PUT: COMPOSITION AND PROPERTIES, Foamed concrete is a lightweight materlal Produced by incorporating a preformed foam, not unlike a stiff shaving foam, into a base mix of cement paste or mortar, using standard or proprietary mixing plant, The entrapped air bubbles reduce the density of the base mix and have a strong plasticiing effect on it DESCRIPTION @ Foamed concrete is free-flowing but exhibits thixotropic behaviour, Its easily Placed, requires no compaction and flows Into the most restricted and imeguior Cavities. Segregation and bleeding are also inhibited by the bubbles and the material can be pumped successfully over vertical ‘and horizontal distances similar to those for Pumpable dense concrete. © Foamed concrete can be produced with dry densities of 400 to 1600 kg/m". with 7-day strengths of approximately 1 to 10 N/mm respectively. @ Foamed concrete Is fre resistant, and its thermal and acoustical insulation properties make it ideal for a wide range of purposes, from insulating sub-bases and root screeds, 0 void fling. It's also particularly useful for trench reinstatement. COMPOSITION OF FOAMED. CONCRETE As stated previously, foamed concrete is Produced by incorporating a metered ‘Volume of preformed foam (air bubbles) Info a cement paste or mortar mix of known, volume and density. The foam is produced by a foam generator in which a foam. Concentrate, usually diluted in the ratio of ‘one part of concentrate fo between five ‘and 40 parts of water. is combined with air (frequently compressed) in pre-determined uontities. The mbx is then forced through’ G restriction to produce the foam. The generator can be hand-held, or fixed to discharge directly into a mixer. The density Of the foam is typically between 25 and 80 gfitre. ‘The most commoniy used foam concentrates are based on protein hydrolyzates or synthetic surfactants. They Gre formulated to produce air bubbies that are stable and able to rest the physical ‘and chemical forces imposed during mixing, placing and hardening of the concrete. Between 75 and 85% of the bubbles are of 0.3 to 1.5 mm in diameter. Most foamed concrete is produced using ‘one of fwo systems. For batch production, 4 timed amount of foam from a generator with a known output rate is used 10 odd the fequired amount of foam to the base mix. For continuous production, a controlled ‘output of foam is added to a known flow of base mix, Foamed concretes with dry densities below 600 kg/m? usually consist of cement, foam. ‘and water, or cement, fly ash, foam and water. Higher densities are produced by ding sand. Building sand or concreting sand of § mm maximum size may be used, but research has indicated that, for a given cement content, a higher strength is Obtained using finer sands of 2 mm ‘maximum size with 60 to 95% passing the 600 micron sieve. Waste sands, such as single-sized tailings and granite dust, have been used successfully, But the same restrictions on grading and maximum size stil apply. Coarse natural aggregates cannot be used because they would segregate in the lightweight foamed concrete, but itis Possible to use lightweight aggregates with @ similar density fo the foamed concrete.This avoids segregation, improves the strength for given density and reduces the higher drying shrinkage associated with the lower density mixes Ordinary Portland cement is used os the binder in most foamed concretes, but some manufacturers Claim that rapid-hordening Portland cement gives higher strengths for a given cement content. as well (08 0 foster development of strengin. Cement Contents for the most commonly used mixes are ‘between 300 and 375 kg/m" Table 1 gives details of typical mixes used for foamed concretes of various densities, An indication only of Table 1: Typical mk details for foamed concrete, batch weights is given becouse the type and grading Of the sand and the characteristics of the foom wil cl Influence the weights required. For optimum results the w/c ratio of the base mix should be kept faitly high to provide a base mix with a high workability. A base mix that is too dry and stif is labie to extract water from the foam and cause it fo collapse. In general. the ‘optimum w/c ratio for the base mix ies between 05.0nd 0.6. The water used in the mixes, as with dense coneretes, should be potable. This is particularly important when using protein-based foaming agents, ‘8 any organic contamination could have an adverse effect on the quailty of the foam produced, WET DENSITY (kg/m?) 500 900 1300 1700 DRY DENSITY (kg/m?) 360 760 1180 1560 (CEMENT ¢kg/m*) 300 320 360 400 SAND (kg/m) : 420 780 1130 BASE MIX W/C RATIO. Between 0.5 and 0.6 ‘AIR CONTENT (%) 78 62 45 28 Adding foam to base mix.Placing foamed concrete. foamed concretes. Uniformly sized small bubbles PROPERTIES OF FOAMED CONCRETE ‘appear to produce higher ultimate strengths at all densities, As with dense concrete. the compressive strength of foamed concrete will depend on the density, initial Figure 1 shows the range of 7-day strengths obtain: water/coment ratio. and cement content. te able for various cry densities of foamed concrete density of the foam can have an influence on the ple ee el facey sendin ot 050) 10 imam, wil be) ultimate strength, particularly for the lower density obiained at a dry dansity of 400 kg/m®, and 7.5 to 10.0 Nimmn? at a density of 1600 kg/m! 7-day strength - Nymm? 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1001800 Dry Gensity - kg/m? Figure 1: The selationship between compressive strength and ary density for foamed concrete.[ovsrs wpintes Tae upc seo tode: A 666.973.6 Table 2, based on research carried out at the BCA and elsewhere. gives an indication ‘of properties at various dry densities, The drying shrinkage for foamed concrete is. higher than that of dense concrete: the highest shrinkages being associated with the lowest densities, where the material is essentially a foamed cement paste. ‘An advantage of lower density foamed Concrete ists lower thermal conductivity which gives better insulation properties. Table 2: Typical properties of foamed concrete, As Table 2 shows. the thermal conductivity is between § and 40% of that far dense concrete. The modulus of elasticity is also of a similar order when compared with dense concrete. In tests at the BCA, specimens taken from foamed concretes with dry densities between 800 and 1400 kg/m? suffered no damage when subjected to a freeze-thaw regime with a temperature range of -18°C to +20°C. toppers, therefore, that foamed concretes will not be vuherable in freeze-thaw situations Dry compressive | THERMAL mopuws oF | DRYING DENSITY ‘STRENGTH CONDUCTIVITY | ELASTICITY ‘SHRINKAGE kg/m’) (N/mm?) wie) N/mm o 700 Os-10 010 De-10 030-085 200) 10-15, on 10-15 022-025 800 15-20 07-075 20-25 020-072 000 25-30 023-030 25-30 018-015 1200 45-55 038-042 35-40 01-009 1400 60-80 050-055 50-60 00-007 1600 78-100 042-066 100-120 (0.07 -0.06 When Portiond cement is mixed with water, or even becomes damp. akals are released which can be harmful fo the skin. The effect depends on tne length of contact, any abroson, and the pat of the body involved, Sutable protective clothing should be wom. If ayes are affected they should be washed out without delay and mecical Cention sought Many construction activities ore potentially Gongerous so care sneeded at ot limes. Current legstation requires all persons fo consider tho effects of tha actions or lack of action on the health ond sotety of themselves ond others. Advice Cn saely lagsiation may be obtained ftom any of the red offces of ihe Health and Safety Executive ‘tens ew rouse he gricnce se eon et cara es pga ey os British Cement Association Published by British Cement Association Century House, Telford Avenue Crowthome. Berks R11 6YS Telephone: (01344) 762676 Fox: (01344) 761214