Dynamic behavior of clay-rubber soils: A probabilistic approach using index test and empirical model

It is necessary to assess the dynamic response of soil under cyclic loading for seismic and vibration-sensitive geotechnical applications. This research introduces a probabilistic analysis of dynamic properties of rubber-clay mixture with different percentage of waste powder rubber. The normalized shear modulus (G/G max ) and damping ratio (D) were estimated by using empirical correlations Zhang et al. , 2005 in terms of shear strain and soil index properties. Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) with 10,000 iterations was used to account for the uncertainty in input parameters like plasticity index (PI), internal friction angle (ϕ), and dry unit weight (γ dry ). Sensitivity analysis (tornado plots and spider diagrams) identified PI as the most significant factor governing both G/G max and D. Comparative analysis between several rubber inclusion levels (0.05%, 0.1%, and 1%) indicated that rubber inclusion has a substantial influence on stiffness as well as damping behavior. The results justify the application of rubber-reinforced clay-rubber mixture as a sustainable and efficient method to enhance the dynamic performance of subgrade soils under seismic or cyclic loading conditions.