ULS Diesel Price As at 5th February 2024 WA 182.78 & VIC 185.86

DEFINITION OF BITUMEN PENETRATION GRADE 60/70

Bitumen Penetration Grade 60/70 is a standard penetration grade Bitumen usually used as a Paving Grade Bitumen suitable for road construction and for the production of asphalt pavements with superior properties. This grade of Bitumen is mainly used in the manufacture of hot mix asphalt for bases and wearing courses. Penetration Grade Bitumen supplied is petroleum grade bitumen, manufactured from fractional/vacuum distillation of crude oil. The Bitumen supplied is produced from the vacuum residue (short residue) feedstock. Penetration Grade bitumens are specified by the penetration and softening point test. The designation is by penetration range only. The penetration grade bitumens have 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 penetration grade 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 needle will vertically penetrate in 5 seconds, in a sample of bitumen maintained at a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius.

APPLICATION OF BITUMEN PENETRATION GRADE 60/70

Bitumen 60/70 is suitable for road construction and for asphalt pavements with superior properties. This type of bitumen is used in the manufacture of hot mix asphalt for bases and wearing courses.

SPECIFICATION OF BITUMEN PENETRATION 60/70

Bitumen 60/70 Test method Unit Specification
Specific gravity @ 25°C ASTM D70 Kg/cm3 1.01/1.06
Penetration @ 25°C ASTM D5 Mm/10 60/70
Softening point °C ASTM D36 °C 42/50
Ductility @25 °C ASTM D113 cm 100 min
Loss on heating(wt) % ASTM D6 wt % 0.2 max
Drop in penetration after heating % ASTM D5-D6 % 20 max
Flashpoint °C ASTM D92 °C 250 min
Solubility is CS2(wt) % ASTM D4 wt % 99.5 min
Spot test A.A.S.H.O.T102 --- Negative