GYRATORY ASPHALT COMPACTOR

Description

Gyratory compaction is considered to be one of the best methods of laboratory compaction for the assessment of compactibility and the manufacture of test specimens.

Compaction is achieved by the application of a vertical stress (normally 600kPa) via end platens to a known mass of asphaltic mixture within a 100 or 150mm internal Ø mould. The longitudinal axis of the mould is rotated (gyrated) at a fixed angle to the vertical whilst the platens are kept parallel and horizontal. During compaction the height of the sample is automatically measured and both the mixture density and void content calculated. The compaction progresses and it is also saved in Microsoft Excel™ compatible format. The operator can choose whether to compact for a certain number of gyrations or until a target mixture density or void content is achieved.

100 and 150mm Ø moulds can be tested without changing machine parts. No lifting of filled moulds is required. They are automatically lowered into position for compaction and then lifted up again for transfer to the integrated demoulding system.

Key Uses

• Compaction of asphaltic paving material to a target mixture density or void content
• Assessment of mixture compactibility
• SHRP Superpave asphalt mixture design
• Preparation of cylindrical test specimens

Key Features

• Set up to comply with EN 12697-10 and EN 12697-31
• Can be configured to comply with SHRP Superpave, ASTM, AASHTO specifications
• Automatic mould insertion and retraction
• 150mm and 100mm internal Ø moulds can be tested without changing parts
• Cold mix (emulsion) materials can be compacted and the expelled fluid collected
• USB link with data acquisition and control system so that desktop can be used as host computer
• User friendly LabVIEW™ software displays results in real time
• Compaction data stored in Microsoft Excel™ compactible format
• Machine calibrated with traceable equipment
• Option for mould up to 300mm high

Software

• User friendly, intuitive and reliable Windows­™ software developed using LabVIEW™
• Software allows 2 methods of compaction – no. of gyrations and target density
• The operator is guided through every step of the compaction
• Real-time display of current height, density and void content (percentage)
• Data is recorded to disk at regular intervals for further analysis
• Software communicates with the gyratory compactor via USB interface
• Utilities are included for transducer check, diagnostic routines and calibration

System elements

The BM570 Gyratory Compactor is comprised of:

• A highly rigid enclosed steel frame
• A 95mm bore pneumatic cylinder
• An integrated guard and specimen table
• A precision pressure regulator for accurate stress control
• An eccentric at the base of the mould to produce gyratory motion
• Mitsubishi™ inverter for accurate speed control
• 300mm stroke linear potentiometer for specimen height measurement
• Footmaster™ wheels for uncomplicated movement
• A PC is connected to the BM570 through a high speed USB connection
• A highly accurate National Instruments™ 16bit card is used for control and data acquisition

Specification