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BITUMEN MODIFIERS-AN
INTRODUCTION
Prashant Kumar1*, Sudeep Asthana1, Swapna Rekha Panda1, Kashish Mehta1
1
Department of Chemical Engineering
School of Chemical Engineering & Physical Sciences
Lovely Professional University, Phagwara-India

Abstract
Requirement of better binding capacity bitumen to withstand current road traffic and air traffic is need of
hour. Bitumen modification is not new; it was started as early as 18th century. But recent additions of
polymer modified bitumen and crumb rubber modified bitumen has shown a new ray of hope for
sustainable road. But both have some storage stability issues. Current work shows a brief account of
different methodologies used for bitumen modification.

Keywords: Bitumen, PMB, CRMB, Rubber, Polymer, Air Blowing.

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Introduction
Bitumen is a blend of natural fluids that are profoundly thick, dark, clingy, altogether
dissolvable in carbon disulfide, and made fundamentally out of exceptionally consolidated
polycyclic sweet-smelling hydrocarbons. Normally unrefined bitumen is a clingy, tar-like type of
oil which is so thick and overwhelming that it must be warmed or weakened before it will
stream. At room temperature, it has a consistency much like cold molasses. Bitumen is generally
utilized worldwide for cleared streets as a perfect folio to manufacture both the asphalt structure
and the wearing course.
Now a day’s traffic is increasing day by day and the roads have to bear a lot of wear and
tear moreover weather is also gets extreme which causes issues like stable distortion, water
destruction and cracking. To overcome these problems, many steps are taken for the betterment
of the bitumen quality for enhanced performance. Bitumen modification is one of these steps
which stared way back in 18th century.
Bitumen modification consists of additive modification, polymer modification and crumb
rubber modification, etc. In general modifiers should be compatible, and oppose degradation of
bitumen at mixing temperature [1]. Different bitumen modifiers are:
i) Air blowing
A restricted measure of air blowing is utilized to make an ideal evaluation of bitumen
through the arrangement of asphaltenes. The financial aspects of air blowing are especially
positive for expanding the administration temperature scope of bitumen in the Super pave
execution reviewing framework.

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Air blowing method of modifying bitumen is a redox reaction. Blowing air incorporates
some distinct features to the bitumen. The heavy segment of the petroleum refinery is placed into
a converter. The air is allowed to flow through convertor while waiting for the bitumen to reach
desired properties. This operation i.e. blowing of air is performed at the temperature 240°C to
320°C. This process can be performed either batch or continuous manner.
The softening point of the air-blown bitumen is more than that of virgin bitumen. This air
blown bitumen is used for water proofing purposes [2].
ii) Chemical Modification
Chemical Modifications are auspicious substitute for bitumen modification. The use of
non-polymeric reactive agents able to form chemical bonds with bitumen compounds such as
Sulphur, polyphosphori acid (PPA), a mineral acid or organic molecules [3].
a) Sulphur
Sulfur bitumen, is a feasible option for bitumen street binder, a procedure wherein sulfur
is utilized to broaden bitumen materials as a method for vitality preservation by limiting bitumen
demand. In-general as much as 30 to 50% in weight sulfur can be added. Addition of sulfur to
bitumen influences the properties as, it reduces fatigue damage, resistance to water and fuel
increases, compression resistance and tensile strength increases [4].
b) Poly-phosphoric acid (PPA)
The paving bitumen is being modified with PPA with a recipe with numerous polymer
modifiers since the very beginning of 1990s. But investigators concluded that PPA modification
typically increases the elevated-temperature performance [5].
c) Gilsonite
It is an indigenous occurring, resin like hydrocarbon which is utilized as bitumen
modifier. Researcher showed that it increases modulus of elasticity.
d) Zinc Antioxidant
Use of Zinc di-thio-carbamate antioxidants to modify bitumen is found to be hindering in
rate of bitumen hardening.
e) Polymer Bitumen Modifiers (PMB)
Polymer increases flexibility of bitumen pavements. Polymers confronts fatigue,
cracking, rutting, temperature cracking and stripping properties of bitumen. The PMBs requires
extravagant starting overhead costs, this restricts USA initially to use it freely. Some new
technologies were developed in Europe in the decade of 1980 moreover some novel polymers
were also developed which encouraged US to use PMB more. While in Australia National
Asphalt Specification developed guidelines and specification for polymer modified bitumen. It
was only in 1997 when 47 out of 50 states shown interested in polymer modified bitumen and
promised to use in future.
Many researchers are working in various parts of globe to examine remunerations of
polymer modified bitumen in road building. Ohio Department of Transportation, in 2001, studied

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and compared PMBs, modified via SBS and SBR for fatigue and rutting properties. This study
concluded that modified bitumen shown excellent resistant for both fatigue and rutting
properties. Various properties of PMBs depends upon manufacturing conditions and methods
used [7].
In general, only one polymer is applied for production of PMB. Styrene-Butadiene
recipes (SBS i.e. Styrene Butadiene Styrene, SBR i.e. Styrene Butadiene Rubber etc.) are utilized
for path building.
In general polymer is added in solid form i.e. powder, pellets etc. But in rare cases liquid
in the form of an emulsion or solution. It is regardless important to create a bitumen-polymer
blend here there is no stage detachment much after long hot stockpiling. Contemporary items
permit stockpiling times of over about a month and a half [8].
High shear blenders precisely mix the polymer into the bitumen and finely spread it.
They press the material at fast through an extremely slim break. The individual parts are
consequently squashed and blending is made simpler. Simultaneously, notwithstanding, solid
shear powers are applied on the bitumen-polymer blend and macromolecules incompletely
decimated. The shear hole in the blending unit of the high shear blender ought to be chosen with
the goal that neither the polymer chain is devastated nor the colloid framework in the bitumen
misshaped.
High shear blenders are utilized specifically when modest quantities are to be created and there is
no capacity limit. PMB created utilizing high shear blenders is described specifically by its
extremely quick steadiness [9].
Another strategy is to include the polymer into the bitumen in compound physical way.
Significant for this technique is exact tuning of raw petroleum and polymer. It is encouraged if a
similar raw petroleum types are utilized. The vacuum buildup and the pre-owned polymer
arranged with the goal that it is solvent in the bitumen. The polymer is consolidated by gradually
turning blenders with a low shear impact.
This technique is unquestionably additional time dependent than the recently referenced
one, as bitumen take far longer to get steady. In any case, there is no hazard that the colloid
framework is wrecked because of high shear powers [10].
Problems with PMBs
Molecular weight, polarity and structure effects the compatibility of bitumen and
polymer. Polymer implied for modification of bitumen should be compatible with bitumen. If the
polymers are not sufficiently compatible with bitumen storage permanency problems may occur.
Bitumen-Polymer compatibility is effected by various factors such as bitumen
composition, polymer characteristics, polymer content, as well as mixing process. Therefore, to
obtain optimum compatibility, a matching of different variables is required [11].

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f) Rubber Modification
Rubber Addition of rubber also increases performance properties of bitumen. Rubber
modification is done by adding natural rubber powder / latex, and crumb rubber.
Natural Rubber Modified Bitumen
Natural rubber latex is more popular than natural rubber powder for bitumen
modification. A get state is to be formed with fusion of rubber and bitumen. Bitumen is heated
at elevated temperatures and rubber is mixed into the bitumen to obtained gel state. To obtain
homogeneity 2h mixing time is required. Natural rubber latex consists of polymerized isoprene
monomer which also increases the elasticity of bitumen. The natural rubber latex is more
sensitive to heat and is therefore mainly used in the modification of cold applied bituminous
binders [12].
Crumb Rubber Modified Bitumen (CRMB)
Crumb rubber is the reprocessed rubber attained through machine-driven cutting or
grating of waste tires into tiny units. There are only two ways known to produce CRMB. In a
method called as wet process first bitumen is brought at high temperature and 10-30% rubber is
blended with bitumen. Second method referred as dry method, in which reclaimed tire rubber
powder is added to the hot aggregate in quantities of 1% to 5% [13].
Conclusions and Recommendations
It was found in virgin bitumen is not enough to sustain daily traffic, landing and take-off
of the aero-planes. In order to make things work it is essential to modify bitumen. In all the
methods to modify bitumen polymer modification is found to be most suitable and can sustain
wear and tear for longer period. But it has some storage stability issues. To improve storage
stability, we can apply clays, some functional groups and some cross linking reagents.
CRMBs are another strong tool to improve binding capacity of bitumen, but it is
recommended to use them with in six hours of production.

References
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Constr Build Mater. Vol. 18, pp 535-548, 2004,
2. G. D. Alrey,” Styrene butadiene styrene polymer modification of road bitumenJ. Mater. Sci.Vol.39,
pp. 951– 959, 2004.
3. O. Kristjansdottir, S. Munch, L.Michael, and G. Burke, “Assessing potential for warmmix asphalt
technology adoption”, Jour. of Transp. Res Board.. Vol.2040, pp 91-99 2007.
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Mater. and Stru.. Vol. 28, pp. 139–59, 2005.
5. X. Lu and U. Isacsson, “Compatibility and storage stability of styrene-butadiene-styrene copolymer
modified bitumens”, Mater. and Struc.. Vol. 30, pp. 618-626, 1997,
6. U. Isacsson and X. Lu,” Characterization of bitumens modified with SEBS, EVA and EBA
polymers”, J. Mater. Sci. Vol.34, pp. 3737-3745, 1999.

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7. D. Newcomb D. “Limit the strain at the bottom of an asphalt pavement, and what do you get A
perpetual pavement”, Hot Mix Asphalt Tech. Vol. 8, pp. 30–32, 2004.
8. S. Kim, S.W. Loh, H. Zhai, and H.U. Bahia, “Advanced Characterization of Crumb Rubber-Modified
Asphalts, using Protocols Developed for Complex Binders”, Transportation Research Record: Jour.
of Transp. Res. Bord. Vol. 1767 pp. 15–24, 2001.
9. S. Aflaki and N. Tabatabaee, “Proposals for modification of Iranian bitumen to meet the climatic
requirements of Iran”, Constr Build Mater. Vol. 23, pp. 2141–2150, 2009.
10. R. Terrel R and J. Walter, “Modified asphalt pavement materials: The European experience”, Journal
Asso Asphalt Pavng Tech. Vol. 55, pp. 482-518, 1986.
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