Designation: D 713 – 90 (Reapproved 2004)

Standard Practice for

Conducting Road Service Tests on Fluid Traffic Marking
Materials1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 713; 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 daylight hours, and there is good drainage. Select surfaces that
1.1 This practice covers the determination of the relative are representative of the pavements upon which the fluid traffic
service life of fluid traffic marking materials such as paint, marking material will be used in practice. Such surfaces
thermoplastic, epoxy, and polyester products under actual road include portland cement concrete, sheet asphalt, bituminous
conditions using transverse test lines. Materials under test are concrete, rock asphalt, and bituminous surface treatment.
applied under prescribed conditions and periodic observations 5. Conditions at Time of Application
are made using prescribed performance criteria.
1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the 5.1 Clean the test area thoroughly of all foreign material. Do
standard. The values given in parentheses are for information not apply traffic paint when the pavement surface is damp or
only. wet nor when the pavement temperature is below 10°C (50°F).
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the Application between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. is recommended.
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the During application record air and pavement temperature
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- hourly.
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica- 6. Measurement of Wet Film Thickness
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
6.1 To aid in obtaining the correct film thickness, a length of
2. Referenced Documents roofing paper placed by the side of the road can be used. Place
2.1 ASTM Standards: 2 a rigid metal test panel on the roofing paper and in the path of
D 711 Test Method for No-Pick-Up Time of Traffic Paint the test line. A 300 by 300-mm (12 by 12-in.) metal panel 1.5
D 913 Test Method for Evaluating Degree of Resistance to mm (1⁄16 in.) in thickness is satisfactory. Immediately after the
Wear of Traffic Paint test line is applied by the motorized striper, read the wet film
thickness. If the wet film thickness is not satisfactory, adjust the
3. Significance and Use spray pressure and repeat until the target wet film thickness is
3.1 This practice is an accelerated evaluation of bead attained. It is important that no glass beads or other interfering
retention and wear characteristics of fluid traffic marking materials be present that would give a false wet film reading.
materials. It is used to determine the useful life of such When the wet film thickness is correct, apply a test line across
markings in the field. The same procedures are applicable to a tared metal panel and weigh immediately. A balance must be
evaluating longitudinal lines to determine service life. immediately available and be thoroughly shielded from wind
as well as be of 1500-g capacity with 0.1 g or better sensitivity.
4. Type and Location of Pavement for Tests As a basis for determination of glass bead application (7.1) the
4.1 Select sections where traffic is moderate and free-rolling weight of a paint line 100 by 300 mm (4 by 12 in.) (without
with no grades, curves, intersections, or access points near consideration for solvent loss) can be calculated as follows:
enough to cause excessive braking or turning movements, W 5 0.0943 3 t 3 g (1)
where wear is uniform with full exposure to the sun throughout
where:
W = weight of paint line, g,
1
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D01 on Paint and t = mil thickness, and
Related Coatings, Materials, and Applications and is the direct responsibility of g = weight per gallon, lb.
Subcommittee D01.44 on Traffic Coatings.
Current edition approved Aug. 1, 2004. Published August 2004. Originally 7. Measurement of Glass Beads
approved in 1943. Last previous edition approved in 1998 as D 713 – 90 (1998).
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or 7.1 After the completion of 6.1, apply another test line to a
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM tared panel with the motorized striper, this time also adding the
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on glass beads, and weigh immediately. The weight difference
the ASTM website.

Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.

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 D 713 – 90 (2004)
between this measurement and that in 6.1 gives the amount of 9.1.2 The no-track maximum time is measured when the
glass beads on the panel. The process can be repeated if an pavement temperature is from 15 to 50°C (60 to 120°F) and
adjustment in the bead application rate is needed. The weight under local humidity conditions, providing that the pavement is
of applied glass beads can be calculated as follows: dry.
W 5 1.418 3 B (2) NOTE 3—A laboratory no-track test is described in Test Method D 711.
This test is a laboratory control test and has little or no correlation with
where: field results. Some paints have a tendency to skin over rapidly allowing
W = weight of glass beads, g, and the specimen to meet the maximum specified time for the laboratory test,
B = glass beads per gallon of paint, lb. but would be unsatisfactory at that time on a road surface.
9.2 Appearance—The impression of the observer of the
8. Application Procedure
general condition of the test lines when viewed without any
8.1 Apply the test stripes 100 mm (4 in.) in width and detailed inspection, from a distance of at least 10 ft. It is a
transversely on the road. At the option of the purchaser, the test measure of satisfactory or unsatisfactory appeal to the ob-
stripes may be applied to the pavement at an angle of 45° to the server. It includes a comparison of the color of the surface
direction of the traffic, or longitudinally in each wheel path, in under consideration with the original color, taking into account
order to increase the area of contact with traffic. changes due to yellowing, bleeding, darkening, fading, dirt
8.2 Apply test stripes (trained personnel under the supervi- collection, mold growth, etc. This determination is made in
sion of the purchaser) by using a pavement-marking machine each wheel track in an area extending 229 mm (9 in.) each side
similar to the production pavement marking equipment. Apply of the point of greatest wear. The appearance is rated either
the test stripes to at least two sections of each road surface acceptable or unacceptable.
selected to ensure against undetected road surface problems. 9.3 Durability—The durability is equal to one tenth of the
When more than one specimen is tested at more than one percentages of material remaining on the pavement (when
location, change the sequence of placement to minimize the examined by the unaided eye). This determination is made in
effect of time of day and time period before the test deck is each wheel track in an area extending 229 mm (9 in.) each side
opened to traffic. of the point of greatest wear. The percent of paint remaining on
8.3 Apply at least two lines of each specimen in each the pavement is considered as the percent of the prescribed area
section for better statistical reliability. A tared panel as used in of test stripe in which the substrate is not exposed. Make the
the measurement of glass beads (see 7.1) should be placed evaluations in accordance with Test Method D 913.
between the wheel track of one line’s application as a double
check for material and glass bead application rates. Weights NOTE 4—In the absence of a specification by the purchaser, failure shall
be a rating less than 4 (less than 40 % material remaining on the
between this reading and that found in 7.1 should agree within pavement).
0.5 g. The purchaser may wish to place another smaller panel
between the wheel tracks to retain for future reference. 9.4 Night Visibility—Night visibility designates the appar-
8.4 The road surface test lines should have a wet film ent brightness when examined at night under tungsten illumi-
thickness within 60.5 mil of that required by the purchaser. nation from the side of the road, with eye and light source
separated by 40 mm (11⁄2 in.) that corresponds to an observa-
NOTE 1—If no wet film thickness is specified, 15.0 mil is recom- tion angle of approximately 1⁄2 °. Night visibility determina-
mended.
tions are made in the wheel track areas used for rating
8.5 A fluid marking material with which the purchaser has durability, and are based on a factor of 10 for an unexposed
had considerable production experience is included in the test standard panel placed next to the test stripe and 0 for no
series as a control. apparent brightness.
8.6 Glass beads are placed in the paint film within 60.5
NOTE 5—In the absence of a specification by the purchaser, failure shall
lb/gal of that required by the purchaser. All glass beads are be a rating less than 4.
supplied by the purchaser. NOTE 6—A new test method for night visibility using a retro-
NOTE 2—If no bead application rate is specified, 6.0 lb/gal of paint is reflectometer is being developed which is expected to have much greater
recommended. precision.
9.5 Length of Useful Life—The length of useful life is
9. Performance Criteria determined by the number of days of duration between the date
9.1 Auto-No-Track Time—The auto no-track time is deter- the sample was applied to the road surface and the date any one
mined by passing over the freshly applied line in a simulated of the designated measurements falls below the specified
passing maneuver with a standard size passenger car with minimum rating.
regular treads (no snow treads). A line showing no visual
pick-up and redeposition of the materials onto the pavement 10. Evaluation Procedure
surface when viewed from a distance of 15 m (50 ft) in the 10.1 Make periodic inspections of the test sections in
highway direction is considered as showing no pick-up and accordance with 9.2, 9.3, and 9.4. Record at each inspection the
conforming to the drying time requirements. general daytime appearance (including color), film condition,
9.1.1 The test line is applied at the same temperature, the and night visibility (retro-reflectance).
same wet film thickness, and the same rate of glass beads as 10.2 Inspect the test lines at regular monthly intervals. As
will be specified by the purchaser in production application. the test lines approach failure, they should be evaluated every

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 D 713 – 90 (2004)
2 weeks (weather permitting). The test lines must be evaluated fluid marking materials, however, can have different bead wetting char-
until failure. Different types of traffic paint and markings do not acteristics, and beads with different wetting characteristics also are
wear out in a linear manner. Hence, it is not possible to available, either of which could influence the useful life of the line. When
testing more than one type of material or one type of bead, the optimum
extrapolate to failure some intermediate data. The winter cost/performance may be at a different bead application rate than that
season is also a must when evaluating test lines. recommended in 8.6.
11. Calculation 11.2 To determine the relative performance of the different
11.1 Make cost calculations as follows: fluid traffic marking materials during the course of the test, the
following weighted rating, R, can be used:
C 5 M/L 3 F (3)
R 5 0.30A 1 0.30D 1 0.40N (4)
where:
C = cost per foot per day of useful life, where:
M = cost of paint per gallon, A = appearance as defined in 9.2 and determined using a
L = length of useful life in days as previously observed, rating from 0 to 10,
and D = durability as defined in 9.3, and
F = feet per gallon actually applied. N = night visibility as defined in 9.4.
NOTE 7—The cost of the glass beads is usually not included in the
calculation because it will be a constant when comparing the relative
12. Keywords
performance of a specified class of paint. Various types of paints and other 12.1 road tests; traffic paint

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