Analysis of influence of bitumen composition on the properties represented by empirical and viscosity test

Abstract

Abstract Bitumen are one of the products in oil processing. The properties of bitumen are influenced by the source of oil itself and by the technological process of oil processing. Most European refineries, of course, are processing for reasons of the resale of petroleum products, especially petroleum suitable for the recovery of light and middle fractions. Therefore, light petroleums are required, with low yields of heavy fractions which are highly economically and in dispositions efficient for processors on the petroleum market. From the perspective of the rafinery the content and the ratio of asphaltenes and maltenes as essential components of bitumen become less important, however, this can significantly impact on future properties of the bituminous binder. The basic tests as penetration and softening point are dedicated to evaluate the bitumen properties and classify the bitumen. These tests are currently insufficient and therefore new test methods and procedures for bitumen characterization are developed. The main theme of the performance-based approach to bitumen binders’ properties assessment is the evaluation of properties from the pavement performance point of view as permanent deformation, fatigue and frost cracking. The evaluation of changes of bitumen properties during the production and paving process of the asphalt mixture is also important. The study is focused on investigating the viscous-temperature behavior and fundamental properties represented by the penetration and the softening point of the samples of paving grade bitumen 50/70 and polymer modified bitumen PMB 45/80-75. The composition of the bitumen was determined by the SARA analysis and organic elemental analysis. The paper points out how the “traditional” tests as softening point, penetration, and viscosity are affected by the composition of bitumen and how the composition of bitumen changes the basic properties of bitumen.