Experimental investigation on lightweight concrete by replacing the coarse aggregate with coconut shell and expanded polystyene beads and using polypropylene fiber

Abstract

The lightweight (LW) concrete is a flexible material in the recent development scenario, which provides a variety of technological, economic and environmental advantages that enhance and maintain and is planned to become a dominant material in the millennium. Waste material management is a big concern and natural resources are difficult to locate because of their intense exploitation. In this project coconut shell and expanded polystyrene beads are used as a partial replacement to the coarse aggregate. The use of coconut shells as an aggregate in concrete making not only solves the issue of solid waste disposal, but also helps to protect natural resources. Polypropylene fiber was used in various proportions (0.5%, 1%, and 1.5%) to enhance the mechanical properties of the concrete. Several experiments have been carried out on lightweight concrete & normal concrete to understand the behavior of hardened concrete under compression, flexure and tensile conditions, and this research has been expanded to illustrate the durability of lightweight concrete.