Covers properties and applications of bitumen and asphalt. This book covers the types of asphalt used and the properties of asphalt components including bitumen. It also describes the physical, chemical and biological requirements for hydraulic applications, the design of suitable mixes, methods of inspection and test appropriate to applications.

Although bitumen has been used for over five thousand years, its flexibility, adhesive and waterproofing qualities ensure that it is still a valued material in modern civil engineering works, building and industrial processes, and hydraulic engineering projects. For over a hundred years, Shell has been at the forefront of bitumen technology, and continues to play a leading role in research and development of bituminous products. This publication is the third in the series of shell Bitumen Handbooks covering the properties and applications of bitumen and asphalt, and also the third in the series of Shell books on bitumen in hydraulic engineering. It is the first of its kind to be produced as both a book and as a compact disk.The two formats contain the same chapter and section subjects, but the text on the CD version contains expanded detail, and there are many more figures and photographs of specific constructions. The first three chapters cover the types of asphalt used and the properties of asphalt components including bitumen. Chapters four and five describe the physical, chemical and biological requirements for hydraulic applications, the design of suitable mixes, methods of inspection and test appropriate to applications where failure could be catastrophic, and general considerations relating to the design of hydraulic engineering projects.The two principal forms of construction are compared in chapter six, with details of their design and construction covered in chapters seven and eight. Chapters nine to eleven describe other applications of hydraulic construction for reservoirs, canals and sea defences, and methods of achieving the desired objectives. Miscellaneous uses of bitumen in structures related to hydraulic engineering, such as waste deposit linings, hot bitumen injections, pipelines, mine shafts and bearing pile slip layers, are described in chapter twelve, while chapter thirteen covers management, maintenance and repair of the constructions.Numerous examples of hydraulic construction sites around the world are given to illustrate how the principles described have been put into practice. The text is supported throughout by many figures and photographs, while a detailed table of contents and a comprehensive alphabetical index allow the reader to search for a specific topic of interest. In addition, a search engine is provided to allow rapid access to the information. This book will be of use to the bitumen technologist and of interest to the casual reader. For the enthusiast a computer CD is available, with expanded detail in the text and many more figures and photographs of specific constructions.