Examination of Soil Improvement with Reused Tires and Pets

Various studies have been executed for the aim of obtaining new products via reused waste materials or to use such materials as admixture materials in already available products. The widespread, worldwide popularity of automobile traffic and increasing quantity of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) pose risks for human health, environmental safety and aesthetical concerns, etc. However, the reuse of waste tires and plastic materials in various applications has been encouraged and increased globally.

The objective of the present study is to analyze not only the usability of such wastes by adding waste tire and waste PET materials into the soil but also to determine their effects on the soil characteristics. Sieve analysis, hydrometer test, pycnometer, and compaction and CBR (California bearing ratio) tests have been conducted on a sample soil from Corlu region. In optimum water content, CBR tests have preliminarily been conducted on a natural soil sample, which was then ensued by adding into the soil sample 2% ratio of tire, 2% ratio of PET, 4% ratio of PET + 0.5% ratio of tire, and 0.5% ratio of PET + 4% ratio of tire (by weight), respectively. The results of the laboratory tests performed revealed that a significant change was not observed in the CBR values of the waste tire, while the PET admixture led to an increase in the CBR values.