Scrap tire chips as a geomaterial to improve seismic performance of structures

This research attempts to exploit the potential of tire chips as a tool to reduce the earthquake induced load against offshore and coastal structures, and thus improving the seismic performance of such important facilities. An underwater shaking table test was conducted on a gravity type quay wall, behind which a compressible layer of tire chips was placed as cushion. The results show that the dynamic earth pressure against the wall could be significantly reduced using the tire chips cushion. In addition, as compared to conventional quay wall with no protective measures, the presence of such sandwiched cushion could reduce the earthquake-induced residual displacement of the quay wall.