Physical and Mechanical Properties of New Lightweight Ambient-Cured EPS Geopolymer Composites

Abstract

Lightweight concrete (LWC) has been developed and used in both structural and nonstructural applications. With an increasing demand for sustainable construction materials, geopolymer as an eco-friendly material has been intensively investigated. This study developed a newly synthesized lightweight ambient-cured geopolymer composite (LGC) by replacing natural fine aggregate with expanded polystyrene (EPS) beads at 10%, 20%, and 30% in volume for various structural or nonstructural purposes. The obtained composite was characterized with regard to its physical and mechanical properties. The interfacial area between the geopolymer matrix and EPS beads was observed. The properties of the developed LGC at fresh and hardened states, such as density, workability, compressive and splitting tensile strength, modulus of elasticity and Poisson’s ratio, were obtained and compared. The test results showed that the EPS inclusion had a significant effect on the properties of LGC. Empirical formulas for predicting the compressive strength, modulus of elasticity, and splitting tensile strength of the developed LGC are proposed.