Discussion on“Dispersion characteristics of clayey soils containing waste rubber particles”[J Rock Mech Geotech Eng 15(2023)3050-3058]

We read with great interest the recent article by Erenson(2023)entitled“Dispersion characteristics of clayey soils containing waste rubber particles”.The author has studied the dispersion characteristics of clayey soils containing different percentages of waste rubber particles(WRPs)by performing several tests(viz.consistency limit,linear shrinkage limit,double hydrometer,crumb test and pinhole test)and scanning electron microscopy(SEM)analysis on five clayey(viz.Na-activated bentonite,refined ball clay,Ukrainian kaolin,Avanos kaolin and Afyon clay)samples containing 0%,5%,10%and 15%WRPs.It should be noted that Erenson(2023)has presented some interesting observations,but there are some serious issues that we want to share through this discussion and request the author of the original paper to address them to avoid their persistence in the scientific literature.

Dispersion characteristics of clayey soils containing waste rubber particles

The rubber-containing waste materials have been widely used to improve the engineering properties of soils in recent years.Among others,granular rubbers are utilized in various ways to increase the bearing capacity and shear strength and to reduce the settlement and liquefaction potential of soils.The granular rubbers have many advantages such as temperature resistance,flexibility,tear-resistance,non-slip,and thermal and electrical insulation.This study presents the distribution characteristics of five different types of clayey soils with different engineering properties containing waste rubber particles(WRPs).On the other hand,determining and controlling the dispersion characteristics of clayey soils is two significant engineering problems.The study aims to solve these two remarkable and problematic issues in an eco-friendly and safe way.The role of WRP treatment in the investigation of soil dispersion behavior,which can cause dangerous problems such as piping,erosion,and dispersion,reflects the original and different perspectives of this study.Within this scope,geotechnical parameters of the clayey soils were determined.Subsequently,pinhole test,crumb test,double hydrometer test,and scanning electron microscopy(SEM)analysis were performed on the Na-activated bentonite,refined ball clay,Ukrainian kaolin,Avanos kaolin,and Afyon clay samples with different percentages of WRPs(0%,5%,10%,and 15%).Consequently,Avanos and Ukrainian kaolin clays gave the most limited response to the dispersion behavior with the addition of WRP.Also,WRP treatment on the ball clay and bentonite samples showed limited efficiency.Afyon clay,which was defined as dispersive by the three tests that determined its dispersion potential,showed 3 level changes in the pinhole tests and 2 level changes in the crumb tests,and gave the most effective results in terms of WRP efficiency.

STUDY ON NYLON 6/SUPERFINE RUBBER PARTICLES COMPOSITES VIA IN SITU POLYMERIZATION

Two highly cross-linked superfine styrene-butadiene rubber particles, one with 1 wt% of carboxyl groups and theother without such groups having particle sizes of 130-150 nm and 80-100 nm respectively, were used to prepare nylon6/rubber composites via in situ polymerization. It was found that carboxylic styrene-butadiene dispersed uniformly in nylonmatrix and there was strong interfacial interaction because of the graft polymer formed by the reaction of nylon with carboxylgroup of the rubber, resulting in considerably improved impact strength with almost unchanged tensile strength. However,the addition of styrene-butadiene without carboxyl groups showed intensive agglomeration of the rubber particles and weakinterfacial interactions, and the toughness of the materials was improved slightly. The crystallization and rheological behavior of the composites were also discussed.

Theoretical Analysis of Simulating the Locked-In Stress in Rock Pore by Thermal Expansion of Hard Rubber

Rocks are composed of mineral particles and micropores between mineral which has a great influence on the mechanical properties of rocks. In this paper, based on the theory of locked-in stress developed by academician Chen Zongji, the locked-in stress problem in underground rock is simulated by the thermal expansion of hard rubber particles. The pore inclusion in rock is assumed to be uniformly distributed spherical cavities. Using the thermal stress theory, the stress of rock with a spherical pore inclusion is equivalent to the thermal stress generated by the spherical hard rubber inclusion. The elastic theory formula of the temperature increment and the equivalent pore pressure of the spherical hard rubber inclusion is derived. The numerical simulation of the rock mass model with a spherical hard rubber inclusion is carried out and compared to the theoretical calculation results; the results show that they are consistent. The method proposed by this paper for simulating stress distribution in rock by thermal stress is reasonable and feasible; it has a positive meaning for further study of mechanic phenomenon of rock with micropore inclusion.

Composition design and performance evaluation of rubber-particle cement-stabilized gravel

To improve the mechanical properties and durability of the cement-stabilized base,rubber particles of three different sizes and with three different contents were optimally selected,the evolution laws of the mechanical strength and toughness of rubber-particle cement-stabilized gravel(RCSG)under different schemes were determined,and the optimal particle size and content of rubber particles were obtained.On this basis,the durability of the RCSG base was clarified.The results show that with an increase in the rubber particle size and content,the mechanical strength of RCSG gradually decreased,whereas the toughness and transverse deformation ability gradually increased.1%content and 2–4 mm sized RCSG can better balance the relationship between mechanical strength and toughness.The 7 d unconfined compressive strength was 17.7%higher than that of the 4–8 mm RCSG.The 28 d toughness index and ultimate splitting strain can be increased by 9.8%and 6.3 times,respectively,compared with ordinary cement-stabilized gravel(CSG).In terms of durability,compared with CSG,RCSG showed a 3.7%increase in the water stability property of cement-stabilized base with 1%content and 2–4 mm rubber particles,5.5%increase in the frozen coefficient,and 80.6%and 37.9%increase in the fatigue life at 0.70 and 0.85 stress ratio levels,respectively.

Mechanical Properties and Microcosmic Properties of Self-Compacting Concrete Modified by Compound Admixtures

It has become a research hotspot to explore raw material substitutes of concrete.It is important to research the mechanical properties of self-compacting concrete(SCC)with slag powder(SP)and rubber particle(RP)replacing cement and coarse aggregate,respectively.12 kinds of composite modified self-compacting concrete(CMSCC)specimens were prepared by using 10%,20%and 30%SP and 30%,40%,50%and 60%RP.The rheological properties,mechanical properties and microstructure of the CMSCC were investigated.Results indicate that the workability,compressive strength,splitting tensile strength and flexural strength of CMSCC prepared by 20%SP and less than 40%RP are improved.In order to maximize the utilization of waste materials,20%SP and 40%RP can be used as the optimal ratio of the combined modifier.The microstructure shows that the addition of proper amount of SP is conducive to the formation of increasingly more uniform C-S-H gel.C-SH gel can fill the internal pores of the sample and enhance the adhesion between the aggregate,thus improving the mechanical properties of CMSCC.RP has a rougher surface and lower density and stiffness,which inhibits the workability and mechanical properties of CMSCC.The above research results have important theoretical and practical significance for the selection of raw materials of self-compacting concrete and the rational use of industrial wastes.

Critical Role of Ethylene-Propylene Block Copolymer in Impact Polypropylene Copolymer

Ethylene-propylene block copolymer(EbP) is a vital component in impact polypropylene copolymer(IPC), yet its distribution in the multiphase composite material and how it influences the phase structure and the mechanical properties are not well understood. In this work,four IPCs were investigated by atomic force microscopy-infrared(AFM-IR) to assess the phase compositions in situ, based on which in conjunction with the chain microstructure information obtained ex situ the distributions of the copolymer components were derived for each alloy. For the IPCs whose EbP comprises long P and long E segments, the EbP fraction was found to phase separate from the rubber and the PP matrix to form the cores of the disperse particles with the E-P segmented copolymer(EsP). In contrast, in the IPC with EbP composed of long P and short E segments, the EbP fraction formed an outer shell for the rubber particles with the cores comprising the EsP alone, and this IPC, containing a lower E comonomer content than its counterpart, exhibited both better impact resistance and higher flexural modulus. These results clarify how the chain structure of EbP governs the phase morphology in IPC, which in turn impacts the properties of the composite material.

ONE-STEP PROCESS TO MAKE ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE THERMOPLASTIC VULCANIZATES FILLED WITH MWCNTs

Electrically conductive thermoplastic vulcanizates（TPVs） filled by multi-walled carbon nanotubes（MWCNTs） are prepared by a simple one-step melt mixing process,based on linear low density polyethylene（LLDPE） and ultrafme full-vulcanized rubber particles（UFRP）.An ideal morphology with controlled localization of MWCNTs in continuous LLDPE matrix and appropriate size of finely-dispersed UFRP can be achieved at the same time.The controlled localization of MWCNTs in the continuous phase facilitates the formation of conductive pathway,and thus the volume resistivity of the as-prepared LLDPE/UFRP/MWCNTs thermoplastic vulcanizates is significantly decreased.The results show that both the blend ratio of LLDPE/UFRP and the loading of MWCNTs have remarkable effect on the volume resistivity.Significantly, the electrically conductive TPVs exhibit good mechanical properties duo to the fine dispersion of UFRP in LLDPE.The added MWCNTs are capable of imparting reinforcement effects to thermoplastic vulcanizates with just a slight loss of stretchability and elasticity.