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Highway Pavement Materials

1.1 Binders Used for Bituminous Highway Materials

1.1.1 Road Tar

Tar has been used for many years in road construction both as a binder for
macadam and as a surface dressing initially on waterbound roads. Road tar is today
specified in BS 76 1 by the following definition: 'tar for use in road work is prepared
entirely from crude tars produced wholly or substantially as a by-product in the
carbonisation of coal at above 600 °C in externally heated retorts or coke ovens'.
The British Standard specifies the essential properties of a number of viscosity
grades of two types of road tar. These types differ mainly in their setting properties
as controlled by the content of flux oil and its volatility. The first type, used for
surface dressing, is designated as the S-series and is intended to set more rapidly
than the second type, used for coated macadam and designated the C-series.
There are four grades of surface-dressing tar - S34, 38, 42 and 46 -designated
according to their equi-viscous temperature, and eight grades of tar for use in
coated macadam - C30, 34, 38,42, 46, 50, 54 and 58.
In addition to specifying the equi-viscous temperature for each grade of tar BS 76
specifies the maximum water content, gives distillation yields, the softening point of
the distillation residue using the ring-and-ball test, density at 20 °C and the
requirements for the Beckton tray test. This later test determines the rise in viscosity
as determined by the equi-viscous temperature that a film of tar undergoes during
1 h at a particular temperature and allows an assessment to be made of the harden-
ing that will be experienced by the tar in a commercial coating plant operating at
the same temperature. It is therefore a test applied to tars used for coating aggre-
gates.

1.1.2 Bitumen

This is specified in BS 3690, 2 where bitumen is defined as a viscous liquid, or a

solid, consisting essentially of hydrocarbons and their derivatives, that is soluble in
carbon disulphide; it is substantially non-volatile and softens gradually when heated.
It is black and brown in colour and possesses waterproofing and adhesive properties.

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R. J. Salter, Highway Design and Construction
© R.J. Salter 1988
2 HIGHWAY DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

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 matter.
When the bitumen is obtained from petroleum by refinery processes the bitumen
is referred to as petroleum bitumen. Where the viscosity of the bitumen is reduced
by the addition of a suitable volatile diluent then the binder is referred to as cut-
back bitumen.
BS 3690 gives details of the ten grades of petroleum bitumen, 15, 25, 35, 40,
50, 70, 100,200, 300 and 450 pen, each value indicating the mid-point of the
penetration or viscosity range as measured by the standard penetration test. Also
specified are the softening point, the loss in weight and the drop in penetration
after heating for 5 hat 163 °C, solubility in carbon disulphide or trichloro-
ethylene, and ash content.
Cut-back bitumen is specified in BS 3690, which designates three grades- 50,
100 and 200 s - the mid-point of the viscosity range determined by the standard
tar viscometer. Also specified are distillation yields, the penetration of the residue
after distillation, solubility in carbon disulphide or tricholoroethylene and ash
content.

1.1.3 Bitumen Road Emulsions

A bitumen road emulsion is specified in BS 434 3 as a liquid product in which a

substantial amount of bitumen is suspended in a finely divided condition in an
aqueous medium by means of one or more suitable emulsifying agents. There are
two types of emulsion: anionic and cationic. In anionic emulsions the anion of the
emulsifier is at the interface with the bitumen particle, which is negatively charged,
and normally the aqueous phase is alkaline. In cationic emulsions the cation of the
emulsifier is at the interface with the bitumen particle, which is positively charged,
and normally the aqueous phase is acid.
Anionic road emulsions are classified in order of stability in the following manner
(l) Class A 1. Labile emulsions which are used cold and are characterised by
rapid breakdown on application and normally unsuitable for mixing with aggregate.
(2) Class A2. Semi-stable emulsions used cold and with sufficient stability to
permit mixing with certain grades of aggregate before breakdown occurs.
(3) Class AJ. Stable emulsions used cold and having sufficient mechanical and
chemical stability for all purposes involving mixing with aggregate, including those
containing large proportions of fines or chemically active materials such as cement
or hydrated lime.
(4) Class A4. An emulsion specially formulated for the slurry seal process.
With the addition of water they are sufficiently stable to form a free-flowing slurry
with specified aggregates. They are capable of remaining stable with the laying
procedure adopted and the setting time may be extended as desired. This class of
emulsion is further divided into slow setting and rapid setting. The slow-setting
emulsions are suitable for use in simple mixers for hand-laying, in bulk transit
concrete mixers or mobile mixing machines. Rapid-setting emulsions are suitable
for use only in special mobile mixing machines.