Performance Evaluation of Rubberized Concrete with the Use of Steel Fibers

Abstract

The worldwide use of concrete is second only to the water, as the demand of concrete increases; the requirement of its constituents also increases. Most of the developing countries like India are facing acute shortage of coarse and fine aggregates as they are natural resources to be used in concrete. To fulfill the demand of these materials, there is need to invent an alternative for coarse and fine aggregates but while inventing the alternative, it should be kept in mind that the alternatives must be from industrial or agricultural waste available at a very cheaper rate or available for free. Due to the evolution in automobile industries, there is remarkable increase in the production of waste tires which are made up of rubbers. The waste problem associated with used tires is one of the major problems facing the world today as a source of environmental pollution and health hazards. Currently, these waste tires are being utilized for recycling for rubber goods, pyrolysis, and in road construction. In the present study, sand is partially replaced from 0 to 20% by crumb rubber. Concrete specimen with M-25 grade is checked and compared with control mix for compressive strength, split tensile strength, flexural tensile strength and for acidic action. After using crumb rubber, it is found that the strengths mentioned above are achieved up to 10%. For further enhancement in the strengths, 0.2% steel fibers are used.