Ductility Testing Apparatus
In flexible pavement construction, bitumen binders are used. It is important that bituminous material forms ductile thin film around the aggregates, which serves as a binder.
The binder material not of sufficient ductility renders pervious pavement surface and leads to development of cracks.
Therefore it is important to carry out the ductility tests on bituminous material.
Ductility is defined as distance in cms. to which a standard briquette of bitumen can be stretched before the thread breaks.
The briquette is stretched at a rate 0 0 of 50mm/minute +/-2.5 mm per minute at a temperature of 27 C+/-0.5 C.
Specifications:
The apparatus consists of a Water bath with a thermostatic heater, and a circulating pump to maintain uniform water temperature. One half of the briquette moulds in fixed on a fixed plate in the water bath, the other half of the briquette mould is fixed to a carrier which slides over a rotating threaded shaft with a clutch.
The motor and gears to rotate the shaft are housed in a cabinet fixed above the other and of the bath. A pointer fixed to the carrier moves over a scale graduated from 0-110 cm x 1mm fixed on the bath with “0”(Zero) of the scale towards the fixed plate slide.
The rotating shaft has 2 speeds of travel for the bracket, 5cm/min. and 1cm/min. selected by a clutch. Water bath inside is aluminum, it is an insulated water bath. Water bath is provided with a drain.
A heater with thermostatic control is fixed inside the water bath. Control switches for motor, stirrer, heater and indicator lamps are fixed at a convenient place on the water bath. Complete with three briquette mould and one base plate, all made of brass. Operates on 230Volts A.C. single phase.
Accessories:
1) Thermometer IPm 38C, range 23 C to 27 C,
2)Ductility mould with base plate.
