Design and testing out of an insulating floor element, composed of recycled rubber and inert demolition waste

Abstract

Even if initially dominated by cost concerns, energy-awareness is today maturing towards a vision aimed at curtailing energy consumption and reducing carbon emissions. In consideration of today’s large amount of tyres being used and disposed of, the purpose of this research was to investigate options for utilising recycled rubber as a building material (in combination with inert demolition waste), namely as insulation in flooring elements such as tiles, such a mix could replace new underlay insulating materials typically having a higher embodied energy content. This paper evaluates the potential of recycling used tyres in specially fabricated floor tiles for different design mixes and evaluates the success/failure of such a building element as a floor finish. The study also looks into the best combination of materials to form a durable, non-abrasive robust tile, yet also acting as a thermal and moisture barrier. An added value of the proposed tile is its acoustic property, where the shredded rubber makes it also resilient to impact and airborne noise. Its light colour also proves ideal for solar-exposed flat roofs, where, it is also aesthetically pleasing for the outdoor evening lifestyle in a Mediterranean climate.