Asphalt

 

Asphalt, also known as bitumen is a sticky, black, highly viscous liquid or semisolid form of petroleum. It may be found in natural deposits or may be a refined product, and is classed as Gilsonite or a pitch. Before the 20th century, the term Asphaltum was also used. The word is derived from the Ancient Greek. The largest natural deposit of asphalt in the world, estimated to contain 10 million tons.

 

The primary use (70%) of asphalt is in road construction, where it is used as the glue or binder mixed with aggregate particles to create asphalt concrete. Its other main uses are for bituminous waterproofing products, including production of roofing felt and for sealing flat roofs. In material sciences and engineering, the terms “asphalt” and “bitumen” are often used interchangeably to mean both natural and manufactured forms of the substance, although there is regional variation as to which term is most common. Worldwide, geologists tend to favor the term “Bitumen” for the naturally occurring material. For the manufactured material, which is a refined residue from the distillation process of selected crude oils, “bitumen” is the prevalent term in much of the world.

 

Naturally occurring asphalt is sometimes specified by the term “crude bitumen or Gilsonite“. Its viscosity is similar to that of cold molasses while the material obtained from the fractional distillation of crude oil boiling at 525 °C (977 °F) is sometimes referred to as “refined bitumen“. Asphalt properties change with temperature, which means that there is a specific range where viscosity permits adequate compaction by providing lubrication between particles during the compaction process. Low temperature prevents aggregate particles from moving, and the required density is not possible to achieve. Computer simulations of simplified model systems are able to reproduce some of asphalt’s characteristic properties.

 

Gilsonite Powder 200 Mesh Drilling Additive Asphalt Sealer
Gilsonite Powder Asphalt Sealer

 

What is Gilsonite used for?

 

The use of Gilsonite in driveway construction is very economical and reasonable. Highlevel tension tests such as indirect tension tests, freezing tensile stress, and expansion and fracture tension prove that Gilsonite significantly increases the properties of bitumen. The results from periodic measurements and comparisons of the status of asphalt surfaces using Gilsonite are monitored by special computer software by the US Federal Highway Administration have shown that asphalt life is increased from 18 to 29 years.

 

In places such as tolls, airport runways, highway exits, loading terminals, Uturns, installations, intersections, bus stations, bus lanes, loading docks, parking lots, and squares, Gilsonite is used which is resistant to deformation under pressure, and using Gilsonite increases the passing loads at low or static speeds.

 

Advantages of using Gilsonite in Asphalt:

 

  1. If you use Gilsonite in asphalt, there is no need for other polymer modifiers to modify the bitumen.
  2. Higher stability, less deformation, more water resistance, resistance against low temperatures is the characteristics of asphalt made with bitumen modified by Gilsonite.
  3. Increase loadbearing capacity.
  4. The lowest ratio of Gilsonite compared to other modifiers.
  5. Reduce the degree of bitumen penetration.
  6. Increasing the softening temperature of bitumen.
  7. Increase the viscosity of Brookfield bitumen.

 

Advantages of Gilsonite
Advantages of Gilsonite

 

Gilsonite Mixture in Road Asphalt:

It has been discovered that asphalt cement can be toughened with natural bitumen and thinned with reactive oil. Reactive oil is oil that contains a high content of unsaturated fatty acids. By using a reactive oil, the oil would cure or react after application of the asphalt cement to the highway, thereby allowing for a lower viscosity application by curing later to prevent rutting.

 

Gilsonite preferably one having a melting or softening point of about 148 ºC (300 °F) will allow it to be easily softened and blended with the petroleum asphalt at such temperatures.

 

An asphalt composition consisting essentially of:

 

 

Gilsonite Sealer
Gilsonite Mixture in Road Asphalt

 

Gilsonite uses:

 

Gilsonite uses are in industries as Gilsonite powder that does not clump during storage. Due to the nature of this hydrocarbon, Gilsonite powder dissolves completely in bitumen and forms very close molecular bonds with the bitumen that are inseparable.

 

Gilsonite Uses for Raod Construction
Gilsonite Uses for Raod Construction

 

Packing of Natural Bitumen Lump and Powder Micronized form:

■     Gilsonite in Lump form like rock packed in the 500 1000/Kg. Jumbo Bag

■     Gilsonite 200 Mesh packed in the 500 1000/Kg. Jumbo Bag

■     Gilsonite 300 Mesh packed in the 500 1000/Kg. Jumbo Bag

■     Gilsonite 30 40 Mesh packed in the 500 1000/Kg. Jumbo Bag

■     Gilsonite 100 Mesh packed in the 500 1000/Kg. Jumbo Bag

■     Gilsonite 300 Mesh packed in the 25/Kg. PP Bag

■     Gilsonite 200 Mesh packed 25/Kg. MultiPaper Bag

■     Gilsonite 200 Mesh packed 50/lbs MultiPaper Bag

■     Gilsonite 30 40 Mesh packed PP Bag on Pallet

■     Gilsonite Bulk on vessel

Standard Specification of Gilsonite
Standard Specification of Gilsonite