The Shell Bitumen Handbook

Book excerpt: "This new edition reflects many of the very significant advances which have taken place in the period since the last edition was published. I am confident that you will feel that this is a worthy addition to your asphalt book shelf." Robert Hunter This respected Handbook has earned its reputation as the authoritative source of information on bitumens used in road pavements and other surfacing applications. This new edition has been up-dated to ensure The Shell Bitumen Handbook retains its excellent reputation. This comprehensive Handbook covers every aspect of bitumen, from its manufacture, storage and handling to specifications and quality along with a whole chapter on bitumen emulsions. The mechanical testing and physical properties of bitumen, its structure and rheology, properties such as durability and adhesion, and the influence of these properties on performance in practice are all set out in individual chapters. A further chapter is devoted to the practice of enhancing the performance of bitumen's by the addition of modifiers. Considerable attention is given to the different aspects of asphalts, detailing types of mixture, their manufacture and testing, mechanical properties, transport, laying and compaction and mixture design. This excellent reference also devotes chapters to the important topics of analytical design of flexible pavements and the technology of surface dressing. Since the last edition, there have been significant strides in a number of key areas of asphalt technology. These include the development of new mixtures, an improved understanding of the mechanisms by which pavements fail and the availability of high-performance bitumens. The Handbook has been fully revised to reflect these advances, as well as updating the standard procedures and methods which are necessary nowadays for those involved in using asphalts in an environment of ever-more demanding specifications. Compiled by the Shell Bitumen European Technical Team The Shell Bitumen Handbook is intended to be of daily use to civil engineers in pavement construction and maintenance, and also to students and researchers.