Bitumen is a material obtained by fractional distillation of crude petroleum as an end product

Bitumen is also referred to as asphalt compound that is obtained through distillation of crude oil that removes the lighter crude oil components such as diesel and gasoline, the heavier bitumen is left behind. Bitumen is consist of complex hydrocarbons and other compounds such as sulfur, calcium, iron, and oxygen. It is widely used as building materials and find application across construction and other industries. This material is mostly used in the road paving application as most of the roads are made up of bitumen or a mixture of bitumen and aggregates, this includes concrete.

Bitumen can also be found in nature: naturally occurring bitumen deposits grow at the bottom of ancient lakes, where prehistoric animals have disintegrated and been subjected to heat and pressure.

What is bitumen used for?

The vast majority of refined bitumen is used in the building industry. It is mostly used in paving and roofing applications. The majority of bitumen is used as a binder in asphalt for roads, runways, parking lots, and footpaths. Gravel and crushed rock are combined with thick bitumen to hold it together before being placed to roads. Because of its waterproofing properties, bitumen is employed in the roofing sector to account for 10% of all bitumen used worldwide. In various building materials such as carpet tile backing and paint, 5% of bitumen is employed for sealing and insulating functions.

In addition to these main uses, bitumen also has many minor uses. Other examples are soundproofing, explosives, mildew protection, a binder in briquettes, a backing to mirrors, shoe soles, fence post coating and soil stabilization.

Bituminous materials were used for the construction of roads, preserving timber and for waterproofing stone walls. Nowadays, they are extensively used for surfacing of road and airport pavements.

What is bitumen made of?

Bitumen, a substance known for its waterproofing and adhesive properties, can occur naturally or be formed through the distillation of crude oil. It is composed of complex hydrocarbons and contains elements such as calcium, iron, sulfur, and hydrogen.

The use of bitumen as a construction material dates back to antiquity. The materials in use then were mostly naturally occurring in contrast to modern bitumens which have become highly technical artificial materials.