This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles

for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

Designation: D3381/D3381M − 18

Standard Specification for

Viscosity-Graded Asphalt Binder for Use in Pavement
Construction1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D3381/D3381M; the number immediately following the designation indicates the
year of original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last
reapproval. A superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense.

1. Scope D92 Test Method for Flash and Fire Points by Cleveland
1.1 This specification covers asphalt binders graded by Open Cup Tester
viscosity at 60 °C [140 °F] for use in pavement construction. D95 Test Method for Water in Petroleum Products and
Four sets of limits are offered in this specification. The Bituminous Materials by Distillation
purchaser shall specify the applicable table of limits. In the D113 Test Method for Ductility of Asphalt Materials
event the purchaser does not specify limits, Table 1 shall apply. D140/D140M Practice for Sampling Asphalt Materials
For asphalt binders graded by penetration at 25 °C [77 °F], see D946/D946M Specification for Penetration-Graded Asphalt
Specification D946/D946M. If needed, volume corrections for Binder for Use in Pavement Construction
asphalt binders should be made according to Practice D4311/ D1754/D1754M Test Method for Effects of Heat and Air on
D4311M. Asphaltic Materials (Thin-Film Oven Test)
D2042 Test Method for Solubility of Asphalt Materials in
1.2 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units Trichloroethylene
are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in D2170/D2170M Test Method for Kinematic Viscosity of
each system may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each Asphalts
system shall be used independently of the other. Combining D2171/D2171M Test Method for Viscosity of Asphalts by
values from the two systems may result in nonconformance Vacuum Capillary Viscometer
with the standard. D2872 Test Method for Effect of Heat and Air on a Moving
1.3 This international standard was developed in accor- Film of Asphalt (Rolling Thin-Film Oven Test)
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard- D4311/D4311M Practice for Determining Asphalt Volume
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the Correction to a Base Temperature
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom- D7553 Test Method for Solubility of Asphalt Materials in
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical N-Propyl Bromide
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
3. Manufacture
2. Referenced Documents 3.1 The asphalt binder shall be prepared from crude petro-
2.1 ASTM Standards:2 leum by suitable methods.
D5/D5M Test Method for Penetration of Bituminous Mate-
rials 4. Physical Requirements
D36/D36M Test Method for Softening Point of Bitumen 4.1 The asphalt binder shall be homogeneous, free from
(Ring-and-Ball Apparatus) water, and shall not foam when heated to 177 °C [350 °F].
D70 Test Method for Density of Semi-Solid Asphalt Binder
4.2 The asphalt binders shall conform to the requirements
(Pycnometer Method)
given in Table 1, Table 2, Table 3, or Table 4, as specified by
the purchaser.
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D04 on Road
and Paving Materials and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D04.40 on 5. Methods of Sampling and Testing
Asphalt Specifications.
Current edition approved Dec. 15, 2018. Published January 2019. Originally 5.1 Sample and test asphalt binders in accordance with the
approved in 1975. Last previous edition approved in 2013 as D3381/D3381M – 13. following methods:
DOI: 10.1520/D3381_D3381M-18.
2
5.1.1 Sampling—Practice D140/D140M.
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
5.1.2 Water—Test Method D95.
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on 5.1.3 Viscosity at 60 °C [140 °F]—Test Method D2171/
the ASTM website. D2171M.

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 D3381/D3381M − 18
TABLE 1 Requirements for Asphalt Binder, Viscosity Graded at 60 °C [140 °F] Based on Original Asphalt
Viscosity Grade
Test
AC-2.5 AC-5 AC-10 AC-20 AC-30 AC-40
Viscosity, 60 °C [140 °F], Pa·s 25 ± 5 50 ± 10 100 ± 20 200 ± 40 300 ± 60 400 ± 80
Viscosity, 135 °C [275 °F], min, mm2/s 80 110 150 210 250 300
Penetration, 25 °C [77 °F], 100 g, 5 s, min 200 120 70 40 30 20
Flash point, Cleveland open cup, min, °C [°F] 165 [325] 175 [350] 220 [425] 230 [450] 230 [450] 230 [450]
Solubility in trichloroethylene,A min, % 99.0 99.0 99.0 99.0 99.0 99.0
Tests on residue from thin-film oven test:
Viscosity, 60 °C [140 °F], max, Pa·s 125 250 500 1000 1500 2000
Ductility, 25 °C [77 °F], 5 cm/min, min, cm 100B 100 50 20 15 10
A
Solubility in N-Propyl Bromide can be an alternate method to solubility in TCE.
B
If ductility is less than 100, material will be accepted if ductility at 15 °C [60 °F] is 100 minimum at a pull rate of 5 cm/min.

TABLE 2 Requirements for Asphalt Binder, Viscosity Graded at 60 °C [140 °F] Based on Original Asphalt
NOTE 1—Table 2 specifies asphalts that are less temperature susceptible than those specified by Table 1. Asphalts that meet Table 2 requirements will
also meet Table 1 requirements of the same grade.
Viscosity Grade
Test
AC-2.5 AC-5 AC-10 AC-20 AC-30 AC-40
Viscosity, 60 °C [140 °F], Pa·s 25 ± 5 50 ± 10 100 ± 20 200 ± 40 300 ± 60 400 ± 80
Viscosity, 135 °C [275 °F], min, mm2/s 125 175 250 300 350 400
Penetration, 25 °C [77 °F], 100 g, 5 s, min 220 140 80 60 50 40
Flash point, Cleveland open cup, min, °C [F] 165 [325] 175 [350] 220 [425] 230 [450] 230 [450] 230 [450]
Solubility in trichloroethylene,A min, % 99.0 99.0 99.0 99.0 99.0 99.0
Tests on residue from thin-film oven test:
Viscosity, 60 °C [140 °F], max, Pa·s 125 250 500 1000 1500 2000
Ductility,B 25 °C [77 °F], 5 cm/min, min, cm 100B 100 75 50 40 25
A
Solubility in N-Propyl Bromide can be an alternate method to solubility in TCE.
B
If ductility is less than 100, material will be accepted if ductility at 15 °C [60 °F] is 100 minimum at a pull rate of 5 cm/min.

TABLE 3 Requirements for Asphalt Binder, Viscosity Graded at 60 °C [140 °F] Based on Residue from Rolling Thin-Film Oven Test
Tests on Residue from Rolling Thin-Film Oven Viscosity Grade
Test:A AR-1000 AR-2000 AR-4000 AR-8000 AR-16000
Viscosity, 60 °C [140 °F], Pa·s 100 ± 25 200 ± 50 400 ± 100 800 ± 200 1600 ± 400
Viscosity, 135 °C [275 °F], min, mm2/s 140 200 275 400 550
Penetration, 25 °C [77 °F], 100 g, 5 s, min 65 40 25 20 20
% of original penetration, 25 °C [77 °F], min ... 40 45 50 52
Ductility, 25 °C [77 °F], 5 cm/min, min, cm 100B 100B 75 75 75
Tests on original asphalt:
Flash point, Cleveland open cup, min, °C 205 [400] 220 [425] 225 [440] 230 [450] 240 [460]
[°F]
Solubility in trichloroethylene,C min, % 99.0 99.0 99.0 99.0 99.0
A
Thin-film oven test may be used, but the rolling thin-film oven test shall be the referee method.
B
If ductility is less than 100, material will be accepted if ductility at 15 °C [60 °F] is 100 minimum at a pull rate of 5 cm/min.
C
Solubility in N-Propyl Bromide can be an alternate method to solubility in TCE.

5.1.4 Viscosity at 135 °C [275 °F]—Test Method D2170/ 5.1.10 Ductility—Test Method D113.
D2170M. 5.1.11 Softening Point—Test Method D36/D36M.
5.1.5 Penetration—Test Method D5/D5M. 5.1.12 Density—Test Method D70.
5.1.6 Flash Point, Cleveland Open Cup—Test Method D92.
5.1.7 Solubility in Trichloroethylene—Test Method D2042. 5.1.13 Solubility in N-propyl Bromide—Test Method
5.1.8 Thin-Film Oven Test—Test Method D1754/D1754M D7553.
(see Tables 1 and 2).
5.1.9 Rolling Thin-Film Oven Test—Test Method D2872 6. Keywords
(see Tables 3 and 4). 6.1 asphalt binder; bitumen; pavements; viscosity

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 D3381/D3381M − 18
TABLE 4 Requirements for Asphalt Binder, Viscosity Graded at 60 °C [140 °F] Based on Original Asphalt
NOTE 1—Table 4 shows the limits typically used in Mexico, Central, and South America
Test Viscosity Grade
AC-6 AC-10 AC-20 AC-30 AC-42
Viscosity, 60 °C [140 °F], P 600 ± 200 1000 ± 200 2000 ± 400 3000 ± 600 4200 ± 600
Viscosity, 135 °C [275 °F], min, cSt 175 250 300 350 400
Flash point, Cleveland open cup, min, °C [°F] 177 [350] 219 [425] 232 [450] 232 [450] 232 [450]
Solubility in trichloroethylene,C min, % 99.0 99.0 99.0 99.0 99.0
Specific gravity 25 °C ⁄25 °C [77 °F ⁄77 °F] Report Report Report Report Report
Penetration indexB –1.5 to +1 –1.5 to +1 –1.5 to +1 –1.5 to +1 –1.5 to +1
Tests on residue from rolling thin-film oven
test:
Mass Change, %w/w max 1.5 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0
Viscosity, 60 °C [140 °F], max, P 3000 5000 8000 12 000 20 000
Ductility,A 25 °C [77 °F], 5 cm/min, min, cm 100 75 50 40 25
A
If ductility is less than 100, material will be accepted if ductility at 15.5 °C [60 °F] is 100 minimum at a pull rate of 5 cm/min.
B
19522500 log pen220SP
Penetration Index5
50log pen2SP2120
where:
pen = penetration at 25 °C [77 °F], 100g, 5s
SP = softening point (°C)
C
Solubility in N-Propyl Bromide can be an alternate method to solubility in TCE.

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