Standards for Tire-Bale Erosion Control and Bank Stabilization Projects: Validation of Existing Practice and Implementation

In an effort to promote the use of increasing stockpiles of waste tires and a growing demand for adequate backfill material in highway construction, the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) has embarked on a move to use compressed tire-bales as a means to reduce cost of construction and to recycle used tires which would otherwise occupy much larger space in landfills or be improperly disposed of. Compressing the tires into bales has prompted unique environmental, technical, and economic opportunities. This is due to the significant volume reduction obtained when using tire-bales [approximately 100 auto tires with a volume of 20 cu yd (15.3 cu m) can be compressed to 2 cu yd (1.53 cu m) blocks, i.e., a tenfold reduction in landfill space]. Lighter unit weight, 37 pcf dry (592 kg/cu m), results in lower earth pressure with lesser possibility for foundation failure. The objective of this project was to address the question, “Can tire-bales be used as a cost effective alternate fill material for erosion control and bank stabilization projects?”

• Record URL:
  • http://dot.state.nm.us/content/dam/nmdot/Research/Tire-bale_FinalReport.pdf
• 
• Record URL:
  • https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/23231
• Corporate Authors:

  New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

  Department of Mechanical Engineering, 801 Leroy Place
  Socorro, NM  United States  87801

  New Mexico Department of Transportation

  Research Bureau, 7500B Pan American Freeway, P.O. Box 94690
  Albuquerque, NM  United States  87199-4690

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Ghosh, Ashok Kumar
  • Wilson, Claudia M Dias
  • Budek-Schmeisser, Andrew
  • Razavi, Mehrdad
  • Harrision, Bruce
  • Birbahadur, Naitram
  • Felli, Prosfer
  • Budek-Schmeisser, Barbara
• Publication Date: 2010-9

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 211p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Backfilling; Cost effectiveness; Embankments; Erosion control; Fills; Recycling; Soil stabilization; Tires
• Uncontrolled Terms: Backfill materials; Scrap tires; Tire bales
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways; Materials; I35: Miscellaneous Materials; I42: Soil Mechanics;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01353761
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: NM08MNT-01
• Contract Numbers: CO5119
• Files: TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Oct 14 2011 4:17PM