Mitigation Technique Against Earthquake-Induced Damages by Using Scrap Tire Chips in Shallow Foundations

Abstract

In recent years, earthquakes like the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake, the 2018 Sulawesi earthquake, and the 2023 Turkey-Syria earthquake have seriously damaged buildings and their foundations. This paper investigates the effectiveness of utilizing scrap tire chips beneath shallow foundations to mitigate earthquake-induced building damage. Shake table tests were conducted on physical models, including conventional foundations and foundations augmented with scrap tire layers. The objective was to assess the seismic performance and compare their behavior under sinusoidal input motion. The results of shake table tests demonstrated that incorporating a scrap tire chip layer beneath foundations significantly improves their ability to withstand seismic forces. The settlement of footing in the countermeasure model was reduced by 65.6% compared to the conventional one. The acceleration amplitude recorded at the top of the footing was decreased by 68.8% in the countermeasure model. Thus, the presence of the scrap tire layer effectively dissipates and redistributes seismic energy, thereby reducing the transmission of damaging forces to the superstructure. The enhanced damping characteristics and increased flexibility offered by the scrap tire layer contribute to improved seismic performance. The findings of this study highlight the potential benefits of using scrap tire chips as a cost-effective material for mitigating earthquake-induced damages on foundation structures. Using scrap tire chips not only offers a sustainable alternative for waste management but also provides an efficient approach to enhancing buildings’ seismic resilience. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2025.