Lightweight Aggregates - How Do You Make The Right Decision - NPCA

2/11/2019 Lightweight Aggregates: How Do You Make the Right Decision?
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Lightweight Aggregates: How Do You Make the Right
Decision? The Short List…
National Precast Concrete Association / Precast Magazines / Precast Inc. Magazine / 2011 - May-June /
Lightweight Aggregates / Lightweight Aggregates: How Do You Make the Right Decision? The Short List…
July 18, 2011 — 4 Comments
r Q 8 X
A decision to use lightweight aggregates rather than normal-weight aggregates is
not as dif icult as one might imagine as long as there are enough facts on which
to base the decision. There are many factors to consider when evaluating
lightweight structural concrete for a precast project. Important considerations
might include many of the following questions in order to make an informed
business decision:
• How much weight reduction can be expected?

• Are there structural concerns?
• Will coarse lightweight aggregate cost more money?
• Will signi icant adjustments to batching and mixing procedures need to be
made?
• How will using lightweight coarse aggregate affect current quality control
practices?
Expected weight reduction

Aggregates in a normal-weight concrete mix account for 65 to 80% of the weight
in a yard of concrete (using 145 lb/ft3 [2,320 kg/m3] as a baseline). If choosing a
standard, readily available lightweight coarse aggregate replacement such as
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expanded shales, clays, slates and slag, one can expect to reduce the weight of a
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yard of concrete to approximately 95 lb/ft3 to 115 lb/ft3 (1,520 kg/m3 to 1,840
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2/11/2019 Lightweight Aggregates: How Do You Make the Right Decision? - NPCA

kg/m3) or a maximum
potential reduction of
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weight.PRODUCTS & SUPPLIES
Structural
considerations
Advances in today’s
concrete technology
provide producers with many options for concrete mix designs that can
overcome almost any perceived challenge relating to strength and durability.
Precast producers should not be overly concerned that using lightweight
aggregates will have signi icant structural issues – they can depend on suppliers
of these products for assistance. However, there is no substitute for a complete
engineering and structural analysis when facing these considerations; validation
by an engineering professional is not optional for the decision process. Suppliers
of these products can also provide assistance regarding any producer concerns.
Cost considerations
One of the biggest advantages of using lightweight aggregates is the weight
savings realized in the products themselves. Product weight reductions can save
on shipping costs to the producer as fewer, more cost-ef icient loads of product
are shipped to the job site. Products receive a structural bene it as well by
reducing the dead loads that the precast structure must support. Weight savings
in the cast products can lead to reduced handling costs at the job site and in the
plant by reducing crane capacity for lifting and setting the products.
Table 1 on the facing page shows a comparison of the shipping costs for two
projects. The comparison shows that the savings in transportation costs well
outweigh the additional expense of the lightweight aggregate. These savings
were realized because additional product could be loaded on each truckload and,
consequently,
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money is possible. However, each precast
Policyconcrete producer must analyze
variables that would ultimately affect myNPCA

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the overallCONTACT
production and shipping costs
at his or her own plant.
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Batching and mixing procedures PRODUCTS & SUPPLIES
Using lightweight aggregates can present some unique production-related
challenges compared with batching and mixing normal-weight aggregates.
Plants making the decision to use the lightweight aggregates need to prepare for
changes to their batching processes. Some lightweight aggregates can be highly
absorptive; therefore, the water demand for the batching process may need
some experimentation to determine if pre-wetting these aggregates is necessary
to produce a consistent and suf iciently workable batch with the desired plastic
and placing characteristics. Mix times may need to be extended to allow
suf icient time to properly mix the batch constituents. The gradation and
condition of the aggregates may create unique mixing challenges compared with
conventional, normal-weight aggregate batching. Aggregate porosity and
angularity will require the producer to carefully consider the appropriate
gradations necessary to get the mix to perform and place as desired. While the
producer may obtain valuable information on proportioning from ACI 211.2,
“Standard Practice for Selecting Proportions for Structural Lightweight
Concrete,” some suppliers will provide assistance and sample mixes as starting
points.
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Producers considering lightweight

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aggregates
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will also need to consider that
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current QC processes and testing parameters may need to be changed to
accommodate this material.PUBLICATIONS
As an example,ABOUT
the airNPCA
content of the mix cannot be
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obtained using conventional pressure meter methods. Plant QC personnel& will
SUPPLIES
need to follow ASTM C173, “Standard Test Method for Air Content of Freshly
Mixed Concrete by the Volumetric Method,” as opposed to ASTM C231, “Standard
Test Method for Air Content of Freshly Mixed Concrete by the Pressure Method,”
to evaluate the air content. The pressure method will be replaced by the
volumetric method that uses a device commonly called a roll-a-meter. In
addition, lightweight aggregates must meet the requirements of ASTM C330,
“Standard Speci ication for Lightweight Aggregates for Structural Concrete.”
Gradations and unit weights must be performed initially and then every 200
yd3 (150 m3) or once per month, whichever occurs irst.
In the end, you will need to consider all the variables and make an informed
business decision whether to use lightweight aggregates in your mix designs.
Phillip Cutler, P.E., is NPCA’s

director of Technical
Services.
Filed Under: Precast Inc. Magazine,

2011 - May-June, Lightweight
Aggregates, Precast Magazines
Tagged With: aggregates, coarse
aggregate, concrete, engineering,
lightweight aggregates, precast, structural
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Comments
Ali Akber says

January 3, 2013 at 3:02 pm
How can I compare lightweight aggregates with normal weight aggregates?

Is there any code for lightweight aggregates? Where can I get those (if any)?
What are some of the demerits of lightweight aggregates over normal weight aggregates?
Reply
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Claude Goguen says

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Lightweight aggregates can weigh anywhere from 35 to 70 lbs/ft3 & SUPPLIES
. Compare that to
normal weight aggregates which can weigh from 75 to 110 lbs/ft3.
Codes and Standards for lightweight aggregates include ACI 213R-03: Guide for
Structural Lightweight-Aggregate Concrete, and ASTM C330 / C330M – 09 Standard
Speci cation for Lightweight Aggregates for Structural Concrete
The use of lightweight aggregates can be very bene cial and cost effective.
However, when producing concrete using lightweight aggregates, there are several
things you should be aware of. Fluctuations in the gradation, speci c gravity,
absorption, and moisture content are of particular concern. This means that
additional quality control testing is necessary.
Air content testing cannot be performed by the pressure method with air meters
typically used for normal concrete. Instead, air content testing must be performed
according to ASTM C173 Standard Test Method for Air Content of Freshly Mixed
Concrete by the Volumetric Method.
The use of lightweight aggregates may have an impact on the compressive strength
of the concrete.
Highly absorptive lightweight aggregate should be wetted at least 24 hours prior to

use. It is not recommended that dry lightweight aggregate be directly batched and
mixed because the aggregate particles can continue to absorb water from the mix.
This can cause the mix to segregate or stiffen before it can be placed.
It may be necessary to extend mix times for lightweight concrete compared to

conventional concrete to ensure that all of the mix constituents are properly mixed.
Greater variations in workability should be expected, compared to conventional
concrete with the same slump. Along those same lines, the amount of air-entraining
admixture necessary to produce a constant amount of air content could also vary
widely.
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Depending on the porosity and the degree of the aggregate angularity, the concrete
could be more di cult to place and nish. In some cases it is possible for the
aggregate and the other mix constituents to separate, allowing the lightweight
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Finally, lightweight concretes may have increased tendency to experience drying

shrinkage and creep (strain increase over long periods of time with a constant load).
Steam curing effectively reduces the likelihood of both drying shrinkage and creep.
Reply
Ali Akber says

January 4, 2013 at 11:38 am
Thank you Mr.Claude Goguen for your generous reply and i hope this will help
me a lot in my work.
Will post further comments after studying about the subject in a greater detail.
would highly appreciate if you can co ordinate with me on e mail too.
Looking forward to a positive reply .
Thanking you,
Ali Akber.
Reply
Avinash says
Sir, is thiere any code available for structural light weight aggregate concrete mix design
to achive target Strength..? Please answer me…
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2/11/2019 Lightweight Aggregates: How Do You Make the Right Decision?

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PUBLICATIONS ABOUT NPCA

July 18, 2011 — 4 Comments

• How much weight reduction can be expected?

Expected weight reduction

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variables that would ultimately affect myNPCA

Producers considering lightweight

Phillip Cutler, P.E., is NPCA’s

Filed Under: Precast Inc. Magazine,

Recommended For You

APPAREL myNPCA CONTACT

PUBLICATIONS ABOUT NPCA

One Thing: Aggregate Moisture Content Testing

Weighing In on High-Density Concrete

Ali Akber says

How can I compare lightweight aggregates with normal weight aggregates?

Claude Goguen says

Highly absorptive lightweight aggregate should be wetted at least 24 hours prior to

It may be necessary to extend mix times for lightweight concrete compared to

Finally, lightweight concretes may have increased tendency to experience drying

Ali Akber says

APPAREL myNPCA CONTACT

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2019 – January-February (11) PUBLICATIONS ABOUT NPCA

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