By : Russell Clayton

1
COMPARATIVE LABORATORY TESTING OF BITUMINOUS
BINDERS

• By Russell Clayton
• NINHAM SHAND
• CONSULTING ENGINEERS
• AND
• MATERIALS LABORATORY

2
Aim of the Project

• Carry out inter laboratory testing to establish
  the variability of the test results between
  laboratories
• To develop some degree of confidence from the
  results that are obtained from various
  laboratories throughout the country
• Attempt to obtain some degree of confidence in
  the bituminous product placed on the road

3
Laboratories Contributing To The Project

• NINHAM SHAND MATERIALS LABORATORY CAPE TOWN
• COLAS BITUMEN LABORATORY CAPE TOWN
• CIVILAB
• MATROLAB CAPE TOWN
• MATROLAB PRETORIA
• LABMAN
• SIMLAB BLOEMFONTEIN
• ROADLAB CAPE TOWN
• SRT DURBAN
• SRT PRETORIA
• TOSAS GAUTENG
• BITUGUARD GAUTENG
• SOILLAB CAPE TOWN
• SOILLAB PRETORIA
• NATREF SASOLBERG

4
Binders Tested to Date

• 80/100 Penetration Grade Bitumen
  Caltex Refinery Cape Town
• 60/70 Penetration Grade Bitumen
  Caltex Refinery Cape Town
• SBR Modified Hot Applied Modified Binder using
  80/100 Caltex binder

5
Penetration Test on 60-70 80-100 Pen Bitumen
6
Softening Point on 60-70 80-100 Pen Bitumen
7
VISCOSITY _at_ 60 DEG CELCIUS
8
VISCOSITY _at_ 135 DEG CELCIUS
9
DUCTILITY _at_ 10 DEG CELCIUS
10
MASS CHANGE AFTER RTFOT
11
VISCOSITY _at_ 60 DEG CELCIUS AFTER RTFOT
12
DUCTILITY _at_ 15 DEG CELCIUS AFTER RTFOT
13
SOFTENING POINT AFTER RTFOT
14
INCRESE IN SOFTENING POINT AFTER RTFOT
15
RETAINED PENETRATION (AFTER RTFOT)
16
WHICH LABORATORY FAILED THE PRODUCT ?
17
Conclusions

• Most of the Laboratories failed the before RTFOT
  tests Why ??
• These tests appear to be operator and equipment
  dependent.
• Viscosity and Ductility pass the test but large
  range of results
• Very few failures on RTFOT tests. ..Does this
  suggest that sample preparation from cold binder
  is contributing to the variable results ??

18
Conclusions contd

• Most on-site rejections occur as a result of
  penetration and softening point failures
• Failures as a result of the ductility test may
  well be due to inappropriate test method.
• SO WHAT DO WE DO ?

19
Recommendations

• Education and Training are the Key Words
• Circulate the SABITA Binder Testing Videos
• Accredited Testers (who have been trained by
  SABITA approved Trainers ?)
• Post Graduate Research into the Reliability of
  the Tests
• Continue with this Inter- laboratory test
  program to continue the awareness to the problem

20
Acknowledgements

• Many Thanks to the Laboratories that have
  contributed to this project
• Apologies to those who were not included in this
  last round of tests

21
THE END