Foam Concrete
Hola Folks! ?
Every week I try to search for new things related to civil engineering and this week I got to learn about Foam-Concrete. Hope my learnings prove to be quite helpful for you as I tried to sum it up in a few lines below.?
? Foam Concrete
When a special foam is added to cement mortar, it produces a lightweight concrete termed as foam concrete. The lightweight of this concrete is due to air entrapped within the voids. Air bubbles created in this paste of cement is influenced by the type of foaming agent used. The foaming agent used in foam concrete is diluted with water to make a pre-foaming solution which is then forced at high pressure through the foaming lance. This produces a uniform, stable foam which has a volume greater than that of the pre-foaming solution.
? Advantages of Foam Concrete
By varying the amount of sand, cement, fly ash, water and foam used to make lightweight concrete, one can change its properties for every job or application. Below are a few advantages of using foam concrete instead of the conventional dense concrete.
1️⃣ As it is light in weight, so it has low density and high flowability. Buildings made of precast cellular concrete blocks have a reduced dead weight allowing to construct a lighter frame.
2️⃣ This concrete offers great resistance to fire, hence is incombustible. This helps in ensuring a better quality of life for everyone.
3️⃣ As foam concrete has a cellular structure, so it absorbs less water compared to the normal concrete.
4️⃣ Differential settlement has always been a threat to buildings, but by using this concrete in construction can aid in dealing with this threat as it is less susceptible to differential settlement.
5️⃣ Structures constructed of lightweight cellular concrete produces a monolithic, well-bonded structure that does not inflict lateral loads on adjacent structures.
6️⃣ To increase the strength of soils on which structures are built, the soil is compacted. If a structure is built from foam concrete then it offers about 100% compacted foundation. Thus, compaction is not required.
7️⃣ This concrete saves time and money both.
8️⃣ It offers sound absorption and more strength.
⚡Disadvantages of Foam Concrete
No doubt there are a lot of benefits of using this concrete, but to everything, there is a darker side as well. The foaming agent can be dangerous to human health as well. A special expensive anchorage is required in the case of cellular concrete. This concrete offers more fragility.
?♀️ Over To You
Cellular concrete ensures sustainable construction and is the need of the time. Recently, research works are done on using recycled glass powder in foam concrete. Go it check it out folks ➡ Experimental investigation on foam concrete without and with recycled glass powder: A sustainable solution for future construction . In view of the advantages it has to offer, foam concrete should be used more often in construction.
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Great article… keep up the goodwork
Thank You ?