Correlating the cellular network, in foamed concrete containing ash, with their physical properties

Abstract

Cellular concrete is a lightweight solid cementitious foam that is used mainly for thermal insulation and sound absorption. Either partially or wholly, when the Portland cement in the binder is replaced with ash, the environmental impact of the material is reduced. However, the resulting changes in the cell structure and their subsequent impact upon the physical properties of the material have not been well examined. In this study, cellular concrete was prepared from alkali activated fly ash binders and separately, from Portland cement binders blended with wood ash. The cell structure was photographed using laser confocal microscopy and the images were analyzed to quantify the cellular network in terms of the porosity and the fractal dimension of the porous phase. Alongside, the cellular concrete specimens were tested for their thermal constants and sound absorption. The results show that there was an increase in the fractal dimension and an associated drop in thermal conductivity for an increase in the porosity.