Name: Raj Shah

Roll No.: CE16B011

Group No.: 3
Experiment Date: 30/10/2018

Experiment No. 13

Specific Gravity Test on Bitumen

Aim: Determination of the specific gravity of bitumen binder by Pycnometer

method.

Apparatus: Specific Gravity/ Pycnometer bottle

Pycnometer bottle
Procedure:
• First, we take the dry weight of the clean specific gravity bottle along
with the stopper.
• After that we fill the bottle with distilled water with the precaution such
that no air bubble should present inside the bottle. Then we put that
bottle for water bath for half an hour so that we can maintain the
temperature of the bottle to room temperature.
• After this we take it out from water bath and clean and dry it from
outside then take weighing reading of it.
 • The bituminous material is heated to a pouring temperature and is
poured in the above empty bottle up to half level of bottle so that air
bubble can escape, taking all the precautions that it is clean and dry
before filling sample materials and then maintain the room temperature
by giving water bath for 30 minutes and then weighed.
• The remaining space in the specific gravity bottle is filled with distilled
water and is placed in water bath at room temperature for 10 minutes
to maintain the temperature of it. Now take out from water bath and
weighed it.

Observation table:
Sample Weight of Weight of Weight of Weight of Specific
No. bottle, gm bottle + bottle + bottle + gravity
(a) distilled half-filled half-filled
water, gm material, material +
(b) gm distilled
(c) water, gm
(d)
1 30.12 81.07 55.72 81.79 1.02894
2 25.62 73.28 51.21 74.00 1.02894

Calculation:
Specific gravity = (weight of bituminous material) / (weight of equal volume of
water) = (c-a)/((b-a)-(d-c))
a = weight of specific gravity bottle, gm
b = weight of the specific gravity bottle filled with distilled water, gm
c = weight of the specific gravity bottle about half filled with bituminous
material, gm
d = weight of the specific gravity bottle about half filled with the material and
the rest with distilled water, gm

For Sample 1:
Specific gravity = (55.72-30.12)/ ((81.07-30.12) -(81.79-55.72)) = 1.02894
For Sample 2:
Specific gravity = (51.21-25.62)/ ((73.28-25.62) -(74.00-51.21)) = 1.02894

Average Specific gravity = (1.02894+1.02894)/2 = 1.02894

Result:
The specific gravity of bitumen binder = 1.02894

Discussion & Inference:

• The specific gravity is defined by BIS as the ratio of the mass of a given
volume of the bituminous material to the mass of an equal volume of
water.
• The surface of the specific gravity bottle should be cleaned dry after
filling with water and before weighing.
• The specific gravity of bitumen should be between 0.97 to 1.02.
and we got the result outside this range, that is 1.02894. this indicates
that it is pure bitumen of higher penetration grade. As due to time and
availability of apparatus constraint, we only took two reading for this
otherwise for such kind of experiment more precision is required so
more readings also required.
• Temperature maintains is an important factor which can affect the
whole procedure.
• A slightly mistake in calculation of specific gravity of bitumen can
increase the significant price and volume(amount) of it during pavement
construction. Which is not wistful.
• the higher value of specific gravity indicates the higher amount of
impurity in it, which is not good for its quality.

REFERENCES:
1. Bureau of Indian Standards, Methods for Testing Tar and Bituminous
Materials: Determination of Specific Gravity, (First Revision), IS: 1202-1978
2. Road Research Laboratory, Bituminous Materials in Road Construction,
H.M.S.O., London
3. Bureau of Indian Standards, Indian Standards Specification for Paving
Bitumen IS: 73 – 2006
 Viscosity Tests

Aim: Determination of Absolute Viscosity of bitumen by Vacuum capillary

Viscometer.
Apparatus:
1. Cannon-Manning Vacuum Capillary Viscometer
2. Thermometers
3. Bath
4. Oven
5. Vacuum System
6. Stop Watch

Cannon-Manning Vacuum Capillary Viscometer

Procedure:
• About 20 ml of the bitumen sample is transferred to a container and is
placed in oven maintained at 135 ± 5.5 °C and is occasionally stirred to
allow the entrapped air to escape.
 • From the set of viscometers, a viscometer tube is selected, the prepared
sample is poured into the filling tube (large side) of the viscometer until
the level of the bitumen reaches within 2 mm of the fill line E.
• The charged viscometer is placed in the oven maintained at 135 ± 5.5 o C
for 10 minutes to allow air bubbles to escape.
• The viscometer is now transferred to the oil bath maintained at the test
temperature of 60 ± 0.1 °C and is fixed in the bath in vertical position
with the help of the holder such that the upper most timing mark is at
least 20 mm below the surface of the bath liquid.
• The vacuum unit with its suction pressure maintained at a vacuum
pressure of 300 ± 0.5 mm of mercury is connected to the vacuum tube
of the viscometer with the valve closed.
• After being in the water bath for a period of 30 to 35 minutes, the valve
is opened, and the liquid bitumen is allowed to flow into the capillary
viscometer under the vacuum suction pressure.
• The time taken for the leading edge of the meniscus to pass between
successive pairs of timing marks is recorded in seconds.

OBSERVATIONS:

• Test Temperature:60+.1°C
• Tube Number=12/453P
• Vacuum Pressure: 300 mm of Hg
• Softening Temperature of Bitumen=135+5.5°C
• Actual Test Temperature=60°C

S.No. Calibration factor Flow time, t Absolute viscosity, Poise =

CF seconds (CF).t
(poise/sec)

1 18.75 176 3300

2 4.933 664 3275

CALCULATIONS:

Viscosity, P = (CF) t
where, CF = calibration factor, P / second
t = flow time, seconds

TUBE 1:

calibration Factor=18.75 poise/sec

Flow Time=176 sec
Absolute viscosity=18.75*176= 3300 poise

TUBE 2:

calibration Factor= 4.933 poise/sec

Flow Time= 664 sec
Absolute viscosity= 4.933*664 = 3275 poise

RESULTS:

ABSOLUTE VISCOSITY OF
1. TUBE 1 = 3300 poise
2. TUBE 2 = 3275 poise

TYPE OF BITUMEN = VG30 or VG40

DISCUSSION AND INFERENCE:

• Viscosity is one of the important factors of bitumen which must be

consider during the construction of pavement as it describes the friction
force inside the fluid which resist the flow the fluid and more viscous
means less flow of fluid that is a necessary condition for durable
pavement.
• In this experiment temperature has a very important role to play. The
variation of temperature too much can lead to the failure of the
experiment.
• According to the range of viscosity it is divided into four categories.

S No. Viscosity Absolute

grading viscosity at 60
o C, Poise
(min.)
1 VG 10 800 to 1200
 2 VG 20 1600 to 2400
3 VG 30 2400 to 3600
4 VG 40 3200 to 4800

• According to this classification our result of viscosity is nearer to the

range of grade VG 40, but value is little less, it can be due to some
impurity in sample or any air bubble remain trapped inside or due to
some human error while performing the experiment.
• VG 30 is the widely used category of bitumen for the pavements in India.

Reference:
• Manufacture manual of Cannon-Manning Vacuum Capillary Viscometer
for calibration factor.
• Bureau of Indian Standards, Indian Standards Methods for Testing Tar
and Bituminous Materials: Determination of Viscosity, IS : 1206, Parts I,II
and III : 1978
• Bureau of Indian Standards, Indian Standard Paving Bitumen –
Specifications (Third Revision, IS:73:2006
• Bureau of Indian Standards, Bitumen Emulsion for Roads (Cationic Type)
– Specification, (Second Revision) IS: 8887: 2004
• Bureau of Indian Standards, Indian Standard Specification for Bitumen
Emulsion for Roads (Anionic Type), IS: 3117 – 1965 (Reaffirmed 1998)
• Bureau of Indian Standards, Indian Standard Specification for Cutback
Bitumen (Second Revision), IS: 217 – 1988 (Reaffirmed 1999)
• Road Research Laboratory, Bituminous Materials in Road Construction,
H.M.S.O., London.