Bitumen 60/70 and 80/100 are two commonly used penetration-grade bitumen types in road construction and other industrial applications. Bitumen 60/70 has a lower penetration range, making it harder and more suitable for regions with hotter climates, where softer bitumen could become too fluid;On the other hand, Bitumen 80/100 has a higher penetration value, making it softer and more suited for cooler climates or projects requiring more flexibility.

This blog will provide a complete guide to the key distinctions between Bitumen 60/70 and Bitumen 80/100. We will dive deep into their technical properties, typical applications, and how each grade performs under different circumstances.

Overview of Bitumen 60/70 and Bitumen 80/100

What is Bitumen 60/70 ?

Bitumen 60/70 is the standard penetration grade bitumen that is usually utilized for road construction and asphalt in general. It provides durability, strength, and resistance to deformation, especially in regions with high temperatures, ensuring that the pavement remains stable and less prone to softening.

Advantages of Bitumen 60/70

One of the prime advantages of Bitumen 60/70 is its resistance to high temperatures. Because of this, it is ideal for application in warm or tropical regions. Its stiffness allows it to resist the strains of big trucks and severe weather without deforming.

What is Bitumen 80/100?

Bitumen 80/100 is of penetration grade and hence softer and more flexible as compared to the harder grades like 60/70. Due to its penetration value, Bitumen 80/100 should be less viscous and, hence, suitable to be used in cooler climates or under lesser traffic loads.

Advantages of Bitumen 80/100

Considering a cold or temperate climate-as may be illustrated by the examples-the roads go through the freeze-thaw cycle which, over time, makes the asphalt crack apart. That would be an excellent option for low-traffic pavements, including secondary roads and parking lots among other surfaces.

Difference Between Bitumen 60/70 and 80/100 in Properties

until this section of the Article we understood the Bitumen 60/70 and Bitumen 80/70 Mostly Difference in weather and climates. However these grades have some properties such as viscosity, Ductility, etc.
The difference in viscosity will affect the areas of application is Bitumen 60/70 will be more suitable for rigid, heat-resistant surfaces, while Bitumen 80/100 works on flexible cold-resistant ones.

Viscosity

Different grades have varying viscosities, which influence how easily the bitumen flows and sticks to the aggregate. Higher viscosity grades may be appropriate for hotter areas or high traffic volumes.

Viscosity of Bitumen 60/70

Bitumen 60/70 reflects medium viscosity-that is, one type of bitumen with balanced flow resistance at standard temperatures. In this respect, the viscosity level of viscosity-graded bitumen is higher compared to softer grades of bitumen, containing less fluidity, thus having more resistance to deformation under loads.

Viscosity of Bitumen 80/100

Bitumen 80/100 holds lesser viscosity than 60/70, hence easier to flow and softer at standard temperatures. This being soft, will allow minor movements within the asphalt over a reasonable period without cracking. Application for this is obviously quite often in areas of high-temperature variation or where the rigidity of the surface is not required so much.

Penetration

It is the degree of uniformity of bitumen. Higher penetration grades are softer and more flexible; hence, they are suitable for colder regions or in those applications where high elasticity is required.

Bitumen 60/70 penetration:

Bitumen 60/70 represents standard penetration-grade bitumen with a value of penetration within the interval of 60 to 70 tenths of a millimeter. The quite narrow gap of this penetrating factor should already hint that Bitumen 60/70 is harder material of low viscosity; therefore, the material is more resistant to losing its shape at high temperatures.

Bitumen 80/100 penetration:

Bitumen 80/100 has its penetration value lying between 80 to 100 tenths of a millimeter. Of a softer bitumen category, it has more elasticity. The high range of penetration means that under the same conditions, the needle would appear to penetrate deeper and describe the soft and elastic nature.

Ductility

This means that the bitumen possesses the ability to stretch without breaking, and this is highly needed to prevent the occurrence of cracks on pavements. This property is crucial for road construction, as it indicates how well the bitumen can accommodate the expansion and contraction caused by temperature changes.  Essentially, Bitumen 60/70 focuses on strength and stability, while Bitumen 80/100 concentrates on flexibility and elasticity. Hence, the grades become useful under different environmental and traffic conditions.

Bitumen 60/70 Ductility

Bitumen 60/70 typically displays a mean kind of ductility that imparts the ability to stretch while remaining intact but still retaining a solid, rigid structure.

Bitumen 80/100 Ductility

Conversely, Bitumen 80/100 has higher ductility since it is a softer grade of bitumen with higher value or number of penetration; it can be stretched more under stress and hence provides more flexibility and handle.

General Specifications of Bitumen 60/70 and Bitumen 80/100

60/70 Grade