What Is Penetration Grade Bitumen?

Penetration Grade Bitumen or Paving Grade Bitumen is a standard bitumen known as a crucial element for road construction and for the production of asphalt with superior qualities, which is very important once it bounds the aggregates and creates a unique cohesion and stability to the bituminous mix. This grade of Bitumen is mainly used in the production of hot mix asphalt for bases and wearing courses. Penetration Grade Bitumen supplied by RDR Energy is petroleum grade bitumen, manufactured from fractional / vacuum distillation of crude oil. The Bitumen supplied by RDR Energy is produced from vacuum residue (short residue) feedstock. Penetration Grade bitumen are specified by the penetration and softening point test. The penetration grade bitumen have a thermoplastic property which causes the material to soften at high temperatures and to harden at lower temperatures. This unique temperature/viscosity relationship is essential when determining the performance parameters such as the adhesion, rheology, durability and application temperatures of bitumen.

The penetration grade bitumen, also known as refinery bitumen, is manufactured at different viscosities. The penetration test is carried out to characterize the bitumen hardness. Thus, it has the name penetration bitumen. The penetration bitumen grades range from 15 to 450 for road bitumen. But the most commonly used range is 25 to 200. This is acquired by monitoring the test carried out i.e. the distillation process. The partial control of bitumen residual fluxing with the oils can help in resulting the required hardness. Penetration grading quantifies the following asphalt concrete characteristics.

  • Penetration depth of a 100 g needle 25° C (77° F)
    Flash point temperature
  • Ductility at 25°C (77°F)
  • Solubility in trichloroethylene
  • Thin film oven test(accounts for the effects of short-term aging that occurs during mixing with hot aggregate)
  • Retained penetration
  • Ductility at 25° C (77° F)

Bitumen 20/30
Bitumen 20/30
Characteristic Test Method Value
Penetration @ 25°C, 100g, (dmm); 5sec EN 1426 20-30
Softening Point(Ring & Ball) EN 1427 65-53
Kinematic Viscosity @ 135C EN 12595 530 min
Solubility % EN 12592 99 min
Flash Point (Cleveland Open) (°C) EN 22592 240 min
Performance after RTFOT Method Test to EN 12607-1
Change in mass, (%wt) 0.5 max
Retained Penetration 25°C, 100g, 5s (% of original) ≥ 55 min
Increase in Softening Point (°C)

≤ 8 max

Softening Point After Hardening (°C) 57 min

Bitumen 40/50
Bitumen 40/50
Characteristic Test Method Value
Specific Gravity @ 25/25°C ASTM D-70 1.01/1.05
Penetration @ 25 °C (dmm) ASTM D-5 40-50
Softening Point(°C) ASTM D-36 52-60
Ductility @ 25°C (cm) ASTM D-113 100 min
Loss on Heating (%wt) ASTM D-6 0.2 max
Drop in Penetration after Heating (%) ASTM D-6 & D-5 20 max
Flash Point (°C) ASTM D-92 250 min
Solubility in CS2 (%wt) ASTM D-4 99.5 min
Spot Test A.A.S.H.O.T.102* Negative

Bitumen 60/70
Bitumen 60/70
Characteristic Test Method Value
Specific Gravity @ 25/25°C ASTM D-70 1.01-1.06
Penetration @ 25°C  (dmm) ASTM D-5 60-70
Softening Point(°C) ASTM D-36 49-56
Ductility @ 25°C  (cm) ASTM D-113 100 min
Loss on Heating (%wt) ASTM D-6 0.2 max
Drop in Penetration after Heating (%) ASTM D-6 & D-5 20 max
Flash Point (°C) ASTM D-92 250 min
Solubility in CS2 (%wt) ASTM D-4 99.5 min
Spot Test A.A.S.H.O.T.102* Negative

Bitumen 80/100
Bitumen 80/100
Characteristic Test Method Value
Specific Gravity @ 25/25°C ASTM D-70 1.01-1.05
Penetration @ 25°C (dmm) ASTM D-5 80-100
Softening Point(°C) ASTM D-36 45-52
Ductility @ 25°C (cm) ASTM D-113 100 min
Loss on Heating (%wt) ASTM D-6 0.2 max
Drop in Penetration after Heating (%) ASTM D-6 & D-5 20 max
Flash Point (°C) ASTM D-92 250 min
Solubility in CS2 (%wt) ASTM D-4 99.5 min
Spot Test A.A.S.H.O.T.102* Negative

BITUMEN 100-120
BITUMEN 100-120
Characteristic Test Method Value
Specific Gravity @ 25/25°C ASTM D-70 1.01-1.04
Penetration @ 25°C (dmm) ASTM D-5 100-120
Softening Point (°C) ASTM D-36 42-49
Ductility @ 25°C (cm) ASTM D-113 100 min
Loss on Heating (%wt) ASTM D-6 0.5 max
Drop in Penetration after Heating (%) ASTM D-6 & D-5 20 max
Flash Point (°C) ASTM D-92 250 min
Solubility in CS2 (%wt) ASTM D-4 99.5 min
Spot Test A.A.S.H.O.T.102* negative

Packing

  • Bulk
  • Drum 180, 150, 200 KG (0.6 mm Thickness )
  • Jumbo bag (1 MTon)
  • Poly bag

Application

The penetration grade bitumen is widely used for Manufacturing of bitumen emulsions, polymer modified binders and cutback bitumen. It is also used as a tack coat during surface dressing and for the manufacture of hot mix asphalt.

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