Multifaceted potentials of tire-derived three dimensional geosynthetics in geotechnical applications and their evaluation

Scrapped tire-derived materials, such as tire chips and tire shreds, can be categorized as three dimensional geosynthetics. This paper introduces recent Japanese experience in geotechnical related applications of geosynthetics that focus mainly on tire chips and tire shreds. Three specific applications of tire chips and tire shreds are introduced here. They are: (1) tire shreds to improve drainage; (2) sand-mixed tire chips to mitigate earthquake damage; and (3) tire chips mixed with cement-treated clay to improve toughness and ductility. The developed techniques related to these applications, verification through model testing, as well as element testing and the field applications are presented. It was observed that tire shreds can maintain high permeability even under a high compressive load. When tire chips and/or sand-mixed tire chips are used as a compressible cushion, not only the dynamic load against a structure but also the dynamically induced permanent structural displacement could also be significantly reduced. On the other hand, mixing tire chips with cement-treated clay gives toughness to the geomaterial, and thus provides resistance against the development of cracks during deformation. In addition, an X-ray CT investigation of deformation behavior of such materials demonstrated the success of using cement-treated clay with tire chips as a sealing material to protect leakage of contaminated materials at a waste disposal site in Tokyo bay area.