FRAASS BREAKING POINT APPARATUS AZA0935

Description

Importance of Fraass Breaking Point Testing

Bitumen exhibits viscoelastic behavior that is highly temperature dependent. At low temperatures, bitumen becomes increasingly stiff and brittle. If the binder cannot accommodate thermal contraction stresses, cracks develop in asphalt layers, leading to premature pavement failure.

The AZA0935 enables laboratories and engineers to:

• Assess low-temperature flexibility of bitumen

• Select appropriate binders for cold and extreme climates

• Verify compliance with specification requirements

• Improve pavement design by minimizing thermal cracking risk

Principle of Operation – Fraass Method

In the Fraass Breaking Point test:

1. A thin, uniform film of bitumen is applied to a standardized flexible steel plaque using a molding plate.

2. The plaque is mounted in a mechanical flexing frame and immersed in a cooling bath.

3. The bath temperature is reduced at a controlled rate of 1°C per minute.

4. During cooling, the plaque is flexed once per minute.

5. The temperature at which the first visible crack appears in the bitumen film is recorded as the Fraass Breaking Point.

The AZA0935 ensures precise control of cooling rate, flexing frequency, and temperature measurement, providing consistent and reproducible results.

Key Features

• Precision Mechanical Flexing Device
  Ensures uniform and repeatable bending of the steel plaque at a fixed rate.

• Controlled Low-Temperature Cooling System
  Insulated cooling tube / Dewar flask ensures stable and uniform temperature reduction.

• Accurate Temperature Measurement
  High-precision liquid-in-glass thermometer (ASTM equivalent) for direct temperature reading.

• Standardized Steel Plaques
  Flexible steel strips manufactured to EN 12593 dimensions for reproducibility.

• Uniform Film Thickness Control
  Supplied molding plate ensures consistent bitumen film application.

• Robust Construction
  Designed to withstand repeated flexing and low-temperature operation.

Standards Compliance

The AZA0935 Fraass Breaking Point Apparatus is manufactured in accordance with:

• EN 12593 – Bitumen and bituminous binders – Determination of the Fraass breaking point

Compliance ensures that results are internationally accepted, repeatable, and suitable for specification and quality control use.

Applications

• Asphalt and bitumen testing laboratories

• Highway and pavement engineering projects

• Cold-region pavement design studies

• Quality control for bitumen manufacturers

• Academic and research institutions

Technical Specifications

Standard Accessories Supplied

• Mechanical flexing frame

• Insulated cooling bath / glass tube

• High-precision thermometer

• Flexible steel plaques (standard size)

• Molding plate for film preparation

• Clamps, supports, and assembly hardware

Why Choose AZA0935?

• Accurate determination of bitumen brittle point

• Essential for cold-climate asphalt performance evaluation

• Fully compliant with EN 12593

• Robust, reliable, and easy to operate

• Ideal for research, QC, and specification laboratories

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What does AZA0935 measure?
It measures the temperature at which bitumen becomes brittle and cracks under controlled cooling and flexing.

Q2: Why is the Fraass Breaking Point important?
It indicates a binder’s resistance to low-temperature cracking, critical for cold-region pavements.

Q3: Which standard does AZA0935 follow?
EN 12593.

Q4: What cooling medium is typically used?
Dry ice with alcohol (methanol or ethanol) is commonly used to achieve low temperatures.

Q5: Is the test manual or automatic?
The AZA0935 is a precision manual system with controlled mechanical flexing and temperature monitoring.

AZA0935 – Reliable Evaluation of Bitumen Brittleness for Cold Climate Performance