Experimental Study of Rubberized Concrete Stress-Strain Behavior for Improving Constitutive Models

Area of Science:

• Civil Engineering
• Materials Science
• Structural Engineering

Background:

• Established constitutive stress-strain models for concrete are inadequate for rubberized concrete.
• Modified models require further validation with diverse experimental data and parameters.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the influence of varying rubber content on the mechanical behavior of concrete.
• To investigate the stress-strain curve, compressive strength, elastic modulus, and failure patterns of rubberized concrete.
• To assess the suitability of existing models and propose improvements for rubberized concrete.

Main Methods:

• Uniaxial compressive tests were performed on concrete samples with rubber replacing 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40% of aggregate.
• The entire stress-strain curve was analyzed, including key mechanical properties and failure modes.
• Experimental results were compared against predictions from existing constitutive models.

Main Results:

• Increasing rubber content linearly decreases compressive strength and elastic modulus.
• Higher rubber content significantly enhances the ductility of concrete.
• Existing constitutive models show significant inadequacy for rubberized concrete, especially at higher rubber percentages.

Conclusions:

• Rubberized concrete exhibits reduced strength and stiffness but improved ductility with increased rubber content.
• A modified constitutive model was proposed to better represent the stress-strain behavior of rubberized concrete.
• The study provides crucial data for utilizing nonlinear material properties in rubberized concrete applications.