PG Bitumen 76-16 is a performance grade binder built for pavements that run hot and still have to survive a real winter. The grade is certified to stay stiff enough to resist rutting at an average seven-day maximum pavement temperature of 76 °C, and flexible enough to resist thermal cracking down to −16 °C. In practice that combination almost always means a polymer modified binder, and it is specified on highways, airport pavements, bus corridors and industrial yards where the traffic is heavy and slow.
What the PG 76-16 designation actually means
The Performance Grade system does not describe the binder, it describes the climate and loading the binder is certified to survive. The first number is the average seven-day maximum pavement design temperature the binder must resist without permanent deformation. The second is the minimum pavement design temperature it must tolerate without cracking. So PG 76-16 is a binder verified to perform between −16 °C and 76 °C of pavement temperature — not air temperature, which is typically 15–20 °C lower at the surface in summer.
The difference between the two numbers, 92 °C, is the useful temperature interval. Straight-run bitumen rarely exceeds about 80 °C of interval. Anything above that is normally achieved by polymer modification, which is why PG 76-16 is supplied as a modified binder in almost every market. A supplier offering PG 76-16 at the price of an unmodified grade is worth a second look.
Specify the pavement temperature, not the weather. If you only have air temperature data for the site, send it to us with the latitude and the depth of the binder course and we will work the pavement design temperatures with you before quoting a grade.
Where PG 76-16 is specified
Highways and expressways
Heavy axle loads in summer combined with freezing nights. The high-temperature grade controls rutting in the wheel paths; the low-temperature grade keeps the surface from cracking transversely in winter.
Airport pavements
Aprons, taxiways and runway shoulders carry very high static and slow-moving loads at elevated surface temperatures. Rut and shove resistance matters more here than almost anywhere else.
Bus lanes and intersections
Channelised, slow and repetitive loading is the classic rutting case. A stiffer high-temperature grade is usually specified for the approach and stop zones even where the open road uses a softer binder.
Industrial and port yards
Container handlers, reach stackers and laden trailers impose point loads far above highway traffic. PG 76-16 is a common choice for the binder course in these pavements.
Overlays and rehabilitation
Thin overlays on an existing pavement benefit from a binder with high elastic recovery, which resists reflective cracking from the layer beneath.
Polymer modified mixtures
Stone mastic asphalt and gap-graded mixes depend on a binder that holds the mortar together at high temperature. PG 76-16 is frequently the specified binder in these designs.
How PG 76-16 compares with neighbouring grades
Grades are chosen by climate first and traffic second. The table below shows where PG 76-16 sits against the grades most often considered alongside it.
| Grade | High temp | Low temp | Interval | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PG 64-22 | 64 °C | −22 °C | 86 °C | Temperate climates, moderate traffic, cold winters |
| PG 70-10 | 70 °C | −10 °C | 80 °C | Hot climates with mild winters; often unmodified |
| PG 76-10 | 76 °C | −10 °C | 86 °C | Very hot climates, little or no freezing |
| PG 76-16 | 76 °C | −16 °C | 92 °C | Hot summers with genuine winter freezing; heavy traffic |
| PG 76-22 | 76 °C | −22 °C | 98 °C | Wide continental swing; highest modification level |
PG 76-16 and PG 76-10 are frequently confused at tender stage because they share a high-temperature grade. They are not interchangeable. If the design minimum pavement temperature is below −10 °C, PG 76-10 is not compliant, however well it performs in summer. Conversely, paying for the extra low-temperature span of PG 76-22 in a climate that never reaches −16 °C adds cost without adding service life.
Specification and verification
PG 76-16 is verified against AASHTO M320 (equivalently ASTM D6373). The tests are run on the binder in three states — as supplied, after short-term ageing in the rolling thin film oven, and after long-term ageing in the pressure ageing vessel — because a binder has to perform during mixing and laying as well as years later in the road.
| Condition | Property | Test | Requirement for PG 76-16 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original binder | Flash point | AASHTO T48 | Minimum 230 °C |
| Original binder | Rotational viscosity | AASHTO T316 | Maximum 3 Pa·s at 135 °C |
| Original binder | Rutting parameter G*/sinδ | AASHTO T315 (DSR) | Minimum 1.00 kPa at 76 °C |
| RTFO residue | Mass change | AASHTO T240 | Maximum 1.00% |
| RTFO residue | Rutting parameter G*/sinδ | AASHTO T315 (DSR) | Minimum 2.20 kPa at 76 °C |
| PAV residue | Fatigue parameter G*·sinδ | AASHTO T315 (DSR) | Maximum 5000 kPa at 34 °C |
| PAV residue | Creep stiffness S | AASHTO T313 (BBR) | Maximum 300 MPa at −6 °C |
| PAV residue | m-value | AASHTO T313 (BBR) | Minimum 0.300 at −6 °C |
The BBR test temperature is the low-temperature grade plus 10 °C, and the intermediate DSR temperature is the average of the two grade temperatures plus 4 °C. That is why a PG 76-16 binder is tested at −6 °C and 34 °C rather than at −16 °C and 30 °C. The figures above are the M320 criteria, not our batch results — every shipment ships with its own certificate of analysis.
MSCR grading
Some authorities have moved from M320 to the multiple stress creep recovery method in AASHTO M332 (test method T350), which reports a traffic designation instead of relying on the high-temperature grade alone: S for standard, H for heavy, V for very heavy and E for extremely heavy traffic. If your specification asks for PG 76E-16 or PG 76V-16 rather than plain PG 76-16, tell us at enquiry stage — it changes which production we allocate.
Our typical specification
The table below is the batch specification we work to. Every consignment is released against its own certificate of analysis, and we can issue a pre-shipment sample on request before the balance falls due.
| Specification | Unit | Value | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average 7-Day Maximum Pavement Design Temperature | °C | <76 | – |
| Minimum Pavement Design Temperature | °C | > -16 | – |
| Flash Point Temperature | °C | Min230 | AASHTO T48 |
| Viscosity, T 316, Maximum 3 Pas, Test Temp, °C | °C | 135 | AASHTO T316 |
| Dynamic Shear, T 315, G*/sin Minimum 1.00 KPa Test Temperature, @10 rad/s,°C | °C | 76 | AASHTO T315 |
| Rolling Thin Film Oven Test (T 240) | |||
| Mass Change, Maximum, Percent | % | 1.00 | AASHTO T240 |
| Dynamic Shear G*/sin Minimum 2.2 KPa Test Temperature, @10 rad/s | °C | 76 | AASHTO T315 |
| Pressure Aging Vessel (PAV) Test (AASHTO R28) | |||
| PAV Aging Temperature | °C | 100 | AASHTO R28 |
| Dynamic Shear G*/sin Maximum 5000 KPa Test Temperature, @10 rad/s | °C | 34 | AASHTO T315 |
| Creep Stuffiness S Maximum 300 Mpa M-Value Minimum 0.300 Test Temp,@60s | °C | -6 | AASHTO T313 |
| Direct Tension, T 314, Failure Strain, Minimum 0.300 Test Temperature, @60s, °C | °C | -6 | AASHTO T314 |
| Critical Low Cracking Temp, PP42, Critical Cracking Temp Determined by PP 42,Test Temp, °C | – | -6 | AASHTO PP42 |
Packing and container loading
PG binders are polymer modified and must be heated and handled carefully, so packing choice affects both cost and the condition the binder arrives in. The figures below are our standard loading plans.
| Packing | 20ft container | 40ft container | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 180 kg steel drum | 110 drums / 20 MT | 135 drums / 24.3 MT | Most common for modified binders over long transits |
| 150 kg steel drum | 110 drums / 16.5 MT | 135 drums / 20.25 MT | Lighter unit for sites with limited handling equipment |
| 1 MT jumbo bag, caged and palletised | 20 bags / 20 MT | 26 bags / 26 MT | Cage and pallet protect the bag in transit |
| 300 kg Bitubag | 24 MT | Not available | Meltable packing, no drum disposal on site |
| Bulk truck tanker | — | — | 24 MT per tanker, for destinations reachable overland |
| Bulk sea vessel | — | — | Minimum 1,000 MT, subject to discharge terminal facilities |
Bulk shipment of a polymer modified binder requires heated storage at the discharge end and a plant able to receive it within a reasonable window. If you are not sure whether your terminal can take bulk PMB, send us the terminal name and we will check before quoting it as an option.
Storage and handling on site
A modified binder is less tolerant of abuse than straight-run bitumen. Three points matter most in practice.
Storage temperature
Keep the binder in the range advised on the certificate of analysis. Overheating degrades the polymer network permanently, and the loss cannot be recovered by cooling it back down.
Agitation
Modified binders can separate on long static storage. Tanks holding PMB should be circulated or stirred rather than left standing for extended periods.
Mixing window
Mixing and compaction temperatures for a modified binder run higher than for an unmodified grade of similar penetration. Plan the haul distance accordingly.
Ordering PG 76-16
Our minimum order quantity is 100 MT, the same across every product we supply. Payment is 50% by TT in advance with the balance settled against a copy of the bill of lading; we do not trade on letters of credit. We load from Jebel Ali, Mersin and Iskenderun, and the port we quote from depends on the destination and the packing you choose.
To price an enquiry accurately we need the grade, the quantity, the packing, the discharge port and — where the cargo moves inland — the final delivery point. If you are working to a tender specification and are not certain that PG 76-16 is the compliant grade, send us the specification itself rather than the grade name and we will tell you what it calls for.
Frequently asked questions
Is PG 76-16 always a polymer modified binder?
In practice, yes. A 92 °C useful temperature interval is beyond what straight-run bitumen normally achieves from the crude and process alone, so PG 76-16 is produced by modifying a base binder, most commonly with SBS. Any claim of an unmodified PG 76-16 should be checked against a full M320 certificate.
What is the difference between PG 76-16 and PG 76-10?
Both resist the same summer pavement temperature. The difference is winter: PG 76-16 is certified to −16 °C and PG 76-10 only to −10 °C. In a climate that freezes properly, PG 76-10 is not a compliant substitute, even though it performs identically in the heat.
How does PG 76-16 relate to penetration grades like 60/70?
They are different grading systems and there is no exact conversion. Penetration grading describes consistency at 25 °C; performance grading describes behaviour across the whole service temperature range after ageing. A modified binder built on a 60/70 base may reach PG 76-16, but the base grade alone does not tell you the performance grade.
Can you supply to an MSCR specification such as PG 76E-16?
Tell us at enquiry stage. The MSCR traffic designation in AASHTO M332 is an additional requirement on top of the high-temperature grade and it affects which production we allocate, so it needs to be known before we quote rather than after.
What is the minimum order quantity?
100 MT. That applies to every grade we supply, in any packing.
Which documents come with the shipment?
A certificate of analysis for the specific batch, packing list, bill of lading and certificate of origin. Additional documents required by your customs authority or consulate can be arranged if you tell us at order stage.
Can you ship in bulk rather than drums?
Yes, by tanker overland or by vessel from 1,000 MT, provided the discharge end has heated storage suitable for a modified binder. Send us the terminal and we will confirm before including bulk in the quotation.
How long does PG 76-16 keep in storage?
In sealed drums kept dry and out of direct sun the binder is stable for extended periods. In hot tank storage the limiting factor is time at temperature rather than calendar age — follow the storage temperature on the certificate of analysis and circulate the tank rather than leaving it static.
Do you provide a sample before shipment?
Yes. A pre-shipment sample can be issued on request, and is worth arranging where the binder has to be approved by a client or a road authority before the cargo moves.
What is the useful temperature interval and why does it matter?
It is the high-temperature grade minus the low-temperature grade — 92 °C for PG 76-16. A wider interval means the binder has to perform over a broader range, which generally means more modification and a higher price. Specifying a wider interval than the climate requires raises cost without improving service life.
Related grades
Looking at neighbouring performance grades? See PG Bitumen 70-10 for hot climates with mild winters, or PG Bitumen 70-16 where the winter requirement is the same but the summer peak is lower. For penetration graded binders see Bitumen 60/70 and Bitumen 80/100, and for current indications across the range see our bitumen price page.
Request a quotation for PG Bitumen 76-16
Send us the quantity, packing, discharge port and final delivery point and we will come back with a firm price, a production schedule and the document list for clearance. If you are working from a tender specification and are not sure PG 76-16 is the compliant grade, send the specification instead and we will read it with you.
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