Effect of ultraviolet radiation on bitumen by different ageing procedures

•Performing TFOT procedure firstly is significant in UV ageing method.•UV ageing degree of bitumen sample is closely related to sample thickness.•UV radiation has a severer effect on low temperature properties of bitumen.•TFOT has a severer effect than UV radiation when bitumen thickness is 3 mm. Many researchers have conducted the Thin Film Oven Test (TFOT) before ultraviolet (UV) ageing to simulate the thermal-oxidation ageing process of bitumen, but the effect of TFOT procedure on UV ageing is still unknown. In this research, three ageing procedures were used to investigate the influence of TFOT procedure on UV ageing. Test results indicated that TFOT has a severer effect than UV radiation when bitumen thickness is 3 mm and bitumen thickness has a great influence on the ageing degree. Results of different ageing procedures shows that performing TFOT firstly is more appropriate for experimental analysis in UV ageing method.