Recycled tire rubber as a fine aggregate replacement in sustainable concrete: a comprehensive review

Unofficial AI-generated summary based on the public title and abstract. Not an official translation.

🔬研究者:This comprehensive review summarizes mechanical and durability properties of CRC, identifies research gaps, and provides polynomial regression models for strength prediction.

🏢実務担当者:Construction engineers can use the recommended 10-20% CR content and enhancement strategies to produce low-carbon concrete that meets structural requirements.

🏛政策担当者:Policymakers can reference the LCA results showing 30-135 kg/m3 CO2 reduction to promote recycled materials in building codes and green procurement policies.

Abstract The use of recycled tire rubber, particularly crumb rubber (CR), as a partial fine aggregate replacement offers a sustainable pathway to reduce environmental waste and conserve natural resources, aligning with SDG 9 and SDG 12. This review synthesizes 84 peer-reviewed studies to evaluate the mechanical performance, durability, microstructural characteristics, and practical applicability of crumb rubber concrete (CRC). While CRC typically shows reductions in compressive, tensile, and flexural strengths, stemming from weak ITZ bonding, low stiffness, and increased porosity. It exhibits improved ductility, freeze–thaw resistance, and chemical durability. Empirical polynomial regression models are introduced to quantify strength degradation as a function of CR content, and benchmarking against major design codes indicates that CR levels up to 20 % can satisfy minimum strength requirements for selected exposure classes. Recent enhancement strategies, including RF-RC systems and matrix modifications using sulfate-resistant cement, silica fume, and fly ash, demonstrate quantifiable gains, such as ∼25 % increases in compressive strength, post-crack residual strength improvements from 0.10 MPa to 1.4–3.1 MPa, and ductility enhancements exceeding 70 %. Environmental assessments further show that CRC and multi-waste composite systems can reduce embodied energy by 153–227 MJ/m3 and CO2 emissions by 30–135 kg/m3, with LCA studies reporting up to 75 % decreases in total environmental impacts. Field-scale investigations confirm CRC’s feasibility, with composite slabs achieving 10–19 % higher peak loads and 17–33 % higher first-crack loads than conventional concrete. Overall, limiting CR content to 10–20 % and employing performance-based mix optimization are recommended to balance mechanical performance, durability, and sustainability in next-generation low-carbon construction.

• semanticscholar https://doi.org/10.1515/rams-2025-0210first seen 2026-06-29 07:41:38