Properties and durability of HPC with tyre rubber wastes

An estimated 1000 million tyres reach the end of their useful lives every year and 5000 millions more are expected to be discarded in a regular basis by the year 2030. Up to now a small part is recycled and millions of tyres are just stockpiled, landfilled or buried. This paper presents results about the properties and the durability of HPC with partial replacement of sand by tyre rubber wastes. Fly ash and metakaolin are used as partial cement replacement. The durability performance was assessed by means of capillary water absorption and resistance to sulphuric acid attack. The results show the existence of a synergetic effect between fly ash and metakaolin that minimizes the strength loss associated to the use of rubber waste. Results also show that is possible to use rubber waste up to 15% and still maintain a high resistance to acid attack. The mixes with 45% fly ash and 15% metakaolin show a much higher resistance to sulphuric acid attack than the reference mix independently of the rubber waste content.

► We study the properties and the sulphuric acid resistance of HPC with tyre rubber wastes.
► Synergetic effect between FA and MK minimizes strength loss associated to the use of rubber waste.
► Is possible to use of rubber waste up to 15% and still maintain a high resistance to acid attack.
► A mixture with high resistance to sulphuric acid attack containing rubber waste, FA and MK was designed.