Bob Kluttz has over 40 years of dedicated service to the asphalt industry, specializing in asphalt characterization and modification.
Bob received his BA in Chemistry and Mathematics from Rice University in 1975 and his PhD in Physical Organic Chemistry from Columbia University in 1980. After a year of postdoctoral research at the University of California, Berkeley, Bob began his career in 1981 with Shell Chemical Company as a Research Scientist. In 1991, he became a Senior Research Scientist for Shell Chemical Company with Kraton Elastomers. Since 2001, Bob has served as Senior Manager of Market Development for Kraton Polymers.
Bob’s career has encompassed polymer-modified asphalt applications for both the paving and roofing industries. He holds 25 patents. Applications for roofing include the development of a novel in-situ SEBS modification and oxidation process, and the development of new polymer modifications for use in improved SBS-modified impact-resistant shingles. Applications for paving include Kraton’s development and promotion of highly modified asphalt systems for use in high-stress pavement applications.
Bob’s service to the asphalt industry as an expert has been exemplary. He has served multiple terms on both of AI’s technical committees – the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and RTAC. He has been an active participant and leader in ASTM, serving on the D04 committee for paving and the D08 committee for roofing. He was an active participant in the initial development of ASTM D08 mod bit standards and test methods. He has been an active participant in ASTM D08.03, contributing to the initial development of rheology methods for roofing, which is currently under development at RTAC. Bob also has served as chair of the ASTM D04.40 Subcommittee on Asphalt Specifications.
In addition to his work with AI and ASTM, Bob has held numerous committee and leadership positions with the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA), Association of Modified Asphalt Producers (AMAP), and Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA). Bob was recognized as AMAP’s Person of the Year in 2015, an award presented by the AMAP Board of Directors to honor an individual who has contributed outstanding work on behalf of the association.
During the development and implementation of the PG system for asphalt binders, Bob served as a member of the FHWA Asphalt Binder Expert Task Group. He currently serves the Association of Asphalt Paving Technologists (AAPT) as an Associate Editor for the annual Special Collection published through the Transportation Research Record. He serves as a member of the joint ASTM-AASHTO Task Force on Asphalt Standards Harmonization (TFASH), which seeks to harmonize the standards in both organizations for asphalt binder testing and specification.
