Clean Technology for Resource, Energy and Environment

Vol. 2 (2026)
Articles

Reframing Waste Tires as Engineered Rubber Geomaterials: A Materials Classification Approach for Circular Infrastructure Systems

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  • Prithvendra Singh
Prithvendra Singh
Institute of Geotechnical Engineering, Southeast university, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211189, China

Published 2026-06-09

Keywords

  • Waste tires,
  • Engineered rubber geomaterials,
  • Circular economy,
  • Material classification,
  • Sustainable infrastructure,
  • Resource recovery
    • ...More
    Less

How to Cite

Reframing Waste Tires as Engineered Rubber Geomaterials: A Materials Classification Approach for Circular Infrastructure Systems . (2026). Clean Technology for Resource, Energy and Environment, 2, 21-30. https://doi.org/10.65638/e2k5z684

Abstract

Waste rubber tires (WRTs), generated in enormous quantities due to the rapid growth of the automobile sector, pose significant geoenvironmental and sustainability challenges when left unattended in landfills and dumpsites. It is worth noting that, despite extensive research demonstrating the suitability of waste tire-derived materials for embankments, backfills, pavement systems, drainage layers, and cementitious composites, their large-scale utilization remains limited. Although several factors, including regulatory uncertainty, supply-chain consistency, economic considerations, and conservative engineering practice, influence their adoption, the absence of a structured materials classification framework represents a critical and largely overlooked barrier to their systematic integration into engineering practice. With this in view, the present study introduces the concept of engineered rubber geomaterials (ERGs), and proposes a classification-based framework that links material descriptors with functional performance and application suitability. The framework considers particle characteristics, mechanical response, durability, and aging behavior, and hydro-environmental performance, and further outlines a workflow for material characterization, classification, verification, and specification. In addition, the study discusses the role of ERGs in supporting standardization, procurement practices, performance-based design, and circular infrastructure systems. It is envisaged that the proposed framework would facilitate consistent material characterization, improve comparability across studies, and provide a pathway for incorporating waste tire-derived materials into engineering guidelines and specifications. Thus, the study highlights the importance of classification-driven approaches in bridging the gap between materials characterization and large-scale implementation, thereby enabling the transition of waste tires from an environmental burden to a viable engineering resource.

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