Experimental investigation of durability properties of rubberized concrete

Abstract

Rubberized concrete is a form of concrete in which discarded tyre rubber particles are used instead of natural aggregates. This sort of concrete provides an environmental alternative to the millions of discarded tires. Many successful achievements were reported by researchers around the world. However, in Egyptian researches using local materials, very rare information can be gathered. The purpose of this study is to evaluate both the mechanical and durability properties of concrete with local rubber aggregates in Egypt. Two concrete groups were studied, each with a different target control strength. Each group had four different mixes, for a total of eight different mixes in which crumb rubber partially replaced fine aggregates by 0%, 10%, 15%, and 20% of volume. The effect of slump, compressive strength, density, water absorption, water sorptivity, rapid chloride penetration, sulphric acid attack, and exposure to elevated temperatures of 300 °C and 600 °C were investigated. The rubberized concrete mixtures had better workability and lower density than the control mixes. Compressive strength was shown to be gradually decreasing. It is possible to identify that rubberized concrete is extremely resistant to aggressive environments based on the results of durability testing.