Review of the Performance of High-Strength Rubberized Concrete and Its Potential Structural Applications

Abstract

Partially replacing concrete aggregates with recycled materials could help to combat the decreasing availability of some natural resources (like natural sand) and at the same time help to utilize growing quantities of waste material like used tires. This idea has been put into practice to develop a more sustainable concrete material called rubberized concrete or crumbed rubber concrete (CRC). CRC has improved structural ductility and impact resistance but can have lower strength than traditional concrete. Most research to date has focused on low strength CRC and its non-structural applications. However, recent research has shown that high-strength CRC (HSCRC) can be achieved through rubber pre-treatment, using various additives, optimal rubber content, or good grading of combined rubber sizes. This paper reviews the research undertaken to date in HSCRC (defined as compressive strength over 30 MPa), focusing primarily on the material properties but also considering the potential structural applications of HSCRC. Finally, the future research necessary to prove the viability of HSCRC for structural reinforced concrete applications is discussed.