Testing the Viscoelastic Properties of Bitumen and Asphalt

Not only liquid fuels but also heavy ends are an important output of a refinery. The leading instrument for asphalt testing is Anton Paar’s (Austria) SmartPave Asphalt Rheometer. The SmartPave is a Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR) combined with a completely new and unique Peltier heating system to determine the viscoelastic properties of bitumen and asphalt.

The SmartPave incorporates new and innovative features that take asphalt testing to previously unattained levels of accuracy, comfort, and ease of use. Guided operations, such as a fully automatic temperature setting routine, guides you through the grading process, making asphalt grading easy and efficient. The broad torque range and true stress and strain capabilities allow you to adjust the measurements to suit your needs.

To give insights into the elastomeric characteristics of bitumen, the Ductilometer (DD 3) is the instrument of choice. It covers the elastic recovery of a bituminous material measured by the recoverable strain after a briquet specimen is expanded at 25 °C for 10 or 20 cm and in this position is cut into two halves at the midpoint. After a recovery time of 60 or 30 minutes the shrinkage is measured and expressed as a percentage of the prior elongation.