Softening point of bitumious

Softening point of bituminous is one important properties of asphalt

1. Duhok Polytechnic University
Zakho Technical Institute
Petroleum Department



Scientific Report


Name: Taha Samir Ali

Stage: 2
nd
Stage

Subject: Petroleum and Gas Technology
2
LAB

Experiment: Standard Test Method for Softening Point of
Bitumen (Ring-and-Ball Apparatus) D 36

Experiment No. : 6

2. Objective:
determine the softening point of bitumen by means of the Ring-and-
Ball apparatus.

Theory:
Asphalt (called bitumen in Europe) is a very complex combination of
high molecular weight organic compounds containing a relatively high
proportion of hydrocarbons having carbon numbers greater than
C25.o Asphalts are comprised asphaltenes 5-25 %, resins 15-25 %,
aromatic 45-60 % of the weight of the asphalt) and saturate
components 5-20 %. It also contains small amount of various metals
such as nickel, iron or vanadium Asphalt is a petroleum product that
is produced from vacuum distillation residues. It is separated the
raffinate from a residual oil in a deasphalting process. Bitumen are
viscoelastic materials without a definite melting point. Instead, as the
temperature rises, these materials slowly change to softer and less
viscous liquids. For this reason, the determination of 'softening point'
must be softening point is useful in the classification of asphalt, and
is indicative of the tendency of the material to flow at high
temperatures encouptered.in service Softening point by the Ring-
and-Ball Test is a valuable consistency test. 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. 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.

3. Apparatus & Materials used:

1- Rings-two square-shouldered brass rings conforming to the
dimensions in Fig. 1(a).
2- Pouring Plate-a flat, smooth, brass plate.
3- Balls-two steel balls, 9.5 mm in diameter, each having a mass of
3.50 g .
4- Ball-Centering Guides-two brass guides for centering the each
ring, (Fig. 1 b) .
resistant glass meets this requirement). a horizontal position, (Fig. 1
5- Bath-a glass vessel, capable of being heated, (an 800-mL beaker
of heat .
6- Ring Holder and Assembly-a brass holder designed to support the
two rings in bottom of the shouldered rings in the ring holder shall be
25 mm above the plate, and the lower surface of the bottom plate
shall be 16 mm from the bottom of the bath. bottom of the bath is
level with the bottom of the rings and not touching them or the ring
holder.
7- Thermometer: thermometer shall be suspended as shown in Fig. 1
(d) .
8- A sample of asphalt.

4. Procedure:
1- Specimens are prepared in precisely dimensioned brass rings
and maintained at a temperature not less than 10 °C 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 Freshly boiled distilled water is used for bitumen with
a softening point of 80 .C or below, and glycerin is used for
softening point greater than 80 eC).
3- A 9.5 mm steel ball bearing (weighing 3.50 0.05 g) is centered
each specimen and heat is then applied to the beaker so as to
raise the temperature by 5+ 0.5 °C per minute.
4- The temperature at which each bitumen specimen touches the
base plate i recorded in °C.

5. Results:
The mean temperature recorded as the tofetns (which shall no difer
by more than 1 °C) is recorded as the softening point.

Discussion:
1-Report the source and type of bitumen.
-Unknown source.
2- Report the bath liquid used in the test and quote the mean
softening point of your specimen and Comment on the value
obtained.
- For a given bitumen specimen, the softening point determined in a
water bath will be lower than that determined in a glycerin bath. Since
the softening point determination is necessarily arbitrary, this
difference matters only for softening points slightly above 80 C. under
any circumstances, if the mean of the two temperature determined in
glycerin is 80 C.
3- If the two test temperatures differ by more than 1°C, offer an
explanation.
-The difference between the two test is not more than 1'C. The
temperature is accepted.
4-What are the primary uses of asphalt?
- The primary use (70%) of asphalt is in road construction, crack filler
waterproofing products, felt and for sealing flat roofs.