Correlation between the properties of the bitumen and certain characteristics of bituminous materials

This research project examines the influence that some characteristics of bitumen have on the mechanical resistance of mixes. The use of numerous parameters on the one hand expands the characterisation of the problem and on the other creates significant difficulties because it has to compare totally different numerical results. The necessary conciseness and a greater knowledge of the multidimensional phenomenon have required the use of some techniques of multivaried statistical analysis which have confirmed the small influence of penetration, the historical classifying parameter of bitumen, on the characterisation of the binders and on the improvement of the mechanical resistance of the mixes. The contributions of viscosity, rigidity modules and content of asphaltenes, on the other hand, would seem to be more significant.