Green Strategies for Design and Construction of Non-Auto Transportation Infrastructure

Green Strategies for Design and Construction of Non-Auto Transportation Infrastructure

Application of Tire-Derived Aggregates (TDA) as a green, durable, and economically-efficient material, enhances the sustainability of transportation infrastructure. Throughout the course of this research study, the application of TDA in combination with expanded clay (EC) aggregates will be investigated in concrete slabs used in road pavements and bridge decks serving non-auto traffic, such as bicycle routes, through a set of experimental tests and life-cycle cost analyses. To this end, TDA, which is obtained from recycled tires, and EC, produced in rotary kilns, substitute for coarse aggregates in conventional concrete. The final product, also known as lightweight rubberized concrete, is durable and economically-efficient. It also enhances the sustainability of transportation infrastructure by mitigating the necessary maintenance and rehabilitation needs of these slabs. In this report, an experimental study has been undertaken to first estimate mechanical properties of lightweight rubberized concrete using 100% EC, 100% TDA, and a mixture of 20% EC – 80% TDA; the TDA was replaced by the volume of the EC aggregates. Next, a series of static flexural and dynamic impact-fatigue tests were performed on simply-supported beam specimens and slab assemblies, respectively, to measure both modulus of rupture and durability when subjected to the applied loads. The cyclic testing results confirmed a lower flexural strength of the rubberized concrete specimens. However, the specimens exhibited an ability to withstand larger plastic deformations up until the point of failure. Using the results of impact-fatigue tests, a life-cycle cost analysis was also performed, which confirmed long-term benefits of constructing green and durable infrastructure, using TDA and EC, on transportation investments. In conclusion, using these durable materials in infrastructural construction will lessen their maintenance and rehabilitation needs. Further, this application will divert waste tires from landfills.

report

Nazari, M., Tehrani, F., Ansari, M., Jeevanlal, B., Rahman, F., & Farshidpour, R. (2019). Green Strategies for Design and Construction of Non-Auto Transportation Infrastructure (No. 19–17). Mineta Transportation Institute.