List of Accessories for DF-1 Type Pouring-Type Asphalt Concrete Penetration Tester (Standard Configuration at Factory)

Reagents and Equipment Required for the DF-1 Type Pouring-Type Asphalt Concrete Penetration Test Instrument

Instructions:

1. The reagents and equipment required for instrument installation shall be provided by the user.

2. For the use, handling, and storage of toxic and hazardous reagents, please follow the relevant regulations.

3. Before using this instrument, carefully read the instruction manual and the relevant industry standards.

Product Use, Care, and Maintenance

1. Before use, check whether the penetration rod moves up and down smoothly and whether the displacement sensor is functioning properly.

2. Check whether the instrument’s water temperature is accurate, the water level is appropriate, and the circulating water is functioning normally.

3. Connect the plug properly, turn on the computer and run the software to check whether the data is normal.

4. Conduct the test according to the procedures. After use, turn off the power, flush with clean water, and dry thoroughly to ensure the equipment is clean.

Operating Procedures

Preparation of Test Samples

① Heat the mixing pot to 260℃;

② After mixing the stone aggregate and mineral powder, heat the mixture to 240℃. Then, mix the 20–40# asphalt and TLA in proportion and heat the mixture to 180℃.

③ Dry-mix the aggregate and mineral powder in the mixing drum for 1 minute, then add the asphalt according to the weight ratio.

④ After the cast-type mixture has been mixed for 1 to 1.5 hours and its temperature has risen to 240–260℃, prepare to mold the test specimens.

⑤ When preparing the penetration test specimens, gently tap them with a thin wooden strip to level the surface—do not vibrate them. This prevents larger-sized aggregates from settling at the bottom and causing segregation.

⑥ Fill the mixture into a test mold measuring 70.7 × 70.7 × 70.7 mm, ensuring that the surface of the specimen is slightly higher than the mold’s top and is perpendicular to it.

⑦ After the specimen has cooled, use a heated scraper to shape the specimen so that its height is 70.71 mm.

⑧ After allowing the specimen to cool at room temperature, remove it from the mold. Once removed from the mold, the specimen must be placed on a flat test bench and allowed to stand undisturbed.

⑨ After the penetration test specimen has been kept at room temperature for 24 hours, the penetration test can be started.

Experimental Procedure

1. Place an appropriate amount of water into the water bath and set the test temperature.

2. Once the water temperature has been reached, place the specimen onto the baseplate of the testing apparatus and maintain it at that temperature for at least 60 minutes.

2. Place the specimen within the testing fixture, ensuring that the center of the specimen is directly beneath the penetration rod and that the loading surface is perpendicular to the loading device.

4. Preloading: Apply the penetration rod, with a test load of 24.5 N, to the specimen and hold it for 10 minutes.

5. Testing: Place the remaining test load—490.5 N weight—onto the loading platform, install the displacement sensor, and adjust the displacement sensor to zero. Then, click the “Test” button on the test interface and wait for 5–7 seconds until the computer reads the zero-point data. Next, quickly turn the handwheel to apply the 490.5 N test load onto the specimen surface. The computer will display the specimen penetration curve and automatically record the readings from the penetration rod displacement sensor at 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 20, and 30 minutes, with precision to 0.01 mm.

6. Ensure that the test is conducted twice in parallel; upon completion of the tests, the computer will automatically generate the “Poured Asphalt Concrete Penetration Test Record Form.”