Effectiveness of Crushed Waste Rubber Tires as Partial Coarse Aggregate Replacement in

Concrete Mixture

by

Bate, Edin Mar B.

Pepito, Lee Jeny

Perez, Adriel B.
Introduction

The world today is yet to reach the pinnacle of civilization. From Stone Age up to the
present, the world still continues in building much larger infrastructures than in ancient times. As
the years pass, the modernization of construction ideas and design has become inevitable. Along
with it is the nonstop increase in consumption of raw materials e.g., steel, limestone, wood, etc.
Consequently, the structural advancement of the world has become a major threat to the
environment as raw material reserves are rapidly decreasing. Thus, the pursuit of finding
alternative building materials is the only possible solution to save nature and at the same time
have uninterrupted world progress.

Aggregates, the most important components used in the production of concrete, are
essential materials the industry of construction needs. This led to the ceaseless and increasing
demand for natural resources. In connection to the need for the utilization of raw materials comes
an arising area of interest for protecting nature and a need to preserve and conserve natural
materials, such as aggregate, by using alternative resources that are either recycled or discarded
as waste.

The unceasing development of economic activities has resulted in the gradual increase of
waste materials which primarily affects the environment’s health. With this, the utilization of
excessive wastes like crushed glass, wood chips, plastic bottles, and even rubber tires, in various
applications is important as the continuous production of these is considered to be a major
environmental problem. As the process of dumping waste rubber tires in landfills continues,
major environmental issues arise since the rubber tire is not biodegradable, and would take at
least 50 to 80 years or longer for it to decompose in a landfill. Therefore, recycling this
non-biodegradable material might be a possible solution to reduce its environmental impact.

Various studies have been conducted to use waste rubber tires in different applications
e.g., membrane liners, asphalt pavement, and waterproofing systems. Other studies also, have
experimentally conducted the effects of using waste rubber tires on the properties of concrete. It
has been investigated in a study that the impact of crushed waste rubber on the compressive
strength of concrete varies [3]. It is found that the compressive strength is decreased by 68% and
61.3% at 20- wt % reconstituting both fine and coarse aggregate, respectively. Similarly, another
related research found the effect of using different contents of rubber tires to replace aggregate in
the mixture of concrete on its compressive strength [4]. In a study conducted, the effect of
crumb-sized rubber on the electrical resistivity of a concrete has been analyzed. It is found that a
microscale size of rubber particles shows a reduction of capacity for electrical conduction than
with nanoscale-sized rubber particles. It has been concluded that concrete with rubber shows
enhanced and better behavior to resist freezing environment compared with plain or normal
concrete [5]. Other research investigated the uniaxial behavior of concrete with rubber that
replaced the natural aggregates. It stated that the type and quantity of natural aggregates have
observable changes on the mechanical properties of concrete [6].

In the current study, the impact of using different percentages for the partial replacement
of coarse aggregate in the concrete mixture on its tensile, compressive, and flexural strength will
be experimentally conducted. The natural coarse aggregate will be replaced by 10%, 15%, and
25%. Furthermore, the methods to be used will be based on the standards of American Society
for Testing and Materials (ASTM).

Statement of the Problem

Eliminating rubber waste from tires has become a major issue regarding environmental
health. The issue has increasingly created a problematic situation for harming the ecology.
According to the study [2], the use of natural aggregate needs to be replaced by the waste of
rubber tires, as 5000 million tires are estimated to be cast off by the year 2030. The increased tire
waste is buried underground or just stockpiled [1]. It could take up to 50 years for the buried tires
to decompose. Also, polymeric waste like rubber tires and plastic bottles has been a threat to
marine life after being suspended in the seas and oceans, as the rubber and plastic, due to their
chemical properties, do not have the properties to let water penetrate them, hence being insoluble
in water.

On the other hand, the researchers will observe the performance of concrete in terms of
its durability, which will result in the effectiveness of concrete mixed with crushed rubber
compared to the control mixture. Several studies have been conducted to analyse the
effectiveness of rubber waste mixed with concrete to replace natural aggregates in a crushed
form. Moreover, the increasing population has also made a significant increase in polymers [1],
which needs to be catered to as a global cause.

This current study will prove that waste rubber tires are viable to be used as coarse
aggregate substitute by limited ratio, and can therefore, be applied in the construction design.

Background of the Study

One of the significant problems in the Philippines is recycling because the national
government provides little to no attention to this matter. Although Republic Act No. 9003,
referred to as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, exists that covers the segregation of
trash at a small-scale (barangay), garbage disposal remains a huge challenge which starts with
the disorganization at local government units (LGUs), as exemplified by the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Acting Secretary Jim Sampulna [9]. When these
wastes are carried to landfills, segregation will not be possible anymore. The problem is also
reliant on the behavior and lifestyle of Filipino families since there is no waste segregation in
their households [9] compared to other countries including Japan, Korea, and Germany. Local
governments are discouraged from funding waste management systems because of low landfill
dumping costs. There are no design specifications for recycling and no treatment facilities which
permits the system to be disorganized [11].

The concern about waste is escalating as well. The global increase in population is
accompanied by a rise in vehicle use, particularly among expanding middle classes in developing
countries that have more access to automobiles. As more kilometers are traveled, more tires have
to be replaced, which results in far more waste tires. Besides attracting disease-carrying rodents,
accumulated waste tires take up too much space and release hazardous chemicals into the air as
they gradually decay. Given the size of the waste and the flammability of tire materials, waste
tire dumps regularly cause fires. As millions of tires are stacked up and gradually burn away,
such waste tire fires can remain burning for as long as nine months [8]. The researchers then
intend to help address the problem in recycling and solid waste management through the
utilization of rubber tires instead of them ending up in landfills.
 Optimization of rubber tires is considered in various studies to come up with the most
appropriate proportion mix that can produce green concrete. In a study conducted by Shahjalal
[10], concrete beams with 30% recycled coarse aggregate, 0.5% polypropylene fiber and 5%
crumb rubber demonstrated increased ductility, toughness, and flexural capacity. The analysis
further reveals that the current codes and design standards are inappropriate for estimating the
flexural capacity of FR3C beams with diverse reinforcement ratios. [7] investigated the
development of self-consolidating concrete (SCC) composite was studied experimentally using
ten sample mixes employing either rubber aggregates or steel fibers reclaimed from used tires.
According to the experimental findings, the incorporation of recycled steel fiber enhances the
flexural capacity of the SCC while lowering shrinkage and the probability of cracking. Several
studies considered different forms of concrete such as nanocomposites and self-consolidating
concrete, however, the proportion of mixes to be considered still varies as well as the testing
procedures and properties that will be examined. This study will be beneficial in addressing the
growing environmental problems and will encourage construction companies and projects to use
sustainable concrete.

Objectives of the study

Rubber tires inflict severe threats to the environment since they take years to decompose
[12]. Considering rubber tires contribute to the wastes that accumulate annually and they also
cause fires and diseases [12], the researchers aim to utilize waste rubber tires as a partial
replacement for coarse aggregates in a concrete mix as a way of upcycling them. The proponents
will make a comparative analysis of the performance of the waste rubber tires in terms of its
tensile, compressive and flexural capacities in contrast to the M25 class concrete mixture to
measure its effectiveness. Hence, the study’s objectives will shed details on the following:

● Analyze the effectiveness of crushed waste rubber tires as a partial coarse aggregate
replacement into concrete mixture through tensile, compressive, and flexural strength
tests.
● Suggest ways on how to conserve the environment by making strategies to use the rubber
waste as a substitute component in a concrete mix.
● Emphasize the economic benefits and cost-savings of utilizing rubber waste in concrete
production.
 ● Recommendations for preserving the natural aggregates while replacing them with the
crushed rubber.

Conceptual Framework

Significance of the Study

This study will provide valuable information and new insights into the environmental and
economical benefits of using crushed waste rubber tires as partial coarse aggregate in the
concrete mixture, as well as its industrial effect as a construction material. The following will
benefit the study:

Construction Industry. The direct recipient of this research is the industry of construction. This
will provide a new alternative for concrete mix to be used in the building construction while
being economic and eco-friendly material.

Engineers. The engineers will benefit this study as it will suggest new material for construction
design and provide alternative supply for coarse aggregates.

Community. This study will suggest ways on how the community will make something out of
wastes that would not just lessen the environmental problems but would also provide financial
opportunities especially to the citizens by recycling waste rubber tires through grinding or
crushing to be utilized as coarse aggregate.

Future Researchers. This will also be very beneficial to the future researchers of the civil
engineering field. This study will serve as a guide or reference to their research and can therefore
be used as a basis for further innovations.

Scope and Limitation

This study will focus on the effects of crushed waste rubber tires as partial aggregate
replacement in the M25 class of concrete mixture. The collection of waste rubber tires is limited
within the area of Davao City, Davao Del Sur. The setup is limited to two programs where in the
same percentage (0%,15%,20%,25%) will be replacing the coarse aggregate only that the
second program will be added a sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to improve adhesion.

The methods involved in this study are limited to Compressive test, Splitting Tensile test,
and Flexural test. In these ways the effectiveness of crushed waste rubber tires as partial
aggregate into the M25 concrete mixture will be analyzed.

References

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replacement in self-compacting concrete—Literature overview. Materials, 11(9), p.1729.

[2] Sofi, A., 2018. Effect of waste tyre rubber on mechanical and durability properties of
concrete–A review. Ain Shams Engineering Journal, 9(4), pp.2691-2700.

[3] Giedrius G. and Dzˇigita N., 2017. Crushed rubber waste impact of concrete basic properties.
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[9] Philippine News Agency. (2022, May 30). Solid waste segregation remains major challenge
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[10] Shahjalal, M., Islam, K., Rahman, J., Ahmed, K. S., Karim, M. R., & Billah, A. M. (2021).
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