Mechanical performance of steel fibre reinforced rubberised concrete for flexible concrete pavements

Abstract

This work aims to develop materials for flexible concrete pavements as an alternative to asphalt concrete or polymer-bound rubber surfaces and presents a study on steel fibre reinforced rubberised concrete (SFRRuC). The main objective of this study is to investigate the effect of steel fibres (manufactured and/or recycled fibres) on the fresh and mechanical properties of rubberised concrete (RuC) comprising waste tyre rubber (WTR). Free shrinkage is also examined. The main parameters investigated through ten different mixes are WTR and fibre contents. The results show that the addition of fibres in RuC mixes with WTR replacement substantially mitigates the loss in flexural strength due to the rubber content (from 50% to 9.6% loss, compared to conventional concrete). The use of fibres in RuC can also enable the development of sufficient flexural strength and enhance strain capacity and post-peak energy absorption behaviour, thus making SFRRuC an ideal alternative construction material for flexible pavements.