Ali Reza Moeini - Research Institute of Petroleum Industry

Since the beginning of petroleum refining industry in Iran, bitumen has always been produced according to penetration grading while other grading methods such as viscosity grading was developed later. In our research we tried to investigate whether it is possible to produce different grades of bitumen according to viscosity basis in Iran or not. In this article the results of investigations on viscosity of all Iranian bitumens as well as various bitumens produced by laboratory air blowing of different vacuum bottoms are discussed. Results revealed that most grades of bitumen could be produced in Iran on viscosity basis according to ASTM – D3381 standard. The results of this research project can be used for producing and using bitumens especially in road construction in Iran.

bitumen, viscosity, grading (classifying), asphalts, pavements