Laboratory of Highway and traffic

Experiment name: Viscosity of Bitumen

" Asphalt "

Experiment number: 6

ENG- Emad Alsoud

Students name: 1-Ahmad Awwad

2- Momen Alakayleh
3- Odai Jafar

Day: Monday
Date: 25/3/2019
Introduction …

Viscosity of bitumen : Is the time needed for a bitumen " asphalt " sample
with a 60 ml volume to pass throw a standard opening " orifice " under
specified condition of test . ( Temperature , cycling speed , … etc . ) .

Saybolt Universal Viscosity ( SUS ) :

The efflux time in seconds of 60 ml of sample flowing throw a calibrated
universal orifice under specified conditions . ( diameter of the universal
orifice equals 0.0695 in ) .

Saybolt Furol Viscosity ( SFS ) :

The efflux time in seconds of 60 ml of sample flowing throw a calibrated
Furol orifice under specified conditions . ( diameter of the Furol orifice
equals 0.1240 in ) .

-The viscosity for bitumen " asphalt " in this experiment is measured in
seconds .
-Viscosity of bitumen " asphalt " is a measure to its resistance to flow .

SFS = ( 1 / 10 ) * SUS
* SUS : Needs time more than 35 second .
* SFS : Needs time more than 25 second.
Objective of the experiment :

The main goals of this experiment is to determine the Viscosity of a given

bitumen " asphalt " sample in order to understand its behavior and
properties under the operating conditions .

Equipments of the experiment :

1. Saybolt Viscometer and Bath .

Consist of :

A . Timer .
B . Temperature controller .
C . Oil or water cycling system .
D . Two or more asphalt openings .
* Oil or water temperature ( 21.1 – 99 ) ºC .
* Oil or water Cycling speed ( 30 – 50 ) rpm .

2. A set of standard Saybolt flasks .

3. Heating oven .
4. Thermometer .
( The used thermometer must have a precision of 1 ºC and must be
calibrated between 21.1 ºC and 99 ºC ) .
5-Timer or Stopwatch .
 Procedure of the experiment :
1-Heat the bitumen sample in the heating oven at a temperature of 60 degree .

2-Set The temperature of the oil or water bath that is in the viscometer at 60 ºC .

 This test can be made at different temperatures such as 25 ºC and 40 ºC to

evaluate the viscosity of the bitumen " asphalt " at different stages of bitumen
using during construction of road elements or under the operating conditions
.

3-Close the orifice with a stopper , then fill the bitumen sample in the Saybolt
viscometer apparatus .

4-Place a thermometer in the bitumen sample and activate the machine on a cycling
speed of ( 30 – 50 ) rpm , and a temperature of 60 ºC .

5-When the temperature of the bath and the bitumen becomes the same and
remains constant ( 60 ºC ) , remove the thermometer from the bitumen sample .

6-Put the Saybolt flasks ( receiving flask ) completely under the orifice of the Saybolt
viscometer so that the bitumen falls completely in the flask when the orifice is
opened .

7-Quickly , remove the orifice stopper and immediately , start the timer .

8-When the bottom of the meniscus of the bitumen reaches the 60 ml mark on the
walls of the flask , immediately , stop the timer .

9-The time measured in second for the 60 ml of bitumen to pass throw the orifice is
the viscosity of the bitumen .
Results of the experiment :
 Viscosity = 4 minutes + 45 seconds
= 285 seconds .

Calculations of the experiment :

 Since we used Furol orifice in our test …

SFS = 285 seconds .

SUS = ( 1 / 10 ) * SFS
= 28.5 seconds .

Conclusions :

 The tested bitumen " asphalt " sample has a high viscosity since it had
taken a long time period to pass throw the viscometer opening .

 From the calculated value of SUS ( 28.5 ) < 35 seconds ; the given sample
is classified as lightweight quality sample .

 Since the given sample has a high viscosity it would be harder to mix with
aggregate , and harder to place in the road structural elements .

 Usually , high viscosity asphalt has a high density value ; so there is a high
probability for cracks formation in the road structural elements .