Durability of Structural Lightweight Concrete Containing Expanded Perlite Aggregate
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International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials Open Access
RESEARCH
Durability of Structural Lightweight Concrete Containing Expanded Perlite Aggregate Mohammed Ibrahim1*, Aftab Ahmad1, Mohammed S. Barry1, Luai M. Alhems1 and A. C. Mohamed Suhoothi2
Abstract This study focuses on the development of durable structural lightweight concrete (LWC) by incorporating expanded perlite aggregate (EPA) in the range of 0 to 20% by weight. In order to ensure its durability when exposed to chloride environment, concrete was produced with low water-to-cement ratio and ordinary Portland cement (OPC) was replaced with 50% and 7% ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) and silica fume (SF), respectively. The mechanical properties and durability of concrete were assessed by determining the unit weight, compressive strength, flexural strength, drying shrinkage, chloride permeability and migration, as well as resistance of concrete to corrosion of reinforcing steel. Very importantly, thermal insulation properties were determined using a hot guarded plate. In addition, a finite element model (FEM) was prepared to study the behavior of EPA-modified concrete under seismic loading. The results showed that the unit weight of concrete was reduced by 20% to 30% when compared with the normal weight concrete (NWC). The compressive strength of the developed LWC was sufficient to be used as structural concrete, particularly of those mixtures containing 10% and 15% perlite aggregate. The durability of LWC was comparable to NWC in terms of chloride diffusion and resistance of concrete to corrosion of reinforcing steel. The tangible outcomes also include the superior thermal insulation properties of LWC compared to NWC. The greater incorporation of EPA in the concrete resulted in better behavior under seismic loading. Keywords: expanded perlite aggregate, lightweight concrete, compressive strength, durability, chloride diffusion, thermal conductivity 1 Introduction To conserve energy and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, which is believed to be the primary cause of global warming, there has been increase in research in the area of developing lightweight concrete (LWC) due to its notable benefits such as exceptional heat and sound insulation characteristics. However, when the unit weight of concrete is reduced by incorporating lightweight aggregates, it is believed that the mechanical properties and *Correspondence: [email protected] 1 Center for Engineering Research, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, P. O. Box 5040, Dhahran 31261,, Saudi Arabia Full list of author information is available at the end of the article Journal information: ISSN 1976-0485 / eISSN 2234-1315
durability of such a concrete is compromised. Hence, the LWC need to be designed not only for superior mechanical performance, but also for ensuring long-term durability in order it to function satisfactorily when exposed to harsh environmental conditions. It is estimated that about 77.7% of the electrical energy generated is c
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