Study on Dynamic Characteristics of Rubber-Red Clay Mixtures

Abstract

Rubber powder formed from discarded tire rubber is mixed with red clay to form a rubber-red clay mixture. The dynamic triaxial test was carried out on the mixtures under different conditions. The effects of rubber content, rubber particle size, moisture content of mixed soil, compactness, confining pressure, and vibration frequency on shear strain relation, dynamic shear modulus, and damping ratio of the mixture were investigated. The results show that under the same dynamic strain, the dynamic shear stress-strain curve of rubber mixed soil decreases with the increase in rubber particle content and moisture content and decrease in rubber particle size. On the other hand, it increases with the increase in compactness, confining pressure, and vibration frequency, and as the dynamic strain increases, the τd-γd curve becomes more nonlinear. In addition, with the increase in the rubber particle content, the dynamic shear modulus decreased while the damping ratio increased. When the content was 2%, the change was fastest. After continued addition, it gradually became stable, and when the decrease in rubber particle size also shows the same pattern, 2.00 mm rubber-red clay mixture shows better structure. The water content has great influence on dynamic shear modulus and damping ratio of rubber-red clay mixtures. With the increase in compactness, confining pressure, and vibration frequency, the interaction between mixed soil particles was enhanced, the dynamic shear modulus increased, and the damping ratio decreased.