Analytical calculation model for elastic modulus and strength of foamed concrete

Foamed concrete has gained increasing attention for its excellent engineering performance. Endeavors have been made to experimentally and numerically elucidate the mechanism of foamed concrete, while few theoretical methods are used to analytically calculate mechanical properties. This paper proposes a theoretical framework to describe the elastic behavior of foamed concrete by combining Eshelby's equivalent inclusion theory with the Mori-Tanaka method. In the analytical model, foamed concrete is regarded as a two-phase composite comprising a homogeneous cement matrix and randomly oriented ellipsoidal air void. During derivation, the elastic modulus, strength, bulk modulus, shear modulus, and Poisson ratio are measured. A good agreement is established between the proposed method and experimental data.