Gilsonite
is a naturally occurring hydrocarbon, mined in Utah, USA.
With a purity in excess of 99% it is high in asphaltenes
(70%) and compatible with all traditional bituminous paving
materials. Supplied as a fine powder it is easily added
to hot mix asphalt directly into the mixer. Gilsonite dissolves
easily in the asphalt to achieve a uniform, easily workable
asphalt mixture.
Gilsonite is well known as a bitumen reinforcer and hardening
agent. It also offers a unique combination of high performance
and economy for high stress paving applications particularly
where superior aggregate binder adhesion is required.
Positive benefits include increased resistance to water stripping
and ageing. Gilsonite produces road pavement mixes of higher
stability than conventional ones.
The stability of Gilsonite-fortified pavements makes them more
resistant to deformation problems, such as rutting and shoving,
and increases the pavement's load carrying ability. In addition,
laboratory tests and field results show that increased deformation
resistance can be obtained while the pavement retains much of
its original ductility and ability to resist low temperature
cracking.
Gilsonite modified mixes exhibit many desirable characteristics
for high stress pavement applications:
| • |
Greatly improved
water susceptibility characteristics |
| • |
Greatly improved
binder/aggregate adhesion |
| • |
Increased
mixture stiffness and binder viscosity |
| • |
Improved anti-rutting
performance |
| • |
Improved pavement
load carrying ability |
| • |
Retention
of original ductility |
| • |
Increased
resistance to pavement deformation |
| • |
Ability to
resist low temperature cracking |
|
Typical
Physical Properties
| Softening point (ASTM E28-92) |
176°C |
| Ash (ASTM D271-70 M) |
<1% |
| Penetration (25°C,100gm, 5sec.) |
0 |
| Nitrogen |
3% |
| Sulfur |
0.3% |
| Specific gravity |
1.06 |
| Particle size |
<5mm |
| Packaging |
10kg low-melt bags /
1 tonne big-bags |
Gilsonite is a very cost-effective
mixture modifier and adhesion improver. Typically only
5 – 15%
of a mixture’s
binder is replaced with Gilsonite, such is its ability
to increase mixture stiffness. A general guideline is that
3% binder replacement with Gilsonite will double the viscosity
of a binder. The resulting mixture can be handled with
no modification to a surfacing contractor’s routine
operation.
Gilsonite is easy to handle, available in low-melt bags
or ‘big-bags’ depending
on customers individual requirements. Performance has
been proved over many years, on many projects around
the globe.
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