PAVEMENT MATERIALS

Module 3, Lecture 3
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF BITUMEN
NIKHIL SABOO
CIVIL ENGINEERING

1
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO LEARN?
• BITUMEN- A BINDING AGENT
• PRODUCTION OF BITUMEN
• CHEMISTRY OF BITUMEN
• PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
• INTRODUCTION TO VISCOELASTICITY
• RHEOLOGICAL PROPERTIES
• GRADING OF BITUMEN
• MODIFIED BITUMEN
• BITUMEN EMULSION
• CUTBACK BITUMEN

2
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF BITUMEN
• Bitumen is a complex hydrocarbon and shows viscoelastic behavior

• Physical properties of bitumen can be broadly quantified using the following tests
• Consistency tests
• Durability tests
• Purity test
• Safety test

• Consistency: Degree of fluidity of asphalt binder at any

given temperature

3
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF BITUMEN
• Penetration of needle under given load (100
• Consistency Tests gm or 200 gm) after a fixed duration (5s or 60
• Penetration s) is measured in units of 0.1 mm (dmm)
• Softening point
• Ductility
• Viscosity
• Penetration test:
• Simple empirical test usually done at 25 °C
• Can also be done at lower temperature (for eg. 4 °C)
• Sample at the standard temperature is placed under
a needle of prescribed dimension.

4
5
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF BITUMEN
• Penetration test:
• Empirical test with high shear and short
loading time
• Is assumed to represent overall performance
• Penetration of bitumen from aged pavement
has been correlated with performance
• Penetration < 20 :Serious cracking
• Penetration (20-30) :Some cracking
• Penetration > 30 :Good resistance to cracking
“Use Soft Binder Ensuring a Minimum Stability of Mix at High
Pavement Temperature”

6
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF BITUMEN
• Softening point test:
• Determines the ‘phase change’ temperature of bitumen
• Ring and ball method is used
• Temperature at which the asphalt binder cannot support the weight of a
steel ball and starts flowing.
• Brass ring filled with bitumen and loaded with a steel ball is suspended in a
water (or ethylene glycol) bath which is heated at a constant rate (5 °C/min)

Mettler Toledo

7
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF BITUMEN
• Softening point test:
• Bitumen softens and the ball penetrates the sample and touches the
bottom of the plate which is at a distance of 25 mm.
• Temperature at touchdown is reported as the softening point.

8
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF BITUMEN
• Penetration test:
• Empirical test with high shear and short
loading time
• Is assumed to represent overall performance
• Penetration of bitumen from aged pavement
has been correlated with performance
• Penetration < 20 :Serious cracking
• Penetration (20-30) :Some cracking
• Penetration > 30 :Good resistance to cracking
“Use Soft Binder Ensuring a Minimum Stability of Mix at High
Pavement Temperature”

9
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF BITUMEN
• Softening point test:
• Determines the ‘phase change’ temperature of bitumen
• Ring and ball method is used
• Temperature at which the asphalt binder cannot support the weight of a
steel ball and starts flowing.
• Brass ring filled with bitumen and loaded with a steel ball is suspended in a
water (or ethylene glycol) bath which is heated at a constant rate (5 °C/min)

Mettler Toledo

10
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF BITUMEN
• Softening point test:
• Bitumen softens and the ball penetrates the sample and touches the
bottom of the plate which is at a distance of 25 mm.
• Temperature at touchdown is reported as the softening point.

11
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF BITUMEN
• Ductility test:
• Measures the distance (in cm) that a bitumen sample placed in a standard
briquette will stretch before failure when pulled at a standard rate (usually
5 cm/min) and at a standard temperature (usually 25 °C)
• SG of the water should be same as that of bitumen to prevent
floating/sinking of the stretched sample.
• Running the test at lower temperature (16 °C and 4 °C) is better for
quantifying the cracking resistance of HMA.

[Link]

12
13
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF BITUMEN
• Ductility test:
• Significance of the test has been debated because of its empirical nature
and poor reproducibility
• Ductility values lower than a certain value (<5 cm or <3 cm) at lower test
temperatures (13 °C or 16 °C) can quantify occurrence of cracking: Doyle;
Vallerga and Halstead
• At similar penetration values, asphalt binder with lower ductility shows
more cracking than asphalt binder with higher ductility
• Can differentiate between the cracking resistance of
asphalt binders if the test run on highly stiff binder:
Lower the test temperature; or, test the binder after
ageing

14
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF BITUMEN
• Viscosity test:
• Fundamental consistency measurement that is not affected by changes in
test configuration or geometry of the sample
• Defined as resistance to flow of a fluid
• For bitumen the measurement is done at 60 °C, 135 °C and/or at 160 °C
• At 60 °C capillary viscometer is used to measure the absolute viscosity.
• Cannon-Manning vacuum viscometer is typically used

15
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF BITUMEN
• Viscosity test:
• Bitumen is poured through the larger size opening to attain a specified level
within the tube
• Viscometer is kept in a water/oil bath at 60 °C for a prescribed period.
• A partial vacuum is applied on the smaller side to initiate the flow of
bitumen.
• Time required to flow between the timing marks is recorded
• Time is multiplied with the calibration factor of the
tube to calculate the viscosity (in Poises)
𝜂1
𝜂2 = 𝑡2 ×
𝑡1

16
17
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF BITUMEN
• Viscosity test:
• Kinematic viscosity of bitumen at 135 °C is also measured
• This temperature approximates the mixing and laydown temperature used
during construction of HMA
• At this temperature bitumen can flow through the capillary tube under
gravitational forces
• Procedure of filling is same as before.
• Slight vacuum is applied to induce gravitational flow
• Expressed in centistokes (cm2/s)

18
Pavement Interactive

19
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF BITUMEN
• Viscosity test:
• Superpave mix design also mandates the measurement of viscosity at 135
°C to ensure that the binder is fluid enough for pumping and mixing.
• For most of the bitumen stress is not dependent on rate of shear at
temperatures >100 °C
• 𝜼𝟏𝟑𝟓 ℃ < 𝟑 𝑷𝒂. 𝒔
• Torque required to maintain a constant rotational speed (20 rpm) of a
cylindrical spindle while submerged in the bitumen is related to viscosity.

20
Pavement in teractive

21
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF BITUMEN
• Viscosity test:
• Mixing and compaction temperature can also be determined.
• Test the binder at one additional temperature (for eg. 165 °C)
• A linear relationship is assumed between viscosity and temperature, and
the temperature ranges corresponding to the viscosity values of 0.17±0.02
Pa.s and 0.28±0.03 Pa.s are taken as mixing and compaction temperatures,
respectively.

22
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF BITUMEN
• Viscosity test:
• Viscosity at 60 °C has been correlated with resistance to rutting at high
pavement temperature.
• At locations having high pavement temperature, higher viscosity of asphalt
binder is desirable.
• Use of stiff binder at very low temperatures can cause non-load associated
transverse shrinkage cracks
• Ageing index defined using viscosity ratio is an
indication of ageing susceptibility and occurrence of
raveling. Ageing susceptibility is also correlated with
occurrence of early cracks in the pavement.

23
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF BITUMEN
• Popular Use of Physical Properties:
• Calculation of Temperature Susceptibility
• Calculation of Binder Stiffness

• Temperature Susceptibility
• Rate at which the consistency of a bitumen changes with
change in temperature
• Bitumen with high temperature susceptibility is not
desirable
• One of the commonly used method is the one proposed
by Pfeiffer and Van Doormaal, 1963
• Quantified using the term “Penetration Index” (PI)

24
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF BITUMEN
• Temperature Susceptibility
• PI is determined using the softening point of bitumen, its penetration at 25 °C and
an assumption that penetration at the softening point is 800
• Graph between logarithmic of penetration and temperature is plotted. Slope A of
this line is calculated
log 𝑃𝐸𝑁𝑇1 −log 𝑃𝐸𝑁𝑇2
• 𝐴=
𝑇1−𝑇2
𝟐𝟎−𝟓𝟎𝟎𝑨
• 𝑷𝑰 =
𝟏+𝟓𝟎𝑨
• Lower the value higher is the PI
• Most asphalt binder has a PI between -1 to +1

• Other Methods
• Pen-Vis Number (PVN)
• Viscosity-Temperature Susceptibility (VTS)
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26
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF BITUMEN
• Popular Use of Physical Properties:
• Calculation of Temperature Susceptibility
• Calculation of Binder Stiffness
𝜎
𝑆𝑡,𝑇 =
𝜀
• Binder Stiffness
• Structural design of pavement requires information on
mechanical properties of asphalt mixture.
• Stiffness modulus of asphalt mixture depends on stiffness
modulus of bitumen, and volumetrics of asphalt mixture.
• Stiffness is the relationship between stress and strain as a
function of temperature and time of loading
• Desirable: Higher stiffness at high service temperature,
lower stiffness at low service temperature

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28
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF BITUMEN
• Binder Stiffness
• Indirect and Direct methods are available.
• Van der Poel produced a nomograph that can predict the stiffness of bitumen at
any temperature and loading times using the values of softening point and
penetration index
• Can predict stiffness modulus within a factor of 2
• Stiffness of HMA can be determined using the stiffness of asphalt binder
• Heukelomp and Klomp modified the relationships and use of Van der Poel
nomograph
• Further modifications proposed by McLeod based on
pen-vis number
• McLeod nomograph has an accuracy (w.r.t diametral
creep stiffness modulus) of a factor of 2

29
30
Example:

As asphalt mixture is produced with

5.5% bitumen content and 4% air
voids. If the bulk density of the mix is
2.45, calculate the stiffness (35 °C) of
the mix at a loading time of 0.1 s. The
bitumen used has a penetration of 40
dmm at 25 °C and the softening point
recorded is 54 °C.

31
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF BITUMEN
• Durability Tests: Durability tests quantifies the effect of ageing on the properties
of asphalt binder
• Bitumen ages during hot storage, production and in-service
• Organic molecules are affected by the presence of oxygen, UV radiation and
changes in temperature
• Leads to increase in stiffness and increase in penetration index (PI)
• As many as 15 different factors are responsible: Shell Bitumen Handbook
• Important factors are:
• Oxidation
• Volatilization
• Steric or Physical Hardening
• Exudation of Oils
32
Traxler, 1963
Shell Bitumen Handbook,
Sixth Edition

33
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF BITUMEN
• Oxidation:
• Polar groups containing oxygen are formed and tends to associate into
micelles (increases viscosity)
• Formation of carbonyl groups increases the molecular weight
• Degree of oxidation: f (temperature, period of exposure, film thickness)
• Above 100 °C, 10 °C increase in temperature doubles the stiffness of
bitumen
• Loss of Volatiles:
• Lower weight oils gets evaporated
• Function of temperature and exposure conditions
• Dense graded mixtures with higher film thickness of
bitumen are more resistant to loss of volatiles
34
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF BITUMEN
• Steric/Physical Hardening:
• Combination of reorientation/restructuring of molecules within the
bitumen and slow crystallization of waxes
• Application of heat will reverse the process

• Exudation of Oils:
• Movement of light oil fractions of bitumen into
aggregates
• Function of exudation tendency of bitumen and
porosity of aggregates

35
 • Temperature
• Type of plant
𝑡 • Bitumen Film thickness
∆𝑃 =
𝐴 + 𝐵𝑡 • Air-voids
• Extent of UV rays
• Position of the mix

36
Mainly sulfoxides and ketones are produced with
lesser amounts of dicarboxylic anhydrides and
carboxylic acids at a later time after aging

Chipperfield et al., 1970

Shell Bitumen Handbook,
Sixth Edition

37
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF BITUMEN
• Durability Tests:
• Short Term Ageing: Binder undergoes short term ageing when they are
mixed with the aggregates at elevated temperature.
• Long Term Ageing: The long term ageing continues during the service life
when the pavement is continuously exposed to environmental and other
factors
Shell Bitumen Handbook

38
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF BITUMEN
• Durability Tests
• Short Term Ageing: Thin Film Oven (TFO) and Rolling Thin Film Oven (RTFO)
tests are used to approximate the short term hardening which occurs in the
HMA mixing plant.

Matest
Vertex

39
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF BITUMEN
• Durability Tests
• Short Term Ageing

• TFO:
• 50 g sample is kept in a cylindrical flat bottom
• Sample is conditioned at 163 °C and shelf is rotated
at 5-6 rev/min for 5 hours.
• Change in properties of material such as
penetration or viscosity is commonly used to
quantify the effect of ageing
• Loss or gain in weight is also measured and
reported.
40
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF BITUMEN
• Durability Tests
• Short Term Ageing

• RTFO:
• A specified amount of binder is placed in the
transparent glass bottle.
• Bottle is placed in the RTFO rack at 163 °C and
rotated around the horizontal axis.
• Orifice of the sample bottle passes in front of an air-
jet (4000 ml/min) which purges the vapor
accumulated inside the bottle.

41
42
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF BITUMEN
• Durability Tests
• Long Term Ageing: Pressure Ageing Vessel (PAV) is used to approximate the
long term ageing which occurs in the service condition.

Pavement Interactive

43
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF BITUMEN
• Durability Tests
• Long Term Ageing

• PAV:
• RTFO aged samples are placed in stainless steel pans
for 20 hours in a heated pressurized vessel (2.1 MPa)
at a standard temperature.
• 90 °C, 100 °C or 110 °C
• Sample is removed, pressure is gradually released,
kept in oven at 163 °C for 15 minutes.
• Scrapped samples kept in a vacuum oven for 30 mins
at 170 °C for degassing to remove entrapped air.
44
Farrar, M. J., R. W. Grimes, C. Sui, J. Pascal Planche, S.
C. Huang, T. F. Turner, and R. Glaser. 2012. “Thin film
oxidative aging and low temperature performance
grading using small plate dynamic shear rheometry:
An alternative to standard RTFO, PAV and BBR.” In
Proc., 5th Eurasphalt and Eurobitume Congress. Brussels,
Belgium: Foundation Eurasphalt.

45
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF BITUMEN
• Purity Test: Used to see the quality of supplied bitumen
• Bitumen is entirely soluble in carbondisulphide/tricholoroethylene
• Binder of known weight is dissolved in the standard solvent and filtered
through a glass fibre pad.
• Insoluble material is washed, dried and weighed.
• As per specifications, impurity should not be more than 1%.
[Link]

46
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF BITUMEN
• Safety Test: To ensure safe working condition while heating bitumen
• Flash and Fire point (s) are measured using a Cleavland open cup apparatus
• Flash point is the temperature to which bitumen can be safely heated
without any danger of instantaneous flash in presence of open flame.
• At fire point, a little higher temperature than flash point, the material
combusts in presence of open flame.
• Brass cup filled with bitumen is continuously heated
at a prescribed rate and a small flame is passed over
the surface of the cup periodically.
• Temperature at which the vapor flashes and
combust are recorded

47
[Link]

The constructor

48
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF BITUMEN
• Test Procedures:

49
Thank You

50
 PAVEMENT MATERIALS
Module 3, Lecture 6
INTRODUCTION TO VISCOELASTICITY
NIKHIL SABOO
CIVIL ENGINEERING

51
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO LEARN?
• BITUMEN- A BINDING AGENT
• PRODUCTION OF BITUMEN
• CHEMISTRY OF BITUMEN
• PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
• INTRODUCTION TO VISCOELASTICITY
• RHEOLOGICAL PROPERTIES
• GRADING OF BITUMEN
• MODIFIED BITUMEN
• BITUMEN EMULSION
• CUTBACK BITUMEN

52
DEFINITION
• Viscoelasticity is the property of a material that exhibits both ‘elastic’ and
‘viscous’ characteristics when undergoing deformation
• When loaded: there is an instantaneous deformation, followed by a continuous
deformation
• When unloaded: part recovers instantaneously, more recovery with time, and
some permanent set
• Can be studied using “Transient” and “Dynamic (Oscillatory)” experiments

1 1
𝜀 𝑡 = 𝜎(𝑡) 𝜀 𝑡ሶ = 𝜎(𝑡)
𝐸 𝜂

53
LINEAR VISCOELASTICITY
𝜎(𝑡)
𝐺 𝑡 =
𝛾

𝜎(𝑡, 𝛾)
𝐺 𝑡, 𝛾 =
𝛾

• Typically, bitumen
is characterized
under linear
viscoelastic
regime

54
BOLTZMANN SUPERPOSITION PRINCIPLE
• Applicable for linear viscoelastic materials
• The Boltzmann Superposition Principle states that the
stresses from the two deformations are additive
• Holds for any combination of small strains with strain
history
𝝈 𝒕 = 𝑮 𝒕 − 𝒕𝟏 𝜹𝜸 𝒕𝟏 𝑡1 < 𝑡 < 𝑡2

𝝈 𝒕 = 𝑮 𝒕 − 𝒕𝟏 𝜹𝜸 𝒕𝟏 + 𝑮 𝒕 − 𝒕𝟐 𝜹𝜸 𝒕𝟐 𝑡2 < 𝑡 < 𝑡3
………. 𝒕
𝝈 𝒕 = න 𝑮 𝒕 − 𝒕′ 𝜹𝜸 𝒕′
𝝈 𝒕 = σ𝑵
𝒊=𝟏 𝑮 𝒕 − 𝒕𝒊 𝜹𝜸 𝒕𝒊 𝑡 > 𝑡𝑁 𝟎
𝒕
𝝈 𝒕 = න 𝑮 𝒕 − 𝒕′ 𝜸ሶ 𝒕′ 𝒅𝒕′
−∞

55
TTSP

• Response at low temperature is

similar to the response at higher
frequency (fast loading rate)
• Response at higher temperature is
similar to the response at lower
frequency (slow loading rate)
• This correspondence between time
and temperature is a characteristics
of ‘simple thermo-rheological
materials’ such as bitumen
• Can be used to construct master
curve for any given rheological
parameter

56
57
RHEOLOGY AND DSR
• Rheology is the study of flow and deformation characteristics
• Rheological characteristics of bitumen is generally determined using a dynamic shear
rheometer (DSR)
• DSR facilitates measurement of wide range of properties at varying loading conditions in
short test time

Response can be
measured in
controlled stress,
as well as
controlled strain
mode

58
Responses
• The response of a purely elastic material will be ‘in-phase’ with the input load (δ=0°)
• The response of a purely viscous material will be ‘out of phase’ with the input load (δ=90°)
• Viscoelastic response of bitumen lies between these extreme responses (0°< δ<90°)
𝜺 = 𝜺𝟎 𝐬𝐢𝐧(𝝎𝒕)

1 1
𝜀 𝑡 =
𝐸
𝜎(𝑡) 𝜀 𝑡ሶ = 𝜎(𝑡)
𝜂

𝜎(𝑡) = 𝐸𝜀0 sin(𝜔𝑡) 𝜎(𝑡) = 𝜂𝜀0 𝜔cos(𝜔𝑡)

𝜎(𝑡) = 𝐸𝜀0sin(𝜔𝑡 + 0) 𝜎(𝑡) = 𝜂𝜀0𝜔sin (𝜔𝑡 + 90)

59
 • The stiffness parameter in
oscillatory shear testing is denoted
as ‘complex shear modulus’ and is
represented as G*
• It is the ratio of shear stress to
shear strain
𝜀 ∗ = 𝜀0 sin 𝜔𝑡 𝑂𝑅 𝜀0𝑒 𝑖𝜔𝑡

𝜎 ∗ = 𝜎0 sin 𝜔𝑡 + 𝛿 𝑂𝑅 𝜎0 𝑒 𝑖(𝜔𝑡+𝛿)
PerkinElmer
𝜎 ∗ 𝜎0 𝜎0
𝐺∗ = ∗ = cos 𝛿 + 𝑖 sin 𝛿
Stiffness alone cannot 𝜀 𝜀0 𝜀0
be used to describe the 𝐺 ∗ = 𝐺 ′ + 𝑖𝐺 ′′
response of asphalt ′′ 𝐺 ′′
𝐺 𝜂′ =
binder tan(𝛿) = ′ 𝜔
𝐺
60
DSR Parameters for Bitumen Testing
• Linear Viscoelastic (LVE) Regime: Generally standard DSR measurements are made within
the linear viscoelastic regime to ensure application of TTSP and related theories
• As per SHRP, LVE is the point at which the value of G* drops to 95% of its initial value
• LVE limits are function of both time (frequency) and temperature, and can be evaluated
using amplitude sweep tests
• LVE is stiffness dependent
12
𝛾𝐿𝑉𝐸 =
𝐺∗ 0.29

0.12
𝜎𝐿𝑉𝐸 =
𝐺 ∗ 0.71
From SHRP applicable to unmodified
bitumen at 10 rad/sec
61
DSR Parameters for Bitumen Testing
• Spindle and Plate Gap: Stress and strain in DSR are calculated using the values of Torque,
Rotational angle of the spindle, and Sample geometry
2𝑇 Disk Testing Typical
• 𝜏= 3 Diamete Temperatur G*
𝜋𝑟
r e Range range, Pa
8 mm 0˚C to +40˚C 105 to 107
𝜃𝑟
• 𝜀= 25 mm +40˚C to 103 to 105
ℎ
+80˚C
40 mm >80˚C <103
• 𝜏 = 𝐺𝜀
• DSR has upper and lower torque limitations
• Lower temperature and higher frequency: Binder is stiff and has lower LVE strain.
Higher stress (to accommodate stiffness at maximum torque level) can be achieved
by lowering the radius of the spindle. Lower LVE strain on the other hand can be
achieved by increasing the height of the gap
• Higher temperature and lower frequency: Low stress level can be produced by
increasing the radius. Higher LVE can be accommodated by lowering the gap width
62
Common Tests and Plots
• DSR is a robust machine which can be used to study various rheological aspects related to
any polymeric system
• Common type of tests (Oscillation) used during the study of bitumen
• Strain/Amplitude sweep test: Identification of LVE limits, etc.
• Frequency sweep Test: Master curves, Black Diagrams, Cole-Cole Plots, etc.
• Temperature sweep Test: Temperature susceptibility, etc.
• Common plots:
• Isochronal plots: Variation with temperature (fixed frequency)
• Isothermal plots: Variation with frequency (fixed temp)
• Master curves: TTSP
• Black diagrams: Frequency Temperature independence
• Cole-Cole diagrams: Frequency Temperature independence

63
Rheological Parameters and Performance
• Rheological tests on bitumen are done to cover the
intermediate to high in-service temperature
• Performance related to fatigue (intermediate
temperature) and rutting (high in-service temperature)
can be quantified through rheological parameters of
bitumen
• Some popular parameters are:
• Rutting: G*/sinδ; Unrecoverable creep compliance
(Jnr), etc.

• Fatigue: G*· sinδ; Time sweep tests; analysis based

on viscoelastic continuum damage (VECD) principles,
etc.

64
Grading of Bitumen: Penetration Grade
• Up to 1900s: Mostly natural bitumen was used for construction. Appearance and
solubility in carbon disulfide were used for checking the bitumen quality
• Growth of petroleum industry necessitated the use of alternative methods to judge
bitumen consistency
• HC Bowen in 1888 invented Penetration Machine. Chewing test was also common before
Penetrometer became popular
• 1918: First specification by Bureau of Public Roads based on penetration at 25 °C.
Published by AASHO in 1931.
• Grades (ASTM D946): 40-50, 60-70, etc.

A, B and C can have same penetration

but different performance

65
Grading of Bitumen: Viscosity Grade
• Early 1960s: Development of viscosity grading (based on viscosity at 60 °C)
• Replacement of empirical test by a fundamental test
• 60 °C was the average maximum surface temperature in US during hot summers
• During 1960s: Aged residue (AR) viscosity grading system by California Department of
Highways: To avoid tender mix problems; bitumen's after mixing will behave same during
construction
• Grades such as AC 2.5, AC 5, upto AC 40 (ASTM D3381, AAHTO M226)
• Other requirements available
• Penetration at 25 °C
• Viscosity at 135 °C
• Safety
• Ductility on aged binder at 25 °C

66
Grading of Bitumen: Indian Specification

• IS 73-1950: Specification for asphaltic bitumen and fluxed mastic asphalt for road making
purposes
• First revision in 1961: Paving grades- accommodated IS 1201-1220(1958): Methods for
testing Tar and Bitumen
• Second revision in 1992 to accommodate revised IS 1201-1220 (1978): Waxy and non-
waxy crude grades
• Third revision in 2006: Viscosity grading system (VG 10 to VG 40)
• Fourth revision in 2013: 2006 refined

67
68
IS 73: 2006

IS 73: 2013

69
Grading of Bitumen: Superpave
• 5 year Strategic Highway research Program (SHRP) launched in 1987
• $50 million program to develop performance-based specifications for asphalt binders and
mixtures
• Superpave (Superior Performing Asphalt Pavements) mix design and PG (performance
graded) asphalt binder grading system was developed in mid 1990s
• Why was there a need?
• Existing specifications were empirical
• Same test temperatures irrespective of project location
• Long term aging not considered
• Binders can have different temperature and performance
within the same grading system
• Not applicable to modified binders

70
Stiffness

A,B and C displaying

the same grade, but
actually have different
properties.

Temperature, °C

71
Grading of Bitumen: Superpave
• A unique feature of Superpave specification is that the specified criteria remain constant,
but the temperature at which the criteria must be achieved changes for various grades
• Superpave tests measures physical properties which can be related directly to field
performance by engineering principles
• Test temperature are those which the binder encounters in practice
• Specifications for selecting binder on the basis of critical distresses: Rutting, Fatigue
cracking and low temperature cracking
Equipment Purpose
RTFO; PAV Simulates binder ageing
DSR Properties at high and intermediate temperature
RV Properties at high temperatures
BBR & DTT Properties at low temperatures

72
 Original

Original and
PAV aged RTFOT aged

30
Temperature, Deg Cel
PG 64-12 Mark D Blow

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Grading of Bitumen: Superpave
Performance Equipment and Test Parameters
Parameter
Rutting • Carried out on un-aged and short term aged binder ? Why these temperatures
• Test temperature is seven day average maximum ? Why these ageing
temperature ?Why these parameters
• DSR operated in constant stress mode, 10-12 % strain, ?How stress controlled
10 radians/sec ?Why 10 rad/sec
• G*/sinδ ≥ 1 kPa (un-aged) and 2.2 kPa (RTFO aged) ? Why these specifications
Fatigue • Carried out on long term aged binder
• Test temperature is average pavement temperature
calculated as (Average seven day max pavement temp +
Min pavement temp)/2 + 4 °C
• DSR operated in constant stress mode, 1% strain, 10
radians/sec
• G*·sinδ < 5000 kPa (PAV aged)
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Grading of Bitumen: Superpave
• Bending Beam Rheometer (BBR): Testing bitumen's affinity to low temperature cracking
(AASHTO TP1)
• Applies transient creep load on a bitumen beam specimen, immersed in a fluid
(mixture of glycol, methanol and water) bath, maintained at low temperature
• Dimension (ASTM D790) chosen to ensure applicability of Bernoulli-Euler theory of
bending prismatic beams
• Blunt-nose shaft is used to load the beam
• Load and deflection data is used to calculate a) Creep Stiffness, S(t); b) m-value: rate
of change in S(t) with time
• 100 g load is applied for 240 seconds
• Creep stiffness is calculated at 60 s
𝑃𝐿3
𝑆 𝑡 =
4𝑏ℎ3 𝛿(𝑡)

75
 • Desired value
is obtained
after 2 hours
at minimum
pavement
temperature
• TTSP is used
Thermometer

76
Grading of Bitumen: Superpave
• Direct Tension Test (DTT): Testing stiff and ductile asphalt
binders (AASHTO TP3)
• A small dog-shaped specimen is subjected tension (500
N) at a constant rate (1 mm/min) until it breaks
• Failure strain is calculated as change in length to the
effective gauge length
• Breaking load and maximum load (at which failure
strain is measured) can be different

77
Grading of Bitumen: Superpave
Performance Equipment and Test Parameters
Parameter
Low • Carried out on long term aged specimens
temperature • Test temperature is 10 °C higher than the lowest
cracking temperature
• BBR and DTT
• S(t) < 300 Mpa
• m value > 0.3 kPa
• Failure strain: 1% minimum

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AASHTO MP1/M320

Control Rutting

Control Fatigue

Control Thermal
Cracking
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Grading of Bitumen: Superpave
• PG 76 and 82 to be used for slow transient and stationary vehicular loads. It may be
used for locations with high traffic volume
• If the difference between high and low PG temperature is more than 90 °C, use PMBs
• Temperatures refer to the pavement temperature (depth of 20 mm)
• Gaped at 6 °C: Reduction in temperature by 6 °C, approximately doubles the viscosity

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 • Reliability is the percent
probability in a single year that
the actual temperature (one day
low or 7 day average high) will
not exceed corresponding design
temperature
• The standard deviation in the
graph aside is 2 °C (hot) and 4 °C
(cold)

Grade Bumping (High Temperature): 1 for slow transient

loads and 2 for stationary loads

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PG+

82
230 °C
135 °C

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Grading of Bitumen: Superpave
S. No. Rheological Tests ASTM Code AASHTO Code
1 Basic Rheological Properties ASTM D7175 AASHTO T315

2 Performance Grading ASTM D6373 AASHTO M320

3 Bending Beam Rheometer ASTM D6648 AASHTO T313
4 Direct Tension Tester ASTM D6723 AASHTO T314
Other Accelerated Tests
Multiple Stress Creep and
5 ASTM D7405 AASHTO T350
Recovery
6 PG based on MSCR ASTM D8239 AASHTO M332
7 Linear Amplitude Sweep NA AASHTO T391

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Thank You

85