Influence of addition of butadiene copolymer and modified styrene on the mechanical behavior of a sand

Abstract

Butadiene-styrene copolymer (SBR) is an elastomer composed of 75% butadiene and 25% styrene and is widely used in the automotive industry in tire production. This elastomer can be produced from two polymerization processes: emulsion or solution polymerization. This paper presents the mechanical behavior of a polymer reinforced sand compared to pure sand. Direct shear tests were performed on pure sand specimens and with the addition of modified styrene butadiene-styrene copolymer (XSBR). The polymeric sand specimens had 10% moisture content, 50% relative density, with water-polymer mass ratios of 1:1, 1:2, and 1:4, with no curing time, or with curing times 48, 72, 96, 576, and 720 h. Improvements were verified in the strength parameters of sand specimens with polymer addition, while comparing with pure sand parameters, showing that the improvement of soils with polymers is satisfactory for application in geotechnical works, such as: embankments in soft soils, soils for shallow foundations and for slope stability.

Key Success Factors for the Practical Application of New Geomaterials

“…Their formulation was based on the authors' experience. A5: Experimental evaluation of environmental contamination aspects [35,101] A6: Collaboration between universities and governmental agencies for the development of applied research [110] A7: Verification of cost-benefits through quantitative financial methods [38,111] A8: Verification of cost-benefits through socio-environmental justifications [38] A9: Low implementation complexity [112,113] A10: Clear, concise, and easily accessible information on the advantages of new geotechnical materials compared to traditional construction methods [38,71,111] A11: Promotion of solutions suitable for the regional context [33,108] B B1: Development of materials more resistant to the effects of climate change [24,[114][115][116][117][118] B2: Development of materials that use waste as reinforcement or matrix [99,103,119,120] B3: Development of materials that propose decarbonization [38,40,121,122] B4: Life cycle analysis of materials and verification of carbon footprint [39,121] B5: Compatibility with the Sustainable Development Goals [24,[123][124][125] B6: Compatibility with the Nationally Determined Contributions [13,111] B7: Development of construction techniques that stimulate regional development [108,119,126] B8: Development of ...…”

The Application of an Eco-Friendly Synthetic Polymer as a Sandy Soil Stabilizer

“…Soil is a common element in geotechnical works, exhibiting significant variation and stratification among regions, often necessitating stabilization and, consequently, improvement of the underlying substrate [ 1 ]. Many geotechnical projects aim at soil stabilization, wherein the success of soil enhancement procedures is evaluated, striving to promote soil stability, strength, resistance to erosion, and economic viability.…”

“…Many geotechnical projects aim at soil stabilization, wherein the success of soil enhancement procedures is evaluated, striving to promote soil stability, strength, resistance to erosion, and economic viability. This holds for stabilization, improvement, or reinforcement of diverse geotechnical structures [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ].…”

“…Barreto et al [ 1 ] observed improvements in shear strength parameters of samples added with synthetic copolymer for different curing times and dosages compared with pure sand. Luan et al [ 24 ] applied a vinyl acetate-ethylene synthetic polymer in clayey soil at different curing times.…”