8/13/2019 Transport Softening Point Test

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CE 461 Highway Materials

Softening Point, Ring and Ball

AASHTO T 53 and ASTM D 36: Softening Point of Bitumen (Ring-and-Ball Apparatus)

The softening point is defined as the temperature at which a bitumen sample can no longer

support the weight of a 3.5-g steel ball. Although it is commonly used in Europe, it is mostly

used for roofing asphalts in the U.S. Basically, two horizontal disks of bitumen, cast inshouldered 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 (1.0

inch) (AASHTO, 2000).

Experiment Data

Sample Temperature (C)

First

SecondAverage

Discussion of Results:

Conclusions:

Date of Experiment:___/___/_____

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