Interaction of Foam Ceramic with the Alkaline Medium of Concretes

The activity of foam ceramic and foam glass in terms of the silicate-alkali interaction in concrete was investigated. It was found that in the wet environment in concrete the vitrified walls of the pores of the aggregates are chemically active. The transformations of foam ceramic include gelation of the pore walls with formation of an alkaline aluminosilicate gel followed by its crystallization. This binds the active components on such an aggregate in the crystalline phases, which are inert in a moist environment. The final stage of the transformation of the foam glass is noncrystallizing, alkaline, hydrated, silica gel.