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When these fuels are refined from the crude oil, the bitumen is left behind. Further
treatments of by-product, to make it free from impurities give pure bitumen.
As the primary product demand is of utmost importance to the society, the bitumen
as a byproduct has survival for long. This by product is utilized as a new
construction material, without going for any other new resource.
These dependencies make us to truly access the traffic on the road so that a
bitumen mix properties can be varied based on the stress levels calculated. This
versatility of bitumen results in a large variety of bitumen mix, based on the road
application.
The melting point of the bitumen should not be too high, that it can be melted
easily during laying the pavement. At the same time, bitumen has a melting point,
Which would not let the already casted road pave to melt and deform under high
temperatures.
In areas of high temperatures, along with this quality of bitumen, the aggregate
composition helps to cover up the effect of large temperature.
4. Bitumen can undergo Recycling
As the melting point of bitumen is favorable, it can be melted back to its original
state. This is called as asphalt recycling process.
The torn-up asphalt pieces are taken up to the recycling plant, instead of sending
them to landfills. This recycled mix can be reused. If necessary, the old bitumen is
mixed with new bitumen and new aggregates to make the mix live again.
The bitumen has a highly adhesive nature, which keeps the materials in the road
mix bind together under strong bonds. These become stronger when the mix is set
i.e. ready for vehicle movement.
It is costly than the normal colored bitumen. The disadvantage of colored bitumen
is that it requires more chemical additives and materials.
Structural Strength
Surface Drainage
Surface Friction
1. Structural Strength of Bituminous Pavements
The figure below shows a typical cross section of flexible pavement, that was
developed in the USA. The structural bitumen layer composes of:
Bituminous surface or wearing course
Bituminous binder course
Bituminous base course
The primary purpose of these bitumen mixes is structural strength provision. This
involves even load dispersion throughout the layers of the pavement. The loads
involved are dynamic or static loads, which is transferred to the base subgrade
through the aggregate course.
A granular base with a bituminous surface course is only provided for roads of low
traffic. It is just sufficient and economical.
The rebounding effect of bitumen upper layers helps in having resistance against
high dynamic effect due to the heavy traffic. Rebounding property is reflected by
the stiffness and the flexibility characteristics of the bitumen top layers. When
looking from bottom to top, the flexibility characteristics should increase.
Studies have shown that the above mentioned characteristics of aggregates are
attained using densely graded bitumen mixes. This mix should make use of
nominal maximum
size aggregate (NMAS), that must decrease from the base course- binder course –
surface course.
The nominal maximum size aggregate (NMAS) = One sieve larger than first sieve-
to retain more than 10% of combined aggregate.
There is a higher amount of bitumen content in the wearing course, that make the
layer more flexible. This would help in increasing the durability.
The mix gradation i.e. open graded or dense graded will contribute to macro
surface texture. The open graded mix have higher macro surface than dense
graded. The water is squeezed out from the bottom of vehicle tire when the high
macro surface texture is implemented.
The micro surface texture is contributed by the aggregate surface, that is exposed
when the above bitumen layer is torn.
2. Gradual Failure
The deformation and the failure in the bituminous pavement is a gradual process.
The concrete pavement shows brittle failures.
3. Quick Repair
They have an option to be repaired to be quick. They don’t consume time in
reverting the path for traffic; as they set fast.
4. Staged Construction
This helps in carrying out staged construction in a situation when problems of fund
constraint or traffic estimation problems are faced.