Effect of perlite powder on properties of structural lightweight concrete with perlite aggregate

A high-performance reactive powder concrete (RPC) has been readied alongside river sand, with 1.25 mm particle size when under the condition of 80C steam curing. As a heat and sound insulation, expanded perlite aggregate (EPA) provides economic advantages in building. Concrete containing EPA is examined in terms of cement types (CEM II 32.5R and CEM I 42.5R), doses (0, 2%, 4% and 6%) as well as replacement rates in this research study. The compressive and density of concrete were used in the testing. At the end of the 28-day period, destructive and nondestructive tests were performed on cube specimens of 150 mm150 mm150 mm. The concrete density is not decreased with the addition of more perlite (from 45 to 60 percent), since the enlarged perlite has a very low barrier to crushing. To get a homogenous and fluid concrete mix, longer mixing times for all the mix components are necessary due to the higher amount of perlite. As a result, it is not suggested to use greater volumes of this aggregate in RPC. In the presence of de-icing salt, the lightweight RPC exhibits excellent freeze-thaw resistance (mass is less than 0.2 kg/m²). The addition of perlite strengthens the aggregate-matrix contact, but there is no apparent ITZ. An increased compressive strength was seen in concretes containing expanded perlite powder and steel fibers with good performance.