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C4 Lighweight Concrete - Martin-Structures Magazine 2013 PDF
C4 Lighweight Concrete - Martin-Structures Magazine 2013 PDF
C4 Lighweight Concrete - Martin-Structures Magazine 2013 PDF
Blocks
flooring systems. Although fast-track
construction techniques and government-man-
dated changes in flooring adhesives also have
contributed to these problems, some critics sug-
gest that the consequences of a finish floor failure
updates and information
outweigh the benefits that lightweight concrete
on structural materials can bring to a project. In light of this controversy,
it is worth evaluating the advantages and disad-
vantages of lightweight concrete, considering not
Figure 1: Micrograph of lightweight concrete with
only its interactions with flooring systems but also
expanded shale aggregate and natural sand aggregate.
how it affects building aspects such as steel ton- Note the porosity of the expanded shale aggregate.
nage, foundations, and slab fire ratings. Despite
the moisture-related challenges that lightweight ®
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concrete poses, properly designed and constructed Water in
lightweight concrete floor slabs offer a number
Lightweight-Concrete Mixtures
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of efficiencies over normal-weight concrete slabs
that project teams should consider. Lightweight concrete is often implicated in mois-
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t ture-related flooring failures because it often has
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What is weight concrete. Unlike natural aggregates, which
Is Lightweight Concrete
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Lightweight tend to become saturated with water only on their
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surfaces, lightweight aggregate pore networks
All Wet? Concrete?
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Lightweight concrete is ticles, releasing it gradually over time.
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nothing new. It has been To understand how water content affects con-
The Advantages and
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around in various forms for centuries. There
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crete, we need to consider how the water reacts in
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Disadvantages of are many types of lightweight concretes. For the mix. ACI 304.2, Placing Concrete by Pumping
Lightweight Concrete in a
the purposes of this article, we are considering Methods, considers two types of water in light-
Building Construction m
only structural lightweight concrete: a mixture
of portland cement, water, fine (sand) aggre-
weight concrete: free water and absorbed water.
Free water influences the volume of the mix,
gates, and expanded clay, shale, or slate coarse the slump and workability of the mix, and the
By David P. Martin, P.E.,
aggregates. While normal-weight concrete amount of water available for cement hydration
Alec S. Zimmer, P.E.,
mixes typically weigh 145 to 155 pcf, light- reaction. Absorbed water is held in the pores of
Michael J. Bolduc, P.E.
weight concrete typically weighs 110 to 115 the lightweight aggregate. During mixing, some
and Emily R. Hopps, P.E.
pcf. Structural lightweight concrete commonly free water is converted to absorbed water, reduc-
has 28-day compression strengths comparable ing the slump and the amount of water available
to normal-weight concretes. for hydration. In addition, the pumping pressure
The primary difference between normal- drives additional free water into the porous light-
weight concretes and lightweight concretes for weight aggregate, further reducing slump between
structural applications is the coarse-aggregate the pump hopper and the point of discharge. To
material. Normal-weight aggregates are typi- reduce the amount of mixing water absorbed
cally natural crushed stone, whereas lightweight by the lightweight aggregate, concrete suppliers
aggregates are produced by heating clay, shale, pre-saturate the lightweight aggregates to fill the
or slate in a rotary kiln at temperatures on the pore spaces prior to mixing. Concrete suppliers
order of 2,000°F. At these temperatures, the frequently use water-reducing admixtures to help
aggregates expand and develop a network of reduce the total amount of mix water and, conse-
interconnected internal pores (Figure 1) ranging quently, the amount of water that will potentially
in size from 5 to 300 microns (Chua, 2009). leave the slab over time.
This internal pore network yields a lighter den- In both normal-weight concrete and lightweight
sity than natural aggregates. Although concrete concrete, water that is not consumed in the hydra-
compressive strength generally is related to the tion of the cement particles slowly evaporates
compressive strength of the coarse aggregate, through the exposed surfaces of the concrete
American Concrete Institute (ACI) 213R-03 which, as is later discussed, can create problems
reports that for typical building-slab compres- with floor finishes. Almost all concrete mixes
sive strengths – up to about 5,000 psi – “there contain more water than necessary for the cement
is no reliable correlation between aggregate hydration reaction, but the excess water facilitates
strength and concrete strength.” placement and finishing. After the cement paste
22 January 2013
has hardened, the hydration reaction con-
tinues, albeit at a slower pace, throughout
the life of the concrete as the excess water
evaporates. In lightweight aggregate, some
absorbed pore water will be drawn out and
contribute to more complete hydration of
the cement in a layer around the aggregates,
but there will still be significant amounts of
absorbed water remaining in the pores which,
will escape over time.
With the increasingly fast pace of con-
struction, reducing the drying time – the
time between the end of curing and when
floor finishes can be installed – is often criti-
cal to the schedule. Elevated slabs on metal
decks are susceptible to longer drying times ®
Figure 2: Placing lightweight concrete on composite metal floor deck. The metal floor deck allows the
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because the water can only escape through concrete to dry only through its top surface.
the top surface of the slab (Figure 2). With
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the exception of some techniques that we
discussed later in this article, relatively
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Table 1: Slab thickness and fire rating.
little can be done to the mixture to reduce righ
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Minimum Slab Thickness on 2 or 3 in. Steel Floor
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drying time other than reducing the water Cop
Restrained or Form Deck without Spray-Applied Fireproofing
in the mix. ACI 302.2R-96 reports that
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“there is no reason to include or exclude Assembly Fire Lightweight Concrete Normal-weight Concrete
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any concrete materials with the exception Rating (107-113 pcf ) (147-153 pcf )
of the addition of silica fume [in place of 1 hour
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25/8 in. 3½ in.
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some portland cement] in an attempt to
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2 hours 3¼ in. 4½ in.
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reduce the needed drying time for a given
water-to-cement ratio.” The report notes
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3 hours 43/16 in. 5¼ in.
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that replacing 5% to 10% of the portland
cement with silica fume can decrease
concrete drying time by several weeks.
However, this is often not enough time m
savings for fast-track construction.
Design with
Lightweight Concrete
Despite the moisture issues, lightweight
concrete provides a number of benefits.
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System A System B
(Normal-Weight (Lightweight Cost Ratio 0.75 reduction factor for lightweight con-
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Material (and Unit Cost) Concrete) Concrete) (A/B) crete shear capacity. However, in composite
slabs, the design is most often governed by
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Structural Steel Framing the flexural strength. For most buildings,
(assume $4,000/ton) $12.40/sq ft $9.53/sq
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t ft 1.30 the diaphragm shear capacity reduction is
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4,000 psi Composite Slab (assume offset by the many other benefits of the
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$105/CY NWC and $135/CY LWC) $1.78/sq ft $1.77/sq ft 1.01 overall system.
e Cost Implications of
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Headed Stud Shear Connectors
(assume $2/stud) $0.17/sq ft $0.23/sq ft 0.74
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Total $14.35/sq ft $11.53/sq ft 1.24 Lightweight Concrete
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Is lightweight concrete more expensive
than normal weight? Yes and no. In
order to accurately address this ques-
tion, one must consider how concrete
weight affects overall structural costs.
The material unit cost of lightweight
concrete is typically higher than that
of normal-weight concrete, but the unit
cost usually is more than offset by the
overall reduction in concrete volume
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Donald B. Murphy Contractors, Inc. unit cost of lightweight concrete ($135/
cu yd for lightweight concrete vs. $105/
cu yd for normal-weight concrete) is
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lightweight concrete slabs-on-metal deck. require limitations on VOC content of floor be available.
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Compared with a normal-weight slab, light- coatings, concrete protective coatings, seal- Waterproof flooring adhesives are becom-
weight slabs may also save inches of structural ers, and stains. The most-common low- or ing more prevalent. These adhesives offer
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framing depth per story, which can result in no-VOC reformulation flooring adhesives limited surface preparation and resis-
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a substantial savings in steel, foundations, are water-based righ
yacrylic emulsions, some of tance to moisture exposure and high pH
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and cladding costs for multistory buildings. which are susceptible to re-emulsification levels. Priming is not typically required
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when exposed to water and alkalinity in for waterproof adhesive application, but
Flooring Interactions with a concrete floor slab. Couple these mois- light surface grinding of the concrete slabs
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ture sensitive adhesives with construction is necessary.
Lightweight Concrete
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schedule pressures to install the flooring
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Lightweight concrete aggregates absorb, as quickly as possible, and there is often
Conclusions
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retain, and release more moisture than nor- not enough time to wait for the slab to
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mal-weight aggregates, so does that mean adequately dry. Although lightweight concrete has the
using normal-weight concrete in lieu of There are a number of strategies that can potential to cause problems with adhered
lightweight concrete will eliminate moisture-
related flooring failures? No.
Moisture-mitigation will likely be
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reduce the likelihood of a moisture-related
flooring failure. One such technique is
moist-curing slabs in lieu of using liquid
flooring systems, normal-weight concrete
floors can also influence moisture-related
problems. Regardless of the concrete’s den-
required for moisture-sensitive flooring film-forming curing compounds. Curing sity, the project team needs to consider the
systems regardless of whether the con- compounds trap moisture in the concrete risks of moisture-related failures and, if
crete is normal weight or lightweight. In to enable the curing process, but until they necessary, to evaluate potential mitigation
a study conducted in 2000, Suprenant and are removed (typically just prior to flooring strategies. The team needs to make realistic
Malisch reported that under controlled installation), they prevent concrete from estimates for concrete drying time and
air, temperature, and relative humidity drying. Limited use of retardants, slag, assess the selected flooring system MVER
conditions, lightweight concrete took 183 and fly-ash content can also help reduce requirements. Limiting the concrete’s
days to reach a moisture vapor emission drying times. Also, when the slab is exposed water-to-cement ratio, incorporating silica
(MVER) of 3.0 lbs/ 1,000 sq ft/24 hr. In a to rain and humidity, the slab cannot dry fume, and limiting moisture-retaining poz-
1998 study performed under the same con- adequately. Enclosing the building and acti- zolans such as fly ash, will reduce drying
trolled conditions, Suprenant and Malisch vating the HVAC system is when the real time. Enclosing the building early (to limit
reported that a normal-weight slab of the slab drying begins. Lowering the ambient environmental moisture sources) and con-
same thickness took 46 days to achieve the relative humidity (RH) and increasing the ditioning the interior space will help dry
same MVER. In 2007-2008, the Expanded ambient temperature generally decreases the the slab. Incorporating admixtures into
Shale, Clay and Slate Institute (ESCSI) drying time of the concrete slab. the concrete that lock free moisture into
conducted a study in non-controlled the slab through a crystalline material or
environments (similar to those found on that promote self-desiccation may speed
construction sites) and found that while
A Look to the Future the installation of flooring systems, often
lightweight concrete slabs did take longer Self-desiccating normal-weight concrete with a cost on the order of $1 per square
than normal-weight slabs to dry, the dif- mixes are beginning to appear on the U.S. foot. Topically applied sealers that indefi-
ference in drying times was smaller than market. ACI defines self-desiccation as “the nitely keep the free water from dissipating
Suprenant and Malisch reported. So what removal of free water by chemical reaction through the top surface of the concrete
does this all mean? As reported by ESCSI, so as to leave insufficient water to cover the have a history of good performance, but
it is difficult for a concrete slab (normal solid surfaces and cause a decrease in the these can cost as much as $5 per square
weight or lightweight) to reach the mois- relative humidity of the system; applied foot. Each of these strategies can add cost
ture levels currently required by many to an effect occurring in sealed concretes, to the project.
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floor deck.
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The costs of a well-conceived and properly
implemented moisture control system can
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be offset by savings in structural steel, foun- righ
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dations, and fireproofing. Careful planning Cop
by the entire project team – the owners,
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architects, contractors, and engineers –
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early in the design process can help reduce
or eliminate the risks of moisture-related
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flooring failures on both lightweight and
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normal-weight concrete slabs.▪
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David P. Martin, P.E. is a senior project
manager at Simpson Gumpertz & Heger
Inc. (SGH). As a member of the American
Institute of Steel Construction (AISC),
American Concrete Institute (ACI),
American Society of Engineers (ASCE), and
1.
2.
3.
4.
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a References
ACI 302.2R-06 – Guide for Slabs that Receive Moisture-Sensitive Flooring Materials
ACI 304.2R-96 – Placing Concrete by Pumping Methods
ACI 213R-03 – Guide for Structural Lightweight-Aggregate Concrete
Chua, T.L., QC/QA of Lightweight Concrete – A Ready Mixed Concrete Perspective, LWC
Structural Engineers Association Bridges Workshop, 2009.
of Massachusetts (SEAMass), David is 5. Kanare, H., Concrete Slabs and Moisture Issues, National Wood Flooring Association,
active in building industry organizations. 2004.
6. Hopps, E.R., and Nelson, P.E., “Fixing Flooring Failures”, Construction Specifier, Mar.
Alec S. Zimmer, P.E. is a senior project
2012, pp. 60-69.
manager at SGH. Alec is a member of AISC,
7. Suprenant, B.A., and Malisch, W.R., “Long Wait for Lightweight”, Concrete
ASCE, and SEAMass.
Construction, Nov. 2000, 2 pp.
Michael J. Bolduc, P.E. is a senior project 8. Suprenant, B.A., and Malisch, W.R., “Are Your Slabs Dry Enough for Floor
manager at SGH. Michael is a member Coverings?” Concrete Construction, Aug. 1998, 4 pp.
of the Council of American Structural 9. Craig, P.A., Lightweight Concrete Drying Study for the Expanded Shale, Clay and Slate
Engineers-Structural Engineering Institute’s Institute, 31 Jan. 2011.
BIM committee, ASCE, and AISC.
Emily R. Hopps, P.E. is a senior staff
engineer in the Building Technology group
of SGH. Emily leads SGH’s Flooring
Practice Group. She is an ICRI-certified
slab moisture testing technician.