Study of the pore structure of foam concrete using a two-stage foaming method

Abstract

This study presents an in-depth analysis of the pore structure in foam concrete, manufactured using a novel two-stage foam introduction method, with a comparative assessment against traditional foam concrete. Pore structure evaluation was conducted through visual-instrumental inspection and measurements of pore areas in segmented samples, including upper, middle, and lower segments. The results indicate that the proposed foam introduction method Type 1 results in a more stable pore structure distribution compared to classical foam concrete Type 2. In the upper segment, Type 1 samples exhibit an average pore content of 28.977%, while Type 2 samples show 36.112%. Similarly, in the middle segment, Type 1 samples display 27.147%, and Type 2 samples demonstrate 28.410%. The lower segment of Type 1 samples displays 24.054%, with Type 2 samples showing 22.136%. The differences in pore volumes between the lower and upper segments are 12% for Type 1 and 27.11% for Type 2, demonstrating a significant variation in the quality of the pore structure. This research sheds light on the advantages of the proposed two-stage foam introduction method in enhancing the stability and quality of foam concrete's pore structure, with potential implications for its use in various construction applications.