Abd, O., Hilal, A., Khaleel, T. (2025). Preliminary trial on the potential of fiber-reinforced rubberized foamed concrete as sustainable roof tiles. , 43(5), 326-337. doi: 10.30684/etj.2025.154447.1834
Oday Asaad Abd; Ameer A. Hilal; Tareq A. Khaleel. "Preliminary trial on the potential of fiber-reinforced rubberized foamed concrete as sustainable roof tiles". , 43, 5, 2025, 326-337. doi: 10.30684/etj.2025.154447.1834
Abd, O., Hilal, A., Khaleel, T. (2025). 'Preliminary trial on the potential of fiber-reinforced rubberized foamed concrete as sustainable roof tiles', , 43(5), pp. 326-337. doi: 10.30684/etj.2025.154447.1834
Abd, O., Hilal, A., Khaleel, T. Preliminary trial on the potential of fiber-reinforced rubberized foamed concrete as sustainable roof tiles. , 2025; 43(5): 326-337. doi: 10.30684/etj.2025.154447.1834

Preliminary trial on the potential of fiber-reinforced rubberized foamed concrete as sustainable roof tiles

Engineering and Technology Journal
Volume 43, Issue 5, May 2025, Pages 326-337    PDF (1.09 M)
Document Type: Research Paper
DOI: 10.30684/etj.2025.154447.1834
Authors
Oday Asaad Abd* 1; Ameer A. Hilal2; Tareq A. Khaleel3
1Civil Engineering Dept., University of Technology-Iraq, Alsina’a Street, 10066 Baghdad, Iraq. Construction and Projects Dept., University of Fallujah, Fallujah, Iraq.
2Civil Engineering Dept., College of Engineering, University of Anbar, Ramadi, Iraq.
3Civil Engineering Dept., University of Technology-Iraq, Alsina’a Street, 10066 Baghdad, Iraq.
Abstract
The growing negative effects of nonbiodegradable trash, including waste tires, underscore the necessity for sustainable alternatives in construction materials. This study examines the feasibility of manufacturing foamed concrete tiles reinforced with fibers, utilizing a superplasticizer (SP) with suitable quantities of waste tire rubber (WTR) from nonbiodegradable tires to reduce environmental pollution. Initially, standard concrete tiles with a density of 2400 kg/m³ and dimensions of 500 × 500 × 50 mm3 (Class A, IQS 1107) were manufactured for comparison. Subsequently, four types of foamed concrete tiles with a density of 1100 kg/m³ were produced: conventional foamed concrete tiles, foamed concrete tiles enhanced with SP, fiber-reinforced foamed concrete tiles utilizing polypropylene (PP), and fiber-reinforced rubberized foamed concrete tiles containing SP, PP, and WTR. To assess the effect of density, fiber-reinforced rubberized foamed concrete tiles were produced with densities of 800 and 1400 kg/m³. In examined foamed concrete tile preparations, a fraction of sand (≤ 2.36 mm) was substituted with WTR at optimal proportions of 50% for coarse WTR (4.75–10 mm) and 34% for fine WTR (≤ 2.36 mm). The comparison of foamed concrete tiles, with and without PP and WTR, against ordinary concrete tiles revealed a reduction in the rupture force while achieving a weight reduction of more than half. The failure modes transformed from brittle to ductile upon adding these wastes. Additionally, when the density of the rubberized samples increased to 1400 kg/m³, water absorption decreased by 3.9 and 9.43 after 0.5 and 24 hours, respectively, which aligns with IQS requirements.

Highlights
  • Foamed concrete tiles with SP, PP fibers, and waste tire rubber were produced per IQS 1107 standards.
  • Sustainability was achieved by replacing up to 84% of sand with waste tire rubber.
  • Fiber-reinforced rubberized foamed concrete tiles were studied at densities of 800, 1100, and 1400 kg/m³.
  • Including PP and WTR improved rupture load, weight, and water absorption in FC tiles compared to FCTO.
Keywords
Foamed concrete tiles; Polypropylene fiber; Waste tire rubber; Rupture force; Water absorption
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