The Possibility of Producing Self-Compacting Lightweight Concrete by Using Expanded Polystyrene Beads as Coarse Aggregate

Self-compacting concrete (SCC) is one of the emerging materials and because of its better fresh and hardened properties, its application is increasing day by day in the construction industry. Utilizing lightweight aggregates and fibers could improve further fresh and hardened properties of SCC. But due to considerable differences between the densities of lightweight, aggregates and binders will result in poor fresh and hardened properties. In this research work, expanded polystyrene beads utilized as coarse aggregate and inclusion of different percentage of waste plastic fiber (WPF) has been used to find the effect on fresh and hardened properties of SCLWC through experiments. The results reveal better fresh properties of SCLWC; however, the optimum fresh properties achieved at E1.0 mixture. Also, the compressive and flexural strengths increased with increasing the percentage of WPF in SCLWC. Moreover, ultrasonic pulse velocity decreased with increasing WPF in SCLWC. The wet density, dry density and percent absorption showed a mixed trend of increasing and decreasing with increasing percentage of WPF; however, all these values were within the ENFARC limits for SCC. And SEM images showed the number of voids on the surface of produced SCLWC specimens.

Automated summary

Self-compacting lightweight concrete can improve its fresh and hardened properties by using expanded polystyrene beads and waste plastic fibers. The research results suggest that adding waste plastic fibers can enhance the compressive and flexural strengths of self-compacting lightweight concrete within a certain percentage.