Expanded Polystyrene Concrete Research Articles

Investigation of the mechanical properties of lightweight concrete using expanded polystyrene reinforced with glass fibers

The use of lightweight concrete has gained popularity in the industrial construction sector owing to its ability to reduce dead weight and enable smaller cross-sections of beams. Adding expanded polystyrene to replace a portion of fine aggregate is a widely accepted solution to decrease the weight of concrete. However, lightweight expanded polystyrene concrete (EPSC) has poor mechanical properties and brittleness, limiting its application to non-bearing structures and thermal isolation. Glass fiber reinforcement is a promising solution to improve the mechanical properties of lightweight expanded polystyrene concrete. This study investigates the effect of glass fiber content on the mechanical properties of lightweight expanded polystyrene concrete. To investigate the impact of glass fiber on the mechanical properties of concrete, various volume percentages of glass fiber were incorporated into the mixture. The compressive and tensile strengths of the concrete were measured and compared for each percentage of glass fiber added. The results showed that the addition of glass fiber significantly reduced workability without causing a significant impact on volume density and compressive strength The study concludes that glass fiber reinforcement is a promising solution to improve the flexural strength of lightweight expanded polystyrene concrete and make it suitable for load-bearing applications in construction.

Long-term thermal productivity of polystyrene concrete in a new composite wall in a fixed formwork

Purpose. Determination of the term of long-term thermal productivity of expanded polystyrene concrete in a new composite frame wall in a fixed formwork. Methodology. Methods of analysis and synthesis were used to conduct a patent search and develop a research methodology. The search was conducted using the patent database of Ukrainian Institute of Scientific and Technical Expertise and Information. Experimental studies were carried out in accordance with State Standard of Ukraine B V.2.7-38-95. The essence of the experiment consisted in reproducing the natural conditions of the “freeze-thaw-heat” cycle and measuring the thermal insulation characteristics of the main insulating material – polystyrene concrete – before and after the tests. Based on this, a conclusion was made about the long-term thermal productivity of the expanded polystyrene concrete in a new composite wall in the fixed formwork. The calculation of the dependence of thermal productivity on the number of cycles was carried out by arithmetic means using standard methods and programs such as Microsoft Excel. Findings. New technical solution of a composite wall made of expanded polystyrene concrete in a fixed formwork using light steel thin-walled structures has been created. A methodology for researching the long-term thermal productivity of this composite wall has been developed. An experimental study was conducted to research the influence of cyclic temperature changes (“freeze-thaw-heat”) on the long-term thermal productivity of the main heat-insulating element of the composite wall – expanded polystyrene concrete. An appropriate analytical model of the dependence of long-term thermal productivity of expanded polystyrene concrete samples on the number of “freeze-thaw-heat” cycles was calculated. The possibility of effective operation of the structure was confirmed by checking the normative values of the resource index and the factor of climatic destruction influence of materials during operation on their long-term thermal productivity. Implementation of a new composite wall solution in construction was conducted. Originality. For the first time, the dependence of cyclic temperature effects on the long-term thermal productivity of expanded polystyrene concrete in a new composite wall made in a fixed formwork using light steel thin-walled structures was determined, which made it possible to establish its effective operation life. This scientific result makes it possible to reduce material consumption, ensure economy, increase operational reliability and energy-efficient properties, and increase the service life of the composite wall. Practical value. New solution for installing a composite wall made of expanded polystyrene concrete in a fixed formwork using light steel thin-walled structures was developed and its effective thermal operation within the legally established term was substantiated. The period of effective exploitation of expanded polystyrene concrete as the least durable component of a composite wall is substantiated. Approbation of this design was carried out by installing it on a real construction site, which showed an increase in the manufacturability of construction processes compared to traditional enclosing structures.

Technology for erecting monolithic enclosing structures of buildings made of expanded polystyrene concrete

This work aims to develop effective technology for erecting monolithic enclosing structures of buildings made of expanded polystyrene concrete. As a result of the research carried out, a model of large-panel formwork made of ABS plastic for concreting monolithic walls with an expanded polystyrene concrete mixture was developed, representing rectangular panels of a size of 3000 x 1200 x 40 mm. To ensure the necessary strength and rigidity, the outer side of the formwork is made cellular with a large number of longitudinal and transverse stiffeners placed in increments of 300 mm. We have developed a technology for erecting monolithic enclosing structures of buildings made of expanded polystyrene concrete using a mobile concrete-mixing unit. The following are technical and economic indicators for manufacturing monolithic walls out of expanded polystyrene concrete of a volume of 46 m3 : the cost is 354.784 thousand rubles, and the labor intensity and unit capacity are 163.76 people.*h and 27.36 units.*h, respectively. The results significantly offer the construction industry a solution to reduce the labor intensity of construction and installation while manufacturing cost-effective monolithic enclosing structures for buildings.

Homogenization approach for estimating the effective thermal conductivity of Lightweight Expanded Polystyrol Concrete

This paper aims to determine the macroscopic thermal conductivity coefficient of Lightweight Expanded Polystyrene Concrete (LEPS-C) using the homogenization approach through analytical calculations. The influence of expanded polystyrene on the overall thermal conductivity coefficient of LEPS-C was determined using classical homogenization models based on the solution of the Eshelby problem, with the matrix phase being concrete and the inclusion phase being expanded polystyrene particles randomly distributed in the matrix phase. The content of substituted expanded polystyrene particles was varied from 0% to 40% by volume of concrete. The analytical calculation results obtained from the homogenization models were compared with the experimental results, showing good agreement and demonstrating the efficacy of the homogenization method in predicting the macroscopic thermal conductivity of LEPS-C.

EVALUATION OF THE NEW CONSTRUCTIVE-TECHNOLOGICAL SOLUTION OF THE FENCE STRUCTURE IN THE NON-REMOVABLE FORMWORK

The known constructive and technological solutions of enclosing constructions of buildings in fixed formwork with the use of qualitative, quantitative and general analysis are analyzed. Selected quantitative indicators, such as wall thickness, weight of 1 m2 of wall, heat transfer resistance, area of premises, cost, durability, tendency to shrinkage. Qualitative indicators were used: resistance to the sun, mold, fertilization and destruction, features of delivery of building materials. The method of multicriteria analysis is used to evaluate new structural and technological solutions of fencing structures and determine the most effective technologies. Categories of various constructive-technological decisions in a fixed timbering on the basis of economic consideration of modeling are considered. Such modern constructive-technological decisions of enclosing constructions in a fixed timbering are selected for comparison, as: expanded polystyrene blocks; blocks with wall alignment system; polystyrene concrete blocks; concrete blocks; blocks of cement-chip material; large panels made of expanded polystyrene; three-layer reinforced expanded polystyrene panels; cement particle boards; concrete slabs; frame-monolithic formwork with cement-chipboard cladding; frame-monolithic formwork with cladding of glass-magnesium plates and technology according to the patent UA 149402. The new design and technological solution, which has been developed and patented, is a combination of modern materials that are of great interest and demand to consumers, such as light steel thin-walled structures and expanded polystyrene concrete. The evaluation of technological solutions by quantitative criteria on a ten-point scale, where the minimum and maximum values are assigned points 1 and 10, respectively. Graphical modeling of the summary variants, which are equalized, is performed, and the corresponding diagrams are constructed.

The synergistic strengthening effect of silane coupling agent on the interface between PVA/EPS and cement: experiment and molecular simulation

ABSTRACT Expanded polystyrene (EPS) concrete is a new type of green building material. To make it more widely used, in this work, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fiber and silane coupling agent (SCA) were used to toughen it. The synergistic enhancement mechanism of SCA on PVA/cement and EPS/cement interfaces was systematically investigated from macro mechanical properties, microstructure characteristics, and nano interface interaction. Firstly, based on the mechanical property test, it was found that the introduction of SCA and PVA fibers can significantly improve the flexural strength of EPS composite concrete at 7 and 28 days, followed by the compressive strength. Secondly, the cut pieces of corresponding composite concrete were observed by electron microscope. It was found that SCA made the two interfaces more closely, and its bonding effect at the micro interface was described. Finally, molecular dynamics (MD) was used to model PVA/C-S-H and EPS/C-S-H with or without SCA. Then, the local structure, dynamic performance, and binding energy of the interface were calculated and analyzed. The analysis results showed that SCA reduced the interface effect and enhanced the interface hydrogen bonding, van der Waals interaction, Ca-H coordination bond and stability. Thus, the interfacial adhesion energy was improved, and the weak interfacial bonding between organic polymers (PVA, EPS) and inorganic silicates (C-S-H) was enhanced.

Study on frost resistance of EPS concrete based on EPS beads wrapping modification

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) concrete is an ideal low carbon green building material, but the frost resistance is weak in natural environment, which hinders the popularization of EPS concrete. In this study, magnesium phosphate cement (MPC), ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC), and waterborne polyurethane (WPU) were used to wrap the surface of EPS beads and enhance its concrete performance. The frost resistance durability of four groups of EPS concrete was studied, the uniaxial compression tests of concrete after freezing and thawing were conducted, the results show that: the freeze thaw damage law of EPS concrete is different from ordinary concrete, the standard of freeze-thaw failure of EPS concrete is the sudden increase of dynamic elastic modulus but not continues decreasing, the mass of EPS concrete increases but not decreases; concrete with EPS beads wrapped by UHPC and WPU has good frost resistance, the frost resistance level has been increased by 100 levels and the service life increased by 60% than that of EPS beads unwrapped, the strength-degradation is much slower than that of concrete without wrapped; after freeze-thaw failure, the cracks and the interface transition zone (ITZ) gap of concrete with EPS beads wrapped is smaller than unwrapped, the macro phenomenon of freeze-thaw failure is explained from the micro level, based on macro and micro test results, the degradation mechanism of concrete with EPS wrapped and unwrapped under the action of freezing-thawing cycles are discussed. Beside, the stress-strain curves of EPS concrete after freeze-thaw attenuation were studied, the attenuation of concrete with EPS beads wrapped with WPU and UHPC is not serious as the concrete with EPS unwrapped, the proposed stress-strain model is in good agreement with the experimental results, which can provide a reference for evaluating the mechanical properties of EPS concrete after freeze-thaw. Finally, it is suggested to use linear segment and curve segment to describe the attenuation trend of relative dynamic elastic modulus, the fitted model is in good agreement with the experimental results, it can provides a reference for the study of freeze-thaw mechanical properties and the prediction of freeze-thaw cycle of this kind of concrete.

Influence of Paste Strength on the Strength of Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) Concrete with Different Densities.

Concrete in which EPS (expanded polystyrene) particles partially or completely replace concrete aggregates is called EPS concrete. Compared to traditional concrete, EPS concrete has a controllable low density and good thermal-insulation performance, which make it promising for prospective applications. At present, research on EPS concrete mostly focuses on increasing its strength and EPS surface modifications. Few researchers have studied the influence of cementitious material strength and EPS-concrete density on the strength of EPS concrete. In this research, cement was used as the main material, and fly ash, silica fumes, and blast furnace slag were selected as admixtures. By changing the mixing proportions of the admixtures, the basic properties, such as the paste strength, change. Based on the mix proportions of the above different raw materials, EPS concrete with different density levels was prepared to explore the influence of the density of EPS concrete and the strength of cementitious materials on the strength of EPS concrete. The influence of the slurry strength on EPS-concrete strength was weaker than that of the density of EPS concrete. When the strength range of the cementitious materials is 35.7~70.5 MPa, the compressive strength range of 1000 kg/m3, 1200 kg/m3, and 1400 kg/m3 EPS concrete is 8.8~17.6 MPa, 11.4~18.0 MPa, and 15.7~26.6 MPa, respectively. Based on the experiments, the fitting equation to determine the EPS-concrete strength–EPS-concrete density–cementitious material strength is z = 69.00087 + 0.0244x − 0.1746y − 0.00189x2 + 0.0000504706y2 + 0.00028401xy. Additionally, a strength-increasing design method for EPS concrete with different densities prepared by conventional Portland cement is clarified. This study can guide the preparation of EPS concrete.

Research and Statistical Analysis on Impact Resistance of Steel Fiber Expanded Polystyrene Concrete and Expanded Polystyrene Concrete.

Steel fiber foamed concrete (SFFC) combines the impact resistance of steel fiber concrete (SFC) and the energy absorption characteristics of foamed concrete (FC), and it has brought attention to the impact field. Using the mechanical properties of SFFC expanded polystyrene concrete, we prepared (EPSC) specimens with 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50% by volume of expanded polystyrene (Veps), and steel fiber expanded polystyrene concrete (SFEPSC) specimens by adding 1% steel fiber (SF) based on the EPSC in this study. The relationship between compressive strength, the Veps and apparent density was revealed. The relationship between the first crack and the ultimate failure impact of SFEPSC specimens was obtained by a drop-weight test. The impact resistance of SFEPSC and EPSC and the variation law of Veps were studied by mathematical statistics. The log-normal and the two-parameter Weibull distributions were used to fit the probability distribution of impact resistance of the SFEPSC and EPSC specimens. Finally, both types of specimens’ destruction modes and mechanisms were analyzed. The mechanism of the EPS particles and the SFs dissipating impact load energy was analyzed from the energy point of view.

An Investigation of the Properties of Expanded Polystyrene Concrete with Fibers Based on an Orthogonal Experimental Design.

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) concrete is commonly used as the core material of commercial sandwich panels (CSPs). It is environmentally friendly and lightweight but has poor strength. Adding fibers can improve the microstructure of EPS concrete and reduce the weakening effect of EPS beads on the mechanical properties of concrete. An orthogonal experimental design (OED) was used in this paper to analyze the influence of length and content of polypropylene fiber (PF), glass fiber (GF), and carbon fiber (CF) on the physical and mechanical properties and micromorphology of EPS concrete. Among them, CFs have the most apparent impact on concrete and produce the most significant improvements in all properties. According to the requirements of the flexural performance of CSPs, the splitting tensile strength was taken as the optimization index, and the predicted optimal combination (OC) of EPS concrete with fibers was selected. The variations in the material properties, mechanical properties, and microstructure with age were analyzed. The results show that with increasing age, the dry density, compressive strength, and splitting tensile strength of concrete are markedly improved relative to those of the CSP core material and the control case (CC), and even the degree of hydration is improved.

Drying shrinkage properties of expanded polystyrene (EPS) lightweight aggregate concrete: A review

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is currently being utilized in sustainable materials owing to its ultra-low density and superior thermal performance. It can be incorporated in concrete mixtures to replace coarse aggregate to produce lightweight aggregate concrete (LWAC). Concerning the high shrinkage development in LWAC, the present study reviews the available published articles regarding the drying shrinkage of lightweight concretes containing expanded polystyrene. According to the previous studies, the drying shrinkage development in expanded polystyrene concrete (EPSC) has been reported to be greater than that in conventional concrete, which must be considered for its application in the construction industry. It is mainly attributed to the low elastic modulus and mechanical properties of the EPS. However, incorporating additives and fibers can improve its shrinkage resistance properties. A comprehensive comparison of drying shrinkage magnitude between various LWAC showed that the drying shrinkage strain of EPSC is not generally higher than other types of LWAC; however, the density of EPSC was measured lower than that in other types of lightweight aggregate concretes.

Mechanical, sound and thermal properties of recycled expanded polystyrene concrete reinforced with 0.5% to 5.5% kenaf fibre

The incorporation of expanded polystyrene (EPS) in the concrete matrix has been increasingly popular in the construction industry in recent years, because of its excellent insulating and protective properties. However, there are shortcomings in the mechanical properties of the EPS concrete. This research aims to improve the tensile strength of the EPS with the usage of natural kenaf fibres, and the compressive strength with additives for example silica fume and naphthalene-based superplasticizers. The method of producing EPS–KF concrete mix is by selecting an EPS concrete mix with adequate strength by referencing local standard MS 76:1972 before determining the optimum percentage of kenaf fibres. This study found that with the optimum volume of EPS and kenaf fibres, the density of the concrete can achieve lightweight classification. In addition to that, the fibres are found to improve the tensile property, without compromising too much of the compressive property. The concrete produced from this study may be ideal for use as concrete bricks in the construction industry for non-structural purposes, especially in low-cost housing for its advantageous benefits and also to reduce the detrimental effects of waste to the environment.

Concrete Bricks Manufactured Using EPS Beads with Steel Fibers

An experimental investigation was conducted to assess the behavior of solid concrete bricks when subjected to compressive loading. Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) concrete was added along with steel fibers to produce solid concrete brick units. Solid concrete bricks were prepared and tested after being classified into four groups according to the ratio of EPS beads used. The EPS beads were used as a partial volumetric replacement of coarse aggregate at ratios of 15%, 20% and 25%. In addition, the steel fibers added at ratios of 0.5%, 1.0% and 1.5%. In comparison with the control specimen (normal concrete), using EPS beads were found to reduce the compressive strength of the solid concrete brick, this reduction increased with the replacement ratio of EPS beads with coarse aggregate. The added steel fibers increases the compressive strength with increasing steel fibers content. Furthermore, the concrete density reduced with increases EPS beads ratio, and increased with steel fibers addition. While the absorption value increases with EPS beads content increase, and this value decreased to good value with steel fibers addition increasing. The samples of solid bricks produced in the current work were verified and proved to be consistent with requirements of the ASTM standards.

Experimental and numerical highlighting of water vapor sorption hysteresis in the coupled heat and moisture transfers

Heat, air and moisture transfers have a significant influence on indoor ambience and affect both temperature and hygrometry values and energy performance of buildings. Furthermore, high levels of humidity may lead to severe pathologies in building walls in addition to tamper indoor air quality and hygrothermal comfort. Sorption hysteresis phenomenon is responsible for the moisture accumulation in porous building materials, and leaving it out in hygrothermal modelling would result in an incorrect water content value.The present work aims to highlight the influence of the sorption hysteresis phenomenon on heat and moisture transfer in expanded polystyrene concrete. In order to achieve this, a coupled heat and mass transfer model will be elaborated, taking consideration of sorption hysteresis phenomenon. Experimental protocols will be conducted to highlight the hysteresis in the materials, and the results will be compared to those of the numerical simulations. A simple hygrothermal transfer model without including hysteresis will also be used in the numerical simulations so that it is compared to the developed model. Experimental results show that considering the hysteresis phenomenon allows to better apprehend the hygrothermal behavior of building materials, and neglecting it leads to important differences sometimes reaching 28%.

EVA enhances the interfacial strength of EPS concrete: a molecular dynamics study

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) concrete has high environmental and economic benefits. However, the difference in physical and chemical properties leads to a weak interface between EPS and concrete, which limits the use of EPS concrete. Based on the macro experiment of Ethylene Vinyl Acetate Copolymer (EVA) modified EPS concrete, two molecular dynamics interface models of EPS/C-S-H and EPS/EVA/C-S-H were constructed by molecular dynamics simulation, and their interface strengthening mechanism was discussed. The results of interfacial interaction analysis show that EVA increases the interfacial interaction energy and binding energy between EPS and C-S-H, and improves the adhesion between EPS and cement base. The results of radial distribution function analysis show that in the model with the modifier, there are not only Van der Waals forces and hydrogen bonds in the model without the modifier, but also strong interactions such as Ca - = O and OT - = O. The results of mechanical property analysis show that the elastic modulus of EPS concrete interface model after adding modifier is improved, and its interface properties are improved. The molecular dynamics simulation carried out in this paper shows that EVA acts as a bridge between EPS and C-S-H and enhances its interfacial properties. This study can provide basic theoretical support for the application of EPS concrete and reference for the development of high-performance composite cement-based materials.

Experimental Investigation on the Bond Behavior of Deformed Bars in a Class of Structural Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) Concrete

The structural expanded polystyrene (EPS) concrete (above 35 MPa) has the potential to be used as metro track bed to reduce and isolate vibration, but its bond behavior is still unclear. This inhibits its application because it is often used in combination with reinforcing bar. In this paper, a class of structural EPS concrete (above 35 MPa) was developed. Based on this, a series of pull-out tests were conducted and the bond behavior of deformed bars in these structural EPS concretes was investigated. In addition, effects of rebar bond length and rebar diameter were analyzed in detail. Experimental results indicate that the structural EPS concrete suffers splitting failure more easily than the conventional concrete (CC). Increase of EPS replacement, rebar bond length or rebar diameter tends to cause the splitting failure of structural EPS concrete. Moreover, with increase of EPS replacement, the failure process is less explosive and more gradual. The stress-slip relationships of the most specimens show three stages, namely linear ascending, non-linear progression, and descending stages. The bond strength of structural EPS concrete is found depended linearly on the power function of its compressive strength, relative cover thickness (c/d) and relative rebar bond length (L/d), respectively. Accordingly, a bond strength prediction model was formulated, and it can precisely predict the bond strength of deformed bars in structural EPS concrete, specimens failing in splitting or splitting-pull out modes, and no fiber added. The results can provide reference for the design of structural EPS concrete.

Quantified research on the nonuniform distribution of expanded polystyrene beads in sandwich panels

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) concrete is a core material in sandwich panels, and EPS beads are widely believed to be nonuniformly distributed in the panels. However, the effectiveness of attempts to improve the homogeneity has been difficult to prove because of the lack of a direct method to quantitively evaluate a nonuniform distribution. Based on the application of picture recognition technology to surfaces cut from sandwich panels, a novel method for quantitatively evaluating the number and distribution of EPS beads was given. To verify this method, three commercial sandwich panels were cut into 345 specimens. Four cut surfaces of every specimen were photographed and recognized, and the distribution of some properties, including the number, area ratio, and equivalent diameter of beads, the area ratio of pores, and the density and compressive strength of concrete, were investigated and analyzed. The results showed that the area ratio of EPS beads in the cut surfaces and the density and compressive strength of EPS concrete had obvious linear relationships with the height within the panels. Based on the rules, normalized equations of the density and compressive strength with respect to the area ratio of EPS beads were promoted. This paper showed that the picture recognition of the cut surfaces method could quantitively and directly reveal the nonuniformity of not only EPS beads but also some properties caused by EPS beads in concrete. With this method, comparison and evaluation of the trials to improve the homogeneity of EPS concrete are possible.

Evaluation of the Modulus of Elasticity for Dry Press Lightweight EPS Concrete

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) concrete is a promising material as lightweight features, environment-friendly materials and potentially used in lightweight building construction. However, EPS concrete has substantially affected the transition zone of elastic behavior of the element. This paper aims to evaluate the modulus of elasticity (MOE) from the compression test method for the EPS concrete. The MOE also was predicted through existing models in codes of practice using actual data from compressive strength and density of EPS concrete. To verify the proposal of a new empirical model from EPS concrete, the actual and prediction of MOE were compared. The EPS concrete specimens were based on EPS replacements and design mixtures. From the outcome of the study, it demonstrated significant improvements in strength and in the elasticity modulus were observed in the implementation of the dry press moulding for concrete mixtures.

Structural Use of Expanded Polystyrene Concrete

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) wastes are generated from industries and post-consumer products. They are non-biodegradable but are usually disposed by burning or landfilling leading to environmental pollution. The possibility of using EPS as partial replacement for fine aggregates in concrete has generated research interests in recent times. However, since the physical and mechanical properties of EPS are not like those of conventional fine aggregates, this study is focussed on the use of EPS as an additive in concrete while keeping other composition (sand and granite) constant. Expanded polystyrene was milled, the bulk density of EPS was 10.57kg/m3 and particle size distributions were determined. Engineering properties of expanded polystyrene concrete were determined in accordance with BS 8110-2:1985. The result showed that the amount of expanded polystyrene incorporated in concrete influence the properties of hardened and fresh concrete. The compressive strengths of 17.07MPa with 5 % expanded polystyrene concrete at 28 days for example can be used as a lightweight concrete for partitioning in offices. Incorporating expanded polystyrene granules in a concrete matrix can produce lightweight polystyrene aggregate concrete of various densities, compressive strengths, flexural strengths and tensile strengths. In conclusion, this reduces environmental pollution, reduction in valuable landfill space and also for sustainability in construction companies

Crushed EPS in Light Weight Concrete

This paper gives light to the ideas of development and implementation of sustainable material to reduce the reliance on non-renewable resources which can be achieved by using light weight concrete in construction as the demand of light weight concrete is growing day by day. The availability of light weight aggregates and admixtures has made this approach easy. Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is a material used for packaging of various products. Due to its voluminous, bulky nature and being non-biodegradable it has high resistivity towards chemical reactions so its disposal is an issue also when disposed in landfills it covers more space. This paper promotes the use of EPS in light weight concrete structures. Expanded Polystyrene concrete is used in modern applications such as thermally insulated partition walls, exterior walls, members of floating structures and deck of bridges. This work comprises of casting and testing of light weight concrete with EPS as an aggregate, fly ash as finer including sulphonated naphthalene (SN) based admixtures. A canoe is also designed and tested for floating capacity. The percentage ratio of EPS to cement is trialed between (0.25-0.3) by weight percent. As per IS 456-2000 clause 15-17 [1] testing light weight concrete cubes and after evaluating six different compositions, the optimum ratio was adopted.