GEOTECHNICAL IMPLICATIONS ON SOIL STABILIZATION BY USING TYRE RUBBER WASTE

Abstract

Use of recycled waste materials for geotechnical and civil engineering applications can provide an attractive way to reduce the waste to be disposed of and it may help in improving engineering properties of soil. Scrap tyres are one of such waste material which has many properties that can be effectively utilized for geotechnical and civil engineering applications. In this study a recycled waste product crumb rubber was used as an additive with clayey soil to analyze the effect of additive on soil properties. Statically compacted soil specimens have been prepared at optimum moisture content and maximum dry density by adding 3%, 5%, 7%, 10% and 15% by weight of crumb rubber powder to the parent soil. It has been observed that there is a decrease in maximum dry density (MDD) due to an increase in percentage of crumb rubber powder. Lower specific gravity of crumb rubber may have caused the decrement in MDD values and also it was observed that due to increase in percentage of crumb rubber powder, CBR strength value of the soil increase but after 7% of crumb rubber CBR values decreased. California bearing ratio (CBR) tests were carried out on soil and crumb rubber mix to study the effect of crumb rubber in strengthening the soil. Results have shown increase in CBR values up to 7% of crumb rubber. Therefore, it is suggested that the waste crumbed tyres can be mixed with soil, and the soil can be used safely in the sub grade and others purposes.