Designation: D 2872 – 97

Standard Test Method for

Effect of Heat and Air on a Moving Film of Asphalt (Rolling
Thin-Film Oven Test)1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 2872; 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 (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

1. Scope mixing temperature differs appreciably from the 302°F

1.1 This test method is intended to measure the effect of (150°C) level, more or less effect on properties will occur. This
heat and air on a moving film of semi-solid asphaltic materials. test method also can be used to determine mass change, which
The effects of this treatment are determined from measure- is a measure of asphalt volatility.
ments of the selected properties of the asphalt before and after 5. Apparatus 4
the test.
1.2 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded 5.1 Oven—This shall be a double-walled electrically heated
as the standard. convection-type oven. Its inside dimensions shall be 15 in.
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the (381 mm) high, 19 in. (483 mm) wide, and 171⁄2 6 1⁄2 in. (445
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the 6 13 mm) deep (with the door closed). The door shall contain
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- a symmetrically located window with dimensions of 12 to 13
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica- in. (305 to 330 mm) wide by 8 to 9 in. (203 to 229 mm) high.
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. The window shall contain two sheets of heat-resistant glass
separated by an air space. The window should permit an
2. Referenced Documents unobstructed view of the interior of the oven. The top of the
2.1 ASTM Standards: upper heating element shall be 1 6 1⁄8 in. (25 6 3 mm) below
D 113 Test Method for Ductility of Bituminous Materials2 the oven floor.
D 2171 Test Method for Viscosity of Asphalts by Vacuum 5.1.1 The oven shall be vented at the top and bottom. The
Capillary Viscometer2 bottom vents shall be located symmetrically to supply incom-
E 1 Specification for ASTM Thermometers3 ing air around the heating elements. They shall have an open
area of 2.31 6 0.11 in.2(15.0 6 0.7 cm2). The top vents shall
3. Summary of Test Method be symmetrically arranged in the upper part of the oven and
3.1 A moving film of asphaltic material is heated in an oven have an open area of 1.45 6 0.07 in.2(9.3 6 0.45 cm2).
for 85 min at 325°F (163°C). The effects of heat and air are 5.1.2 The oven shall have an air plenum covering the side
determined from changes in physical test values as measured walls and ceiling. The air space shall be 11⁄2 in. (38.1 mm) deep
before and after the oven treatment. An optional procedure is from the walls and ceiling. At a midpoint in the width of the
provided for determining the change in sample mass. oven, and 6 in. (152.4 mm) from the face of the circular metal
3.2 Precision values for this test method have been devel- carriage to its axis, a squirrel cage-type fan 51⁄4 in. (133 mm)
oped for viscosity at 140°F (60°C); and ductility at 60° OD by 27⁄8 in. (73 mm) wide shall be turned at 1725 rpm by an
(15.6°C). externally mounted motor. The squirrel cage fan shall be set so
that the fan turns in an opposite direction to its vanes. The air
4. Significance and Use flow characteristics of the fan-plenum system shall be suction
4.1 This test method indicates approximate change in prop- from the floor of the oven through the wall plenums and
erties of asphalt during conventional hot-mixing at about exhaust of the air through the fan. Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 show
302°F (150°C) as indicated by viscosity and other rheological details of this plenum system.
measurements. It yields a residue which approximates the 5.1.3 The oven shall be equipped with a proportional
asphalt condition as incorporated in the pavement. If the control thermostat capable of maintaining 325°F (163°C)
temperature within 6 1.0°F (60.5°C). The sensing element of
the thermostat shall be placed 1 in. (25.4 mm) from the left side
1
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D-4 on Road and approximately 11⁄2 in. (38.1 mm) from the ceiling of the
and Paving Materials and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D04.46 on interior of the plenum-enclosed oven so that the end of the
Durability and Distillation Tests.
Current edition approved April 10, 1997. Published April 1998. Originally
published as D2872 – 70. Last previous edition D2872 – 88 (1995)e1.
2 4
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.03. Complete equipment may be obtained from James Cox and Sons Inc., P.O. Box
3
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 14.03. 674, Colfax, CA 95713.

Copyright © ASTM, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.

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 D 2872

FIG. 1 Schematic of Air Flow Front View

sensing element is at a point approximately 8 in. (203.2 mm) diameter (No. 60 drill) connected to a 25-ft (7.6-m) length of
from the rear interior wall of the oven. The thermometer shall ⁄ -in. (8-mm) outside diameter refrigeration copper tubing.
5 16

be hung or affixed to a mounting in the ceiling which is 2 in. This tubing shall be coiled to lie flat on the bottom of the oven
(50.8 mm) from the right side of the oven at a midpoint in the and lead to a source of fresh, dried, dust-free regulated air.
depth of the oven. The thermometer shall hang down into the
NOTE 1—Activated silica gel treated with an indicator is a satisfactory
oven so that the bulb of the thermometer is within 1 in. of an desiccant for the dried air.
imaginary line level with the shaft of the circular metal
carriage. The heating controls shall be capable of bringing the 5.2 Flowmeter—The flowmeter may be any suitable type
fully loaded oven back to the test temperature within a 10-min capable of accurately measuring the airflow at a rate of 4000
period after insertion of the samples in a preheated oven. mL/min. The flowmeter shall be located downstream of all
5.1.4 The oven shall be provided within a 12-in. (304.8- regulating devices and upstream of the copper coil. The
mm) diameter, vertical circular carriage (see Fig. 2 for details). flowmeter shall be positioned so it is maintained at approxi-
This carriage shall be provided with suitable openings and clips mately room temperature. The airflow shall be calibrated
for firmly holding eight glass containers in a horizontal periodically using a wet-test meter or other displacement
position (see Fig. 3). The vertical carriage shall be mechani- method. This calibration shall be based on airflow exiting the
cally driven through a 3⁄4-in. (19-mm) diameter shaft at a speed air jet and shall be conducted with the oven off and at room
of 156 0.2 r/min. temperature.
5.1.5 The oven shall be equipped with an air jet positioned 5.3 Thermometer—This shall be an ASTM Loss on Heat
to blow heated air into each bottle at its lowest point of travel. Thermometer conforming to the requirements for Thermom-
The air jet shall have an outlet orifice 0.04 in. (1.016 mm) in eter 13C as prescribed in Specification E 1. This thermometer

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 D 2872

FIG. 2 Circular Metal Carriage

shall be used to make all temperature measurements required

by this test method.
5.4 Container—The container in which the sample is to be
tested shall be of heat-resistant glass conforming to the
dimensions shown in Fig. 3.
5.5 Cooling Rack—A wire or sheet metal rack, constructed
of stainless steel or aluminum, which allows the sample
containers to cool in a horizontal position, with each container
in the same horizontal plane. The rack shall be constructed in
a way that allows air to flow freely around each container with
at least 1 in. (2.5 cm) clearance between containers and at least
1 in. (2.5 cm) clearance between the containers and any solid
surface.

6. Preparation of Oven
6.1 Position the air outlet orifice so that it is 1⁄4 in. (6.35
mm) from the opening of the glass container. The orifice shall
also be so positioned that the jet blows horizontally into the
central arc of the opening of the circling glass container.
6.2 Position the thermometer specified in 5.3 so that the end
of the bulb of the thermometer is within 1 in. (25.4 mm) of an
imaginary line level with the center of the shaft holding the
revolving carriage.
6.3 Level the oven so that the horizontal axes of the glass
containers when in position in the carriage are level.
6.4 Preheat the oven for a minimum of 16 h prior to testing FIG. 3 Sample Bottle
with the control thermostat adjusted to the setting that will be

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 D 2872
used during the test. This setting shall be selected such that containers. It has been determined that circumferential scraping tends to
when the oven is fully loaded and the air is on, the oven will be more effective than lengthwise scraping.
equilibrate at 325 6 1°F (163 6 0.5°C), as indicated by the test 7.6 After removing the residue from each of the glass
thermometer. containers, gently stir the collection container to homogenize
NOTE 2—Because the presence of sample containers affects the tem- the residue without introducing air into it. Test the residue
perature distribution in the oven, containers must be present in the oven within 72 h of performing the RTFO test.
when the thermostat setting is determined. The use of empty containers is 7.7 If the mass change is being determined, allow the
acceptable for this purpose. designated residue sample containers to cool on the cooling
rack for a minimum of 60 min and a maximum of 180 min.
7. Procedure
After cooling, place each container vertically on an analytical
7.1 The sample as received shall be free of water. Heat the balance and determine its mass to the nearest 0.001 g. Discard
sample in its container with a loosely fitted cover in an oven the residue from mass change determination, and do not use it
not to exceed 302°F (150°C) for the minimum time necessary for other tests.
to ensure that the sample is completely fluid. Manually stir the
sample but avoid incorporating air bubbles. NOTE 5—To improve mass change precision, the containers used for
7.2 Pour 35 6 0.5 g of the sample into each of the required determining mass change should be handled with clean gloves or tongs,
and transfer to the balance should be done with tongs, to prevent
glass containers, providing sufficient material for characteriz- temperature changes which could distort the mass measurement.
ing tests which are to be run on the residue.
7.3 Immediately after pouring the sample into a glass 8. Report
container, turn the container to a horizontal position, without
8.1 Report the results from RTFO test in terms of the
rotating or twisting. Place the container in a clean cooling rack,
physical changes in the asphalt brought about by this method.
which is maintained in a draft free, room temperature location,
These values are obtained by performing appropriate ASTM
away from ovens or other sources of heat.
tests on the asphalt before and after the moving film oven
NOTE 3—For maximum precision in determining mass change, the cycle.
cooling rack should be in a location that is the same temperature and 8.2 When determined, report the average mass change of the
humidity as the balance used for measuring the mass of the containers.
material in the two containers as a mass percent of the original
7.3.1 Allow the glass sample containers to cool in the material. Report this calculated result to the nearest 0.001 %. A
cooling rack for a minimum of 60 min, and a maximum of 180 mass loss shall be reported as a negative number while a mass
min. gain shall be reported as a positive number.
7.3.2 When mass change is being determined, use two
NOTE 6—This test can result in either a mass loss or a mass gain.
separate containers for this determination. After cooling, sepa-
During the test, volatile components evaporate, causing a decrease in
rately place each of these containers vertically on an analytical mass, while oxygen reacts with the sample, causing an increase in mass.
balance, and determine its mass to the nearest 0.001 g. The combined effect determines whether the sample has an overall mass
7.4 With the oven at operating temperature and the airflow gain or an overall mass loss. Samples with a very low percentage of
set at 4000 6 200 mL/min, arrange the containers holding the volatile components usually will exhibit a mass gain, while samples with
asphalt in the carriage so that the carriage is balanced. Fill any a high percentage of volatile components usually will exhibit a mass loss.
unused spaces in the carriage with empty containers. Close the
door and rotate the carriage assembly at a rate of 15 6 0.2 9. Precision and Bias
r/min. Maintain the samples in the oven and the air flowing and 9.1 Criteria for judging the acceptability of the viscosity at
the carriage rotating for 85 min. The test temperature 325 6 140°F (60°C) and the ductility at 60°F (15.6°C) test results on
l°F (163 6 0.5°C) shall be reached within the first 10 min; the residue after heating are given in Table 1. The values given
otherwise, discontinue the test. in Column 2 are the standard deviations that have been found
7.5 At the conclusion of the testing period, remove any to be appropriate for the materials and conditions of test
samples for mass change determination and place them hori- described in Column 1. The values given in Column 3 are the
zontally in the cooling rack. Then, remove each remaining limits that should not be exceeded by the difference between
glass sample container, one at a time, and transfer its contents the results of two properly conducted tests. The values given in
to a collection container having a capacity at least 30 % greater Column 4 are the coefficients of variation that have been found
than the total expected volume of residue. This transfer shall be to be appropriate for the materials and conditions of test
accomplished by first pouring out any residue that will flow described in Column 1. The values given in Column 5 are the
freely from the glass sample container and then scraping out as limits that should not be exceeded by the difference between
much of the remaining residue as practical. While the residue the results of two properly conducted tests expressed as a
is being removed from each sample container, the oven door percent of their mean.
shall remain closed, with the heater power on, the air on, and 9.2 The precision of the loss of mass determinations have
the remaining samples rotating in the carriage. The final not been determined.
container shall be removed from the oven within 5 min of
removal of the initial container. 10. Keywords
NOTE 4—Any scraping tool or technique may be used, as long as an 10.1 aging; asphalt cement; rolling thin-film oven test (RT-
average of 90 % or more of the residue is removed from the sample FOT)

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 D 2872
TABLE 1 Precision of Test on Residue
Coefficient of Variation Acceptable Range of Two
Acceptable Range of
Test Methods Standard Deviation (1s) (percent of mean) Results (percent of mean)
Two Results (d2s)
(1s %) (d2s %)
Single-operator precision:
Viscosity at 140°F (60°C) ... ... 2.3 6.5
Ductility at 60°F (15.6°C)A 3 cm 9 cm ... ...
Multilaboratory precision:
Viscosity at 140°F (60°C) ... ... 4.2 11.9
Ductility at 60°F (15.6°C)A 6 cm 16 cm ... ...
A
This is based on the analysis of data resulting from tests by 16 laboratories on two asphalts ranging from 13 to 30 cm.

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