Experimental Study on Crumb-Rubberized Concrete: Mechanical Properties and SEM Analysis

EasyChair Preprint 13409

Abstract

Waste rubber disposal is a critical environmental issue and calls for immediate attention. Partial replacement of fine and coarse aggregates in concrete by waste rubber can provide a sustainable solution for its disposal and reuse in civil engineering applications. This study experimentally investigated various mechanical properties of rubberized concrete having fine aggregates replaced by crumb rubber graded below 4.75 mm particle size. The concrete mechanical properties, i.e., 14-day and 28-day compressive strengths, elastic modulus, density, etc., were examined for varying crumb-rubber percentages of 10%, 20% and 30% by volume. A detailed microstructural investigation was performed using concrete micrographs through Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). A total of 12 standard cubes and cylinders were cast and tested. The test results showed a reduction of 14-37% in compressive strength, 4-21% for elastic modulus and 1- 4% for density of rubberized concrete compared to control specimens. SEM microstructure analysis revealed that the decrease in mechanical properties can be attributed to the lack of adhesion, generation of microcracks, and weak bonding of concrete matrix around rubber particles. Further, the potential use of rubberized concrete in double-skin tubular columns (DSTCs) is discussed to compensate for the negative effects of rubberized concrete through effective confinement.

Keyphrases: Crumb rubber, Double-skin tubular columns, Rubberized concrete, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), compressive strength, crumb rubber concrete, micrograph

@booklet{EasyChair:13409,
  author    = {Fayaz Ahmad Sofi and Mohammad Rafiq Joo and Sumit Rajak},
  title     = {Experimental Study on Crumb-Rubberized Concrete: Mechanical Properties and SEM Analysis},
  howpublished = {EasyChair Preprint 13409},
  year      = {EasyChair, 2024}}