Asphalt Testing Equipment
Asphalt, bitumen, or asphaltic concrete is the most common road construction material and is composed of three main components; aggregate, binder, and air. Laboratory evaluation of an asphalt mix design is an important part of pavement design to ensure the strength and stability of roadways. Asphalt Testing Equipment is a crucial component of mix design evaluations for pavement performance and durability.
Marshall load frames can be used for a wide variety of hot mix asphalt tests to determine flow and stability, tensile and shear strength, and other deformation tests. Theoretical maximum specific gravity or the Rice test is a critical and common materials testing laboratory procedure. Testing asphalt for characteristics such as strength, specific gravity, air void content, and permeability help predict the performance of pavement design and are an integral part of laboratory analysis.
- Mix Design Testing evaluates Marshall or Superpave compacted specimens for durability, flow rate, shear strength, and moisture susceptibility. Marshall load frames can be used for a wide variety of ASTM and AASHTO test procedures by easily switching out the text fixtures for each specific method. Strength testing fixtures are available for Marshall flow and stability, Indirect Tensile or Lottman breaking heads, Semi-Circular Bend (SCB) test, and Asphalt Tack Bond shear strength. A wide variety of analog or digital load and displacement components along with Data Acquisition Software allows customization for each test system. Sample ejectors for 4in and 6in asphalt Marshall molds quickly and easily extrude compacted samples.
- Specific Gravity Testing determines the theoretical maximum specific gravity of a hot mix asphalt sample, excluding air voids. The Karol Warner aggregate washers can be used to de-air asphalt samples with the added Vacuum Lid and Digital Residual Pressure Manometer to monitor vacuum pressure.
- Asphalt Permeameters use the falling head test method to measure the hydraulic conductivity of laboratory compacted Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) or asphalt cores. The 6in apparatus meets Florida DOT FM 5-565 specifications and a version for 4in diameter samples is also available. Asphalt permeability is easily determined in this laboratory device.
- Wheel Tracker Sample Trimming Jigmounts to most brands of core saws and secures an asphalt specimen for preparation for Loaded Wheel Tracking (LWT) testing. A compacted asphalt sample or pavement core is securely fitted into the jig to allow a single straight cut through the cylinder.
