7 Fascinating Facts about Bitumen You Probably Didn't Know

           We all live in a world where Bitumen plays an immense role in many applications. Around 70 % of the bitumen that we consume all around the world, is involved in road construction and infrastructure.  But do we know some of the interesting facts about Bitumen? No worries. Just go ahead to read, here we’ll explore the 7 fascinating facts of Bitumen you probably didn't know. Let’s dive into this blog.

1.    Bitumen's Role in Mummification

Do you believe bitumen was used in ancient times? Our ancients used bitumen as an enamelling material due to its preservative properties. One of the significant usages of bitumen is used in the mummification process by Egyptians. Later archaeologists discovered that there was black residue on the mummies and found that they were bitumen. Astonishing, right? Our ancestors were brilliant. They knew bitumen properties very well. Because of that, they used bitumen to preserve the bodies, often referred to as mummies. K. A. Clark proved that bitumen was used in the mummification process. She displayed this fact in her study, The Significance of Petroleum Bitumen in Ancient Egyptian Mummies. Since ancient times Bitumen (Asphalt) has been familiar for its adhesive and preservative properties.

2.    Early Innovations: Bitumen Roads in 625 BC

Another exciting fact is that the first mentioned bitumen road was built in 625 BC in the King of Babylon period. Can anyone imagine that the asphalt has used this kind of earlier stage? This can be evident by exploring Didier Lesueur and Jack Youtcheff's study. They have mentioned the certainty in their research study of Asphalt Durability which shows that asphalt was used for paving roads in 625 BC. Because of its durability and resistance to rutting, bitumen has been used since ancient times.

3.    10 million Tons of Bitumen at Pitch Lake

Bitumen can be found in natural deposits or made by fractional distillation. Has anyone seen tons and tons of bitumen in one place? Blimey! You can see that much of a huge amount of bitumen in one place and that is Trinidad, where the largest Asphalt Lake is there. The name of the Lake is Pitch Lake was known as the largest bitumen lake in the world. Sadtler has mentioned in his research paper Asphalts And Bitumens, that the pitch lake has bitumen deposits of around 1000 acres and a depth of approximately 76 feet which is equal to around 10 million tons. 

4. Over 2 million Miles of Bitumen Roads in America

Bitumen is very prominent for road pavement in America. Do you know why? It's just because over 2.6 million miles of roads are paved in the US, in which 90% of the roads are paved with Bitumen (Asphalt) only. The length of the bitumen road is approximately equal to the circle of the Earth more than 90 times. Are you getting Surprised? You are! Kenneth O'Reilly has highlighted the significance and history of asphalt (bitumen) in her book, "Asphalt: A History." The book informed us of the application of bitumen in US road pavement.

5.    The recyclability of Bitumen is 99%

Some people may have doubts about whether bitumen can be recycled or not. The answer is Yes. Bitumen can be recycled completely. The National Asphalt Pavement Association proclaims that bitumen is the most recycled product in the US by 99%. Bitumen has recycling properties that allow it recycled completely. It reduces the cost of building roads and taxpayers of America can save over $ 300 million because of the usage of Asphalt.

6.    Bitumen's Role in Noise Reduction

Bitumen is not only used to pave the roads but also reduces sound pollution. Curious to know how? Highways are the main factors for sound pollution. Bitumen has high noise-reduction properties. With the help of the bitumen, noise can be reduced by up to 3 to 5 decibels, compared to the roads which have noise walls.  This statement was proved in the Study of  Asphalt Trials to Reduce Traffic Noise Levels by James McIntosh. His study shows that bitumen can significantly reduce noise by 3 to 5 decibels. So, the Bitumen is not only a safer ride but also for peace and calm drives.

7.    Environmental Friendliness of Bitumen

Bitumen is eco-friendly, you may be wondering how it is eco-friendly! All of us know that bitumen made up of high-component hydrocarbons which are the being primary cause of CO2 emissions. However, bitumen is eco-friendly because its molecular weight can be increased to form a polymer. In the study of *Eco-Friendly Bitumen Binders From Heavy Crude Oil*, Sergey O. Ilyin explained how to predict their resistance to rutting and cracking using a relaxation approach. The study showed that bitumen is environmentally friendly for paving roads. Additionally, it's indicated that Bitumen is an excellent way to reduce cracking and rutting.

So, these are 7 fascinating facts about Bitumen or Asphalt that have been a part of every step of our way. Here's another exciting news for you we produce top-notch quality bitumen which has been in use since ancient times to this day. We have a comprehensive range of Bitumen products to export worldwide. Get in touch with us for more information at Petra Oil.