The invention relates to a method for producing a binder foam for producing asphalt. In a pressurized stream of heated binder a liquid, which has a lower evaporation temperature under atmospheric pressure than the temperature of the heated binder stream is injected at an angle () of greater than 90 relative to the flow direction (S) of the binder stream such that a pressurized mixture stream of the binder with drops of liquid distributed therein or with drops of liquid distributed therein and vapor bubbles resulting from said drops is provided downstream of the injection point (D). The pressure of said mixture stream is then decreased whereby the binder is foamed as a result of an evaporation of the drops of liquid contained in the binder and/or as a result of the expansion of the vapor bubbles resulting from the drops of liquid.

A solid bitumen pellet, including a mixture of bitumen and an additive, where the additive operates to increase the viscosity of the mixture. Optionally, the pellet includes a protective shell.

This invention encompasses rubber modified asphalt cement compositions, as well as systems, apparatuses, methods for preparing, as well as methods for using rubber-modified asphalt cement compositions.

A solid bitumen pellet, including a mixture of bitumen and an additive, where the additive operates to increase the viscosity of the mixture. Optionally, the pellet includes a protective shell.

Bitumen granules including at least: bitumen, a compound of general formula R1-(COOH)z (I), a compound of general formula R2-(NH)nCONHX(NHCO)p(NH)n-R3 (II), and a compound of general formula Ar1-RAr2 (III); and a method for producing the bitumen granules and to the use thereof as asphalt binder.

Methods are provided for predicting the properties of an asphalt fraction that contains two or more asphalt components based on measurements of the viscosity versus temperature profile for the components of the asphalt fraction. The viscosity versus temperature profile for each component can be used to determine characteristic (such as limiting) values for the viscosity and temperature for a components. Examples of characteristic values for an asphalt component are the asymptotic values of viscosity at infinite temperature (.sub.inf) and the finite temperature at which the viscosity diverges (T.sub.0). Once these characteristic values are determined, the characteristic values for each component can be combined in a weighted average to determine .sub.inf and T.sub.0 for the asphalt blend. Based on this ability to determine characteristic values for an asphalt blend based on the properties of individual blend components, appropriate blends of asphalts can be selected in order to arrive at an asphalt blend with desired properties.

A method of forming a paving composition using reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) and/or reclaimed asphalt shingle (RAS) is provided. The method comprises: a) providing a rejuvenated asphalt binder consisting essentially of bitumen, a block copolymer and a bio-oil, wherein the rejuvenated asphalt binder has a rotational viscosity at 135 C. equal to or less than 1000 centipoise, an original G*/sin at 64 C. equal to or greater than 1 kPa where G* is the complex shear modulus and is the phase angle; a G*/sin at 64 C. equal to or greater than 2.2 kPa after aging in a Rolling Thin Film Oven (RTFO); b) providing a virgin asphalt; c) heating the virgin asphalt to 160-200 C.; d) providing a RAP and/or RAS; and e) mixing the heated virgin asphalt, RAP/RAS, and the rejuvenated asphalt binder under conditions suitable to form the paving composition.

This invention encompasses rubber modified asphalt cement compositions, as well as systems, apparatuses, methods for preparing, as well as methods for using rubber-modified asphalt cement compositions.

Cold-in-place asphalt recycling is disclosed. A foamed asphalt may be produced by injecting water and optionally compressed air into a hot asphalt stream. A lubricating surfactant may be added to the hot asphalt stream to improve performance. The foamed asphalt may be mixed with reclaimed material to provide a uniformly coated paving material that can compacted to a desired density.

A method to reclaim or recycle asphalt or asphalt components to produce reusable asphalt or asphalt components featuring (a) providing crushed asphalt or asphalt components, and (b) adding the asphalt or asphalt components to a solvent in which the asphalt binder is soluble. The solvent may be at approximately ambient temperature and may be, for instance, heptane, hexane, naphta, kerosene, gasoline or a petroleum based solvent or any other suitable solvent in which the asphalt binder is soluble. The solvent may be added in a standard automated parts washer or equivalent equipment to provide exposure to one or more solvents in which the asphalt binder is soluble. The method may further feature c) grinding or breaking the asphalt to be reclaimed or recycled into chunks, millings or particulate prior to step a), d) screening or separating coarse aggregate and fine aggregate asphalt components from the solution of b), d) cleaning or removing asphalt binder and/or the solution from the coarse aggregate and fine aggregate asphalt components screened or separated in step c), and e) cleaning or removing asphalt binder from the solution of b).