#TDB support # M/s BitChem Asphalt Technologies Limited, Guwahati for “Cold Mix Technology in Road Construction & Maintenance”

Technology Development Board (TDB) has entered into an agreement on 23rd March, 2018 with M/s BitChem Asphalt Technologies Limited, Guwahati, Assam for financial assistance for the project “Cold Mix Technology in Road Construction & Maintenance”.

BitChem is a new-generation road science & technology enterprise. It promotes Green Roads® philosophy and encourages the usage of cold paving technology in road construction and maintenance with benefits of reducing carbon emissions, eradicating occupational hazards to workers and engage in environment-friendly construction practices yet providing durable and lasting road surfaces. It has earned the distinct reputation of becoming the “Exclusive Licensee for Cold Mix Technology from CSIR-CRRI”, the country’s premier road research institute, based on credentials earned over the last 5 years in delivering the cold paving technology to the country.

BitChem tailor-made Cold Mix binders are manufactured using special additives; and customized using specific aggregates available from any source in India i.e. high-fine aggregates, soil-coated aggregates, clean-aggregates and pea-gravel aggregates without pre-wetting. These binders are rich in anti-stripping properties, hence making cold-mix technology providing higher life to roads than conventional hot-mix technology. Cold Mix binders are complex products requiring high level of precision and quality control during manufacturing stage. Further, it requires precision control on the input of the various chemicals so that the emulsion behaviour is appropriate.

‘Tailor made Cold Mix Technology’ is the result of the company’s dedicated R&D wing in association with the CSIR-CRRI to resolve all challenges found at site applications. The company started developing tailor made cold mix binders, through the process of laboratory based mix design to overcome the field challenges found at site application. Certain features developed include: i) avoidance of pre-wetting of aggregates, using non-standard mixing equipment, ii) mixing with the aggregate found in different regions of India, iii) meeting customized lead time of the cold mix work sites, iv) customization with the climatic condition apart from different terrain and v) increasing durability of the roads due to high dose of anti-stripping agents compared to the use of standard emulsion.

Under the present project, the company envisages to establish manufacturing Unit for commercial production of Cold Mix Bitumen Emulsion at Plasto Steel Park, Phase II, Barjora, Bankura, West Bengal.