Modelling the compression behavior of ground tire rubber

Abstract

The purpose of this paper was to study elastomer powder from crushed used tires (CUTs). In particular, the behavior of the green density of elastomeric powder was analyzed by varying compaction pressure. In the Anglo-saxon bibliography, this powder is known as ground tire rubber: ground tire rubber (GTR). The density of the tyre was made using a hydrostatic balance, the analysis of grain size using cribbing sieves, and the measures of compression parameters by means of a Universal Testing Machine. The main goal was to obtain a behavior model of ground tire rubber along different compaction pressures. This model was used to predict optimum compaction pressures in order to achieve the highest density. This was the first step to obtain recycled products when sintering processes are applied, evidently if thermal compression was used as a manufacturing process. This established model predicted the evolution of green density versus compaction pressures very accurately.