Grading of Bitumen and Polymer Historical Grading of Asphalt B

Modified Bitumen (PMB) Binders

STIFFNESS
A
Grading by chewing 19th Century
By
Prof. Prithvi Singh Kandhal Penetration grading Over 110 years
Associate Director Emeritus Viscosity grading About 45 years
National Center for Asphalt Technology Superpave grading About 20 years
Auburn University, Alabama USA
[email protected]
25 60 135

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Penetration Grading
Adopted in 1903 by ASTM
Committee D4 on Road and
Paving Materials
Based on penetration test
conducted at 25C

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Penetration Test

Penetration Grades
40-50
60-70
80-100
120-150
200-300
Unit: 1 penetration unit = 0.1 mm

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 Disadvantages of Penetration
Grading
Based on empirical test (not fundamental)
Cannot be used for modified bitumen
Similitude at 25C (77F) deceptive to
performance at higher and lower service
temperatures
No viscosity available near mixing and
compaction temperatures
Does not control temperature susceptibility of
bitumen
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Viscosity Grading System Kinematic Viscosity at 135C

Introduced during 1970s in the U.S. Needed to establish mixing and

To address construction and high compaction temperatures during
temperature performance problems construction
Fundamental rather than empirical Controls temperature
units susceptibility in conjunction with
Based on viscosity (poises) at 60C viscosity at 60C
KANDHAL
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Viscosity
(Stiffness) AC-30 or VG-30
Asphalt Cement (AC) Viscosity 50 PEN

Grades
Grade Viscosity at 60 C, poises 3600

2400
AC-2.5 (softest) 250 +/- 50
AC-5 500 +/- 100
AC-10 1000 +/- 200
AC-20 2000 +/- 400 350

AC-30 3000 +/- 600 25 60 1135

4000 +/- 800 Year Average Summer Construction

AC-40
KANDHAL
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 Advantages of Viscosity
Grading System
Same grades give similar rutting
performance
Controls temperature susceptibility of
bitumen
Suitable to wide range of temperatures
25C for fatigue cracking
60C for rutting
135C for construction
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Viscosity Grade General Applications

Introduction of Viscosity Grading
System in India VG-40 Use in highly stressed areas in lieu of
(40-60 pen) old 30/40 penetration grade
60-70 Paving Bitumen in use in India could be
VG-10, VG-20 or VG-30. Some NH projects VG-30 Use for paving in most of India in lieu
experienced rutting, others did not. of old 60/70 penetration grade
(50-70 pen)
Prof. Kandhals lectures on the need for viscosity
grading in IITs; CRRI; IRC; NHAI; MORTH
(2002-2005) No result. VG-20 Use for paving in cold climate, high
Got political support from National Advisory (60-80 pen) altitude regions of North India
Council (10 Jan Path) in 2005
MORTH was asked to request BIS to adopt VG-10 Use for surface dressing and for paving
viscosity grading in lieu of penetration grading. (80-100 pen) in very cold climate
BIS adopted it in 2006 by revising IS:73.
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 Superpave Performance
Grading
Based on Strategic Highway
Research Program (SHRP) 1987-
6443.jpg
1992
Based on performance
Based on engineering principles to
address common pavement distress
problems

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KANDHAL KANDHAL KANDHAL

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Superpave Asphalt Binder

Specification PG Grade Increments
The grading system is based on climate
PG 64 - 22 Average 7-day Maximum Pavement
Temperature
46 52 58 64 70 76 82
Min pavement
Performance temperature Average 1-day Minimum Pavement
Grade Temperature

Average 7-day max +2 -4 -10 -16 -22 -28 -34

- 20 20 60 135 pavement temperature
Pavement Temperature, C
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 Problems
Polymer Modified Bitumen
Rutting
(PMB) Fatigue cracking
Low temperature cracking

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Rutting
Problem since mid 1980s in the US and
early 1990s in India
Heavy loads and high tyre pressures in
trucks; stiffer tyre sidewall
Need bituminous binders with higher
stiffness and adequate elasticity at high
service temperatures

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Fatigue Cracking Low Temperature Thermal Cracking

Increased truck traffic (ESALs) Occurs at very low service temperatures

Repeated loads cause fatigue cracking Unmodified bitumen cannot cope with the
Need bituminous binders with lower range of extreme minimum and maximum
stiffness and higher elasticity at pavement temperatures
intermediate service temperatures (after Need bituminous binder with low stiffness
aging) at low temperatures and high stiffness at
high temperatures

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Advantages of Polymer Modified Advantages of Polymer Modified

Polymers
Bitumen Bitumen (contd.) Polymer simply refers to a very large
Stiffen binder and mix at high temperatures Improve aggregate-bitumen bonding molecule made by chemically reacting
many (poly) smaller molecules (monomers)
(minimize rutting) (reduce stripping)
Long chains or clusters
Soften binder at low service temperatures Improve bituminous pavement durability
Sequence and chemical structure of the
(minimize low temperature cracking) (reduce life-cycle costs)
monomers determines the physical
Improve fatigue resistance especially where Provide thicker binder films on aggregate in properties of a polymer
high strains are imposed on bituminous mix special mixes (stone matrix asphalt and Random or block copolymers are made
open graded asphalt friction course) from different types of monomers

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

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 3

Some Polymer Brand Names 2.5

High Tem perature Stiffnee (kPa)

2
Polybilt: EVA (Ethyl Vinyl Acetate)
Combinations LDPE: Low density polyethylene 1.5

Vestoplast: Amorphous poly-alpha-olefin

1

Elastomers plus Plastomers Styrelf: Elastomer

Elvaloy: Elastomer copolymer 0.5

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Percent Polymer
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EVA Styrelf UP 2897
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90 How Do We Specify?
80
64-22
Elvaloy
70 PG Grade such as PG 76-22
Phase Angle

SBS
60
PG plus
50
Phase angle (maximum)
40
Elastic recovery (minimum)
30
Force Ductility
20

10
Specifying type of polymer
Jian-Shiuh Chen and Long-Shen Huang, TRB
0 2000
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

Temperature,
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Venezuelan binder modified with SBS, cracked

surface, 0.5 x 0.7 mm. Wegan and Brul, AAPT,
1999.
Use of Modified Binders in India
Polymer Phase
Use of Modified Binders in India
Indian Roads Congress (IRC) published
SP:53, Guidelines on Use of Polymer and IRC issued 2010 version of SP:53 with only
Rubber Modified Binders in 1999 one specification for all types of modified
SP:53 - 1999 had four separate specification binders. Minimum elastic recovery
tables for PMB (elastomers); PMB requirement reduced to accommodate
3% SBS 5% SBS
(plastomers); CRMB; and NRMB CRMB. A real setback.
However, no provision for specifying a Implication: Performance standard lowered
specific modified binder, which encouraged for all types including PMB with elastomers
Polymer Phase extensive use of CRMB being cheaper
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7% SBS
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 Crumb Rubber Modified Bitumen
(CRMB)
When highway engineers in the US were
trying to understand complex PMBs,
Came another far more complex and least
understood modified binder: CRMB
Rubber from discarded tyres is ground to
crumb and then added to bitumen
Called Asphalt-Rubber (AR) in the US

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Properties of CRMB depend on: Use of CRMB in the US

Bitumen crude source and method of Use of CRMB not significant until 1991
refining Mixed pavement performance results
Source of crumb rubber: truck tyres; car US Congress mandated its use in all 50
tyres; tread; sidewalls states in 1991 (strong rubber lobby)
Grinding of rubber: ambient or US FHWA Training Program in QC/QA of
cryogenically cooled CRMB in 1992
Amount and size of crumb rubber Mandate ended in 1995
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Quality Control Requirements for Transportation of CRMB

CRMB
Crumb rubber tends to separate and settle
down in bitumen (needs mechanical
agitation to keep in suspension)
Crumb rubber is prone to degradation
(devulcanization/depolymerization) when
kept hot for extended period of time (use
within 6-8 hours)

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 Portable CRMB Blender

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Use of CRMB in the US Use of CRMB in India Recommendations

Most states discontinued the use of CRMB
after 1995 because:
CRMB was required to be manufactured in Separate specifications are needed for PMB
Statewide infrastructure of blending refineries and transported in trucks for days (elastomer); CRMB; and NRMB
terminal or on-site blending required (to use
with no mechanical agitation Delete PMB (plastomer): its use not advised
CRMB within 6 hours)
QC/QA too cumbersome due to separation Argument: CRMB in India is chemically for flexible pavements in India
and degradation of rubber modified. Which chemical? Where is the
Many states had mixed performance patent? Just an illusion!
CRMB does not meet PG 76-22

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Recommendations Recommendations
IRC SP:53 must state only PMB (elastomer) Build short control sections with VG-30 as
to be used on heavily trafficked roads much as possible to collect relative
It must state CRMB can be used on medium performance data with different types and
trafficked roads. Its use on low volume levels of bitumen modifier especially
roads should be banned. CRMB
CRMB must be blended on site with a well Share the performance data on national
equipped laboratory and a qualified basis.
technician
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Questions
does it all
make
sense?

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