Mechanical characterization of concrete containing crumb rubber and recycled brick aggregate

The application of recycled brick aggregate (RBA) and crumb rubber (CR) derived from the waste tire as a partial replacement of natural coarse aggregate (NCA) and natural fine aggregate (NFA), respectively can be a viable solution towards a greener environment. This study investigates the effect of RBA and CR on the fresh and hardened properties of concrete. The RBA is used by 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30% on a weight basis whereas CR is used by 0%, 5%, and 10% on a volume basis. The results are presented in terms of workability, fresh density, compressive strength (fc'), splitting tensile strength (fst), and flexural strength (fr) of rubberized recycled brick aggregate concrete (R2BAC). Digital Image Correlation (DIC) is also performed to evaluate the flexural performance in terms of surface strain behavior of the prism beam. It is observed from the test results that the influence of RBA on fc' and fst is nearly similar to that obtained from the fresh aggregate. However, the value of fr decreases with the presence of RBA. On the other hand, the value of fc', fst, and fr, decreases when the CR content is greater than 5%. However, the strain (deformability) of the beam specimens at peak load increases with the rise of the CR percentage. The failure mode suggested that CR reduces the brittleness of concrete. Finally, this research opens a new horizon of opportunities for utilizing the structural potential of waste materials in construction industries.