SPLIT CYLINDER TEST APPLIED TO BITUMINOUS MIXTURES AT LOW TEMPERATURES

Abstract

THE SPLIT CYLINDER TEST WAS USED TO EVALUATE THE TENSILE STRENGTH OF BITUMINOUS CONCRETE AT TEMPERATURES FROM 0 TO 40 F. TWO ASPHALTS OF PENETRATION GRADE 60 TO 70 AND 85 TO 100 WERE USED. ASPHALT CONTENT OF THE SPECIMENS RANGED FROM 4.5 TO 7.0 PER CENT BY TOTAL WEIGHT OF AGGREGATE. FOR EACH ASPHALT CONTENT AND TEMPERATURE THE AVERAGE VALUE OF TEN TESTS IS REPORTED. THE ULTIMATE TENSILE STRENGTH OF A GRAVEL-SAND MIX DECREASED WITH INCREASING TEMPERATURE. THE INCREASE FROM 40 TO 20 F WAS CONSIDERABLY GREATER THAN THE INCREASE FROM 20 TO 0 F. THE WORK TO FRACTURE DECREASED FROM 600 IN-LB AT 40 F TO 200 IN-LB AT 0 F, INDICATING THAT THE CONCRETE MAY BE SUBJECT TO FATIGUE AND BRITTLE FRACTURE. THE WORK TO FRACTURE IS A FUNCTION OF ASPHALT CONTENT AT 40 F BUT IS INDEPENDENT OF ASPHALT CONTENT AT LOWER TEMPERATURES.