I.

TITLE

Utilization of Rubber Tree (Hevea braziliensis) Sap as an Admixture for an Eco-Efficient

Construction Material

II. INTRODUCTION

Many types of chemicals and materials are now used to enhance the properties for the

applications in different concrete works which are called admixtures. Almost many concrete mixes

today contain one or more concrete admixtures that will help the pouring process driving down

the cost while increasing its productivity. Concrete admixtures are added to concrete batch before

or during mixing concrete. As described above, these are used to modify the properties of concrete

to achieve desired workability and can also improve the concrete quality, manageability,

acceleration or retardation of setting time among other preparations of concrete for a long-distance

transportation. Its effectiveness depends on several factors including type and amount of cement,

water content, mixing time, slump and temperature of the concrete and air.

Rubber trees have been grown commercially in the Philippines. Its most famous feature is

the milky white sap, known as latex, which flows freely from the tree when a bark is removed.

From the rubber tree, high quality latex (60% purity, Panrat, et. al., 2012) is obtained for rubber

production. Natural rubber exhibits unique physical and chemical properties and is often referred

hyper elastic. Rubber tree sap or latex it contains high strength (tensile and tear) with outstanding

resistance to fatigue. It also has excellent green strength and tack which means it has the ability
stick to itself and to other materials which makes it easier to fabricate also, it has an excellent

adhesion to steel cord.

Therefore, the latex modified concrete can have good binding properties and good adhesion

to aggregates. Also, natural rubber latex has long chain structure which helps in developing long

range network structure of bonding (Shobha. et,al. 2013). Thus, the rubber latex usually provides

superior compressive strength to the concrete compared to concrete without latex. The addition of

rubber latex can make the construction more durable and more economical by enhancing the

concretes compressive strengths and flexure strengths.

III. OBJECTIVES

The general objective of the study is to investigate the use of (Para) rubber tree sap as an

admixture for concrete mix.

Specifically, it aims to:

1. determine the different applications of rubber tree sap;

2. study the capability and workability of rubber tree sap as an admixture to concrete;

3. analyze the influence of rubber tree sap that can contribute in strengthening the design mix of

concrete;

4. determine the setting rate and water content of concrete; and,

5. to reduce cement content, hence cost saving.

IV. METHODOLOGY

This study is expected to produce a good quality concrete using a natural admixture such

as the rubber tree sap or latex and will work as a useful tool in enhancing the concrete mixture

from which it is measured and examined. We will provide 60 cylinders that will undergo into

various testing such as compressive strength test and slump test. From this investigation, the

exact percentage of natural rubber latex that is added to the concrete will be 5%, 10%, 20% and

30% (keeping the percentage of natural rubber latex constant for each mix).