Faculty :

Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Department :
Department of Infrastructure and Geomatic Engineering
Title :
SOFTENING POINT OF BITUMEN
1.0 OBJECTIVE
To determine the softening point of bitumen within the range 30 to 157 C by means of the
Ring-and-Ball apparatus.
2.0 BACKGROUND
Unlike some substances (e.g. water which changes from solid to liquid at 0 C 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 25 C), the higher the softening point the lower
the temperature sensitivity
Research has shown that, for conventional paving grade bitumens, the Ring-and-Ball
softening point temperature is the same as that which would give a penetration of 800
d-mm. This, together with the penetration at 25 C, can be used to compute the
Penetration Index.

3.0 SUMMARY OF TEST METHOD (ASTM 1988)

Two horizontal disks of bitumens, cast in shouldered brass ring are heated at a controlled
rate in a liquid bath 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.

Faculty :
Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Department :
Department of Infrastructure and Geomatic Engineering
Title :
SOFTENING POINT OF BITUMEN
4.0 PROCEDURE (Figure 1)
1. Select one of the following bath liquids and thermometers appropriate for the expected
softening point:
a) Freshly boiled distilled water for softening points between 30 and 80C (86 and
176F); use Thermometer 15C or 15F. The starting bath temperature shall be 5 6 1C
(41 6 2F).
b) USP glycerin for softening points above 80C (176F) and up to 157C (315F); use
Thermometer 16C or 16F. The starting bath temperature shall be 30 6 1C (86 6 2F).
c) Ethylene glycol for softening points between 30 and 110C (86 and 230F); use
Thermometer 16C or 16F. The starting bath temperature shall be 5 6 1C (41 6 2F).
d) For referee purposes, all softening points up to 80C (176F) shall be determined in a
water bath and all softening points above 80C (176F) shall be determined in a
glycerin bath.
2. Assemble the apparatus in the laboratory hood with the specimen rings, ball-centering
guides, and thermometer in position, and fill the bath so that the liquid depth will be 105
6 3mm (418 6 18 in.) with the apparatus in place. If using ethylene glycol, make sure the
hood exhaust fan is turned on and operating properly to remove toxic vapors. Using
forceps, place the two steel balls in the bottom of the bath so they will reach the same
starting temperature as the rest of the assembly.
3. Place the bath in ice water, if necessary, or gently heat to establish and maintain the
proper starting bath temperature for 15 min with the apparatus in place. Take care not to
contaminate the bath liquid.
4. Again using forceps, place a ball from the bottom of the bath in each ball-centering
guide.
5. Heat the bath from below so that the temperature indicated by the thermometer rises at a
uniform rate of 5C (9F)/min (Note 7). Protect the bath from drafts, using shields if
necessary. Do not average the rate of temperature rise over the test period. The maximum
permissible variation for any 1-min period after the first 3 min shall be6 0.5C (6 1.0F).
Reject any test in which the rate of temperature rise does not fall within these limits.

NOTE 7Rigid adherence to the prescribed heating rate is essential to

reproducibility of results. Either a gas burner or electric heater may be used, but
the latter must be of the low-lag, variable output type to maintain the prescribed
rate of heating.
6. Record for each ring and ball the temperature indicated by the thermometer at the instant
the bitumen surrounding the ball touches the bottom plate. Make no correction for the
emergent stem of the thermometer. If the difference between the two temperatures
exceeds 1C (2F), repeat the test.
5.0 RESULTS
The mean temperature of the two specimens (which shall not differ by more than 10 C) is
recorded as the softening point. This temperature is to be used in conjunction with the
penetration value to obtained the Penetration Index (PI)
6.0 DISCUSSION
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)

State the heating rate of the liquid bath during the experiment
Quote the mean softening point of your specimen. Comment on the value obtained.
If the two test temperature differ by more than 1 C, offer an explanation.
Explain the function of the magnetic stirrer
Report the possible grade of tested bitumen.

7.0 REFERENCES
1. ASTM (1998). ASTM D36-95 Standard test method for softening point of
bitumen (Ring and Ball Apparatus). 1998 Annual Book of ASTM Standards,
Volume 04.04, American Society for Testing and Materials, Philadelphia, PA 191031187
2. Millard, R.S. (1993). Road building in the tropics. Transport Research Laboratory Stateof-the-art Review 9, HMSO, London.

Faculty :
Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Department :
Department of Infrastructure and Geomatic Engineering
Title :
SOFTENING POINT OF BITUMEN

Apparatus for the Bitumen Softening Point Test (Millard, 1993)

Faculty :
Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Department :
Department of Infrastructure and Geomatic Engineering
Title :
SOFTENING POINT OF BITUMEN

RESULTS AND CALCULATION

TableA.1 : Softening Point Test (ASTM D36)

Number of Test
1
2
Average

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

PI

Bitumen Type

Checked by :

Date :

Faculty :
Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Department :
Department of Infrastructure and Geomatic Engineering
Title :
SOFTENING POINT OF BITUMEN
8.0 DISCUSSION

9.0 CONCLUSION