LIGHT WEIGHT CONCRETE

It may be defined as the concrete of substantially lower unit weight than that made from gravel
or crushed stone.
Ordinary concrete is quite heavy and its density is 2300 kg/m3. It is not suitable for use in floor
filling as filler in general. If used, it adds considerably to the dead weight of the structure. By
using suitable aggregates the density of concrete can be reduced. This light weight concrete not
only results in reducing dead weights on structure, but also has a better insulation against heat
and sound. The strength of such concrete is however low. But it is of no consequence as this
concrete is not expected to bear any loads. Because of the light weight, this concrete is very
suitable for earthquake proof structures.
Lightweight concrete mixes are commonly used in the construction industry where weight
savings is an important factor. One of the most common uses for lightweight concrete is with
floor, roof or bridge decks; others include pavement systems, masonry blocks and offshore oil
structures. Lightweight concrete is made by replacing some or all of the normal weight aggregate
with lightweight aggregate. Often the coarse fraction is replaced with lightweight aggregate and
the fines are normal weight sand.

APPLICATION OF LIGHTWEIGHT CONCRETE

Light weight concrete finds its use generally in situations like:

Decks of long span bridges.

Fire and corrosion protection.
Covering for architectural purposes.
Heat insulation on roofs.
Insulation of water pipes.
Filling for floor and roof slabs.
Construction of partition walls and panel walls in framed structures.
Production precast building blocks and low cost housing.

WHAT ARE THE AGGREGATES USED TO PRODUCE LIGHTWEIGHT CONCRETE?

The following light weight aggregates are generally used to produce lightweight concrete:

BREEZE OR CLINKER
These aggregates are obtained from coal and are very light. Some types of coal produce clinker
which expands on coming in contact with water and is injurious to concrete causing it to crack.
The more the combustible matter remaining in the clinker, the more moisture movement is there.
The other injurious matter is sulpher which may be found in these aggregates. Its percentage
should be kept low. To minimize the failure of concrete prepared with this aggregate, the fine
aggregate is almost omitted from the concrete. In general clinker should be used for such
partition walls etc. which are not exposed to weather directly.
It should not be used in reinforced concrete where the steel is liable to get corroded. The
crushing strength of this concrete is about 15 to 30 kg/cm2 and its density varies from 800 to
1000 kg/cm3.

PUMICE STONE
It is also a suitable material to produce light weight concrete provided it is free from volcanic
dust or clay etc. It gives concrete having density 800 to 1100 kg/cm 3 and has a high thermal
insulation. Its strength is about 15 to 40 kg/cm2.

FOAMED SLAG
Foamed slag is also used for preparing light weight concrete. It is obtained by rapidly quenching
the blast furnace slag in water.
It should be free from combustible materials like coke and sulphur. It also shows expansion on
getting moist. It produces concrete having a density of about 1300 to 1450 kg/cm2. It has a high
crushing strength.

EXPANDED VERMICULITE SLATE

This aggregate is obtained by heating some natural products like vermiculite (a mica product) to
suitable temperatures. By heating its volume increases several times and forms a light weight
aggregate. The weight of this concrete may be as 600 kg/cm3.

DESIGN OF LIGHTWEIGHT AGGREGATE CONCRETE

Mix design methods applying to normal weight concrete are generally difficult to use with light
weight aggregate concrete. The lack of accurate value of absorption, specific gravity, and the free

moisture content in the aggregate make it difficult to apply the water/cement ratio accurately for
mix proportioning.
Light-weight concrete mix design is usually established by trial mixes. The proportions of fine to
coarse aggregate and the cement and water requirement are estimated based on the previous
experiences with particular aggregate. Various degree of water absorption by different lightweight aggregates is one of the serious difficulties in the design of mix proportions. A reliable
information of saturated, surface-dry bulk specific gravity becomes difficult.
Sometimes the aggregate is saturated before mixing so that it does not take up the water used for
mixing. The quality of concrete does not get altered on account of absorption by aggregate. It has
been seen that the strength of the resulting concrete is about 5 to 10 per cent lower than when dry
aggregate is used for the same content and workability. This is due to the fact that in the latter
case some of the mixing water is absorbed prior to setting. This water having contributed to the
workability at the time of placing gets absorbed later, thus reducing the bad effect of excess of
water. Moreover, the density of concrete made with saturated aggregate is higher and the
durability of such concrete, especially its resistance to frost is lower. On the other hand, when
aggregate with high absorption is used, it is difficult to obtain a sufficiently workable and yet
cohesive mix, and generally aggregates with absorption of over 10 per cent are presoaked.
MIXING PROCEDURE OF LIGHTWEIGHT AGGREGATE CONCRETE
Mixing procedure for light-weight concretes may vary with different types of aggregates. The
general practice for structural light-weight concrete is to mix the aggregate and about 2/3 of the
mixing water for a period upto one minute prior to the addition of cement and the balance mixing
water. Mixing is done continuously as required for homogeneity. Usually 2 or more minutes are
required to get uniform mixing. In case of some insulating concrete, the aggregate is added at the
end of mixing to minimize degradation. Mix design data have been prepared for several,
proprietary light-weight aggregates available in the United Kingdom. The parameters obtained
from these charts cannot be taken as final answers. However, they may give information for first
trial.