The invention relates to a process for preparing foamed polymer-modified bitumen compositions and to the use thereof for the production of asphalt. The invention also relates to foamed polymer-modified bitumen compositions obtainable by this process. Furthermore, the invention relates to a process for producing an asphalt composition and to the use thereof in road applications. The process for the preparation of the foamed polymer-modified bitumen composition comprises the following steps: i) Heating and pressurizing a bitumen to obtain a hot flowing bitumen stream, ii) Injecting under pressure an aqueous polymer dispersion into the hot flowing bitumen stream obtained in step i), to obtain a pressurized flowing mixed stream of the bitumen and the aqueous polymer dispersion; iii) Expanding the flowing mixed stream, in particular to atmospheric pressure, such that the water contained in the aqueous polymer dispersion vaporizes and foams the mixed stream to obtain a foamed polymer-modified bitumen.

A process for the transportation and/or storage of road bitumen under cold conditions, including at least one chemical additive chosen from: a general formula compound (I): R.sup.1—(COOH).sub.z wherein R.sup.1 is a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon-based chain including 4 to 68 carbon atoms, and z is an integer ranging from 1 to 4, and a general formula compound (II): R—(NH).sub.nCONH—(X).sub.m—NHCO(NH).sub.n—R′ wherein: R and R′, which are identical or different, contain a saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched, cyclic or acyclic hydrocarbon-based chain having 1 to 22 carbon atoms and optionally including heteroatoms and/or rings having 3 to 12 atoms and/or heterocycles having 3 to 12 atoms; X contains a saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched, cyclic or acyclic hydrocarbon-based chain having 1 to 22 carbon atoms and optionally including one or more heteroatoms and/or rings having 3 to 12 atoms and/or heterocycles having 3 to 12 atoms.

The present invention relates to relates to a method of producing an improved asphalt. This method includes providing an asphalt binder and providing a compound of formula (I): ##STR00001##
as described herein. The asphalt binder is mixed with the compound of formula (I) under conditions effective to produce an improved asphalt. Also disclosed are an asphalt product and a method of making asphalt material.

A bituminous composition includes at least one bitumen base, at least one first chemical additive chosen from compounds of general formula Ar1-R.sub.1-Ar.sub.2 (I), and at least one second chemical additive chosen from a second chemical additive chosen from the reaction products of at least one C.sub.3-C.sub.12 polyol and of at least one C.sub.2-C.sub.12 aldehyde. This composition can be used for different industrial applications and as road binder, notably for the preparation of bituminous mixes.

The invention relates to a bitumen additive comprising a wax dispersed in water, the water being in the continuous phase and the wax in the dispersed phase; the wax comprising a Fischer-Tropsch wax and one or more hydrocarbon waxes selected from the group comprising petroleum-based waxes, polyolefin waxes, or mixtures thereof; and an emulsifier. The invention extends to a method to produce a foamed bitumen composition by adding a bitumen additive to a bitumen feedstock in a bitumen foaming device to produce the foamed bitumen, and to a method to produce an asphalt mix by adding a bitumen feedstock and a bitumen additive to an aggregate in an asphalt mixer to produce the asphalt mix.

A bitumen granules including a core and a coating layer, in which the core includes at least one bitumen base, and the coating layer includes at least: one oil selected from a hydrocarbon oil of petroleum or synthetic origin; and at least one organogelator compound selected from among compounds of general formula (I), (II) or (V). The invention also relates to a method for producing bitumen granules, as well as to the use thereof as an asphalt binder, in particular for producing mixes. The invention further relates to a method for producing mixes from bitumen granules and also to a method for transporting and/or storing and/or handling bitumen granules.

The present invention relates to asphalt mixture compositions, suitable for building roads, pavements and paved areas, roofing, vehicle parking areas, house-drives, footways, recreation areas such as tennis courts or playgrounds, agricultural uses such as farm roads or animal cubicles, airfields, runways and access roads, hard standings, storage areas, hydraulic applications such as dam construction, coastal protection and other. The present invention also concerns a method of providing such compositions and various uses thereof. In particular, this invention concerns the replacement of, at least a part of, a binder or a binder composition comprised by said asphalt mixture composition, said binder or binder composition preferably being bitumen or polymer modified bitumen, with digestate additive and one or more further component(s), such as aggregate(s), additive(s) and/or filler(s).

A process for the transportation and/or storage of road bitumen under cold conditions, including at least one chemical additive chosen from: a general formula compound (I): R.sup.1(COOH).sub.z wherein R.sup.1 is a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon-based chain including 4 to 68 carbon atoms, and z is an integer ranging from 1 to 4, and a general formula compound (II): R(NH).sub.nCONH(X).sub.mNHCO(NH).sub.nR wherein: R and R, which are identical or different, contain a saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched, cyclic or acyclic hydrocarbon-based chain having 1 to 22 carbon atoms and optionally including heteroatoms and/or rings having 3 to 12 atoms and/or heterocycles having 3 to 12 atoms; X contains a saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched, cyclic or acyclic hydrocarbon-based chain having 1 to 22 carbon atoms and optionally including one or more heteroatoms and/or rings having 3 to 12 atoms and/or heterocycles having 3 to 12 atoms.

The present invention relates to relates to a method of producing an improved asphalt. This method includes providing an asphalt binder and providing a compound of formula (I):

##STR00001##

as described herein. The asphalt binder is mixed with the compound of formula (I) under conditions effective to produce an improved asphalt. Also disclosed are an asphalt product and a method of making asphalt material.

A bitumen granules including a core and a coating layer, in which the core includes at least one bitumen base, and the coating layer includes at least: one oil selected from a hydrocarbon oil of petroleum or synthetic origin; and at least one organogelator compound selected from among compounds of general formula (I), (II) or (V). The invention also relates to a method for producing bitumen granules, as well as to the use thereof as an asphalt binder, in particular for producing mixes. The invention further relates to a method for producing mixes from bitumen granules and also to a method for transporting and/or storing and/or handling bitumen granules.