Development of performance-based
bitumen specifications for the Gulf countries
Hamad I. Al-Abdul Wahhab*, Ibrahim M. Asi*, Ibrahim A. Al-Dubabe† and Mohammad Farhat
Ali‡
* Department of Civil Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261,
Saudi Arabia
† Awazel Company, Riyadh,
Saudi Arabia
‡ Department of Chemistry, King Fahd
University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
Abstract
The rheological
behaviour of bitumen has a great influence on the behaviour of bitumen mixtures. Bitumen plays a significant
role in a pavement's ability to withstand thermal and fatigue cracking and
contributes to permanent deformation behaviour. The
current binder specifications, as applied in the Gulf countries including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait,
Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab
Emirates and Oman, are based primarily on either
penetration or viscosity testing which does not properly account for pavement
performance. This research was undertaken to provide a performance-based binder
specification for the Gulf countries, based on the findings of the Strategic Highway
Research Programme (SHRP) carried out in the United States,
considering the prevailing environmental and traffic conditions and type of
locally produced bitumen. Results indicated that locally produced 60/70
penetration grade bitumen satisfies the environmental condition of less than
30% of the Gulf countries' area. Air blowing of bitumen is required to satisfy
the performance requirement of another 25% of Gulf countries area, while
polymer modification is necessary to satisfy the performance requirements for
the other parts of the Gulf countries which include eastern parts of Saudi
Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Oman.
Author Keywords: bitumen; performance-based
specifications; SHRP
Construction and Building
Materials
Volume 11, Issue 1 ,
February 1997, Pages 15-22