Knowra Bitumen Bitumen Bitumen is a dark, viscous mixture of hydrocarbons that occurs naturally or is produced from petroleum. Its adhesive and water-resistant properties make it useful chiefly in road paving and roofing.
Asphalt concrete : A paving material made by binding mineral aggregate with bitumen. Bitumen binds the aggregate into a durable road surface.
Asphaltene : A complex, high-molecular-weight fraction of petroleum that is insoluble in light alkanes and soluble in aromatic solvents. Asphaltenes contribute to bitumen’s stiffness and complex flow behavior.
Natural bitumen : Bitumen occurring in geological deposits rather than produced directly by petroleum refining. It is the naturally occurring form included in the definition.
Asphalt : A mixture of bitumen and mineral aggregate, or, in some regions, a synonym for bitumen. The word overlaps with bitumen in usage but often names the finished mixture.
Road surface : The upper layer of a road designed to carry traffic and resist weather. Bitumen is a common binder in paved road surfaces.
Maltene : The fraction of bitumen soluble in light alkanes, comprising saturates, aromatics, and resins. Maltenes form the mobile medium around dispersed asphaltenes.
Oil sands : Sediments containing sand, clay, water, and heavy bitumen that can be extracted for petroleum production. Their bitumen is too viscous to flow readily without processing.
Coal tar : A complex liquid by-product of coal carbonization, chemically distinct from petroleum bitumen. It was once used in paving but is not the same material as bitumen.
Asphalt shingle : A roofing unit made with a reinforcing mat coated in asphalt and surfaced with mineral granules. Bitumen-based asphalt makes these shingles water-resistant.
Viscoelasticity : A material property combining elastic response with time-dependent viscous flow. Bitumen deforms elastically under quick loads and flows under sustained ones.
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