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DUCTILITY TEST

INTRODUCTION

In the flexible pavement construction, it is desirable that the bitumen binders used in the
bituminous mixes from ductile thin films around the aggregate. This serves as a satisfactory
binder in improving the physical interlocking of the aggregates. The binder material which does
not possess sufficient ductility would crack and thus provide previous pavement surface. This in
turn results in damaging effect to the pavement structure. It has been stated by some agencies
that the penetration and ductility properties go together; but depending upon the chemical
composition and type of crude source of the bitumen sometimes it has been observed that the
above statement is incorrect. It may hence be mentioned that the bitumen may satisfy the
penetration value but may fail to satisfy the ductility requirements. Bitumen paving engineer
would however want that both tests requirements are satisfied in the field jobs. Penetration
test or ductility test cannot in any case replace each other. The ductility value of bitumen
binder is expressed as the distance in centimeters to which a standard briquette of bitumen can
be stretched before the thread breaks. The test is conducted at 27±0.5˚C and a rate of pull of
50±2.5mm per minute. The test has been standardized by the BIS. The ductility test concept is
shown in figure.

APPARATUS

The ductility test apparatus consists of items like sample moulds water bath square end trowel
or putty knife sharpened on end and ductility machine. Standard specifications as per BIS are as
follows:

(a) Briquette mould: Mould is made of brass metal with shape and dimensions as indicated in
figure. Both ends called clips possess circular holes to grip the fixed and movable ends of the
testing machine. When the side pieces are placed together in the briquette mould, ductility test
specimen of the following dimensions are obtained:
Length 75 mm
Distance between clips 30 mm
Width at mould of clips 20 mm
Cross section at minimum width 10 mm × 10 mm
(b) Ductility machine: It is equipment which functions as constant temperature water bath and a
pulling device at a pre calibrated rate. The central rod of the machine is threaded and through a
gear system provides movement to one end where the clip is fixed during initial placement. The
other clip end is hooked at the fixed end of the machine. Two clips are thus pulled apart
horizontally at a uniform speed of 50 ± 2.5 mm per minute. The machine may have provision to
fix two or more moulds so as to test these specimens simultaneously.

PROCEDURE

The bitumen sample is melted to a temperature of 75˚C to 100˚C above the approximation
softening point until it is fluid. The molted bitumen is poured in the mould assembly and placed
on a brass plate, after a solution of glycerin and dextrin is applied at all surfaces of the mould
exposed to bitumen. Bitumen is poured into the moulds and the plate assembly along with that
sample is kept for air cooling in room temperature for 30 to 40 minutes. The air cooled
specimen is then placed in water bath maintained at 27˚C for 30 minutes. The sample and
mould assembly are removed from water bath and excess bitumen material is cut off by leveling
the surface using the hot knife. After trimming the specimen, the mould assembly containing
sample, is replaced in water bath maintained at 27˚C for 85 to 95 minutes. The sides of mould
are now removed and the clips are carefully booked on the machine without causing any initial
strain. Two or more specimens may be prepared in the moulds and clipped to the machine so as
to conduct these tests simultaneously.
The pointer is set to read zero or the initial reading of the pointer is noted. The machine is
started and the two clips are thus pulled apart horizontally. While the test is in operation, it is
checked whether the sample is immersed in water at depth of at least 10 mm. The distance at
which the bitumen thread of each specimen breaks, is recorded to report as ductility value.

RESULT
The distance stretched by the moving end of the specimen up to the point of breaking of thread
measured in cm is recorded as ductility value. The average of three tests is reported as the
ductility of the sample, provided the three values are within ±5 percent of the mean value. If the
value is not within the above limits, but the two higher values are within ±5 percent of the mean
value, then the mean of the two values is considered as the tests results. During the test, if the
stretched material of the specimen comes in contact with the bottom or top surface of the bath,
the test is not considered as normal. BIS specifies that the test results should not be differ by
more than following:
Repeatability 10% of mean
Reproducibility 20% of mean

Discussions
The ductility value gets seriously affected if any of the following factors are varied:
(a) Test temperature
(b) Pouring temperature
(c) Dimensions of briquette, particularly the cross section of the test sample at minimum width,
which should be 10 mm × 10 mm
(d) Improper level of briquette placement or the stretched thread of the specimen touching the
top or bottom surface of the water bath during the test
(e) Rate of pulling
(f) Period of cooling

Increase in minimum cross section of 10 sq mm and increase in test temperature would


record increment ductility value.
APPLICATIONS OF DUCTILITY TEST
A certain minimum ductility value is considered essential for a bitumen binder for
satisfactory pavement performance. This is because of the temperature changes in the
bituminous mixes and the repeated deformations that occur in flexible pavements due to
the traffic loads if the bitumen has low ductility value, the bituminous pavement may crack,
especially in cold weather. The ductility values of bitumen vary from 5 to over 100. Several
agencies have specified the minimum ductility values for various types of bituminous
pavement. Often a minimum ductility value of 50 or 75 cm is specified for bituminous
construction.
The ductility value is determined on residue from thin film oven tests and the requirements
form paving bitumen as per BIS are as following:
Property VG10 VG20 VG30 VG40 Method of test ref.
no
Ductility at 25˚C,
cm min. after 75 50 40 25 IS:1208-1978
thin film oven
test

VG is Viscosity Grading
It is to be noted that as per the current specifications for paving bitumen, the ductility
requirements are to be conducted on samples obtained after thin film oven test and not on
bitumen samples obtained from the refinery directly’
ELASTIC RECOVERY TEST
The elastic recovery test is intended to assess the degree of bitumen modification by
elastomeric additives. This is a simple test conducted in a ductility testing machine to
optimize the dosage of polymeric additives in bitumen and also helps in assessing the
quality of the bitumen in the laboratory. The elastic recovery of the modified bitumen is
evaluated by comparing the recovery of a thread of modified bitumen after conditioning for
one hour at specified test temperature.
APPARATUS
(a) Ductility testing machine as per IS : 1208
(b) The size and shape of the test specimen and mould are shown in figure
(c) Thermometer
(d) Scissors
(e) Scale

PROCEDURE

The sample is prepared and conditioned as per the procedure of the ductility test but, in the
elastic recovery mould. The test specimen is elongated at the specify rate of 50± 2.5mm per
Minute at the specified temperature to a deformation of 10cm. As soon as the specimen is
elongated to a deformation of 10cm, the specimen is cut into two halves at the midpoint
using scissors. The specimen is kept in water bath in an undisturbed condition for a Period of
1 hour at the specify temperature. After 1 hour, the elongated half of the specimen is
moved back to the position near the fixed half of the test specimen, so that both of the
pieces of the specimen just touch each other. The length of the recombined specimen is
measured as “D” cm

Results

The Elastic recovery of the tested specimen in percent may be considered as:

Elastic Recovery, % = 100(10-D)/10

Where D is the length of combined specimen, cm

Applications

The Elastic recovery test can be used to test the suitability of the modified bitumen for
paving applications. Modified bitumen with low elastic recovery value is generally found to
crack. As per the specifications of Indian Road congress, the minimum elastic recovery value
for different modifier binders are as follows

Type of Modified Bitumen Elastic Recovery at 15*C ,% (Minimum)


Elastomeric Thermoplastic based polymer 75
modified Bitumen
Plastomeric polymer modified bitumen 50
Natural rubber modified bitumen 30 – 50
Crumb rubber modified bitumen 50
SELECTED REFERENCES

1. Bureau of Indian Standards , IS :1208 – 1978,Method for testing Tar and bituminous
materials Determination of ductility (First Revision)
2. Bureau of Indian Standards , IS : 73- 2006 , Indian Standard paving bitumen –
Specification (Third Revision)
3. Indian Roads Congress, Guidelines on the use of Polymer and Rubber Modified
bitumen in Road construction,(First Revision), IRC: SP:53-2002
4. Shell Bitumen, Shell bitumen hand Book,(Fifth Edition) ,Thomas Telford Publishing,
London
5. Road Research Laboratory, Bituminous Materials in Road
Construction,H.M.S.O.,London

Observation

Results of ductility test

(1) Grade of bitumen: =


(2) Pouring temperature, ˚C =
(3) Test temperature ˚C =
(4) Periods of cooling, minutes,
(a) In air
(b) In water bath before trimming =
(c) In water bath after trimming =

S. no Test property Briquette Mean value


number
(1) (2) (3)
1. Ductility value (cm)
2. Repeatability percent
3. Reproducibility percent

Remarks:

Results of elastic recovery test

Type of binder:

Test temperature:

S. no Test property Briquette Mean value


number
(1) (2) (3)
1. Length of recombined
specimen, D cm
2. Elastic Recovery, % =
100(10-D)/10
3. Repeatability

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