Online conference on asphalt concrete and PBB use in road construction completes its work

The MAXConference-run conference «Organic binders and asphalt concrete mixes in road construction» has completed its work in online mode, having brought together numerous participants of Russia’s road construction market and their colleagues from abroad.


There were the problems of design, production and application of asphalt concrete mixes in the conditions of the new state Standards for construction materials on the conference’s agenda. The session moderator from ROSDORNII discussed with analysts from Russia’s SibADI road research center calculation methods and algorithms for designing road pavement. Russian laboratories’ equipment and performing primary control of asphalt mix, as well as difficulties with the transition to new standards, were the subject of a serious analysis and conversation with representatives of the center for innovative competencies «Dorinzhservis» and VAD.


The regular on the event’s agenda was the evaluation of the performance characteristics of asphalt concrete in the process of destruction of the road surface. Bitumen and modified additives manufacturers have shared their experience: LLK-international, Eurotest, Infratest. The participation of international experts helped to highlight the common problems of road builders in different countries. The director from UTEST spoke about new methods of testing asphalt concrete, noting that it is not yet possible to get rid of defects on the roads. His colleague from Italy’s University of Pisa elaborated on the topic of asphalt mixes’ maintenance.


The PBB session was conducted by a representative of the leading PBB producer Russia, Gazpromneft-Bitumen Materials. The chief technologist of the RBM spoke about the use of composite materials for bitumen modification. The report made by Baikal bitumen terminal provoked an intense discussion. Issues of storage and transportation of bitumen still raise many questions. The president of Abatech, as well as the guru of modified bitumen — Hussein Bahia from the center for research on modified bitumen from the US, presented their expert assessment of the topic of PBB and bitumen according to the PG classification.


All experts who spoke during the second day of the event continued the topic of designing and applying asphalt concrete mixtures in various layers of the road surface, revealing practical examples. The speakers focused on the problems of using organic binders for high-intensity roads. A representative of Bitumen RUS told about bitumen-emulsion technologies and their effect for strengthening the road surface.


Much attention was paid to the use of asphalt granulate. Yaroslavl Technological University and SP Autobahn have devoted their presentations to the topic. The Center of high technologies outlined its view on increasing the resistance to aging of asphalt concrete containing asphalt granulate. ABZ-1 plant presented a study on the effect of a reducing additive on asphalt concrete mixes with RAP. International experts from MARINI-ERMONT and PAVEXPERT made an indisputable contribution to the discussion, presenting their achievements in the study of the road surface life cycle.


Constant interest in the event and the issues that were besieged at the conference leave hope for running the conference next year in offline mode, where, as usual, everyone will be able to meet and communicate in person.