Characteristics of lightweight concrete with different admixtures

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Faculty of Engineering, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt

2 Housing and Building National Research Center, Cairo, Egypt

Abstract

Lightweight concrete (LWC) is the most needed material to be used in many
applications due to its low density, accepted compression strength, and high thermal
properties. This paper study the effect of using lightweight concrete in structural
elements using three experimental variables such as (admixtures content, cement
content and w/c ratio). For twenty-five different mix trial with different admixtures
was used. The slump loss, slump flow, compaction factor, compressive strength at
the ages of 7, 14, 28, and 56 days and tensile strength at the age of 28 days were
obtained. Based on the results the slump ranged from 70 to 140 mm. Moreover, the
average slump loss was as same as the average slump loss for the normal
concrete(NC). Further, the average compressive strength of the lightweight plain
concrete mixtures fluctuated from 70 to 75% of the compressive strength of normal
weight concrete and using admixture improved this ratio. By using mineral
admixtures, the compressive strength improved to 90 to 95% of the normal concrete
compressive strength.

Keywords