Properties of high-strength concrete containing well graded rubber particles

Abstract

Discarding of old rubber tires is indeed a very serious environmental problem all over the world represented by a high risk for uncontrolled fires and other environmental and health hazards. It was estimated that every year about one billion tires get to the end of their life span. Recently, the construction industry has taken up the challenge to incorporate recycled materials in concrete mixtures by means aggregate replacement. Nowadays, many researches are focused on investigating rubberized concrete as a structural material due to its enhanced properties such as ductility, energy dissipation and damping ratio. Previous studies have suggested the use of fine rubber particles rather than coarse ones when high strength concrete is targeted despite the fact that using coarse ones provide enhanced energy dissipation, damping ratio and vibration behavior. This study is intended to address the effects of utilizing significant amount of well graded fine and coarse rubber aggregates on the properties of high strength concrete. On the basis of the investigations some mechanical, durability and dynamic tests will be conducted on concrete with different rubber replacement percentages. The results of the experimental works have shown that it is possible to develop high strength concrete when well graded fine and coarse rubber particles is used to replace 25% percent of the natural aggregates. Furthermore, the vibration behavior of the concrete mixture was improved considerably when high content of rubber aggregates was added into concrete.