Technical note on sorption and permeability of concrete containing rubber and quartz sandstone aggregates

The presence of waste is a warning of overconsumption of materials and are not being used to its full potential. There has been a consistent decrease in environmental potential to absorb these wastes and a useful resource of matter and energy are lost due to the disposal of such wastes. The main problem associated is the excess production of wastes such as rubber and stones which could be utilised efficiently in many other ways. One of the sustainable utilisation of these wastes is by using them in the production of cement concrete. M30 concrete grade (water-cement ratio of 0.4) is designed as per Indian specifications with discarded tyre rubber as a partial replacement of fine aggregate and quartz sandstone as a partial replacement for coarse aggregates. The water absorption properties of concrete containing crumb rubber, quartz sandstone and a mixture of both were studied. Three sandstone replacement levels (0%, 50% and 100%) are taken and five rubber replacement levels (0%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5% and 10%) were considered for the study. Concrete having quartz sandstones as coarse aggregates and crumb rubber as fine aggregates are recommended to be used at 50% substitution level of quartz sandstone. The maximum rubber replacement in the same mix can be limited to 7.5% to maintain the increase in sorption rate below 15%.