Abstract: Water-resistant preformed resilient bags are applied to a porous material specimen having a coarse external surface to provide for more consistent measurement results in water displacement tests. The preformed bag is configured to collapse and substantially conform to the material specimen's external surface and to provide planar collapsed portions extending away from the specimen. The preformed bags are precision manufactured and each applied to a respective specimen in a manner in which the bag consistently displaces the same volume of water when used in water displacement tests over many specimens. The volume of the bag can be accounted for when obtaining the volume of the specimen. The method of sealing the specimen includes inserting the specimen into a preformed bag and collapsing and sealing the bag such that is conformal to the external surface of the specimen.

Abstract: Water-resistant preformed resilient bags are applied to a porous material specimen having a coarse external surface to provide for more consistent measurement results in water displacement tests. The preformed bag is configured to collapse and substantially conform to the material specimen's external surface and to provide planar collapsed portions extending away from the specimen. The preformed bags are precision manufactured and each applied to a respective specimen in a manner in which the bag consistently displaces the same volume of water when used in water displacement tests over many specimens. The volume of the bag can be accounted for when obtaining the volume of the specimen. The method of sealing the specimen includes inserting the specimen into a preformed bag and collapsing and sealing the bag such that is conformal to the external surface of the specimen.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products determine absorption, specific gravity, and/or porosity of construction materials undergoing analysis corresponding to different measurements of material samples divided from a “parent” construction material sample. Dry and wet weights of the samples are obtained under different conditions. In certain embodiments, the material sample is an aggregate that is held in liquid in a volumetric container and the container with the liquid and aggregate is weighed. Another weight of a second sample can be obtained. The second sample is encased in an evacuated vacuum-sealed bag that is opened while immersed in a liquid bath, at which time the weight can be obtained. The weight data can be used to calculate the parameter of interest.

Abstract: Water-resistant preformed resilient bags are applied to a porous material specimen having a coarse external surface to provide for more consistent measurement results in water displacement tests. The preformed bag is configured to collapse and substantially conform to the material specimen's external surface and to provide planar collapsed portions extending away from the specimen. The preformed bags are precision manufactured and each applied to a respective specimen in a manner in which the bag consistently displaces the same volume of water when used in water displacement tests over many specimens. The volume of the bag can be accounted for when obtaining the volume of the specimen. The method of sealing the specimen includes inserting the specimen into a preformed bag and collapsing and sealing the bag such that is conformal to the external surface of the specimen.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products determine the porosity or effective air void content of a compacted material sample of pavement or construction materials undergoing analysis corresponding to different measurements of field or lab formed material samples. The effective air void content represents a subset of the total air void content of the material sample.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products determine absorption, specific gravity, and/or porosity of construction materials undergoing analysis corresponding to different measurements of material samples divided from a “parent” construction material sample. Dry and wet weights of the samples are obtained under different conditions.

Abstract: Water-resistant preformed resilient bags are applied to a porous material specimen having a coarse external surface to provide for more consistent measurement results in water displacement tests. The preformed bag is configured to collapse and substantially conform to the material specimen's external surface and to provide planar collapsed portions extending away from the specimen. The preformed bags are precision manufactured and each applied to a respective specimen in a manner in which the bag consistently displaces the same volume of water when used in water displacement tests over many specimens. The volume of the bag can be accounted for when obtaining the volume of the specimen. The method of sealing the specimen includes inserting the specimen into a preformed bag and collapsing and sealing the bag such that is conformal to the external surface of the specimen.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for analyzing the aggregate content of asphalt-aggregate compositions. The method includes placing a preheated, preweighed container carrying a sample of an asphalt-aggregate composition into a preheated furnace with the preheated furnace being warmer than the preheated sample, continuing to heat the furnace while drawing air through the furnace at a rate that avoids impeding the heating of the furnace or the sample until the sample in the container reaches its combustion temperature and the combustion of the sample becomes exothermic, initiating a second draw of air around rather than through the furnace to moderate the exterior temperature of the furnace, accelerating the draw through the furnace to increase the rate of combustion of the exothermic reaction, and reweighing the container and sample after combustion is complete.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for analyzing the aggregate content of asphalt-aggregate compositions. The method includes placing a preheated, preweighed container carrying a sample of an asphalt-aggregate composition into a preheated furnace with the preheated furnace being warmer than the preheated sample, continuing to heat the furnace while drawing air through the furnace at a rate that avoids impeding the heating of the furnace or the sample until the sample in the container reaches its combustion temperature and the combustion of the sample becomes exothermic, initiating a second draw of air around rather than through the furnace to moderate the exterior temperature of the furnace, accelerating the draw through the furnace to increase the rate of combustion of the exothermic reaction, and reweighing the container and sample after combustion is complete.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for analyzing asphalt-aggregate compositions. The method includes directing sufficient microwave radiation from a microwave source to a sample of an asphalt-aggregate composition to ignite the asphalt in the composition and to thereafter entirely combust the asphalt in the sample. The apparatus includes a source of microwave radiation, a cavity in communication with the microwave source, a sample holder in the cavity for holding a sample of an asphalt-aggregate composition during exposure to microwaves from the source, thermal insulation between the sample holder and the remainder of the cavity, and means for minimizing or eliminating any undesired combustion products generated by the burning asphalt.

Abstract: A cost effective, field-usable validation and calibration apparatus and method for nuclear density gauges comprises an absorption element, where the absorption element is capable of simulating at least one known density when subjected to analysis using the nuclear density gauge. The absorption element may be positioned inside an enclosure, which also may include an insertion hole capable of receiving a source rod from a nuclear density gauge. The absorption element also can be capable of simulating a plurality of densities, both in backscatter and direct transmission modes. A method of validating and re-calibrating a nuclear density test gauge is also provided, where only a single block of a known density, either a reference block or a field block with a simulated density, is required.

Abstract: An apparatus for pyrolysis of a sample of a composite material containing a combustible binder includes a combustion chamber configured to receive a sample of the composite material and having an outlet. A heater is associated with the combustion chamber for heating the chamber to a temperature sufficient for pyrolysis of the binder. A blower is in fluid communication with the combustion chamber for creating an airflow through the outlet to remove airborne pyrolysis products from the combustion chamber. An adjustable airflow regulator is operable to adjustably control the airflow to provide a desired minimum residence time within the combustion chamber sufficient for complete pyrolysis of the airborne pyrolysis byproducts.

Abstract: A cost effective, field-usable validation and calibration apparatus and method for nuclear density gauges comprises an absorption element, where absorption element is capable of simulating at least one known density when subjected to analysis using the nuclear density gauge. The absorption element may be positioned inside an enclosure, which also may include an insertion hole capable of receiving a source rod from a nuclear density gauge. The absorption element also can be capable of simulating a plurality of densities, both in backscatter and direct transmission modes. A method of validating and re-calibrating a nuclear density test gauge is also provided, where only a single block of a known density, either a reference block or a field block with a simulated density, is required.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for detecting changes in a physical property of the material beneath a large storage vessel, such as a landfill. The apparatus includes one or more tubes defining elongate channels in the material beneath the storage vessel. A sensing probe is moved through the channel while taking and collecting measurements of the physical property of the material in the vicinity of the probe. Typically, moisture and/or density may be measured using conventional nuclear sources and associated detectors. The measurements are compared with reference data to thereby detect a change indicating a leak in the storage vessel.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for determining the asphalt content of a bituminous paving mix wherein Marshall plug samples of the bituminous paving mix are subjected to a neutron source and the neutrons that are thermalized by hydrogen nuclei present in the Marshall plug sample are detected and counted to provide an indication of the asphalt content of the sample. A neutron moderating substance, such as a polyethylene sample holder having receptacles for closely fitting the Marshall plug samples, is included with the sample pan to increase the number of thermalized neutrons resulting from the interaction of neutrons with hydrogen nuclei present in the sample.

Abstract: Measuring the distance to a surface of an object using ultrasonic energy pulses, an ultrasonic energy pulse is directed toward the object and the time is measured for the reflection to return so as to determine the distance to the object. A reference ultrasonic pulse is directed through a fixed and known distance to provide a reference measurement. To enhance the accuracy of the measurement, the air in the region traversed by the ultrasonic pulses is mixed by directing a swirling flow of air in this region so that the temperature of the air in the path of the reference measurement is more nearly representative of the temperature of the air where the distance measurement is taken.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for dynamically measuring the density of soil, asphaltic material and the like during the compaction of the material. The gauge includes a nuclear radiation source and a nuclear radiation detector means which are mounted in spaced relation from the surface of the test material to form an air gap therebetween. The gauge also includes means for measuring the size of the air gap between the test material and the source and detector system, and means to compensate for the effect of the size of the air gap to thereby obtain the density of the test material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improvement in a nuclear measuring gauge for measuring the composition of a hydrogen containing material by counting neutrons which are thermalized by the presence of the hydrogen in the material. The present invention is based upon the recognition that in measuring samples, such as hot asphalt, with such a gauge, the error which is introduced by temperature variations in a sample is a function of not only the temperature of the sample but also its hydrogen content. In accordance with the present invention, this inaccuracy is compensated for by applying to the measurement a correction factor which is a function of both the temperature of the sample and its hydrogen content.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system which is useful on instruments requiring experimentally determined calibration curves by which calibration data can be transferred to a plurality of field gauges, thereby avoiding the necessity of individually calibrating each gauge each time calibration is necessary. The field gauges are initially cross related to a master gauge. At a later time when a new calibration is necessary, the master gauge is calibrated using carefully prepared samples of a test material. Using the experimentally derived calibration curves with the cross relation data provides calibration data for the field gauges.