Evaluation of the size effect of waste tyre rubber particles on properties of lightweight rubber concrete

Abstract

Due to the increasing amount of waste tyres and also to their properties, it is necessary to look for suitable ways for their recycling. For production of rubber concrete, the crushed tyre rubber of fraction 0/4 and 4/8 was used for partial substitution of silica sand at the rate of 10 % by mass. For comparison, a reference concrete without rubber aggregate was also studied. Both natural and rubber aggregate were first assessed in terms of their physical parameters and thermal transport and storage properties. Evaluation of produced lightweight rubber concrete included measurement of basic physical properties, strength tests, and microstructural analysis. Thermal properties were studied from dry to fully water saturated state. The experimental results showed that concrete with a small amount of rubber aggregate had improved thermal insulation performance and can serve as an eco-friendly material for structural applications in civil engineering.