Penetration Grade Bitumen is a standard bitumen usually used as a Paving Grade Bitumen essential for road construction and for the production of asphalt pavements with superior properties, and it's very important once it bounds the aggregates and creates a unique cohesion and stability to the bituminous mix.
This grade of Bitumen is mainly used in the manufacture of hot mix asphalt for bases and wearing courses.
Penetration Grade bitumens are specified by the penetration and softening point test. Designation is by penetration range only. The penetration grade bitumens have a thermoplastic property which causes the material to soften at high temperatures and to harden at lower temperatures. This unique temperature/viscosity relationship is important when determining the performance parameters such as the adhesion, rheology, durability and application temperatures of bitumen.
| Analysis | Unit | 40-50 | 60-70 | 85-100 | 120-150 | 150-200 | 200-300 | Test Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Limit | ||||||||
| Density @ 25ºC | kg/m3 | 1010-1060 | 1010-1060 | 1000-1050 | 1000-1050 | 1000-1050 | 990-1040 | ASTM D70 or D3289 |
| Penetration @ 25ºC | mm/10 | 40-50 | 60-70 | 85-100 | 120-150 | 150-200 | 200-300 | ASTM D5 |
| Softening Point | ºC | 49 min | 46 min | 42 min | 38 min | 36 min | 32 min | ASTM D36 |
| Ductility @ 25ºC | cm | 100 min | 100 min | 100 min | 100 min | 100 min | 100 min | ASTM D113 |
| Loss on heating | wt% | 0.2 max | 0.2 max | 0.5 max | 0.5 max | 0.5 max | 1 max | ASTM D6 |
| Drop in penetration after heating | % | 20 max | 20 max | 20 max | 20 max | 20 max | 37 min | ASTM D5 |
| Flash point | ºC | 232 min | 232 min | 232 min | 218 min | 218 min | 177 min | ASTM D92 |
| Solubility in Trichloroethylene | wt% | 99.0 min | 99.0 min | 99.0 min | 99.0 min | 99.0 min | 99.0 min | ASTM D2042 |
| Spot test | --- | Negative | Negative | Negative | Negative | Negative | Negative | AASHTO T 102 |
| Viscosity @60ºc | P | 4000±800 | 2000±400 | 1000±200 | 450±90 | 250±50 | 200±50 | ASTM D 2171 |
| Viscosity@135ºc | cSt | 400 min | 300 min | 250 min | 170 min | 150 min | 80 min | ASTM D 2170 |
| Test on Residue From Thin Film Oven Test (ASTM D1754) | ||||||||
| Retained Penetration after (T.F.O.T), % | % | 58 min | 54 min | 50 min | 46 min | 46 min | 40 min | ASTM D5 |
| Ductility , (25 °C),5cm/min , cm after TFOT | cm | 50 | 50 | 75 | 100 | 100 | 100 | ASTM D113 |
| Viscosity @ 60ºc | P | 20000 max | 10000 max | 5000 max | 2250 max | 1250 max | ASTM D 2171 | |
| Test Method | Penetration Grade - EN | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30/45 | 35/50 | 40/60 | 50/70 | 70/100 | 100/150 | 160/220 | 250/300 | ||
| Penetration at 25°C | IP 49 | 30-45 | 35-50 | 40-60 | 50-70 | 70-100 | 100-150 | 160-220 | 250-300 |
| Softening point °C | IP 58 | 52-60 | 50-58 | 48-56 | 46-54 | 43-51 | 39-47 | 35-43 | 30-38 |
| Resistance to hardening at 163°C - change of mass % (max.) - retained penetration (min.) - softening point after hardening, minimum (°C) | IP 460 part 1 or IP 460 part 3 IP 49 IP 58 | 0.5 53 54 | 0.5 53 52 | 0.5 50 49 | 0.5 50 48 | 0.8 46 45 | 0.8 43 41 | 1,0 37 37 | 1,0 35 32 |
| Flash point, minimum (°C) | IP 36 | 240 | 240 | 230 | 230 | 230 | 230 | 220 | 220 |
| Solubility, minimum (%) | IP 47 | 99,0 | 99,0 | 99,0 | 99,0 | 99,0 | 99,0 | 99,0 | 99,0 |
| Kinematic viscosity at 135°C, minimum (mm²/s) | IP 319 | 400 | 370 | 325 | 295 | 230 | 175 | 135 | 100 |