Bing 2014
Bing 2014
Abstract: In this study, the use of tire-rubber particles as a replacement for coarse aggregate in concrete is investigated. Rubber has replaced
coarse aggregate at content levels of 25, 50, 75, and 100% in concrete by volume. Also, emulsified asphalt (EA) was used to improve
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the mechanical properties of rubberized concrete. Four different series of concrete mixtures were designed to investigate the effects of
the water-cement (w/c) and EA-cement (EA/C) ratios on the properties of rubberized concrete. The slump, air content, dry unit weight,
compressive strength, elasticity modulus, and flexural strength have been compared to the corresponding properties of controlled concrete.
Consequently, an increase in rubber content leads to a decrease in slump and an increase in air content because of the rough surface of rubber.
An increase in rubber content decreases compressive strength, elasticity modulus, and flexural strength because of its lower stiffness and
poorer bonding between rubber and the paste matrix. In the case of equal levels of rubber particle content, the addition of EA greatly increases
slump. However, the effects of EA on the properties of rubberized concrete, such as air content, strength, and elasticity modulus, are based on
the EA/C ratio. A certain level of EA addition can improve the compressive and flexural strength of rubberized concrete. EA addition reduces
the elasticity modulus of the concrete. Adding EA is a good way to improve the bonding between rubber particles and cement paste. DOI: 10
.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0000923. © 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.
Author keywords: Rubberized concrete; Emulsified asphalt (EA); Compressive strength; Fresh concrete.
Percentage
60
patible with cement paste and rubber particles (Ozsahin and Oruc
2008). Hence, the use of EA might be an alternative way to improve
the properties of rubberized concrete for structural applications. 40
In this work, an experiment was conducted on the development
of rubberized concrete mixtures with and without EA, and their
basic engineering properties were investigated. The rubber particles 20
were used to replace coarse aggregates in concrete. A total of five
different rubber particle content levels in the coarse aggregate were
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used: 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100%. For EA concrete, the rubber particle 0
content of the coarse aggregates was designated as 50 and 100%. In 0.1 1 10 100
total, 16 concrete mixtures were cast at water-cement (w/c) ratios of Log. size (mm)
0.60 and 0.40 and tested for slump, air content, dry unit weight,
compressive and flexural strengths, and modulus of elasticity. Fig. 1. Grading of mineral aggregates and rubber particles
The reason why the w/c ratio of 0.60 was chosen was that the intent
was to investigate the effects of rubber particles on low-strength
concrete. The initial compressive strengths of the control mixtures content of 450 kg=m3 , and the second group of mixtures was de-
were 61.5 and 38.5 MPa for high and low w/c ratios, respectively. signed with a constant w/c ratio of 0.60 and cement content of
350 kg=m3 . For the two groups, coarse aggregate was substituted
for rubber particles at five different content levels: 0, 25, 50, 75, and
Experimental Details 100%. The third and fourth series of mixtures were each designed
with a constant rubber particle volume of 100% and three different
Materials and Mix Proportions EA/cement (EA/C) ratios: 0.05, 0.10, and 0.15. The EA/C ratio was
calculated by mass and used the total mass of cement. Therefore, 16
Ordinary portland cement (OPC) with a 28-day compressive different concrete mixtures were designed, and their details are
strength of 57.5 MPa was used throughout. Crushed stone gravel summarized in Table 3.
with a 20-mm maximum size served as a coarse aggregate, while
natural sand with a 4.75-mm maximum size served as a fine ag-
gregate. Tire-rubber particles were obtained from the mechanical Specimen Preparation
shredding of rubber automotive industry waste. The properties of
All the concrete was produced in a laboratory using a paddle mixer.
fine and coarse aggregates were determined according to ASTM
The coarse aggregate fraction was mixed first, followed by the ce-
standard test methods C127, C128, C129, and C136 (ASTM
ment, part of the required amount of rubber particles, sand, and
2006a, b). The properties of the gravel, sand, and rubber particles
water containing three-quarters of the required amount of super-
are summarized in Table 1. The grading curve of rubber materials
plasticizer. One-quarter of the amount of superplasticizer was
was determined by using crushed stones in each sieve in order to
always retained and then added during the last 3 min of the mixing
provide adequate pressure on the tire-rubber particles to pass the
period. The mixture was mixed for 5 min and then settled for 3 min
sieves. The sieve analysis was carried out in accordance with
of rest. The concrete slump was measured during the settling time.
the requirements of ASTM C136 (ASTM 2006c), and the grading
The mixture was stirred for 2 min after the slump test. For the rub-
curves are presented in Fig. 1. The gravel and rubber used in the
berized concrete with EA, the rubber particles were first mixed with
study are in a saturated surface dry condition. A polycarboxylic
EA for 1 min, then the cement, coarse aggregate, sand, and water
ether type superplasticizer (SP) with a specific gravity of 1.07
diluted with superplasticizer were added. The total mixing time was
was employed to achieve the desired workability in concrete mix-
almost 7 min. This method improved the uniformity of rubber par-
tures with lower w/c ratios. Moreover, EA was used to improve the
ticles with other materials in the concrete samples. This procedure
interfaces between rubber particles and cement paste; its properties
was adopted to improve the adhesion of the matrix formed by the
are listed in Table 2.
cement with the aggregates (gravel, rubber, and additives).
In this study, the rubber particles replaced a volume fraction of
The test specimens were cast by a vibrating table to achieve
the coarse aggregate. Different levels of replacement (0, 25, 50, 75,
proper and consistent compaction. After casting, all concrete spec-
and 100%) were studied. In order to investigate the effects of the
imens were covered with wet burlap in the laboratory at 20°C
w/c ratio and EA on the properties of rubberized concrete, four dif-
(1°C) and 65% relative humidity for 24 h. At that point, 24 h after
ferent series of concrete mixtures were designed. The first group of
placing concrete in the molds, samples were removed and kept in
mixtures was designed with a constant w/c ratio of 0.40 and cement
a completely humid environment [95% (3%) relative humidity
(RH), 22°C (2°C)] to cure until testing.
Table 1. Properties of Aggregate and Rubber
Aggregate Specific Absorption Fineness Unit weight Test Program
type gravity (%) modulus (kg=m3 )
The tested properties of the fresh concrete mixture sample include
Gravel 2.60 2.43 N/A 1,650 slump and air content. The test procedures used for the slump test
Sand 2.65 4.50 2.80 1,700 and pressure method were in accordance with ASTM C 143 and
Rubber particles 1.16 42.1 N/A 1,150
ASTM C231-03, respectively. Properties of the tested hardened
composite included dry unit weight, as determined by geometric resists the normal flow of concrete under its own weight. Based on
measurements and weighing. The compressive strength test was the results of the current study, the reduction of the slump can be
performed according to the ASTM C 1231/1993 specifications attributed to the jagged surface of the rubber particles, which results
at the temperature of 20°C (3°C). Three specimens were tested in a rough surface texture that increases the friction between the
under the saturation water condition for each concrete type and particles and the mixture, and the nonpolar nature of rubber par-
at an aging time of 28 days. An electric hydraulic testing machine ticles, which results in high water absorption and decreases slump.
with a 200-t capacity and a 0.5 MPa=s loading rate was used. The As the amount of rubber particles replacing coarse aggregate in-
elastic modulus was determined from the stress/strain curve creases from 0 to 100%, the slump of series I and II mixtures de-
obtained from the compressive strength test. The modulus was de- creases from 135 to 98 mm and 140 to 80 mm, respectively. The
termined from the tangent between the initial 0.5-MPa stress at decreased amplitude of series II is higher than that of series I, which
30% of the concrete strength. The compressive strength of the con- indicates that the superplasticizer in series I helps to reduce the
crete was obtained by an average of the three strength tests previ- undesirable effect of rubber particles on workability. Fig. 2(b)
ously conducted. Flexural strength tests were also carried out shows the effect of EA/C on the slump of mixtures with rubber
according to the ASTM C78 specification, using prism specimens particle content levels of 50 and 100%. From this figure, the slump
measuring 100 × 100 × 500 mm. Scanning electron microscopy of series III and IV mixtures increases as EA content increases.
(SEM) analysis was performed using specimens measuring 2 × When the amounts of water and superplasticizer are the same,
2 cm that were cut from the concrete samples without any etching. the slumps of rubberized concrete containing 50 and 100% rubber
particles increase from 113 and 90 mm to 135 and 140 mm, respec-
tively (i.e., increase by 20 and 55%, respectively). The introduction
Experimental Results and Discussion of EA greatly improved the workability of rubberized concrete.
This effect may be due to improvements in the nonpolarization
characteristics of the surface of the rubber particles by the EA,
Properties of Fresh Concrete
which greatly reduces the water absorption capacity of the rubber
The variation of the slump of fresh concrete with rubber particle particles and increases slump. In general, the rubberized concrete
concentration is presented in Fig. 2. The workability of fresh con- specimens have acceptable workability in terms of ease of handing,
crete, defined as the ease with which it can be mixed, transported, placement, and finishing.
and placed, is affected by the interactions of rubber particles and The air contents of rubberized concrete mixtures, with respect to
mineral aggregates. As shown in Fig. 2(a), the slump of series I and both rubber particle content level of the coarse aggregate and EA/C
II mixes decreased as the rubber particle content in place of coarse ratio, are displayed in Fig. 3. The illustration clearly indicates that
aggregate increased, which agrees with the findings of other re- the addition of rubber particles to the cement matrix increases the
searchers (Turatsinze and Garros 2008; Khaloo et al. 2008; Senouci level of air content. However, compared to the control mix, an in-
and Eldin 1993). Senouci and Eldin (1993) explained the phenome- crease in air content is observed as a function of level of rubber
non as the rubber particles forming an interlocking structure that particle content, yielding the quasi-linear relationship illustrated
Slump (mm)
115
Slump (mm)
120
110
105 115
100
110
95
105
90
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85 100
80
95
75
0 20 40 60 80 100 0.00 0.05 0.10 0.15
(a) Rubber particle content (%) of coarse aggregate (b) Emulsified asphalt/ Cement ratio
Fig. 2. Slump of rubberized concrete: (a) effect of rubber particle content of coarse aggregate; (b) effect of EA/C ratio
8.0
Series I 7.0 Series III
7.5 Series II Series IV
6.8
7.0
6.6
6.5
6.0 6.4
6.2
Air content (%)
5.5
Air content (%)
5.0 6.0
4.5 5.8
4.0 5.6
3.5
5.4
3.0
5.2
2.5
5.0
2.0
0 20 40 60 80 100 0.00 0.05 0.10 0.15
(a) Rubber particle content (%) of coarse aggregate (b) Emulsified asphalt/ Cement ratio
Fig. 3. Air content of rubberized concrete: (a) effect of rubber particle content of coarse aggregate; (b) effect of EA/C ratio
in Fig. 3(a). According to Reda Taha et al. (2003), this result may be For EA/C ratios exceeding 0.05, the values of air content increase
due to the capability of rubber particles to entrap air at their rough with that ratio. This may be due to either or both of the following:
surfaces due to their nonpolar nature. The present work confirms 1. When the EA/C ratio was less than 0.05, most EA droplets
that the hydrophobic nature of rubber helps to increase the air con- were adsorbed onto the surfaces of the rubber particles and
tent when the rubber particle content of coarse aggregate increases. thus reduced the surface roughness of the rubber, which
Reviewing past research on air entrainment revealed that it is clearly resulted in less air content.
an extremely complex process that is affected by many factors, in- 2. When the EA/C ratio exceeded 0.05, the excess EA would be
cluding the mixing process, material mixture proportioning, fine dispersed in the cement slurry.
and coarse aggregates, physical and chemical properties of cement, The surfactants in the EA droplets could entrap air during
water amount, and several other parameters. The increase of water mixing, so as to increase the air content.
content during mixing also incites the entrapment of air (Benazzouk
et al. 2006). For identical rubber particle content levels in the coarse Hardened Concrete Properties
aggregate, the air content in series I mixtures is higher than that of
series II mixtures; the water amount in series II is higher than that
in series I. However, the addition of EA affects air content of rub- Dry Unit Weight
berized concrete mixtures differently. As shown in Fig. 3(b), the The variation in dry unit weight with the content level of rubber
air content of rubberized concrete decreased when EA was added. particles in the coarse aggregate is shown in Fig. 4. This illustration
2000 ture. Rubber particle replacement levels of 50, 75, and 100%
in coarse aggregates reduced their strengths by 47.1, 58.5, and
1900
74.3%, respectively. This detrimental effect was discussed by
1800 Turatsinze et al. (2005, 2007) for mortar. The same causes seem
1700
to be involved in the case of rubberized concrete (e.g., the high
Poisson ratio), which may induce premature cracking of the con-
1600 crete when compressed, the low stiffness of rubber, the bond
1500 defects at the rubber-cement paste interface, and the high porosity
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70
Series I 34
Series II
60 32
Series III
30
Series IV
Compressive strength (MPa)
50
28
40 26
24
30
22
20 20
18
10
16
Fig. 5. Compressive strength of rubberized concrete: (a) effect of rubber particle content of coarse aggregate; (b) effect of EA/C ratio
45 5.0
SeriesI
4.5 SeriesI
40
SeriesII SeriesII
35 4.0
Flexural strength (MPa)
Elasticity modulus (GPa)
3.5
30
3.0
25
2.5
20
2.0
15
1.5
10 1.0
5 0.5
0 0.0
0 25 50 75 100 0 25 50 75 100
Rubber particles content (%) of coarse aggregate Rubber particles content (%) of coarse aggregate
Fig. 6. Effect of rubber particle content of coarse aggregate on the Fig. 8. Effect of rubber particle content of coarse aggregate on flexural
modulus of elasticity strength
2.2 Conclusions
2.0
Based on the experimental parameters and investigation conditions
1.8 employed in this study, the following conclusions were drawn:
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(a) (b)
(c) (d)
Fig. 10. Morphologies: (a) cement matrix with rubber particles; (b) cement matrix with rubber particles containing EA; (c) details showing the
interface of rubber and cement with EA; (d) the EA film