power supply 34 which is regulated by temperature programmer and controller 35 thermocouple 14 senses temperature within block 25 and supplies this information to controller 35 controller 35 regulates power supply 34 so as to maintain a preselected temperature in block 25 inconel is one materal which may be used for metallic block 25 thermocouple 15 also senses temperature within block 25 and transmits this information to amplifier 32 which drives one pen in chart recorder 33 so that a continuous record of block 25 temperature is recorded throughout the test temperature sensed by thermocouple 15 is recorded on a chart in recorder 33 along the curve labeled y 1 sample container 11 which may be a pyrex tube is mounted within block 25 at a predetermined point in a central well and is retained within the central well by bracket 23 which is attached to block 25 the central well in block 25 may be either a stepped hole or a constant diameter hole having spacer 27 inserted therein any equivalent means of supporting sample container 11 will work sample container 11 contains a quantity of particulate material 12 which is to be tested immersed within material 12 is a geometric object 13 which may be a steel ball or other geometric shape a spherical shape being preferred piano wire 16 is attached to geometric object 13 on one end and is attached to load cell 17 on the.