FACULTY OF CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL

ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT OF GEOTECHNICAL AND TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING
LABORATORY OF HIGHWAY

LAB REPORT
Subject Code
Code & Experiment Title
Course Code
Date
Group

BFC3121
SOFTHENING POINT OF BITUMEN
3 BFF
5 APRIL 2011
6

Members of Group

1. HAFIZAN MOHD SALLEH

CF090351

2. SAIDATUL ELINA BT NEBIL

CF090156
CF090321
CF090362

3. NOOR SANAA BT MOHD BUNYAMI

4.NUR HASLIZA BT HASSAN

Lecturer/Instructor/Tutor
Received Date

Comment by examiner

EN. MOHD NASIR BIN MOHD TAHIR

12 APRIL 2011

Received

FACULTY OF CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

DEPARTMENT OF GEOTECHNICAL AND TRANSPORTATION
ENGINEERING

TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING LABORATORY

LABORATORY INSTRUCTION SHEETS

SUBJECT CODE
EXPERIMENT CODE
EXPERIMENT TITTLE
COURSE CODE

BFC 3121
MA6
SOFTENING

STUDENT CODE OF ETHIC

(SCE)
DEPARTMENT OF GEOTECHNICAL AND TRANSPORTATION
ENGINEERING
FACULTY OF CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

I, hereby confess that I have prepared this report on my own effort. I also admit not
to receive or give any help during the preparation of this report and pledge
that everything mentioned in the report is true.

___________________________
Student signature

___________________________
Student signature

HAFIZAN MOHD SALLEH

Name : _____________________

SAIDATUL ELINA BT NEBIL

Name : _____________________

CF 090 351

Matrix no :___________________

12 APRIL 2011

CF 090 156

Matrix no :___________________

12 APRIL 2011JANUARY

Date :_______________________

Date :_______________________

___________________________
Student signature

___________________________
Student signature

NOOR SANAA MD BUNYAMI

Name : _____________________

CF 090 321

Matrix no :___________________

12 APRIL 2011

Date :_______________________

NUR HASLIZA HASSAN

Name : _____________________

CF 090 362

Matrix no :___________________

12 APRIL 2011JANUARY

Date :_______________________

1.0

OBJECTIVE
To determine the softening point of bitumen within the range 30 to 157 0C bye mean of
the ring and ball apparatus.

2.0

BACKGROUND
Unlike some substances (e.g. water which changes from solid to liquid at 0 oC)
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 25oC), the higher the
softening point the lower the temperature sensitivity.
Research has shown that, for conventional paving grade bitumens, the Ring-andBall softening point temperature is the same as that which would give a penetration of
800 d-mm. This, together with the penetration at 25 oC, can be used to compute the
Penetration Index.

3.0

INTRODUCTION

Bitumen materials are extensively used for roadway construction, primarily

because of their excellent binding characteristics and water proofing properties and
relatively low cost. Bituminous materials consists of bitumen which is a black or dark
colour solid or viscous cementitious substances consists chiefly high molecular weight
hydrocarbon derived from distillation of petroleum or natural asphalt, has adhesive
properties, and is soluble in carbon disulphide.
Bitumens are viscoelastic materials without sharply defined melting points; they
gradually become softer and less viscous as the temperature rises. For this reason,
softening points must be determined by an arbitrary and closely defined method if results
are to be reproducible.
The softening tests are usually conducted to evaluate of bituminous materials.
The softening point is useful in the classification of bitumens, as one element in
establishing the uniformity of shipments or sources of supply, and is indicative of the
tendency of the material to flow at elevated temperatures encountered in service.
Softening point denotes the temperature at which the bitumen attains a particular
degree of softening under the specifications of test. The test is conducted by using Ring
and Ball apparatus. A brass ring containing test sample of bitumen is suspended in liquid
like water or glycerin at a given temperature. A steel ball is placed upon the bitumen
sample and the liquid medium is heated at a rate of 5o C per minute. Temperature is
noted when the softened bitumen touches the metal plate which is at a specified distance
below. Generally, higher softening point indicates lower temperature susceptibility and is
preferred in hot climates.

4.0

SUMMARY OF TEST METHOD (ASTM 1988)

Two horizontal disks of bitumen, cast in shouldered brass rings, are heated at a
controlled rate in a liquid bath while 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.

5.0

APPARATUS
Thermomet

Ring
Ring holder
and assembly

Clipper
Ice cube
Bal

Bitumen

Bitumen

Figure 1. Apparatus for the bitumen Softening Point Test (Millard, 1993)

6.0

PROCEDURE

1. Specimen are prepared exactly as specified (ASTM D36-95) in precisely dimensioned

brass rings and maintained at a temperature of not less than 100C 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 glycerine is used for softening point greater.

Poured bitumen
the

into

rings
Hot bitumen placed into ring

Put the ring into ring holder

put an ice into the beaker and

maintain

its temperature to 5oc for 15 minutes.

Hot bitumen
for cold

put the magnetic stirrer and stir it

Wait until the

bitumen fall to the plate
and record the temperature.

7.0

RESULT AND CALCULATION

boiled the ice until it melt

waited

Number of test
1
2
AVERAGE

Softening point (oC)

50
48
49

Table A.1: Softening Point Test (ASTM D36)

P1

Bitumen Type

-1.55

Conventional paving bitumen

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

Calculation of Penetration Index (PI)

Softening Point = 49 oC
Penetration

= 75 mm

Based on Nomograph for the Penetration Index of bitumen below, we get the

Penetration Index (PI) is -1.

8.0

QUESTIONS

a)

Report the source and type of bitumen.

Bitumen is a non-crystalline viscous material, black or dark brown, which is

substantially soluble in carbon disulphide (CS2), possessing adhesive and water-proofing

qualities.It consists essentially of hydrocarbons and would typically comprise at least
80% carbon and 15% hydrogen, the remainder being oxygen, sulphur, nitrogen and traces
of various metals. Asphalt is a word with different meanings. In American usage asphalt,
or, in full, asphalt cement, is used to mean bitumen (or bitumen binder). In the term 'rock
asphalt' it defines a mineral substance that may be impregnated with bitumen or pitch.
Bitumen does occur naturally, but for all intents and purposes it is petroleum on
which the world relies for its supplies of bitumen today. The bitumen content of crude
can vary between 15% and 80%, but the more normal range is 25% to 40%. In fact the
three broad classifications for crude oils are:

Bitumen based.

paraffin based

bitumen and paraffin based

Depending on the type of crude, bitumen is present either in the form of

colloidally dispersed particles or in a true solution. During the refining process, as
petroleum oils are taken away by distillation, the proportion of oil to bitumen particles
changes. Instead of being dispersed and relatively few in number, the particles become
closer to one another and the size of the particles increases. At the point when the
distillation process is usually stopped, the petroleum bitumen is a colloidial dispersion of
black solids (hydrocarbons), known as asphaltenes, in a dispersion medium, which is an
oily brown yellow liquid known as malthene fraction. Also present to act as a stabilizing
agent to keep the asphaltenes in suspension are another group of hydrocarbons known as
resins.
There are two source of bitumen which is from natural sources is a bitumen which
is located in geological stratum and can be obtained in the hard and soft form.

Meamwhile, the second sources of bitumen are from petroleum bitumen is a bitumen in
colloidal form obtained from refinery process of crude oil and has been widely used in
the road construction.
There are three types of bitumen such as asphalt, tar and pitches. Asphalt consists
primarily of bitumen. Tar is obtained from natural organic materials such as coal or wood
are carbonized or destructive distillation of coal in the absence of air. Pitches can be made
from petroleum products or plants which are also known as resin. The type of bitumen is
temperature susceptible bitumen (Tar).

Paving grade bitumen is refined and blended to meet road engineering and
industrial specifications that take into account different climatic conditions. As a
product it is the most widely used bitumen. It may also be considered as the
parent bitumen from which the other types, listed below, are produced.

Cutback bitumens consist basically of bitumen that has been diluted in order to
make it more fluid for application, mainly in road making. Their fluidity depends
on the degree of hardness of the bitumen base and the proportion of diluent (or
flux) to bitumen. They are classified according to the time it takes them to become
solid, as rapid curing (RC), medium curing (MC) or slow curing (SC) cutbacks.
The cutback varies according to the flux, white spirit commonly being used for
RC grades, kerosene for MC and diesel for SC. They set as the fluxevaporates.
This evaporation is currently regarded as a potentially undesirable characteristic
from the point of view of the environment and health and safety, so cutback
bitumens are looked upon less favourably than the more modem bitumen
emulsions.

bitumen emulsions the basic bitumen has also been diluted in order to facilitate
application. Hot bitumen, water and emulsifier are processed in a high-speed
colloid mill thatdisperses the bitumen in the water in the form of globules that are
normally in the 5-10 micrometre size range but may be even smaller. The
emulsifier produces a system in which fine droplets of bitumen, of between 30%

and 80% of the volume, are held in suspension. If they separate in storage, the
emulsion can easily be restored by agitation.
Bitumen emulsions have a low viscosity and can be workable at ambient
temperatures, which makes them ideal for use in roadbuilding. This application
requires controlled breaking and setting. The emulsion must not break before it is
laid on the road surface but, once in place, it should break quickly so that the road
can be in service again without delay.
b)

Report the bath liquid in the test and quote the mean softening point of your
specimen. Comment on the value obtained.
From the test 1 experiment that we do, the bitumen will start to soften
when the temperature increases and drops each ball enveloped in the bitumen at a
distance 25mm. We have got 45 0C as the mean softening point. Then, for the test
2 experiment, we got 46 0C as the mean softening point. The average softening
point is 45.5oC. For the value of the penetration index (PI) based on the
experimental is -2 and it include in conventional paving bitumen type.
The liquid that we use in softening point test is water. The ring and
assembly and two ball bearings are place in water to a depth of 105 3 mm. and
the whole maintained at a temperature of 5 1 oC. Freshly boiled distilled water is
used for bitumen with a softening point of 80 oC or below and glycerin is used for
softening point greater.
The mean softening point is 45.5 oC and it still in range between 44 oC and
45 oC . So the mean temperature of the two specimen is not differ by more than 1
o

C. The value for this temperature is not differ than 1 oC because we make the

experiment using the same of sample bitumen. This value is to be used to define
the Penetration Index (PI)
c)

If the two test temperature differ by more than 1 0C, offer an explanation.

Based on the experiment, we can see that he causes of temperature differ

by more than 1C because of the volume of bitumen in ring are not the equal. It
happens because of same error and it maybe became from personal errors like
does how are not familiar with the apparatus or the way to put the bitumen in to
the ring.
Besides that, the other causes that lead to differ temperature is also of
external factors such as temperature, pressure or physical condition of the
apparatus may cause some errors in the experiment. Besides that, the two samples
are different because the softening points are different. Therefore, the consistency
changes as temperature, so the types of bitumen of two samples are different type.
Others than that, the two test temperature differ by more than 1C due to
the bitumen condition which becomes soft in irregular state. It causes the balls to
fall at different temperature. Deep water temperature in the beaker has been
irregular because the bitumen softens at different state.

9.0

DISCUSSION

Based on the experiment conducted the bitumen in BS 4692. While doing this
test, preparation of this sample must be done under controlled condition as mentioned in
BS 4692. So this test is to be done with high consistency.
From the test, two values are recorded, which could be identified at the same
time. Insulated water is used at temperature of 0.5 oC. Two bearings with 9.53 mm
diameter are put on top of the samples.
Softening point is a temperature where the bitumen specimen fall and touch on
the base plate which is 25mm under the ring. For this experiment that we have done, we
used two ball bearings to determine the mean temperature in effort to get an exactly
value. A different temperature between both specimens that fall on the base is 0.50C
because both specimens fall at temperature 450C and 490C.
The objective of the softening point is to determine temperature where tie
materials or bitumen achieve soft level in the condition that already decided. A ball
bearing in 9.5 mm diameters and 3.5 g was put on the specimen. For this test, we used
water as a medium (bath liquid) because the softening point cannot greater than 800C.
Base on the bitumen grade by JKR specification:
Softening point (0C), ASTM D36
Not less than 48 and not more than 56
Not less than 45 and not more than 52

Penetration Grade
60 80
80 - 100

The softening point that we get is 470C. Thus this value is not fulfilling the
bitumen grade of Malaysia JKR specification.

Our mean temperature was 47 0C where both specimens touched the base plate.
The different values between both specimens are 40C. This is because those specimens
not touched the base at the same time. If the different temperature was more than 1 0C, it

may be because of the heat for the medium is not uniformly. Thus, we need to stir the
medium in effort to make sure the temperature is uniformly and with use magnetic stir,
this problem can be solve. Beside that, to heat the beaker we can use electronic heater to
solve this problem.
Softening point is different for different asphalt. Normally, types of asphalt are
cement asphalt, emulsion asphalt, cutback asphalt, and tar. Cement asphalt always use in
roads pavement. They are remainder materials from petroleum distillate process. The
character of the cement asphalt is very good as a tie component. Cutback asphalt is in a
liquid condition at a normal temperature and it getting by mixed cement asphalt with light
dissolves. Emulsion asphalt is always use in maintaining asphalt pavement process. It is
mixed from cement asphalt, water and emulsion materials. Tar is a liquid that sticky,
black and have a glue characteristic that always use as tie material in bitumen pavement.
Tar is get by destroy distillate charcoal, wood and syal.

10.0

CONCLUSION
As a conclusion, we can see that we achieve the objective of this softening point
test which is to determine the softening point of the bitumen within the range of 30C to

157C by means of the ring and ball apparatus. This is a basic test for the classification of
bituminous materials for the road construction. From the experiment, since the softening
of the bituminous material does not take place at any definite temperature, but rather
involves a granular change in consistency the penetration index and in conjunction with
penetration and loading time, can be used to estimate viscose elastic properties of both
the asphalt and a paving mixture.
This method can also be used to advantage to predict high-temperature shear
resistance of the paving mixture. Bitumens are visco elastic materials without sharply
defined melting points; they gradually become softer and less viscous as the temperature
rises. For this reason, softening points must be determined by an arbitrary and closely
defined method if results are to be reproducible. The softening point is useful in the
classification of bitumens, as one element in establishing the uniformity of shipments or
sources of supply, and is indicative of the tendency of the material to flow at elevated
temperatures encountered in service.
From the nomograph in figure 1, we know that the penetration (PI) is -1, so that
the type of bitumen is Conventional Paving Bitumen The principle behind this test is that
softening point is the temperature at which the substance attains a particular degree of
softening under specified condition of the test.

REFERENCES

ASTM (1998). D36-95 Standard test method for softening point of bitumen (Ring-andBall Apparatus). 1998 Annual Books of ASTM Standards, Volume V04.04, American
Society for Testing and Materials, Philadelphia, PA 19103-1187.

Millard, R.S. (1993). Road building in the Tropics. Transport Research Laboratory Stateof-the-art Review 9, HMSO, London.

PWD (1992). PWD General Specification. Public Works Department, Singapore 1987
(with amendments, 1992).

www.ntu.edu.sg/cts/tlab/002.pdf