Equipment and method for environmental testing of bituminous specimens
AssigneeState of Oregon Acting By and Through Oregon State University
InventorsRonald L. Terrel, Saleh Al-Swailmi, Todd V. Scholz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A testing system for determining the water sensitivity of a compacted asphalt concrete specimen under various conditions isolates the specimen on a test stand in an environmental cabinet by an impervious shroud and end platens connected to an external fluid circulating system. The specimen is loaded via a load cell by a pulsating actuator and a transducer on the specimen measures axial deformation. Data is transferred from the load cell and transducer to a micro-computer system for analysis.
Claims15
A testing system for cylindrical compacted asphalt concrete specimens having a longitudinal center axis perpendicular to opposite end faces, said system comprising;
- a test chamber;
- temperature control means for selectively varying the temperature of the atmosphere in said chamber;
- isolating means for shrouding and holding a specimen in testing position in said chamber with its pores isolated from communication with the chamber atmosphere, said isolating means including supply and discharge ports communicating with respective end faces of the specimen being tested;
- a load cell seating on said isolating means;
- compression loading means arranged in said chamber to engage said load cell such as to selectively axially compress a specimen in said testing position in a load/no-load cycle;
- and fluid circulating means connected to said ports for selectively passing air or water endwise through the specimen being tested.
A testing system for cylinder compacted asphalt concrete specimens having a longitudinal center axis perpendicular to opposite end faces, said system comprising;
- a test chamber;
- temperature control means for selectively varying the temperature of the atmosphere in said chamber;
- isolating means for shrouding and holding a specimen in testing position in said chamber with its pores isolated from communication with the chamber atmosphere, said isolating means including supply and discharge ports communicating with respective end faces of the specimen being tested;
- compression loading means arranged in said chamber to engage said load cell isolating means such as to selectively axially compress a specimen in said testing position in a load/no-load cycle;
- and fluid circulating means connected to said ports for selectively passing air or water endwise through the specimen being tested, said fluid circulating means including a supply circuit connected to said supply port and a discharge circuit connected to said discharge port, said supply circuit including a water source, an air source, and a selector valve exterior of said chamber for selecting either of said sources, and said discharge circuit including a vacuum source exterior of said chamber whereby a differential pressure is created between the ends of the specimen being tested, and a vacuum regulator.
A testing system for cylindrical compacted asphalt concrete specimens having a longitudinal center axis perpendicular to opposite end faces, said system comprising;
- a test chamber;
- temperature control means for selectively varying the temperature of the atmosphere in said chamber;
- isolating means for shrouding and holding a specimen in testing position in said chamber with its pores isolated from communication with the chamber atmosphere, said isolating means including supply and discharge ports communicating with respective end faces of the specimen being tested, and including top and bottom cylindrical platens with respective annular grooves, an elastic envelope covering the outer rounded surface of said specimen and having end portions overlapping said annular grooves, and clamping rings surrounding said end portions and seated in said annular grooves, said platens having through passages communicating with said ports and end faces;
- compression loading means arranged in said chamber to engage said isolating means such as to selectively axially compress a specimen in said testing position in a load/no-load cycle;
- and fluid circulating means connected to said ports for selectively passing air or water endwise through the specimen being tested.
A testing system for cylindrical compacted asphalt concrete specimens having a longitudinal center axis perpendicular to opposite end faces, said system comprising;
- a test chamber;
- temperature control means for selectively varying the temperature of the atmosphere in said chamber;
- isolating means for shrouding and holding a specimen in testing position in said chamber with its pores isolated from communication with the chamber atmosphere, said isolating means including supply and discharge ports communicating with respective end faces of the specimen being tested, and said isolating means including an elastic sleeve bonded to said specimen along a part of its length;
- compression loading means arranged in said chamber to engage said isolating means such as to selectively axially compress a specimen in said testing position in a load/no-load cycle;
- and fluid circulating means connected to said ports for selectively passing air or water endwise through the specimen being tested.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.