CASE STUDY 2:

describes the reconstruction of a roadway using tire bales as lightweight embankment fills and insulation of frost-susceptible subgrades on segments of county roads in Chautauqua County, south of Buffalo, New York.  The initial project in 1999 involved the excavation of 1000 feet of the existing road sub grade, and replacing it with tire bales.  After excavation, a nonwoven geotextile was placed over the in-situ soil.  Tire bales were then placed on top of this geotextile in a “brick-like fashion” to form the core of the roadbed structure. Voids between and within the tire bales were filled with coarse sand, which was compacted using traditional methods (a vibratory roller was used).  Finally, three 6-inch thick gravel layers were placed and compacted, using vibratory rollers, on top of the tire bales to provide the unpaved roadway section.

After the first winter following completion of construction of the test section of the road, the results indicated that the test section performed much better than the rest of the road. Significant damage was observed at several locations along the rest of the road, while no damage was observed along the tire bale test section.  This application of tire bales has continued since 1999 and by the end of 2004 the County expects to complete a total of five road bed stabilization projects, using a total of approximately 6,240 tire bales.  The current rate of tire baling and use of tire bales to rehabilitate selected problematic low traffic volume roads matches the annual whole tire scrap rate in the county.  The tire baling effort utilizes prison labor to fabricate the tire bales and reduce costs. (Chautauqua County, Ken Smith, Personal communication, 2004).  The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has given the County a Beneficial Use Designation which allows the County to only submit drawings and plans for tire bales in roadway embankment for project approval. (Chautauqua County, Kate Hill email to Dr. Naser Abu-Hejleh, dated 02 Jul 2003).