WEST CONSHOHOCKEN, PA - ASTM International Committee D01 on Paint and Related Coatings, Materials and Applications has approved a standard covering a test chamber used by transportation departments and similar agencies throughout the world to specify and test the dry speed of waterborne pavement marking paints at elevated relative humidity.

The new standard, ASTM D 7539, Practice for Using a Test Chamber for Humidity Conditioning of Test Panels of Pavement Marking Paints, is under the jurisdiction of Subcommittee D01.44 on Traffic Coatings.

“Waterborne pavement marking paints need to dry quickly so that vehicles do not track wet paint on the road or that wet paint is not washed away if it rains shortly after application,” said Donald Schall, R&D Scientist, The Dow Chemical Co., and a member of D01.44. “Therefore, being able to test such paints at elevated relative humidities is important for identifying and specifying faster drying waterborne pavement marking paints.” Schall notes that such paints are used on roads, as well as in other applications such as parking lots and airfields.

Subcommittee D01.44 welcomes all interested parties to join in its standards developing activities. The subcommittee is currently involved in revising ASTM D 711, Test Method for No-Pick-Up Time of Traffic Paint, and would like to hear from departments of transportation and other users of ASTM D 711.