A study on the use of recycled crumb rubber in reinforced rubber piles.

摘要

Growing up in a developing country has shown me a different perspective on worldwide problems. As solid waste is constantly dumped on the streets, rivers and yards with no strict regulations, I decided to undertake this thesis not only to try to ease solid waste issues in the United States, but also as a technology aid to other underdeveloped countries.;Timber, reinforced concrete and steel have always been the primary choices in materials used in pile foundations. However, timber, concrete and steel tend to have problems in a marine environment than non-marine environments. Designing a pile structure in a marine environment requires the pile to ensure that deterioration due its surroundings does not shorten the structure's life expectancy. The most common causes of deterioration are marine borers, corrosion, decay and mechanical wear.;Crumb rubber is a material that is impervious to marine borers and that it can be modified to be durable and strong. Thus, the purpose of this thesis is to study crumb rubber properties in order to determine the possibility of it being used as a marine pile.