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. 2022 Feb 26;15(5):1777.
doi: 10.3390/ma15051777.

Compressive Strength Assessment of Soil-Cement Blocks Incorporated with Waste Tire Steel Fiber

Joaquin Humberto Aquino Rocha  1 , Fernando Palacios Galarza  2 , Nahúm Gamalier Cayo Chileno  2 , Marialaura Herrera Rosas  2 , Sheyla Perez Peñaranda  2 , Luis Ledezma Diaz  2 , Rodrigo Pari Abasto  2
Affiliations

Compressive Strength Assessment of Soil-Cement Blocks Incorporated with Waste Tire Steel Fiber

Joaquin Humberto Aquino Rocha et al. Materials (Basel). .

Abstract

The rapid growth in waste tire disposal has become a severe environmental concern in recent decades. Recycling rubber and steel fibers from wasted tires as construction materials helps counteract this imminent environmental crisis, mainly improving the performance of cement-based materials. Consequently, the present article aims to evaluate the potential use of waste tire steel fibers (i.e., WTSF) incorporated in the manufacture of soil-cement blocks, considering their compressive resistance as a primary output variable of comparison. The experimental methodology applied in this study comprised the elaboration of threefold mixtures of soil-cement blocks, all of them with 10% by weight in Portland cement, but with different volumetric additions of WTSF (i.e., 0%, 0.75%, and 1.5%). The assessment's outcomes revealed that the addition of 0.75% WTSF does not have a statistically significant influence on the compressive resistance of the samples. On the contrary, specimens with 1.5% WTSF displayed a 20% increase (on average) in their compressive strength. All the tested samples' results exhibited good agreement with the minimum requirements of the different standards considered. The compressive resistance was evaluated in the first place because it is the primary provision demanded by the specifications for applying soil-cement materials in building constructions. However, further research on the physical and mechanical properties of WTSF soil-cement blocks is compulsory; an assessment of the durability of soil-cement blocks with WTSF should also be carried out.

Keywords: compressive strength; scrap tire recycled steel fiber; soil–cement blocks; sustainability.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Soil–cement block sample: (a) 0.75% WTSF, and (b) dimensions.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Research methodology.
Figure 3
Figure 3
WTSF: (a) unclassified and (b) classified.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Preparation of soil–cement blocks: (a) preparation of materials, (b) placement of mixture, and (c) compaction.
Figure 5
Figure 5
WTSF soil–cement block samples.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Soil’s granulometric classification curve.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Proctor test’s compaction curves.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Block compression tests results.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Tested soil–cement WTSF blocks: (a) 0.75% WTSF and (b) 1.50% WTSF.
Figure 10
Figure 10
Percentage of variation in compressive strength.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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