Page 37 - Unit 2: Pavement Material

Civil Engineering Department | DCC3113 : Highway & Traffic Engineering

Type of test The objectives of tests on road construction materials

Penetration Test (AASHTO T 53-84)
• To examine the consistency of a sample of bitumen by determining the distance in tenths
of a millimeter that a standard needle vertically penetrates the bitumen specimen under

known conditions of loading (100 gram), time (5 seconds) and temperature (25 C).
• Can characterize asphalt binder at one temperature 25C (77F). Penetration grades are
listed as a range of penetration units (one penetration unit = 0.1 mm of penetration by
the standard needle)

• In Malaysia, use of 80-100 PEN is very common. However, the 60-70 PEN is recommended
in the new JKR specification. For cold climate regions, softer grade is preferred whereas
hot climate demands harder grade. Typical range of pen. value is 40 to 300 PEN

Penetration Test Apparatus

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Prepared by : SITI ZURAIFA BINTI MD SAH, zuraifa@pmu.edu.my