Asphalt Binder Testing

Asphalt is the key binding ingredient in asphalt cement, which is used for a multitude of purposes including road construction, industrial work sites, feed lot and barn floors, and sports and recreational surfaces. Selecting the right binder ensures that the paved surface will have a long service life and require as little maintenance as possible – which ultimately saves time and money. We ensure that the binders provided to our clients meet specifications by providing performance grade and penetration grade verifications and determinations in accordance with AASHTO M320 protocol.

We are one of the few labs in Western Canada that performs Superpave performance grade asphalt binder tests. Performance grading is a system which tests the asphalt for various performance qualities within specific temperature ranges. The performance grade system is widely regarded as more thorough and informative than traditional penetration grade tests.

We also perform traditional penetration grade tests, which are simpler tests that classify asphalt binders into grades based on their penetration values at specific temperatures.

Performance Grade Tests

  • Bending Beam Rheometer (BBR) T 313 / D 6648
  • Brookfield (Rotational Viscometer) T 316 / D 4402
  • Direct Tension (DTT) T 314
  • Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR) T 315 / D 7175
  • Flash Point (COC Flash) T 48 / D 92
  • Multiple-Stress Creep-Recovery (MCSR) D 7405
  • Pressure Aging Vessel (PAV) R 28 / D 6521
  • Rolling Thin Film Oven (RTFO) T 240 / D 2872

PG Plus Tests

  • Elastic Recovery T 301 / D 6084
  • Separation D 7173
  • Toughness and Tenacity (T&T) D 5801

Penetration Grade Tests

  • Absolute Viscosity T 202 / D 2171
  • Kinematic Viscosity T 201 / D 445
  • Penetration T 49 / D 5
  • Rolling Thin Film Oven (RTFO) T 240 / D 2872
  • Specific Gravity (SG) (15º or 25º) T 209 / D 2041
  • TCE Solubility T 44 / D 2042
  • Ductility T 51 / D 113
  • Softening Point T 53 / D 36

Recycled Asphalt Pavement (RAP) Tests

Recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) is asphalt pavement that has been removed, reprocessed, and combined with virgin material to create hot mix asphalt (HMA). We test RAP blends to determine the optimal amount of both the recycled asphalt and new materials needed to reach a target grade.