Bitumen
Bitumen, a low-grade derivative of crude oil comprising intricate and dense hydrocarbons, necessitates extraction from oil reservoirs due to its thick, viscous nature.
However, in select natural occurrences known as petroleum seeps, bitumen spontaneously surfaces alongside fossil fuels and petroleum products, deviating from their typical subterranean confinement. Within these seepage sites, bitumen, asphalt, and tar form pools through natural bubbling processes. Notably, bitumen constitutes the primary fossil fuel element in oil sands, occasionally solidifying into a valuable material for road construction when blended with asphaltines.
Utilization of Bitumen
The construction sector predominantly employs refined bitumen, primarily in paving and roofing applications. A staggering 85% of bitumen finds its purpose as a binding agent in asphalt mixtures for roads, runways, parking lots, and pedestrian pathways. Combining gravel and crushed rock with thick bitumen creates a durable surface for roadways. Additionally, 10% of global bitumen usage occurs in the roofing industry, where its waterproofing attributes prove invaluable for roofing materials. Another 5% of bitumen serves as a sealant and insulator in various construction components, such as carpet tile backing and paint.
Beyond these principal applications, bitumen serves various secondary functions, including soundproofing, explosive production, mildew resistance, binding in briquettes, mirror backing, shoe sole construction, fence post coating, and soil stabilization.
Bitumen predominantly fulfills industrial roles, prominently featuring in road construction, often referred to as asphalt in this context. Its water-resistant and adhesive properties make it an ideal candidate for roofing materials as well.
VG-10 Bitumen
VG-10 is mostly used in spraying applications such as surface dressing and paving in very cold climates instead of 80/100 penetration bitumen grade. It is also used to produce Bitumen Emulsion and Modified Bitumen products.
VG-20 Bitumen
VG-20 is used for paving in cold climates and high-altitude regions.
VG-40 Bitumen
VG-40 is applied in highly stressed areas such as intersections, near toll booths, and truck parking. Because of higher viscosity, stiffer Bitumen mixes can be produced to alter resistance to road shoving and other problems related to the higher temperature and heavy traffic loads.
VG-30 Bitumen
VG-30 is especially applied to construct extra heavy-duty Bitumen pavements for significant traffic loads. It can be used instead of 60/70 penetration bitumen grade.
Bitumen 60/70
Penetration bitumen grade 60/70 is a moderate type of bitumen in terms of hardness, meaning it is not whether too hard nor too soft. Therefore, this grade of penetration bitumen resists temperature changes from -22 to +76. Accordingly, it is a perfect choice for road engineers in various regions, particularly Asia and South-East Africa. In addition to the quality, bitumen pen grade 60/70 is the most basic form of bitumen, coming out of a vacuum distillation column; therefore, it requires no further processing.
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