Abstract
This paper proposes a new type of lightweight concrete called bubble concrete, which was developed by mixing concrete with high-strength hollow bodies. In the present study, concave and spherical steel hollow bodies were used not only to form multiple cavities in the concrete but also to transfer internal stresses. Through compression tests, the shape effects and distribution effects of the hollow bodies on the strength and Young’s modulus of concrete were investigated. In addition, the mechanical characteristics of the bubble concrete were simulated by nonlinear elastoplastic finite element analysis to study the stress distribution and failure mechanism. The results indicate that with the proper combination, bubble concrete can reduce its density to 1.971–2.003 g/cm3 (83.3–84.7%, compared to control concrete) and its strength reaches 27.536–28.954 N/mm2.
Highlights
Lightweight concrete is characterized by low density, excellent thermal insulation, and good seismic performance, which have made it an increasingly popular building structure material in the world
Lightweight aggregates used in structural lightweight concrete are typically expanded shale, clay, or slate materials fired in a rotary kiln to develop a porous structure
Bubble concrete was developed by mixing high-strength hollow bodies into concrete
Summary
Lightweight concrete is characterized by low density, excellent thermal insulation, and good seismic performance, which have made it an increasingly popular building structure material in the world. The bubble concrete can reduce the density of concrete, improve the thermal insulation performance, and reduce the impact of seismic load on the concrete structure while ensuring the strength and Young’s modulus of concrete material. As this is a novel solution for lightweight concrete, authors have tried to extend it to other fields, for example, shipbuilding, metal materials, aerospace materials, etc. The authors firstly investigate the stress distribution of bubble concrete with a single sphere and single cubic concave body to explore the effect of hollow body shape on strength. This paper reports the research on the fixed position of the hollow bodies to explore the position’s influence on the bubble concrete compressive strength
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