The penetration grade bitumen is refinery bitumen that is manufactured at different viscosities. The penetration test is carried out to characterize the bitumen, based on the hardness. Thus, it has the name penetration bitumen.

Bitumen penetration grades are ideal for paving roads and other surfaces. They are named after their method of grading. For classifying bitumen after production, we use a device named penetrometer. The device has a standard needle that penetrates the sample of bitumen and helps us measures the hardness level of bitumen. If the needle goes easily into the bitumen sample in a given time, the bitumen is softer, but if it struggles to enter the sample, it is harder. The softest grade of bitumen penetration is called 100/120, and the hardest grade of bitumen penetration is called 30/40. Other grades of bitumen penetration are10/20, 20/30, 40/50, 60/70, 80/100, and 85/100,120/150,200/300.

The penetration bituminous asphalt with high penetration numbers which are soft, mostly used in cold weather conditions and hard bituminous asphalt (low penetration number) can be used for warm weather condition.

It is a kind of hard penetration grade bitumen which is provided during the process of oxidation of vacuum bottom the bitumen production that drives from distillation tower residue in vacuum oil refineries at bitumen production unit. Bitumen penetration grade 10/20 ensures long-term savings because it allows for a thinner pavement design, which uses up to 30% less asphalt than traditional designs while ensuring extended pavement life.