bitumen

Also known as asphaltum, asphalt

thumb|Natural bitumen from the Dead Sea thumb|Refined bitumen thumb|upright|The University of Queensland [[pitch drop experiment, demonstrating the viscosity of bitumen]]

AI overview

Bitumen is a thick, sticky substance derived from crude oil that is commonly used to bind materials together in asphalt for roads and other construction projects. It's an important material in modern infrastructure because of its ability to hold road surfaces together while remaining flexible enough to withstand temperature changes and traffic wear.

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Commons category: Bitumen

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~8 min read

Article

36 sections

Contents

Terminology
Etymology
Modern terminology
Composition
Normal composition
Additives, mixtures and contaminants
Occurrence
History
Paleolithic times
Ancient times
Continental Europe
United Kingdom
United States
Canada
Photography and art
Modern use
Global use
Rolled asphalt concrete
Mastic asphalt
Bitumen emulsion
Synthetic crude oil
Non-upgraded crude bitumen
Radioactive waste encapsulation matrix
Other uses
Production
Oil sands
Alternatives and bioasphalt
Albanian deposits
Recycling
Economics
Health and safety
See also
Notes
References
Sources
External links

thumb|Natural bitumen from the Dead Sea thumb|Refined bitumen thumb|upright|The University of Queensland [[pitch drop experiment, demonstrating the viscosity of bitumen]]

Bitumen ( , ) is an immensely viscous constituent of petroleum. Depending on its exact composition, it can be a sticky, black liquid or an apparently solid mass that behaves as a liquid over very large time scales. In American English, the material is commonly referred to as asphalt. Whether found in natural deposits or refined from petroleum, the substance is classed as a pitch. Prior to the 20th century, the term asphaltum was in general use. The word derives from the Ancient Greek word (), which referred to natural bitumen or pitch. The largest natural deposit of bitumen in the world is the Pitch Lake of southwest Trinidad, which is estimated to contain 10 million tons.