According to recent data, every year approximately 2.5 million tons of used tires (about 250 million units) are either recycled or recovered in Europe. Generally, end of life tire (ELT) enters a waste management system based on product/material recycling and/or energy recovery. The application of ELTs in civil engineering (such as foundation for roads and railways, draining material, erosion barriers, etc.) in 2013 was 11% of ELTs sent to material recovery. However, the most important material recovery is represented by recycling of rubber granulates and powder (82%). In this context, the experimental work herein discussed is part of a wider scientific investigation on the application of steel fibers recycled from ELTs as discontinuous reinforcement in concrete matrix. As a matter of fact, the main role of the steel fibers within the matrix is to control the crack opening and propagation, increasing the overall ductility of concrete elements. As soon as the cracks widen out, the toughness increases and the cracking process is modified from brittle to ductile, allowing the material to redistribute the stresses. This cracking control also improves the durability of the material. On the basis of previous research studies and also considering the available literature the main issue of the proposed research is to extend the characterization of the recycled steel fibers and to develop the study of their structural behavior when applied for a new eco-friendly concrete. Using these recycled steel fibers in concrete production could ensure a surplus value in terms of environmental and ecological benefits and consequently a significant reduction in landfilling of ELTs. Fresh and hardened properties of concrete reinforced with recycled steel fibers are discussed as well as the post-cracking behavior properties. The obtained results evidenced the good behavior of the proposed material when compared with concrete reinforced with industrial steel fibers. A concrete pavement was finally realized applying the proposed reinforced mixture with recycled steel fibers. As discussed in the following, this application was successful and it fulfilled the specific requested properties.
Mechanical properties of concrete reinforced with recycled steel fibers: a case study
CENTONZE, GIUSEPPE;LEONE, Marianovella;MICELLI, Francesco;AIELLO, Maria Antonietta
2016-01-01
Abstract
According to recent data, every year approximately 2.5 million tons of used tires (about 250 million units) are either recycled or recovered in Europe. Generally, end of life tire (ELT) enters a waste management system based on product/material recycling and/or energy recovery. The application of ELTs in civil engineering (such as foundation for roads and railways, draining material, erosion barriers, etc.) in 2013 was 11% of ELTs sent to material recovery. However, the most important material recovery is represented by recycling of rubber granulates and powder (82%). In this context, the experimental work herein discussed is part of a wider scientific investigation on the application of steel fibers recycled from ELTs as discontinuous reinforcement in concrete matrix. As a matter of fact, the main role of the steel fibers within the matrix is to control the crack opening and propagation, increasing the overall ductility of concrete elements. As soon as the cracks widen out, the toughness increases and the cracking process is modified from brittle to ductile, allowing the material to redistribute the stresses. This cracking control also improves the durability of the material. On the basis of previous research studies and also considering the available literature the main issue of the proposed research is to extend the characterization of the recycled steel fibers and to develop the study of their structural behavior when applied for a new eco-friendly concrete. Using these recycled steel fibers in concrete production could ensure a surplus value in terms of environmental and ecological benefits and consequently a significant reduction in landfilling of ELTs. Fresh and hardened properties of concrete reinforced with recycled steel fibers are discussed as well as the post-cracking behavior properties. The obtained results evidenced the good behavior of the proposed material when compared with concrete reinforced with industrial steel fibers. A concrete pavement was finally realized applying the proposed reinforced mixture with recycled steel fibers. As discussed in the following, this application was successful and it fulfilled the specific requested properties.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
