Experimental investigation into rubber granules and their effects on the fresh and hardened properties of self-compacting concrete

Abstract

Self-compacting concrete (SCC) is a highly flowable form of concrete which can be applied in complex formworks consisting of congested reinforcement without the use of any or little mechanical vibration. Over the past decades, the excessive accumulation of waste rubber tyres in Australia has led to significant research in the development of waste rubber materials to be incorporated in the concrete industry. The replacement of natural aggregates in SCC with those of rubber aggregates from waste tyre develops into what is referred to as self-compacting rubberised concrete (SCRC). This form of concrete provides a sustainable alternative which assists in minimising the environmental damages associated with the disposal of waste tyres. This project aims to develop information about the fresh and hardened properties of SCRC at incremental aggregate replacements using three different rubber aggregate sizes. The fresh properties were investigated in accordance with the guidelines provided by the European Federation National Representing of Concrete using the slump flow, T500, and J-ring tests. Hardened properties include 7 and 28 day compressive and tensile strengths, hardened density testing, and compressive stress-strain behaviour at 28 days. In this study optimum crumb rubber aggregates replacement percentage in SCC and optimum crumb rubber aggregates size in SCC have been presented and also optimal mix design of SCRC will be assessed to optimise fresh and hardened properties.