Structural Design and Performance Optimization of Green Concrete Based on Recycled Pumice and Modified Rubber Powder

Abstract

With the increasing severity of global climate change and environmental degradation, countries have put forward strategies to reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainable development. The construction industry is a major source of carbon emissions, and as such, the development of green concrete is now critically important to the industry’s growth. Traditional concrete production methods use a lot of resources and produce a lot of carbon emissions. The study examines the use of recycled pumice and sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate to modify waste rubber powder, which is then externally mixed into recycled coarse aggregate concrete. The study analyzes the impact of these modifiers on the rubber powder particles, as well as the effects of particle size and mixing amount on the resulting concrete. The investigation proved that the rubber recycled coarse aggregate concrete’s performance was enhanced by the modifier. This improvement addressed the issue of low compressive strength in rubber concrete to some extent and also had a positive impact on its resistance to freeze-thaw cycles. The experiment concluded that the best results were achieved by selecting rubber powder particles of Sipan 40 with a mesh size of 80 mesh and an external admixture of 6%. This type of green concrete can solve the problem of construction waste disposal while also enhancing the performance and durability of the concrete. It has a promising future application prospect.