Calculation of the composition of light concrete

Information on the purpose of the calculator

Advantages and disadvantages of light concrete

The basis of these materials is cement and filler. It is granules made of expanded polystyrene chips, or expanded clay. According to the indicators, polystyrene absorbs less water and retains heat more efficiently (up to 0.12 W/ m) than other fillers. Polystyrene concrete, like expanded clay concrete, has increased sound insulation, high frost resistance class, strength (class B 0.5-2.5), density spread from 150 to 600 kg / cubic meter, low fire hazard, low price.

The material perfectly resists rotting, the influence of fungus, microbes, rodents. It is eco-friendly and durable, has served for over a hundred years. A building made of expanded polystyrene is obtained with thin seams, no more than 4 mm.

No heavy machinery is required for the installation of lightweight concrete. If the object is made of monolithic elements, the use of polystyrene concrete and expanded clay reduces the time of stripping due to the rapid hardening of the mixture without unnecessary shrinkage.

In addition to positive properties, the material also has some disadvantages. For example, it is fragile when compressed, stretched and bent. A mixture of light concrete can be stratified with prolonged delivery. The production is complex, concrete can be produced with different indicators, an accurate calculation of ingredients and special equipment is required.

Comparison with other lightweight concretes

If we compare polystyrene concrete with another similar material - aerated concrete, then the first one will favorably differ in its resistance to moisture. Also, aerated concrete collapses faster, has a larger mass, requires more costs for the manufacture of blocks.

During construction, both ready-made blocks and construction by pouring the mixture into the formwork are used. The convenience of mounting the blocks consists in the ease of sawing and drilling them, even considering that the blocks are produced in different sizes. The speed of laying is due to the large size of the blocks, narrow seams allow you to save on the solution. The laying process is no more complicated than the laying of other similar materials.

Light concretes are now increasingly used in construction, thanks to a number of useful properties.

The following is a complete list of calculations performed with a brief description of each item.

General information on the results of calculations

• Amount of cement
- The total estimated amount of required cement for the entire volume.
• Amount of water
- The total estimated amount of required water for the entire volume.
• Volume of expanded clay/polystyrene
- The estimated volume of a large filler for the entire volume.
• Weight of expanded clay/polystyrene
- The estimated weight of a large aggregate for the entire volume.
• Concrete mix density
- The density of the concrete mixture in the raw state.
• Concrete density grade
- The density of concrete in a dry state.
• Water/Cement
- Water-cement ratio of the concrete mixture.
• Concrete proportions
- The relative ratio of the components of the concrete mixture.
• Cost
- The cost of each material and the total for the entire volume.