The Benefits of Using Rubber Material in Two Variances: The Rubberized Concrete and the Natural Rubber Sheet, to Strengthen Concrete Barriers for Crash Energy Absorption

Abstract

Given the frequency of road accidents, a critical evaluation of the strength of road safety devices has become imperative.This research explores reinforced concrete barriers protected with rubber materials, incorporating different ratios of rubber powder derived from waste and various thicknesses of natural rubber sheets.Two approaches were employed: the first used crumb rubber from recycled tires to prepare barrier samples with varying rubber content ratios (0%, 15%, and 30% by volume); the second involved attaching concrete barriers with natural rubber sheets of different thicknesses (30 to 70mm).These barriers were subjected to frontal impact loads generated by vehicles traveling at 35mph.A crash dynamic was conducted using nonlinear explicit analysis in numerical modeling within a finite element simulation framework.The primary objectives were to monitor the crash energy absorbed by the rubber material, scrutinize deflection patterns, and assess overall energy absorption capabilities.The results indicated that natural rubber sheets absorbed approximately 20% to 47% of the maximum internal energy, reducing the impact on the concrete barrier.The 30% crumb rubber content of barriers also exhibited significantly higher energy dissipation than standard concrete barriers.This improvement in energy absorption and deflection properties carries significant implications, including reduced maintenance costs, decreased accident-related injuries, and minimized vehicle damage.These findings underscore the importance of developing and implementing rubber materials in two methods to enhance impact resistance and energy absorption in road safety infrastructure.