OBJECTIVES The purpose of the study was (i) to identify the carcinogenic agents that may cause confounding when studying the exposure-response relationship between bitumen fume exposure and cancer among roofing membrane-manufacturing workers and roofers and (ii) to assess exposures to the identified carcinogens and bitumen fume in roofing membrane manufacturing and roofing in Finland and Denmar...

Most bituminous adhesives or binders that are used for pavement materials are derived primarily from fossil fuels. With petroleum oil reserves becoming depleted and the drive to establish a bio-based economy, there is a push to produce binders from alternative sources, particularly from biorenewable resources. However, until now, no research has studied the applicability of utilizing bio-oils a...

The increasing environmental concern about waste materials and the necessity of improving the performance of asphalt mixtures prompted the study of incorporating different waste materials in conventional bitumen. The reuse of waste materials can present benefits at an environmental and economic level, and some wastes can be used to improve the pavement performance. Thus, the purpose of this stu...

Workers in the road construction industry include asphalt plant, ground construction, and road paving workers. These individuals can be exposed to a wide range of potentially hazardous substances. A summary of levels of exposure to different substances measured during road construction is presented. In modern road paving, workers typically are exposed to 0.1 to 2 mg/m3 of bitumen fume, which in...

Exposure to asphalt or bitumen fume and renal disease EDITOR,—The correspondence from Dittmer and Armitage 1 provides further support for a causal association between exposure to various hydrocarbons and the development of renal disease. Since 1912, some case reports, 2–4 case-control studies, 5 and cross sectional 6 studies together with animal experiments 7 8 have provided compelling evidence...

Bitumen as a binder in coating and insulating materials is modified with polymers to improve its performance in service conditions. Almost all polymers are incompatible with bitumen, and at high temperatures due to relatively very low viscosity of the bitumen phase, are separated from it. These lead to a considerable limitation in the use and handling of polymer-modified bitumens. An understand...

In this investigation, rheological properties of three different polymer-modified bitumen compounds containing recycled polyethylene terephthalate (R-PET), crumb rubber (CR) and poly (styrene-butadiene-styrene) (SBS) are evaluated and compared. The modified samples were tested by a dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) where complex modulus (G*), phase angle (δ) and rutting resistance (G*/Sinδ) of spec...

Earlier studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects of adding Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) to bitumen emulsion mixtures. These effects were confirmed for some dense graded mixtures based on recipes currently used for hot mix in the UK and being considered for use in cold mix. Laboratory tests included stiffness modulus, resistance to permanent deformation and resistance to fatigue cracki...

Roadways are considered one of the most important elements of infrastructure and they play an essential role in our daily lives. In road pavement construction, the use of crumb rubber in the modification of bitumen binder is considered as a smart solution for sustainable development by reusing waste materials. It is believed that crumb rubber modifier (CRM) could be one of the alternative polym...

Bitumen burns while comprising a small percentage of all types of burns are troublesome. They affect persons engaged in gainful employment which the burns then curtail, as well as requiring special attention because the substance adheres to the skin and is therefore difficult to remove. Ninety-two consecutive patients with such burns who were admitted as in-patients over a 10-year period (1985-...