Structural lightweight aggregate concrete (SLWAC) is an alternative building material to normal-weight one, due to its ability to reach a relatively high compressive strength at still significantly lower density. Nevertheless, the application of lightweight aggregate instead of normal-weight one to concrete must result in deterioration of some characteristics of the composite. One of the methods of improving SLWAC properties is incorporation of fibers into concrete. This paper focuses on the influence of steel fibres on modification of properties of structural lightweight concrete with sintered fly ash aggregate. Two different concrete mixtures, producing various levels of matured composite density and compressive strength, were modified with three dosages of fibers: 30, 45 and 60 kg/m3. The applied amounts did not result in significant deterioration of the rheological parameters of concrete mixtures. Despite relatively low volume content of fibres, a considerable increase of flexural and tensile splitting strength was observed. Fibres also improved concrete shrinkage as well as post-peak deformability in uni-axial compression. The effect of steel addition on compressive strength proved to be dependent on specimen type. Nevertheless, it was not as crucial as in the case of the above characteristics. However, the modulus of elasticity of SLWAC was not affected by fibre addition. Santrauka Konstrukcinis su lengvaisiais užpildais betonas (SLWAC) yra normalaus svorio statybinių medžiagų alternatyva, turinti mažesnį tankį ir gebėjimą pasiekti gana didelį gniuždomąjį stiprį. Nepaisant to, lengvieji užpildai, naudojami vietoj normalaus svorio užpildų, realiai gali pabloginti kai kurias kompozito savybes. Vienas iš lengvojo betono SLWAC savybių tobulinimo būdų yra plieninių fibrų įterpimas į betono sudėtį. Šiame darbe aptariamas plieninių fibrų poveikis konstrukcinio lengvojo betono su lakiaisiais pelenais savybėms. Tikslui pasiekti buvo parinktos pagal tankį ir gniuždomąjį stiprį dvi skirtingos betono sudėtys su skirtingais (30, 45 ir 60 kg/m3) plieninių fibrų tankiais. Paruošti bandiniai buvo naudoti gniuždomajam stipriui ir kitoms savybėms nustatyti. Tyrimų rezultatai parodė, kad plieninių fibrų priedas nepablogino reologinių betono mišinio rodiklių. Nepaisant palyginti mažo fibrų kiekio, labai padidėjo bandinių lenkiamasis ir tempiamasis stipris. Fibros taip pat pagerino deformacines betono savybes. Gauto kompozito gniuždomasis stipris iš dalies priklausė nuo naudojamų plieninių fibrų charakteristikų. Tačiau plieninių fibrų priedas nepakeitė SLWAC tamprumo modulio.

The aim of this paper is to present the problem of water-cement ratio reduction in structural lightweight concrete as a result of mixing water absorption by the lightweight aggregate. The research was carried out on eighteen concrete mixtures made of sintered fly ash aggregate and cement pastes of different nominal water-cement ratios. It has been demonstrated that the rate and the extent of the absorption of mixing water by the aggregate in concrete is dependent not only on its water absorption, but also on its moisture content, moisture state, the procedure of concrete preparation and the concrete composition. Moreover, it has been proved that the standard method for calculation of the so-called effective water-cement ratio is accurate only in the case of high initial moisture content of the lightweight aggregate. When dry sintered fly ash aggregate is used, the standard method gives underestimated values of the ratio as compared to its actual values determined in tests.The effect of mixing water absorption by the lightweight aggregate, revealed in tests of fresh concrete as the reduction of water-cement ratio, was also reflected in hardened state of concrete as the increase of its strength. The strength increase was higher for mixtures with higher content of lightweight aggregate. Although the porous aggregate is the weakest element in structural lightweight concrete, in this case its higher content may be compensated with excess by the stronger cement matrix resulting from the reduction of water-cement ratio

The aim of this study was to present the problem of durability of structural lightweight concrete made of a sintered fly ash aggregate. The issue of durability was researched for 12 concrete series in terms of their water absorption, water permeability, and freeze-thaw resistance. Additionally, the microstructure of several concretes was analyzed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). In the durability research, the influences of the following parameters were taken into consideration: The initial moisture content of sintered fly ash (mc = 0, 17–18, and 24–25%); the aggregate grading (4/8 and 6/12 mm); and the water-cement ratio (w/c = 0.55 and 0.37). As a result of various compositions, the concretes revealed different properties. The density ranged from 1470 to 1920 kg/m³, and the corresponding strength ranged from 25.0 to 83.5 MPa. The durability research results of tested lightweight concretes showed that, despite considerably higher water absorption, a comparable water permeability and comparable or better freeze-thaw resistance in relation to normal-weight concrete may be present. Nevertheless, the fundamental requirement of lightweight concrete to achieve good durability requires the aggregate’s initial moisture content to be limited and a sufficiently tight cement matrix to be selected. The volume share of the cement matrix and aggregate, the cement content, and even the concrete strength are of secondary importance.

One of the biggest technological problems connected with the production of lightweight concretes made of porous aggregates is their much higher water absorption, which may cause on the one hand workability loss, and on the other hand excess water content in concrete. The aim of this research was to assess the effect of impregnation of lightweight aggregates (LWAs) with cement paste on their properties and to verify its effectiveness in concretes. Three types of lightweight aggregates differing in porosity and pore structure (sintered fly ash Lytag, expanded clay: Leca and Liapor) were selected for the tests. The following parameters were taken into consideration in the research program: LWA type and size, LWA initial moisture content, strength, and rheology of cement pastes. The tests of 22 different aggregates, plain and coated with cement paste, included density, crushing strength, and development of water absorption in time. The research program proved that porous aggregates, due to their impregnation with cement pastes, may be effectively sealed and strengthened. All tested LWAs showed a considerable decrease in water absorption by up to 71%. However, only Lytag aggregate showed a visibly enhanced crushing strength. Verification of effectiveness of aggregate sealing on the enhancement of concrete properties showed both a considerable reduction in water absorption of composites (by up to 52%) and a very high increase in their strength (by up to 107%).

The main aim of the paper was to assess whether the lightweight concrete with a new type of sintered fly ash aggregate can be used as a structural material for post-tensioned elements subject to high effort. This purpose was achieved by comparison of the properties of lightweight aggregate concrete with Certyd aggregate (LWAC) and normal-weight concrete with dolomite aggregate (NWAC) of similar strength in terms of their suitability for use in prestressed members. Special emphasis was placed on long-term, relatively rarely performed tests of rheological properties such as shrinkage and creep. The research was conducted on standard specimens as well as on plain and post-tensioned beams of bigger scale, which could reflect better the behavior of the materials in a destined type of structural members. The carried out tests showed that, despite the expected lower density and modulus of elasticity, LWAC revealed comparable tensile strength and lower shrinkage and creep in the whole time of observations (ca 1.5 years) in comparison to NWAC. Moreover, the total loss of prestressing force for beams made of LWAC was slightly lower than for NWAC. Estimations of tensile strength and modulus of elasticity values according to the standard Eurocode EN-1992-1-1 for both concrete types turned out to be satisfactory. However, the rheological properties of the tested lightweight concrete seemed to be considerably overestimated.

The aim of this paper is to discuss the unrecognized problem of the scale effect in compressive strength tests determined for cored specimens of lightweight aggregate concrete (LWAC) against the background of available data on the effect for normal-weight concrete (NWAC). The scale effect was analyzed taking into consideration the influence of slenderness (λ = 1.0, 1.5, 2.0) and diameter (d = 80, 100, 125, and 150 mm) of cored specimens, as well as the type of lightweight aggregate (expanded clay and sintered fly ash) and the type of cement matrix (w/c = 0.55 and 0.37). The analysis of the results for four lightweight aggregate concretes revealed no scale effect in compressive strength tests determined on cored specimens. Neither the slenderness, nor the core diameter seemed to affect the strength results. This fact should be explained by the considerably better structural homogeneity of the tested lightweight concretes in comparison to normal-weight ones. Nevertheless, there were clear differences between the results obtained on molded and cored specimens of the same shape and size.