Mechanical properties of lightweight expanded clay aggregate (LECA) concrete

Abstract

The construction activities are based on structural concrete, which is one of the most commonly used materials. The fundamental aim of using lightweight concrete (LWC) was to reduce the concrete self-weight of the structure parts. As a result, LWC has been used successfully in a variety of installations for several years. In this paper, the mechanical properties of concrete made with lightweight expanded clay aggregate (LECA) as a full replacement for coarse aggregate are studied. The experimental program shows that LECA with a 32 MPa cube compressive strength and an 1,823 kg×m–3 dry density can be used to make structural light-weight aggregate concrete (SLWC). The results show that the reduction in the strength of lightweight aggregate concrete (LWAC) was found to be higher in the concrete with an estimated compressive strength of 32 MPa due to the lower strength of the LWA (expanded clay). According to the test results, the mechanical properties of LWC were greatly improved by adding silica fume (SF). Furthermore, LECA concrete has a splitting tensile strength that is 47% higher than the ASTM C330/C330M-17A minimum requirement. The LECA concrete has a splitting tensile strength to compressive strength ratio of approximately 13%. Additionally, the results demonstrate a 27% difference in the modulus of elasticity between the calculated and tested values.