An experimental study on the properties of lightweight concrete with cold bolded fly ash aggregate in correlation with normal aggregate concrete

The study presented herein investigates the performance of lightweight and normal weight concretes with similar compressive strengths. For this, two concrete compressive strength values of 25 and 45 MPa were aimed to produce with normal and lightweight aggregates. Totally four concrete mixtures were designed at various water-to-cement ratios and cement contents. The lightweight aggregate utilized in this study was produced through cold bonding pelletization of fly ash and cement in a tilted pan at an ambient temperature. The artificial lightweight aggregate had almost same sieve analysis result with natural aggregate. The concrete mixtures were produced at the same condition and procedure and the test specimens of the mixtures were cured at the same circumstances. After 28-day curing period, the specimens were tested for compressive, splitting tensile, bond and net flexural strengths, modulus of elasticity, electrical resistivity, sorptivity, water absorption, and fracture parameters. The test results indicated that utilization of artificial lightweight aggregates significantly influenced the hardened properties of the concretes. However, increasing the concrete compressive strength decreased the effects of the lightweight aggregate utilization.