SPECIFIC GRAVITY (ASPHALT CEMENT)

Significance:
- gauge to the uniformity of supply of an asphalt (if it is being adulterated or
diluted).
- value is used in the computation for establishing asphalt mix design (job-mix
formula)

Specific Gravity
-ratio of mass of the asphalt to the mass of an equal volume of water.

Apparatus:
1. Fisher Pycnometer
2. Heating Device
3. Digital Balance (0.001g sensitivity)

Procedures:
a. Determine the weight of the empty pycnometer with cover.
b. Fill the pycnometer with water and close lid tightly. Wipe off excess water and weigh.
c. Heat the sample (asphalt cement) with care, to prevent local overheating. Heat until
sufficiently fluid to pour.
d. Pour the heated asphalt sample into the pycnometer to fill about half of its capacity.
e. Cool the pycnometer and sample, then weigh with the cover.
f. Add water into pycnometer half-filled with sample. Close lid tightly, then wipe off excess
water. Then weigh.

Calculation:

(c−a)
Specific gravity=
[( b−a )−( d−c ) ]
Where:
a = mass of empty pycnometer with cover
b = mass of pycnometer and cover filled with water
c = mass of pycnometer and cover half filled with asphalt, and
d = mass of pycnometer and cover with asphalt plus water

Example:
a. Mass of pycnometer with cover, empty, g = 51.4683 g
b. Mass of pycnometer filled with water, g = 63.0565 g
c. Mass of pycnometer half filled with sample, g = 56.8404 g
d. Mass of pycnometer + sample + water, g = 63.1793 g

Solution:

(c−a)
Specific gravity=
[( b−a )−( d−c ) ]
 56.8404−51.4683
Specific gravity=
[( 63.0565−51.4683 )−( 63.1793−56.8404 ) ]

Specific gravity=1.0234