EFFECT OF CHEMICAL AND COMPLEX MINERAL ADDITIVES ON THE PROPERTIES OF FOAM CONCRETE

Abstract

The increasing demands for energy efficiency in buildings necessitate low-density, low-thermal-conductivity wall materials. Foam concrete is one such material, but its strength decreases with reduced density. This study evaluated the effect of "Sikament RMC-519" and BAUCRETE 319 AES additives on two types of local Portland cement. It also determined the temperature-dependent stability of foaming agents and investigated the strength, thermal insulation properties, and the impact of moisture on foam concrete incorporating desert sand. For Sherobod cement, 1.0% "Sikament RMC-519" increased 7-day and 28-day strengths by 30.8% and 22.8%, respectively. Reducing the water-cement ratio from 0.27 to 0.22 in "WEST" cement increased 7-day strength by 68.9%. BAUCRETE 319 AES reduced water demand by 25.9%, but its application without reducing water content led to decreased strength. Zimpor and PB-Lyuks provided the most stable foam at 12–20 °C, while at 50 °C, stability dropped to 3–8 minutes. Foam concrete with half cement replaced by desert sand (cement:sand = 1:1) achieved 1.8 MPa strength at 447.5 kg/m³ density in 28 days, effectively halving cement consumption while increasing strength. The thermal conductivity coefficient of dried samples ranged from 0.0593–0.1104 W/(m·K). Every 1% increase in moisture content raised thermal conductivity by 1.5–2.7%, highlighting the necessity of considering moisture in thermal engineering calculations.