Effect of waste rubber particles on high plasticity clay stabilized with lime and fly ash

Due to increasing human population and the demand for construction around the world, the available soils to apply engineering projects are gradually decreasing. Therefore, soil improvement using various methods performed on the soils which are not suitable for construction has became a necessary process. This study focuses on the effects of adding waste tire to a high plasticity clay soil stabilized with lime and fly ash. In the study, the lime rate was kept at the optimum level, six fly ash dosage (%3, %6, %9, %12, %15, %18) and three percentage of rubber particles (%0.5, %1, %1.5) were determined after the preliminary tests. The tests namely, Atterberg limits, compaction, swelling potential, unconfined compressive strength and micro analysis (XRF, XRD, SEM) were conducted on the mixtures. After the samples which are prepared at the optimum water content had been cured for 2, 7, 28 and 56 days, the unconfined compressive strength tests were carried out on the mixtures. The results showed that adding lime, fly ash and rubber particles reduces the free swelling potential. Furthermore, the incorporation of rubber particles improves the unconfined compressive strength of composites and alters the brittle failure behavior of clay stabilized using lime and fly ash to ductile behavior. These composites can be used in manufacturing rammed earth, highway projects as base and sub-base, retaining walls as a backfill.