Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality; Civil and Structural Engineering; expanded polystyrene; lightweight; steel fiber; silica fume; compressive strength; flexural strength
Abstract :
[en] The demand for lightweight aggregates in concrete compositions for diverse structural and non-structural applications in contemporary building construction has increased. This is to achieve a controllable low-density lightweight concrete, which reduces the overall structural weight. However, the challenge lies in achieving an appropriate strength in lightweight concrete while maintaining a lower unit weight. This research aims to evaluate the performance of lightweight concrete by integrating expanded polystyrene (EPS) as a partial replacement for coarse aggregate. Test specimens were cast by blending EPS with coarse aggregate at varying proportions of 0%, 15%, 30%, and 45%, while maintaining a constant water-to-binder ratio of 0.60. To enhance the bonding and structural capabilities of the proposed lightweight concrete mixes, reinforcement with 2% and 4% steel fibers by volume of the total concrete mix was incorporated. Silica fume was introduced into the mix to counteract the water hydrophobicity of EPS material and enhance the durability of lightweight concrete, added at a rate of 10% by weight of cement in all specimens. A total of 60 samples, including cylinders and beams, were prepared and cured over 28 days. The physical and mechanical properties of the lightweight EPS-based concrete were systematically examined through experimental testing and compared against a standard concrete mix. The analysis of the results indicates that EPS-based concrete exhibits a controllable low density. It also reveals that incorporating reinforcement materials, such as steel fibers, enhances the overall strength of lightweight concrete.
Research center :
Department of Civil Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Serdang 43400, Malaysia Department of Civil Engineering, Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS), Quetta 87300, Pakistan Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning (FATP), Aror University of Art, Architecture, Design and Heritage, Sukkur 65200, Pakistan
Disciplines :
Civil engineering
Author, co-author :
Shah, Syed Jahanzaib; Department of Civil Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Serdang 43400, Malaysia ; Department of Civil Engineering, Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS), Quetta 87300, Pakistan
Naeem, Asad; Department of Civil Engineering, Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS), Quetta 87300, Pakistan
Hejazi, Farzad; Faculty of Environment and Technology, The University of the West England, Bristol BS16 1QY, UK
Mahar, Waqas Ahmed ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Urban and Environmental Engineering ; Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning (FATP), Aror University of Art, Architecture, Design and Heritage, Sukkur 65200, Pakistan
Haseeb, Abdul; Department of Civil Engineering, Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS), Quetta 87300, Pakistan
Language :
English
Title :
Experimental Investigation of Mechanical Properties of Concrete Mix with Lightweight Expanded Polystyrene and Steel Fibers
The authors acknowledge the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan for providing the necessary funds and resources for the PhD studies of the first author under the HRDI-UESTPs/UETs Scholarship, Phase-I, Batch-VI with ref. no. 4893/2019.
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