Development of Tire Added Latex Concrete

Tire-added latex concrete (TALC) was developed to incorporate recycled tire rubber as part of concrete. Crumb rubbers from tires were used in TALC as a substitute for fine aggregates or styrene-butadiene rubber latex, while maintaining the same water-cement ratio. Various static and dynamic strengths of TALC were measured and compared with those of conventional and latex-modified concrete. TALC showed higher flexural and impact strengths than those of portland cement and latex-modified and rubber-added concretes. Microscopic pictures taken using the scanning electron microscope seem to support that there is better bonding between crumb rubbers and portland cement paste because of latex. TALC showed potential of becoming a viable construction material to enhance brittle concrete while incorporating waste tires.