Asifalt ni amazi meza cyane afite ibinyabuzima bifite ubuso bwumukara kandi bigashonga muri karubone disulfide (amazi yumuhondo-umuhondo, impumuro mbi). Bikunze kubaho muburyo bwa asfalt cyangwa tar.
Asifalt irashobora kugabanywa muburyo butatu: ikibanza cyamakara, peteroli ya peteroli na asifalt karemano: muribo, ikibanza cyamakara nigicuruzwa cya kokiya. Asifalt ya peteroli nigisigara nyuma yo gutandukanya amavuta ya peteroli. Asfalt isanzwe ibikwa mu nsi, kandi bimwe bikora imyunyu ngugu cyangwa ikusanyiriza hejuru yubutaka bwisi.
Bitumen muburyo bwa asfalt iboneka mugutunganya amavuta ya peteroli binyuze mubice. Bafite ingingo zibira mumavuta ya peteroli kandi nibintu biremereye mumavuta ya peteroli, kuburyo bazabisanga munsi yiminara yacitsemo ibice.
Asfalt muburyo bwa tarike iboneka mugutunganya ibintu kama (cyane cyane amakara) binyuze muri karubone.
Asfalt ikoreshwa kenshi mubwubatsi, nko gutunganya umuhanda. Umuhanda wubatswe na asfalt na kaburimbo bita umuhanda wa asfalt.