Laboratory and Field Characterization of Tire-Soil Mixtures

Participants: Hailey Wappett, Tim Fitzgerald, Brent Vollenweider, Alex Cabral, Erich Kroll, Chardphoom Vitranjandr, Satoshi Takata

Description: This project involves analytical developments, laboratory characterization, and field evaluation of soil-tire shred mixture and layering techniques. Analytical formulations, suitable for future design projects, were developed. Laboratory tests are conducted to evaluate the shear strength of tire shred-soil specimens using large-scale triaxial devices. The project also involves extensive field monitoring of the mechanical response as well as of the environmental interactions of tire shreds and soil to evaluate the long-term performance of the composite system. Current research includes thermal conductivity of soil-tire shred mixtures.

References:

Vollenweider, B., Cabral, A., Pfeffer, T., and Zornberg, J.G. (2002). Field Study of the Thermal Behavior of Various Soil/Tire Shred Mixtures. Geotechnical Research Report, Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder , May 2002, 60p.

Zornberg, J.G., Kroll, E., and Argentati, A. (2001). Construction of a Prototype Tire Shred-Soil Embankment. Geotechnical Research Report, Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder , August 2001.

Zornberg, J.G., and Viratjandr, C. (2001). Shear Strength of Tire Shred-Soil Mixtures. Geotechnical Research Report, Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder , August 2001.

Abu-Hejleh, N., Zornberg, J.G., Outcalt, W., and McMullen, M. (2001). Results and Recommendations of Forensic Investigation of Three Full-Scale GRS Abutment and Piers in Denver , Colorado . Colorado Department of Transportation, Report No. CDOT-DTD-R-2001-6, Denver , Colorado , June 2001.

Zornberg, J.G. (2000). Use of Tire Shreds in Highway Embankments. Report to the Colorado Advanced Materials Institute, Tire-Tap Program, University of Colorado at Boulder, Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, July 2000.

Viratjandr, C. (2000). Shear Strength of Tire Shred-Sand Mixtures. M.S. thesis, Department of Civil Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, August 2000, 211 p.

Kroll, E. (2000). Construction of a Prototype Embankment using Tire Shreds. M.S. report, Department of Civil Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder , Boulder , Colorado , November 2000.

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