Table 3-1: Technical specifications of pure bitumens graded by viscosity at 60°C according to AASHTO M226
Tests on residue from the AASHTO T240 test (1)
AR-10
AR-20
AR-40
AR-80
AR-160
Viscosity at 60°C, poise
1000±250
2000±500
4000±1000
8000±2000
16000±4000
Viscosity at 135°C, cSt, minimum
140
200
275
400
550
Penetration at 25°C, 100 g, 5 seconds, minimum
65
40
25
20
20
Percent of original penetration at 25°C, minimum
–
40
45
50
52
Ductility at 25°C, 5 cm/min, cm, minimum
100 (2)
100 (2)
75
75
75
Tests on original bitumen
Flash point, Cleveland open cup, °C, minimum
205
219
227
232
238
Solubility in trichloroethylene, %, minimum
99.0
99.0
99.0
99.0
99.0
(1) AASHTO T179 (thin film oven test) may be used, but AASHTO T240 (rolling thin film oven test) shall be the referee method.
(2) If the ductility is less than 100, the material will be accepted if its ductility at 15.6°C is at least 100.
Table 6-1: Technical specifications of pure bitumens graded by viscosity at 60°C according to ASTM D3381
Tests on residue from the thin film oven test (1)
AR-1000
AR-2000
AR-4000
AR-8000
AR-16000
Viscosity at 60°C, poise
1000±250
2000±500
4000±1000
8000±2000
16000±4000
Viscosity at 135°C, cSt, minimum
140
200
275
400
550
Penetration at 25°C, 100 g, 5 seconds, minimum
65
40
25
20
20
Percent of original penetration at 25°C, minimum
–
40
45
50
52
Ductility at 25°C, 5 cm/min, cm, minimum
100 (1)
100 (2)
75
75
75
Tests on original bitumen
Flash point, Cleveland open cup, °C, minimum
205
219
227
232
238
Solubility in trichloroethylene, %, minimum
99.0
99.0
99.0
99.0
99.0
(1) The thin film oven test may be used in the test, but the rolling thin film oven test shall be used as the referee method.
(2) If the ductility at 25°C is less than 100 cm, the material is acceptable provided its ductility at 15.6°C is at least 100 cm at a pull rate of 5 cm/min.
Packing data
Steel drum (barrel) specification
Steel drums are widely used for packing bitumen; their size, thickness and capacity must suit the filling equipment. Standard drums have a body plate thickness of 0.6 mm and come in two heights, tall and short, of 89 ± 3 cm and 68 ± 3 cm.
Property
Quantity
Unit
Body Plate Thickness
0.6
mm
Top & Bottom Plate
0.6
mm
Thickness Height
100
cm
Diameter
50±2
cm
Lid Hole Position
Center
Lid Hole Diameter
20
cm
Net Filling Capacity
182.5±2.5
Kg
Empty Drum Weight
9.5±0.2
Kg
Color
Furnace Black
Short drums hold about 150 kg and cost more per tonne than tall drums; in many markets tall drums of 180 kg filling are the most used.
A 20 ft container carries 110 drums without pallets or 80 drums palletised; a 40 ft container carries 137 drums without pallets or 150 drums palletised.
A flatbed truck carries about 115 drums without pallets or 90 drums palletised.
Used drums are not recommended: they do not meet international quality standards, and new drums reduce transport risk.
Jumbo bags: cage, framed and self standing
Property
Cage jumbo bag
Framed jumbo bag
Self standing jumbo bag
Weight
1000-1300 kg
1000-1300 kg
1000-1300 kg
Material of outer bag
3-PLY PP fabric
3-PLY PP fabric
3-PLY PP fabric
Material of inner bag
Special purpose film
Special purpose film
Special purpose film
Storage Time
Up 12 month
Up 12 month
Up 12 month
Heating Requirement
No
No
No
Other spec
Resistant against rain
Resistant against rain
Resistant against rain
Other spec
Resistant against ultraviolet radiation
Resistant against ultraviolet radiation
Resistant against ultraviolet radiation
300 kg bitubag
Property
Quantity
Unit
Weight
300-1000
kg
Material of outer bag
3-PLY PP fabric
Material of inner bag
Special purpose film
Storage Time
Up 12 month
Heating Requirement
No
Other spec
Resistant against rain
Bitubag packing is widely used for bitumen sent to cold regions. Bitubags are self standing and are carried in 20 ft containers or by other methods.
The bags hold 300 to 1000 kg and are resistant to rain and ultraviolet radiation. A bitubag is lifted easily by forklift from the loops at the top of the bag.
The bitumen is cooled to the required temperature in the cooling and packing unit (CPU) before filling. A 20 ft container carries 20 bitubags of 1000 kg.
Bitubags travel by sea, by road or by rail in containers. They can be stored in any accessible place for long periods, up to a maximum of 2 years.
Overview
AR grades classify asphalt by viscosity after specified ageing. The grade numbers correspond to aged residue viscosity classes; request the applicable test procedure, unit system and limits with the project edition.
AR viscosity grades are based on aged residue properties. Confirm the ageing procedure, units and exact limits in the specified AASHTO M 226 edition.
The table is a selection guide. The agreed specification, edition and certificate of analysis for your lot determine acceptance.
Grade
Aged residue viscosity at 60°C (Poise; verify edition)
AR-10
750 to 1,250
AR-20
1,500 to 2,500
AR-40
3,000 to 5,000
AR-80
6,000 to 10,000
AR-160
12,000 to 20,000
Specifications
Technical specifications.
Typical limits with the test method for each property. A certificate of analysis is issued for each lot; it and the agreed specification govern acceptance.
AR grades: AASHTO M 226 and ASTM D3381, Table 3
Asphalt graded by viscosity of the aged residue at 60°C. AASHTO M 226 names the grades AR-10 to AR-160; ASTM D3381 names the same grades AR-1000 to AR-16000.
Test
Method
AR-10 / AR-1000
AR-20 / AR-2000
AR-40 / AR-4000
AR-80 / AR-8000
AR-160 / AR-16000
Rolling thin film oven residue (1): viscosity at 60°C (Poise)
ASTM D2171
1,000 ± 250
2,000 ± 500
4,000 ± 1,000
8,000 ± 2,000
16,000 ± 4,000
Rolling thin film oven residue (1): kinematic viscosity at 135°C (cSt), min
ASTM D2170
140
200
275
400
550
Rolling thin film oven residue (1): penetration at 25°C, 100 g, 5 s (0.1 mm), min
ASTM D5
65
40
25
20
20
Rolling thin film oven residue (1): retained penetration at 25°C (% of original), min
ASTM D5
n/a
40
45
50
52
Rolling thin film oven residue (1): ductility at 25°C, 5 cm/min (cm), min
ASTM D113
100 (2)
100 (2)
75
75
75
Original asphalt: flash point, Cleveland open cup (°C), min
ASTM D92
205
219
227
232
238
Original asphalt: solubility in trichloroethylene (%), min
ASTM D2042
99.0
99.0
99.0
99.0
99.0
(1) The thin film oven test (AASHTO T 179) may be used as a comparison method, but the rolling thin film oven test (AASHTO T 240) is the referee method.
(2) If the ductility is less than 100 cm, the material is accepted if its ductility at 15.6°C is 100 cm minimum at 5 cm/min.
Ductility, flash point and solubility as specified
Request the grade specific analysis with your quotation. Results, test methods and the applicable specification are confirmed for the supplied lot.
Packing
Packing and shipment formats.
The packing system is confirmed against the grade, handling equipment and transport requirements.
Representative packaging imageDrums
New steel drums
Sealed new steel drums, the most flexible way to ship: any quantity, any container, unloaded by forklift at site. Drums come tall or short; tall drums are the more widely used, and short drums cost more per tonne. We do not recommend used drums, which do not meet international quality standards; new drums reduce transport risk.
180 ± 3 kg net / 190 ± 3 kg gross per drum
150 ± 3 kg net / 159 ± 3 kg gross per drum
Stuffed in 20 ft containers
Marked and labelled to your instructions
Specification
Body plate thickness
0.6 mm
Top and bottom plate thickness
0.6 mm
Height
89 ± 3 cm tall drum, 68 ± 3 cm short drum
Diameter
50 ± 2 cm
Lid hole position
Centre
Lid hole diameter
20 cm
Net filling capacity
180 ± 3 kg tall drum, 150 ± 3 kg short drum
Empty drum weight
9.5 ± 0.2 kg
Colour
Furnace black
Loads per unit
Transport
Without pallets
Palletised
20 ft container
110 drums
80 drums
40 ft container
137 drums
150 drums
Flatbed truck
About 115 drums
About 90 drums
Representative packaging imageBags
Jumbo bags
Bitumen cast in polypropylene jumbo bags in three styles: steel cage, palletised frame and self standing. Smaller bitubags of 300 kg to 1 tonne are widely used for export to cold regions. Bags stand on their own, lift by forklift from the top loops and ship in 20 ft and 40 ft containers by sea, road or rail.
1 metric tonne, 500 kg or 300 kg formats
Pallet or steel cage on request
Melts down in the plant’s own tank
Up to about 20 t carried cold in a 20 ft container
Specification
Weight per bag
1,000 to 1,300 kg jumbo bag, 300 to 1,000 kg bitubag
Outer bag
3 ply PP fabric
Inner bag
Special purpose film
Storage time
Up to 12 months
Heating during storage and transport
Not required
Other
Resistant to rain and to ultraviolet radiation
Representative packaging imageHeated
Bitutainers
Insulated, heatable ISO tanks for bitumen. The binder arrives liquid and pumps straight into your tank.
Heated and insulated
No packing waste
Suits steady plant demand
Representative packaging imageBulk
Bulk vessel
Heated bitumen tankers for large volumes into terminals with heated storage.
Large project volumes
Heated tanker to heated terminal
Lowest packing cost per tonne
Delivery terms
Export delivery terms.
FOB, CFR and CIF quotations under Incoterms 2020, from UAE ports.
Term
Name
What it covers
Details
FOB
Free on board
We deliver the cargo on board at the UAE port of loading.
Risk passes to you once the cargo is on board the vessel at the UAE port. You book and pay the sea freight and insurance. Best when you already have a freight forwarder or a shipping line contract.
CFR
Cost and freight
We pay the sea freight to your named port.
We book and pay the freight to your destination port. Risk still passes on board at loading, so you arrange cargo insurance. A simple choice when you want one landed freight price without buying our insurance.
CIF
Cost, insurance and freight
Freight and cargo insurance to your named port, both on us.
As CFR, plus we take out cargo insurance for your benefit until the destination port. Often requested by banks under a letter of credit.
