Bitumen glossary
Key bitumen, asphalt and international-trade terms explained in plain English. Search a term or jump by letter, and follow the links through to the products and supply-chain guides behind each definition.
46 terms
- Absolute viscosity
- The dynamic viscosity of bitumen measured at 60°C (in poise), used as the basis for viscosity grading. It reflects flow behaviour at high pavement-service temperatures.
- Aggregate
- The granular mineral material — sand, gravel and crushed stone — bound together by bitumen to form asphalt. Aggregate provides the load-bearing skeleton of a pavement.
- Asphalt
- The finished construction mixture of bitumen binder and mineral aggregates laid on roads. In some regions "asphalt" is used loosely to mean the bitumen binder itself.
- Bill of lading (B/L)
- A document issued by the carrier acknowledging receipt of cargo for shipment. It serves as a receipt, a contract of carriage and a document of title to the goods.
- Bitumen
- A dense, highly viscous petroleum product used as the binder in asphalt paving, roofing and waterproofing. Obtained from the residue of crude-oil distillation.
- Bitumen emulsion
- A suspension of fine bitumen droplets in water stabilised by an emulsifier, applied cold. Classified as cationic or anionic and by setting speed. Used for tack coats, prime coats, slurry seals and cold patching.
- Bitutainer
- An insulated, heatable ISO tank container for transporting bulk bitumen at controlled temperature without drums, allowing convenient storage and discharge at destination.
- Bulk tanker
- A heated road or marine tanker used to move large volumes of hot bitumen in liquid form, discharged directly at terminals with bulk-handling facilities.
- CFR (Cost and Freight)
- An Incoterm under which the seller pays freight to the destination port, but risk passes to the buyer once the goods are on board at origin. Insurance is the buyer’s responsibility.
- CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight)
- An Incoterm under which the seller pays freight and marine insurance to the destination port, while risk passes to the buyer at origin. Common in bitumen export contracts.
- Certificate of analysis (COA)
- A document certifying the tested properties of a bitumen batch — penetration, softening point, ductility, flash point and more — against the applicable specification.
- Certificate of origin
- A document attesting the country in which the goods were produced, often required for customs clearance and to determine duty treatment at the destination.
- Cutback bitumen
- Bitumen diluted with a petroleum solvent to lower viscosity for cold application. Classified as rapid-curing (RC), medium-curing (MC) or slow-curing (SC) by the solvent’s volatility.
- Documents against payment (D/P)
- A documentary-collection method in which the buyer’s bank releases shipping documents only upon payment. Used with established counterparties as an alternative to an LC.
- Ductility
- The distance in centimetres a bitumen sample stretches before breaking when pulled at a standard rate and temperature. It indicates the binder’s cohesive, flexible quality.
- Elasticity / elastic recovery
- The ability of a modified binder to return to its original shape after deformation, measured as elastic recovery. A hallmark of polymer modified bitumen.
- FOB (Free On Board)
- An Incoterm under which the seller delivers the goods on board the vessel at the port of shipment; risk and freight costs pass to the buyer from that point.
- Flash point
- The lowest temperature at which bitumen vapours ignite momentarily in the presence of a flame, measured by the Cleveland open cup. A key safety parameter for handling and storage.
- Hot-mix asphalt (HMA)
- Asphalt produced by mixing bitumen and aggregate at high temperature, then laid and compacted hot. The most common material for durable road surfaces.
- Incoterms
- A set of standardised international commercial terms published by the ICC that define the responsibilities of buyers and sellers for delivery, risk, cost and clearance in a trade.
- Jumbo bag (FIBC)
- A flexible intermediate bulk container, or meltable bag, holding roughly 300 kg to 1 tonne of bitumen. The bag is fed into the melter with the bitumen, cutting packaging waste.
- Kinematic viscosity
- The ratio of a fluid’s absolute viscosity to its density, measured for bitumen at 135°C (in centistokes). Used to characterise mixing and pumping temperatures.
- Letter of Credit (LC)
- A bank undertaking to pay the seller against presentation of compliant shipping documents. An irrevocable LC at sight is a common, secure payment method in bitumen trade.
- MOQ (Minimum order quantity)
- The smallest quantity a supplier will accept for an order, set by grade, packaging and logistics economics. Bulk parcels and container loads have different MOQs.
- Oxidized (blown) bitumen
- Bitumen air-blown at high temperature to raise its softening point and reduce temperature susceptibility. Used for roofing, waterproofing membranes, pipe coating and industrial applications.
- Penetration grade
- A classification of paving bitumen by the depth (in tenths of a millimetre) a standard needle penetrates the sample at 25°C. Grades such as 60/70 and 80/100 denote the penetration range; lower ranges are harder.
- Penetration index (PI)
- A number derived from penetration and softening point that expresses a bitumen’s temperature susceptibility. Higher PI values indicate less sensitivity to temperature change.
- Penetration test
- A laboratory test measuring how far a standard needle penetrates a bitumen sample (in dmm) at 25°C under a 100 g load for 5 seconds. The basis of penetration grading.
- Poly-bag
- A meltable polymer bag holding a smaller charge of bitumen (commonly around 25 kg) that is placed directly into the melter, eliminating drum disposal.
- Polymer modified bitumen (PMB)
- Bitumen blended with polymers such as SBS or SBR to improve elasticity, rutting resistance and durability across temperature extremes. Specified for heavy-duty highways and airfields.
- Prime coat
- A low-viscosity bituminous material (often a cutback or emulsion) sprayed onto an unbound base to seal it and promote bond with the overlying asphalt layer.
- Proforma invoice (PI)
- A preliminary bill of sale issued before shipment setting out the goods, price, quantity, packaging, Incoterm and payment terms, used by the buyer to arrange payment or an LC.
- RC / MC / SC
- The three cutback bitumen classes: Rapid-Curing (RC, using a volatile solvent like naphtha), Medium-Curing (MC, using kerosene) and Slow-Curing (SC, using a heavier oil). The class determines how quickly the cutback cures after application.
- Roofing felt
- A bitumen-saturated fabric or membrane used for waterproofing roofs. Oxidized bitumen’s high softening point makes it well suited to felt manufacture.
- Rutting
- Permanent deformation forming longitudinal depressions in a wheel path, caused by binder softening or aggregate movement under repeated load. Harder or modified binders resist rutting.
- SBS
- Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene, a thermoplastic elastomer commonly used to modify bitumen. SBS improves elastic recovery and resistance to permanent deformation, forming a polymer network within the binder.
- SGS inspection
- Independent third-party inspection (e.g. by SGS) of quantity and quality before shipment, providing buyers with impartial verification that the cargo meets contract specification.
- Safety data sheet (SDS)
- A standardised document describing the hazards, safe handling, storage and emergency measures for a bitumen product, provided to customers for occupational safety compliance.
- Slurry seal
- A cold-applied mixture of bitumen emulsion, fine aggregate, filler and water used as a thin surface treatment to seal and renew worn pavements.
- Softening point
- The temperature at which bitumen becomes soft enough to flow, measured by the ring-and-ball method. A higher softening point indicates greater resistance to deformation at high service temperatures.
- Steel drum
- A new steel container, typically holding 150–220 kg of bitumen, used for packed export where bulk handling is not available. Drums are cut open and the bitumen melted at destination.
- Tack coat
- A thin bituminous layer (usually an emulsion) applied between pavement courses to ensure adhesion between the existing surface and a new asphalt layer.
- Temperature susceptibility
- The degree to which a bitumen’s consistency changes with temperature. Low susceptibility (e.g. in oxidized or polymer-modified grades) is desirable for stable performance across seasons.
- Viscosity
- A measure of a fluid’s resistance to flow. For bitumen, viscosity governs pumping, mixing and compaction behaviour and is strongly temperature-dependent.
- Viscosity grade (VG)
- A classification of bitumen by absolute viscosity at 60°C (VG-10, VG-20, VG-30, VG-40). Viscosity grading measures a fundamental property near road-service temperature and is used widely in hot climates.
- Waterproofing
- The use of bitumen membranes and coatings to prevent water ingress in roofs, basements, bridges and tunnels, exploiting bitumen’s impermeability and adhesion.
Related terms: Viscosity, Viscosity grade (VG), Kinematic viscosity
Related terms: Asphalt, Hot-mix asphalt (HMA)
Related terms: Bitumen, Aggregate, Hot-mix asphalt (HMA)
Related terms: Letter of Credit (LC), Certificate of origin
Related terms: Asphalt, Penetration grade, Viscosity grade (VG)
Bitumen productsRelated terms: Tack coat, Prime coat, Slurry seal
Related terms: Steel drum, Bulk tanker
Logistics & shippingRelated terms: Bitutainer, Bill of lading (B/L)
Related terms: FOB (Free On Board), CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight), Incoterms
Related terms: FOB (Free On Board), CFR (Cost and Freight), Incoterms
Related terms: SGS inspection, Certificate of origin
Product authenticationRelated terms: Bill of lading (B/L), Certificate of analysis (COA)
Related terms: RC / MC / SC, Prime coat, Tack coat
Cutback bitumenRelated terms: Letter of Credit (LC), Bill of lading (B/L)
Related terms: Penetration test, Elasticity / elastic recovery
Related terms: Polymer modified bitumen (PMB), SBS, Ductility
Related terms: CFR (Cost and Freight), CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight), Incoterms
Logistics & shippingRelated terms: Viscosity, Safety data sheet (SDS)
Related terms: FOB (Free On Board), CFR (Cost and Freight), CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight)
Related terms: Steel drum, Poly-bag, Bitutainer
Packaging optionsRelated terms: Viscosity, Absolute viscosity
Related terms: Bill of lading (B/L), Proforma invoice (PI), Documents against payment (D/P)
Related terms: Proforma invoice (PI), Incoterms
Related terms: Softening point, Roofing felt, Penetration grade
Oxidized bitumenRelated terms: Penetration test, Viscosity grade (VG), Softening point
Penetration grade bitumenRelated terms: Penetration test, Softening point, Temperature susceptibility
Related terms: Penetration grade, Softening point
Related terms: Jumbo bag (FIBC), Steel drum
Related terms: Tack coat, Cutback bitumen, Bitumen emulsion
Related terms: Letter of Credit (LC), Incoterms
Related terms: Cutback bitumen, Prime coat
Related terms: Oxidized (blown) bitumen, Waterproofing
Related terms: Polymer modified bitumen (PMB), Softening point
Related terms: Polymer modified bitumen (PMB), Elasticity / elastic recovery
Related terms: Certificate of analysis (COA), Proforma invoice (PI)
Product authenticationRelated terms: Flash point
Related terms: Bitumen emulsion
Related terms: Penetration test, Oxidized (blown) bitumen, Temperature susceptibility
Related terms: Jumbo bag (FIBC), Bitutainer, Poly-bag
Packaging optionsRelated terms: Prime coat, Bitumen emulsion
Related terms: Softening point, Penetration index (PI), Polymer modified bitumen (PMB)
Related terms: Absolute viscosity, Kinematic viscosity, Viscosity grade (VG)
Related terms: Penetration grade, Viscosity, Absolute viscosity
Bitumen by viscosityRelated terms: Oxidized (blown) bitumen, Roofing felt
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