Building Material Notes

CHAPTER VIII

Bituminous Materials
Introduction

The term bituminous material is generally used to denote substances in which bitumen is
present or from which it can be derived. Bitumen is defined as an amorphous, black or
dark – colored (solid, semisolid, or viscous) cementations substances compound
principally of high molecular weight hydrocarbons, and soluble in carbon disulfide.

The most common materials within this family of bitumen are tars, pitches and asphalts.
For Civil Engineering applications, bituminous materials include primarily asphalt and
tars. Asphalt may occur in nature (natural asphalt) or may be obtained from petroleum
processing (petroleum asphalt). Tars do not occur in nature and are obtained as
condensates in the processing of coal, petroleum, oil-shale, wood, or other organic
materials. Pitch is formed when a tar is partially distilled so that the volatile constituents
have evaporated off from it.

Bitumen has a number of properties which made them useful in the construction industry.
One is the tendency to adhere to a solid surface. This adhesiveness will depend on the
nature of the surface and the state of the bitumen. For an adhesive to act, it must be able
to wet the surface; bitumen has this ability in a fluid state, but the presence of water on
the solid surface will prevent adhesion.
The water resistance of bitumen is important; in general it is very good. Under certain
conditions water may be absorbed by minute quantities of inorganic salts in the bitumen
or by fillers in it. There is very difference in the absorption quantities of the pitches and
the asphalts.

Test for Flow Properties

The viscous or flow properties of bitumen are of importance. Both at the high
temperature encountered in processing and application and at the low temperature to
which bitumen are subjected to service. Flow properties are very complex and as a result
tests have been formulated to measure the consistency of the materials at temperatures
comparable to those encountered during the service life of the bitumen.

Penetration Test

The penetration test measures the depth of penetration in tenth of millimeters of a

weighted needle in to bitumen during a given time period at a known temperature.
Commonly, a weight of 100 g is applied for 5 s at a temperature of 25 o C. The penetration
is a measure of hardness; typical results are approximately 10 for hard coating- grade
asphalts, 15 to 40 for roofing asphalts and up to 100 or more for waterproofing asphalts.

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Building Material Notes

Softening Point Test

The softening – point test measure the temperature in degree Celsius at which a steel ball
falls a known surface through the bitumen when the test assembly is heated at a known
rate. The test consists of allowing a steel ball of 9.5 mm (3/8 in ) diameter and 6 mm ( ¼
in) thick being held in a brass ring , while the whole assembly is heated at the rate of
5 0c/min.
The softening point value is used to grade bitumen’s in to groups; typical values would
be as follows:
Up to 11.5 0C for coating –grade asphalt
From 60 to 104 0C for roofing asphalts
And down to 46 0C for water proofing materials

Ductility Test

Ductility test is conducted to determine the amount of bitumen will stretch a temperature
below its softening point. A briquet having a cross-sectional area of 6.45 cm 2 is placed in
a tester and elongated at a rate of 5 cm/min at a temperature of 25 0C. Ductility values
range from 0 to over 150 cm depending on the type of bitumen.

Viscosity Test

Viscosity tests are used to determine the flow characteristics of asphalt in the range of
temperatures used during application. One measures the kinematic viscosity of asphalt
cement at higher temperatures, such as 135 0C, and is usually carried out with the aid of a
gravity flow capillary viscometer. The result is the viscosity in stokes or centistokes.
Another test can be used to measure the viscosity of asphalt cements at lower.

Flash – Point Test

The flash test indicates the temperature to which the asphalt cement can be safely heated
without danger of instantaneous flash in the presence of an open flame. A brass cup in
partially filled with the cement and heated at a prescribed rate. A small flame is played
over the surface of the sample periodically, and the temperature at which an
instantaneous flash is produced is designated as the flash point.

Thin- Film Oven Test

This test is used to obtain a general indication of the amount of hardening which may be
expected to occur in asphalt cement during the plant mixing operation. A 50 cc sample of
cement is placed in a cylindrical pan 180.7 mm inside diameter and 9.5 mm deep. The
sample and container are then placed on a rotating shelf in an oven and maintained at a
temperature of 1632.8 0C for 5 h. the sample is then placed in a container used for the
penetration test and the results are taken. A full description of the test is given in ASTM
Method of test D 1754

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Building Material Notes

Solubility Test

A solubility test is used to determine the bitumen content of asphalt cement. A measured
amount of the cement to be tested is dissolved in CCl4 and the insoluble portion filtered
out and measured. The result is given as a percentage of soluble content. This test is
described in ASTM Method of Test.

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