Frost action and sub-structure moisture problems cause losses in road structural integrity in cold climatic areas. The combination of three conditions cause frost heave within road structures: moisture, temperature below freezing, and frost susceptible soils. To mitigate frost heave, one of these three conditions must be eliminated. Shredded tires have been found to provide free drainage and high thermal insulation. Previous research has showed that incorporating shredded tires as a drainage layer material in road test sections has mitigated frost action and moisture infiltration. However, the structural integrity of these test sections was reportedly compromised. This paper summarizes laboratory characterization of the structural and drainage properties of shredded tires and shredded tire/sand blends. Results from the structural characterization of these materials indicated that shredded tires have low mechanical strength. As the proportion of sand in the blend was increased, this led to an increase in mechanical behaviour. However, the permeability of the mix was compromised as the quantity of sand in the shredded tire layer was increased. Based on findings of this research, shredded tire/sand blends at a blend ratio of 1:3 by volume provided permeability of 0.0026 cm/s and also provided adequate structural stability, as required for the construction of a drainage layer.
