Latest Developments in SBS-PMB Technology

Highly Modified Asphalt

(HiMA)
Roads and Airport Applications

Manpreet Sethi

9th January 2023

PWD Rajasthan, Jaipur
 Kraton – A Part of Your Daily Life

Our innovations Roads Fiber Optic Cables

In a constantly connected
improve the Kraton innovations allow
world, we rely on fiber optic
quality of for the development of
cables to keep our cellphone
highly modified asphalt
countless designed to withstand
data and internet lines
running.
everyday items extreme hot or cold
that enhance weather as well as high
Kraton polymers protect the
traffic.
your way of life. cable’s fiber by reducing the
likelihood of water
A longer lasting road and
penetration, allowing for
shorter reconstruction time
fast and continuous contact
allow for a safer driving
with everyone around you.
experience while reducing
carbon footprint.
Baby Diapers
Our innovations
provide the
excellent
recovery to
withstand
repeated pull up- Wood Coatings
and-down cycles A protective layer of
along with alkyd-based coating
stretch, fit and or varnish will
breathability so protect your wooden
young ones can floors and stairs
continue while keeping them
to be on the looking new.
move.
Kraton D-1101 Polymer Introduced May 3, 1965
 Kraton’s History
 50+ Years of Innovation and Growth

• Original inventor of styrenic block copolymer (SBC) chemistry in the 1960s.

• Elastomers Division of Shell Chemicals is todays Kraton Polymer Division.
• Breakthrough in HIMA Technology.
• Present in India since 1993. First Indian PMB standard IS15462 was based on Kraton Polymers.
Our Products
 Global Presence

Paving
Application Lab
MUMBAI
 General India Paving Update

:
Projects Completed
Projects Plan : 2023

Kraton’s Pan India Presence:

• More Than 7000 lane kms using Kraton SBS.

• More than 800 lane kms HiMA
• 12 Airports have used D1192/D0243
• 27 NH / Expressways are using D0243/D1192.
• 1 National Level Gold Award
 National Highways Excellence Awards : India

CUBE Highways won ‘Gold Award’ for National Highway-21 for use of HiMA Technology under ‘Innovation’ category.

Awarded by Hon’ble Minister of Road Transport & Highways, Sh. Nitin Gadkari on 14th January 2020.

40 lane km section using full HiMA was paved in 2017.

Expected pavement life > 1.5 to 2 times of ordinary PMB.
Properties of Ordinary Bitumen

10
Modified Bituminous Binders

Why do we need ?
K
General Categories of
Modified Binders

Elastomers

Plastomers
 Elastomers
n Can be stretched like a rubber band and
recover the shape when the force is released
n Add a little strength to bitumen, however
get stronger when stretched (strained)
n Examples: SBS (styrene-butadiene-styrene)
and ETP (ethylene tar polymer)
 Plastomers
n Form a tough, rigid network within the
bitumen
n Give high initial strength to bitumen to
resist heavy loads
n May crack at high strains
n Examples: EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate)
and polyethylene
How Does Rubber Behave?

17
KRATON Mission + Vision and Core Values 18
Study of Mixes using different modifiers

Study by IIT Madras in 2018.

It is better to use CRMB instead of Plastomers

19
BITUMEN / ASPHALT
 Asphalt

Elementary analysis of asphalt from variety of

crude sources indicates:

Carbon: 82-88%
Hydrogen: 8-11%
Sulfur: 0-6%
Oxygen: 0-1.5%
Nitrogen: 0-1%
+ traces of various metals
 Bitumen composition (SARA)

Saturates
Paraffins
▪ Oily components absorbed in
polybutadiene
Naphthenes
Maltenes

Aromatics
▪ Solvent for the polymer
▪ Too much results in domain weakening

Resins
OH
▪ Provide strength and viscosity
N
H
Asphaltenes
Aromatic sheets
▪ Stiffness and brittleness OH
COOH

▪ Competing for solvency with polymers O

O
Paraffinic side chain

22
 Iatroscan SARA Analysis

Boxplot of Saturates, Aromatics, Resins, Asphaltenes

70 Component Base Average
(%) Bitumen
60

Saturates 10.7 13.9

50

Aromatics 53.2 55.5

40
Data

Resins 17.9 18.6

30

Asphaltenes 18.2 19.1

20

10

0
Saturates Aromatics Resins Asphaltenes

CONFIDENTIAL

23
 Polymer
and
SBS Polymer Architecture
 What is a polymer?
Polymer = many mers (repeating units)

Polymers can be natural (skin, leather, natural rubber) or

synthetic
Copolymer structures
Copolymers:

Random:

Sequential:

Block:
 Block copolymers
Kraton thermoplastic elastomers are block copolymers.

Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene (SBS):
Polybutadiene (Tg~-90°C)

Polystyrene (Tg~100°C)
SBS Polymers : Block Structure

28
Most common Kraton™ SBS grades for
bitumen applications
Grade Linear/Radial Polystyrene Di-block
content (%) content (%)
Mainly paving
D1101 Linear 31 16
D1102 Linear 28 17
D1157 Linear 29 <1
D1116 Radial 23 16
D1118 Linear 33 78
D0243 Linear 33 75 High vinyl
D1192 Linear 30 <1 High vinyl
Mainly roofing
D1184 Radial 31 16
D1189 Radial 31 16
D1191 Radial 33 18 High vinyl

29
 Selected Kraton D grades (SBS)

Diblock Triblock Radial

(Very Common)
 High Vinyl : Reactive Double Bond

Kraton™ D0243/D1192 polymer

 Challenges
▪ Workability issues with more than 5%
standard SBS modification High vinyl

▪ Compatibility issues with most bitumens

▪ Variations in behaviour of the ‘same’

bitumen

▪ Slight changes causing large shifts in

softening point
D1101 Type vs D1192
D1101 Type vs D1192
D1101 Type vs D1192
Proven Thermal Stability : Even at 21 Days
SBS Polymer blending in Bitumen
and
Crosslinking
 Blending asphalt with SBS

Pellets:
• Easy handling
• Free flowing
• Bulk storage
• High bulk density

Powder:
• Quick dissolving
• Low shear processing
Blending asphalt with SBS
Elastic strength of SBS comes from polystyrene
associations:
Blending asphalt with SBS
However, more elastic strength can be added by
creating chemical joints on the rubber segments of SBS
Blending asphalt with SBS – curing polymer
However, more elastic strength can be added by
creating chemical joints on the rubber segments of SBS
Blending asphalt with SBS – curing polymer
Crosslinking of the rubber segments can be achieved by
using a crosslinker (sulfur) or by thermal curing in case
of polymers containing high vinyl amounts.
What makes a polymer act like one?
Un-crosslinked Crosslinked polymer Semi-crystalline
polymer polymer
 Maturing process to influence phase morphology

0h 1h 2h

3h 5h 15 h

43
HiMA (Highly Modified Asphalt)
Concept and laboratory testing
What Is HIMA (Highly Modified Asphalt) ?

 Highly Modified Asphalt is

exactly what it says, asphalt
with more than double the
normal amount of SBS polymer.
 This gives a much denser
polymer network with up to 10X
rutting and upto 100X fatigue
cracking resistance.

Over 3,000,000 tons in over

100 projects around the
world have demonstrated
superior performance at
reduced thickness.

45
 Increase SBS: performance step change

HiMA
100

90
Softening Point[°C]

Continuous Polymer Rich Phase

80
Max Benefit
70
‘
60

50
Discontinuous Polymer Rich Phase
40
0 2 4 6 8 10
SBS Content [%] 46
Crack propagation in polymer modified bitumen
Asphaltenes continuous phase:

47
HiMA vs PEN/VG
HiMA Specifications (AASHTO M332 & IS )

Test Method / HiMA

Sr. No. Property
Specification Specification
1
Grade AASHTO M 332:2014 PG76E-28

2 Viscosity@ 135C, max, Pa.s ASTM D4402 3

3 Polymer content, min, % mass Supplier Certificate 7.5
4 SBS Polymer Content (FTIR), min, % mass ASTM E168, E1252 7.5
Separation Test: Absolute difference between G*
5 @ 76C and 10 rad/s of Top and Bottom Specimens, ASTM D7173 10
max, %
6 Solubility, min, % ASTM D2042 99
7 Flash Point, min, C ASTM D92 230
8 Softening Point (R&B), C, Min IS 1205 90*
Elastic Recovery of Half Thread in ductilometer at
9 IRC SP53:2010 90*
15 C, %, min
Rolling Thin Film Oven (RTFO) Residue
10 Mass Change, max, % ASTM D2872 1
11 MSCR Jnr3.2 @ 76C, max, kPa-1 ASTM D7405 0.1
12 MSCR, Recovery R3.2 @76C, min, % ASTM D7405 90
Pressurized Aging Vessel (PAV) Residue
13 PAV Aging Temperature, C ASTM D6521 100
Dynamic Shear, G*Xsin delta @ 25C and 10 rad/s,
14 ASTM D7175 5000
max, kPa
15 Bending Beam, S @ -18C and 60s, max, Mpa ASTM D6648 300

16 Bending Beam, m-value @ -18C and 60s, min ASTM D6648 0.3
Example of Highly Modified Bitumen Specification
Schiphol Airport 1991 32 Years Old Concept

However! This was 1991! Standard D1101 polymer in 200 pen bitumen
and it was still a challenge to work.
With our current technology we can do this with standard any bitumen
and still have any easy working mix.
50
Delft University: Testing & Modelling
 Delft University: Testing & Modelling

TU Delft TU Delft

Polymer Asphalt fatigue tests Fundamental asphalt tests

Modelling asphalt Modelling structure Calculate ‘damage’

for 1 element
TU Delft
TU Delft

TU Delft
Delft University Finite Element Modelling
7.5% D0243: 40% thinner asphalt and still less damage

Kraton™ D0243 polymer

Unmodified modified
(250mm) (150mm)

0.0255
0.024
0.0225
0.021
0.0195
0.018
0.0165
0.015
0.0135
0.012
0.0105
0.009
0.0075
0.006
0.0045
0.003
0.0015
0
53
Wheel tracking - rutting test
10X less rutting vs unmodified

unmodified bitumen
90 PEN

100PEN bitumen
+ 3% SBS

100PEN bitumen
+ 5% SBS

100PEN bitumen
+ 7% SBS

0 5 10 15
Rutting rate at 40 °C [mm / 100000 wheel passes]
54
Fatigue lines – 4 point bending
Effect of continuous polymer phase on asphalt fatigue

Testing at Delft University of Technology

100X improved fatigue vs unmodified

>100X

Measured with full sine

loading in 4 point bending
(20 ºC, 8 Hz)

55
HiMA – what it brings
Upto 40% HiMA solution
Thickness Reduction
▪ Kraton™ D0243 polymer
Wearing Course ▪ Low viscosity polymers create high performing
modified bitumen binders
▪ Compatibility with a wide range of bitumen
Base Course ▪ Ease of handling while paving
HiMA has the ability to deliver
▪ Thickness reduction of up to 40%
▪ Heavy Duty Asphalt
Subbase
▪ Superior rutting and crack resistance
Subgrade ▪ 10 to 15% initial savings over pen grade
bitumen with less materials and energy
▪ Lower maintenance requirements

56
National Centre for Asphalt Technology
NCAT
 NCAT Trials

National Center for Asphalt Technology

Auburn, Alabama
– 2.7 km dedicated test track
– 10 MM ESALs, full pavement lifetime
simulated in 2+ years
Thin structural test section N7 (2009)
– 18% thinner pavement, 145 mm versus
– 175 mm control sections
– 1/3 as much rutting
– No cracking
Structural rehabilitation N8 (2010)
– Oklahoma sponsored section
– Standard rehab (2009) failed in 10 months
– HiMA rehabilitation 4 mm rutting and no cracking at 24 months
Continuing N7 & N8 for 2012 cycle
Invited to also participate in preservation sections, e.g.
microsurfacing, for 2012 cycle

5
8
 Relative Performance of Control S9 Section and
Highly Modified N7 Section – 17 MM ESALs

3/14 Rutting 2/14 Crack Maps

S9 6.0 mm

N7 1.6 mm

N7 showing a few hairline cracks that

are not growing 59
Asphalt Structure Fatigue Resistance from Modelling predictions

25x better fatigue resistance of the structure

7.5%
SBS

3%
SBS
NCAT Conclusions

61
HIMA in 12 Years….
HIMA in 12 Years….
Modulus and Stiffness (CRRI)
HIMA Binder and Mix Testing at CRRI-2019

65
HIMA Binder Testing at IIT Madras

66
India’s First HiMA Test Section :
August 2015
A joint effort of

Central Road Research Institute (CRRI),

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR),
Government of India.

&

Kraton Polymers India Pvt. Ltd.,

Mumbai, India
Project Location

Link Road connecting

National Highway 24 with
National Highway 58 near
Ghaziabad City in Delhi
National Capital Region in
Uttar Pradesh State of
India.

HiMA Test Section

INDIA

February
2011 68
Project Details

Project Authority : Ghaziabad Development Authority,

Government of Uttar Pradesh State.

Main Contractor : M/s ITD Cementation India Pvt. Ltd, Mumbai.

(Formerly known as M/s Trafalgar House, UK)

Paving Contractor : M/s MYC Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd. Noida, Uttar Pradesh State.

Third Party Q/C : Central Road Research Institute,

Govt. of India, New Delhi.

HiMA PMB Formulation : M/s AR Thermosets Pvt. Ltd, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh State.

Section Paving Dates : 15-20 August 2015.

Project Inauguration : January 2016

69
Technical Details

Base Binder : VG 30

Polymer Dosage : 7.5 % of Kraton D0243 ET

Type of Blending : Low shear

Blending Temperature : 180-190o C

Blending Time : 6 hours.

HiMA PMB Properties : Softening Point-91o C;

Elastic Recovery- 92%;
Viscosity- 9 Sec

PMB Storage : PMB cooled to 35o C and reheated after 3 weeks.

Separation : Nil. PMB was stable.

DBM / BC Mix Temp : 170-180o C

Paving Temp : 145-160o C

70
Photographs

Kettle Temp @ Blending

Paving in Progress With CRRI Scientist

Mix Temp @ HMP

Mix Temp @ Laying Compaction in Progress Paving Completed

71
HiMA Section Completed

72
 HIMA based Wearing Courses in Mumbai

Softening Point >90 C

Elastic Recovery >90%
 HIMA based Wearing Courses in Maha PWD

Softening Point >90 C

Elastic Recovery >90%
Performance Certificate
HIMA- A waterproofing solution for Mumbai roads.

Replaced Mastic
Asphalt with HIMA
based mixes.
Pothole free for 3
years…
Jaipur Agra Section Location

India
Cube Highways has acquired majority stake in Jaipur
Mahua Tollway Limited (JMTL). JMTL operates the 109
km stretch on the Jaipur Agra National Highway 11 in
the state of Rajasthan, under the Build Operate
Transfer (BOT) scheme.

7
7
 Kraton and XXXX Highways

Section 1 : Overlay completed in April 2018. Tried 4 different technologies.

HiMA : Kraton D0243(7.5%). Excellent performance.

SMA+Semi-HIMA : Kraton D0243(5%). Failed. Rutting and bleeding
Semi-HIMA : Kraton(4.25%). Excellent performance
Semi-HIMA : LG 411 (4.25%). Not satisfactory. Rutting and undulations

There was no technical assistance by LG Chemicals and perhaps no control on cross linking / curing.

HIMA is treated as HEAVY DUTY ASPHALT. New marketing tool by KRA.

KRA provided :
1. Complete hand holding right from PMB formulations to paving mixes at site.
2. Encouraged PMB producer to establish a laboratory that have advanced testing equipment.
3. Provided our own HIMA Specifications to Industry.

Section 2 : Overlay commencing in October 2018.

• Based on the performance of Section-1, CUBE has decided to go for Semi-HIMA ‘only with Kraton
Polymers for the entire section. Specified Kraton Polymers in the Bid Documents.
• Kraton polymers are 30% costlier than LG polymers.
• All the three selected bidders have commenced buying D0243ET and D1192ET
• Total SBS requirement is estimated to be 180-200 MT.

7
8
 Rut Resistent Surfacing @ HiMA 2017

• Jaipur Agra NH 11
National Highway-11

Freshly Paved HiMA Layer

80
National Highway-11

81
National Highway-11
CUBE Highways

82
 National Highways Excellence Awards : India

CUBE Highways won ‘Gold Award’ for National Highway-21 for use of HiMA Technology under ‘Innovation’ category.

Awarded by Hon’ble Minister of Road Transport & Highways, Sh. Nitin Gadkari on 14th January 2020.

40 lane km section using full HiMA was paved in 2017.

Expected pavement life > 1.5 to 2 times of ordinary PMB.
 Two World Records in Paving by CUBE Highways
100 lane kms in 100 hours

<<<Created Two World Records >>>

1. Highest quantity (51,896 MT) of BC paved in 100 hours.
2. Longest length (112.5 lane kms) of BC paved in 100 hours.
 Kraton and CUBE Highways

• Kraton Polymers is the single supplier of

SBS to CUBE Highways.

• Supplied about 3000 MT of D1192 and

D0243 for paving/s on 21 road projects.

• Supplied about 600 MT of D1192 on

CUBE’s Ghaziabad Aligarh Expressway for
paving PG76E-10.

• CUBE’s Management presented this

Certificate of Appreciation at the
Celebration Ceremony held on the
project marking achievement of two
World Records in paving bituminous
roads.

The Certificate is now kept at Kraton

India Office @ Mumbai
 HIMA based BC
over
Rigid Pavement Sections
On Rajasthan’s
SH-16 : Barmer- Jalore Section
Base + Wearing Course Modification
2 layers of HIMA
Binder / Base Course Modification
Barmer-Jalore BOT Section of PWD Rajasthan, India

HiMA Overlay
Over
Concrete Road Sections
 Full HiMA at Farakka Expressway : 200+ lane kms

Extensive Trials at Lab and Paving site : 5 days

• D0243 : 7.5%.
• Excellent lab results. Best HiMA results so far in India.
• Viscosity@135C and Jnr3.2 improved with passage of curing time.
• Ease in paving. Mix not getting sticky quickly any more.
• Customer and Clients are happy with the performance.
• About 50 lane kms (out of 200) already completed.
 Test Sections in Sri Lanka (PG76-22) Porous Asphalt
1. Panadura - Walana Road at Keselwatta, Panadura.
2. Shoulder lane @ Southern Expressway. Pinnaduwa (Galle).
3. Median lane @ Southern Expressway. Pinnaduwa (Galle).
Paving Footprints in India : HIMA ( Highly Modified Asphalt)

Sr. Name of Road Description Road Authority Location Binder Polymer Dosage Remarks

Test section
Elevated Highway : Link of NH 58 and Ghaziabad Development
1 3 layers BC + DBM. Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India. HIMA D0243 7.5 %
24 Authority

2 Hindmata, Eastern Expressway Bituminous Concrete MCGM Mumbai, India HIMA D0243 7.5 % Commercial Section

3 Sion,Eastern Expressway Bituminous Concrete MCGM Mumbai, India HIMA D0243 7.5 % Commercial Section

4 King’s Circle, Eastern Expressway Bituminous Concrete MCGM Mumbai, India HIMA D0243 7.5 % Commercial Section

5 Bellasis Bridge,Bellasis Road Mumbai Bituminous Concrete MCGM Mumbai, India HIMA D0243 7.5 % Commercial Section

Farakka Raiganj Expressway 200 lane

6 Bituminous Concrete NHAI-CUBE West Bengal HIMA DD0243 7.5 % Commercial Section
kms

Bahrampur Farakka-200 lans kms.

7 Bituminous Concrete NHAI-HCC West Bengal HIMA D0243 7.5 % Commercial Section
Staring in Nov 2023

2 layers BC + DBM.
8 Barmer Jalore BOT Project PWD Rajasthan Rajasthan, India HiMA D0243 7.5% Commercial Section
Over cement Concrete

9 JJ Flyover Bituminous Concrete MSRDC Mumbai, India HIMA D0243 7.5 % Commercial Section

Bituminous Concrete
10 Sikar-Ganeri-Jaswantgarh Road PWD Rajasthan Rajasthan, India HiMA D0243 7.5% Commercial Section
Over Cement Concrete

11 Dahisar Bridge Bituminous Concrete MSRDC Mumbai, India HIMA D0243 7.5 % Commercial Section

12 NH-11 Jaipur Mahua Bituminous Concrete NHAI Rajasthan , India HIMA D0243 7.5% Commercial Section

13 Milan Bridge Bituminous Concrete MCGM Mumbai, India HIMA D0243 7.5 % Commercial Section

14 Mahua Bharatpur NH11 Bituminous Concrete NHAI Rajasthan, India HIMA D0243 7.5 % Commercial Section

Note : There are few more projects that don’t come under HIMA or HIMA-lite; Ordinary PMB. Not listed here.

92
Technical Service
by
Kraton Polymers
Kraton Innovation Centre-Mumbai

94
Kraton Team India
 Testing Capability
➢ Blending of Polymer Modified Bitumen (PMB)- High and low shear mixers

➢ Specification Compliance testing- Penetrometer, Softening Point

Apparatus, Absolute Viscometer

➢ Presence of Modifier- Ductilometer

➢ Mixing and Compaction Temperature- Brookfield Rotational Viscometer

➢ Mixture Stability Test- Centrifuge Extractor, Marshall compactor and

stability test equipment

➢ Morphology- Fluorescent Microscope

➢ Rheological Characterization- DSR , BBR

➢ Aging Characterization- RTFO and PAV

96
PMB blending-Low and High shear Mixers

97
Rheological Characterization

98
Mixing and Compaction Temperature

99
Morphology characterization

100
Specification Compliance testing

101
Elastic Recovery Test-Ductilometer

102
Sample Preparation and conditioning

103
Bitumen Recovery

104
Bituminous Mixture- Stability Testing

105
 What Kraton can Offer ?

• Assistance in selection of suitable grade of SBS Polymer considering target PMB

grade and base binder.

• Formulation of PMB at KIC-Mumbai.

• QC Compliance testing at KIC-Mumbai in customers’ presence.

• Backup from KIC-Houston and KIC-Amsterdam.

• Complete hand-holding from purchase of SBS Polymer to paving including

forensic analysis.

• Complete transparency : Sharing of purchase details with end customer.

• Dynamic pricing based on Monomer costs and energy costs in EU. Monthly set.

106
 Kraton in India Paving

Bituminous Paving Developing

paving over Application new SBS+
800 lane kms concrete Lab technologies
of HIMA &
HIMA-lite
already paved
Rosin Esters Bitumen
in Road Rejuvenator
Marking in RAP

Partners in Development
 Thank You

Manpreet Sethi
Kraton Corporation,
E-mail : [email protected]
[email protected]