Scribd
Upload
11 views6 pages

Bitumens

Uploaded by

Lekhnath Lamichhane
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
11 views6 pages

Bitumens

Uploaded by

Lekhnath Lamichhane
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 6

INNOVATION EDUCATION POINT

BIRGUNJ, MOB NO. 9845682664/9809199515

BITUMEN
The bitumen is the binding material which is present in asphalt. It is also sometimes
called the mineral tar. It is obtained by partial distillation of crude petroleum. It is
chemically a hydro-carbon. It is insoluble in water, but it completely dissolves in
carbon disulphide, chloroform. It is found on analysis to compose of 87 per cent
carbon, 11 per cent hydrogen and 2 per cent oxygen by weight.
The bitumen is black or brown in colour and it is obtained in solid or semi-solid state.
Properties of bitumen
 It is solid or semi-solid, black and sticky.
 It melts or softens on application of heat. It is completely soluble in carbon
disulphide.
 It is binder in all types of asphalt. It has high insulation resistance.
Uses of bitumen
 Used as road making material.
 Used for filling up joints in leaky roofs.
 Used for making bituminous paints.
 Bitumen is used for manufacture of roofing and damp proofing felts;
 For sealing accumulators and batteries,
 It is also used for heat insulation materials for buildings, refrigeration and cold
storage
FORMS OF BITUMEN
Following are the forms of bitumen:
1. Blown Bitumen:
Soft bitumen can be modified by heating until it becomes a liquid and then passing
air under pressure by which all the volatile compounds in it can be driven out. The
product is called blown bitumen. It can be used as roofing and damp-proofing felts,
in the manufacture of pipe asphalts and joint fillers, as heat insulating material, etc.
2. Cutback bitumen:
It is defined as Bitumen whose viscosity has been reduced by the addition of volatile
diluents such as kerosene, diesel, etc. The important feature of cut back are its
viscosity at temperature of its use and also the rate at which it sets. It is widely used
for road construction and also for soil stabilization.
INNOVATION EDUCATION POINT
BIRGUNJ, MOB NO. 9845682664/9809199515

3. Straight Run Bitumen:


When bitumen distilled to a definite viscosity of penetration which does not require
further treatment like heating.
4. Penetration Grade:
Basic form of bitumen and has to be heated before application.

5. Bitumen Emulsion:
It is liquid product containing of water, bitumen and emulsifying agent (soap is used
as emulsifying agent). This also another means to obtain bitumen into a liquid form
so that it can be easily applied at ambient temperature.
6. Residual Bitumen:
It consists of bitumen thinner and suitable filler made into a plastic form. As it is
plastic, it can be used for filling cracks in masonry, stopping leakages, etc.
TAR
Tar is a black solid mass obtained during the destructive distillation of coal, wood or
other organic material. It is byproduct of the manufacture of bituminous coke and is
soluble in carbon disulphide.
Asphalt
It is natural or artificial mixture in which bitumen is associated with inert minerals
like sand gravel and crushed stone. It is solid or semi-solid sticky product formed by
distillation of certain petroleum oils. It is black or brownish black in colour. At
Temperature between 50–100°C it is in liquid state whereas at temperature less
than this it remains in solid state. Because it is a thermoplastic material it softens as
it is heated and hardens as it is cooled. It is the basic paving material in use today.
INNOVATION EDUCATION POINT
BIRGUNJ, MOB NO. 9845682664/9809199515

Bitumen Tests- Penetration Test


It measures the hardness or softness of bitumen by measuring the depth in tenths of
a millimeter to which a standard loaded needle will penetrate vertically in 5 seconds.
The penetrometer consists of a needle assembly with a total weight of 100g and a
device for releasing and locking in any position. The bitumen is softened to a pouring
consistency, stirred thoroughly and poured into containers at a depth at
least 15 mm in excess of the expected penetration. The test should be conducted at
a specified temperature of 25 C. A grade of 40/50 bitumen means the penetration
value is in the range 40 to 50 at standard test conditions. In hot climates, a lower
penetration grade is preferred. The penetration test measures the consistency of
bitumen binders so that they can be classified into standard grades but on its own
has no relation to binder quality.

Bitumen Tests- Ductility Test


Ductility is the property of bitumen that permits it to undergo great deformation or
elongation. Ductility is defined as the distance in cm, to which a standard sample or
briquette of the material will be elongated without breaking. A minimum ductility
value of 75 cm has been specified by the BIS.
INNOVATION EDUCATION POINT
BIRGUNJ, MOB NO. 9845682664/9809199515

Bitumen Tests- Softening Point Test


Softening point denotes the temperature at which the bitumen attains a particular
degree of softening under the specifications of test. The test is conducted by using
Ring and Ball apparatus. A brass ring containing test sample of bitumen is suspended
in liquid like water or glycerin at a given temperature. A steel ball is placed upon the
bitumen sample and the liquid medium is heated at a rate of 5 C per minute.
Temperature is noted when the softened bitumen touches the metal plate which is at
a specified distance below. Generally, higher softening point indicates lower
temperature susceptibility and is preferred in hot climates.

Bitumen Tests- Specific gravity Test


The specific gravity of bitumen is defined as the ratio of the mass of given volume of
bitumen of known content to the mass of the equal volume of water at 27 C. The
specific gravity can be measured using either pycnometer or preparing a cube
specimen of bitumen in the semi-solid or solid state. The specific gravity of bitumen
varies from 0.97 to 1.02.
Bitumen Tests- Viscosity Test
INNOVATION EDUCATION POINT
BIRGUNJ, MOB NO. 9845682664/9809199515

Viscosity denotes the fluid property of the bituminous material and it is a measure of
resistance to flow. At the application temperature, this characteristic greatly
influences the strength of resulting paving mixes. Orifice type viscometers are used to
indirectly find the viscosity of liquid binders like cutbacks and emulsions. The viscosity
expressed in seconds is the time taken by the 50 ml bitumen material to pass through
the orifice of a cup, under standard test conditions and specified temperature. The
viscosity of a cutback can be measured with either 4.0 mm orifice at 250C or 10 mm
orifice at 25 or 400 C.

Bitumen Tests- Flash and Fire Point Test


BIS defined the flash point as the temperature at which the vapour of bitumen
momentarily catches fire in the form of flash under specified test conditions. The fire
point is defined as the lowest temperature under specified test conditions at which
the bituminous material gets ignited and burns.
Bitumen Tests- Float Test
Normally the consistency of bituminous material can be measured either by
penetration test or viscosity test. But for certain range of consistencies, these tests
are not applicable and Float test is used. The apparatus consists of an aluminum float
and a brass collar filled with bitumen to be tested. The specimen in the mould is
cooled to a temperature of 5 C and screwed in to float. The total test assembly is
floated in the water bath at 50 C and the time required for water to pass its way
through the specimen plug is noted in seconds and is expressed as the float value.
INNOVATION EDUCATION POINT
BIRGUNJ, MOB NO. 9845682664/9809199515

Bitumen Tests- Water Content Test


It is desirable that the bitumen contains minimum water content to prevent foaming
of the bitumen when it is heated above the boiling point of water. The allowable
maximum water content should not be more than 0.2% by weight.
Bitumen Tests- Loss on heating Test
When the bitumen is heated it loses the volatility and gets hardened. About 50gm of
the sample is weighed and heated to a temperature of 163 C for 5hours in a specified
oven designed for this test. The sample specimen is weighed again after the heating
period and loss in weight is expressed as the percentage by weight of the original
sample. Bitumen used in pavement mixes should not indicate more than 1% loss in
weight, but for bitumen having penetration values 150-200 up to 2% loss in weight is
allowed.

You might also like