Structural and heat-insulating foam concrete for individual monolithic housing construction

Abstract

Introduction. The article presents the results of studies of structural and heat-insulating cement-based foam concrete for monolithic individual housing construction using porous aggregates sand and superplasticizers. The relevance of the study is to improve the technological properties of foam concrete mixtures to enhance their transportation and laying in formwork, as well as to increase the strength and thermal insulation parameters of wall materials used in individual housing construction. A synergistic effect is ensured and increased stability of the foam concrete mixture is achieved, resulting in an increase in the grade of compressive strength of foam concrete and a decrease in thermal conductivity by partially replacing quartz sand with expanded clay or slag sand in the amount of 25% by volume and introducing the superplasticizer “Steinberg MP-4”. Materials and methods. The study of foam concrete mixture and foam concrete was carried out in the accredited laboratory of TSUAB in accordance with the requirements of national standards. Results. The use of combined additives, including a superplasticizer and a mineral porous aggregate, leads to increase the grade of compressive strength of foam concrete from B1 to B2 while maintaining the average density grade D600, and also allows reducing the thermal conductivity coefficient of foam concrete to 17% compared to the basic composition. Conclusion. The developed compositions for the production of monolithic structural and heat-insulating foam concrete of natural hardening with a combined additive, including mineral porous aggregate and current plasticizers, are recommended for individual housing construction of low-rise buildings.

Keywords

• cement foam concrete of natural hardening
• porous aggregates
• expanded clay and slag sand
• diameter of the mixture flow
• compressive strength
• average density
• thermal conductivity coefficient