Abstract

The developments in rubberized concrete technology and its implementation in engineering could greatly facilitate the extensive recycling and proper disposal of waste tire material. The use of rubber crumb in concrete modifies its compressive strength characteristics. The main aim of the proposed study is to determine the mechanical and physical behavior of the rubberized concrete block using NaOH-treated waste tire rubber crumb as a partial replacement aggregate. There were different replacement levels of rubber crumb up to 25% with sodium hydroxide treatment and silica fume to enhance strength performance. Experimental research studies on compressive strength, density, and thermal conductivity. It is found that the higher the content of rubber, the lower will be the compressive strength, but the greater the thermal insulation and the lower the unit weight. A best combination of 15% rubber crumb with silica fume had a compressive strength of 13.91−14.52 MPa, indicating that it could be used in load-bearing masonry construction with lower density. Greater rubber contents exhibited better thermal resistance and could be used as nonstructural and insulation. The findings show that NaOH-treated rubberized concrete can be a sustainable and viable solution to tire waste recycling in construction.