Highway Paving Materials

Asphalt Binder
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Refinery Operation
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Background
▬ Asphalt is waste product from refinery processing of
crude oil
▬ Properties depend on
▬ Refinery operations
▬ Composition crude source
▬ Asphalt can naturally occur

Barrel of Crude Oil

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Asphalt Binder Components

▬ Asphaltenes
▬ Large, discrete solid inclusions (black)
▬ High viscosity component
▬ Resins
▬ Semi-solid or solid at room temperature
❖ Fluid when heated
❖ Brittle when cold
▬ Oils
❖ Colorless liquid
❖ Soluble in most solvents
❖ Allows asphalt to flow
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Asphalt Binder Types

▬ Asphalt cement
▬ Generally refinery produced material
▬ Cutback
▬ Asphalt cements “cut” with petroleum solvents
▬ Emulsions
▬ Mixture of asphalt cement, water, and emulsifying agent
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Cutbacks
▬ Rapid cure (RC) (Naphtha or Gasoline)
▬ High volatility of solvent
▬ Tack coats, surface treatments
▬ Medium cure (MC) (Kerosene)
▬ Moderate volatility
▬ Stockpile patching mix
▬ Slow cure (SC) (Low viscosity oil)
▬ Low volatility
▬ Prime coat, dust control
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Emulsions
▬ Emulsifier gives surface charge to asphalt droplets
▬ suspended in water medium
▬ Anionic
❖ Negative charge
❖ Alkaline
❖ Good with limestones (positive charge)
▬ Cationic
❖ Positive charge
❖ Acid
❖ Good with silica gravels (negative charge)
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Asphalt Physical Properties

▬ Durability
▬ Durability is a measure of how asphalt binder physical properties
change with age.
▬ In general, as an asphalt binder ages, its viscosity increases and
it becomes more stiff and brittle.
▬ Rheology
▬ Rheology is the study of deformation and flow of material.
▬ Asphalt pavements that deform and flow too much may be
susceptible to rutting
▬ Asphalt pavements that are too stiff may be susceptible to fatigue
cracking.
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Asphalt Physical Properties

▬ Safety
▬ Asphalt cement like most other materials, volatilizes (gives off
vapor) when heated.
▬ At extremely high temperatures, asphalt cement can release
enough vapor to a point where it will ignite (flash) when exposed
to a spark or open flame. This is called the flash point.
▬ For safety reasons, the flash point of asphalt cement is tested and
controlled.
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Asphalt Physical Properties

▬ Purity
▬ Asphalt cement, as used in HMA paving, should consist of almost
pure bitumen

▬ Impurities are not active cementing constituents and may be

detrimental to asphalt performance
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Laboratory Tests on Asphalt Cement

▬ Consistency & Composition Tests
▬ Specific Gravity ▬ Viscosity
▬ Penetration ▬ Ductility
▬ Softening point

▬ Volatility & Aging

▬ Loss on heating
▬ Flash point
▬ Thin film oven
▬ Pressure aging vessel
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Laboratory Tests on Asphalt Cement

▬ Specific Gravity of Asphalt Cement
▬ Because the specific gravity of asphalt binders change with
temperature, specific gravity tests are useful in making volume
corrections based on temperature.
▬ The specific gravity at 60°F is commonly used when
buying/selling asphalt cements.
▬ A typical specific gravity for asphalt is around 1.026.
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Laboratory Tests on Asphalt Cement

▬ Specific Gravity of Asphalt Cement
▬ Purpose of specific gravity test of asphalt is to determine:
❖ Air void in HMA.
❖ Target density for compaction operations.
❖ Amount of bitumen absorbed due to porosity of the individual
aggregate particles.
▬ If the percent air voids are too low, rutting of the pavement can
occur.
▬ If the percentage of air voids is too high, the pavement can be
subject to moisture damage, exhibit decreased strength
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Laboratory Tests on Asphalt Cement

▬ Specific Gravity of Asphalt Cement
▬ Calculate the specific gravity to the nearest 0.001 as follows:

▬ Where
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Laboratory Tests on Asphalt Cement

▬ Penetration Test
▬ Consistency tests:
❖ @ Normal temperature, use penetration test

❖ @ Warm temperature, use softening point

❖ @ Hot temperature, use viscosity test

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Laboratory Tests on Asphalt Cement

▬ Penetration Test
▬ Penetration test involves a needle is typically loaded a weight and
allowed to penetrate an asphalt cement sample for a period of
time. Prior to conducting the test, the asphalt cement sample is
brought to the testing temperature.
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Laboratory Tests on Asphalt Cement

▬ Penetration Test
▬ The test is normally carried out at a temperature of 25°C with the
total weight of the needle, spindle and added weights being 100
grams, the needle is released for a period of 5 seconds.
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Laboratory Tests on Asphalt Cement

▬ Penetration Test
▬ Penetration is measured in 0.1 mm unit
❖ If the reading is 60, ➔ penetration is 6 mm.

▬ A harder asphalt cement will have a lower penetration while a

softer asphalt cement will have a higher penetration.
▬ The maximum difference between highest and lowest readings
shall be:
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Laboratory Tests on Asphalt Cement

▬ Penetration Test
▬ If the differences exceed the above values, the results are
ignored, and the test must be repeated on the second sample

▬ ➔ the penetration grade is (80 – 90) or 80/90

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Laboratory Tests on Asphalt Cement

▬ Softening Point: Ring and Ball Test
▬ As the temperature rises, asphalt binder change from brittle or
very thick to flowing or softer liquids.
▬ The softening point is defined as the temperature at which an
asphalt binder sample can no longer support the weight of a 3.5-g
steel ball.
▬ Two horizontal disks of asphalt are put in rings, and heated at a
controlled rate in a liquid bath while each supports a steel ball.
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Laboratory Tests on Asphalt Cement

▬ Softening Point: Ring and Ball Test
▬ The softening point is reported as the mean of the temperatures
at which the two disks soften enough to allow each ball,
enveloped in bitumen, to fall a distance of 25 mm (1.0 inch).
▬ If the difference between the values obtained in the duplicate
determinations exceeds 1°C, repeat the test.
▬ A high softening point ensures that asphalt will not flow in service.
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Laboratory Tests on Asphalt Cement

▬ Viscosity
▬ The absolute viscosity is the time it takes for a fixed volume of
asphalt binder to be drawn up through a capillary tube by means of
vacuum
▬ The kinematic viscosity is the time it takes for a fixed volume of
asphalt binder to flow through a capillary tube by means of its weight
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Laboratory Tests on Asphalt Cement

▬ Viscosity
▬ The viscosity of asphalt binder at high construction temperatures
is important because it can control the following:
❖ Pumpability. The ability of the asphalt binder to be pumped
between storage facilities and into the HMA plant
❖ Mixability. The ability of the asphalt binder to be properly
mixed with and to coat aggregate
❖ Workability. The ability of the resultant HMA to be placed
and compacted with reasonable effort
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Laboratory Tests on Asphalt Cement

▬ Rotational Viscosity
▬ Rotational viscosity test measures the torque required to maintain
a constant rotational speed (20 RPM) of a cylindrical spindle while
submerged in an asphalt binder at a constant temperature.
▬ This torque is converted to a dynamic viscosity and displayed
automatically by the RV.
▬ The basic equations used to calculate viscosity from torque and
speed are:
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Laboratory Tests on Asphalt Cement

▬ Rotational Viscosity
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Laboratory Tests on Asphalt Cement

▬ Rotational Viscosity (Mixing/Compaction Temps)
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Laboratory Tests on Asphalt Cement

▬ Flash and Fire Point Test
▬ Flash and Fire Point Test is a safety test.
▬ The flash point is one measure of the tendency of the test
specimen to form a flammable mixture with air under controlled
laboratory conditions.
▬ Every liquid has a vapor pressure, which is a function of that
liquid's temperature.
▬ As the temperature increases, the vapor pressure increases.
▬ As the vapor pressure increases, the concentration of vapor of the
flammable liquid in the air increases. Hence, temperature
determines the concentration of vapor of the flammable liquid in
the air.
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Laboratory Tests on Asphalt Cement

▬ Flash and Fire Point Test
▬ Flash Point: The lowest liquid temperature at which application
of the test flame causes the vapors of the sample to ignite

▬ Fire Point: the temperature at which the test flame causes the
sample to ignite and remain burning for at least 5 seconds.
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Laboratory Tests on Asphalt Cement

▬ Flash and Fire Point Test
▬ First, the test cup is filled with a portion of the asphalt. Then, the
temperature is increased rapidly and then at a slow, constant rate.
▬ The increase in temperature will cause to begin to produce
flammable vapor in increasing quantities and density.
▬ A small test flame passing over the surface of the liquid causes
the vapor to ignite at the flash point.
▬ The test flame produces at least five continuous seconds of
ignition at the fire point.
▬ Recommended Values for any type of asphalt grade:
❖ Minimum Flash point value should be = 175℃.
❖ Minimum Fire point value should be = Flash Point + 5℃.
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Laboratory Tests on Asphalt Cement

▬ Rolling Thin Film Oven (RTFO) Test
▬ This test serves:
❖ To determine the mass quantity of volatiles lost from the
asphalt during the test
▬ Rolling thin film oven test measure the effect of short-term aging
due to heat and air
❖ Volatization, the loss of smaller molecules from the asphalt
binder, volatiles, increases asphalt viscosity.
❖ Oxidization. Reaction with oxygen from the environment.
Some samples can gain weight due to the oxidative products
formed during the manufacturing and compaction.
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Laboratory Tests on Asphalt Cement

▬ Rolling Thin Film Oven (RTFO) Test
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Laboratory Tests on Asphalt Cement

▬ Rolling Thin Film Oven (RTFO) Test
▬ Unaged asphalt binder is placed in a cylindrical jar. The oven is
heated to 325°F (163°C) and rotated at 15 RPM for 85 minutes
▬ The rotation continuously exposes new asphalt binder to the heat
and airflow and slowly mixes each sample
▬ The RTFOT aging procedure is used to simulate aging during
mixing and placement
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Laboratory Tests on Asphalt Cement

▬ Rolling Thin Film Oven (RTFO) Test
▬ After running RTFOT:
❖ Measure the properties.
❖ Compare with fresh asphalt properties.
❖ Determine change percentage and calculate loss percentage
in weight.
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Laboratory Tests on Asphalt Cement

▬ Pressure Aging Vessel (PAV) Test
▬ The Pressure Aging Vessel, PAV, provides simulated long term
aged asphalt binder for physical property testing.

▬ Asphalt binder is exposed to heat and pressure to simulate in-

service aging over a 7 to 10 years period.

▬ The basic PAV procedure takes RTFO aged asphalt binder

samples, places them in stainless steel pans and then ages them
for 20 hours in a heated vessel pressurized to 2.10 MPa.
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Laboratory Tests on Asphalt Cement

▬ Pressure Aging Vessel (PAV) Test
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Laboratory Tests on Asphalt Cement

▬ Pressure Aging Vessel (PAV) Test
▬ Oxidation can occur in the field during two distinct stages of a
pavement’s life:
❖ Mixing and placement: During mixing and placement, the
asphalt binder is rapidly aged by volatilization and oxidation
❖ The predominate aging mechanism during this stage is the
loss of volatiles resulting from elevated mixing and placement
temperatures; oxidation is secondary.
❖ In service: Over the life of an in-service HMA pavement, the
constituent asphalt binder slowly ages as the oxygen from the
surrounding environment percolates through the HMA and
chemically reacts.
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Laboratory Tests on Asphalt Cement

▬ Ductility Test
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Laboratory Tests on Asphalt Cement

▬ Ductility Test
▬ Ductility is the ability to elongate before break.
▬ Ductility test measures asphalt binder ductility by stretching a
standard-sized briquette of asphalt binder to its breaking point.
▬ Asphalt should have enough ductility to resist:
❖ Temperature change cracking
❖ Fatigue load cracking
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Laboratory Tests on Asphalt Cement

▬ Ductility Test
▬ Like the penetration test, this test has limited use since it is
empirical and conducted at only one temperature (25° C (77° F)).
▬ Standards:
❖ Pulling speed: 5 cm/min.
❖ Water path temperature: 25°C.
❖ Specification limit ≥ 100 cm.
▬ Report the average of three normal tests as ductility of the
sample, provided that, the three determinations be within + 5% of
their mean value.
▬ If the value of three determinations do not lie within + 5% of their
mean but the two higher value are within + 5% of their mean, then
record the mean of the two higher values as the test result.