Structural elements for industrial applications manufactured with use of recycled tyre materials

Abstract

Recycling of tyres yields high-grade secondary raw materials (recycled tyre materials – RTM) such as rubber granulates and powders, steel fibres of various sizes, and textile/polymer fibres. Owing to the demanding strength requirements and mechanical–physical properties of automotive tyres, these outputs constitute valuable feedstock that can be widely reused in line with circular economy (CE) principles. Key applications include (i) rubber granulates in concrete mixes, which enhance energy dissipation and vibration damping—useful for machine foundations and industrial floor slabs; prefabricated rubber components for modern rail transit systems where both vibration and noise are reduced; and fibre‑reinforced sprayed concretes (shotcrete) with tyre‑derived steel fibres successfully used in, e.g., tunnel linings for rock‑mass reinforcement. Moreover, rubber granulates (and - as recent studies suggest, also textile fibres from tyre recycling) are increasingly used in high‑quality road pavements, reducing traffic noise while extending service life and improving strength and weather resistance. This paper focuses on RTM in concrete technologies relevant to industrial and mining sectors, drawing on the Re‑Plan City LIFE project experience and broader EU/global literature.