Evaluation of mineral additives added structural lightweightconcrete containing pumice and perlite aggregates in terms ofenergy performance

In this study, it is aimed to produce mineral additives added structural lightweight concrete containing pumice and perlite aggregate and to evaluate these structural lightweight concretes in terms of energy performance in comparison with normal weight concrete. Fly ash and metakaolin were used as mineral additives. The characteristics of slump, unit weight, compressive strength, flexural strength, splitting tensile strength, water absorption, porosity, capillary water absorption, rapid chloride permeability, abrasion, water penetration depth under pressure and thermal conductivity coefficient were determined experimentally. The thermal conductivity coefficients and unit weights determined for the produced concretes were used in the DesignBuilder program to evaluate the energy performance for a sample flat. Energy performance and energy efficiency for the sample flat were evaluated comparatively in case of using structural lightweight concrete and normal weight concrete. In the evaluation, heat losses on the outer wall of the sample flat, heat losses on the outer wall during the heating period, heating loads, cooling loads, monthly and annual total heating/cooling loads were taken into consideration. The produced lightweight concretes have met the critical conditions stipulated in the relevant standard for structural lightweight concretes. It has been determined that mineral additives provide a significant improvement especially in the durability properties of lightweight concrete. Compared to normal weight concrete, all lightweight concretes consumed less total annual energy for the sample flat. Compared to normal weight concrete, it has been determined that structural lightweight concrete provides 23% to 30% annual energy savings for the sample flat. When an evaluation is made in terms of total cooling loads, it is seen that the cooling load requirement is not significantly affected in terms of concrete composition.