{"id":12016,"date":"2026-09-04T14:27:56","date_gmt":"2026-09-04T14:27:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/spico.org\/?post_type=portfolio&#038;p=12016"},"modified":"2026-11-03T20:48:13","modified_gmt":"2026-11-03T20:48:13","slug":"penetration-grade-bitumen","status":"publish","type":"portfolio","link":"https:\/\/spico.org\/en\/products\/penetration-grade-bitumen\/","title":{"rendered":"Penetration Grade Bitumen"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"12016\" class=\"elementor elementor-12016 elementor-11504\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7d9957a elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7d9957a\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-c539974 column-xtra-sticky\" data-id=\"c539974\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dd16236 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"dd16236\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Penetration grade bitumen is a classification system for bitumen based on its <strong>hardness or consistency<\/strong>, determined through the standardized penetration test. Since bitumen behaves as a semi-solid, temperature-sensitive material, this test provides a simple, repeatable way to measure how &#8220;hard&#8221; or &#8220;soft&#8221; a given bitumen is \u2014 a property that directly affects how it performs once mixed into asphalt and laid on a road.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-66 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-f6627a0\" data-id=\"f6627a0\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4e01972 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"4e01972\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"780\" height=\"520\" src=\"https:\/\/spico.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Product-Penetration-Grade-2.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-12019\" alt=\"Penetration grade\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spico.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Product-Penetration-Grade-2.jpg 780w, https:\/\/spico.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Product-Penetration-Grade-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/spico.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Product-Penetration-Grade-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/spico.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Product-Penetration-Grade-2-600x400.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-06bd437 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"06bd437\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b7be866\" data-id=\"b7be866\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-451709ba elementor-widget elementor-widget-cz_title\" data-id=\"451709ba\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"cz_title.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t<div>\r\n\t\t\t<div class=\"cz_title clr cz_mobile_text_center cz_title_pos_inline\"><div class=\"cz_title_content\"><span class=\"cz_line_side_solo\">_<\/span><div class=\"cz_wpe_content\"><p><span style=\"font-size: 22px;\"><strong>The Penetration <span style=\"color: #a06616;\">Test<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-79b864a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"79b864a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The test involves loading a standard needle (100 g) onto the surface of a bitumen sample maintained at 25\u00b0C, and measuring how far the needle sinks into the sample over exactly 5 seconds. The resulting penetration depth is measured in tenths of a millimeter \u2014 so a needle that sinks 6.5 mm records a penetration value of 65.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6866475 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"6866475\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div style=\"overflow-x:auto;font-family:'verdana'\">\n<table>\n    <thead>\n        <tr>\n            <th>Test<\/th>\n            <th>Unit<\/th>\n            <th>Method<\/th>\n            <th>30-40<\/th>\n            <th>40-50<\/th>\n            <th>60-70<\/th>\n            <th>85-100<\/th>\n            <th>100-120<\/th>\n            <th>200-300<\/th>\n        <\/tr>\n    <\/thead>\n    <tbody>\n        <tr>\n            <td>Specific Gravity @25\u00b0C<\/td>\n            <td>g\/cm\u00b3<\/td>\n            <td>ASTM D70<\/td>\n            <td>1.01-1.06<\/td>\n            <td>1.01-1.06<\/td>\n            <td>1.01-1.06<\/td>\n            <td>1.01-1.05<\/td>\n            <td>1.01-1.04<\/td>\n            <td>0.99-1.04<\/td>\n        <\/tr>\n        <tr>\n            <td>Penetration @25\u00b0C<\/td>\n            <td>mm\/10<\/td>\n            <td>ASTM D5<\/td>\n            <td>30-40<\/td>\n            <td>40-50<\/td>\n            <td>60-70<\/td>\n            <td>85-100<\/td>\n            <td>100-120<\/td>\n            <td>200-300<\/td>\n        <\/tr>\n        <tr>\n            <td>Softening Point<\/td>\n            <td>\u00b0C<\/td>\n            <td>ASTM D-36<\/td>\n            <td>55-63<\/td>\n            <td>52-60<\/td>\n            <td>49-56<\/td>\n            <td>45-52<\/td>\n            <td>42-49<\/td>\n            <td>32 min<\/td>\n        <\/tr>\n        <tr>\n            <td>Ductility @25\u00b0C<\/td>\n            <td>cm<\/td>\n            <td>ASTM D-113<\/td>\n            <td>100 min<\/td>\n            <td>100 min<\/td>\n            <td>100 min<\/td>\n            <td>100 min<\/td>\n            <td>100 min<\/td>\n            <td>100 min<\/td>\n        <\/tr>\n        <tr>\n            <td>Flash Point<\/td>\n            <td>\u00b0C<\/td>\n            <td>ASTM D-92<\/td>\n            <td>250 min<\/td>\n            <td>250 min<\/td>\n            <td>250 min<\/td>\n            <td>230 min<\/td>\n            <td>250 min<\/td>\n            <td>177 min<\/td>\n        <\/tr>\n        <tr>\n            <td>Solubility in Trichloroethylene<\/td>\n            <td>wt%<\/td>\n            <td>ASTM D-2042<\/td>\n            <td>99.5 min<\/td>\n            <td>99.5 min<\/td>\n            <td>99.5 min<\/td>\n            <td>99.5 min<\/td>\n            <td>99.5 min<\/td>\n            <td>99 min<\/td>\n        <\/tr>\n        <tr>\n            <td>Spot Test<\/td>\n            <td>-<\/td>\n            <td>A.A.S.H.T.T 102<\/td>\n            <td>Negative<\/td>\n            <td>Negative<\/td>\n            <td>Negative<\/td>\n            <td>Negative<\/td>\n            <td>Negative<\/td>\n            <td>Negative<\/td>\n        <\/tr>\n        <tr>\n            <td>Drop in Penetration After Heating<\/td>\n            <td>%<\/td>\n            <td>ASTM-D5 &amp; D6<\/td>\n            <td>20 max<\/td>\n            <td>20 max<\/td>\n            <td>20 max<\/td>\n            <td>20 max<\/td>\n            <td>20 max<\/td>\n            <td>37 max<\/td>\n        <\/tr>\n        <tr>\n            <td>Loss on Heating<\/td>\n            <td>wt%<\/td>\n            <td>ASTM-D6<\/td>\n            <td>0.2 max<\/td>\n            <td>0.2 max<\/td>\n            <td>0.2 max<\/td>\n            <td>0.2 max<\/td>\n            <td>0.2 max<\/td>\n            <td>1 max<\/td>\n        <\/tr>\n    <\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-ff1d246 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"ff1d246\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-9cc07f8\" data-id=\"9cc07f8\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-738bc4c elementor-widget elementor-widget-cz_title\" data-id=\"738bc4c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"cz_title.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t<div>\r\n\t\t\t<div class=\"cz_title clr cz_mobile_text_center cz_title_pos_inline\"><div class=\"cz_title_content\"><span class=\"cz_line_side_solo\">_<\/span><div class=\"cz_wpe_content\"><p><span style=\"font-size: 22px;\"><strong>How Grades Are <span style=\"color: #a06616;\">Named?<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1ad93f9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1ad93f9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Penetration grade bitumen is labeled with a range (e.g., <strong>40\/50<\/strong>, <strong>60\/70<\/strong>, <strong>80\/100<\/strong>, <strong>85\/100<\/strong>), where the two numbers represent the minimum and maximum acceptable penetration values in tenths of a millimeter under standard test conditions. For example:<\/span><\/p><ul><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Bitumen 60\/70<\/strong> means the needle penetrates between 60 and 70 tenths of a millimeter (6.0\u20137.0 mm) at 25\u00b0C.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Bitumen 40\/50<\/strong> is harder \u2014 the needle penetrates only 40\u201350 tenths of a millimeter.<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Common commercial grades span roughly from 30\/40 (very hard) up to 180\/200 (very soft), covering the range typically used in paving, roofing, and industrial applications.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-ae7314d elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"ae7314d\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3a6df72\" data-id=\"3a6df72\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-95ef865 elementor-widget elementor-widget-cz_title\" data-id=\"95ef865\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"cz_title.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t<div>\r\n\t\t\t<div class=\"cz_title clr cz_mobile_text_center cz_title_pos_inline\"><div class=\"cz_title_content\"><span class=\"cz_line_side_solo\">_<\/span><div class=\"cz_wpe_content\"><p><span style=\"font-size: 22px;\"><strong>Why It Matters: <span style=\"color: #a06616;\">Climate-Based<\/span> Selection?<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3fefc97 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3fefc97\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Penetration depth correlates \u2014 empirically, though only approximately \u2014 with how the binder will perform once placed in service. This gives penetration grading direct practical relevance to road design:<\/span><\/p><ul><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>High-penetration (&#8220;soft&#8221;) bitumen<\/strong>, like 85\/100, remains more flexible at low temperatures, resisting the brittleness and thermal cracking that can occur in cold climates.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Low-penetration (&#8220;hard&#8221;) bitumen<\/strong>, like 40\/50, resists deformation and rutting under heavy traffic loads and high pavement temperatures, making it suitable for hot climates.<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5b56991 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5b56991\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">This is why bitumen suppliers typically offer a range of penetration grades, and why selecting the right one depends heavily on the expected service temperature range of the region where the pavement will be built \u2014 not just on cost or availability.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Penetration grade bitumen is a classification system for bitumen based on &#8230; <a class=\"cz_readmore cz_readmore_no_icon\" href=\"https:\/\/spico.org\/en\/products\/penetration-grade-bitumen\/\"><span>\u0627\u062f\u0627\u0645\u0647 \u0645\u0637\u0644\u0628<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":12019,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"portfolio_cat":[],"portfolio_tags":[],"class_list":["post-12016","portfolio","type-portfolio","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/spico.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/portfolio\/12016","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/spico.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/portfolio"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/spico.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/portfolio"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spico.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spico.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12016"}],"version-history":[{"count":22,"href":"https:\/\/spico.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/portfolio\/12016\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13322,"href":"https:\/\/spico.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/portfolio\/12016\/revisions\/13322"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spico.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12019"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/spico.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12016"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"portfolio_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spico.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/portfolio_cat?post=12016"},{"taxonomy":"portfolio_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spico.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/portfolio_tags?post=12016"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}