Instrotek, Inc.

Troxler Electronic Laboratories, Inc.

Tianqing He

Ali Regimand

Lawrence H James

Peter Donald Muse

Keith Landreth

An apparatus and method for quickly drying porous materials. A sealable chamber is connected to a cold trap which is connected to a vacuum pump. A sample is placed inside the sealable chamber. The vacuum pump is turned on and air is evacuated through the cold trap to the vacuum pump. An infrared lamp may be used to heat the chamber and sample therein directly or heated air may be allowed to enter the sealable chamber. Air may be drawn directly from the sealable chamber to the vacuum pump bypassing the cold trap. Various parameters may be used to determine if the drying process is complete, including the degree of vacuum achieved in the chamber.

Device and methods for rapid drying of porous materials

An apparatus and method for determination of susceptibility of asphalt concrete materials to moisture damage. An asphalt sample of known bulk specific gravity (density) is placed inside a chamber filled with water, which is capable of heating the sample to a predetermined temperature. The chamber is pressurized by introduction of air pressure to a flexible membrane that decreases the volume within a chamber containing the sample and water, increasing the pore pressure in the sample. The pressure is then released and allowed to come to ambient pressure. This process is repeated a predetermined number of times (cycles). When a selected number of cycles are complete, the asphalt sample is removed from the chamber and its bulk specific gravity (density) measured again. The difference between the density before and after conditioning is an excellent method of rating the degree at which moisture would deteriorate asphalt samples due to introduction of moisture. The cyclic nature of the increased/decreased pore pressure is observed to significantly decrease bulk specific gravity (density) for poor quality asphalt designs. Furthermore, the sample conditioned by this method can be used for other conventional mechanical test methods, such as tensile strength and modulus determination. Computerized controls are used to automate the procedure and to record and display data from sensors.

System and method for conditioning and detection of susceptibility to moisture damage in asphalt mixes

An apparatus and method for quickly drying porous materials. A sealable chamber is connected to a cold trap which is connected to a vacuum pump. A sample is placed inside the sealable chamber. The vacuum pump is turned on and air is evacuated through the cold trap to the vacuum pump. Because evaporation may lower the temperature inside the sealable chamber, an infrared lamp may be used to heat the chamber and sample therein directly or heated air may be allowed to enter the sealable chamber in response to the vacuum created by the vacuum pump. Air may be drawn directly from the sealable chamber to the vacuum pump bypassing the cold trap. A load cell may be placed in the bottom of the sealable chamber to monitor the weight of a sample to determine if the drying process is complete. Other parameters could be used, including the degree of vacuum achieved in the chamber. The cold trap extracts moisture from the system, which eliminates the possibility of damage to the vacuum and creates an added pressure gradient for removal of air from the sealable chamber. Heating the chamber either by introducing heated air or by direct use of infrared heat facilitates drying of the sample and shortens the drying process.

An apparatus and method for determination of susceptibility of asphalt concrete materials to moisture damage. An asphalt sample of known bulk specific gravity (density) is placed inside a chamber filled with water, which is capable of heating the sample to a pre-determined temperature. The chamber is pressurized by introduction of air pressure to a flexible membrane that decreases the volume within a chamber containing the sample and water, increasing the pore pressure in the sample. The pressure is then released and allowed to come to ambient pressure. This process is repeated a predetermined number of times (cycles). When a selected number of cycles are complete, the asphalt sample is removed from the chamber and its bulk specific gravity (density) measured again. The difference between the density before and after conditioning is an excellent method of rating the degree at which moisture would deteriorate asphalt samples due to introduction of moisture. The cyclic nature of the increased/decreased pore pressure is observed to significantly decrease bulk specific gravity (density) for poor quality asphalt designs. Furthermore, the sample conditioned by this method can be used for other conventional mechanical test methods, such as tensile strength and modulus determination. Computerized controls are used to automate the procedure and to record and display data from sensors.

System and method for conditioning and detection of moisture damage in asphalt mixes

Methods, systems, and computer program products analyze asphalt samples for anti-stripping agents by: obtaining a sample comprising asphalt binder material; sensing a selected parameter associated with the sample (such as the acidity and/or alkalinity of the sample); and analyzing the sensed parameter to assess at least one of: (a) the presence of at least one anti-stripping agent in the sample; and (b) the level of at least one anti-stripping agent in the sample. The sample can be heated so that it emits exhaust gas and the exhaust gas (directly or indirectly) interrogated to determine its pH, or other constituents or properties, such as ammonia. Pre-defined mathematical relationships can be used to correlate the measured sensed data to the concentrations of the anti-stripping agent(s) in the sample undergoing analysis. The evaluation can be carried out in a generally automated rapid manner so that the test can be completed in about 10 minutes or less. Related devices and kits are also described.

Systems and methods for assessing the presence of and/or the level of anti-stripping constituents in asphalt binders or asphalt mixtures

Methods, systems, and computer program products configured to track the geographic location of hazmat substances or devices including same, such as nuclear gauges with a radioactive component, include mounting a tracking device in proximity to the substance, the tracking device configured to provide at least one tracking signal that is detectable from a remote location to thereby allow its geographic location to be determined remotely.

Systems, methods, and computer program products for automatic tracking and/or remote monitoring of nuclear gauges and/or data communication therewith

A neutron gauge is described for determining the moisture content of a moisture containing material. Samples of the moisture containing material are confined in a sample pan and a sample cover with sufficient neutron moderating activity is pressed against the sample. The cover, sample, and sample pan are placed in the same location in the gauge with respect to the neutron source and detector for each measurement to compensate for volume variations in the sample. The sample can be weighed to compensate for density variations. The sample pan cover can include a cadmium sheet for direct contact with the sample to shield the sample from neutrons thermalized by the cover.

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Cary, NC, United States of America

Tianqing He