Correlation of strength, rubber content, and water to cement ratio in rubberized concrete

Waste rubber tires that cannot be processed for useful applications are numbered in the millions around the world. The build up of old rubber tires in landfills is commonly considered a major threat to the environment, and it is unquestionably a burden on landfill space. This research project was an investigation into the possibility of using fine rubber particles in concrete mixtures. The experimental testing program was designed to study the effect of the addition of crumb rubber, as replacement of a portion of fine aggregates (sand), on the strength of concrete. Rubber was added to concrete in quantities of 5%, 10%, and 15% by volume of the mixture. Three different water/cement ratios were used: 0.47, 0.54, and 0.61. A total of 180 concrete cubes were made. The cubes were tested in compression at 1, 7, 14, 21, and 28 d with the load continuously and automatically measured until failure. The load values were used to calculate compressive stress as related to different rubber contents and water/cement ratios. Compression test results were used to develop several plots relating rubber content and water/cement ratio to compressive stress of concrete. Test results gathered in this research project indicated that the addition of crumb rubber to concrete results in a reduced strength as compared with that of conventional concrete. Based on the experimental results, correlations have been developed to estimate the reduction in concrete strength as a function of the rubber content in the mix.