Bitumen is a mixture of organic liquids that are highly viscous, black, sticky, entirely soluble in Carbon Disulfide, and composed primarily of highly condensed Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons. Bitumen is primarily used for paving roads and is known as black gold in the pavement industry. Almost 85% of the paved roads in India is of flexible type and hence the research in the area of bitumen is soaring sky. The laboratory provides almost all the facilities and equipments for conducting the basic tests on bitumen.

Bitumen Section is an important Laboratory of Assam Road Research & Training Institute, PWRD. Approx. 96 sqm area are covered by this Section. Bitumen Section relates mainly flexible pavement materials for construction works like aggregate (coarse & fine), Bitumen, Emulsion, Hydrated Lime Powder are tested here.

For Paving Grade Bitumen, penetration value, ductility value, softening point, specific gravity, viscosity and other related tests are performed here as per IS Specifications and IRC Guidelines.

For Modified Bitumen like PMB & CRMB, the elastic recovery test done here with other requisite tests also.

Sieve Test for Emulsion, Evaporation Test, Thin film oven test, Residue test etc. are conducted in this Laboratory for Emulsion like SS1, SS2,MS, RS1 & RS2 products.

The Bitumen Section also facilitates performing of Bituminous Mix design through Marshall method. Moreover Mix design of BM, SDBC, DBM, BC, DAC etc. It is mentioned that Bituminous Mix Design for run-away (in Airport) also done here. For Mastic Asphalt Concrete design all equipments are available and facility is also available for performing the Hardness Number for Mastic.

Roughness by Bump Integrator, Bitumen Extraction from Bituminous Mixes can be measured accurately in this Laboratory. These tests with other field tests like insitu density, thickness of pavement and physical properties of aggregates are conducted in this Section if necessary. Names of tests which are performed in Bitumen Laboratory along with approved rates are given below: