Protection of underground structures using rubber-soil mixture

Abstract

The protection of underground structures against seismic loads, especially earthquakes has been discussed for many decades. Geotechnical seismic isolation is a potential technique to reduce the seismic energy in order to protect the underground structures. Recently, a relatively new technology which is rubber-soil mixture has emerged. This method uses rubber-soil mixture as a buffer material which mixed shredded scrap tires and soil. Rubber is an excellent energy absorber. It can absorb vibrational energy and protect the structure from earthquakes. This kind of material has gained much attention because of its performance in dissipating seismic energy while promoting sustainable construction practices. Rubber has been widely utilized for vibration isolation and damping. Using “PHASE 2” together with “QUAD4” to simulate the underground tunnel protected by rubber-soil mixture to find out the most optimal design. This research aims to investigate the effectiveness of rubber-soil mixture by using different rubber content and thickness under seismic loading. The models can show the displacement, means stress and shear strain of the rubber-soil mixture.