Strength and deformation behaviour of sand-rubber mixture

Abstract

ABSTRACT Loose specimens with a void ratio of 0.86, corresponding to a relative density of 30% for the pure sand, and normal stresses of 50, 100 and 150 kPa were used in this work to study strength and deformation behaviour of sand rubber mixtures. Three types of rubber particles with D-rubber/D-sand = 0.25, 1, and 4, and different rubber to sand ratio of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40 and 50% were investigated by performing more than 300 direct shear tests. The shear strength and deformation characteristics of sand-rubber mixtures were dependent on rubber proportions of the mixtures and size ratio. Angle of friction and cohesion intercept increased and reduced when up to 20% rubber fraction was used, but reduced and increased afterwards. Dimensional analysis of the data suggested that shear strength is a weak function of the rubber fraction for the types of rubber particles used in this study.