Expanded dynamic shear rheometer series streamlines asphalt binder QC and R&D

Anton Paar has expanded its SmartPave series of dynamic shear rheometers (DSR) for asphalt binder and bitumen testing. Complementing the SmartPave 303 rheometer – engineered for applications ranging from routine compliance work to advanced method development – the newly launched SmartPave 93 delivers streamlined routine quality control in full compliance with international standards.

“The expanded SmartPave series is built to help labs make faster, more confident decisions – from batch release to formulation optimisation,” says Product Manager Andreas Lutz. 

The SmartPave DSR series analyses unmodified and modified binders across a wide temperature range, supporting both standardised testing and classic rheological methods. SmartPave 93 is optimised for quality control and routine measurements, while SmartPave 303 is designed to meet the highest measurement demands in R&D.

Both instruments feature Peltier-based temperature control with heating elements above and below the sample. Fully automatic temperature calibration and verification routines within the RheoCompass software support temperature gradients below 0.1 °C, enabling highly reproducible grading and performance testing.

RheoCompass provides additional support for asphalt workflows with tailored step-by-step procedures and templates that are regularly updated to support compliance with AASHTO, ASTM, DIN EN, and FGSV methods. Toolmaster automatically recognises connected measuring systems and temperature devices to reduce setup errors, while QuickConnect accelerates geometry changes in high-throughput laboratory environments.

Typical applications include performance grading (AASHTO T315), Multiple Stress Creep Recovery (AASHTO T350 / ASTM D7405), and viscosity measurements using a Peltier-controlled chamber for concentric-cylinder geometries (AASHTO T316 / ASTM D4402 / DIN EN 13302).