Effect of oxidation of end-of-life tire rubber as aggregate substitute in cement mortars

In this paper the possible use of end-of-life tire rubber as a substitute for aggregate in cement mortars was explored. The aim of this paper was to investigate the effect of rubber surface modification by acidic treatment on the final properties of mortars. In fact, through treatment with sulfuric acid at moderate concentrations, a significant improvement in rubber wettability and interaction with cement has been observed. The compressive strength of mortars containing 15%w treated rubber as a replacement of natural aggregate is comparable to those of standard mortars. This suggests that surface modification of rubber plays a very important role in the possible integration of end-of-life tire rubber in mortar and concrete. The results presented in this paper confirm that recycling in mortar and concrete is a promising way for improving rubber waste management and sustainable innovation in the construction industry.