Mechanical Properties of Light Weight Polymer Modified Concrete Made with Chopped Rubber Tires

Abstract

Lightweight concrete is highly used as loaded and unloaded parts in structures. The low values of compressive strength leads to the production of lightweight concrete blocks that can be used in partitions and the types that have more than 17 MPa and in some structural members that are not highly loaded. This research includes study of mechanical properties of this type of concrete which produced from the waste materials ( chopped rubber tires ) that are used as a percentage from coarse aggregates by the replacing method. The replacement was as 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50% by weight of coarse aggregates. The mixes were modified by using the styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) to increase the values of the mechanical properties and durability. The aim of this investigation is to product special mixes of concrete with a low density and good mechanical properties to reduce the dead load and more economic construction . This study proof the CRT effect on compressive strength whereas it dropped from 62.5 Mpa to 40.8 Mpa by increase percentage of the CRT from 10% to 50%, but in the same time the density lowered up to 33%. The mixes with 10%, 20%, 30% can be regarded as a structural lightweight concrete (exceeded 17 MPa) and the other mixes can be used for the production of lightweight blocks used in partitions.