the parts of the mold and
distort the briquette. Let the mold and contents cool to room temperature for a period
of about 30-40 minutes and then place the base plate filled mold in the water bath
maintained at the specific temperature for 30 minutes. Remove the base plate and
filled mold from the water bath and with a hot trimmer cut off the excess bituminous
material so that the mold is just level full. Take care during the trimming operation
that the specimen is not pulled away from the base plate from the side pieces of the
mold.
3. Keeping Specimen at Standard Temperature Place the base plate and filled mold in
the water bath or testing machine and keep the specified for a period of from 85 to 95
minutes. Remove the briquets from the plate detach the side pieces and immediately
test the briquet.
4. Testing At the start of the test, the water in the tank of the testing machine shall
cover the specimen both above and below by not less than 25 mm. attach the clips to
the pins or hooks of the force adapter and the testing machine and pull the clips apart
at a specific rate of speed until the specified minimum ductility is met, the briquet
raptures or the limit of travel of the machine is reached. If necessary, adjust the
specific gravity of the liquid in the testing machine so that the bituminous material
neither comes to the surface nor touches the bottom of the bath at any time during
the test by adding solute which does not interfere with the test (Note 2). Measure and
record the distance through which the clips have been pulled.
Note 2: Solutes such as sodium chloride or methyl alcohol have been used
succefully.