Why aren't our roads covered with rubber?

Question

Millions of cars run over our roads. Their tires eventually wear out. Why are our roads not covered then with rubber?...or, at least, have in each lane two rows of, like, two raised rubber rails having been deposited?

Answer 1

Rubber roads have been investigated, but due to wear issues and different climate conditions, most areas aren't able to justify the additional cost.



You don't see wear marks beacuse the rubber doesn't melt off, it rubs off in tiny particles. These particles take the form of dust. Race car tires are much softer and operate at higher temps than passenger tires, so they do leave rubber deposits on the track, which drivers rely on to increase traction that much more.

Answer 2

Because the cost of the rubber would be prohibitive, to say the least, if indeed that much rubber could be produced. Asphalt and concrete are much cheaper, and much more available.



As to why it doesn't build up from all the tires on the road surface, I would imagine that the rubber doesn't adhere to the road surface very well, so it can't build up more than a fraction of an inch.

Answer 3

OK, you-all listen up to a country boy who knows the answer to this one. Did you ever try to combine several chunks of rubber cut off an old tire by melting them together like wax candle scraps? They won't liquefy, the surface starts to bubble then bursts into flame and even if you let it burn for a while it doesn't run together, they just don't melt! Rubber in tires has been "Vulcanized," that is the process Firestone invented of combining raw rubber with sulfur and cooking it. The fine particles which rub off a tire as it rolls become part of the soil near the road but they look and act like dust. They do not enhance the soil, they are more inert like a fine sand.

Answer 4

I see what you are thinking. there are many problems with this as many ppl have already mentioned. one of the main reasons is to look at the hardness properties of the materials. if the roads were made of rubber as well as our tires, then both would wear by an equal amount due to friction. however, a single elemental spot on the road would experience more wear then our tires due to the numerous drivers. this would cause frequent repair of the roads.



from an engineering view your question is stating the same as the following: "why dont we make our brake pads and rotors out of the same material?" the answer is because due to friction there will always be parts that "wear out." therefore you need to make one of the parts serviceable, not both. that is why brake pads are softer materials than the rotors. its cheaper to more frequently service pads than rotors.

Answer 5

Id imagine that turning would be quite difficult due to friction. The friction would also probably cause the rubber on the road to wear away eventually. Therefor repairing roads would be needed much more often with rubber than without.

Answer 6

When tires wear away, where does the stuff go? Good question.



It gets turned into dust and is blown away by the wind. Ask anyone who lives next to a freeway, they have a coat of black dust all over their house. That's partly diesel soot and partly brake dust, but mostly tire dust.



Latex allergies are believed to be biocumulative, i.e. the more latex you're exposed to, the more likely you are to become allergic. Tire dust can contribute to that.

Answer 7

We have rubberized asphalt on most of the freeways in the Phoenix metro area. It's a lot quieter than concrete or asphalt.

Answer 8

I'd hate to see a 50,000-70,000 warranty on our roads too, just kidding.

There is a type asphalt that uses granulated rubber made from used tires.

Answer 9

I see what you mean.



The rubber that rubs off our tires should be building up big deposits on the roadways



sort of like that oily spot where the oil drips in the middle, we should see rubber building up too



I really don't know the answer though....good question!

Answer 10

uh the rubber on the roads will eventually wear down too

Answer 11

Here in Phoenix we have rubberized asphalt which is alot smoother to drive in than ordinary asphalt but it still wears out your tires.

Answer 12

huh? the tires will still wear out.



try plowing snow on a rubber road.........



concrete is much more practical. cheaper and lasts longer.

Answer 13

Just too expensive da

Answer 14

traction!! and cause it would be way too expensive for the shmucks out there in lala land to devise such an ingenious innovation.

Answer 15

I dont know? maybe it blows away before it is ground in.

Answer 16

i think it would be too expensive and it would prolly wear off very quickly

Answer 17

too expensive



r u trying to be funny?



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