EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This Week in 30 Seconds
A Swiss laboratory study published this week found that replacing a small share of aggregate with biochar changed how much bitumen a hot-mix asphalt base course needed. Performance varied with the amount added, so the result is specific to the mix tested. [1] A November journal issue also featured Chinese research showing how rubber powder and oil can affect binder behaviour differently at high and low temperatures. [2] For buyers and engineers, the question is which tests show that the proposed binder and mix meet the demands of the intended pavement.
Market sentiment
Neutral
Mixed across monitored markets.
IN THIS ISSUE
Oil market / Regional update / Infrastructure & industry / Market insight / Next week / Weekly takeaway
01 / OIL MARKET
25 sec read time
Crude Oil & Bitumen Update
BRENT: [US$99.58/bbl, up US$1.29]
WTI: [US$91.38/bbl, up US$0.86]
KEY DRIVER: [Renewed supply concerns]
Intraday readings at 05:04 GMT on 6 November. Changes are against the previous settlement. [3] Reuters
Crude is a refinery feedstock for bitumen, and the crude blend helps determine the properties of the resulting binder. Use benchmark moves as cost context and verify any change in bitumen pricing against a comparable grade and delivery basis. [4] eurobitume.eu
02 / REGIONAL MARKET UPDATE
3 min read time
Around the Regions
Pacific, Caribbean, Africa, Asia & Europe
PACIFIC
Technical Note · Australia | Where modified binder compliance is measured
Austroads’ June 2026 edition of ATS 3110 covers polymer-modified binders, including crumb rubber grades, for sprayed seals and asphalt mixes. It clarifies that the specification applies at the point of manufacture unless the contract says otherwise. The edition also lists a change to the storage stability test from 1 January 2027. Before reviewing a certificate, check which edition the contract calls up, where the sample was taken and which test method was used. That gives the buyer and testing team a common basis for reviewing the result. [5] Austroads
WHY IT MATTERS
Confirm the sampling point and test method before comparing results for the same binder grade.
Source: Austroads · 4 June 2026 · ATS 3110, Edition 3.0
CARIBBEAN
Technical Note · Trinidad and Tobago | What a recycled modifier changed in the lab
A January study compared hot-mix asphalt formulations using a blend of Trinidad petroleum bitumen and Trinidad Lake Asphalt, with selected mixes incorporating crumb rubber or crumb rubber plus recycled PET. The unmodified control had the highest Marshall quotient, a measure calculated from stability and flow. All formulations met the study’s stability and flow criteria. The distinction matters when reviewing a proposed material change. A mix can meet the acceptance criteria in a particular test programme while showing no improvement over the control on the measure being compared. [6] West Indian Journal of Engineering
WHY IT MATTERS
Ask for the control mix results and the relevant acceptance limits when reviewing claims about recycled modifiers.
Source: West Indian Journal of Engineering · 6 January 2026 · Trinidad asphalt binder study
AFRICA
Technical Note · South Africa | Specify emulsion by application
South Africa’s Technical Guideline 1 distinguishes modified binders used for sprayed seals from those used in asphalt and covers modified bitumen emulsions. For a buyer reviewing an emulsion, the intended application is the starting point. Confirm the required class, the applicable test methods and which properties the specification measures on the emulsion or its recovered binder. This distinction helps the site and laboratory teams read the same certificate consistently. If a substitute is proposed, compare its results against the specified class before deciding whether further evaluation is needed. [7]
WHY IT MATTERS
An emulsion substitution should be assessed against the requirements for the actual treatment.
Source: SABITA · 2020 · Technical Guideline 1: The Use of Modified Bituminous Binders in Road Construction
ASIA
China | Rubber and oil play different roles in modified bitumen
A study appearing in the November print issue of the Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, after earlier online publication, examined desulfurised rubber powder and naphthenic oil in asphalt binders for applications with high reclaimed asphalt content. In the laboratory, rubber powder had the stronger influence on high-temperature response, while the oil had more influence on low-temperature and fatigue behaviour. At higher rubber contents, the study found that the rubber structure could limit the oil’s effect. The findings give engineers a reason to examine the combined formulation across the relevant temperature range. [2] CiteDrive
WHY IT MATTERS
Ask how the binder performed at both ends of the service temperature range before assessing a modifier package.
Source: ASCE · November 2026 print issue · Binder rheology study
EUROPE
Switzerland | Biochar changes binder demand in a base-course mix
A study published on 4 November tested biochar as a partial replacement for mineral aggregate in hot-mix asphalt for a base course. The researchers found that biochar changed both air voids and optimum binder content. In the tested mix, replacing 2% of aggregate by mass improved several mechanical measures, including resistance to permanent deformation. Performance declined at the highest replacement level tested. The result comes from a laboratory mix design. A different aggregate, biochar or pavement layer would need its own validation before the finding could be applied. [1] Springer Nature Link
WHY IT MATTERS
When an alternative aggregate changes the mix, review the binder content and volumetric results alongside the performance tests.
Source: Materials and Structures · 4 November 2026 · Biochar base-course study
03 / INFRASTRUCTURE & INDUSTRY
1 min 30 sec read time
5 Developments to Know This Week
01 / Nigeria and Fiji | Waste polymers tested in warm-mix asphalt
A peer-reviewed study published online on 2 November varied bitumen content, recycled polymer content, wax dosage and mixing temperature together. The authors reported improved results on several laboratory measures for selected combinations. For customers evaluating warm mix, the question is how the full formulation performed at the proposed production temperature. [8] Springer Nature Link
Source: Discover Applied Sciences · 2 November 2026 · Warm-mix asphalt study
02 / Technical Fact · United States | Tack coat rates need a clear basis
A tack coat specification can express a rate as sprayed emulsion or as residual binder. The residual rate describes the binder left after water is removed, so emulsion concentration and any dilution affect the conversion. Ask which basis the specification and distributor calibration use. [9] fhwa.dot.gov
Source: FHWA · April 2016 · Tack Coat Best Practices
03 / Technical Fact · Caribbean | A penetration grade is one part of compliance
ASTM D5710/D5710M covers several penetration grades of Trinidad Lake modified asphalt. The standard also addresses blend homogeneity and additional material properties, including ductility and solubility. When comparing certificates, confirm the standard and edition alongside the grade and look for results covering the other applicable requirements. [10] store.astm.org
Source: ASTM International · 5 May 2022 · ASTM D5710/D5710M-22
04 / Technical Fact · United States | Cold recycling has a separate emulsion design check
The Federal Highway Administration’s FLH T 524 sets out a practice for determining optimum emulsified asphalt content in cold in-place recycled mixtures. When reviewing a proposed treatment, check whether the design dosage was established using the reclaimed material and emulsion intended for the work. [11] FHWA
Source:FHWA · 5 March 2024 update · FLH T 524
05 / Technical Fact · Europe | Check the boundary on bitumen carbon figures
Eurobitume’s life cycle assessment covers bitumen production from raw material extraction through refinery storage. When comparing a binder’s environmental figures with a finished asphalt mixture, first check the declared unit and included life cycle stages. Transport beyond the refinery, mixture production and paving sit outside this assessment boundary. [4] eurobitume.eu
Source: Eurobitume · March 2025 · Life Cycle Assessment 4.0 for Bitumen
04 / MARKET INSIGHT
50 sec read time
This Week’s Focus
How to read a performance claim for modified bitumen
The first question is what the researchers tested. Binder tests show how the material responds under controlled temperatures and loading. Asphalt mixture tests capture how the binder works with the aggregate, additives and air voids in a particular design. The Chinese rubber-and-oil study examined binder behaviour, while the Swiss biochar study measured changes in the whole mix, including its optimum binder content. The distinction matters when reading a claim about rutting. A favourable high-temperature binder result helps explain why a formulation may resist deformation, while a mixture test shows how the combined materials behaved under the stated conditions. Comparing the two requires the test method, temperature, ageing condition and control material. [1, 2] Springer Nature Link
What It Means for the Market
When assessing a proposed binder or additive, ask which results establish binder compliance and which demonstrate performance in the intended mix. Review the claimed benefit against the failure mode the pavement design needs to address, such as permanent deformation or cracking.
05 / WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR NEXT WEEK
25 sec read time
5 Things on the Radar
- Do warm-mix studies report the comparison temperature and control formulation clearly? [8]
- Do recycled-modifier studies report cracking and deformation results for the same mix? [2, 8]
- Which storage stability method applies under the cited edition of the modified binder specification? [5]
- Are tack coat rates stated as residual binder or as sprayed emulsion? [9]
- Do bitumen carbon figures use the same declared unit and life cycle boundary? [4]
06 / WEEKLY TAKEAWAY
1 min 15 sec read time
The Week in Perspective
This week’s research shows how changes to a binder or mix can affect several properties at once. In the Swiss base-course study, the biochar replacement level changed both air voids and binder demand. In the Chinese binder study, the rubber and oil influenced different parts of the temperature response. [1, 2] Those findings are useful when a proposed substitution comes with a single headline result. Start by identifying the property the application needs, then ask how the proposed material performed against the control and under what conditions. For acceptance, check the governing specification and the test evidence for the actual binder or mix under consideration. Springer Nature Link
Market at a Glance
| Indicator | This week | Direction | Key driver |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crude oil | Brent US$99.58/bbl · WTI US$91.38/bbl | Both up vs prior settlement at the 6 Nov intraday snapshot | Renewed supply concerns |
| Bitumen sentiment | Neutral · Mixed across monitored markets | Gulf re-export pricing firmer, South Korean export pricing softer, Europe broadly steady | Regional differences in availability and buying interest |
| Regional demand | Selective import buying in parts of East Asia | Softer in eastern China entering November | Weak buying interest and competition from domestic supply |
| Supply | Availability varied across monitored markets, with tightness reported in parts of Asia-Pacific | Week-on-week change unconfirmed | Refinery supply constraints in some producing markets |
| Freight | Freight and insurance remained factors in delivered bitumen costs | Bitumen freight rate movement unconfirmed | Shipping and insurance costs vary by destination |
SOURCES
- Materials and Structures, 4 November 2026. Laboratory evaluation of hot mix asphalt containing biochar as partial aggregate substitution.
- ASCE, Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, November 2026 print issue. Rheological Behavior and Coupled Mechanisms of Naphthenic Oil and Desulfurized Rubber Powder in Asphalt Binders.
- Reuters, 6 November 2026. Oil set for sharp weekly drop but Middle East supply concerns provide floor.
- Eurobitume, March 2025. The Eurobitume Life Cycle Assessment 4.0 for Bitumen.
- Austroads, 4 June 2026. Supply of Polymer Modified Binders, ATS 3110.
- West Indian Journal of Engineering, 6 January 2026. Evaluation of a Modified Asphalt Concrete Design with Polyethylene Terephthalate and Crumb Rubber Using Trinidad Asphalt Binders.
- SABITA, 2020. Technical Guideline 1: The Use of Modified Bituminous Binders in Road Construction.
- Discover Applied Sciences, 2 November 2026. Optimising combined waste polymer in warm asphalt mixture using response surface methodology.
- FHWA, April 2016. Tack Coat Best Practices.
- ASTM International, 5 May 2022. Standard Specification for Trinidad Lake Modified Asphalt.
- FHWA, updated 5 March 2024. Standard Practice for Determination of Optimum Emulsified Asphalt Content of Cold In-Place Recycled Mixtures.
Disclaimer: This bulletin is for general market intelligence only and should not be considered financial, investment or procurement advice.
Weekly Bitumen Bulletin / Petra Oil Bitumen
