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INSTRUCTION MANUAL
FOR
DUCTLITY TEST

Manufactured by:

ROORKEE EQUIPMENT & MODELS PVT LTD

Factory : C-18 Ram Nagar Industrial Area, Ram Nagar
Roorkee Distt-Haridwar,
Roorkee-247 667.
Email: rempvtltd@yahoo.in , remtender007@gmail.com
Website: www.rempvtltd.com

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Objective: To measure the ductility of given sample bitumen.

Specification
 Testing machine with ½ HP motor
 Mould made up of brass ,length 75±0.5 mm
 Digital Temperature .Indicator
 Digital on/off
 Travel rate 50 mm/min & 10 mm/min
 Single phase 220 V AC supply

 Stainless steel bath: ss water bath used for collecting water and
sample traveling
 Temperature controller: digital temperature indicator to control the
temperature of water and testing temperature 27⁰c±1⁰c
 Gear Lever: gear leaver used for to change the speed of lead screw
 Lever: it’s used for automation of lead screw
 Immersion electric heater. :electric heater used for to hot water in
water bath
 Constant speed Pump cum stirrer. it is used for to stirrer the water
such that water circulate constantly in water bath
 3 No’s of electrical switch for heater , motor and pump
 Brass mould : brass mould used for sample

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 Stainless steel scale and pointer. used for lead screw traveling
distance
 Carriage holding up to three standard briquette moulds.
Theory
Ductility of bitumen is its property to elongate under traffic load without
getting cracked in road construction works. Ductility test on bitumen
measures the distance in centimeters to which it elongates before
breaking

Procedure of Ductility Test on Bitumen

The ductility test of bitumen is carried out in two steps:

 Sample Preparation: In this step, the bitumen sample is filled in

the briquette mould after melting it.
 Testing of the Specimen: In this step, the bitumen sample taken
in the mould is tested for its ductility in the ductility testing
machine.

Sample Preparation:

 Take the bitumen sample in a beaker and heat it to a temperature

of 75-100°C- above its approximate softening point. Allow the
bitumen to melt until it is converted completely into a liquid state.
 Prepare a mixture of glycerine and dextrin in equal proportions. Mix
it well. Then coat the surface of the brass plate and the interior of
the sides of the briquette mould. This prevents the bitumen from
sticking to the mould.
 Fix the sides, clip over the base plate, and tighten the screw of the
clip with the help of a screwdriver.
 Prepare all the three briquette moulds in a similar manner.
 Pour the melted bitumen in the briquette mould until they are full.
 Allow the mould to cool at room temperature in air for about 30 to
40 minutes.

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 Place the whole assembly with brass plate and mould in a water
bath, which is maintained at 27 °C for about 30 minutes.
 Cut the excess bitumen on the surface with the help of hot,
straight-edged putty knife or spatula and level the top surface. The
dimension of the briquette thus formed is exactly 1 sq cm.
Testing of the Specimen:

1. Place the brass plate along with mould containing the specimen
again in the water bath at 27 °C for 85-95 minutes.
2. Remove the briquette from the base plate, unscrew the clips, and
remove the sides of the briquette mould.
3. Attach the assembly of bitumen sample with a base plate with the
help of rings of the clips to the pins or hooks in the ductility
machine. One clip of the mould is attached to the moving part
while the other clip is attached to the fixed part of the ductility
machine.
4. Tighten the screw of the clips of the mould with the help of a
screwdriver.
5. Check the pointer of the ductility machine is at zero. (Or note down
the initial reading of the ductility machine)
6. Switch on the ductility machine and adjust the gear so that the
movable part moves at the speed of 50 mm/minute. (The pull rate
of the machine is to be maintained 50 mm/min).
7. Thus, the two clips are pulled apart horizontally at uniform speed
until the briquette specimen ruptures.
8. Measure the distance between the clips at the time of rupture of
the specimen.

Observation:
As the ductility machine is allowed to run, one end of the machine
remains fixed, while the other end is pulled apart.
The distance at which the thread of the bitumen breaks is to be noted
down for all the three samples.

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If the specimen does not break even at 75 centimeters, the machine is

stopped and the ductility value is then mentioned as greater than 75 cm

Observation Table

Description Sample- 1 Sample- 2 Sample- 3

Initial Reading (a) in
mm
Final Reading (b) in
mm
Ductility (b-a) in mm

Ductility of the sample = Average value of ductility of 1, 2, 3.

ROORKEE EQUIPMENT & MODELS, ROORKEE