BitVal: Analysis of Available Data for Validation of Bitumen Tests

he Comite Europeen de Normalisation / European Committee for Standardisation was formed in the early sixties and was charged with preparing common rules and standards to be used in all member countries to ensure no barriers to trade. As part of that programme, new harmonised European specifications for paving grade bitumens are being developed. Bitumen specifications have remained relatively unchanged over the last forty years until a European Standard was published in 1999, whose development involved contributors such as producers, contractors and administrations all over Europe. In order to take a systematic approach to next generation binder specifications, the European bitumen/asphalt industry has made major efforts in recent years to define the “performancerelated” (P-R) requirements for paving binders. It is, of course, recognised that the binder properties alone do not determine pavement performance. Other parameters, such as aggregate characteristics, mixture design, manufacture and laying are also considered as important. A process is being followed to ensure that, for the second generation standards, the performance relationships of a binder property are assessed before a specification is developed. The BiTVal project has been developed to assist that process.