Durability and Recycling of Rubber Concrete

Abstract

The addition of crumb rubber particles causes a decrease in the compressive strength of concrete. This is particularly observed beyond 3.6% crumb rubber addition with respect to the total weight of the aggregates. The accelerated carbonation also indicates an increase in the CO2 ingress, which is partially due to the low quality of the interface rubber particles-cementitious matrix. On the other hand, the water sealant properties, the chloride penetration resistance and the resistance to freeze and thaw exhibit an increase. This latter feature is mainly due to the implemented ductility of the crumb rubber concrete, which can better adapt to the thermal stress that arises during the freezing action. Furthermore, the addition of recycled crumb rubber up to 25% of the aggregate weight to concrete positively affect the mechanical as well as the durability performance.