Asphalt Binder Testing at Low Temperature: Three-Point Bending Beam Test in Dynamic Shear Rheometer

A novel Three-Point Bending Beam Test (3-PBT) using a Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR) with linear drive motor is introduced for testing asphalt binder at low temperature conditions. This 3-PBT in DSR can be used as surrogate (BBR) tests. Advantages comparison to BBR are that (i) works without harmful cooling medium ethanol, (ii) the amount of significantly lower (using material equivalent 10% tests), (iii) silicone rubber mold specimen preparation instead standard aluminum tests, which makes handling easier, and (iv) loading protocol more practical applying contact load manually. The presented respect preparation, installation, conditioning specimens, well protocol. Tests were conducted temperatures ?10, ?16, ?20°C. For purpose identifying most suitable conditions from alternative setups, test series was run including 9 different binders. As two media used, i.e., ethanol air. Finally, all results obtained tests analyzed view precision correlation. correlated results, while found satisfying.