Dynamic Characteristics of Rubber Reinforced Expansive Soil (ESR) at Positive and Negative Ambient Temperatures

Using tire waste rubber reinforced expansive soil (ESR) can modify its poor engineering characteristics. The damping properties of ESR at different temperatures may vary dramatically. Two kinds of rubber R(a) (large particle size) and R(b) (small particle size) are mixed with expansive soil according to gradient ratio. The backbone curves, dynamic shear modulus, and damping ratio of expansive soil in varying temperature fields of 20 °C, −5 °C, and −15 °C are investigated. The Hardin-Drnevich model can well fit the backbone curves of ESR specimens in various temperature fields. Dynamic triaxial results show that 5–10% R(a) rubber can withstand higher shear stress in all temperature fields; R(b) rubber can increase the dynamic shear modulus of expansive soil and reach the peak value with 10% rubber content. The damping ratio can be significantly improved by using 10% R(a) rubber at room temperature, while the ESR damping ratio in a temperature field of −5 °C does not change significantly with increasing shear strain or even decreases; R(a) increases the damping ratio of expansive soils in the temperature field of 15 °C while small particle size R(b) decreases the damping ratio of expansive soils. The experimental results validate the effectiveness of ESR in the frozen soil area. In an engineering sense, local temperature needs to be considered to use an appropriate ESR, which can provide effective seismic isolation and damping.