DOI

10.5703/1288284313165

Abstract

According to recent research, it is estimated that there are more than 500 million tires stockpiled across the United States, and 270 million more are generated each year. A significant number of tires are left in empty yards and even dumped illegally. Tires have characteristics that make them not easy to dispose, and potentially combustible. For these reasons, there is a strong need to find beneficial ways to recycle or reuse tires. Civil engineering applications constitute one of biggest markets for scrap tires. Tire shreds can be used as fill material, for example. The objective of this research is to evaluate the feasibility of using a mixture of tire shreds and soil as fill material for embankments on the basis of field instrumentation and tests. Successful construction and performance of tire shred embankments may promote using tire shred as fill material, with large benefits to society. The present research project consists of construction of test tire shred and soil embankment as well basic laboratory tests for material property characteristics and instrumentation of the embankment. The instrumentation includes settlement monitoring using settlement plates, vertical and horizontal inclinometer monitoring, temperature monitoring and groundwater quality analysis. The performance of the embankment is evaluated based on field instrumentation and visual observation.

Report Number

FHWA/IN/JTRP-2002/35

Keywords

lightweight material, recycling, reuse, waste materials, tires, tire shreds, embankment, SPR-2360

SPR Number

2360

Project Number

C-36-50T

File Number

6-19-19

Performing Organization

Joint Transportation Research Program

Publisher Place

West Lafayette, IN

Date of this Version

10-2003

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