TRIBHUVAN UNIVERSITY

Institute of Engineering
KHWOPA COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
Libali-2, Bhaktapur

LAB REPORT
ON
TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING
Report No: 05
SUBMITTED BY: SUBMITTED TO:
MANJESH MISHRA DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
074BCE038 KHWOPA COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

DATE OF SUBMISSION: 2077/11/04

DETERMINATION OF BITUMEN CONTENT BY CENTRIFUGE
EXTRACTOR

OBJECTIVES
To determine quantity of bitumen in hot mix paving mixtures and pavement samples.

APPARATUS REQUIRED
1. Centrifuge Extractor
It consists of a revolving bowl inside housing. The bowl is provided with a cover plate
and is secured in position by tightening the nuts.
2. The bowl housing is provided with an outlet, the housing is mounted on an enclosed
gear box. A cover is clamped to housing.
3. The gears are splashed lubricated and is operated manually with handle.
Weighing machine
Trichloroethylene or Benzene

Fig: Bitumen extractor

THOEORY
Centrifuge Extractors are used for quantitative determination of bitumen content in hot mixed
paving mixtures and pavement samples essentially as a field test to exercise quality control and
ensure that specified amount of bitumen has been used. The bitumen content is calculated by
difference of the weight of the extract aggregate, moisture content and ash from the weight of
the sample taken for the test. This test is parallel to that of the cylindrical compression test of
the actual concrete samples obtained at site before placement of concrete to determine its actual
compressive strength to be as per the required mix design. The mix design of asphalt is carried
out by series of hit and trial in job mix formula for determination of the optimum binder content.
So, at site before final payment to the contractor it must be ensured that the amount of bitumen
required by the mix design is actually used at site or not.
The durability, compatibility and resistance from defects like rutting, bleeding, raveling and
ageing of flexible asphaltic roads is highly dependent on the amount of the bitumen used for
the coating of the filler aggregates used in the asphaltic matrix.

PROCEDURE
1. First of all 1 kg of sample was taken and broke the sample with fork into small pieces.
2. Thereafter, the sample was heated to about 115°C.
3. The sample was placed in the bowl and weighted.
4. The sample was then allowed to soak with benzene or trichloroethane in the bowl for
an hour.
5. A filter paper was placed around the edge of bowl and clamps a lid on the bowl.
6. A bowl was placed in a centrifuge and rotated it gradually to increase the speed up to
3600rpm.it was rotated until all solvent ceases to flow from outlet.
7. Centrifuge was stopped to rotate and filter paper was taken off.
8. The filter paper was dried and weight of filter paper as well as bowl with aggregated
was weighted.

OBSERVATION
Room temperature = 27ºC
Weight of asphalt mix 50 gm
Dry weight of aggregate 47.8 gm
Bitumen content (50-47.8)/47.8*100% = 4.6%
RESULTS
The bitumen content in the given sample is determined by centrifuge extractor and found
to be 4.6%.

DISCUSSION
The experiment was conducted to determine bitumen content of the given sample by centrifuge
extractor. Bitumen is used as a primary constitute in the paving works. So the quantity and
quality of bitumen directly effects the durability of the pavement. The bitumen content in the
sample was found to be 4.6%. The obtained result do not suffice to bind the aggregates together
and make it water proof. Approximately 85% of all bitumen produced is used as binder in
asphalt for road. There may be some error in determination of bitumen content as the obtained
data do not match the required amount of bitumen. The errors may be due to instrumental errors,
human errors, improper heating and cooling of sample. The results of the test are an indication
regarding the quantity of bitumen that has been used in a bituminous mix.

PRECAUTION
1. Aggregates should be sieved properly.
2. Cover plate should be fixed tightly on the bowl.
3. Weighing should be properly taken.