Dr. Md.

Hadiuzzaman
Professor, Dept of C.E.
COURSE SYLLABUS:

Pavement materials: bituminous binders,

cement, aggregates, embankment material,
soil stabilization; mix design methods; low cost
roads; flexible and rigid pavement:
pavement components and functions,
pavement design and construction, road
maintenance; railway engineering: general
requirements, rolling stock and tracks, stations
and yards, points and crossings, signaling,
maintenance operations.
2
REFERENCE:

Traffic & Highway Engineering

-Nicholas J. Garber.

Highway Engineering
-By Paul H.Wright.

3
ORIGIN OF BITUMINOUS MATERIAL:
• Naturally occurring deposits of bituminous materials are formed from the remains
of ancient, microscopic algae and other once-living things. When these organisms
died, their remains were deposited in the mud on the bottom of the ocean or lake
where they lived. Under the heat and pressure of burial deep in the earth, the
remains were transformed into materials such as bitumen, kerogen, or petroleum.
• Deposits at the La Brea Tar Pits are an example.
• During the early and mid 20th century when “Town gas” was produced, tar was a
readily available product and extensively used as the binder for road aggregates.
• The addition of tar to macadam roads led to the word Tarmac, which is now used
in common parlance to refer to road-making materials.
• However, since the 1970s, when natural gas succeeded town gas, asphalt has
completely overtaken the use of tar in these applications.

4
HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT:
• Asphalt is by no means a product of our modern civilization which is attested by
the fact that remains of saber-tooth tigers and other prehistoric animals have
been found in the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles. In reality, these so-called "tar
pits" are deposits of natural asphalt.
• The first recorded use of asphalt dates back to 3800 B. C. in Mesopotamia where
the material was used as an adhesive mortar for building stones and paving
blocks. Reservoirs, canals, and bathing pools constructed with these blocks were
made watertight with this material found in natural deposits in the region.
• Asphalt was first used in paving in the middle of the nineteenth century.
Natural deposits of rock asphalt from the Rhone Valley in France served as the
source for this construction. In 1876 portions of Pennsylvania Avenue in
Washington, D. C , were paved using Trinidad lake asphalt.

5
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
• A bitumen (according to ASTM) is a class of black or dark-colored (solid,
semisolid, or viscous) cementitious substances, natural or manufactured,
composed principally of high molecular weight hydrocarbons, of which asphalts,
tars, pitches, and asphaltites are typical.

• By definition it is soluble in carbon disulfide.

• Two types are used in construction:-

1. Asphalt &

2. Tar

6
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS:
1. Asphalt:
• Asphalt (according to ASTM) is a dark brown to black cementitious
material in which the predominating constituents are bitumens which
occur in nature or are obtained by refining petroleum.
• There are two sources of asphalt:-
(1) those occurring naturally, and
(2) those obtained by the refining of petroleum.
• In both cases, asphalt is the product of fractional distillation of
petroleum, whether over short periods of time as in the refinery or
longer periods as in nature.

7
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS:
2. Tar:

• Tars do not occur in nature since they are product of chemical change.
• For example, tars are products of the destructive distillation (as
distinguished from fractional distillation in the case of asphalt) of a
number of organic materials such as coal, wood and sugar.
• Tar obtained from the destructive distillation of bituminous coal is a
crude tar which must undergo further refinement to obtain road tar.
• Tar can also be produced from petroleum by chemical rather than
physical change; that is, the destructive distillation of petroleum.

8
REFINING PROCESSES:
Petroleum Asphalt
• The refining processes used to obtain petroleum asphalts can be divided into two

main groups:

1. Fractional distillation and

2. Destructive distillation (cracking).

• The fractional distillation processes involve the separation of the different

materials in the crude petroleum without significant changes in the chemical

composition of each material.

• The destructive distillation processes involve the application of high temperature

and pressure, resulting in chemical changes. 9

REFINING PROCESSES:
Fractional Distillation:
• The fractional distillation process removes the different volatile materials in the
crude oil at successively higher temperatures until the petroleum asphalt is
obtained as residue.
• Steam or a vacuum is used to gradually increase the temperature. Steam
distillation is a continuous flow process in which the crude petroleum is pumped
through tube stills or stored in batches, and the temperature is increased gradually
to facilitate the evaporation of different materials at different temperatures.
• Tube stills are more efficient than batches and are therefore preferred in modern
refineries.
• Immediately after increasing the temperature of the crude in the tube still, it is
injected into a bubble tower which consists of a vertical cylinder into which are
built several trays or platforms stacked one above the other.
10
REFINING PROCESSES:
Fractional Distillation:
• The first separation of materials occurs in this tower.

• The lighter fractions of the evaporated materials collect on the top tray, and the

heavier fractions collect in successive trays, with the heaviest residue containing

asphalt remaining at the bottom of the distillation tower.

• The products obtained during this first phase of separation are gasoline,

kerosene distillate, diesel fuel, lubricating oils, and the heavy residual material

that contains the asphalt .

• The various fractions collected are stored and refined further into specific grades

of petroleum products. 11
REFINING PROCESSES:
Fractional Distillation:

• A desired consistency of residue can be obtained by continuing the

distillation process. Attainment of the desired consistency is checked by

measuring the temperature of the residue or by observing the character of

the distillate.

• The residue becomes harder the longer the distillation process is continued.

• Further processing of the heavy residue obtained after the first separation

will give asphalt cement of different penetration grades—slow-curing and

rapid-curing asphalts—depending on the additional processing carried out.

12
Emulsified asphalts also can be obtained.
REFINING PROCESSES:

Fractional Distillation:

13
REFINING PROCESSES:
Destructive Distillation:
• Cracking processes are used when larger amounts of the light fractions of

materials (such as motor fuels) are required.

• Intense heat and high pressures are applied to produce chemical changes in the

material.

• Although several specific methods of cracking exist, the process generally

involves the application of temperatures as high as 1100° F and pressure higher

than 735 lb/in2 to obtain the desired effect.

• The asphalt obtained from cracking is not used widely in paving, because it is

more susceptible to weather changes than that produced from fractional

14
distillation.
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS:
Sl. Asphalt Tar
1 Black to brown in color Usually found in brown color
2 Obtained from fractional distillation of Obtained by destructive distillation of
crude oil coal or wood
3 Soluble in carbon disulfide and carbon Soluble in toluene
tetra chloride
4 Molecular weight range for road bitumen Molecular weight range for road tar is
is 400 to 5000 150 to 3000
5 Consists of large amount of aromatic Consist of large amount of oily matter
hydrocarbon with lower molecular weight
6 Bitumen show resistance to coating road Tar coats more easily and retain it better
aggregate and also does not retain in in presence of water
presence of water
7 Free carbon content is less Free carbon content is more
8 It shows more resistance to weathering It shows less resistance to weathering
action action
9 Lower temperature susceptibility Higher temperature susceptibility 15
16
SOURCES OF ASPHALT:
• Asphalt is the product of fractional distillation of petroleum and this fractional distillation
process can occur over a long period of time in nature resulting in deposits of material
known as natural asphalts or in a short period of time in the refinery resulting in
manufactured asphalts.
• The refinery is the primary source of asphalt today.
• Natural Asphalts. Natural asphalts can exist either in the relatively pure form in nature
or in impregnated rock deposits. The next table contains a listing of a number of
different natural asphalts together with certain physical properties which give an
indication of the characteristics of these materials. Of these natural asphalts, two still
have commercial significance (1) Trinidad lake asphalt, and (2) Gilsonite.

17
SOURCES OF ASPHALT:

18
SOURCES OF ASPHALT:
Natural Deposits
• Natural deposits of asphalt occur as either
1. Native asphalt or 2. Rock asphalt.
• Native Asphalt:
• The largest deposit of native asphalt is known to have existed in Iraq several
thousand years ago. Native asphalts also have been found in Trinidad, Bermuda,
and the La Brea asphalt pits in Los Angeles, California.
• Native asphalt (after being softened with petroleum fluxes) was at one time used
extensively as binders in highway construction.
• The properties of native asphalt vary from one deposit to another, particularly with
respect to the amount of insoluble material the asphalt contains.
• The Trinidad deposit, for example, contains about 40 percent insoluble organic
and inorganic materials, whereas the Bermuda material contains about 6 percent
19
of such material.
SOURCES OF ASPHALT:
Natural Deposits
• Rock asphalt

• It is a natural deposit of sandstone or limestone rocks filled with asphalt.

• Deposits have been found in California, Texas, Oklahoma, and Alabama.

• The amount of asphalt varies from one deposit to another and can be as low as 4.5

percent and as high as 18 percent.

• Rock asphalt can be used to surface roads after the mined or quarried material

has been suitably processed.

• This process includes adding suitable mineral aggregates, asphalt binder, and oil,

which facilitates the flowing of the material.

20
• Rock asphalt is not used widely because of its high transportation costs.
SOURCES OF ASPHALT:
Petroleum Asphalt
• All crude oils do not contain asphalt as the heavier portions. In general, there are two

other classifications for crude, depending upon their base or more viscous

constituents- (1) paraffin and (2) mixed base crudes.

• The paraffin or wax base crudes are those in which material left after fractional

distillation of the more volatile constituents is essentially a paraffin wax.

• The mixed base crudes are those in which the heavier portions are a mixture of wax

and asphalt. Special treatment is necessary to separate the asphalt from these crudes.

• In general crudes in the California area are asphalt base. Those from the mid-continent

are mixed base and those from Pennsylvania, for example, are paraffin base.
21
SOURCES OF ASPHALT:
Petroleum Asphalt
• The asphalt materials obtained from the distillation of petroleum are in the form of

different types of asphalts, which include asphalt cements, slow-curing liquid asphalts,

medium-curing liquid asphalts, rapid-curing liquid asphalts, and asphalt emulsions.

• The quantity of asphalt obtained from crude petroleum is dependent on the American

Petroleum Institute (API) gravity of the petroleum. In general, large quantities of asphalt

are obtained from crude petroleum with low API gravity.

22
SOURCES OF ASPHALT:
Petroleum Asphalt

• Example: Water at the reference temperature and pressure has Gs=1. Accordingly,
the API Gravity Index of water is 10. The API GI is thus inversely related to the specific
gravity of the material.

23
SOURCES OF ASPHALT:
Petroleum Asphalt
• Generally speaking, the lower the API GI of a petroleum, the higher will be its asphalt
content, and the lower its content of volatile phases like gasoline and kerosene.

24
DESCRIPTION AND USES OF BITUMINOUS BINDERS:
Bituminous binders can be classified into three general groups:

1. Asphalt cement,

2. Asphalt cutbacks, and

3. Emulsified asphalt.

Blown asphalt and road tars are also other types of bituminous

material that now are not used commonly in highway

construction.
25
DESCRIPTION AND USES OF BITUMINOUS BINDERS:
1. Asphalt cement:
• Asphalt cements are obtained after separation of the lubricating oils.
• They are semisolid hydrocarbons with certain physiochemical characteristics
that make them good cementing agents.
• They are also very viscous, and when used as a binder for aggregates in
pavement construction, it is necessary to heat both the aggregates and the
asphalt cement prior to mixing the two materials.
• For several decades, the particular grade of asphalt cement has been
designated by its penetration and viscosity, both of which give an indication of
the consistency of the material at a given temperature.
• The penetration is the distance in 0.1 mm that a standard needle will penetrate
a given sample under specific conditions of loading, time, and temperature.

26
DESCRIPTION AND USES OF BITUMINOUS BINDERS:
1. Asphalt cement:
• The softest grade used for highway pavement construction has a
penetration value of 200 to 300, and the hardest has a penetration value of
60 to 70.
• For some time now, however, viscosity has been used more often than
penetration to grade asphalt cements.
• USE:
• Used mainly in the manufacture of hot-mix, hot-laid asphalt concrete.
• Asphalt concrete can be used in a variety of ways, including the
construction of highways and airport pavement surfaces and bases,
parking areas, and industrial floors.
• The specific use of a given sample depends on its grade.
27
DESCRIPTION AND USES OF BITUMINOUS BINDERS:
2. Asphalt Cutbacks:
• Cutback asphalt is asphalt that is dissolved in a solvent (volative diluent,
usually a petroleum distillate). Why?
• Typical solvents include Naptha, gasoline and kerosene, white spirit etc.
• The asphalt cutbacks are-
a) slow-curing asphalts,
b) medium-curing cutback asphalts, and
c) rapid-curing cutback asphalts.
• They are used mainly in cold-laid plant mixes, road mixes (mixed-in-
place), and as surface treatments.
• The three types of cutback asphalt shall be classified into grade on the
basis of initial Kinematic viscosity and designated as Grades.
28
DESCRIPTION AND USES OF BITUMINOUS BINDERS:
2. Asphalt Cutbacks:
a) Slow-Curing Asphalts
• Slow-curing (SC)-This is Bitumen, which is blended with a gasoline/fuel
oil. These shall be used with aggregates containing more than 20 percent
of fine aggregates passing through 2.36 mm sieve and shall be classified
into four grades with following designations:
• a) SC 70
• b) SC 250
• c) SC 800
• d) SC 3000
• The cutback asphalt SC 70 applying to waterproofing of surfaces &
occasionally for priming.

29
DESCRIPTION AND USES OF BITUMINOUS BINDERS:
2. Asphalt Cutbacks:
b. Medium-Curing Cutback Asphalts
• Medium-curing (MC)-This is Bitumen, which is blended with a kerosene
type distillate. These shall be used with aggregates containing less than
40 percent of fine aggregates passing through 2.36 mm sieve and shall be
classified into five grades with following designations:
• a) MC 30,
• b) MC 70
• c) MC 250
• d) MC 800
• e) MC 3000
• MC 30 and MC 70 grades shall be used as primer. MC 30 can be used in
WBM/WMM & for stabilized soil base MC 70 and for granular base,
30
crusher run macadam MC 250 can be used.
DESCRIPTION AND USES OF BITUMINOUS BINDERS:
2. Asphalt Cutbacks:
c. Rapid-Curing Cutback Asphalts
• Rapid-curing (RC)-This is Bitumen, which is blended with naptha type
distillate. These shall be used with aggregates containing practically no
fine aggregates passing through 2.36 mm sieve and shall be classified
into four grades with following designations:
• a) RC 70,
• b) RC 250
• c) RC 800
• d) RC 3000
• RC 70 and RC 250 may be used for tack coat if specified (only where
climate is expected to below 0 or 0)

31
DESCRIPTION AND USES OF BITUMINOUS BINDERS:
3. Emulsified Asphalt:
• Emulsified asphalts are produced by breaking asphalt cement, usually of
100 to 250 penetration range, into minute particles and dispersing them in
water with an emulsifier.
• These minute particles have like-electrical charges and therefore do not
coalesce. They remain in suspension in the liquid phase as long as the
water does not evaporate or the emulsifier does not break.
• In asphalt emulsions, lightly heated asphalt is run through a colloidal mill
together with an emulsifying agent to produce 5-10 μm sized globules.
The asphalt globules are mixed with water to form a liquid mixture of
roughly 75% asphalt and 25% water by mass. The emulsifying agent coats
the asphalt globules and imparts a surface charge that makes the
globules repel rather than coalesce.
32
DESCRIPTION AND USES OF BITUMINOUS BINDERS:
3. Emulsified Asphalt:
• Asphalt emulsions therefore consist of asphalt, which makes up about 55 to
70 percent by weight, water, and an emulsifying agent, which in some cases
also may contain a stabilizer.
Emulsions are typically classified by four different factors:
1) Charge:
• The emulsifying agent can impart either a positive or negative charge on
the asphalt globules.
• Anionic emulsions have negative charges on the asphalt, whereas cationic
emulsions have positive charges.
• Anionic emulsions should be used with aggregates that have positive
surface charges (such as limestone), and cationic emulsions with
aggregates having negative surface charges (such as quartz, siliceous
33
gravels, etc.).
DESCRIPTION AND USES OF BITUMINOUS BINDERS:
3) Emulsified Asphalt:
• In the alpha-numeric designation system for emulsions, the letter “C”
indicates that an emulsion is cationic. Lack of the letter “C” in the
designation indicates that the emulsion is anionic.
• When an emulsion is mixed with an appropriate aggregate, the asphalt in
the emulsion coalesces on the aggregate causing the mixture to “set” or
“break.” The water can then be squeezed/pumped out of the asphalt-
aggregate mixture, or it can gradually evaporate away.
2) Setting rate:
• Emulsions are further classified on the basis of how quickly the asphalt will
coalesce; i.e., revert to asphalt cement.
• The terms RS, MS, and SS have been adopted to simplify and standardize this
classification.
34
DESCRIPTION AND USES OF BITUMINOUS BINDERS:
3. Emulsified Asphalt:
2) Setting rate:
• These (RS, MS, SS) are relative terms only and mean rapid-setting,
medium-setting, and slow-setting, respectively. The tendency to coalesce
is closely related to the mixing of an emulsion.
• An RS emulsion has little or no ability to mix with an aggregate, an MS
emulsion is expected to mix with coarse but not fine aggregate, and an SS
emulsion is designed to mix with fine aggregate.
3) Viscosity:
• Emulsions are further subdivided by their viscosity. In the alpha-numeric
designation system, an digit of either 1 or 2 indicates the relative viscosity
of the emulsion, with digit “1” indicates a “normal” viscosity and “2”
indicates a “higher than normal” viscosity.
35
DESCRIPTION AND USES OF BITUMINOUS BINDERS:
3. Emulsified Asphalt:
3) Viscosity:
• The digit “h” can also be used in the designation for emulsions to indicate
the underlying hardness or viscosity of the asphalt cement as opposed to
that of the emulsion itself.
• Example: The designation CRS-1 indicates a cationic, rapid-setting
emulsion of normal viscosity suitable for mixing with coarse
aggregates.
• Example: The designation SS-1h indicates an anionic, slow-setting
emulsion of normal viscosity in which the base asphalt cement has a
higher than normal viscosity.

36
DESCRIPTION AND USES OF BITUMINOUS BINDERS:
3. Emulsified Asphalt:
4) Float:
• The "HF" preceding some of the anionic MS grades indicates high-float, as
measured by the Float Test (ASTM D 139 or AASHTO 50). High-float
emulsions have a quality, imparted by the addition of certain chemicals,
that permits a thicker asphalt film on the aggregate particles with
minimum probability of drainage.
• Three grades of high-float, medium-setting anionic emulsions designated
as HFMS have been developed and are used mainly in cold and hot plant
mixes and coarse aggregate seal coats.
• Example: The designation HFMS-2 for an emulsion indicates that it is
a medium setting high-float anionic emulsion with a higher than
normal viscosity.
37
DESCRIPTION AND USES OF BITUMINOUS BINDERS:
3. Emulsified Asphalt:
• Emulsified asphalts are used in cold-laid plant mixes and road mixes (mixed
in-place) for several purposes, including the construction of highway
pavement surfaces and bases and in surface treatments.
• Specifications for the use of emulsified asphalts are given in AASHTO M140
and ASTM D977.

38
ADVANTAGE OF CUTBACK BITUMEN

 The advantage of cutbacks have over Emulsions is a much higher residual

Bitumen, typically over 80% compares with over 40-65% for Bitumen
emulsions. The result is more Bitumen left on the roadway after curing, for
the same volume of binder applied.

39
DESCRIPTION AND USES OF BITUMINOUS BINDERS:
4. Blown Asphalts:
• Blown asphalt is obtained by blowing air through the semisolid
residue obtained during the latter stages of the distillation process.
• The process involves stopping the regular distillation while the
residue is in the liquid form and then transferring it into a tank known
as a converter.
• The material is maintained at a high temperature while air is blown
through it. This is continued until the required properties are
achieved.
• Blown asphalts are relatively stiff compared to other types of asphalts
and can maintain a firm consistency at the maximum temperature
normally experienced when exposed to the environment.
40
DESCRIPTION AND USES OF BITUMINOUS BINDERS:
4. Blown Asphalts:
• Blown asphalt generally is not used as a paving material. However, it
is very useful as a roofing material, for automobile undercoating, and
as a joint filler for concrete pavements.
• If a catalyst is added during the air-blowing process, the material
obtained usually will maintain its plastic characteristics, even at
temperatures much lower than that at which ordinary asphalt cement
will become brittle.
• The elasticity of catalytically blown asphalt is similar to that of rubber,
and it is used for canal lining.

41
DESCRIPTION AND USES OF BITUMINOUS BINDERS:
5. Road Tars:
• Tars are obtained from the destructive distillation of such organic
materials as coal. Their properties are significantly different from
petroleum asphalts.
• In general, they are more susceptible to weather conditions than
similar grades of asphalts, and they set more quickly when exposed
to the atmosphere.
• The American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) has classified
road tars into three general categories based on the method of
production.
a. Gashouse coal tars are produced as a by-product in gashouse
retorts in the manufacture of illuminating gas from bituminous
42
coals.
DESCRIPTION AND USES OF BITUMINOUS BINDERS:
5. Road Tars: (2)
b. Coke-oven tars are produced as a by-product in coke ovens in
the manufacture of coke from bituminous coal.
c. Water-gas tars are produced by cracking oil vapors at high
temperatures in the manufacture of carbureted water gas.
• Road tars also have been classified by AASHTO into 14 grades: RT-1
through RT-12, RTCB-5, and RTCB-6.
• RT-1 has the lightest consistency and can be used effectively at
normal temperatures for prime or tack coat.
• The viscosity of each grade increases as the number designation
increases to RT-12, which is the most viscous.

43
DESCRIPTION AND USES OF BITUMINOUS BINDERS:
5. Road Tars: (3)
• RTCB-5 and RTCB-6 are suitable for application during cold weather,
since they are produced by cutting back the specific grade of tar with
easily evaporating solvent. Detailed specifications for the use of tars
are given by AASHTO Designation M52-78.

44
PROPERTIES OF ASPHALT MATERIALS
The properties of asphalt materials pertinent to pavement construction can

be classified into four main categories:

1. Consistency
2. Aging and temperature sustainability
3. Rate of curing
4. Resistance to water action
1. Consistency
• The consistency properties of an asphalt material usually are
considered under two conditions:
(1) variation of consistency with temperature and
(2) consistency at a specified temperature.

45
PROPERTIES OF ASPHALT MATERIALS
1. Consistency:Variation of Consistency with Temperature
• The consistency of any asphalt material changes as the temperature
varies. The change in consistency of different asphalt materials may
differ considerably even for the same amount of temperature change.
• For example, if a sample of blown semisolid asphalt and a sample of
semisolid regular paving-grade asphalt with the same consistency at
a given temperature are heated to a high enough temperature, the
consistencies of the two materials will be different at the high
temperatures with the regular paving-grade asphalt being much
softer than the blown asphalt. Further increase in temperature
eventually will result in the liquefaction of the paving asphalt at a
temperature much lower than that at which the blown asphalt
liquefies. 46
PROPERTIES OF ASPHALT MATERIALS
1. Consistency:Variation of Consistency with Temperature
• If these two asphalts then are cooled down gradually to about the
freezing temperature of water, the blown asphalt will be much softer
than the paving-grade asphalt.
• Thus, the consistency of the blown asphalt is affected less by
temperature changes than the consistency of regular paving-grade
asphalt.
• This property of asphalt materials is known as temperature
susceptibility. The temperature susceptibility of a given asphalt
depends on the crude oil from which the asphalt is obtained, although
variation in temperature susceptibility of paving-grade asphalts from
different crudes is not as high as that between regular paving-grade
asphalt and blown asphalt. 47
PROPERTIES OF ASPHALT MATERIALS
2. Aging and Temperature Sustainability
• When asphaltic materials are exposed to environmental elements,
natural deterioration gradually takes place, and the materials
eventually lose their plasticity and become brittle. This change is
caused primarily by chemical and physical reactions that take place
in the material.
• This natural deterioration of the asphalt material is known as
weathering. For paving asphalt to act successfully as a binder, the
weathering must be minimized as much as possible. The ability of an
asphalt material to resist weathering is described as the durability of
the material.

48
PROPERTIES OF ASPHALT MATERIALS
2. Aging and Temperature Sustainability
• Some of the factors that influence weathering are oxidation,
volatilization, temperature, and exposed surface area.
• Oxidation: Oxidation is the chemical reaction that takes place when the
asphalt material is attacked by oxygen in the air. This chemical reaction
causes gradual hardening (eventually permanent hardening) and
considerable loss of the plastic characteristics of the material.
• Volatilization: Volatilization is the evaporation of the lighter
hydrocarbons from the asphalt material. The loss of these lighter
hydrocarbons also causes the loss of the plastic characteristics of the
asphalt material.

49
PROPERTIES OF ASPHALT MATERIALS
2. Aging and Temperature Sustainability
• Temperature: It has been shown that temperature has a significant effect
on the rate of oxidation and volatilization. The higher the temperature,
the higher the rates of oxidation and volatilization. The relationship
between temperature increase and increases in rates of oxidation and
volatilization is not linear; however; the percentage increase in rate of
oxidation and volatilization is usually much greater than the percentage
increase in temperature that causes the increase in oxidation and
volatilization. It has been postulated that the rate of organic and physical
reactions in the asphalt material approximately doubles for each 10°C
(50° F) increase in temperature.

50
PROPERTIES OF ASPHALT MATERIALS
2. Aging and Temperature Sustainability
• Surface Area: The exposed surface of the material also influences its rate
of oxidation and volatilization. There is a direct relationship between
surface area and rate of oxygen absorption and loss due to evaporation
in grams/cm3/minute. An inverse relationship, however, exists between
volume and rate of oxidation and volatilization. This means that the rate
of hardening is directly proportional to the ratio of the surface area to the
volume. This fact is taken into consideration when asphalt concrete
mixes are designed for pavement construction in that the air voids are
kept to the practicable minimum required for stability to reduce the area
exposed to oxidation.

51
PROPERTIES OF ASPHALT MATERIALS
3. Rate of Curing
Curing is defined as the process through which an asphalt material increases its
consistency as it loses solvent by evaporation.
• Rate of Curing of Cutbacks:
• The rate of curing of any cutback asphalt material depends on the
distillate used in the cutting-back process. This is an important
characteristic of cutback materials, since the rate of curing indicates
the time that should elapse before a cutback will attain a consistency
that is thick enough for the binder to perform satisfactorily.
• The rate of curing is affected by both inherent and external factors.
The important inherent factors are-
 Volatility of the solvent
 Quantity of solvent in the cutback 52

 Consistency of the base material

PROPERTIES OF ASPHALT MATERIALS
3. Rate of Curing :
• Rate of Curing of Cutbacks:
• The more volatile the solvent is, the faster it can evaporate from the
asphalt material, and therefore, the higher the curing rate of the material.
• This is why gasoline and naphtha are used for rapid-curing cutbacks,
whereas light fuel oil and kerosene are used for medium-curing
cutbacks.
• For any given type of solvent, the smaller the quantity used, the less time
is required for it to evaporate, and therefore, the faster the asphalt
material will cure.
• Also, the higher the penetration of the base asphalt, the longer it takes
for the asphalt cutback to cure.

53
PROPERTIES OF ASPHALT MATERIALS
3. Rate of Curing:
• Rate of Curing for Emulsified Asphalts
• The curing and adhesion characteristics of emulsions (anionic and cationic)
used for pavement construction depend on the rate at which the water
evaporates from the mixture.
• When weather conditions are favorable, the water is displaced relatively
rapidly, and so curing progresses rapidly. When weather conditions include
high humidity, low temperature, or rainfall immediately following the
application of the emulsion, its ability to properly cure is affected adversely.
• Although the effect of surface and weather conditions on proper curing is
more critical for anionic emulsions, favorable weather conditions also are
required to obtain optimum results for cationic emulsions. A major
advantage of cationic emulsions is that they release their water more readily.
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PROPERTIES OF ASPHALT MATERIALS
4. Resistance to Water Action
• When asphalt materials are used in pavement construction, it is
important that the asphalt continues to adhere to the aggregates even
with the presence of water.
• If this bond between the asphalt and the aggregates is lost, the asphalt
will strip from the aggregates, resulting in the deterioration of the
pavement.
• The asphalt therefore must sustain its ability to adhere to the aggregates
even in the presence of water. In hot-mix, hot-laid asphalt concrete,
where the aggregates are thoroughly dried before mixing, stripping
does not normally occur and so no preventive action is usually taken.
• However, when water is added to a hot-mix, cold-laid asphalt concrete,
commercial antistrip additives usually are added to improve the
asphalt’s ability to adhere to the aggregates.

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THANKS !

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