Softening Point Test

Faculty:
Faculty of Technical Engineering

Department:
Department of Building Services
Title:
SOFTENING POIINT OF BITUMEN
1.0 OBJECTIVE
To determine the softening point of bitumen within the range 30 to 157 C by means of
the Ring-and-Ball apparatus.
2.0 BACKGROUND
Unlike some substances (e.g. water which changes from solid to liquid at 0 C bituminous materials do not
have a definite melting point. Instead, as the temperature rises, these materials slowly change from brittle or
very thick and slow-flowing materials to softer and less viscous liquids. For this reason, the determination of
'softening point' must be made by a fixed, arbitrary and closely defined method if results are to be
comparable.
Being very simple in concept and equipment, the Ring-and-Ball Test has remained a valuable consistency
test for control in refining operations, particularly in the production of air-blown bitumens. It is also an indirect
measure of viscosity or, rather, the temperature at which a given viscosity is evident. The softening point
value has particular significance for materials which are to be used as thick films, such as joint and crack
fillers and roofing materials. A high softening point ensures that they will not flow in service. For a bitumen of
a given penetration (determined at 25 C), the higher the softening point the lower the temperature
sensitivity
Research has shown that, for conventional paving grade bitumens, the Ring-and-Ball softening point
temperature is the same as that which would give a penetration of 800 d-mm. This, together with the
penetration at 25 C, can be used to compute the Penetration Index.
3.0 SUMMARY OF TEST METHOD (ASTM 1988)

Two horizontal disks of bitumens, cast in shouldered brass ring are heated at a controlled rate in a liquid bath
each supports a steel ball. The softening point is reported as the mean of the temperatures at which the two
disks soften enough to allow each ball, enveloped in bitumen to fall a distance of 25 mm.
Faculty:
Faculty of Technical Engineering
Department:
Title:
4.0 PROCEDURE (Figure 1)
1. Specimen are prepared exactly as specified (ASTM D36-95) in precisely dimensioned brass rings and
maintained at a temperature of not less than 10 0C below the expected softening point for at least 30
minutes before the test.
2. The rings and assembly and two ball bearings are placed in a liquid bath filled to a depth of 105 3 mm
and the whole maintained at a temperature of 5 10C for 15 minutes. Freshly boiled distilled water is
used for bitumen with a softening point of 800C or below and glycerin is used for softening point greater.
Rigid adherence to the prescribed preparation of specimens and heating is absolutely essential for
reproducibility of the results. The mean temperature of the two specimens (which shall not differ by more than 1
0C) is recorded as the softening point. This temperature is to be used in conjunction with the penetration value
to obtained the Penentration Index (PI)
6.0 DISCUSSION
a) Report the source and type of bitumen.

b) Report the bath liquid in the test and quote the mean softening point of your specimen. Comment on the
value obtained.
c) If the two test temperature differ by more than 10C, offer an explanation.
7.0 REFERENCES
1. ASTM (1998). ASTM D36-95 Standard test method for softening point of bitumen (Ring and Ball Apparatus).
1998 Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Volume 04.04, American Society for Testing and Materials,
Philadelphia, PA 19103-1187
2. Millard, R.S. (1993). Road building in the tropics. Transport Research Laboratory State-of-the-art Review 9,
HMSO, London.
Faculty:
Faculty of Technology Engineering:
Title:
SOFTENING POINT OF BITUMEN
Apparatus for the Bitumen Softening Point Test (Millard, 1993)

Faculty:
Faculty of Technology Engineering
Department:
Department Of Building Services
Title:
RESULTS AND CALCULATION
TableA.1 : Softening Point Test (ASTM D36)
Number of Test Softening Point (0C)
46
1
46
2
46
Average
Table A.2 : Value of Penetration Index (PI)
PI Bitumen Type
73.67
Checked by : Date :
Faculty:
Faculty of Technology Engineering
Department:
Title:
8. DISCUSSION
From the experiment, bitumens are viscoelastic materials without defined melting points and they gradually become softer
and less viscous as temperature rises. Thus softening point must be determined to be used in classification in establishing
uniformity of shipments or sources of supply. The bath liquid used in this experiment is tap water. The lower the softening
points the lower the temperature in which the bitumen can be used in. The higher the temperature the lesser the susceptibility.
Therefore, countries like Malaysia need bitumen with higher softening point as the weather is very hot and humid. Bitumen with
lower softening point will have problems during transporting and service. According to our group results, the softening point of
this bitumen sample A and B is same which is 46C. This means the bitumen will start to melt and flow at this particular
temperature.
9. CONCLUSION
The ring and ball apparatus has shown the between samples from study are the same type regardless the same
Result in temperature that make bitumen melting and falling down. This particular kind of grade applied in the
construction of road because of the durability toward temperature that acceptable. Other than that the bitumen are
suitable for making road because of the good flexibility. The objective of the experiment has been achieved. Student
are able to the determine the softening point of the bitumen between the range 30c 157c by meant of ring and ball
apparatus.
Faculty Of Technology Engineering
Deperment Of Building Services
Procedure
1. Take the Bitumen 2. Put the bitumen into 3. Fil the bath with distilled water
the ring and the ball to a height of 105mm. And make
inside bitumen temperature constant
4 heat the water with the bitumen 5. Wait bitumen material soften
and the ball sink through the ring
and the the temperature data

Softening Point Test

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Faculty:

Faculty of Technical Engineering

3.0 SUMMARY OF TEST METHOD (ASTM 1988)

a) Report the source and type of bitumen.

Apparatus for the Bitumen Softening Point Test (Millard, 1993)

RESULTS AND CALCULATION

TableA.1 : Softening Point Test (ASTM D36)

Number of Test Softening Point (0C)

Table A.2 : Value of Penetration Index (PI)

SOFTENING POIINT OF BITUMEN

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