EPS-filled used tires as a light weight construction fill material

Abstract

An innovative EPS-filled used tire as a lightweight construction fill material is introduced. Hollow inner spaces of recycled used tires are entirely filled with EPS (Expanded Polystyrene) to make rather rigid against vertical compression, but extremely lightweight composite materials. The units could be utilized by stacking those in several layers; to make light weight embankment system on soft ground; to construct a temporal access road system, which could be removed easily after the end of the project and reused again at other projects; to make lightweight backfill in retaining wall system against which the lateral earth pressure would be minimized; and many other applications when both rigidity and lightness are required. In this paper, the focus was placed on lightweight embankment construction on soft ground. Laboratory experiments were conducted to study the response of EPS-filled tires under compressive stresses as a single unit as well as stacks of several layers. By using numerical methods, parameters for designing of pavement structures on EPS-filled tire embankments were determined, and an example of pavement designed on EPS-filled tire embankment was investigated. It was concluded that construction of embankments using EPS-filled tire system is technically feasible though the cost of EPS-filled tire may still be unfavorable due to its manufacturing cost at this moment. © 2008 Taylors & Francis Group.