Introduction
Alps Bitumen 80/100 is a specific grade of bitumen that comes from petroleum bitumen. It’s usually produced as Straight Run Bitumen from the residue of the vacuum distillation tower in the refinery. In this method, without performing the Air Blowing process, the final product is obtained only by separating the lighter cuts of crude oil in atmospheric and vacuum distillation towers.
Alps Bitumen finds applications as binding material in highways and pavements. Alps Bitumen 80/100 is a standard, relatively soft, and widely used penetrating bitumen in the road construction industry. Due to its balance between workability, flexibility, and pavement performance, it is one of the common grades in many countries around the world, especially in regions with temperate to warm climates.
The selection of bitumen grade should be based on weather conditions, traffic type, and pavement design, and is not limited to the grade number only.
The importance of Bitumen 80/100 is not only because it is one of the most widely used grades of bitumen; it also plays an important role in the correct selection of paving materials, long-term performance of asphalt, and bitumen quality control.
What is Bitumen 80/100?
The number 80/100 indicates the result of the Penetration test. In this test, a standard needle is placed on the surface of the bitumen under a load of 100 grams and for 5 seconds at a temperature of 25°C. If the penetration of the needle is between 80 and 100 tenths of a millimeter (8 to 10 mm), the bitumen is in this grade. The larger this number, the softer the bitumen; Therefore, 80/100 bitumen is softer and more flexible than grades such as 60/70 or 40/50.
Note that different grades of bitumen only specify the hardness range of the bitumen and do not indicate its quality, durability, or ultimate performance.
Producing Process
Alps Bitumen 80/100 is usually produced as Straight Run Bitumen through the crude oil refining process. In this process, the crude oil is first desalted and enters the atmospheric distillation tower and light fractions such as gas, naphtha, kerosene and diesel are separated from it. The heavy residue of the atmospheric tower is then transferred to the vacuum distillation unit. Under vacuum conditions, heavier fractions such as base oils and vacuum gas oil are separated from the residue without thermal cracking and finally the vacuum residue is obtained as the raw material for bitumen production.
Alps asphalt in order to achieve 80/100 grade, the refinery adjusts the operating conditions of the vacuum tower and, if necessary, the blending of appropriate cuts so that the final product meets the desired physical specifications, especially the penetration range of 80 to 100 tenths of a millimeter, in accordance with relevant standards.
Main Features
To categorize different types and different Characters of bitumen, there is a grading system based on the penetration level of bitumen. The reason why there are different characters is because bitumen can be obtained by different ways such as natural bitumen, petroleum bitumen and other ways; so its properties can be varied. Even if bitumen obtained by one way, properties can be different because of different sources and exclusivity of refining processes.
In case that the purposes of using Bitumen can vary, the features and properties must be varied to suit every situation. Even if it’s using for one purpose, for example highway constructions, different grades may be used for different part of one structure. Besides, weathers and environmental factors may affect the grade of bitumen.
One of the most important features of bitumen is consistency. Bitumen is a thermoplastic material, meaning that it is liquid when heated and solid when cooled, and its solid (rigidity) or liquid (ability to flow) state is highly dependent on temperature. The term that is used to measure the degree of stiffness or ability to flow is called consistency. parameters that determine consistency are penetration level, softening point and viscosity.
Not all crude oils have the same bitumen production capacity. The origin of the crude oil, its chemical composition, and the amount of heavy residue (vacuum residue) affect the production efficiency and quality of the bitumen.
History
With the development of the oil refining industry in the early 20th century and the expansion of asphalt road construction, the need for a standard method to classify bitumen based on their hardness and performance was felt. In response to this need, the Penetration Grading System was developed, which classifies bitumen based on the result of the needle penetration test at 25°C. In this system, 80/100 grade was introduced as one of the standard grades, and because of the appropriate balance between hardness and flexibility, it was gradually used in many countries for hot asphalt production and pavement construction.
Although newer systems such as Performance Grade (PG) and Viscosity Grade (VG) have replaced the penetration system in some countries today, penetration grades such as Bitumen 80/100 are still used as the common standard for bitumen production, trade and export in a large part of the world, especially in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
Alps Bitumen Technical Information:
Penetration at 25°C (dmm): 80-100
Softening Point (°C): 42-52
Ductility at 25°C (cm): 100
Solubility in Trichloroethylene (%): 99
Flash Point (°C): 250
Specific Gravity at 25°C:01-1.06
Specific Applications of Alps Bitumen 80/100
When it comes to bitumen, no single option is considered as the best one, as each grade must be selected according to the operating conditions and its specific application, in which it is used to achieve the best performance.
Alps Bitumen grade 80/100 has a medium hardness and is therefore suitable for areas with moderate climates. It also shows good performance for pavements with light to medium traffic. This grade plays an important role in pavement design, as improper grade selection can cause cracking or deformation of the asphalt.
Grade 80/100 is of high commercial importance and is considered one of the common products in export markets.
One of the reasons for this grade’s popularity is its balance between two important properties:
- Sufficient flexibility to reduce the likelihood of cracking due to thermal stresses.
- Suitable stiffness to withstand typical traffic loads.
For this reason, this grade provides acceptable performance in many road construction projects.
Standard Test Methods to Determine Bitumen Properties
- Penetration Level (ASTM D5): The most important test for identifying bitumen 80/100. In this test, the penetration of a standard needle is measured at a temperature of 25°C, under a load of 100 grams, for 5 seconds, and should be within the range of 80 to 100 tenths of a millimeter.
- Softening Point (ASTM D36): It determines the softening temperature of bitumen and evaluates its resistance to deformation at high temperatures.
- Ductility (ASTM D113): It measures the ability of bitumen to stretch before breaking and is an indicator of flexibility and resistance to cracking.
- Kinematic Viscosity (ASTM D2170): It evaluates the flow behavior of bitumen at specific temperatures and is important for controlling the asphalt production and application process.
Alps Bitumen Packing & Shipping:
Alps Bitumen Packing: Available in bulk, drums, Jumbo Bag or customized packaging as per customer requirements.
Bitumen Shipping: Transported via tanker trucks, ISO containers, or drums, Jumbo bag ensuring compliance with international safety and environmental standard
