Bituminous Materials

(Asphalt Cement)

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Definition
Bituminous materials is a class of black or
dark colored solid or viscous cementitious
substances composed chiefly of
hydrocarbons.

When mixed with aggregates in their fluid

state they solidify and bind the aggregates
together, forming a pavement surface.

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 Uses of Bituminous Materials
Bituminous materials are used:
 Extensively for road construction, because of their
excellent binding or cementing power and their
water proofing properties

 Used in roofing materials and as protective / water

proof coating.

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Classification of Bituminous Materials

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1. Native asphalts: Obtained from asphalt lakes these were used
in some of the earliest pavements.
 
2. Rock asphalts: These are rock deposits containing
bituminous materials which have been used for road surfaces
in localities where they occur.
 
3. Tars: Tars are bituminous materials obtained from the
distillation of coal.
 
4. Petroleum asphalts: These are products of the distillation of
crude oil. These asphalts are by far the most common
bituminous paving materials in use today.

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Native Asphalt

Asphalt lake

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Petroleum asphalt

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 Petroleum asphalts are products of the distillation of crude oil.
These asphalts are by far the most common bituminous paving
materials in use today.

Crude Petroleum

Products of Petrol Kerosen Lubricating Asphalt

Diesel oil
Distillation e Oil
Fluxing/blending

Cutback Asphalt
Penetration
Grade Asphalt

PR E P A R AT I O N O F R E F I NE R Y A S PH AL T

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The major types of petroleum asphalt are:

[Link] Grade Asphalt (Asphalt cements)

2. Oxidized asphalts ( Air Blown asphalt)
3. Cut back asphalt (Liquid asphalts)
4. Emulsions (Emulsified Asphalt)

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[Link] Grade Asphalt
(Asphalt cement)

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 Asphalt cements (AC) are the primary
asphalt products produced by the
distillation of crude oil.
The term derives from the test which is
used to characterize them according to
hardness.

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Temperature Vs Viscosity

The viscosity of asphalt varies greatly with

temperature, ranging from a solid to a
fairly thin liquid.

Viscosity-temperature relationships are

extremely important in the design and use
of asphalt materials.

Grades of asphalt and temperature at which

they are used depend to a great extent on
their viscosity.

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Grading of Asphalt Cement

Asphalt cements were originally graded

according to penetration value. This is an
empirical test in which the amount the
needle penetrates a prepared asphalt
sample in five seconds is measured in
tenths of a millimeter under standard
conditions.

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 Penetration Test
100g
Penetration in units of 0.1 after 5 sec.

Asphalt cement
(25 oc) Asphalt cement
(25 oc)

For example, if the needle penetrated

9.8 mm-or 98 tenths of a mm-the
penetration value would be 98.
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 Asphalt cements are produced in various
viscosity grades, the most common being
AC 2.5, AC 5, AC 10, AC 20, and AC 40.
These roughly correspond to penetration
grades 200-300, 120-150,85-100,60-70,
and 40-50, respectively.

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Viscosity grades
The viscosity grades indicate the viscosity
in hundreds of poises ± 20% measured
at 60°C.
Absolute viscosity is measured in Pa.s
(SI units) and poises (traditional
units). [1 poise = 0.1 Pa . s]
For example:
AC 2.5 has a viscosity of 250 poises ± 50.
AC 40 has a viscosity of 4000 poises ± 800.

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 Grades of AC
Viscosity Penetration Grade
Grade
AC 2.5 200-300

AC 5 120-150

AC 10 85-100

AC 20 60-70
For example, AC 2.5 has a viscosity of 250 poises.
AC 40 40-50
AC 40 has a viscosity of 4000 poises.
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2. Oxidized asphalts
( Air blown asphalt)
Refinery asphalt may be further
processed by air blowing. This
consists of introducing air under
pressure into soft asphalt under
controlled temperature conditions.
The oxygen in the air reacts with
certain compounds in the asphalt
resulting in the formation of
compounds of higher molecular
weight.
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Uses of Oxidized Asphalt
Although these asphalts are mostly
used for industrial applications such as
roofing and pipe coatings, there is a
road asphalt produced by this process
known as heavy duty asphalt.

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3. Cutback asphalts
(Liquid asphalts)
Cutback asphalts (Liquid asphalts) are
asphalt cements mixed with a solvent to
reduce their viscosity and, thus, make
them easier to use at ordinary
temperatures. They are commonly heated
(if required) and then sprayed on
aggregates. Upon evaporation of the
solvent, they cure or harden and cement
the aggregate particles together.
Grades of liquid asphalts are governed by
viscosity.

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Types and grades are based on the type of

solvent, which governs viscosity and the rates
of evaporation and curing.  
1. Rapid curing(RC) types use gasoline as a
solvent, and therefore cure rapidly.  
2.  Medium Curing (MC) types use kerosene.  
3. Slow Curing (SC) types use diesel fuel, or
they may be produced directly from the
refinery during distillation.
Solvent contents are commonly from 15% to
40% of the total.

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Absolute viscosity is measured in Pa
.s (SI units) and poises (traditional
units). [1 poise = 0.1 Pa . s]
Kinematic viscosity is measured in
cm2/s (SI units) and stokes or
ceritistokes (traditional units) [1 stoke
= 100 centistokes = 1 cm2/s].
Kinematic viscosity equals absolute
viscosity divided by density (about 1
g/cm3)for asphalts.
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4. Asphalt emulsions
Asphalt emulsions are mixtures of asphalt
cement and water. As these components do
not mix themselves, an emulsifying agent
must be added. The emulsifying unit breaks
up the asphalt cement and disperses it, in
the form of very fine droplets, in the water
carrier. When used, the emulsion sets as the
water evaporates. The emulsion usually
contains 55%-75% asphalt cement and up to
3% emulsifying agent, with the balance being
water.
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Types of Emulsified Asphalts
Two general types of emulsified asphalts are
produced, depending on the type of
emulsifier used:
Cationic emulsions, in which the asphalt
particles have a positive charge;
Anionic emulsions, in which they have a
negative charge.
  Anionic emulsions adhere better to
aggregate particles which have positive
surface charges (e.g., silica).
Cationic emulsions also work better with
wet aggregates and in colder weather.
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Tests for asphalt

Quality control tests for asphalt

materials include the following:
 Viscosity (ASTM D2171, ASTM D2170,
ASTM D5)
 Ductility (ASTM D113)
 Thin-film oven test (ASTM D1754)
 Solubility (ASTM D2042)
 Flashpoint (ASTM D92)
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Asphalt Concrete

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 Asphalt Concrete
The main asphalt paving material in use today is
asphalt concrete.

 A high quality pavement surface is composed of

asphalt cement, aggregate and air, hot mixed in
an asphalt plant and then hot-laid.

 Some of the asphalt cement seeps into voids in

the aggregate particles, and therefore is not
available to coat and bind aggregates together
leaves more air voids in the mixture than would be
expected by calculating the total aggregate and
asphalt volumes
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 Relative amounts of aggregate, asphalt,
and air are important

 Asphalt absorption of aggregate is less

than water absorption for the same
aggregate (by about 50%) but, important
to include the absorbed asphalt in the
calculation, since all volumes must be
measured accurately

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 Aggregates for Asphalt Concrete
 Usually classified as coarse aggregates,
fine aggregates, or mineral filler
 Mineral filler is often used in asphalt concrete
mixtures to supply the fines (< 75m or No
200 sieve)
 Fines are very important in producing a
dense-grained, strong material
 Limestone dust is the most common material
used as mineral filler

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Aggregates for Asphalt Concrete
In general, aggregates to be used in
asphalt concrete should be:
a. Well-graded  dense, including
mineral filler for strength
b. Hard  for resistance to wear and to
polishing due to traffic
c. Sound  For resistance to
breakdown due to freezing and thawing

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d. Rough surfaced  crushed rough
surfaces give higher friction strength and
a better surface for adhesion of the
asphalt cement

e. Cubical  thin, elongated aggregate

particles break easily

g. Free from deleterious materials 

clay particles, dust, dirt, and lightweight
pieces may lead to a lower quality asphalt
film on the aggregate particles or may
result in breaking of some of the particles

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 Requirements of asphalt concrete
- Asphalt concrete surfaces must provide smooth,
skid-resistant riding surfaces
- Must be strong enough to carry the imposed loads
- Maintain its properties for the expected design life
- Requirements leading to the intended properties
are: i. Strength
ii. Flexibility
iii. Durability
iv. Skid
resistance 36
1. Strength
-Must be sufficient to carry the load
without shear occurring between particles
-Structure must remain intact (friction
between grains must be high)
-Dense-graded mixture is best for high
friction strength with a relatively low
amount of binder
-If the asphalt coating around the
particle is too thick, the amount of friction
between particles is reduced
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2. Flexibility
- Asphalt concrete must be able to
deflect slightly under each load without
cracking or permanent deformation
- A more open-graded mixture, with a
higher asphalt content, is best

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3. Durability
Measures the pavement’s resistance to wear and
aging
 Aggregates should be hard and cubical to ensure
minimum breakdown during manufacture and
during application of loads
 Aggregates should be sound, not susceptible to
disintegration from repeated freezing and
thawing action
 As some aggregates have higher affinity to water
than asphalt cement, water may replace the
asphalt film on the aggregate particles,
destroying the bond between asphalt and
aggregate particles

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4. Skid resistance
- Loss of skid resistance of asphalt concrete
surface is mainly caused by polishing of
the aggregate or bleeding of the asphalt
cement
- Surface courses usually have lower
maximum particle size in order to increase
projection surface area so as to increase
skid resistance
- Aggregate should be hard and resistant to
wear, and thus resistant to polishing
- Limestone aggregates tend to polish in
many cases
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4. Skid resistance
- Bleeding occurs on hot days,
when the asphalt cement tends
to seep to the surface in
mixtures with few voids
- Specifications usually require
minimum air void content so
that the asphalt cement can be
accommodated in the air void
space as pavement becomes
denser under load
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Property Asphalt Aggregate Air Aggregate
Content Gradation Voids Quality

Strength Low Dense Low Rough faces,

crushed

Flexibility High Open High coarser sizes better

Durability High Dense Low hard, cubical,

resistant to freeze
and thaw, does not
strip
Skid
Resistance Low - High high sand content ,
hard, resistant to
polishing 42
The mass-volume relationships for asphalt

The mass-volume relationships for

asphalt (bituminous) concrete are
illustrated in the following figure.

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Mass-Volume Relation for Asphalt Concrete

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M = Total mass (MG + MB)
MG = Mass of aggregate
MB = Mass of asphalt (binder, MBE + MBA)
MBE = Mass of effective asphalt,
(the asphalt binder between particles)

MBA = Mass of absorbed asphalt

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V =Total volume of the compacted mix
VG=Volume of aggregate, (including the aggregate pores)
VBE=Volume of effective asphalt
VBA=Volume of absorbed asphalt
VB=Volume of asphalt (VBE + VBA)
VA=Volume of air between the coated
aggregate particles in the mix
VGE=Effective volume of aggregate (VG – VBA)
VMM=Volume of void less mix (maximum mix
volume)

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The following relationships are usually calculated:

Density () ……………………….. = M/V

Asphalt content (PB)………………PB = MB/M

Effective asphalt content (PBE)…..PBE = MBE/M

Asphalt absorption (PBA)………….PBA = MBA/MG

Air voids (AV)………………………AV = VA/V

Voids in mineral aggregate (VMA)

VMA= VBE + VA

Voids filled with asphalt (VFA)

VFA = VBE/(VBE+VA) 49
Example 1
An asphalt concrete mix contains 2250 kg of aggregate and
150 kg of asphalt binder per m3. Asphalt absorption of the
aggregate is 1.2%. The bulk relative density of the
aggregates is 2.67, and the relative density of the asphalt is
1.05.
Find the density, asphalt content (total, effective, and
absorbed) and the air voids, VMA, and VFA
Given: MG = 2250 kg
MB = 150 kg
PBA = 1.2%
[Link] (agg) = 2.67
[Link] (asphalt) = 1.05

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Example 2

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Asphalt Concrete Mix Design

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 Hot Mix Asphalt Concrete (HMA)
Mix Designs
Objective:
 Develop an economical blend of
aggregates and asphalt that meet design
requirements
Historical mix design methods
 Marshall
 Hveem
New
 Superpave

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 Requirements in Common
 Sufficient asphalt to ensure a durable
pavement
 Sufficient stability under traffic loads
 Sufficient air voids
• Upper limit to prevent excessive
environmental damage
• Lower limit to allow room for initial
densification due to traffic
 Sufficient workability
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Mix design involves the following steps:

a. Selection of aggregate proportions to meet the

specification requirements

b. Conducting trial mixes at a range of asphalt contents and

measuring the resulting physical properties of the
samples

c. Analyzing the results to obtain the optimum asphalt

content and to determine if the specifications are met

d. Repeating with additional trial mixes using different

aggregate blends, until a suitable design is found

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 The Marshal Mix Design Method
Method consists of the following major
steps:
a. Aggregates are blended in proportions
that meet the specification
b. Mixing and compacting temperatures for
the asphalt cement being used are obtained
from the temperature-viscosity graph.

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The Marshal Mix Design Method
c. A number of briquettes, 4’’ in
diameter and 2.5’’ high, are mixed
using 1200 gm of aggregates and
asphalt cement content at various
percentages both above and below
the expected optimum content

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- For surface courses with 12.5 mm (1/2
in) aggregate, the expected optimum
content may be about 6.5%. Therefore,
briquettes would be made at 5.5 %, 6.0 %,
6.5 %, 7.0 %, and 7.5 % asphalt cement.
d. Density of the briquettes is measured to
allow calculation of the voids properties.
e. Briquettes are heated at 60oC (140oF).

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Stability and flow values are obtained in a
compression test in the Marshall apparatus
to measure strength and flexibility.
- Stability  maximum load that the
briquettes can carry
- Flow  The compression (measured in
units of hundredths of an inch or mm) that
the sample undergoes between no load in
the compression test
- Results are then plotted on graph
(density, air voids, VMA, VFA) against
asphalt content
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Example:
Results of a trial mix have been
plotted in the following figures. The
mix is to meet the Asphalt institute’s
requirements for a surface course
subjected to medium traffic, with12.5
mm maximum sized aggregates.

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Solution:
From graphs:
Asphalt content at maximum density=6.2%
Asphalt content at maximum stability=5.8%
Asphalt content at4%air voids (the middle of the 3-5%
allowed)=6.3%

Average asphalt content=6.1%

The mix meets all requirements:

Stability =4000 N (900 lb)
Flow3 mm= (12 units of 0.01 in)
AV =4.3%
VMA=16.0%

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 The End
Read More!

Further reading is recommended

Highway materials, soils, and concretes
By Harold N. Atkins (3rd Edition)
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