Lightweight foamed concrete as a promising avenue for incorporating waste materials: A review

Several million tons of different types of wastes are generated every year globally and this is expected to increase in the future. Most of these wastes are dumped via landfilling or incineration which creates environmental concerns. One of the possible methods of utilizing these wastes is by incorporating them as alternatives to common concrete constituents. In this regard, foamed concrete could provide an excellent medium for incorporating these wastes in a large volume primarily due to low strength requirement of foamed concrete. A significant number of research is carried out to explore the idea of integrating waste materials in pre-foamed concrete. However, the limited knowledge available to recognize the utilization of these waste and the influence on foamed concrete limits the adoption of the concept and further development. Hence, this paper compiles and reviews the usage of various types of wastes such as industrial, agricultural, quarry, and construction industry wastes as a potential replacement for cement and fine aggregate in foamed concrete. Due to the unique composition and the resulting chemical and physical properties, as well as the nature of replacement (either as cement or fine aggregate replacement), each type of waste contributes differently to the performance of foamed concrete. Generally, a non-load bearing foamed concrete with low thermal conductivity, low density, and adequate compressive strength can be produced by incorporating the waste materials. This paper also describes the advantages of incorporating waste materials in foamed concrete compared to conventional concrete and proposes the further development of the concept for future application of a more sustainable and eco-friendly foamed concrete.

Automated summary

Several million tons of various types of wastes are generated globally each year, with most being disposed of through landfilling or incineration. Utilizing these wastes as alternatives to common concrete constituents is being explored, particularly in foamed concrete due to its low strength requirement. However, limited knowledge on the utilization of waste materials in foamed concrete and their impact hinders further development of the concept.