Studies on the bitumen behavior at low-temperature

Abstract

Because the Romanian climate is a continental one, with rough winters and hot summers, this work is a study upon low temperature behavior of the indigenous bitumen with 60/80 and 80/100 penetration grade, original and modified, coming from two different refineries, using Fraass breaking test and SHRP creep test with Bending Beam Rheometer.
The study shows a different behavior at low temperature for two original bitumens. Polymer modification improves these bitumen’s breaking properties on both bitumen, but it affects differently the PG performance grade, respectively for RP bitumen, the modification doesn’t bring important changes on low temperature PG, the PG remaining the same and for RA bitumen the PG to low temperature is improved by polymer modification.
As in Romania the minimum pavement surface temperature is different, depending on the area, bitumen having the proper PG must be used for each area.