Experimental and empirical evaluation of strength for sustainable lightweight self-compacting concrete by recycling high volume of industrial waste materials

Abstract

This work aims to study the relationship between the results of lightweight self compacting concrete (LWSCC) made with waste expanded polystyrene (EPS) beads to find an empirical equation to predict mechanical characteristics and compare their results with code empirical equations. The workability and hardened characteristics were examined for sustainable LWSCC which was produced with a water to binder ratio of 0.35 and substituted the normal coarse aggregate with different volume fractions of EPS beads at 0%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, and 80%. All the mixes contain a binder content of 500 kg/m3. Slump flow diameter and time, as well as V-shape flow time, were used to determine the workability of LWSCCs. Additionally, hardened properties such as dry density, ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV), water absorption, compressive, flexural, and splitting tensile strengths are evaluated. The results confirmed that increasing the amount of EPS increased the workability of LWSCCs while decreasing the strength value, but the compressive strength met the lower limit specified by ACI for structural applications. Additionally, there was a strong linear correlation between the mechanical results. The actual strengths compared with the empirical models presented in codes and literature studies found that the actual results are closest to ACI 363.