Application of Unprocessed Waste Tyres in Pavement Base Structures: A Study on Deformation and Stress Analysis Using...

Area of Science:

• Civil Engineering
• Materials Science
• Geotechnical Engineering

Background:

• Traditional pavement structures face challenges with deformation and stress distribution.
• Incorporating recycled materials like waste tyres offers sustainable solutions.
• Understanding tyre-rubber properties is key to enhancing pavement performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To numerically evaluate the impact of waste tyre incorporation in pavement base layers.
• To assess the influence of tyre size and configuration on pavement response.
• To identify optimal tyre reinforcement strategies for improved structural performance.

Main Methods:

• Numerical simulations using the Abaqus finite element model.
• Analysis of coupled tyre-pavement structures with varying tyre sizes and stacking schemes.
• Evaluation of deformation resilience, settlement, displacement, equivalent stress, and bearing capacity.

Main Results:

• Tyre reinforcement significantly enhances deformation resilience due to rubber's hyperelasticity.
• Specific tyre configurations (full, one-third, one-half) optimize settlement, displacement, or resource use.
• Tyre inclusion increases equivalent stress in underlying layers, with smaller sizes showing less impact.
• Projecting tyre tread improves base structure bearing capacity and load distribution.

Conclusions:

• Tyre-reinforced pavements offer a sustainable and innovative approach for light to moderate traffic conditions.
• Optimized layer design, including moderate surface course modulus and high-modulus layers with tyre reinforcement, manages deformation and stress.
• Further research needed on long-term environmental, economic benefits, and tyre ageing effects.