11. Bituminous Emulsions and Cutbacks
Bituminous emulsions and cutbacks serve as essential materials in road construction, enhancing the handling and application of bitumen by modifying its viscosity. Emulsions, created by suspending bitumen in water, are classified by their setting time and charge, while cutbacks involve dissolving bitumen in volatile solvents. The chapter emphasizes their preparation, characteristics, testing methods, advantages and limitations, alongside environmental impacts, comparing emulsions and cutbacks in terms of usage and performance.
Enroll to start learning
You've not yet enrolled in this course. Please enroll for free to listen to audio lessons, classroom podcasts and take practice test.
Sections
Navigate through the learning materials and practice exercises.
What we have learnt
- Bituminous emulsions are created by mixing bitumen with water and an emulsifier, allowing for improved handling at ambient temperatures.
- Bituminous cutbacks are formed by dissolving bitumen in volatile solvents, which evaporate after application to leave a bituminous residue.
- The different types of emulsions and cutbacks are determined by their curing times and components, affecting their applications in road construction.
Key Concepts
- -- Bituminous Emulsion
- A mixture where bitumen droplets are suspended in water with the aid of an emulsifying agent, allowing for easier application and handling.
- -- Bituminous Cutback
- A product formed by dissolving bitumen in a volatile solvent to reduce viscosity and improve its workability at ambient temperatures.
- -- Cationic and Anionic Emulsions
- Cationic emulsions have a positive charge and are effective with negatively charged aggregates, whereas anionic emulsions carry a negative charge suitable for basic aggregates.
Additional Learning Materials
Supplementary resources to enhance your learning experience.