Thermal Performance Assessment of Lightweight Aggregate Concrete by Different Test Methods

Maria da Glória Gomes (), José Alexandre Bogas, Sofia Real, António Moret Rodrigues and Rita Machete
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Maria da Glória Gomes: CERIS, Department of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Georesources (DECivil), Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
José Alexandre Bogas: CERIS, Department of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Georesources (DECivil), Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
Sofia Real: CERIS, Department of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Georesources (DECivil), Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
António Moret Rodrigues: CERIS, Department of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Georesources (DECivil), Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
Rita Machete: CERIS, Department of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Georesources (DECivil), Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 14, 1-18

Abstract: Structural lightweight aggregate concrete is currently an alternative to normal-weight concrete when thermal insulation properties are required to meet the objectives of energy efficiency and sustainability. The accurate evaluation of the thermal performance is thus essential for designing structural lightweight concrete elements. This paper aims to evaluate the thermal behavior of structural lightweight aggregate concrete, assessed through different tests methods. To this end, a vast experimental campaign was carried out involving specimens produced with several types of lightweight aggregate and different water/cement ratios. The thermal performance was established by thermal conductivity, which was determined according to a modified transient pulse method and a quasi-stationary method, and specific heat capacity, which was determined through a transient pulse method and a heat transfer method. Normal-weight concrete was also tested for comparison purposes. Experimental evidence showed that lightweight aggregate concretes with lower density are associated with up to about 50% lower thermal conductivity and higher specific heat capacity than normal-weight concrete. Moreover, the study demonstrated that the expeditious transient pulse method is suitable for assessing the thermal conductivity of this type of concrete, and that both the transient pulse method and the heat transfer method are adequate to determine the specific heat capacity.

Keywords: lightweight aggregate concrete; thermal conductivity; specific heat capacity; transient pulse method; heat transfer method (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:14:p:11105-:d:1195491

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