Characteristics of Lightweight Concrete Based on a Synthetic Polymer Foaming Agent

Abstract

The components of foamed concrete have a significant effect on its properties. Protein-based foamed concrete is used much more often. This study aims to assess the properties of foamed concrete with a density of around 500, 700, 800 and 1000 kg/m3 formed by using a synthetic polymer-based foaming agent. The distribution of pores, wet and dry density and compressive strengths were evaluated. In addition, the creep deformations of foamed concrete with different densities were measured. The difference in density of up to 170 kg/m3 for the highest densities was obtained. Foamed concrete with higher densities (700 and 800 kg/m3) showed similar characteristics of pores, which were different from those of samples with a density of 500 kg/m3. Compressive strength equal to 5.9 ± 0.2, 5.1 ± 0.2, 3.8 ± 0.3 and 1.4 ± 0.2 MPa was obtained for foamed concrete with a density of 500, 700, 800 and 1000 kg/m3, respectively. The obtained compressive strengths were higher than those found in the literature for the foamed concrete with the same densities. With increasing density, smaller creep deformations were obtained. Creep deformations were 509, 495 and 455 με for samples with densities of around 500, 700 and 1000 kg/m3 respectively. Deformation under long-term loading took place up to 90 days, regardless of the density of the foamed concrete.

Physical and Mechanical Properties of Polypropylene Fibre-Reinforced Cement–Glass Composite

“…This is very important in the case of non-biodegradable or hardly decomposable materials such as polymers or glass waste. Polymer materials have been used as a replacement for natural aggregate in concrete [ 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ], replacement of cement [ 26 , 27 , 28 ], additions (e.g., PET bottles [ 29 , 30 , 31 ], polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes [ 32 ], high density polyethylene (HDPE) [ 33 ], and thermosetting plastics [ 34 ]), expanded polystyrene foam (EPS) [ 35 ], polypropylene fibres [ 31 , 36 , 37 ], admixtures (e.g., polycarbonate and polyurethane foam [ 38 , 39 , 40 ]), or elements to concrete (e.g., concrete reinforcing bars [ 41 ] and plastic anchors [ 3 , 42 , 43 ]). The used polypropylene fibre by-products of recycling plastic packaging in concrete compared with plain concrete have been discussed in detail in a previous study [ 44 ].…”

Supersulfated Cement Applied to Produce Lightweight Concrete

“…Properties of lightweight concrete on porous aggregates depend on the state of contact zone between expanded the clay aggregate and cement matrix [ 17 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 ], and the density of the cement matrix [ 57 , 58 ].…”

Functional Method of Designing Self-Compacting Concrete

“…There is a range of works devoted to the topic of designing self-compacting concrete mixes [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 ]. Research works [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 ] conducted in the field of the development and application of this kind of composite have been carried out due to economic reasons (shortening of the construction time) [ 36 ] as well as due to ecological matters (a lack of the burdensome noise of the operating vibrators compacting the concrete) and technical benefits arising from the resistance to the effect of the corrosion environment and of the thawing agents in the form of salts applied during the glaze. A very important advantage of SCC is high compressive strength resulting from the lowered water–cement ratio (w/c) as well as from a tightly designed aggregate skeleton.…”