Hardened properties of foamed pastes with alternative foaming agents as function of porosity [Propiedades de las pastas espumadas endurecidas con agentes espumantes alternativos en función de la porosidad]

Abstract

Concrete is one of the most used materials in Ingeniería Civil engineering. However, construction industry demands the use of lightweight materials. Cellular concrete is an alternative. This form of concrete is known for its low density, high workability, low thermal and acoustic conductivity and high fire resistance. In hardened state, properties of concrete such as density, compressive strength, permeability, shrinkage and thermoacoustic isolation are intimately related to its porosity and pore size distribution. Difference in pore structure is largely due to the foam type, water cement ratio and foam stability. Given the importance of porosity for the evaluation of the performance of a cellular concrete on hardened state, the present work aims to determine mathematical relationships between porosity and density and compressive strength, considering the effect of the type of foaming reagent used and the water/cement ratio. © 2022 Potificia Universidad Catolica de Chile. All rights reserved.