Study on the compaction and dynamic properties of loess enhanced by waste tyre rubber particles

This study investigates the compaction and dynamic properties of rubber particle-loess from Inner Mongolia through laboratory tests, including compaction tests and dynamic triaxial tests. Four rubber particle sizes (10 mesh, 20 mesh, 40 mesh, and 100 mesh) and four contents (5 %, 10 %, 15 %, and 20 % by volume) were tested under varying conditions: confining pressures of 50 kPa, 100 kPa, and 200 kPa, and freeze-thaw cycles of 0, 1, 3, 6, and 9. The tests aimed to simulate environmental conditions relevant to infrastructure in Inner Mongolia's loess regions. Results revel that adding 5 % 40-mesh rubber particles maximized dynamic shear modulus, damping ratio, and compactness. The dynamic shear modulus exhibited strain-softening behavior, which decreased with increasing dynamic strain, rubber content, and freeze-thaw cycles, but increased with confining pressure. The damping ratio showed a non-linear relationship with moisture content, showing a minimum at optimum moisture and increasing with freeze-thaw cycles while decreasing with confining pressure. Notably, the damping ratio of rubber particle-loess consistently exceeded that of plain soil. These results highlight the potential of waste tire rubber particles as an eco-friendly material to enhance loess engineering properties, particularly in cold regions with significant freeze-thaw effects. The study provides a theoretical basis for improving loess stability and seismic performance in geotechnical applications.