Performance grading (PG) is the newest method of grading bitumen. In this method bitumen is graded by the temperature conditions of the region where it is used, based on a scientific study of its mechanical properties across that temperature range, so the consumer can choose the bitumen suited to the region.
The method was developed under the US Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP). The PG range is wide enough that neat and modified bitumens can be defined with the required performance and resistance.
Performance grades
High temperature grade
Low temperature grades
PG 46
-34, -40, -46
PG 52
-10, -16, -22, -28, -34, -40, -46
PG 58
-10, -16, -22, -28, -34, -40
PG 64
-10, -16, -22, -28, -34, -40
PG 70
-10, -16, -22, -28, -34, -40
PG 76
-10, -16, -22, -28, -34
PG 82
-10, -16, -22, -28, -34
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.
Bitoplast (meltable poly bag) specification
Property
Quantity
Unit
Net Filling Capacity
40
kg
Package Height
90
cm
Package Wide
43
cm
Trailer: 500 to 600 bags without pallets, 450 bags palletised.
20 ft container: 500 bags without pallets, 430 bags palletised.
40 ft container: 600 bags without pallets, 490 to 500 bags palletised.
Overview
Performance grading (PG) is the most recent system for grading bitumen. It classifies binders by the temperature conditions of the region where they will be used, based on a scientific study of the binder’s mechanical properties across that temperature range, so the buyer can select the right binder for the site. A PG designation gives the high and low pavement design temperatures: PG 64-22 identifies a 64°C high temperature grade and a −22°C low temperature grade. The PG range is wide enough to define neat and polymer modified binders to the required performance and resistance. Traffic based MSCR designations under AASHTO M 332 require a separate specification.
Choose PG temperatures from project climate data. The highway agency may adjust selection for reliability, traffic loading, speed and pavement depth; an example matrix is not a site recommendation.
GradesPG 46 to PG 82 · full high / low temperature designations
The table is a selection guide. The agreed specification, edition and certificate of analysis for your lot determine acceptance.
Grade
High pavement design temperature
Low pavement design temperature
PG 46-34
46°C
−34°C
PG 46-40
46°C
−40°C
PG 46-46
46°C
−46°C
PG 52-10
52°C
−10°C
PG 52-16
52°C
−16°C
PG 52-22
52°C
−22°C
PG 52-28
52°C
−28°C
PG 52-34
52°C
−34°C
PG 52-40
52°C
−40°C
PG 52-46
52°C
−46°C
PG 58-10
58°C
−10°C
PG 58-16
58°C
−16°C
PG 58-22
58°C
−22°C
PG 58-28
58°C
−28°C
PG 58-34
58°C
−34°C
PG 58-40
58°C
−40°C
PG 64-10
64°C
−10°C
PG 64-16
64°C
−16°C
PG 64-22
64°C
−22°C
PG 64-28
64°C
−28°C
PG 64-34
64°C
−34°C
PG 64-40
64°C
−40°C
PG 70-10
70°C
−10°C
PG 70-16
70°C
−16°C
PG 70-22
70°C
−22°C
PG 70-28
70°C
−28°C
PG 70-34
70°C
−34°C
PG 70-40
70°C
−40°C
PG 76-10
76°C
−10°C
PG 76-16
76°C
−16°C
PG 76-22
76°C
−22°C
PG 76-28
76°C
−28°C
PG 76-34
76°C
−34°C
PG 82-10
82°C
−10°C
PG 82-16
82°C
−16°C
PG 82-22
82°C
−22°C
PG 82-28
82°C
−28°C
PG 82-34
82°C
−34°C
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.
Performance grades: high and low temperature grades
Performance grading was developed under the US Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP) and is specified in AASHTO M 320. Grades step in 6°C intervals.
High temperature grade
Low temperature grades available
PG 46
-34, -40, -46
PG 52
-10, -16, -22, -28, -34, -40, -46
PG 58
-10, -16, -22, -28, -34, -40
PG 64
-10, -16, -22, -28, -34, -40
PG 70
-10, -16, -22, -28, -34, -40
PG 76
-10, -16, -22, -28, -34
PG 82
-10, -16, -22, -28, -34
Performance grades: test requirements
Requirements of AASHTO M 320 for common grades. RTFO is short term ageing; PAV is long term ageing.
Test
Method
PG 58-22
PG 64-22
PG 70-22
PG 76-22
Original binder: flash point (°C)
AASHTO T 48
230 min
230 min
230 min
230 min
Original binder: rotational viscosity at 135°C (Pa·s)
AASHTO T 316
3 max
3 max
3 max
3 max
Original binder: dynamic shear G*/sinδ, 10 rad/s (kPa)
Original binder: flash point, rotational viscosity and dynamic shear rheometer (DSR)
RTFO aged binder: mass change and DSR
PAV aged binder: DSR, bending beam rheometer (BBR) and direct tension where required
Full PG designation, ageing condition and test temperature shown on the certificate
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 imagePoly cube
Poly cube
Compact polymer packing for bitumen, selected to suit your unloading and melting equipment.
1 metric tonne, 500 kg or 300 kg formats
Handling and pallet arrangement agreed with your order
Grade and packing compatibility confirmed before loading
Representative packaging imagePoly bag
Poly bags (bitoplast)
Meltable polymer bags for compatible bitumen grades. The bag melts together with the bitumen, so there is nothing to strip before melting.
40 kg or 50 kg net per bag
Palletisation available on request
Bag material confirmed against the grade and melting process
Specification
Net filling capacity
40 kg (50 kg bags on request)
Package height
90 cm
Package width
43 cm
Loads per unit
Transport
Without pallets
Palletised
Trailer
500 to 600 bags
450 bags
20 ft container
500 bags
430 bags
40 ft container
600 bags
490 to 500 bags
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.
On boardFOB
Free on board
Freight paidCFR
Cost and freight
Freight & insuranceCIF
Cost, insurance and freight
Where it goes
Typical applications.
Climate based pavement specifications
Highway and airport asphalt mix designs
Projects requiring performance testing of original and aged binder
