Investigation of the Effects of Fly Ash, Fine Sand and Expanded Perlite on the Properties on Foam Concrete

The relevance of concrete is growing in the modern world due to population growth and technological advancement. The necessity for specialty concrete arises from the various usage regions in the constructions. Foam concrete is one of the most useful varieties of special concrete because it offers insulation from heat and sound. The mechanical and physical properties of foam concrete are influenced by a variety of elements. The characteristics of foam concrete are substantially impacted by the mineral admixtures. The physical and mechanical impacts of fly ash (FA), fine sand, and expanded perlite (EP) admixtures on foam concrete were examined in this experimental investigation. On samples made from fly ash, sand, and expanded perlite, 15 various ratios of foam concrete mixtures were tested physically and mechanically (compressive strength, Marsh cone, ultrasonic pulse velocity, and thermal conductivity), as well as microstructurally (SEM). The foam concrete samples' compressive strength values were above 1.5 MPa, which is in compliance with TS 13655. According to the Marsh cone test, the flow duration of all the samples decreased as the weight of the fresh mortar increased. In all samples, the density increased along with the ultrasonic pulse velocity.