AR8521

BUILDING MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION

- IV

UNIT IV
SPECIAL CONCRETES AND INNOVATIONS IN
CONCRETE
LIGHTWEIGHT CONCRETE
• Unit weight of normal PCC ~ 2,400 kg/m3 (2,200 to 2,600)
• Less self weight (300 to 1,850), but almost same strength: concrete
with fly ash – 1500 and strength is about 90 to 98 %
• High self weight leads to larger loads on foundations – costlier
• Used in buildings where less weight on structure is necessary
• Generally used for walls (concrete blocks), filling levels / volumes
• Prepared with less weighted aggregates like pumice, scoria and other
materials with less unit weight like fly ash and foamed slag
AERATED CONCRETE
• A type of Light Weight Concrete
• Air pockets (foam) purposely introduced inside concrete volume,
• Lesser unit weight than normal concrete (300 to 800 kg/m3) - thermal
& sound insulation
• Air is formed due to chemical reactions OR foam is inserted
• Al (OR Zinc) powder + CaOH liberates H gas
• The chemicals are called foaming agents
• Presence of air also increases workability of concrete
NO-FINES CONCRETE
• Fine aggregates are not used in this concrete
• Mostly only one sized coarse aggregate is used: 10 mm to 20 mm
• Coarse aggregate fills volume of fine aggregate + cement – cement
denser than aggregate – cement is reduced, total unit weight is less
• Unit weight ~ 1900 k/m3
• A type of light weight concrete