Use of natural perlite aggregate and perlite powder in reinforced concrete beam produced with self-compacting lightweight concrete

Compared to normalweight concrete, lightweight concrete is a valuable material since it is more cost-effective and eco-friendly. In this research, the mechanical properties of self-compacting lightweight concrete (SCLWC), produced by using natural perlite aggregate (NPA) and natural perlite powder (NPP) as supplementary cementitious materials (SCM), were investigated. It will be feasible to minimize the building's self-weight and create economical lightweight concrete (LWC) by using natural perlite powder in place of cement. Three concrete mixes, designated M0, M25, and M50, were developed for this purpose using percentages of 0, 25, and 50 natural perlite powder. All of the mixes contained 400 kg/m3 of binder. Additionally, the water/cementitious material ratio of the mixtures was 0.38. Reinforced concrete beams produced with SCLWC were tested with four-point bending test to investigate their flexural behavior. The results of an experimental study suggest that natural perlite aggregate might be used to create SCLWC. Based on the outcomes of experimental work, SCLWC may be obtained at 28 days of age with a compressive strength of 34 MPa–55 MPa using NPA and NPP. Also, it was observed that the reinforced concrete beams produced with SCLWC mixtures can successfully yield in flexure with evenly distributed flexural cracks.