Concrete made with used tyre aggregate: durability-related performance

The many problems related to dumping used tyres have led to the development of various uses for this industrial waste. The performance of concrete that contains rubber aggregate made from used tyres (CTA) has been studied since the early 1990s. Past research has dealt mainly with the mechanical characteristics of this type of concrete. This research, however, has assessed the performance of CTA in terms of durability. Tests for shrinkage, water absorption by immersion and capillarity, carbonation and chlorides penetration resistance were performed. Concrete mixes were produced in which 5%, 10% and 15% of the volume of natural aggregate (NA) were replaced by aggregate derived from used tyres (TA). The fine and coarse aggregate were replaced both separately and simultaneously. This research also examined the influence of the rubber grinding process. Some concrete mixes were therefore made with mechanically ground aggregate and others with aggregate produced by cryogenic technology.