Several properties of mineral admixtured lightweight mortars at elevated temperatures

Abstract

SUMMARYThe improvement of thermal and mechanical properties of mortars including expanded perlite aggregate (EPA) containing either clinoptilolite, a type of natural zeolite (NZ), waste glass powder (GP) or blast furnace slag (BFS) cured at elevated temperature was analyzed using thermal conductivity, compressive strength, flexure strength and dry unit weight. EPA mortar specimens were prepared by replacing a varying part of the portland cement with the above minerals. All mortar samples were prepared and cured at 23±1°C lime saturated water for 28 days. The maximum thermal conductivity of 1.3511W/mK was determined with the control samples containing plain cement. GP has shown 1 and 4% decrease for both 10, 20% GP and 25% EPA, respectively. Both BFS and NZ have a decreasing effect on thermal conductivity. The experiments were carried out, in which the samples were subjected to temperature of 300, 500 and 800°C for 2 h, then cooled in air. The results indicated that all the mortars exposed to temperature of 500 and 800°C shown a significant decrease in thermal conductivity, compressive strength and flexure strength. However, compared with the mortars including 25% EPA, adding the other admixtures at all level replacement decreased thermal conductivity, compressive strength, flexure strength and dry unit weight as a function of replacement percent. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.