EN 1871 Road Marking Materials - Paint, Thermoplastic and Cold Plastic Materials - Physical Properties

The European standard "EN 1871 Road marking materials - Paint, thermoplastic and cold plastic materials - Physical properties" provides guidelines for testing the physical properties of road marking materials using laboratory methods. The products covered and specified in this standard are white and yellow paint, thermoplastic, and cold plastic materials, with or without premixed glass beads, for permanent or temporary road markings on highways and other areas with high vehicle traffic. Other products and colors intended for road markings are not covered by this standard. Not all physical properties listed in this standard need to be specified.

For the purposes of this standard, the following terms and definitions apply:

• Paint: refers to a liquid product containing binders, pigments, fillers, solvents and additives, which can be supplied in single or multi-component systems and which, when applied, forms a cohesive film by a solvent/water evaporation process or by a solvent/water evaporation process and a chemical reaction or coalescence process (in the case of water-based product).
• Thermoplastic: A solvent-free marking product supplied in block, granular, powder form or pre-formed (e.g. as tape) that is heated to a molten state and cooled to form a cohesive film before being applied to road surfaces.
• Cold plastic: refers to viscose products supplied in multi-component forms (at least one main component and a hardener system), the cohesive film formed by mixing all the components by a single chemical reaction, after which the cold plastic becomes solid.

The requirements in this standard are based on product groups, including paint, thermoplastic and cold plastic:

• Paint
  • Luminance factor and color coordinates:
    • Colour should be described by the luminance factor and colour coordinates of the CIE standard system.
    • When measured according to this standard, the results of the luminance factor test must conform to the table entitled “Luminance factor classes”.
  • Hiding power:
    • The test measures the ability of paint to reduce contrast between a black surface and a white surface on which it is applied and dried.
    • When measured according to this standard, the result expressed as contrast ratio must conform to the table entitled “Hiding power classes”.
  • Storage stability
    • The paint must be free from crusts and sediments that cannot be recombined by mixing.
    • When tested against this standard, the paint must have a rating of 4 or above.
  • UV aging:
    • A paint film is subjected to cycles of UV radiation and condensation and examined for discoloration.
    • When tested to this standard, the difference in gloss factor shall conform to the table entitled "Classes of gloss factor difference after UV aging." This difference is the difference between the pre-test gloss factor and the post-test gloss factor.
  • Leakage resistance:
    • This test applies only to paints intended for direct application to asphalt surfaces. The paint film applied to a bituminous surface is examined for discoloration.
    • When tested according to this standard, the luminance factor difference shall be in accordance with the table entitled "Luminance factor difference classes after leakage resistance testing." This difference is the difference between the pre-test luminance factor and the post-test luminance factor.
  • Alkali resistance:
    • This test is only applicable to paints intended for direct application to hydraulic concrete surfaces. The paint film is subjected to the action of a sodium hydroxide solution and examined for surface degradation.
    • When tested to this standard, the paint film shall not show signs of partial or complete film failure, surface roughness or discoloration.
• Thermoplastic
  • General:
    • Thermoplastic materials must be melted before application to retain their properties after a specific heating period. Therefore, the standard includes requirements before and after the heating cycle.
  • Pre-thermal stability tests - Luminance factor and colour coordinates:
    • Colour should be described by the luminance factor and colour coordinates of the CIE standard system.
    • When measured according to this standard, the results of the gloss factor test shall conform to the table entitled “Gloss factor classes for thermoplastics and cold plastics”.
  • Pre-thermal stability tests - Softening point:
    • This test measures the temperature at which a given sheet of thermoplastic material undergoes a specified deformation under the impact of a steel ball.
    • When measured according to this standard, the softening point of the thermoplastic material must conform to the table entitled “Softening point classes for thermoplastics”.
  • Pre-thermal stability tests - Alkali resistance:
    • This test is only applicable to thermoplastics intended for direct application to hydraulic concrete surfaces. The thermoplastic is subjected to the action of a sodium hydroxide solution and examined for surface degradation.
    • When tested to this standard, the thermoplastic film shall not show signs of partial or complete film degradation, surface roughness or discoloration.
  • Pre-thermal stability tests - Cold impact resistance:
    • This test measures the resistance of a thermoplastic material to the impact of a falling steel ball at cold temperature.
    • When tested according to this standard, the number of samples passing the test must conform to the table titled “Cold impact resistance classes”.
  • Pre-thermal stability tests - UV aging:
    • A thermoplastic film is examined for discoloration by subjecting it to cycles of UV radiation and condensation.
    • When tested according to this standard, the luminance factor difference should be in accordance with the table (this difference is the difference between the luminance factor before testing and the luminance factor after testing).
  • Tests after thermal stability - Illumination factor and chromaticity coordinates:
    • When tested according to this standard, the difference in illuminance factor should not be more than 0,10 for both white and yellow.
    • Chromaticity coordinates should be as given in the table.
  • Tests after thermal stability - Softening point:
    • When tested according to this standard, the softening point difference should not be more than plus/minus 10 degrees (this difference is the difference between the softening point before heating and the softening point after heating).
  • Tests after thermal stability - Indentation
    • It is the time required for a standard cylinder to sink 10 mm into thermoplastic at a given temperature.
    • When tested according to this standard, the average value for indentation time shall conform to the table entitled “Indentation classes”.
• Cold plastic
  • Luminance factor and color coordinates
    • Colour should be described by the luminance factor and colour coordinates of the CIE standard system.
    • When tested according to this standard, the test results for gloss factor shall conform to the table entitled “Gloss factor classes for thermoplastics and cold plastics”.

The EN 1871 standard is considered important because it defines minimum retroreflection and color standards for safety and visibility, and ensures that signs remain visible day and night in different weather conditions.

Our organization, which has been supporting businesses across all sectors for years through a wide range of testing, measurement, analysis, and evaluation activities, has a strong team of employees who closely follow global developments in science and technology and are constantly improving themselves. In this context, we also provide testing services in accordance with the EN 1871 Road marking materials - Paint, thermoplastic and cold plastic materials - Physical properties standard.