Development of High-Performance Foamed Concrete with Lightweight Aggregates for Structural Use

Lightweight concrete is applicable to skyscrapers and structures with a large size or long span, as well as the fabrication of reinforced concrete units in modular construction. With reduced self-weight, it is essential to maintain sufficient mechanical strength to avoid the increase in structural member size that lowers the efficiency in space utilization and headroom. In this study, by incorporating lightweight aggregate sourced from industrial by-products into foamed concrete, an experimental program was conducted to develop a lightweight concrete mix that has strength-to-density ratio superior to existing mixes reported in the literature. Scanning electron microscopy was performed to understand the rationale behind the improvement.