GOST 11506-73 PDF

Full title and description

GOST 11506-73 — Petroleum (oil) bitumens. Method for determination of softening point by the ring-and-ball procedure. The standard specifies the ring-and-ball (ring and sphere) test method used to determine the temperature at which a bitumen sample softens sufficiently for a steel ball to fall a specified distance under controlled heating conditions.

Abstract

This GOST describes apparatus, sample preparation and stepwise test procedure for measuring the softening point of petroleum bitumens using the ring-and-ball technique. It covers test bath media and heating rates, sample moulding in brass rings, use of standardized steel balls and metal plates, and reporting of results and permissible repeatability. The method is applicable to a wide range of bitumen products and has been amended during the Soviet and post‑Soviet periods.

General information

• Status: Generally listed as active/implemented in public standards catalogs; amended historically (see amendments).
• Publication date: Designation year 1973 (GOST 11506-73); published / entered into catalogs 01 July 1974 (effective dates and amendment dates vary).
• Publisher: Adopted under the USSR State Committee for Standards (Gosstandart); subsequently maintained in national catalogs (Rosstandart / successor bodies and public standards collections).
• ICS / categories: 75.140 — Waxes, bituminous materials and other heavy petroleum products (petroleum products testing).
• Edition / version: Original designation GOST 11506-73 (with later amendments introduced in the 1980s; amendment records are published with the standard).
• Number of pages: Typically published as an 8‑page document in common commercial reproductions.

Scope

Applies to petroleum bitumens and sets out the laboratory method for determining the softening point by the ring-and-ball technique across the usual test temperature range (nominally from about 25 °C up to around 200 °C depending on sample grade). The procedure specifies sample moulding, cooling, placement in a thermostatted bath (water, water/glycerin mix or glycerin depending on expected softening point), controlled heating rate and the criterion for softening (ball penetration/drop distance).

Key topics and requirements

• Test apparatus: ring-and-ball assembly (brass rings, supporting plates, thermometer pocket, steel balls of specified diameter and mass), thermostatic bath (glass beaker) and heating device.
• Sample preparation: pouring molten bitumen into rings, cooling, trimming excess to ring level and conditioning before test.
• Bath media and temperature control: distilled water at (5 ± 1) °C for low softening-point runs; water/glycerin mixtures and pure glycerin for higher softening-point bitumens; controlled heating rate (typically 5 ± 0.5 °C/min for standard method).
• Measurement rule: placing chilled steel balls on the sample surface and recording the temperature at which the ball causes the sample to deform/drop the specified distance — reported as the softening point.
• Repeatability and reporting: number of replicates, acceptable scatter between parallel determinations and how to report single values/averages.
• Allowance for automatic and multi‑sample ring‑and‑ball equipment (instrumentation variants and adaptations described for 2‑ and 4‑sample devices).

Typical use and users

Used by petroleum laboratories, bitumen manufacturers, quality control and materials testing labs in road construction, roofing, waterproofing and industrial coatings to classify and verify bitumen grades. Test houses, research institutes and suppliers of bitumen testing equipment routinely use the standard or equipment compliant with it.

Related standards

Aligned in purpose with other ring-and-ball softening point methods such as ASTM D36 and EN/ISO equivalents for softening point determination; also cross-referenced in regional and interstate technical agreements (historically to ST SEV 5473-86 and other petroleum testing standards). National standards for bitumen testing (e.g., ISO/EN, ASTM, national GOST family documents) cover complementary tests (penetration, ductility, flash point, etc.).

Keywords

GOST 11506-73; bitumen; petroleum bitumen; softening point; ring-and-ball; ring and ball; ring & sphere; test method; laboratory procedure; thermostatted bath; steel ball; brass ring; softening temperature.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: GOST 11506-73 is a Soviet/Russian standard that specifies the ring-and-ball method for determining the softening point of petroleum bitumens. It defines apparatus, reagents, sample preparation, test procedure and reporting conventions.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers the laboratory procedure to measure the temperature at which a bitumen sample softens under controlled heating and a standardized load (steel ball), including bath media choices (water, water/glycerin, glycerin), heating rates and acceptable repeatability.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Bitumen producers, QC laboratories, construction materials labs, road authorities, test equipment manufacturers and research institutes use the method for product specification, acceptance testing and comparative evaluation.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The document is an established historical standard (designation year 1973) and has recorded amendments from the 1980s; it continues to appear in public catalogs and collections of GOSTs. For regulatory or contractual work, users should check the current national/regional standards lists to confirm whether a newer national or international method is required or preferred.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: It is part of the family of petroleum/bitumen test standards (GOST documents covering penetration, ductility, softening point, viscosity and related properties) and is cross-referenced with other testing standards and interstate agreements.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Softening point, ring-and-ball, bitumen, petroleum bitumen, GOST 11506-73, test method, brass rings, steel ball, thermostatic bath.