University of Duhok

College of Engineering
Civil Engineering Department
Highway Engineering-Practical

Penetration test

Submitted by: Yaser Azad

Submission Date: 7/10/2019

2019-2020
Contents:

Introduction

Purposes

Materials and Apparatus

Procedures

Calculations and Results

Discussions and Conclusion

Introduction:
The value of penetration is the distance in vertical
direction of the needle when penetrated in our material
which is in this test is bituminous and measured in one
tenths of millimeter and under some condition like time ,
load , temperature
In our test the condition (time: 5 sec , load: 100 mg ,
temperature: 25 C).

Purposes:
The purpose of Penetration test is:
1- Measured of consistency of bituminous
2- measured of hardness and softness (higher the value of
Penetration means the bitumen is softer)
3- classified the bitumen into grades
4- used to measure the Suitability of bitumen
Materials and Apparatus:

2- Penetration Apparatus 1- Needle

4- Container 3- Water bath

6- Thermometer 5- Stop watch

Procedures:
 Heat the bitumen sample and pour it in container and
cover it
 Put the sample in water bath until the temperature of
sample be 25 C (usually 1:00 to 1:30 hr)
 Put out the sample from water bath and place it under
needle
 Make sure the needle just touch or contact with the
surface of the sample
 Make the penetrometer in Zero reading , and
applying the load (100 gm) for 5 sec
 Record the reading
 Repeat this for at least three times in different point
of sample but make sure to clean needle after each time
and the distance between points not less than 1 cm apart
 Take the average of measurements
 And grade the bitumen according the average

Calculations and Results:

trial Penetration of one Penetration Grade of bitumen

sample (mm)
1 18.2 10 - 20
2 15.8 10 - 20
3 14.4 10 - 20
The average penetration is: 16.13mm
Grade 10-20
Discussions and Conclusion:

This test is used to grade the bitumen and measured the

consistency of bitumen and the hardness .

After we measured the average of the trials which is 16.13mm

grade 10-20
And this is very small reading of penetration because the range
of bitumen in different types that use in road is 20-225 but we
get 10-20
That’s means our sample is very hard and it is a low grade , we
can use low grade bitumen in warm climate areas to avoid
softening under high temperature .

In conclusion we learn from this test it is very important to

grade and classify your bitumen because you can not use any
bitumen in your project without consider your condition, you
shall know the grade of the bitumen to choose it for the project
for example
We choose low grade bitumen in hot (warm) climate areas
And high grade in cold areas