NUCLEAR ASPHALT GAUGE TESTING. FINAL REPORT

The Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) has been performing asphalt extraction testing on bituminous road materials for more than 50 years. Currently, Mn/DOT annually performs about 3,500 extractions. Extraction testing requires the use of chlorinated solvents, which generates a considerable amount of hazardous liquid waste that must be disposed of by strictly following increasingly complex and stringent federal regulations. The objective of this research project was to replace or supplement the current chemical extraction method for testing the asphalt content of road construction bituminous mixtures with nuclear asphalt gauge testing. This research led to the following conclusions: (1) Nuclear asphalt gauge testing gives asphalt cement content results that are at least as accurate as solvent extraction testing; (2) Gradation testing cannot be done using nuclear asphalt gauge testing procedures; and (3) Nuclear asphalt gauge testing works well for bituminous materials containing up to about 20% recycled asphalt pavement (RAP).

• Corporate Authors:

  Minnesota Department of Transportation

  Office of Materials, 1400 Gervais Avenue
  Maplewood, MN  United States  55109
• Authors:
  • Wegman, D
  • Plutko, E
• Publication Date: 1995-3

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Photos; Tables;
• Pagination: 38 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Accuracy; Asphalt content; Asphalt tests; Chemical analysis; Nuclear gauges; Recycled materials; Resource extraction
• Uncontrolled Terms: Extraction (Chemistry)
• Subject Areas: Highways; Materials; I31: Bituminous Binders and Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00720173
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: MN/RD-95/31
• Files: TRIS, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Apr 15 1996 12:00AM