Thermo-Physical, Mechanical and Hygro-Thermal Properties of Newly Produced Aerated Concrete

Abstract

The main objective of this study is to characterize a material, non-autoclaved aerated concrete, referred to as "foamed concrete", newly produced in Burkina Faso. This study made it possible to determine some thermo-physical, mechanical and hygro-thermal properties of foamed concrete. The material was obtained by making a mixture of cement, sand, water and a foaming agent.The tests were carried out with five types of samples having densities between 600 and 930 kg/m3 and a water content ranging from 22 to 35%. The experimental results obtained show that the studied foamed concrete has a thermal conductivity ranging from 0.05 to 0.2 W/m.K and compressive strength is between 1.2 to 3.4 MPa. The dynamic Young's modulus is between 1.18and 3.1 GPa and the porosity is varying from 55.60 to 72.36%. Analysis of the results show that the incorporation of the foam in the mortar made it possible to have a more insulating material and acceptable mechanical properties for sustainable construction.