The impact of rubber crumb on the mechanical and chemical properties of concrete

Various works have been carried out on both the physical and mechanical properties of rubberized concrete in previous research. But the chemical composition of rubberized concrete has not been fully investigated. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive x-ray spectrum (EDX) analysis were used to determine the element composition and the peak intensity of chemical elements in the waste rubber concrete. The SEM and EDX analysis results showed that, ferrous iron, oxygen, calcium, and silicon were the dominant elements, and these elements reduced as more waste rubber were added to the concrete. Carbon and sulphur elements increased as rubber crumbs were added to the rubberized concrete. The work concluded that the presence of rubber crumb in the concrete samples contributed to both mechanical and chemical changes in the property of rubberized concrete.