Use of Scrapped Rubber Tires for Sustainable Construction of Manhole Covers

Abstract

Scrapped tires from vehicles are produced in large quantities. Despite numerous existing uses of scrapped tires, a large quantity ends up at the landfill sites, which contributes to environmental degradation. The development of more applications of scrapped tire usage can reduce the disposal of tires at landfill sites. This research proposes a novel use of scrapped tires by using the strips taken from scrapped tires in replacement of steel bars as reinforcement. Manhole covers were produced using scrapped tires by completely replacing the steel with scrapped tires. Four different samples of manhole covers were prepared and tested. The highest bearing capacity of 25.5 kN was recorded with a sample of 100 mm thickness made with cementitious composite, which is 2.25 times higher than the bearing capacity of a conventional reinforced-concrete manhole cover. The use of manhole covers made with scrapped tires can effectively address the theft issue of manhole covers. The lifecycle cost analysis shows that the manhole cover made with scrapped tires is 3.4 times more cost-effective in comparison with the conventional manhole cover. This research shows a new avenue of the potential use of scrapped tires as reinforcement in structures, which can improve sustainable construction practices.