Procedure

1. Collect the bitumen.

2. Heat the bitumen to 1250 1500C.
3. Heat the rings at same temperature on a hot plate and place it on a glas
s plate coated with glycerin.
4. Fill up the rings with bitumen.
5. Cool it for 30 minutes in air and level the surface with a hot knife.
6. Set the ring in the assembly and place it in the bath containing distill
ed water at 50C and maintain that temperature for 15 minutes.
7. Place the balls on the rings.
8. Raise the temperature uniformly @ 5 0.5 0C per minute till the ball pass
es through the rings and touches the bottom plate.
9. Note the temperature at which each of the ball and sample touches the bo
ttom plate of the support.
10. Temperature shall be recorded as the softening point of that bitumen.
Vg 10 min. 40
Vg 20 min. 45
Vg 30 min. 47
Vg 40 min. 50
Importance it gives us idea about the impurities present in bitumen as impuritie
s will lower the softening point.

Importance to determine presence of impurities.
C. Viscosity test
Aim to determine viscosity off bitumen in poise.
Apparatus vacuum pump, water bath, oil bath, cannon-manning vacuum capillary vis
cometer.
Procedure
1. Take bitumen in test tube and temperature of it should be 200oC.
2. Put the tube in oil bath (in kinetic viscosity meter apparatus) for 10 m
ins. which is maintained at a temperature of 135oC.
3. Take of the tube and place in absolute viscosity meter machine in which
the water is maintained at a temperature of 60oC for hrs.
4. Connect the vacuum pump (maintained at 30 mm of Hg.) to the leaner part
of the tube.
5. The bitumen starts to rise to the first line (A).
6. When it reaches A line, start stop watch.
7. Note the time it takes to reach the second line(B), similarly note the t
ime it takes to reach the third line (C).
Calculations
Viscosity 1 =time taken from A to B X correction factor for A to B
Viscosity2 = time taken from B to C X correction factor for B to C
Viscosityavg. = (viscosity1 + viscosity2)/2
Unit poise/sec.