{"id":5671,"date":"2026-07-09T18:38:23","date_gmt":"2026-07-09T17:38:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/e-station-groupe.fr\/?page_id=5671"},"modified":"2026-07-10T14:20:43","modified_gmt":"2026-07-10T13:20:43","slug":"bitume-35-50-en-12591-achat-gros-export","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/e-station-groupe.fr\/en\/bitume-35-50-en-12591-achat-gros-export\/","title":{"rendered":"Bitume 35\/50 : sp\u00e9cifications EN 12591, usages et achat en gros"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bitumen trading<\/span><\/p>\n

Bitume 35\/50 : sp\u00e9cifications EN 12591<\/a>, uses and bulk purchasing<\/h1>\n

The 35\/50 is a semi-hard bitumen, and it is one of the grades most widely used in France for hot mix asphalt. Where the 60\/70 dominates the markets of Africa and the Middle East, the 35\/50 is the reference of European specifications under heavy traffic. If your tender is written to French or European standards, it is most likely the grade being asked of you.<\/p>\n

\"Bitume
Bitumen 35\/50 (EN 12591), the benchmark semi-hard grade for asphalt mixes under heavy traffic.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What is 35\/50 bitumen?<\/h2>\n

The designation indicates penetration: at 25\u00a0\u00b0C, the standardised needle penetrates 35 to 50 tenths of a millimetre (EN\u00a01426 test). It is a harder grade than the 50\/70 and the 60\/70: it deforms less under heat, which makes it the preferred binder for pavements subject to heavy, slow or channelled traffic \u2014 the configurations that cause rutting.<\/p>\n

EN 12591 specifications<\/h2>\n\n
Characteristic<\/th>35\/50 requirement<\/th>Method<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Penetration at 25 \u00b0C<\/td>35\u201350 (0,1 mm)<\/td>EN 1426<\/td><\/tr>\n
Softening point (ring and ball)<\/td>50\u201358 \u00b0C<\/td>EN 1427<\/td><\/tr>\n
Point d\u2019\u00e9clair Cleveland<\/td>\u2265 240 \u00b0C<\/td>EN ISO 2592<\/td><\/tr>\n
Solubility<\/td>\u2265 99,0 %<\/td>EN 12592<\/td><\/tr>\n
Paraffin (wax) content<\/td>\u2264 4,5 %<\/td>EN 12606-2<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table>\n

After RTFOT hardening at 163 \u00b0C (EN 12607-1):<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
Characteristic<\/th>Requirement<\/th>Method<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Change of mass<\/td>\u2264 0,5 %<\/td>EN 12607-1<\/td><\/tr>\n
Retained penetration<\/td>\u2265 53 %<\/td>EN 1426<\/td><\/tr>\n
Increase in softening point<\/td>\u2264 8 \u00b0C<\/td>EN 1427<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table>\n

Requirements of the European standard EN\u00a012591 for grade 35\/50. The contractual values of each cargo are those of the refinery\u2019s certificate of analysis, verifiable by independent pre-shipment inspection. independent pre-shipment inspection<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What is 35\/50 used for?<\/h2>\n

Wearing, binder and base courses of hot mix asphalt, wherever the pavement takes heavy loads: national roads and motorways, port and logistics areas, bus lanes, junctions, industrial platforms. Its hardness limits rutting in summer; in return, it is less suited to very cold climates, where a softer grade resists thermal cracking better.<\/p>\n

35\/50, 50\/70 or 60\/70: which one to ask for?<\/h2>\n

35\/50 :<\/strong> heavy, slow or channelled traffic; temperate to hot climates; standard of the European markets.
50\/70 :<\/strong> the European all-rounder (EN 12591), a hardness\/flexibility balance. See our page 50\/70 bitumen<\/a>.
60\/70 :<\/strong> the standard of markets operating under ASTM \u2014 Africa, the Middle East, Asia. See our page bitumen 60\/70<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The choice is not made on price but on the service-temperature \/ traffic pairing. Detailed method in our grade-selection guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Packaging and logistics<\/h2>\n

The 35\/50 is delivered mainly in bulk (insulated tanker truck or bitumen carrier) for asphalt plants fitted with heated tanks. For export without receiving facilities, 180 to 190\u00a0kg steel drums or big bags of around 1\u00a0tonne. The details of documents and Incoterms are covered in our logistics and Incoterms guide. logistics and Incoterms guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n