Effect of matrix particle size on EPS lightweight concrete properties

Vietnam Institute for Building Science and Technology, Vietnam  

^* Corresponding author: lephuongly.ibst@gmail.com

Abstract

Expanded polystyrene lightweight concrete is a composite which can be made by adding expanded polystyrene aggregate in normalweight concrete (as matrix). The research was focused on the effect of properties and volume of the matrix on the properties of lightweight concrete. The results show that properties of structural polystyrene concrete, such as workability and compressive strength, depend on the aggregate size of the matrix. It also shows that decreasing aggregate size of the matrix is the effective way to increase workability and compressive strength of lightweight concrete. When the density of concretes decrease by 200 kg/m³, slump values decrease by about 20 to 30 mm with lightweight concrete mixtures using maximum particle size of 0.63 mm, while slump values decrease by about 40 mm with the mixtures using maximum particle size of 20 mm. At the same density, the compressive strength of the structural polystyrenre concrete significantly decreased when the coarse aggregate diameter greater than 10 mm. Therefore, coarse aggregates with diameter size are smaller than 10 mm was recommended to use for matrix. In the result, expanded polystyrene concrete with density from 1,400 kg/m³ to 2,000 kg/m³ and compressive strength more than 20 MPa for structural application was made.