Recommendation of RILEM TC 295-FBB: Implementing a systematic approach to fingerprint bituminous binders using proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H-NMR)

Abstract

This recommendation is an output of a small-scale round-robin test involving three different laboratories from TG2 of the RILEM TC 295-FBB: “Fingerprinting bituminous binders using physico-chemical analysis” concerning the use of ¹H-NMR for fingerprinting of bituminous binders. It demonstrates the full capabilities of ¹H-NMR as a robust characterisation tool for complex organic materials, like bituminous binders, to examine their molecular composition in a reproducible way and with the best possible detail. This recommendation documents the key factors in sample preparation and the sensitivity of data post-processing steps. It concludes with best practices and a case study examining the effect of laboratory ageing on two bituminous binders. Overall, it highlights the potential, to the broader scientific community, of another efficient chemometric tool for bituminous binders.