Properties of Hardened Concrete Bricks Containing Expanded Polystyrene Beads
Properties of Hardened Concrete Bricks Containing Expanded Polystyrene Beads
Properties of Hardened Concrete Bricks Containing Expanded Polystyrene Beads
, MALAYSIA
Abstract. Polystyrene aggregate concrete is one of many lightweight and low strength materials. This project reports the results of an experimental investigation into the properties of hardened concrete bricks containing expanded polystyrene beads. The beads are used as part of sand replacement in the mixes. A total of 200 samples of bricks with the standard size of 215mm x 102.5mm x 65mm were prepared in this study. Among the properties studied were compressive strength, water absorption, drying shrinkage and wet expansion of the polystyrene concrete bricks. It was found that polystyrene concrete is very prone to segregation and has low compressive strength. The properties of the bricks are mainly influenced by the content of polystyrene beads in the mix. The results indicate that polystyrene concrete mix with certain portion of the beads may provide as a suitable alternative material in the construction industry. 1. Introduction
Concrete technology is growing and many advances and innovations have been made to cope with challenges of many construction aspects. Many productions of lightweight concrete had been designed and among them are by the use of lightweight aggregates and artificial aggregates such as fly ash and slag. This project aims at producing lightweight concrete bricks by using the expandable polystyrene. Polystyrene is chosen due to its lightweight properties, with good energy absorbing characteristic and good thermal insulator leading mainly to non-structural applications.
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Proceedings of the 5th Asia-Pacific Structural Engineering and Construction Conference (APSEC 2003) 26 28 August 2003 Johor Bahru, MALAYSIA
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Proceedings of the 5th Asia-Pacific Structural Engineering and Construction Conference (APSEC 2003) 26 28 August 2003 Johor Bahru, MALAYSIA
Specimens PC P1 P2 P3 P4
Proceedings of the 5th Asia-Pacific Structural Engineering and Construction Conference (APSEC 2003) 26 28 August 2003 Johor Bahru, MALAYSIA
Specimen PC P1 P2 P3 P4
Table 2 Measurements taken for each mix Mix ratio Length (mm) Width (mm) 1:3:0 1:2.5:0.5 1:2:1 1:1.5:1.5 1:1:2 5178.8 5186.9 5180.3 5182.3 5177.5 2491.6 2505.9 2479.2 2505.8 2485.7
By comparing these results from each mix to the given standard, it is shown that the dimensions of the mixes conforming to the standard. The main reason to the differences in the dimensions of each specimen is in the molds that were used in preparing the bricks. It seems that wooden molds need to be changed as expansion and contraction to wet and dry conditions of the mixing process and the surrounding weather affect moulds size. Bleeding is also suspected to contribute to the different sizes of the dimensions of the specimens. Bleeding that occurred to the specimens may resulted from the presence of large voids contributed by the beads in the specimens. This results in the loss of water in the specimens.
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Proceedings of the 5th Asia-Pacific Structural Engineering and Construction Conference (APSEC 2003) 26 28 August 2003 Johor Bahru, MALAYSIA
weight (kg)
density (kg/m3)
1500 1000 500 0 1:3:0 (PC) 1:2.5:0.5 (P1) 1:2:1 (P2) 1:1.5:1.5 (P3) 1:1:2 (P4) Polystyrene mix ratios
1 0.5 0
Figure1 Relationship between weight and density with polystyrene mix ratios
Specimen
PC P1 P2 P3 P4
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density (kg/m3)
2500 2000
weight (kg)
Proceedings of the 5th Asia-Pacific Structural Engineering and Construction Conference (APSEC 2003) 26 28 August 2003 Johor Bahru, MALAYSIA
As polystyrene beads contribute to low weight and low density, it also contributes to the low strength of the specimens. Polystyrene beads do not contribute to the strength of the material. The strength obtained in the mixes with polystyrene beads is very low, due to the beads weakness in compression. This is also because polystyrene beads do not react chemically with the mix to contribute strength. There is a reduction in strength as polystyrene content is increased.
15
10
0 2.81 (P4) 3.66 (P3) 3.51 (P2) Pulse velocity (km/s) 3.56 (P1) 4.14 (PC)
Proceedings of the 5th Asia-Pacific Structural Engineering and Construction Conference (APSEC 2003) 26 28 August 2003 Johor Bahru, MALAYSIA
forbids absorption of water into it. However, the presence of polystyrene which induces pores and voids to the bricks had enhanced the water migration in the bricks. Therefore, the absorption of water is higher for mix that has more polystyrene content.
20 18 16 Percentage of absorbtion (%) 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 1:3:0 (PC) 1:2.5:0.5 (P1) 1:2:1 (P2) Polystyrene mix ratios 1:1.5:1.5 (P3) 1:1:2 (P4)
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Proceedings of the 5th Asia-Pacific Structural Engineering and Construction Conference (APSEC 2003) 26 28 August 2003 Johor Bahru, MALAYSIA
0.14
0.1
0.08
0.06
0.04
0.02
0 1:3:0 (PC) 1:2.5:0.5 (P1) 1:2:1 (P2) Polystyrene mix ratios 1:1.5:1.5 (P3) 1:1:2 (P4)
0.18 0.16 0.14 0.12 0.1 0.08 0.06 0.04 0.02 0 1:3:0 (PC) 1:2.5:0.5 (P1) 1:2:1 (P2) Polystyrene mix rat ios 1:1.5:1.5 (P3) 1:1:2 (P4)
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Proceedings of the 5th Asia-Pacific Structural Engineering and Construction Conference (APSEC 2003) 26 28 August 2003 Johor Bahru, MALAYSIA
5. Conclusion
The workability characteristics of the mixes are very different from the normal concrete. Compaction by rodding or vibration was not effective owing to the lightweight nature of the mixes. The mixes were cohesive that the cement slurry coating the beads was very effective in holding the mix together. Polystyrene concrete brick is very prone to segregation where placing and compacting can be quite difficult using vibratory compaction techniques. Polystyrene concrete bricks with densities less that 1800 kg/m3 have very low strength. Mix P2 with compressive strength of 14.0 N/mm2 and density of 1646 kg/m3 is the most suitable mix to be used as a load bearing internal wall. Mix P3 and P4 can be used as a non-load bearing internal wall. Properties of polystyrene concrete bricks found through this study indicate its potential to be used in the construction industry.
References
[1] Bischoff P.H et al., Polystyrene Aggregate Concrete Subjected to Hard Impact, Proceedings-Institution of Civil Engineers, Part 2: Research and Theory, Vol. 89, 1990, pp. 225-239. [2] Bungey J.H et al., Testing of Concrete in Structures, Chapman and Hall, UK, 1996 [3] Hamdan.A., Kajian Rekabentuk Campuran Konkrit menggunakan Styropor sebagai Agregat Ringan, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 2000 [4] Jackson N et al., Civil Engineering Materials, Macmillan, UK, 1988 [5] Neville A.M., Properties of Concrete, Longman, UK, 1995 [6] Park S.G et al., Report Study-Polystyrene Aggregate Concrete, Building Research Association of New Zealand, 1999 [7] Parton G.M et al., Polystyrene Bead Concrete Properties and Mix Design, Magazine of Concrete Research, Vol. 43, No. 3, 1982, pp. 153-161 [8] Perry S.H et al., Mix Details and Material Behavior of Polystyrene Aggregate Concrete, Magazine of Concrete Research, Vol. 43, No. 154, 1991, pp. 71-76 [9] Ravindrarajah et al., Properties of Hardened Concrete Containing Treated Expanded Polystyrene Beads, Cement and Concrete Composites, Vol. 16, No. 4, 1993, pp. 273-277 [10] Riley M.A., Mix Details and Material Behavior of Polystyrene Aggregate Concrete, Magazine of Concrete Research, Vol. 43, No. 155, 1991, pp. 87-92
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