Evaluation of High‐Temperature Performance of Hungarian Bituminous Binders Using the BTSV Method

In Europe, bitumen classification has traditionally relied on empirical tests, namely penetration and the Ring‐and‐Ball softening point, originally developed for unmodified binders and insufficient for modern modified materials. As an alternative, a rheology‐based method, the Bitumen Typisierungs Schnell Verfahren (BTSV), has been developed in Germany to characterize high service temperature performance, with performance requirements introduced in 2025. In this study, the performance of five bitumen types commonly used in Hungarian road construction was investigated using the BTSV method. During testing, the softening temperature corresponding to the rheological threshold value of G* = 15.0 kPa (TBTSV) and the phase angle (δBTSV) were determined. The results are compared with each other, with softening point values determined by the standardized Ring‐and‐Ball method, and with German bitumen classification systems. A total of 137 samples from production control were analyzed, including paving grade, SBS‐modified, and chemically stabilized rubber‐modified binders. Statistical evaluation included mean values and 95% confidence intervals. For rubber‐modified bitumens, the recoverable, insoluble rubber content was deter‐mined using Soxhlet extraction. Based on the results, it can be concluded that with increasing rubber content, the TBTSV value shows an increasing trend, while the δBTSV value decreases. A strong linear relationship was observed between the investigated parameters in the TBTSV–δBTSV diagram, with a coefficient of determination of R² = 0.99.