Experimental Study on the Mechanical Performance of Ordinary Portland Cement-Based Rubberized Concrete
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54536/ajcec.v2i1.7381Keywords:
Compressive Strength, Crumb Rubber, Impact Resistance, Modulus Elasticity, Surface TreatmentAbstract
This study investigates the incorporation of crumb rubber (CR), derived from end-of-life tires as a partial replacement for OPC binder, fine aggregates, and coarse aggregates in OPC-based concrete. The effects on compressive strength, modulus of elasticity (EOM), and impact resistance were evaluated at CR replacement levels of 9.4%, 17.9%, 25.5%, and 32.5%, in accordance with ASTM C39, ASTM C469, and ACI 544 (1999). The results show that increasing CR content leads to a progressive reduction in both compressive strength and modulus of elasticity. For instance, the compressive strength decreased by up to 56.0% at a CR replacement level of 25.5% after 28 days. NaOH surface treatment mitigated the strength loss when CR replaced fine aggregates but exacerbated it when used as a replacement for coarse aggregates. CR significantly improved impact resistance, particularly at a 9.4% replacement level, where the impact energy increased by 93.37%. FTIR analysis confirmed significant chemical modifications on the CR surface after NaOH treatment, which enhanced the interfacial bonding with the cement matrix. The findings highlight the potential of CR as a sustainable alternative to conventional aggregates, where optimized surface treatment can improve both mechanical performance and sustainability in rubberized concrete.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Ghaforzai Asghar, Lin Liu, Aayush Neupane, Le Liu, Md Jahangir Alam
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