ABSTRACT
Bituminous materials have a wide range of applications. The primary use of bitumen is as a binder in bituminous concrete, specifically for the construction of flexible pavement. As construction of highways gain importance throughout the world, the utilisation of bitumen is also increased to a greater extent in recent decades. To choose a high quality of bitumen and attain effective use in construction, knowledge related to the properties of bitumen and relevant testing methods is essential. Hence, this chapter describes the composition, types and structure of bitumen. Different distresses related to bituminous roads are also specified in the unit summary to correlate characteristics of bitumen with its performance at practice. Widely adopted test methods, including softening point, penetration value, ductility test and flash as well as fire point of bitumen, are given in detail.
