How to consistently collect rheological data for bitumen in a Dynamic Shear Rheometer

The measurement of rheological properties of binders is dependent on various factors such as time, temperature as well as on aging. The common causes of erroneous measurements that occur during the rheological tests are related to the sample conditioning and sample loading. Bituminous binders are subjected to steric hardening while stored at room temperatures and thus can cause increased stiffness during measurement. Gap setting and sample loading also play a key role in obtaining consistent data using a Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR). In this article, the issues one should understand to collect rheological data for bitumen in a DSR consistently are addressed.