During the process of refining petroleum, a material known as bitumen is formed by the non-destructive distillation of crude oil. Many products and materials are produced based on this beneficial substance. Bitumen is characterized by high viscosity and can have a semi-solid or liquid state. Although the production of asphalt, which is a kind of bitumen, is the primary business that makes use of it, the construction industry also makes substantial use of it (roofing membranes, water-proofing felts). 
Road Bitumen Bitumen is used to bond asphalt tops and bituminous layers of highway constructions. Bitumen has some significant features such as: Wide temperature range. (Not brittle at low temperatures, and no structural changes at asphalt manufacturing temperatures.) Slow-aging asphalt topping material. Industrial bitumen It is possible to manufacture bitumen with varying characteristics so that it may be used for a variety of purposes. In addition to this, they improve the lifespan of the roofing and water-proofing felts that are created from them and ensure that they have the proper resistance to the effects of age. Modified bitumen Since modified bitumen products are more long-lasting, they are typically used on roadways that see significant volumes of vehicular traffic. 
These varieties of bitumen have more flexible properties than road bitumen, and as a result, they are better able to withstand temperature fluctuations throughout a larger range. Rubber bitumen The production of rubber bitumen and its application in the construction of asphalt roads not only results in an improvement in the quality of asphalt roads in comparison to asphalt roads built with conventional bitumen but also provides a solution for the processing and recovery of waste tires in a manner that is friendly to the environment.
bitumen sheet
It is a widespread procedure to use corrugated bitumen roofing sheet for structures such as sheds, stables, garages, and other kinds of buildings. When combined with the corrugated form factor, the bitumen fibers that are present in corrugated bitumen sheets provide a roofing solution that is both waterproof and long-lasting. 
Between 2.6 and 3 millimeters is the range of thicknesses that are offered for bitumen corrugated roofing. These roofing sheets can also be purchased in a wide variety of colors to suit your needs. Included are the colors brown, black, green, and red. Because they come in such a wide range of thicknesses and colors, Roofing is certain to stock the bitumen roofing sheets that are perfect for your undertaking. There is a wide range of applications for corrugated bitumen sheets due to the fact that they can be used on slopes ranging from 5 degrees to 90 degrees. In order to ensure their customers' complete satisfaction, the majority of bitumen sheet manufacturers offer a guarantee that is valid for 15 years. They also carry a comprehensive inventory of compatible flashings and fasteners in a variety of sizes. This contributes to ensuring that your new roof is installed in a secure manner. There are some advantages to using corrugated bitumen. There are a number of distinct benefits that come along with using roofing sheets made of corrugated bitumen. 
Because of their profile, which is corrugated, their strength is increased because the impact force is distributed evenly across the whole sheet. Bitumen sheets with a corrugated surface are more effective at shedding water and debris due to the corrugations, which are located on the surface.
bitumen uses
The building sector makes use of the bitumen that has been refined the most. Its primary applications are in pavement and roofing, where it serves a useful purpose. The majority of bitumen is put to use as a binding agent in asphalt, which is used to pave highways, runways, parking lots, and walking routes. After being held together by thick bitumen, the mixture of crushed rock and gravel that was previously held together by this process is subsequently placed on highways. 
The roofing sector utilizes 10% of the world's total bitumen production because the waterproofing properties of bitumen contribute to the overall functionality of roofs. In a variety of building materials, such as the backing for carpet tiles and paint, 5% of the bitumen is utilized for the purpose of sealing and insulating the material. In addition to these primary applications, bitumen is utilized in a variety of other contexts as well. Other applications include soil stability, soundproofing, explosives, protection against mildew, a binder in briquettes, a backing for mirrors, shoe soles, covering for fence posts, and soundproofing.
bitumen membrane
Bitumen is a type of petroleum that can take the shape of a sticky liquid, a dark semi-solid, or a very viscous liquid. It is also known as asphalt. Due to the fact that it is waterproof, it is employed extensively in the building industry. Bituminous membranes are your best bet when it comes to waterproofing roofs, basements, underground buildings, and other types of structures. 
The combination of raw materials can be built up in thousands of different possible configurations; however, a typical composition consists of a bituminous compound, aluminum, slates, sand, talc, or polyethylene foil on the upper layer; fiberglass, polyester, and/or aluminum for reinforcement; and foil (torch layer) or removable film (fully self-adhered or strips) for the underlayer. Typical bitumen membrane applications include flat and sloped roofs, parking levels, roof restoration, basement, podiums, bridge decks, and tank lining. There are two types of bitumen membranes: torch-applied bituminous membranes and self-adhesive bituminous membranes. Torch-Applied Bituminous Membrane Once applied, torch-applied bituminous membranes are a thin coating of totally adhered, waterproof material. It is a flexible system that can keep its water tightness without developing fractures. In a wide variety of applications, they can be used for Retaining walls, basements, and below-ground structures, Flat roofs under protective layers of ballast, Balconies and terraces under tiles, Wet areas, Underground car parks, Bridges, Raft slabs and foundations, and Protection of different substrates. 
Self-Adhesive Bituminous Membrane The release liner covering self-adhesive bituminous membranes is removed during application. Wood substrates, flammable regions, small spaces, steep surfaces or locations with limited access, retaining walls, basements, and below-grade buildings are the most common applications. Some advantages of self-adhesive membranes are:
- No torch needed
- Safer and quicker installation
- No extra or special equipment needed
- Outstanding adhesion, even at low temperatures
is bitumen a petroleum product
During the distillation process of crude oil or petroleum, bitumen is produced. It is a semi-solid hydrocarbon product that is formed during the refining process by removing lighter fractions (such as LPG, gasoline, and diesel) from heavy crude oil. 
These lighter fractions include butane, propane, and butadiene. As a consequence of this, the proper name for it is refined bitumen. Bitumen deposits seen in nature are the fossilized remains of long-dead, microscopic algae and other species that were once alive. When these animals eventually passed away, their bodies were entombed in the muck that covered the ocean floor or lake bed where they had resided. Because of the intense heat and pressure, the bones were changed into compounds such as bitumen, kerogen, and petroleum throughout the process of their deep burial. One such example may be found in the deposits of the La Brea Tar Pits. Similarities in structure can be seen between bitumen and carbonaceous meteorites found in living entities. However, extensive research has shown that the two types of material are separate. It is possible that some bitumen is primordial material generated during the formation of Earth and reworked by microorganisms that consume hydrocarbons given the presence of similar material in certain meteorites and bitumen in Archean rocks. This possibility is supported by the fact that certain meteorites contain similar material. 
bitumen waterproofing
Bituminous coatings or sealers based on bitumen are efficient in waterproofing a variety of substrates and protecting them, particularly metal, from the damaging effects of corrosion. However, the efficiency and efficacy of these products are greatly improved with appropriate surface preparation. The method of waterproofing involves putting a substance to a surface or structure in such a way that it either prevents the entry of water or, in the event that it is exposed to moisture, has a minimal impact on its performance under the specified conditions. In most cases, waterproofing is applied to buildings and other structures that, under ordinary conditions, would not be able to function well in wet or damp surroundings. On the other hand, waterproofing and moisture proofing are two quite different things. The first term describes the process of keeping water in its liquid state from permeating a substance, whereas the second term describes the process of improving a material's resistance to humidity or moisture. 
Bitumen may be used to either waterproof or moisture-proof items and buildings, depending on the formulation and the technique of application. These two functions are distinct from one another. Coatings that are made from bitumen are excellent water-resistant sealants or repellents since bitumen is inherently insoluble in water. This makes bitumen an ideal material for these applications. Because of the material's inherent resistance to water, in addition to the strong adhesive characteristics it possesses, it is able to keep air and moisture from getting into touch with the substrates it covers, which results in superior protection against corrosion. Additionally, because bituminous paints are somewhat long-lasting, inexpensive, and resistant to chemical and ultraviolet (UV) deterioration, they are ideal for covering structures that are utilized in hostile settings.
bituminous materials
Bituminous materials are materials that have been held together using bitumen as a binding agent. The building of roads was the only application of bituminous materials when they were first used. 
Now, the uses have expanded to include the building of roofs, as well as industrial applications, carpet tiles, paints, and a specialized coating for waterproofing. Tar was employed as a binder agent for bituminous products prior to the advent of bitumen. After the twentieth century, new types of automobiles using pneumatic tires became available in the United Kingdom. Tar was once widely employed in large-scale road building. According to the Macadam principles, the road was built with water-bound and graded aggregates. Due to the impact of the pneumatic tires and the speed of the cars moving, Macadam roads created a considerable volume of dust. This resulted in the tar being applied to the road's surface. The majority of the time, bituminous materials are what go into the construction of flexible pavement. We call the use of concrete slabs in road building "stiff construction," because of the rigidity of the material. The actual flexible pavement consists of a number of layers, each of which is responsible for a different function when the pavement is loaded. 
The position and function of the substance both have an effect on the character of the material, which might shift significantly as a result. It is possible to employ asphalt as the surface course, the binder, and the base. Nevertheless, the kind of asphalt and the attributes it possesses in each of these layers change depending on where they are and what they are used for The asphalt that is utilized for the surface course is distinct from the asphalt that is utilized for the binder course as well as the base.
how to produce bitumen
Aside from its natural occurrence in seeps and oil sands, bitumen may also be manufactured during the refining process of crude oil by separating out the lighter fractions and leaving the heavier ones behind. Three fractions—liquid petroleum gas, gasoline, and diesel—are extracted from the crude oil. The manufacturing of bitumen can commence when the extraction of crude oil from the ground has been completed. 
The crude oil is heated to a temperature of 200 degrees Celsius by passing it through a system after it has been pumped out of the storage tanks and into the system. The oil is then transferred to a furnace, where it is heated even more to an approximate temperature of 300 degrees Celsius before being partially evaporated into a distillation column. At this point, the various components of the crude oil are separated into their own distinct pools. As the lighter components sink to the bottom of the column, the heavier components, including the bitumen, will eventually ascend to the top. The procedure that you described is called fractional distillation. In the last step, the residue is put through a vacuum distillation column and subjected to further distillation. This yields bitumen. The term "straight run bitumen" refers to this particular kind of bitumen. The amount of volatile material that is left in the distilled bitumen determines the grade of the bitumen. 
A product that is less pure and has a higher liquid content will have more volatile material in it. To have more information on the varieties of bitumen, its application, specifications, and properties, make sure to contact us through the inquiry form.