Dynamic Properties of Rubber Cement Stabilized Soil Based on Resonant Column Tests

Abstract

A series of resonant column tests were conducted on waste tire rubber cement soil (RCS) to examine the effect of different rubber content and confining pressure on the dynamic behavior of rubber cement soft cohesive soil. Rubber content and confining pressure had important influence on the dynamic properties of the rubber cement soil. The test results showed that the shear modulus of RCS decreases and damping ratio increases with increasing rubber content. With the confining pressures increases, dynamic modulus ratio of the rubber cement soil gradual increases and the damping ratio decreases. Several scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of the powdered rubber and rubber cement soil were analyzed. The micro-structure analysis indicated that rubber cement soil has better dynamic damping performance than untreated soil. An empirical model was developed to evaluate the relationship between the dynamic shear modulus, damping ratio of RCS and the amplitude of shear strain. By comparison, the measured results were in good agreement with the calculated results.