---
title: "Uses of asphalt, bitumen, tar"
subject: "Civil Engineering Materials"
chapter: 10
key: "semester_3/civil_engineering_materials:uses-asphalt-bitumen-tar"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_3/civil_engineering_materials/uses-asphalt-bitumen-tar
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Uses of asphalt, bitumen, tar

Civil Engineering Materials · Chapter 10: Asphalt, Bitumen, Tar and Miscellaneous Materials

- Asked in: 2074 Asoj, 3 marks
- Video: [5 different types of binders | Road #Construction | #Bituminous, Tar, #Asphalt, Emulsion | #Civilogy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Td3KFwiZr0I) — civilogy
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_3/civil_engineering_materials/uses-asphalt-bitumen-tar
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_3/civil_engineering_materials/chapter-10

## Question

What are the specific uses of asphalt, bitumen and tar?

## Short answer

Asphalt is used for road wearing courses, mastic waterproofing, and floors. Bitumen acts as a road binder, prime/tack coat, waterproofing membrane, and in paints and sealants. Tar provides surface dressing, timber preservation, and tarred felt roofing.

## Answer

#### Asphalt

- Wearing course (hot-mix asphalt) of roads, airport runways and parking areas.
- Mastic asphalt for flat roofs, basements, bridge decks and tanking.
- Floors of warehouses and factories, and footpaths.

#### Bitumen

- Binder for bituminous roads (macadam, concrete), and for tack and prime coats.
- Waterproofing and damp-proof courses, bituminous felts and membranes.
- Paints for steel and pipes, joint filler and sealant.

#### Tar

- Surface dressing and priming coat on roads.
- Preservative coating on timber (fence posts, sleepers) and underground pipes.
- Tarred felt for roofing, and patching of potholes.

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. Which is a specific use of asphalt?
   A. Timber preservative
   B. Mastic asphalt for flat roofs and tanking
   C. Prime coat only
   D. Pipe preservative
   Answer: B. Mastic asphalt waterproofs flat roofs, basements and bridge decks. (Key point: Asphalt uses)

2. Which is a bitumen use?
   A. Binder for roads and tack/prime coats
   B. Fence post preservative
   C. Potholes with tar only
   D. Glass making
   Answer: A. Bitumen is a binder and waterproofing agent, DPC, felts. (Key point: Bitumen uses)

3. Tar is used as a preservative on what?
   A. Steel beams
   B. Timber poles, sleepers and fence posts
   C. Glass
   D. Concrete
   Answer: B. Also coating underground pipes. (Key point: Tar uses)

## Related in Civil Engineering Materials

- [Compare asphalt, bitumen and tar](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_3%2Fcivil_engineering_materials%3Aasphalt-bitumen-tar-comparison) — Civil Engineering Materials, chapter 10, asked 2×
- [Define asphalt, bitumen and tar](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_3%2Fcivil_engineering_materials%3Adefine-asphalt-bitumen-tar) — Civil Engineering Materials, chapter 10, asked 2×
- [Asphalt versus tar](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_3%2Fcivil_engineering_materials%3Aasphalt-vs-tar) — Civil Engineering Materials, chapter 10, asked 3×
- [Bitumen versus tar](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_3%2Fcivil_engineering_materials%3Abitumen-vs-tar) — Civil Engineering Materials, chapter 10, asked 2×
- [Define bitumen and tar](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_3%2Fcivil_engineering_materials%3Adefine-bitumen-tar) — Civil Engineering Materials, chapter 10
- [Asphalt versus bitumen](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_3%2Fcivil_engineering_materials%3Aasphalt-vs-bitumen) — Civil Engineering Materials, chapter 10, asked 4×

## Related in other subjects

- [Types of bitumen and bituminous materials](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Ftransportation_engineering_i%3Abitumen-types) — Transportation Engineering I, chapter 6, asked 6×