Europe is developing a new and common system of specifications to describe paving bitumens, including modified bitumens and special binders. These are known as EN standards and they describe distinctive product characteristics. Ultimately the aim is to establish a system of performance based standards, rather than prescriptive requirements. This involves establishing reliable standardised test methods to assess product performance and ensure harmonisation.
Standardisation will help specifiers select the bitumen binders best suited to the intended application or end use. Harmonised EN standards and specifications will eliminate commercial trade barriers between EU countries, providing a set of common reference tools for the European market and beyond. It will also ensure compliance with the Construction Products Directive and facilitate cost savings from the use of harmonised standards and specifications, as well as removing barriers to trade by allowing cross border trading.
Once the EN standards for the various groups of bitumen products are agreed, producers will be permitted to adopt CE marking.
*Performance Based Standards & Specifications
Specifications in which binder properties are expressed in fundamental terms that provide an indication of the relative performance for product characteristics. Such specifications differ from those based upon empirical properties.
PRS Position Paper
The first generation of harmonised bitumen standards (EN12591 paving grade bitumens, EN14023 Polymer modified bitumens and EN13924 Hard paving grade bitumens) is now being used in most European countries. EN14023 and EN13924 are relatively new and people need time to implement these standards and to build up experience with them.
Although the above standards have been recently implemented there is a need to start working on the second generation of bitumen standards now.
Eurobitume Task Force PRS has produced a position paper summarising the view of its members in respect of the next generation of specifications, key recommendations include:
- A new specification is required ONLY for rheologically “complex” bitumens such as polymer modified and hard grade bitumen. Rheologically “simple” bitumens, i.e. those that meet EN 12591, do not need new specifications as the existing tests are considered to be adequately related to performance.
- An up-to-date review of bitumen test methods that could be considered for future specification purposes has been carried out. The results of this work have been compiled in the Eurobitume Data Collection report which can be found here.
- An outline proposal for a possible future specification framework. However, binder tests should not be considered as a substitute for asphalt performance testing.
View or download the position paper here.
Construction Products Regulation
The current Construction Products Directive, dating back to 1989 will be replaced by the Construction Products Regulation (CPR). The details of this more prescriptive instrument of European legislation are not yet known.
In preparation for June 2013, when the new regulation will come into force, Eurobitume has established a new CPR Task Force to identify the differences between the directive and the regulation, consider the consequences for bitumen producers and develop compliance guidance for members.
It is expected that the Task Force will produce two position papers: one providing members with advice on the implications, particularly for CE marking and a second external communication intended to provide recommendations for CEN and other stakeholders.
