Influence of Incorporating Waste Rubber Crumbs on Shear Parameters of Recycled and Natural Materials

The production of construction and demolition (C&D) waste and waste tyre rubber crumbs are crucial aspects of sustainable waste management and environmental conservation worldwide. Various initiatives promote the recycling and reuse of these waste materials for sustainable practices. This paper presents a comparative study on the influence of incorporating partial contents of recycled fine rubber crumbs in the recycled construction and demolition waste (RCDW), crushed aggregates, and river sand on the shear parameters (c, ϕ) of the mix. The fine rubber crumbs were mixed with the aforementioned materials in varying contents, i.e., 0%, 2%, 4%, and 6% by weight. The minimum and maximum densities were evaluated, and the strain-controlled direct shear tests were performed using the above combinations at 60% relative density to evaluate the shear parameters. The results showed a significant improvement in the ϕ-values of all three materials when mixed with rubber crumbs. The improvement ratio was higher for RCDW than for the other materials. However, a slight decrease in the cohesion values was observed. The outcomes of this study demonstrate the potential of waste rubber crumbs to enhance the shear strength of waste and natural construction materials, contributing to the development of innovative infrastructure solutions and reducing environmental impact.