MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF FOAMED CONCRETE (FC) USING HIGH-VOLUME FLY ASH

Abstract

The production of foamed concrete (FC) using high-volume fly ash concrete (HVFAC) is an effort developed to minimize the adverse effects of construction activities on the environment. This initiative is associated with the ability of HVFAC to significantly reduce the use of Portland cement, including its lightweight nature, which requires a large volume of substitute additives. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of foam concrete produced using different HVFAC contents. The experimental process included the creation of five specimen variations. These included non-fly ash FC (FC0), which was used as the control with 100% Portland cement, and four variations, namely FC50, FC60, FC70, and FC80, produced using 50, 60, 70, and 80% fly ash of the total cementitious, respectively. Dry density and compressive strength were tested on the hard specimens at ages 7, 28, and 56 days, while the Initial Rate of Water Absorption (IRA) was conducted at the age of 56 days. The results showed that in 56 days, the increase in fly ash content in FC was inversely proportional to dry density and compressive strength values. However, the increase showed a direct proportionality to the water absorption value. FC produced with fly ash, which accounts for 50–80% of the total binder, can be efficiently used as an alternative infill wall material with substantial properties of being lightweight, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly, with acceptable technical specifications.