Bitumen & Asphalt: - Nilanjan Mitra
Bitumen & Asphalt: - Nilanjan Mitra
Bitumen & Asphalt: - Nilanjan Mitra
- Nilanjan Mitra
A black or dark brown non-crystalline solid or viscous material,
composed principally of high molecular weight hydrocarbons,
having adhesive properties, derived from petroleum either by natural
or refinery processes and substantially soluble in carbon disulphide.
Basic Refining Process
Asphalt is simply the residue left over from petroleum
refining.
Crude oil is heated in a large furnace to about 340° C (650°
F) and partially vaporized. It is then fed into a distillation
tower where the lighter components vaporize and are drawn
off for further processing.
The residue from this process (the asphalt) is usually fed into
a vacuum distillation unit where heavier gas oils are drawn
off. Bitumen grade is controlled by the amount of heavy gas
oil remaining. Other techniques can then extract additional
oils from the asphalt.
•Depending upon the exact process and the crude oil source,
different bitumens of different properties can be produced.
Additional desirable properties can be obtained by blending crude oils before
distillation or bitumen after distillation.
REFINERY OPERATION
• Bitumen used in road
pavements
Bitumen as roofing agent
Bitumen constituents and general properties
Carbon : 82-88 %
Hydrogen : 8-11 %
Sulphur : 0-6 %
Oxygen : 0-1.5 %
Nitrogen : 0-1 % Colloidal,
no specific melting, boiling or freezing point,
insoluble in water,
hydrophobic,
chemically inert,
oxidise slowly
Test: penetration test for the
grade of bitumen
Cutback Bitumen : bitumen whose viscosity has been reduced with suitable volatile
dilutant usually a petroleum distillate like gasoline, kerosene, etc.
Fluid binder which can be handled at air temp.
Can be mixed with aggregate in cold condition
Rapid curing – naptha/gasoline; high volatility; tack coats/surface treatment
Medium curing – kerosene; moderate; stockpile patching mix
Slow curing – diesel fuel; low; prime coat, dust control.
Types of Modifiers :
Sulphur
Natural Rubber
Crumb Rubber from discarded tyres
Styrene-butadiene-Styrene (SBS)
Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), polypropylene,etc
Advantages of modified bitumen:
Lower susceptibility to daily seasonal temperature variations
Higher resistance to deformation at elevated pavement temperature
Better ageing resistance properties
Higher fatigue life of mixes
Better adhesion between aggregates and binder, especially under exposure
to water
Preventing cracking and reflective cracking
Overall improved performance in extreme climatic conditions and under
heavy traffic conditions.