Effect of recycled rubber aggregate size on fracture and other mechanical properties of structural concrete

Abstract

Rubberised concrete (RC) is a green and environmentally friendly concrete type that can be used as a sustainable production material. However, investigations on the structural applications of RC are limited due to its increased cost and decrease in strength. In this study, economical mixture designs were formulated with low-level replacements of rubber aggregates from recycled end-of-life tyres, as a prospective approach. The size effect with coarse (15 mm tyre shreds) and fine (2–4 mm tyre crumbs) rubber aggregates on the fresh and mechanical properties of structural concrete, specifically its fracture properties, was investigated, incorporating preliminary testing and constitutive models. ..