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1. A Critical Review on
Selection of Binders for Paving Projects in India
Submitted by-
SHRIKRISHNA KESHARWANI
Roll no.-
22CEM3R23
Subject-
CHARACTERSTICS OF PAVEMENT MATERIALS
Master of Technology
In
TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY WARANGAL
OCTOBER, 2022

2. Shrikrishna kesharwani (22CEM3R23)
NIT Warangal [2] Transportation Engineering
A Critical Review on Selection of Binders for
Paving Projects in India
Shrikrishna kesharwani
M.tech Student
Transportation Division, Department of Civil Engineering,
National Institute of Technology (NIT) Warangal, India.
Abstract: India has a wide range of diversity over climatic conditions, varying temperatures,
and traffic conditions. In real life bitumen binders have different rate and temperature-
dependent responses therefore it is necessary for transportation engineers to be given enough
guidance about the various combinations of pavement temperatures, climatic conditions, and
traffic intensity to choose from the selection of binders for a paving project of any given
location. (Reshma, Nivitha, Veeraragavan, Sikdar, & Krishnan, 2017)
In this assignment selection criteria for Viscosity grade, Performance grade, and Modified
Bitumen binder grades are presented.
Keywords- Bitumen, Viscosity grade, Performance grade, super paved binder, NRMB, CRMB,
PMB
1. Introduction-
India pavement temperature ranges from −10 to 70 °C. It can be even less near the highways
of the Himalayan regions. In real life, bitumen binders have different rate and temperature-
dependent responses therefore it is necessary for transportation engineers to be given enough
guidance about the various combinations of pavement temperatures, climatic conditions, and
traffic intensity to choose from the selection of binders for paving projects in any given
location.
Before the adaptation of viscosity grading in India, highway engineers in India were
predominantly using penetration grading for bitumen. But penetration grading only measures
the 'consistency' of the binder at a specific temperature but does not give any details about the
rheological behaviour of bitumen. Therefore it is not used currently. (Reshma, Nivitha,
Veeraragavan, Sikdar, & Krishnan, 2017)
2. Binder Selection Criteria-
Various kinds of Binder Grades selections currently used in India for paving projects are as
follows-
2.1. Viscosity Grade Selection-
 It has been classified into four grades based on the viscosity (VG10, VG20, VG30, and
VG40)
 7 days maximum air temperature has to be calculated for selecting VG grade binder.

3. Shrikrishna kesharwani (22CEM3R23)
NIT Warangal [3] Transportation Engineering
Table 1 Selection criteria of VG grade binder on the basis of 7 day average maximum temperature.
 Before selecting the grade all the individual samples has to be tested for absolute
viscosity at 60°C, penetration, and softening point tests.
 From the test results of absolute viscosity at 60°C, penetration, and softening point, the
mean (X) and the range (R) shall be calculated and some criteria has to be satisfied as
given in (IS 73: PAVING BITUMEN — SPECIFICATION, 2013)
Table 2 General application of viscosity graded binder.
2.2. Performance grade selection-
 As mention in (Asphalt Institute - SP1 - Superpave Binder Specifications) with the
help of Superpave software PG Grade binders are selected based on three criteria:
• Geographical Area
• Pavement Temperature
• Air Temperature
 High Pavement Design Temperature and Low Pavement Design Temperature can be
theoretically analyzed with the help of given equation-
High Pavement Design Temperature-
𝑻𝟐𝟎𝒎 = (𝑻𝒂𝒊𝒓 − 𝟎. 𝟎𝟎𝟔𝟏𝟖𝑳𝒂𝒕^𝟐 + 𝟎. 𝟐𝟐𝟖𝟗𝑳𝒂𝒕 + 𝟒𝟐. 𝟐) (𝟎. 𝟗𝟓𝟒𝟓) − 𝟏𝟕. 𝟕𝟖.
Where,
𝑇20𝑚 = ℎ𝑖𝑔ℎ 𝑝𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑔𝑛 𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑝𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑡 𝑎 𝑑𝑒𝑝𝑡ℎ 𝑎 𝑑𝑒𝑝𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 20𝑚𝑚
𝑇𝑎𝑖𝑟 = 𝑠𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑑𝑎𝑦 𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 ℎ𝑖𝑔ℎ 𝑎𝑖𝑟 𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑝𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒, ℃
𝐿𝑎𝑡 = 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑔𝑒𝑜𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑝ℎ𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑑𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑑𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑒
Low Pavement Design Temperature at pavement surface-
𝑻𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒇 = 𝟎. 𝟖𝟓𝟗𝑻𝑎𝑖𝑟 + 𝟏. 𝟕.

4. Shrikrishna kesharwani (22CEM3R23)
NIT Warangal [4] Transportation Engineering
Where,
𝑇𝑎𝑖𝑟 = 1 − 𝑑𝑎𝑦 𝑀𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝑎𝑖𝑟 𝑇𝑒𝑚𝑝, ℃
Figure 2 Design Temperature Reliability
 Based on 50% reliability and 98% reliability we have to calculate Maximum and
minimum Temperature.
 And based on those reliability values we have to round up those temperature values to
match the design temperature and to provide more than 98 percent reliability. And
based on those new temperature values we can select the PG grade binder.
Figure 1 Example of High and Low Pavement Temperature Variations

5. Shrikrishna kesharwani (22CEM3R23)
NIT Warangal [5] Transportation Engineering
Figure 3 Example of Suerpave binder grade selection by rounding up the temp. Values
2.3. Modified bitumen binders grade selection-
 There are four type of Modified Bitumen binders like
1. PMB (Polymer modified Bitumen) (plastic)
2. PMB (Polymer modified Bitumen) (elastomeric)
3. NRMB (Natural Rubber modified Bitumen)
4. CRMB (Crumb Rubber modified Bitumen)
 However in India PMB (elastomeric) is most widely used.
 PMB with elastomers are having greater resistance to rutting and fatigue cracking.
Also is recommended for Wearing Course because have greater resistance to
oxidation as compared to VG grade Bitumen. (Kandhal, 2016)
Table 3 Selection Requirement for polymer modified Bitumen (elastomeric)
 Penetration test, softening point, elastic recovery, viscosity also has to be conducted
for selection of PMB grade bitumen which is given in (IRC SP 053: Guidelines on
Use of Modified Bitumen in Road Construction (Second Revision), 2002) as per
given in TABLE 1.
 Criteria for Conformity will be on separation test, penetration test, elastic recovery and
softening point test and mean and range is calculated by formula given in (IS 73:
PAVING BITUMEN — SPECIFICATION, 2013).
 CRMB might not perform well in the tropic climatic conditions as it has less elastic
components as compared to PMB binders. (Kandhal, 2016)

6. Shrikrishna kesharwani (22CEM3R23)
NIT Warangal [6] Transportation Engineering
3. Conclusion-
In India it would be better if the latest performance grading has to be used, but as it involves
various expensive testing equipment for testing as well as trained labour to do those test
therefore it was very hard to adopt it in India, therefore BIS have adopted IS 73, 2006 which
specifies selection criteria for bitumen based on viscosity grading. However, in the future, we
have to give focus on adopting binder selection criteria based on super pave performance
grading. (Kandhal, 2016)
Bibliography
(n.d.). Asphalt Institute - SP1 - Superpave Binder Specifications. Lexington: ASPHALT
INSTITUTE. Retrieved from https://www.scribd.com/document/470436848/Asphalt-
Institute-SP1-Superpave-Binder-Specs
(2002). IRC SP 053: Guidelines on Use of Modified Bitumen in Road Construction (Second
Revision). New Delhi: Indian Road Congress. Retrieved from
https://archive.org/details/govlawircy2012sp37_0
(2012). IRC-37 Guidelines for the design of flexible pavements. New Delhi, India: Indian
Roads Congress. Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/govlawircy2012sp37_0
(2013). IS 73: PAVING BITUMEN — SPECIFICATION. delhi: BUREAU OF INDIAN
STANDARDS. Retrieved from https://law.resource.org/pub/in/bis/S11/is.73.2013.pdf
(2019). IS-15462: POLYMER MODIFIED BITUMEN SPECIFICATON. DELHI: BEURAU
OF INDIAN STANDARDS. Retrieved from
https://www.scribd.com/document/451636470/IS-15462-2019-pdf
Kandhal, P. S. (2016). BITUMENOUS ROAD CONSTRUCTION IN INDIA. DELHI, DELHI,
INDIA: PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd. Retrieved from
https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=VSavDAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1
&dq=bituminous+road+construction+in+india&ots=Oek33B7V0M&sig=btzfzPB9LL
cGjBE1fmnb9Su-6Lw
Reshma, P. S., Nivitha, M. R., Veeraragavan, A., Sikdar, P. K., & Krishnan, J. M. (2017).
Development of Unmodified Binder Specifications for India. Transp. in Dev. Econ. ,
18. doi:10.1007/s40890-017-0041-1