The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued patent number 7,470,092 on Dec. 30 for a "method for reinforcing aggregate particles, and structures resulting therefrom" – that is, discarded tires, sidewalls removed, placed on their sides and filled with gravel.
"I discovered this idea while looking for a better way to dispose of used tires," Bonasso said.
Bonasso was secretary of transportation under West Virginia Gov. Cecil Underwood and was tasked with solving the state’s scrap tire problem – both the estimated 20 million tires in illegal dumps around the state and the ongoing stream of another 1.8 million scrap tires generated annually.
"What a surprise to find that, by removing the sidewalls, I could make a mechanical version of concrete," Bonasso said.
Demonstrations by the West Virginia University College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, West Virginia Division of Highways and others have shown that the material goes up faster than cement and costs 25% less, according to a news release.
"Mechanical Concrete changes how we build with stone," he said.
Bonasso formed Reinforced Aggregates Co. to license the intellectual property rights to Mechanical Cement – the modified tires, as binders – and Mechanical Concrete – the tires filled with gravel. (Tire Review/Akron)
