[Red Badger]

Crumb rubber concrete made by grinding down discarded tires has stood up well in real-world testing

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352012421011802?via=ihub

Abstract While there is extensive data now available for the performance of crumb rubber concrete (CRC) in laboratory mixes, it is essential to understand whether satisfactory performance can be replicated in real-world structures.

This is particularly the case for the area of residential construction, which is a sector that is sometimes characterised by fairly average outcomes due to a sometimes-low skilled workforce operating with minimal supervision.

To replicate a real-world situation, CRC research has been moved from “the lab to the slab” in this paper. Two large-scale (4 × 8 m each) reinforced concrete residential footing slabs were constructed. One was cast with CRC and the other with a standard residential mix of conventional concrete (CC).

In addition, two reinforced concrete residential ground slabs of different dimensions were constructed out of CRC and CC mixes to assess abrasion resistance. These ground slabs were poured in high traffic entrances of a civil engineering laboratory. All mixes were provided by a commercial ready-mix company and the construction was undertaken by an experienced footing contractor. A large range of factors have been investigated and compared. Those related to construction requirements, included the effect of using rubber on concrete mixing, delivery, workability, pumpability, ease of surface finishing, and curing.

The contractors reported easy screeding and less physical effort to do so, with no difference reported when finishing the concrete surface when using a concrete power trowel for footing slabs.

Other factors that were investigated included: fresh and hardened density, compressive strength, modulus of elasticity, shrinkage, carbonation, chloride ingress, abrasion resistance, rising damp, and corrosion. The results show that CRC is a potentially viable and promising alternative to conventional concrete in the residential concrete market.

[HighSierra5]

So if I fall on this new concrete, I’ll bounce back up?

[nascarnation]

Interesting.
I wonder what the economics of this are?

Wikipedia says 43% of scrap tires are burned as fuel, and 25% ground into material for products like running tracks.

[Don W]

30 years ago they tried this with asphalt.

It did not work very well.

[dead]

It’d be nice if it’s economical and works well. Not so nice if it sucks and it’s rammed down society’s throat anyway to appease the green screechers.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

“crumb rubber concrete”

After a couple of years in service, it will be “crumbling rubber concrete.”

“Rubberized asphalt” has been a total disaster in California. Roads crumble in a fraction of the time of virgin asphalt.

[Bob434]

TE rub thiugh is that you have to use wither 1 tire or 3 or more, not 2 because if you do, the concentrate will be 2 tired to hold together

[Repeal The 17th]

“...concrete is a prime target for researchers developing greener materials...
...crumbs can then be used to replace a certain proportion of the sand in the mix...
...lessening the reliance on the natural material...”
-
Is there a shortage of sand that I am unaware of?

[dangus]

This is so unbelievably stupid! It’s like an alcoholic “cutting down on his drinking” by drinking ten shots of vodka instead of eight cans of beer. Sand isn’t the issue. Replacing sand with immortal rubber will only make the problem worse.

Incidentally, they tried doing this with roadways to reduce the use of petroleum products in asphalt back in the 1980s. They stopped after it was shown that the rubber-asphalt was slick as hell after it rained. It’s probably why the Thunderbird I bought as my first car slipped like crazy and was utterly destroyed on rainy afternoon, but try proving that five years later.

[Jaysin]

“With a notoriously large carbon footprint, concrete is a prime target for researchers developing greener materials for the future of construction.”

stopped reading right there.

I assume they all want us living in huts and tee-pees......not long before they implement the Khmer Rouge Phnom Penh plan and just force us all into tents like in many Cali towns already.

[Organic Panic]

...Until the steel belts start rusting, producing heat, and porosity from the rust in the concrete.

[cyclotic]

It seems some moron tries to come up with a replacement for concrete. Portland cement is one of the most plentiful things on earth.

Sure, let’s replace it with car tires.

The processing necessary to pulverize rubber and steel to grains the size of sand has to use incredible amounts of energy.

These people are stupid.

[Seruzawa]

This idiot doesn’t know what the word “notorious” means.

[heavy metal]

rubber meets road...