Properties of Pavement Bitumens Assessed Using European and American Approach

This paper compares the different approaches to assessing asphalt binders used in Europe and the Unites States. A series of pavement bitumens is assessed using European standards and also by the Performance Graded Asphalt Binder Specification based on AASHTO MP 1, which was developed as part of the Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP) in the United States of America. The results show that the European approach places high requirements on the pavement bitumens in relation to their behavior at low-temperatures, while in case of the American approach, the key parameter is fatigue behavior after short-term and long-term aging. It is evident that it is necessary to evaluate properties of pavement bitumens after long-term aging in Europe, too.