Researchers have blended used tyres with building rubble to create a sustainable road-making material that they believe could cut the vast quantities of waste generated by the construction sector.
Construction, renovation and demolition account for about half the waste produced annually worldwide, while around one billion scrap tyres are generated globally each year. The team at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia, say this is the first time recycled rubble and rubber have been combined in a mix that meets road engineering safety standards.
Designed to be used for base layers, the recycled blend is more flexible than standard materials, making roads less prone to cracking. Lead researcher Dr Mohammad Boroujeni said the rubble-rubber mix could deliver both environmental and engineering benefits: “Traditional road bases are made of unsustainable virgin materials – quarried rock and natural sand.
“Our blended material is a 100 per cent recycled alternative that offers a new way to reuse tyre and building waste, while performing strongly on key criteria like flexibility, strength and permanent deformation.”