American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
444 North Capitol Street N.W., Suite 249 Washington, D.C. 20001 Standard Method of Test for
Kinematic Viscosity of Asphalts (Bitumens)
AASHTO Designation: T 201-15
ASTM Designation: D2170/D2170M-10
AASHTO T 201-15 is identical to ASTM D2170/D2170M-10 except for the following provisions: 1. All references to ASTM D92 shall be replaced with AASHTO T 48. Add reference to R 16, Regulatory Information for Chemicals Used in AASHTO Tests. 2. Delete the 1 in front of cm2/s in the fourth sentence of Section 3.1.2. 3. Replace the last two sentences in Section 6.3 with the following: The efficiency of the stirring and the balance between heat losses and heat input must be such that the temperature of the bath medium does not vary by more than ±0.1°C (±0.2°F) over the length of the viscometer, or from viscometer to viscometer in the various bath positions. 4. Replace Section 8.2 with the following: 8.2 Maintain the bath at the test temperature within ±0.1°C (±0.2°F). Apply the necessary corrections, if any, to all thermometer readings. 5. Replace Section 11 and Table 1 with the following: 11. Precision and Bias 11.1 Precision—Criteria for judging the acceptability of kinematic viscosity results obtained by this method are given in Table 1. 11.1.1 Single-Operator Precision (Repeatability)—The figures in Column 2 of Table X are the coefficients of variation that have been found to be appropriate for the conditions of test described in Column 1. Two results obtained in the same laboratory, by the same operator using the same equipment, in the shortest practical period of time, should not be considered suspect unless the difference in the two results, expressed as a percent of their mean, exceeds the values given in Table X, Column 3. 11.1.2 Multilaboratory Precision (Reproducibility)—The figures in Column 2 of Table 1 are the coefficients of variation that have been found to be appropriate for the conditions of test described in Column 1. Two results submitted by two different operators testing the same material in different laboratories shall not be considered suspect unless the difference in the two results, expressed as a percent of their mean, exceeds the values given in Table 1, Column 3.
Coefficient of Variation Acceptable Range of Two Test Results
(percent of mean) (percent of mean) Condition of Test and Test Property 1s%a d2s%a Single-Operator Precision: Original 1.3 3.8
RTFO 1.5 4.2 (Average of Kinematic Viscosity < 850 mm2/s)
RTFO 2.7 7.6 (Average of Kinematic Viscosity ≥ 850 mm2/s)
Multilaboratory Precision: Original 2.3 6.6
RTFO 3.3 9.2 (Average of Kinematic Viscosity < 850 mm2/s)
RTFO 5.1 14.4 (Average of Kinematic Viscosity ≥ 850 mm2/s) a These values represent the 1s % and d2s% limits described in ASTM Practice C670. Note: The precision estimates given in Table 1 are based on the analysis of test results from 21 pairs of AMRL Viscosity Graded Asphalt Cement proficiency samples. The data analyzed consisted of results from 75 to 118 laboratories for each of the pairs of samples. The analysis included asphalt cements with the average kinematic viscosity of 283 mm2/s to 702 mm2/s for the original asphalt and 429 mm2/s to 1,036 mm2/s for the RTFO residue.
11.2 Bias—No information can be presented on the bias of the procedure because no comparison with the material having an accepted reference value was conducted.
