VM-100 creatively measures the volume of a nonuniform or porous object using atmosphere air. No need to immerse objects in water, no use of high-pressure inert gas, no 3D laser scanning.
Simply placing a HMA core in the measurement chamber, with a touch screen, measurement process started by reducing chamber air pressure, then atomespheric air flowing back into the measurement chamber with air volume recorded. At the same time, air pressure inside the chamber was measured. Combining air volume and air pressure, the volume of HMA core is determined. Compaction density of the core can be found with core weight and the measured volume.
HMA cores can be measured as is for bulk volume, or, be measured by placing it inside a plastic bag for total volume including volume of air voids. Prior sealing of the bag is not required. VM-100 automatically seals the bag when taking measurement, then releases the bag after finishing the measurement. Plastic bag can be reused as long as there were no air leakages. Surface permissible air voids of HMA cores can be determined by volume difference subtracting measurements with and without plastic bag.
VM-100 can also measure specific gravity of coarse and fine aggregates as well as residual air content inside the material. The measurement is fast and automatic. Instrument can be operated in laboratory or on job site with minimum restrictions.