EU-LIFE+ Environment Policy and Governance

LIFE 09 ENV/GR/304“ROADTIRE”

“Integration of end-of-life tires in the life cycle of road

construction”
ROADTIRE

Deliverable 4.1.2

Report on characteristics of tire rubber

By
Sofia Mavridou and Nikolaos Oikonomou, LBM

July 2011
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………………………….3

2. TREATMENT UNITS OF WORN MOBILE TIRES-SUPPLIERS OF MATERIAL…...…3

2.1 HELESI SA………………………………………………………………………...……6
2.1.1 Company…………………………………………………………………….…6
2.1.2 Products…………………………………………………………………….….9
2.2 KARAGIANNIDIS- RETIRE ABEE………………………………………………...10
2.2.1 Company……………………………………...………………………………10
2.2.2 Products………………………………………………………………………12
2.3 KARABAS SA….………………………………………………………….………...…15
2.3.1 Company……………………..…………………………………………….…15
2.3.2 Products……………………………………………………………………....16

3. CHARACTERISTICS OF TIRE RUBBER…………………………………………………..17

3.1 Chemical analysis…………………………………………………………………….……17
3.2 Particle size distribution - Sieving method …………………….………………………...18
3.3 Density……………………………………………………………………………………...21
3.4 Content of very fine particles (<0,075mm)……………………………………………….22
3.5 Water absorption…………………………………………………………………………..22
3.6 Examination of particles’ structure………………………………………………………22

4. CONCLUSIONS…………………………………………………………………………….…..25

REFERENCES…………………………………………………………………………………….25

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1. INTRODUCTION
Present report is dealing with the examination of properties and characteristics of rubber from worn
mobile tires. In the frame of LIFE+ project with Acronym ROADTIRE (Integration of end-of-life
tires in the life cycle of road construction) properties/ characteristics of rubber from various units
and origins have been examined in order to certify its suitability for use as modifier of bitumen or as
aggregate for the production of rubberized asphalt and rubberized asphalt mixtures. Tire rubber has
been supplied by various factories of Greece, mainly South part of the country, which are presented
in details below.

2. TREATMENT UNITS OF WORN MOBILE TIRES-SUPPLIERS OF

MATERIAL
In Greece, there are several companies whose activities include shredding of worn mobile tires into
a variety of particles sizes. The final product, according to its size and characteristics, may be used
for applications, civil or not civil engineering ones. Indicative applications are for the production of
lightweight concrete, sound barriers, playground, athletic turfs, rubberized asphalt, geotechnical
works and secondary rubber products (embankments etc- pictures 1-3).

Picture 1. Different uses of tire rubber

Source: Mavrias, http://library.tee.gr/digital/m2322/m2322_mavrias.pdf

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 Picture 2. Geotechnical works (slope stabilization)
Source: Mavrias, http://library.tee.gr/digital/m2322/m2322_mavrias.pdf

Picture 3. Use of tire rubber for the production of drainage layer in landfills
Source: Mavrias, http://library.tee.gr/digital/m2322/m2322_mavrias.pd

Tire rubber, examined for the purpose of ROADTIRE, has been supplied by various factories of
Greece, mainly the South part of it (Map 1) and are presented in details below. Researchers from

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Laboratory of Building Materials (LBM) and Department of Materials Testing and Control of
Quality of Public Works of Sterea Ellada (PRESTE) asked for samples from all the factories of
Greece in order to examine possible differences on basic properties of this alternative raw material.
However, the response of all suppliers was not the expected one, so rubber only from 3 factories has
been further tested. It must be noted that laboratory results showed similarity between rubber
particles of all 3 units, as far as macroscopic and microscopic examination is concerned, so it can be
assumed that also the rest of the factories/ treatment units of worn mobile tires produce rubber
particles with similar properties.

Map 1. Companies and processing units of EOL tires in Greece

Source:(Karagiannidis and Kasampalis, 2010)

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2.1 HELESI SA (http://www.helesi.com) [Map 1 processing unit a]

2.1.1 Company

Helesi designs, manufactures and supplies high quality, plastic injection moulding products to the
waste management industry worldwide. The company addresses global markets, which are driven
by the increasing impact of rigorous environmental legislation implemented across the world. In
addition to plastic waste containers, Helesi’s product line includes pallets and pallet boxes, pre
sorting waste bins, stadium seats, material handling plastic products, including pallets and pallet
boxes, fish and food crates.
Helesi is run by a strong management team, led by Managing Director Sakis Andrianopoulos, who
has more than 17 years experience in waste management consulting for public authorities and
municipalities. The company operates two, strategically located, state of the art production plants at
Komotini, Northern Greece and a second production facility in Italy, Pisticci Scalo, Matera.
In the early 1990s, Mr. Sakis Andrianopoulos the Company’s Chief Executive, identified an
opportunity in the emerging waste management industry and formed Perivallontiki SA, a Greek
company offering waste management consulting services to local authorities. Perivallontiki SA
quickly expanded its business supplying Greek municipal authorities with specialist vehicles, waste
containers and other waste management equipment. In 2003, Perivallontiki SA entered the waste
management services sector in Greece, offering waste container washing services, mechanical street
sweeping and waste collection services.
After observing increasing customer demand and market trends driven by environmental and
legislative changes for replacing metallic waste containers with plastic ones, Mr. Sakis
Andrianopoulos formed a Greek company, ‘‘Hellenic Environmental Systems Industry SA’’
(‘‘Helesi ’’).
Helesi's first production facility was built in Komotini, Northern Greece and began operations in
July 2000. Since then more than €33.5 million has been invested in this facility, €11.7 million of
which has been funded through government grants, to build moulds based on the latest technology
to increase production capacity and automate the production process. Helesi is now equipped with
one of the most modern plastic injection-moulding factories in the world.
Recognizing the importance of compliance to EN 840 standards, Helesi has committed significant
resources to product R&D and is one of only nine companies worldwide that produce the full range
of EN 840 standardized waste containers. EN 840 is the EU Directive that sets out the required
standards for waste containers used within the EU.
Helesi began exporting in 2000, establishing relationships with distributors mainly in Germany and,
from 2001, Italy. In 2002 it began distributing in the UK, Irish and Spanish markets, and also
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started distributing its products in several countries in the Middle East and North Africa. From
2003, Helesi commenced selling into several countries in South-Eastern Europe, such as Romania
and Bulgaria, quickly acquiring a significant market presence.
In 2004, increased demand from the UK and Irish markets for two-wheeled bins led to the decision
to form Helesi UK, a wholly owned subsidiary which owns the Group’s second production facility,
located in Bradford.
In 2004, Perivallontiki SA and Urbaser, one of the largest waste management operators in Europe,
formed a joint venture to provide waste management services during the Olympic Games of 2004 in
Athens. A significant portion of these services were subcontracted to Helesi. One year later, Helesi
was also awarded the contract for the supply of waste bins to the city of Turin and the 2006 Winter
Olympics.
In May 2006, Helesi Italia Srl was incorporated as a limited liability subsidiary company in Italy,
as part of the process to establish a third production facility.
In May 2006, Helesi PLC was incorporated in Cyprus to act as the group holding company. Since
then, Helesi PLC has acquired and controls Helesi SA and its subsidiaries, Helesi UK and Helesi
Italia, thus forming the Helesi Group.
In November 2006, Helesi PLC entered the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London
Stock Exchange, raising €15 million (net).
2007 was a successful year for Helesi, the first full year after its shares were admitted to the AIM
market of the London Stock Exchange. The principal themes were a continuation of our organic
growth, a clear focus on our 2006–2009 €83 million investment program and the acquisition in
November of key businesses of the Perivallontiki Group. In 2007, Helesi PLC acquired the
complimentary business of "Perivallontiki".
In 2008, Helesi PLC completed the three year, €87 million investment programm, in line with
budget estimates included:
 The €25 million new plant to produce pallet boxes and food containers in southern Italy
 The new plant for production of wheeled bins at Komotini in northern Greece.
However the company entered 2009 with expanded cost competitive manufacturing facilities, a
waste management services business positioned for substantial growth and a vehicles and
equipment business that now has the scale and resources to tender for the largest of projects in the
area of geographical focus of the company.

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 Photo 1. Aspect of HELESI plant

Quality Assured

High quality products and safety of use are paramount importance to HELESI. All products are
therefore manufactured, tested and certified according to the latest European standards. In addition,
the GS label, issued by the Landesgewerbeanstalt (LGA) Bavaria demonstrates to Helesi’s clients
that the safety of the products has also been tested and certified

The LGA / GS Label

The GS Label stands for “Geprüfte Sicherheit”, i.e. safety tested. It certifies that a product meets the
requirements of the German safety law GSG, the safety regulations of the trade associations, DIN
and EN standards, as well as commonly accepted technical regulations. In order to obtain and be
allowed to display a GS label for a product, a manufacturer needs to have it tested by an accredited
inspection authority (e.g. LGA). To maintain the label, an annual inspection of the production plant
is required.

CE & LWA 99 db (A)

In July 2000 the European directive 2000/14/EU came into force regarding environmentally
damaging noise pollution by appliances and machinery intended to be used in the open air. This
standardised European regulations as to noise emissions of different types of apparatus and
machinery which are used in the open air, including compactors, construction machinery, lawn
mowers, leaf blowers and certain mobile garbage bins.
All products brought into circulation after 3 January 2002 conform to the new directive.
The directive mentions wheelable garbage bins, i.e. all common garbage bins featuring two or four

8
wheels, regardless of the material they are made from, as well as containers to collect glass for
recycling.
The highest possible noise emissions of these bins (and all other appliances mentioned in the
directive) need to be ascertained through measurement and documented by the manufacturer for
each product type. The directive includes instructions on measurement and calculation procedures.

Picture 4. Logos

The noise level of containers for glass is tested by inserting bottles.

The directive also requires that bins need to be marked with a CE label and a figure indicating the
maximum noise level which it may cause.
In addition, a CE conformity attestation has to be issued by the manufacturer.

2.1.2 Products

Helesi has entered into an agreement with Ecoelastica, an NGO established in 2004 by major tyre
manufacturers, such as Michelin, Goodyear, EMA, Elastrac and Pirelli, to tackle tyre waste in
Greece. Under the agreement, Helesi collects, transports and recycles all used domestic and
industrial tyres in Northern Greece.
The recycling unit mechanically discards the metal and synthetic fibres in the tyres, producing
rubber granules, processing around 2.5 tones of tyres per hour. The grains produced in the recycling
process have a wide range of uses such as in the construction of stadia grounds, roads and the
manufacturing of various plastic products.
Helesi has gone one step further and, through its in-house R&D department, has developed a unique
methodology to utilise the rubber granules to produce wheels for its range of two wheeled bins, at a
considerable saving on the costs previously incurred. The Company operates one of the few
vertically integrated facilities in Europe.
The tyre recycling facility also offers additional benefits, as Helesi not only lowers its cost base, but
also fulfils its aim of introducing and supporting a system of environmental management within the
business, ensuring the environmentally safe disposal of used tyres.
The unit operates according to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001.

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2.2 KARAGIANNIDIS- RETIRE ABEE (http://www.dkretire.gr/en/) [Map 1, No
8(company)]

2.2.1 Company

RETIRE ABEE is a model company in recycling all kinds of used tyres with European standards.
It was established in 2007 by Mr. Dimitrios Karagiannidis. The company recycles tyres and
converts them into other kinds of material.
In possession of highly modern machinery of German technology, the company produces products
of high quality rubber granulates and rubber powder, with a production capacity of 24.000 tn yearly.
It is the only company in Greece with a separate powder production line below 0,4 mm.
The operating system of RETIRE ABEE is dynamic and reliable, capable of producing quality
products fast and effectively in order to meet the market needs, protecting at the same time the
environment.

Photo 2. Recycling plant in the Industrial Zone of Drama

RETIRE ABEE is located on a private land area of 8.000 m2 within the Industrial Zone of Drama,
in a newly erected industrial building of 2.500m2, equipped with the most advanced machinery in
recycling used tyres, provided by the German company AMANDUS KAHL GmbH & CO.KG.
The production plant of RETIRE ABEE is fully automated and is equipped with state-of-the art
machinery of the German company AMANDUS KAHL GmbH & CO.KG., which is guarantee in
its field.
The granulating machinery used in the company has a total horsepower of 1.350,00 HP and its
budget amounts to 6,5 Mil. €. During processing, tyres are mechanically granulated, removing all
metal and synthetic fibres, as well as any other foreign part contained in there, so as to produce

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99,99% clear rubber. This is how the end-products are produced, namely rubber granulates of
almost absolute purity, clear of fibres and metals.

Photo 3a,b,c. General shredding process at Retire plant

By-products resulting from such process are scrap steel and recycled textile. RETIRE ABEE is the
only tyre recycling company with a separate production line of powder with a size below 0,5 mm.
The machinery processes and produces end-products of maximum purity (99,99%), utilizing the
most advanced ventilation filters in order to have uniform and fully marketable end-products.
Moreover, RETIRE ABEE has a professionally qualified scientific and labor staff, which is
dealing with the whole treatment procedure.
RETIRE ABEE uses used tyres provided by the company ECOLASTICA SA.

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 ECOLASTICA SA: ECOLASTICA SA was founded by the biggest tyre
importers in Greece and is the only tyre management system. The
company started operating in November 2004 and is the only approved alternative management
system of used tyres.
ECOLASTICA is responsible for the collection of used tyres, the temporary storing, transportation,
utilization and reuse, including recycling of used tyres pursuant to the presidential decree 109/2004.
RETIRE ABEE is the most modern plant of old tyre end-utilization in Greece, which after a
process, can produce rubber granulates and rubber powder products of very high standards.
The vision of RETIRE ABEE is the constant improvement of the existing business structure and
the constant expansion into the sector of used tyre recycling. Company’s principal lies on
knowledge, on its staff and on technology with respect to the customer for maximizing the
corporate value.

2.2.2 Products-production

One of the main methods of used tyre alternative management is the production of rubber
granulates and powder through mechanical granulation. During mechanical granulation of tyres, the
metal and synthetic fibres contained therein are being removed, as well as any other foreign part.
This results to a 100% pure rubber.
Rubber granulates and rubber powder can be used in many ways such as raw material for creating a
variety of new rubber products, in constructing synthetic lawn for 5X5 fields and generally shock
absorber sport flooring, in creating safe flooring for playgrounds and in many other cases. Also the
use of such products in public works such as road asphalting by adding rubber in the asphalt, in the
construction of draining technical works (Waste Disposal Areas), in creating sound insulation
panels in large road or railway axes etc is of high importance.
Main parts deriving from old tires are:
 Rubber granulates in various granulations
 Rubber powder
 Scrap Steel
 Recycled textile

Tire rubber’s production is presented in details in the paragraphs below.

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 Production - 1st cutting
During first cutting of the production process, the used tyres are being cut into the appropriate size
in order to be processed in the granulation pressing machine.

Picture 5. Cutting tires into big parts

 Production - Pressing Machine

The granulation pressing machine process and cuts the material giving it its final form. This is
followed by the metal separation process.

Picture 6.Granulation processing

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 Production - Separation of metal and textile

The material is being transferred from the pressing machine to a sorting machine where any metal
product is removed from the tyres by the use of powerful magnets. This is how the rubber scrap
steel results. Following, the material that is not cut in the appropriate dimensions, returns back to
the cutting press machine for reprocess, while the one appropriately cut, is transferred to the final
stage.
In this stage the textile contained in the tyres is being removed gravitationally by the use of air. This
is how the rubber textile results.

Picture 7. Separation of metal wire and textile

 Production - Separation of rubber

In this final stage of the production process, the final selection of the rubber granulates is being
done according to their dimensions. Afterwards, rubber granulates are being weighted and packed
into giant bags of 2m3.

Picture 8. Separation of rubber according to the diameter of grains

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2.3 KARABAS SA (http://www.karabas.gr/eng_index.html) [Map 1, processing unit d]

2.3.1 Company

KARABAS EUROPEAN HELLENIC RECYCLING S.A was founded in 1999 by Karabas B.

Konstantinos, economist - mechanical engineer. The company's objective is to collect and recycle
all types of old vehicle tyres, and the production of these high quality Rubber granules, Rubber
powder & Shock Absorbent Surfacing Slabs. The A-generated secondary materials are of excellent
quality and are used in a wide range of applications. The company offers products suitable for
innovative and quality applications, while giving an overall ecological solution to the problem of
unwanted tyres through the collection and use of rubber material.

Photo 4.View of the plant

The company is using modern equipment and with great expertise and experience in producing high
quality Rubber Granules with a purity of 99.9%, metal and linen, suitable for a wide range of
applications. The Rubber Granules and Rubber Powder produced comes only from passenger car
tires and trucks which use blends of natural rubber (NR lorries) and synthetic rubber (SBR
passenger tires). In the process of engineering plants to ambient temperature followed within the
company produced crumb rubber surface ideal for uses such as to require bonding of grains with an
adhesive.

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2.3.2 Products

Properties of final product:

- Has high resistance to abrasion
- Has great shock absorption and vibration damping
- Has high resistance to weathering
- Has a long life
- Are environmentally friendly
- 100% recyclable material

Some of the potential uses can be:

 A synthetic football pitches
 Background in sport – fitness
 Production Floor Box
 Modified on aprons
 As sound-proofing material in construction
 As shock material in construction

Granule’s size varies from 0-7mm, while the designation is showed below:
GG0005 0,00 - 0,5mm
GG0, 525 0,5 - 2,5mm
GG1030 1,0 - 3,0mm
GG1040 1,0 - 4,0mm
GG3050 3,0 - 5,0mm
GG3070 3,0 - 7,0mm

One of the main uses of rubber from Karambas Company is for the production of Shock Absorbent
Surfacing Slabs, which are an indispensable part of children’s playground. The company’s goal is
to contribute to flooring produced, aiming at:
 The safety of children
 To develop a pleasant and comfortable environment for leisure and sport for young people.
Shock Absorbent Surfacing Slabs produced by the company consist of grains derived from
recycled rubber tires mixed with polyurethane resin. They are produced in plates with dimensions
100x100cm and different thicknesses of 2,3 and 4cm in various colours such as red, green, blue and
black.
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The Shock Absorbent Surfacing Slabs are produced according to European Standard
EN1177:2008 and certified for the drop height succeeded.

Basic properties of the final product (material) are:

 Flexible and durable material
 Easy to use
 Long life
 100% recyclable
 Offers great protection to fall depending on the thickness of the floor
 Needs no maintenance.

Photo 5a,b. Steel and textile fibres

3. CHARACTERISTICS OF TIRE RUBBER

This section includes laboratory results on basic properties of tire rubber particles. Properties
examined were chemical analysis, particle size analysis, density, content of fine particles, water
absorption, while stereoscopic and microscopic examination of the particles also took place in order
to examine the texture of them. Other basic properties of aggregates (natural of artificial) such as
sand equivalent, Los Angeles test, resistance to weathering din not take place, due to the nature of
the rubber particles (elasticity and organic composition).

3.1 Chemical analysis

Chemical analysis has been conducted according to ASTM D297 at the Laboratory of Building
Materials of the Department of Civil Engineering of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

17
This test method was performed in order to determine the amount and type of some of the major
constituents of tire rubber, and included determination of rubber polymer content by the indirect
method, determination of content of acetone extract, of carbon black, of rubber hydrocarbon as well
as of ash analyses.
According to the results, chemical composition of tire rubber is showed below (all samples
examined gave similar percentages; the range of values for the rubber from the 3 origins examined
as well as a mean chemical composition are presented).

Table 1. Chemical compositions of tire rubber

Range of values
for rubber Mean
Chemical composition examined value
Acetone extract (%) 12-14 13
Ash content (%) 6,5-7,5 7
Carbon black (%) 28-32 30
Rubber hydrocarbon (%) 48-52 50

3.2 Determination of particle size distribution - Sieving method

Sieving of tire rubber has been conducted at the Laboratory of Building Materials of the
Department of Civil Engineering of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki according to EN 933-1,
entitled: Tests for geometrical properties of aggregates Part 1.Determination of particle size
distribution - Sieving method. This Part of this European Standard specifies a method, using test
sieves, for the determination of the particle size distribution of aggregates. It applies to aggregates
of natural or artificial origin, including lightweight aggregates, up to 63 mm nominal size, but
excluding filler. The test consists of dividing up and separating, by means of a series of sieves, a
material into several particle size classifications of decreasing sizes. The aperture sizes and the
number of sieves are selected in accordance with the nature of the sample and the accuracy
required.
A special sieving machine has been used, as well as sieves of diameters from 0-4mm (photo 6a,b).

18
 Photo 6a,b. Sieving machine

According to the results, the gradation curves of the samples that have been tested are showed on
diagrams 1-3.

HELESI S.A
100

80
Passing (%)

60

40

20

0
0,01 0,1 1

HELESI S.A Sieves(mm)

Diagram 1. Gradation curves of tire rubber-HELESI SA

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 KARAGIANNIDIS-RETIRE

100

80
Passing (%)

60

40

20

0
0,01 0,1 1

KARAGIANNIDIS- RETIRE Sieves(mm)

Diagram 2. Gradation curves of tire rubber- KARAGIANNIDIS- RETIRE ABEE

KARABAS ABEE
100

80
Passing (%)

60

40

20

0
0,01 0,1 1

KARABAS ABEE Sieves(mm)

Diagram 3. Gradation curves of tire rubber-KARABAS

20
 100

80
Passing (%)

60

40

20

0
0,01 0,1 1

HELESI S.A KARABAS ABEE Sieves(mm) RETIRE

KARAGIANNIDIS-
Diagram 4. Gradation curves of tire rubber (ALL SOURCES INCLUDED)

3.3 Density
Density of tire rubber has been conducted at the Laboratory of Building Materials of the
Department of Civil Engineering of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, following EN 1097-6,
entitled: Tests for mechanical and physical properties of aggregates - Part 6: Determination of
particle density and water absorption.
Particle density is calculated from the ratio of mass to volume. The mass is determined by weighing
the test portion in the saturated and surface dried condition and again in the ovendried condition.
Volume is determined from the mass of the water displaced, either by mass reduction in the wire-
basket method or by weighings in the pyknometer method.
According to the results, its value is showed below.

Helesi SA: 1,1 gr/cm3

Karagiannidis- Retire: 1,05 gr/cm3
Karabas SABE: 1,0 gr/cm3

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3.4 Content of very fine particles (<0,075mm)
Content of very fine rubber particles (diameter less than 0,075mm) has been measured at the
Laboratory of Building Materials of the Department of Civil Engineering of Aristotle University of
Thessaloniki through sieving process (EN 933-1).
This Part of this European Standard specifies a method, using test sieves, for the determination of
the particle size distribution of aggregates. It applies to aggregates of natural or artificial origin,
including lightweight aggregates, up to 63 mm nominal size.
According to the results, its value is showed below.

Helesi SA: <1%

Karagiannidis- Retire: <1%
Karabas SABE: <1%

3.5 Water absorption

Water absorption has been measured at the Laboratory of Building Materials of the Department of
Civil Engineering of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki according to EN 1097-6, entitled: Tests
for mechanical and physical properties of aggregates - Part 6: Determination of particle density and
water absorption.
Results of the tests are showed below.

Helesi SA: 0%
Karagiannidis- Retire: 0%
Karabas SABE: 0%
Non absorption of water by rubber particles can be justified by the fact that rubber particles repel
water due to their texture.

3.6 Examination of particles’ structure

Tire rubber particles have been examined through stereoscope (STEMI 2000C) and microscope of
JEOL company of type JSM840A.
Rubber particles, as observed by both stereoscope and microscope, have random and irregular
shape, while their surface is quite rough. Main characteristic is that they include a small percentage
of pores of diameter 1,5-2μm (photo 7a,b).

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 stereoscope x2 SEM

Photo 7a,b. Tire rubber particles with textile fibres and micro-pores in their structure
Source: S. Mavridou, PhD Thesis, 2010

Moreover, tire rubber contained part of textile fibres, which were found to be carbon ones.
Stereoscopic observation showed that there is a strong bonding between textile fibres and tire
rubber particles, photo 8.

Photo 8. Rubber particles bonded with carbon textile fibres (x5)

Source: S. Mavridou, PhD Thesis, 2010

However, a more detailed observation through a SEM (Scanning Electorin Microscope) showed
that only a small percentage of textile fibres is strongly bonded to rubber particles, while the rest
can be easily removed through sieving.

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 Photo 9. Rubber particles through SEM observation
Source: S. Mavridou, PhD Thesis, 2010

Photo 10. Stereoscopic examination of pure tire rubber-removed textile fibres-( x4)
Source: S. Mavridou, PhD Thesis, 2010

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4. CONCLUSIONS

Present report is dealing with the examination of properties and characteristics of rubber from worn
mobile tires. In the frame of LIFE+ project with Acronym ROADTIRE (Integration of end-of-life
tires in the life cycle of road construction) rubber from various units and origins has been
examined in order to certify its suitability for use as modifier of bitumen or as aggregate for the
production of rubberized asphalt and rubberized asphalt mixtures. Tire rubber has been supplied by
various factories of Greece, mainly South part of it, which have been presented in details in present
report.
Tire rubber from these three sources has been examined as far as main properties are concerned.
Properties such as sand equivalent, Los Angeles test are not applicable to rubber due to its nature.
Properties of all of the three were found to be similar, apart from gradation curves, which are
mainly dependant on the existing sieves in each treatment unit.
Concluding, given the results of all laboratory tests, it is decided that tire rubber supplied from
KARABAS SA will be suggested for use for the production of the rubberised asphalt-binder,
implemented in the pilot application in the city of Lamia. It must be noted; that rubber from all units
all over Greece could be used and according to results material is suitable for this kind of use
(rubberized asphalt and rubberized asphalt mixtures). However, suggesting material from
KARABAS SA is mainly based on economic criteria (saving of transportation costs) since the
treatment unit is cited next to the pilot application and of course of former excellent collaboration
between the company’s staff and two of the partners of the ROADTIRE [Laboratory of Building
Materials (Partner 1) and PRESTE (2nd Partner)] in the frame of a PhD Thesis and of
undergraduates reports submitted at Department of Civil Engineering of Aristotle University of
Thessaloniki.

REFERENCES
ASTM D297 – 93, (2006) Standard Test Methods for Rubber Products-Chemical Analysis

EN 1097-6, Tests for mechanical and physical properties of aggregates. Determination of particle
density and water absorption

EN 933-1. Tests for geometrical properties of aggregates Part 1. Determination of particle size
distribution - Sieving method

http://www.dkretire.gr/en/

http://www.helesi.com
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http://www.karabas.gr/eng_index.html

Karagiannidis A. and Kasampalis T. (2010), Resource recovery from end-of-life tyres in Greece: A
field survey, state-of-art and trends, Waste Management and Research 28, 520-532.

Mavrias, http://library.tee.gr/digital/m2322/m2322_mavrias.pd

Mavridou S, (2010). Utilization of recycled tire rubber in mortars and concrete based on cement or
asphalt for special applications, PhD Thesis, Department of Civil Engineering, Aristotle University
of Thessaloniki, Greece (in Greek).

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