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What Are The Advantages and Disadvantages of Penetration Grading of and Viscosity Grading? Advantages and Disadvantages of Penetration Grading

Penetration grading uses a test at 25°C which approximates pavement temperature but does not directly measure viscosity. It may better correlate to low-temperature properties than viscosity testing at 60°C. However, penetration testing has a variable shear rate and does not provide mixing/compaction temperature information. Viscosity grading directly measures a fundamental property and test temperatures correlate to average, high, and mixing temperatures. However, viscosity may not reflect low-temperature properties and AC grades can vary in thin film oven residue viscosity. Viscosity testing is more expensive and time-consuming than penetration testing.

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Jalal Habib Khan
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161 views2 pages

What Are The Advantages and Disadvantages of Penetration Grading of and Viscosity Grading? Advantages and Disadvantages of Penetration Grading

Penetration grading uses a test at 25°C which approximates pavement temperature but does not directly measure viscosity. It may better correlate to low-temperature properties than viscosity testing at 60°C. However, penetration testing has a variable shear rate and does not provide mixing/compaction temperature information. Viscosity grading directly measures a fundamental property and test temperatures correlate to average, high, and mixing temperatures. However, viscosity may not reflect low-temperature properties and AC grades can vary in thin film oven residue viscosity. Viscosity testing is more expensive and time-consuming than penetration testing.

Uploaded by

Jalal Habib Khan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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What are the advantages and disadvantages of penetration grading of and viscosity

grading?

Advantages and Disadvantages of Penetration Grading

Advantages Disadvantages

The test is done at 25° C (77° F), which is The test is empirical and does not measure
reasonably close to a typical pavement any fundamental engineering parameter
average temperature. such as viscosity.

May also provide a better correlation with Shear rate is variable and high during the
low-temperature asphalt binder properties test. Since asphalt binders typically behave
than the viscosity test, which is performed at as a non-Newtonian fluid at 25° C (77° F),
60° C (140° F). this will affect test results.

Temperature susceptibility (the change in Temperature susceptibility (the change in


asphalt binder rheology with temperature) asphalt binder rheology with temperature)
can be determined by conducting the test at cannot be determined by a single test at 25°
temperatures other than 25° C (77° F). C (77° F).

The test is quick and inexpensive. Therefore, it The test does not provide information with
can easily be used in the field. which to establish mixing and compaction
temperatures.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Viscosity Grading

Advantages Disadvantages

Unlike penetration depth, viscosity is a The principal grading (done at 25° C (77° F))
fundamental engineering parameter. may not accurately reflect low-temperature
asphalt binder rheology.

Test temperatures correlate well with: When using the AC grading system, thin film
- 25° C (77° F) – average pavement temp. oven test residue viscosities can vary greatly
- 60° C (140° F) – high pavement temp. with the same AC grade. Therefore, although
- 135° C (275° F) – HMA mixing temp. asphalt binders are of the same AC grade they
may behave differently after construction.

Temperature susceptibility (the change in The testing is more expensive and takes longer
asphalt binder rheology with temperature) than the penetration test.
can be somewhat determined because
viscosity is measured at three different
temperatures (penetration only is measured
at 25° C (77° F)).

Testing equipment and standards are widely


available.

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