BS 

EN 12697‑32:2019

BSI Standards Publication

Bituminous mixtures - Test methods

Part 32: Specimen preparation by vibratory compactor

BS EN 12697‑32:2019 BRITISH STANDARD

National foreword
This British Standard is the UK implementation of EN 12697‑32:2019. It
supersedes BS EN 12697‑32:2003, which is withdrawn.
The UK participation in its preparation was entrusted to Technical
Committee B/510/1, Asphalt products.
A list of organizations represented on this committee can be obtained on
request to its secretary.
This publication does not purport to include all the necessary provisions
of a contract. Users are responsible for its correct application.
© The British Standards Institution 2019
Published by BSI Standards Limited 2019
ISBN 978 0 580 51511 8
ICS 93.080.20
Compliance with a British Standard cannot confer immunity from
legal obligations.
This British Standard was published under the authority of the
Standards Policy and Strategy Committee on 31 March 2019.

Amendments/corrigenda issued since publication

Date Text affected
EUROPEAN STANDARD EN 12697‑32
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM March 2019

ICS 93.080.20 Supersedes EN 12697‑32:2003+A1:2007

English Version

Bituminous mixtures - Test methods - Part 32: Specimen

preparation by vibratory compactor
Matériaux enrobés - Méthodes d'essai - Partie Asphalt - Prüfverfahren - Teil 32: Herstellung von
32: Compactage en laboratoire de mélanges Probekörpern mit einem Vibrationsverdichter
bitumineux par compacteur vibratoire

This European Standard was approved by CEN on 19 November 2018.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving
this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical
references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre
or to any CEN member.

This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language
made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC
Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Estonia, Finland, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy,
Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and United Kingdom.

EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION

COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION
EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Avenue Marnix 17, B-1000 Brussels

© 2019 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN 12697‑32:2019: E
worldwide for CEN national Members
BS EN 12697‑32:2019
EN 12697‑32:2019 (E)

Contents Page

European foreword............................................................................................................................................................................................................. iii

1 Scope.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 4
2 Normative references....................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
3 Terms and definitions...................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
4 Principle......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
5 Materials........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 5
6 Apparatus...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 5
7 Preparation of test specimens................................................................................................................................................................. 6
7.1 Core specimens........................................................................................................................................................................................ 6
7.2 Plant-mixed materials........................................................................................................................................................................ 7
7.3 Laboratory-mixed materials......................................................................................................................................................... 7
8 Calculation and expression of results.............................................................................................................................................. 7
9 Test report.................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 7
10 Precision........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 8
Annex A (normative) Test method for determining the suitability of a vibrating hammer for
laboratory compaction.................................................................................................................................................................................10

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European foreword
This document (EN  12697‑32:2019) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC  227 “Road
materials”, the secretariat of which is held by BSI.
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an
identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by September 2019, and conflicting national standards
shall be withdrawn at the latest by September 2019.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
This document supersedes EN 12697‑32:2003+A1:2007.
The following is a list of significant technical changes since the previous edition:
— The series title no longer makes the method exclusively for hot mix asphalt;
— Title shortened to be in line with other compaction methods;
— [7.1.11] De-moulding of sample clarified;
— [7.3.1] Reference to EN 12697‑30:2004+A1:2007 replaced by EN 12697‑35;
— [A.2.8] Reference to apparatus for water content: EN 1097‑5 replaces EN 12697‑14;
— [A.6] Deletion of brackets in formulae: [A.1] and [A.2].
A list of all parts in the EN 12697 series can be found on the CEN website.
According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organisations of the
following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia,
Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France,
Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands,
Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and
the United Kingdom.

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1 Scope
This document specifies a method for the preparation of bituminous test specimens using a vibratory
compaction technique.
This document is applicable to loose mixtures and cores and is used to establish a refusal density for a
bituminous mixture, or to determine the ease of compaction as described in EN 12697‑10.

2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
EN 1097‑5, Tests for mechanical and physical properties of aggregates — Part 5: Determination of the
water content by drying in a ventilated oven
EN 12697‑6, Bituminous mixtures — Test methods for hot mix asphalt — Part 6: Determination of bulk
density of bituminous specimens
EN 12697‑8, Bituminous mixtures — Test methods— Part 8: Determination of void characteristics of
bituminous specimens
EN 12697‑10, Bituminous mixtures — Test methods — Part 10: Compactability
EN 12697‑27, Bituminous mixtures — Test methods — Part 27: Sampling
EN 12697‑35, Bituminous mixtures — Test methods — Part 35: Laboratory mixing

3 Terms and definitions

For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— IEC Electropedia: available at http://www.electropedia.org/
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at http://www.iso.org/obp
3.1
bulk density
mass in air per unit volume of the compacted specimen at ambient temperature
3.2
refusal density
mass per unit volume, including voids, of the specimen compacted to refusal
3.3
refusal air voids content
air voids content of specimen compacted to refusal in accordance with the test method
3.4
percentage refusal density
ratio of the initial bulk density of the compacted specimen to its refusal density, expressed as
a percentage

4 Principle
After the mixing, preparation and conditioning of a bituminous material in the laboratory, the heating
of a core extracted from the road surface to compaction temperature, or the conditioning of plant-

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mixed material, the material or core is placed in a standard mould with attached base plate and collar
and compacted by a vibratory hammer.
NOTE For loose material prepared or compacted in the laboratory, or plant-mixed material compacted in the
laboratory, the refusal density is an indication of the potential maximum density which may be achieved under
field conditions.

5 Materials

5.1 Sealing compound.

5.2 Paper discs, to prevent the ends of the specimen from sticking to the base plate or the tamping foot.

5.3 Silicone grease, for use as a release agent.

5.4 Inert void filling material.

6 Apparatus

6.1 Drying oven, to maintain a temperature of between 25 °C and 45 °C.

6.2 Balance.

6.3 Water bath.

6.4 Split core mould and base plate (see Figure 1).

6.5 One spare base plate.

NOTE Only one spare base plate is needed for a complete set of moulds.

6.6 Heating oven, with fan-assisted circulation.

6.7 Electric vibrating hammer, conforming to Annex A and suitable for laboratory compaction. The
hammer shall have a power consumption of 750 W to 1 000 W and shall operate at a frequency of
20 Hz to 50 Hz.

6.8 50 mm or 75 mm wide point stripping knife and a pallet knife.

6.9 (102 ± 2) mm diameter tamping foot and a (146 ± 2) mm diameter tamping foot, for use with the
electric vibrating hammer (see 6.7).

6.10 300 mm steel rule.

6.11 Pair of external callipers.

6.12 Stopwatch or clock.

6.13 Thermometer.

6.14 Saw, suitable for slicing a core to suitable size.

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6.15 Paint brush.

7 Preparation of test specimens

7.1 Core specimens

7.1.1 After determination of the bulk density of the core in accordance with EN 12697‑6 (initial bulk
density), if required, coat the split mould and base plate with a thin film of silicone grease and place a
paper disc on the base plate.
NOTE The initial bulk density of the core may be determined, when it is required for comparison to the-
refusal density as reference for it.

7.1.2 After removing any sealing compound (wax or tape) present, insert the core, with the flatter of
its two ends uppermost, into the mould. Tighten the mould and clamp the mould to the base plate.

7.1.3 Place the assembly, without the shank and tamping foot but including the additional base plate,
in a preheated oven maintained at the compaction temperature defined in EN 12697‑35 for the grade of
binder in use. Retain in the oven until the centre of the core has attained the compaction temperature
defined in EN 12697‑35.
NOTE It may be found convenient to measure the temperature of a dummy specimen placed in the oven at
the same time as the specimens to be compacted. The dummy specimen may have a thermocouple probe inserted
into its centre.

7.1.4 Condition the operating mechanism of the vibrating hammer by running it for at least 2 min on a
dummy specimen before beginning 7.1.6 and 7.1.7.

7.1.5 Remove the assembly from the oven and place it on a level rigid floor. Ensure the mould is
tightened until the split is closed. Place a paper disc on the exposed surface of the core.

7.1.6 Immediately compact the core with the vibrating hammer, using the 102 mm diameter tamping
foot, previously warmed to above 60 °C and coated with a thin layer of silicone grease. Hold the hammer
firmly with the shaft vertical and move the tamping foot from one position to another around the mould
in accordance with 7.1.7. Compact for 2 s to 10 s at each position. Move the tamping foot from one
position to the next before material bulges above the edge of the tamping foot.

7.1.7 Position the tamping foot in contact with the side of the mould and compact the material in the
following points of the compass sequence: N, S, W, E, NW, SE, SW, NE. Repeat the sequence until total
compaction time period amounts to 2 min ± 5 s.

To keep the mould in position whilst compaction is taking place, a panel of 20 mm plywood with a
central hole of suitable dimensions to accommodate the mould base should be used. The operator
should stand on the board to keep the assembly steady.
NOTE 1 The period of compaction at each position will depend on the material.

NOTE 2 A means of determining the downward force applied to the compaction hammer is described in A.5.3.

7.1.8 When the compaction period specified in 7.1.7 is complete, remove any irregularities on the
surface of the specimen by using the vibrating hammer fitted with the previously warmed 146  mm
tamping foot coated with a thin layer of silicone grease.

7.1.9 Clamp the spare base plate, lightly greased, to the top of the mould. Invert the mould and remove
the original base plate ensuring that a paper disc adheres to each end of the core. Place the original base

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plate in the oven; this now becomes the spare base plate. Drive the core into contact with the base plate
with the vibrating hammer fitted with the 146 mm tamping foot coated with silicone grease.

7.1.10 Repeat the compacting procedure specified in 7.1.6, 7.1.7 and 7.1.8.

7.1.11 Remove the base plate and the paper discs.

7.1.12 Allow the core to cool in air for at least 2 h and then remove it from the mould by loosening the
screws and tapping the mould to destroy the adhesion.

7.1.13 Allow the core to cool to room temperature and then determine its bulk density in accordance
with EN 12697‑6 (refusal density) and its air voids content in accordance with EN 12697‑8 (refusal air
voids content).

7.2 Plant-mixed materials

7.2.1 Obtain a suitable quantity of loose plant-mixed material in accordance with EN 12697‑27.

7.2.2 After conditioning the loose material for a period of 2 h at the compaction temperature defined in
EN 12697‑35, carry out the compacting procedure specified in 7.1.6 to 7.1.13 in order to determine the
refusal density only. For determination of compactibility, follow the additional requirements specified in
EN 12697‑10.
NOTE The object of a conditioning period, when the mixture is held at a temperature equivalent to the
compaction temperature, is to simulate site conditions. Binder absorption into the aggregate during this period
has an effect on the properties of the compacted mixture.

7.3 Laboratory-mixed materials

7.3.1 Prepare the mixture prior to compaction in accordance with EN 12697‑35.

7.3.2 Follow the procedure described in 7.2.2.

8 Calculation and expression of results

For refusal density and refusal air voids content, calculation and expression of results shall be in
accordance with EN 12697‑6 and EN 12697‑8, respectively.
For compactability, calculation and expression of results shall be in accordance with EN 12697‑10.

9 Test report
For all purposes, the test report shall make reference to this European Standard and shall include the
following information:
a) identification of the mixture;
b) method of manufacture of the mixture, or if it was sampled from a compacted layer, location
of the sample.
For refusal density and refusal air voids content, the test report shall be prepared in accordance with
EN 12697‑6 and EN 12697‑8, respectively.
For compactibility, the test report shall be prepared in accordance with EN 12697‑10.

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10 Precision
The best estimates for repeatability and reproducibility, for percentage refusal density of 150 mm
cores, are as follows:
Repeatability 1,2.
Reproducibility 1,8.
NOTE The precision data were determined from an experiment concluded in 1982 using 10 laboratories
and 60 samples. The repeatability and reproducibility values given above apply for a range of PRD values from
92,3 to 99,2.

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Key
1 shank Essential dimensions (inspection) of closed mould
2 tamping foot excluding base plate
type 1: ∅ 146 mm — internal diameter (152,4 + 0,5) mm
type 2: ∅ 102 mm — length (170 ± 0,5) mm
3 clamp screws
4 mould body
5 base plate
6 latch

Figure 1 — Typical compaction assembly

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Annex A
(normative)

Test method for determining the suitability of a vibrating hammer

for laboratory compaction

A.1 Principle
The vibrating hammer is tested to determine its suitability for laboratory compaction.

A.2 Apparatus

A.2.1 The apparatus described in Clause 6 and the items listed in A.2.2 to A.2.8 shall be used for the test.

A.2.2 A cylindrical metal mould, having an internal diameter of 152 mm and an internal effective height
of 127 mm, a detachable baseplate and a collar 50 mm deep. A thin coating of oil shall be applied to the
internal faces of the mould and collar before each test.

A.2.3 Test sieves, of sizes 0,600 mm, 0,425 mm and 0,300 mm.

A.2.4 A steel straightedge, at least 300 mm long.

A.2.5 A depth gauge, capable of measuring the sample depth to an accuracy of 0,5 mm.

A.2.6 A large metal tray, with convenient size of 600 mm × 500 mm and with sides 80 mm deep.

A.2.7 A stopwatch or stopclock.

A.2.8 Apparatus for determining moisture content, as specified in EN 1097‑5.

A.3 Materials
10 kg of dry and not previously used silica sand conforming to the grading requirements of Table A.1.

A.4 Preparation of sample

Mix water with the sand sufficient to raise its moisture content to (2,5 ± 0,5) %.

A.5 Procedure

A.5.1 Using the balance, weigh the mould, with its 50 mm collar and baseplate firmly fixed, and then
stand it on a solid base, e.g. a concrete floor or plinth.

A.5.2 Condition the operating mechanism of the vibrating hammer by running it for at least 2 min on a
blank specimen before beginning the procedure in A.5.3.

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A.5.3 Use the vibrating hammer fitted with a 146  mm diameter circular steel tamper to compact a
quantity of the moist sand in the mould. Compact the sand in three layers of nearly equal mass sufficient
to give a specimen of (130  ±  3)  mm after compaction. Compact each layer for a period of (60  ±  2)  s.
Throughout this period apply a firm downward pressure to the vibrating hammer so that the total
downward force, including that resulting from the mass of the hammer and tamper, is (350 ± 50) N.

The application of pressure combined with vibration is essential to ensure the required degree
of compaction. The downward force required of (350  ±  50)  N, including that resulting from the
mass, is greater than that required in order to prevent the hammer bouncing on the specimen. It is
recommended that when an operator lacks experience in this test, the vibrating hammer should be
applied initially without vibration to a platform scale where a mass of (35 ± 5) kg should be registered
when the required force is applied.

A.5.4 When the final layer has been compacted, remove any loose material around the sides of the
mould from the surface of the specimen.

A.5.5 Lay the straightedge across the top of the collar of the mould and measure to an accuracy of
0,5 mm the depth of the specimen below the top collar. Take readings at four points spread evenly over
the surface of the specimen, at least 15 mm from the side of the mould.

A.5.6 Calculate the mean height of the specimen. If the specimen is more than 133 mm or less than
127 mm in height, reject it and repeat the procedure.

A.5.7 Using the balance, weigh to the nearest 5 g the mould, together with the collar, baseplate and sand.

A.5.8 Remove the compacted sand specimen from the mould and place it on the large metal tray. Take a
representative sample of the specimen and determine its moisture content in accordance with EN 1097‑5.

A.6 Calculation and expression of results

A.6.1 Calculate the bulk density ρ in mega grams per cubic metre (Mg/m3) of the compacted specimen
from the formula:

(A.1)

where
ρ is the bulk density, in mega grams per cubic metre (Mg/m3);
m1 is the mass of the mould, base and collar, in grams (g);
m2 is the mass of the mould, base, collar and compacted specimen, in grams (g);
k is the diameter of the mould, in millimetres (mm);
h is the height of the specimen, in millimetres (mm).

A.6.2 Calculate the dry density ρd of the compacted specimen from the formula:

(A.2)

where

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ρd is the dry density of the compacted specimen, in megagrams per cubic metre (Mg/m3);
ρ is the bulk density of the compacted specimen, in megagrams per cubic metre (Mg/m3);
w is the moisture content of the sand, in percent (%).

A.6.3 Express the dry density value to the nearest 0,001 Mg/m3.

A.6.4 Perform three tests on the same sample of sand and determine the mean dry density. If the range
of values in the three tests exceeds 0,030 Mg/m3, repeat the procedure.

A.6.5 Consider the vibrating hammer suitable for use in the percentage refusal density test if the mean
dry density of the sand exceeds 1, 740 Mg/m3.
NOTE The value given for the mean dry density of sand is a value determined for the use of Leighton Buzzard
sand. Other sands can be used. However, a suitable target value would need to be determined.

A.7 Calibration certificate

The calibration certificate shall state that the vibrating hammer was tested in accordance with this
European standard. The calibration certificate shall include the following additional information:
a) name of the manufacturer of the hammer and the model, type and serial number of the hammer;
b) mean value of the dry density of the sand;
c) individual values of the separate determinations of the dry density of the sand.

Table A.1 — Grading of sand for calibration

Test sieve
Percentage by mass
mm
0,600 100
0,425 0 to 25
0,300 0

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