Jordan University of Science and Technology

Civil Engineering Department

Highway laboratory

Student Name: abdallah alhassan ID: 120034

Experiment number : 8

Experiment Name : Softening Point

Instructor: Eng.khaled albalas TA Name:farah jawdat

Submission Date: 10/30/2019 SEC# 5

Evaluation Elements Max Grade

grade
1 Cover page 5
2 Abstract 5
3 Introduction 5
4 Material and equipment 5
5 Objectives 5
6 Test Procedure 5
7 Results and data analysis 20
8 Discussion 15
9 Conclusions 10
10 References 5
11 Presentation of data in tables and figures 5
12 Appendix 5
13 Spilling and clarity sentences 5
14 Overall appearance 5
Total 100
  Abstract

We defined the softening point as the temperature at which a disc of bitumen softens
enough to allow a standard ball resting on it to move downward a distance of 25 mm.

 Introduction

Because the softening of a bituminous material does not take place at any definite
temperature, but rather involves a gradual change in consistency with increasing
temperature, any procedure that is adopted for determining the softening point must
be of a somewhat arbitrary nature. The procedure in common use in highway materials
laboratories is known as the "ring-and-ball method" and may be applied to semisolid
and solid materials.

Practically, the temperature at which the softening bituminous material touch the
bottom metal plate placed 25 mm below the rings holders is recorded as the softening
point.
.
  Material and equipment

Ring — A brass shouldered ring.

Ball— A steel ball, 9.53 mm (3/8”) in diameter, weighing between 3.45 and 3.55 grams.
Ball Centering Guide — A guide for centering the ball and made of brass.Ring
Holder — The rings shall be supported on a brass ring holder.
Rings shall be supported in a horizontal position with the bottoms of the rings 25 mm
above the upper surface of the bottom plate and a distance of at least 13 mm and not
more than 19 mm between the bottom plate and the bottom of the bath.
The thermometer shall be suspended so that the bottom of the bulb is level with the
bottom of the rings and within 13 mm of the rings but not touching them.
Brass Pouring Plate — A flat, smooth brass plate approximately 75 by 50 mm that has
been treated to prevent the bituminous material from adhering to it. A suitable treatment
is to coat the plate just before use with a thin layer of a mixture of glycerin and dextrin,
talc, or china clay.
Bath — A glass vessel, capable of being heated, not less than 85 mm in diameter and
not less than 120 mm in depth from the bottom of the flare.
Thermometers — having a range from -2 to +80°C
  Objective

To obtain the point at which the bitumen becomes softening to use it to:

 Classify bitumen according to their susceptibility to heat.

 Classify bitumen according to their suitability to use in hot or cold regions.
 Check the uniformity of sources supplies.
 Indicate the tendency of bitumen to flow at elevated temperatures.

 Test Procedure

 We will get two-ring assembly to put them into a piston.

 Fill the bath with water.
 Heat the sample carefully until we arrive the starting temperature.
 Put the ball at the center by the ball centering guide.
 We heat in a rate of 5 0 C/min.
 Record the point when the sample reach the metal plate.
  results and data analysis

Sr # Softening point (ⅽ) Mean

1 47 47.5
2 48

 Discussion

The experiment has been performed successfully and the softening point came out to
be 47.5 oC. Bitumen having this softening point should not be used in Jordan as the
city’s highest maximum temperature was 50 °C recorded on June 9, 2002 At the time
the meteorological office recorded this official temperature in the shade plus the fact
the we have a safety factor of a +10 degrees ,. So to avoid the problems of Rutting and
bleeding this bitumen should not be used .
  Conclusions

 If the difference between the two samples in the same test exceeds 1 0C, the test
must be repeated.

 When we change the liquid in the bath there will be different in the results
because every liquid has a different boiling point and that affected the softening
point, so the lower boiling point need low temperature.

 When we increasing the rate of heating, the softening point will be less than the
standard ( original ).

 If there is sand in the sample the boiling point will be increase, then the softening
point will be increase.

 When we use the same sample many times in this test ( reheating and retesting )
the results will have an error in the softening point because that will make the
material less viscous and we will get error in the results.
  References

 Course slides
 Pavement Interactive web site
 ASTM

 appendix

 none