Bitumen 60/70

Bitumen penetration grade 60/70 means the penetration value is in the range between 60 to 70 mm/10 at standard test conditions which commonly used as a paving grade. This bitumen is produced through aeration on vacuum bottom (the raw material used for making bitumen left in vacuum distillation column in oil refineries) in bitumen production units. Its penetration grade ( the measure of bitumen hardness) is between 60 to 70. Bitumen is specified by the penetration and softening point test. Designing is by penetration range only. The penetration grade bitumen has 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.

The Bitumen mode is dependent on temperature. The temperature-vs-stiffness relationship of bitumen is dependent on the type of crude oil and its refining method. Bitumen penetration grade 60/70 is semi-hard penetration grade bitumen used as a paving grade bitumen which is suitable for road construction and repair. It is also used for the production of asphalt pavements with the below technical specification. This grade of bitumen is mainly used in the manufacturing of hot mix asphalt for bases and wearing courses. Bitumen 60/70 is one of the most used bitumen grades and it’s a basic material for all other bituminous products.

Penetration determines the hardness of bitumen by measuring the depth to which a standard loaded the needle will vertically penetrate in 5 seconds, in a sample of bitumen maintained at a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius.

See more: Types of bitumen and its applications