TOUGHNESS/TENACITY ANALYSIS OF BITUMEN

Bitumens are too soft for the standard plastic and rubber methods of testing mechanical properties to be used. The original test, described by Benson in 1955, has been revised by the authors in three ways to improve repeatability so that the test can be used to demonstrate the presence of polymer in bitumen binders. The tests described provide a better evaluation of mechanical properties than the traditional penetration method which only measures flow characteristics. Sample preparation should be such that the exact volume of binder is used. A tension head assembly has been designed to ensure that the probe is perfectly vertical. A method has been developed using a computer to automatically measure the three separate areas under the stress-strain curve to determine toughness, tenacity and cohesiveness. The automatic method has allowed a comparison of curves with greatly differing shapes to be examined. Repeatability was examined by testing 30 samples of 200 pen bitumen at 20 degrees C. Results showed that a maximum sample of five could be used to determine the performance of different binders. Cross-head-speed can influence results particularly at low temperatures. (TRRL)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/3831968
• Corporate Authors:

  D.R. Publications Limited

  Faversham House, 111 St James Road
  Croydon, Surrey CR9 2TH,   England 
• Authors:
  • ROBINSON, H L
  • TAYLOR, M B
  • TOSH, D J
• Publication Date: 1991-1

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 14,16-7
• Serial:
  • Highways
  • Volume: 59
  • Issue Number: 1
  • Publisher: Alad Limited
  • ISSN: 0142-6168
  • Serial URL: http://www.highways-mag.co.uk

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Binders; Bitumen; Mechanical properties; Performance; Temperature; Toughness
• ITRD Terms: 4736: Admixture; 3882: Automatic; 4948: Binder; 4967: Bituminous mixture; 6486: Chart; 5595: Deformation; 7481: Polymerization; 5927: Reproducibility; 5575: Stress (in material); 6722: Temperature; 6288: Test method
• Subject Areas: Highways; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00617627
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 30 1991 12:00AM