Scrap-tyre soil mixture for seismic protection

Scrap tyre stockpile has been a significant disposal problem around the world. Significant research attention has been devoted in recent years to find new beneficial ways to recycle and reuse the huge stockpile. This paper proposes a new method of utilizing scrap tyres for infrastructure protection. The method involves mixing scrap tyres with soil materials and placing the mixtures around foundations for vibration absorption. This method provides two major benefits: (i) the low-cost would make it accessible to developing countries and rural areas of developed countries where resources and technology are not adequate for earthquake mitigation with welldeveloped, expensive, techniques and (ii) potential to consume the huge stockpiles of scrap tyres all over the world. However, the success of the proposed method depends on the static and dynamic properties of scrap tyresoil mixtures. This paper presents results of recent experimental investigations on tyre (tyre crumbs)-soil mixtures carried out at University ofWollongong.