What is Bitumen Emulsion?

Bitumen emulsion is a mixture of fine droplets of bitumen and water. But as the bitumen is a petroleum
product it doesn’t mix with water and as it is sticky in nature, it doesn’t easily gets disintegrated into fine
droplets. To overcome this problem an emulsifier is used.

Emulsifier can be defined as a surface-active agent. Emulsifier keeps the bitumen in its fine droplet state
by disallowing it to mix with other droplets. As the droplets are very fine they suspend in water.

“Therefore, bitumen emulsion is a dispersed liquid consisting of three products, i.e. water, bitumen
and emulsion”.

Manufacture of Bitumen Emulsion

The production of bitumen emulsion takes place in two simple steps:

Step 1:
Firstly, the water is mixed with the appropriate emulsifier and other chemical agents. The choice of
emulsifier depends upon its ionic nature of the mix.

Step 2:
Now water emulsifier mix is added with bitumen in a colloidal mill. The amount of bituminous to be
added depends upon the nature of use of bitumen emulsion. If it is used for important works then between
percent can range up to 60 to 70%.

The average range of bitumen mixed is from 40 to 70%.

The colloidal mill breaks down the bitumen into very tiny droplets. Average size of bitumen droplet is
about 2 Micron. But the droplets try to join them self with each other and make it settle down.

But the emulsifier added creates a coating of surface charge around every drop droplet of the bitumen that
helps to keep away from each other on the other hand it is also it also keeps the droplet in dispersed and
suspended form.

The mix received from the colloidal mill is stored in the storage tanks and used as per requirement.

Types of Bitumen Emulsion

The bitumen emulsion is classified into two types:

1. Based on Setting Time

When the bitumen emulsion is applied on the aggregate for the road works the water evaporates leaving
behind the bitumen droplets. These droplets spread on the aggregate and bind with each other and gains
strength eventually.

Based upon the time taken by the bitumen emulsion to evaporate the water and bitumen particles to
separate from water, bitumen emulsion is further classified into 3 types based on setting time:
 a) Slow setting emulsion
In this type of emulsion, a special type of emulsifier is used to slow the process of water evaporation. This
type of emulsifier are relatively stable.

b) Medium setting emulsion

This type of bitumen emulsion doesn’t break as when applied on aggregate. The process of evaporation
starts when the fine dust of mineral are mixed with the aggregate emulsion mix.

c) Rapid setting emulsion

This type of bitumen emulsion breaks down rapidly as it comes with contact with aggregate helping in
fast setting and rapid curing.

2. Based on Surface Charge

Based upon the type of surface charge, they are divided into 2 types,

o Anionic Bitumen Emulsion

o Cationic Bitumen Emulsion

In anionic bitumen emulsion, the tiny droplets of bitumen are electronegative recharged. In Cationic
bitumen emulsion the tiny droplets of bitumen are electro positively charged.

The average and commonly used between emulsions is cationic between emulsions.

Selection of positive or negative recharge between emulsions depends upon the mineral composition of
aggregate on which it is used

Ex: In case of silica rich aggregates the surface of silica is aggregate is positively charged therefore
cationic bitumen emulsion is used which helps in better spreading and binding of bitumen with
aggregates.

Advantages and Limitations of Bitumen

Emulsion
Advantages and Uses of Bitumen Emulsions are:
o Bitumen emulsion are used extensively in bituminous road construction. Other than this they are used for
maintenance and repair work.

o Emulsions can be used in wet weather even if it is raining.

o Is ecofriendly as it is water based.

o Bitumen emulation is also used in soil stabilization in desert areas.

o It doesn’t need extra heat while placing.

o There is no wastage in placing and laying of bitumen.

o They possess anti-stripping properties.

o Rapid setting type of emulsion are used in surface of roads.

o Medium setting type of emulsion are used in premixing of bitumen emulsion and coarse aggregate.

o Slow setting type of emulsion are used with fine aggregates as the surface area is large and requires time for
uniform mixing.

Limitations of Bitumen Emulsion

o Storage time of bitumen emulsion ranges from few days to 6 months depending upon the percentage of
Bitumen added while production.

o Setting time may vary due to temperature, wind and type of emulsion.

o Not a single type of bitumen emulsion can be used for all works it depends upon the aggregate type setting
time nature of work etc.

BITUMEN EMULSION – WHAT, WHY & HOW?

Suryakanta | January 11, 2016 | Bitumen, Construction, Materials, Road Construction | 21 Comments

DEFINITION – WHAT IS BITUMEN EMULSION?

Bitumen Emulsion – what, why & how

Bitumen emulsion is a mixture of water & bitumen. Hey wait, we know that bitumen is a oil product and it cannot be mixed with
water. That is why we add an emulsifier (a surface active agent) with water before adding bitumen. Addition of emulsifier with
water facilitates breaking of bitumen into minute particles and keeps it dispersed in suspension.

Therefore we can say that a bitumen emulsion is a liquid product consisting of three things, (i.e. water + Emulsion + Bitumen)
where droplets of bitumen are suspended in water.

PRODUCTION – HOW IS IT MANUFACTURED?

The production of bitumen emulsion consists of two primary steps.

In the 1st step water is mixed with appropriate emulsifying agent and other chemicals. The type of emulsifier to be used depends
upon the ionic nature of the mix.
The 2nd step is the addition of bitumen with the water-emulsifier mix. This is done in a colloidal mill. Depending upon the use,
the amount of bitumen to be added with water may range from 40 to 70%. Water-emulsifier mix and bitumen is pumped to
a colloidal mill. The colloidal mill breaks the bitumen into tiny droplets. The average diameter of these tiny droplets of bitumen
is about 2 micron. Here comes the role of emulsifier. Emulsifier creates a coating of surface charge around the bitumen droplets
that helps to keep these tiny particles away from each other. It also helps to keep these particles in a dispersed form.

After completion of the 2nd step, the bitumen emulsion is pumped into storage tank.

CLASSIFICATION – HOW TO CLASSIFY BITUMEN

EMULSION?
There are two different ways to classify bitumen emulsion, as given below.

1. Based on surface charge

2. Based on setting time

BASED ON SURFACE CHARGE

Depending upon the type of surface charge, bitumen emulsions are primarily classified into the following two types.

1. Anionic Bitumen Emulsion

2. Cationic Bitumen Emulsion

In case of an anionic bitumen emulsion, bitumen particles are electro-negatively charged, where as for cat-ionic emulsions,
bitumen particles are electro-positively charged. Now days cationic bitumen emulsion are most commonly used.

The choice of bitumen emulsion (i.e. whether anionic or cationic) to be used depends upon the mineral composition of aggregate
used for construction. In case of silica rich aggregates, the surface of the aggregates are electro-negatively charged. Therefore a
cationic emulsion should be used. This will help better spreading and binding of bitumen with aggregates.

BASED ON SETTING TIME

When bitumen emulsions are applied on aggregates, water starts to evaporate causing separation of bitumen from water. And
then bitumen spreads on the surface of the aggregate and acts as a binding material and slowly attains its strength.

Depending upon the speed at which water evaporates and bitumen particles separate from water, it is classified into following 3
types.

1. Rapid Setting Emulsion (RS)

2. Medium Setting Emulsion (MS)
3. Slow Setting Emulsion (SS)

Note: Here the word “setting” should not mean attainment of strength; rather it means the time taken by the bitumen to separate
from water.

In case of rapid setting emulsion, bitumen is intended to break rapidly. Therefore this type of emulsion sets and cures rapidly.

Medium setting emulsions do not break spontaneously when applied on aggregates. But the process of breaking starts when fine
dusts of minerals are mixed with aggregate-emulsion mix.

Slow setting emulsions are manufactured by using special type of emulsifier, which makes the setting process very slow. These
types of emulsion are relatively stable.

FACTORS AFFECTING SETTING OF EMULSIONS

The following factors affect the setting & curing of bitumen emulsion mixes.

 Water absorption of aggregate

 Surface texture of aggregate
 Amount of mineral dust in aggregate
  Aggregate gradation
 Mineral composition of aggregate
 Intensity of charge on aggregate surface
 Type of emulsifier used & its quantity
 Atmospheric condition, climatic conditions
 Wind velocity & altitude
 Drainage conditions at construction site

APPLICATIONS – WHAT ARE THE USES OF BITUMEN

EMULSIONS?
1. Emulsions are used in bituminous road construction work. They are especially helpful for maintenance and patch repair
works.
2. Emulsion can be used in wet weather even when it is raining.
3. Also emulsions have been used in soil stabilization, particularly for stabilization of sands in desert areas.
4. A rapid setting type emulsion is suitable for surface dressing and penetration macadam type of construction.
5. Medium setting type is used for premixing with coarse aggregates.
6. In case of fine aggregates, the surface area of aggregate is more and as a result long duration of time is required to mix the
emulsion. Therefore slow setting emulsion is preferred which gives sufficient time for uniform blending of the mix.

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES & LIMITATIONS OF BITUMEN

EMULSION?
ADVANTAGES – WHY TO USE BITUMEN EMULSIONS?

 The strength properties of bitumen are preserved in emulsion mixes since emulsions do not need hot mixing. Generally
cold mixing or just slightly warming the ingredients of the emulsion mix are done for construction of pavements.
 Emulsion can be used in wet weather even when it is raining.
 Emulsions possess anti-stripping properties.
 Emulsions with lower viscosity or thinner consistency improve spreadability and allows better coating of the bitumen on
the surface of aggregate.
 There is no wastage during laying and storage.
 Since emulsions are water based, there is less effect on the environment.
 It is the least energy intensive of all construction material: there is no need to heat.

LIMITATIONS

 No one type of emulsion is suitable for every work. it depends upon whether the aggregate is acidic or basic in nature..
 The setting time may vary depending on the air temperature, wind velocity and type of emulsion.
 There is a wide range of curing time; a suitable emulsion mix needs to be designed for a particular need, i.e. we need to
determine for each case, the optimum quantity of emulsion based on zone, type of emulsion, mix grade and desired
mechanical properties
 It has limited storage time (ranging from few days to six months)

o
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN
ORDINARY AND PERFORMANCE GRADED
BINDERS?
Suryakanta | May 10, 2016 | Bitumen, Construction, Materials, Road Construction | 1 Comment
COMPARISON BETWEEN ORDINARY
PERFORMANCE GRADED BINDERS
The primary differences between ordinary graded binder and performance graded binder is given in the following table
ORDINARY GRADED
BINDERS
Binders are graded either
upon penetration or viscosity
Binders are graded based on tests
conducted at a particular critical test
temperature only
Past experience, empirical and semi-
empirical test results are used
Hardening and aging due to storage,
mixing, spraying, exposure and oxidation
are not considered
The properties of the binder at minimum
pavement temperature are not considered
The characteristics of flow and
workability during mixing of the binder
are not considered.
Visco-elastic properties are not much
considered.
&
PERFORMANCE
GRADED BINDERS
Binders are graded based upon
based
pavement temperature, which are close
to in service conditions of pavements
Binders are graded based on different
ranges of pavement temperatures similar
to field conditions
Purely scientific and performance based
studies are considered
Hardening and ageing during storage,
mixing, spraying, exposure and
oxidation is simulated by conducting
RTFO and PAV tests
Susceptibility of the binder to lower
temperatures is carefully evaluated by
conducting BBR and DT tests
Flow, workability and viscosity
properties of the binder are determined
at higher temperature by using
Visco-elastic properties are determined
by using DSR.
 Accelerated ageing of the binder up to 7
There is no concept of aging of bitumen. – 10 years is simulated using the PAV
test

Final selection of a suitable grade of

A suitable binder is selected using values
of penetration, viscosity, softening point
and based upon location.
binder is made after considering the
location of the construction site,
maximum and minimum design
temperatures, design speed of vehicles
and number of equivalent standard axle
load repetitions.

4 DIFFERENT FORMS OF BITUMEN USED IN

ROAD CONSTRUCTION
Suryakanta | April 8, 2016 | Bitumen, Construction, Materials, Road Construction | 5 Comments

DIFFERENT FORMS OF BITUMEN

1. CUTBACK BITUMEN
Normal practice is to heat bitumen to reduce its viscosity. In some situations preference is given to use liquid binders such as
cutback bitumen. In cutback bitumen suitable solvent is used to lower the viscosity of the bitumen. From the environmental point
of view also cutback bitumen is preferred. The solvent from the bituminous material will evaporate and the bitumen will bind the
aggregate. Cutback bitumen is used for cold weather bituminous road construction and maintenance. The distillates used for
preparation of cutback bitumen are naphtha, kerosene, diesel oil, and furnace oil. There are different types of cutback bitumen
like rapid curing (RC), medium curing (MC), and slow curing (SC). RC is recommended for surface dressing and patchwork. MC
is recommended for premix with less quantity of fine aggregates. SC is used for premix with appreciable quantity of fine
aggregates.

2. BITUMEN EMULSION
Bitumen emulsion is a liquid product in which bitumen is suspended in a finely divided condition in an aqueous medium and
stabilised by suitable material. Normally cationic type emulsions are used in India. The bitumen content in the emulsion is around
60% and the remaining is water. When the emulsion is applied on the road it breaks down resulting in release of water and the
mix starts to set. The time of setting depends upon the grade of bitumen. The viscosity of bituminous emulsions can be measured
as per IS: 8887-1995. Three types of bituminous emulsions are available, which are Rapid setting (RS), Medium setting (MS),
and Slow setting (SC). Bitumen emulsions are ideal binders for hill road construction. Where heating of bitumen or aggregates
are difficult. Rapid setting emulsions are used for surface dressing work. Medium setting emulsions are preferred for premix jobs
and patch repairs work. Slow setting emulsions are preferred in rainy season.

3. BITUMINOUS PRIMERS
In bituminous primer the distillate is absorbed by the road surface on which it is spread. The absorption therefore depends on the
porosity of the surface. Bitumen primers are useful on the stabilised surfaces and water bound macadam base courses.
Bituminous primers are generally prepared on road sites by mixing penetration bitumen with petroleum distillate.
4. MODIFIED BITUMEN
Certain additives or blend of additives called as bitumen modifiers can improve properties of Bitumen and bituminous mixes.
Bitumen treated with these modifiers is known as modified bitumen. Polymer modified bitumen (PMB)/ crumb rubber modified
bitumen (CRMB) should be used only in wearing course depending upon the requirements of extreme climatic variations. The
detailed specifications for modified bitumen have been issued by IRC: SP: 53-1999. It must be noted that the performance of
PMB and CRMB is dependent on strict control on temperature during construction. The advantages of using modified bitumen
are as follows

 Lower susceptibility to daily and seasonal temperature variations

 Higher resistance to deformation at high pavement temperature
 Better age resistance properties
 Higher fatigue life for mixes
 Better adhesion between aggregates and binder
 Prevention of cracking and reflective cracking

REQUIREMENTS OF BITUMEN
The desirable properties of bitumen depend on the mix type and construction. In general, Bitumen should posses following
desirable properties.

 The bitumen should not be highly temperature susceptible: during the hottest weather the mix should not become too soft
or unstable, and during cold weather the mix should not become too brittle causing cracks.
 The viscosity of the bitumen at the time of mixing and compaction should be adequate. This can be achieved by use of
cutbacks or emulsions of suitable grades or by heating the bitumen and aggregates prior to mixing.
 There should be adequate affinity and adhesion between the bitumen and aggregates used in the mix.

6 CHARACTERISTIC PROPERTIES OF
BITUMEN
Suryakanta | July 23, 2015 | Bitumen, Materials | 5 Comments

Bitumen is defined as “A viscous liquid, or a solid, consisting essentially of hydrocarbons and their derivatives, which is soluble
in trichloro-ethyelene and is substantially nonvolatile and softens gradually when heated”. It is black or brown in colour &
possesses waterproofing and adhesive properties. It is obtained by refinery processes from petroleum, and is also found as a
natural deposit or as a component of naturally occurring asphalt, in which it is associated with mineral matte.

Bitumen has the following five characteristic properties.

1. Bitumen Adheres
2. Bitumen is Elastic
3. Bitumen is Plastic
4. Bitumen is Viscoelastic
5. Bitumen Ages
6. Bitumen Hardens

1. BITUMEN ADHERES
Bitumen has excellent adhesive qualities provided the conditions are favorable. However in presence of water the adhesion does
create some problems. Most of the aggregates used in road construction possess a weak negative charge on the surface. The
bitumen aggregate bond is because of a weak dispersion force. Water is highly polar and hence it gets strongly attached to the
aggregate displacing the bituminous coating.

2. BITUMEN IS ELASTIC
When one takes a thread of bitumen from a sample and stretches or elongates it, it has the ability to return to a length close to its
original length eventually. For some bitumens this process may take longer than others. This property is referred to as the elastic
character of bitumen.

3. BITUMEN IS PLASTIC
When temperatures are raised, as well as when a load is applied to bitumen, the bitumen will flow, but will not return to its
original position when load is removed. This condition is referred to as plastic behavior. Applying a load means that you put a
weight on the bitumen in order to subject it to stress. This could be in a lab or in the bitumens final position in the road and it is
done to assess the bitumens reaction to the load.

4. BITUMEN IS VISCOELASTIC
Bitumen has a Viscoelastic character. Its behavior may be either viscous or elastic depending on the temperature or the load it is
carrying. At higher temperatures there is more flow or plastic behavior, while at lower temperatures and short duration loading,
the bitumen tends to be stiff and elastic. At intermediate temperatures it tends to be a combination of the two.

5. BITUMEN AGES
Aging refers to changes in the properties of bitumen over time, which is caused by external condition. These changes are visible
as cracks or crumbling areas. When bitumen is exposed to atmospheric conditions, the bitumen molecules react with oxygen,
which results in a change of the structure and composition of the bitumen. This process of combining with oxygen,
called oxidation, causes the bitumen to become brittle and hard and to change colour from dark brown or black to grey. This
change is usually referred to as oxidative hardening or age hardening. This form of ageing occurs more frequently in warmer
climatic or during warm seasons, causing older pavements to crack more easily. The condition can also occur where the surface
films of bitumen are thin, or if there has been inadequate compaction during construction.

Also Read: Factors Affecting Aging of Bitumen

6. BITUMEN HARDENS
Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays and the evaporation of volatile compounds can cause bitumen to harden. A volatile material is
a material that can change in to a gas very quickly. There are two kinds of hardening:

 Physical hardening
 Exudative hardening

Physical hardening occurs when waxy crystals form in the bitumen structures, or when asphaltenes agglomerates clump together.
This condition can be reversed if the temperature is raised.

Exudative hardening is caused by the absorption of oily components in the bitumen.

6 FACTORS INFLUENCING AGING OF

BITUMEN BINDERS
Suryakanta | April 17, 2015 | Bitumen, Materials | 1 Comment
AGING OF BITUMEN BINDERS
Bitumen, like any organic matter, is affected by factors like presence of oxygen, ultraviolet rays and changes in temperature.
These factors are responsible for hardening of bitumen. Hardening results in

 Decrease in penetration value

 Increase in softening point temperature and
 Increase in penetration index (PI).

For increased life of bituminous pavement it is essential that excessive hardness does not take place.

FACTORS INFLUENCING AGING OF BITUMEN

Hardening of bitumen takes under the influence of external factors in the following ways:

1. OXIDATIVE HARDENING:
When bitumen is exposed to atmosphere for a prolonged period the oxygen starts reacting with the bitumen constituents and
higher molecular weight molecules are formed. Larger molecules results in lesser flexibility and hence increased hardness. The
degree of hardness is dependent on factors like ambient temperature, exposure time & thickness of bitumen film. It is observed
that for 100C increase in temperature above 1000C, the rate of oxidation doubles.
2. HARDENING DUE TO LOSS OF VOLATILES:
Over a period of time the volatile components in bitumen evaporate. The rate of evaporation is dependent on temperature only.
The volatiles in bitumen are relatively very low and hence hardening due to loss of volatiles is relatively small.

3. PHYSICAL HARDENING:
At ambient temperatures bitumen molecules slowly reorient themselves. This results in physical hardening. This process is an
extremely slow process and hence actual hardening due to the above factor is very low.

4. EXUDATIVE HARDENING:
Exudative hardening takes place due to the movement of oily components out of bitumen over a period of time. The rate of
hardening due to this process is dependent on the type of bitumen and also on the porosity of the aggregate.

5. HARDENING OF BITUMEN DURING STORAGE:

Bitumen is stored in above ground tanks at high temperatures and presence of oxygen are the two primary factors responsible for
hardening of bitumen. Hence it is very important that bitumen be handled at the lowest possible temperature, consistent with
efficient use. Also the storage tanks should have low surface to volume ratio so as to minimize the exposed surface area.. Lower
exposed surface area would mean lower oxidation rate.

While designing the tanks it should be ensured that the recirculation pipelines always enter the tank below the bitumen surface.
This will reduce splashing during recirculation. When the recirculation line enters the tank above the product surface all the three
factors which promote oxidation viz. high temperature, access to oxygen and high exposed surface to volume ratio, are present.
Therefore bitumen quality deteriorates very fast.

If handled properly the hardening in tanks can be insignificant as the product is stored for shorter durations. If bitumen is to be
stored for long durations (4 to 5 days) then the temperature should be reduced to 20 0C to 250C above softening point.

In case where bitumen is to be reheated to increase the temperature adequate precautions have to be exercised. Bitumen should
not be heated continuously in the beginning. Continuous heating can result in very high localized temperatures in area close to
the heating source.

6. HARDENING OF BITUMEN ON ROAD:

Some hardening of bitumen can also take place on the road due to oxidation. The level of oxidation is purely dependent on the
access to oxygen. If the pavement is well graded and well compacted the hardening is nominal as the void content will be low.

REFERENCE
HP Bitumen Handbook

VISCOSITY GRADE BITUMEN – WHAT ARE

THE TYPES AND THEIR SPECIFICATIONS?
Suryakanta | November 25, 2014 | Bitumen, Materials | No Comments

WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF VG BITUMEN

As per IS:73-2006 , bitumen is classified into four types based on viscosity, as given below.

 VG-10
 VG-20
 VG-30
  VG-40

viscosity grade bitumen -what are the

types and their requirements

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS OF PAVING BITUMEN (VG

BITUMEN)
Paving Grades or Viscosity Grade Bitumen Requirements
CHARACTERISTICS
VG-10 VG-20 VG-30 VG-40

Absolute viscosity at 600C, Poises,

800 1600 2400 3200
Min

Kinematic viscosity at 1350C, cSt,

250 300 350 400
Min

Flash point, (cleveland

220 220 220 220
opencup), C, Min
0

Solubility in trichloroethylene, %,
99.0 99.0 99.0 99.0
min

Penetration at 250C 80-100 60-80 50-70 40-60

Softening point, 0C, Min 40 45 47 50

Tests on residue from thin film

oven test/RTFOT
 1. Viscosity ratio at 60 C, Max
0
4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0

2. Ductility at 25 C, cm, Min,

0

after thin film oven test 75 50 40 25

VISCOSITY GRADE BITUMEN – WHAT ARE

THE ADVANTAGES OF VG BITUMEN?
Suryakanta | November 24, 2014 | Bitumen, Materials | No Comments

Advantages of Viscosity Grade

Bitumen

ADVANTAGES OF VISCOSITY GRADE BITUMEN

 Viscosity grade bitumen is based on fundamental engineerin7g properties and not on empirical properties. It is a
performance based grading system.
 Viscosity grading system takes into account both low and high temperature susceptibility of bitumen.
 Viscosity grade bitumen is very easy to handle as viscosity value at two different temperatures is available, which would
enable user to measure accurate mixing and compaction temperatures.
 In order to check the quality of viscosity grade bitumen, we only have to conduct 7 no. of tests. This reduces time and cost
of testing.
 The pavements made from VG bitumen will have better performance, because viscosity value at 1350C gives sufficient
idea about mixing and compaction temperature ad as a result pavement life is improved.
 Pavements constructed using VG bitumen can take higher traffic load with extreme weather condition.