Interaction Between Hexagonal Wire Reinforcement and Rubber Tire Chips with and without Sand Mixture

Abstract

Abstract The interaction between tire chips with and without sand mixtures and the hexagonal wire reinforcement, as well as the strength characteristics of mix, were investigated by in-soil pullout tests and large-scale direct shear tests. Rubber tire chips with and without sand mixtures have lower shear strengths than pure sand. Compared with the tests in sand, the hexagonal wire reinforcement in the rubber tire chips with and without sand mixtures had lower pullout resistances. However, with increasing sand content in the mixtures, the pullout resistances of hexagonal wire in mixtures increased. The proposed empirical equations successfully predicted the pullout resistances of hexagonal wire with different mixing ratios. Based on limit equilibrium method, the results of the parametric studies of a reinforced wall for the required spacing and embedment length of hexagonal wire reinforcement have been presented. For a reinforced wall, the total amount of the required hexagonal wire reinforcement in rubber tire chip fill is less than in sand and tire chip-sand fills. Furthermore, the required embedment length of the hexagonal wire reinforcement in sand and tire chip-sand fills is approximately identical, but lower than those in tire chip fill.