Experimental Study on Waste Rubber Chips and Brick Powder for Soil Stabilization

Waste materials can be used as soil stabilizers instead of conventional methods of soil stabilization. This paper focuses on methods of soil stabilization using waste materials to avoid environmental deterioration. The present study is focusing on to compare the waste rubber chips and brick powder as soil stabilizer on the soil sample brought from one of the sites in Konkan railway near Margao railway station. The attempt was made to analyze the soil stabilized with 30% of brick powder and 10% rubber chips (3–5 mm scrap tires) and combinations of 10% rubber chips and 30% brick powder. Addition of brick powder has increased the maximum dry density of soil while addition of rubber chips reduces it. The combination of both the materials has reduced the maximum dry density. The optimum moisture content has increased on addition of rubber chips, whereas combination of both rubber chips and brick powder has reduced the effect. The angle of friction of the soil increases on addition of combination of rubber chips and brick powder but reduces its effect on adding individually. The cohesion of the soil has drastically reduced on addition of brick powder and rubber chips. California bearing ratio (CBR) value increased on addition of brick powder but reduced when used in combination. By comparing all the experimental test results, it can be concluded that the addition of rubber chips and brick powder has changed some properties of soil and can be utilized for construction purposes.