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Document ID:
Guide for Structural
Lightweight-Aggregate
Concrete
Reported by ACI Committee 213

 First Printing
June 2014
ISBN: 978-0-87031-897-9

Guide for Structural Lightweight-Aggregate Concrete

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The guide summarizes the present state of technology, presents and
interprets the data on lightweight-aggregate concrete from many
laboratory studies and the accumulated experience resulting from
its successful use, and reviews performance of structural light-
light
weight aggregate concrete in service.

concrete for structural purposes and discusses, in a condensed
fashion, the production methods for and inherent properties of
structural lightweight aggregates. Current practices for propor-
tioning, mixing, transporting, and placing; properties of hardened
concrete; and the design of structural concrete with reference to
ACI 318 are all discussed.

Keywords: abrasion resistance; aggregate; bond; contact zone; durability;

1.2.1 Historical background

1.2.3 Early modern uses

1.2.2 Development of manufacturing process

fresh density

high-strength lightweight concrete

A

B insulating aggregate

BD
C
Cf

CS and
internally stored water

c =
D w cm
masonry-lightweight aggregate (MLWA)
E =
Ec =
Ecd
net water
fc
fct = oven-dry density
fc =
k =
MLWA =
p =
R =
RD
U = structural lightweight aggregate
aggregatestructural aggregate

S
V =
Wc
Wct
Wdc
Wdf
wc

wm
wod
max

LWA
aggregate

all-lightweight concrete

contact zone

aggregate

and
3.3.4 Strength of lightweight aggregates

3.3.1 Particle shape and surface texture

3.3.4.1 Strength ceiling

wc
3.3.2

3.3.3 Bulk density

3.3.5 Total porosity

Fig. 3.3.5Representation of solids, pores, and voids in

LWA.

3.3.6 Grading

w cm

3.3.7 Moisture content and absorption

A

Fig. 3.3.8Relationship between mean particle density and

mean dynamic modulus of elasticity for particles of LWAs
(Bremner and Holm 1986).

w cm calcu

3.3.8 Modulus of elasticity of LWA particles

4.3.1 Cementitious and pozzolanic materials

4.3.2 Lightweight aggregates

E p
E

4.4.1.2 Density

4.3.3 Normalweight aggregates

4.3.4 Admixtures

4.4.1.3 Modulus of elasticity Ec are

discussed in detail in and

4.4.1.4 Slump

4.4.1.5 Entrained-air content

Table

4.4.1
4.4.1.1 Compressive strength

w cm

4.4.1.6 Other properties

and
4.4.2 Workability
4.5.1 Absolute volume method

4.4.3 Heat of hydration

w cm

and

4.4.4 Water-cementitious materials ratio w cm can

4.5.2 Volumetric method

w cm

4.7.1 Pumping lightweight concrete

4.7.1.1 General considerations

Atmospheric 4.7.1.2 Proportioning pump mixtures

Thermal

Vacuum

discusses in

4.7.1.3 Pump and pump system

reducers

and

possible

include

4.7.2 Finishing horizontal surfaces

4.7.2.1 Slump

; ;
;

4.7.2.2 Surface preparation

5.3.1 Fresh density

Fig. 5.3.2Concrete density versus time of drying for struc-

tural lightweight concrete (Holm 1994).

can be determined according to

O Wdf Wdc Wct V

E=O O

; ; ;

5.4.1 Splitting tensile strength
;
and

5.4.1.1 Moist-cured concrete indicates a

5.3.2 Equilibrium density

5.4.1.2 Air-dried concrete

5.4.2 Modulus of rupture

and

Fig. 5.4.1.1Splitting tensile strength: moist-cured concrete.

fc

Fig. 5.4.1.2Splitting tensile strength: air-dried concrete.

;
Ec

Ec

Fig. 5.4.2aModulus of rupture: normally cured concrete.

Fig. 5.5Modulus of elasticity.

by testing according to

Fig. 5.4.2bModulus of rupture: steam-cured concrete.

Ec = w c fc

wc

Ec

5.8.3 Steam-cured concrete

and
5.8.4 Internal curing effect

5.8.1

5.8.2 Normally cured concrete

Fig. 5.8.2Creep: normally cured concrete.

Fig. 5.7Ultimate strain. Fig. 5.8.3Creep: steam-cured concrete.

; ; ;
; ;
5.9.1 Normally cured concrete

5.9.2 Atmospheric steam-cured concrete

fc fct
fct

Fig. 5.9.2Drying shrinkage: steam-cured concrete.

Fig. 5.9.1Drying shrinkage: normally cured concrete. Fig. 5.10Bond strength: pullout tests.

5.12.1 Thermal conductivity
k
k

k k= mating k

5.12.1.1 Effect of moisture on thermal conductivity of

k concrete

to k

k k k

wm and wo

5.12.1.1.1 Recommended moisture factor correction for

thermal conductivity k per 1

w k and

e
5.12.1.2 Equilibrium moisture content of concrete

k under

Fig. 5.12.1Relation of average thermal conductivity k

values of concrete in oven-dry condition to density (Valore
1980).

R1 R
components and include standard constant R

R is expressed as R R=m

5.12.3
Fig. 5.12.1.3Relation of average values of concrete to c
dry density (Valore 1980).

5.12.4 Thermal diffusivity

5.12.1.3 Cement paste as insulating material

k
w cm Wc c
w cm w cm encompasses


k

k
5.12.2 Thermal transmittance U

m
o
m

U U
atures
U

;
; ; ;

;
;

Tests by

constructing a prototype magazine using commercially

Fig. 5.13Fire endurance (heat transmission) of concrete

slabs as a function of thickness for naturally dried speci-
mens (ACI 216.1).




by

6.3.1

and

w cm

6.3.2 Contact zone of mature concrete subjected to severe

exposure

Fig. 6.3.2Micrograph of contact zone.

w/cm

type cz cz cz cz cz cz

6.3.4 Accommodation at aggregate-matrix interface

6.4.1 Carbonation in mature marine structures
6.4.1.1 General

and

related to w cm
6.3.3 Implications of contact zone on failure mecha-
nisms 6.4.1.2 Concrete ships, Cape Charles, VA

; ; ;
;

w cm

6.4.1.3 Chesapeake Bay Bridge, Annapolis, MD

w cm
;
6.4.1.4 Coxsackie Bridge, New York

6.4.1.5 Bridges and viaducts in Japan

by

6.4.2 Permeability and corrosion protection

; ;

fc term by a

fct
Ec

fct fc fct
Ec
fct
Ec

fct

by

and

7.6.1 Passive reinforcement

and

7.6.2 Active reinforcement

and to be

db
fsidb

7.7.1 7.9.1 Applications

7.7.2

7.9.2 Properties

7.9.2.1 Equilibrium density

7.9.2.2 Compressive strength

7.9.2.3 Modulus of elasticity

Ec

; Ec

7.9.2.4 Combined loss of prestress

demonstrated

7.9.2.5 Thermal insulation

7.11.1 Ductility

and

7.9.2.6 Dynamic, shock, vibration, and seismic resis-

tance

7.9.2.7 Cover requirements

tions conducted on small specimens tested under controlled

; ;

Fig. 7.12aBarge-mounted frame-placed beams. To the

(Brown et al. 1995).

Fig. 7.12bConcrete weighing less than 120 lb/ft3 (1920 kg/ Fig. 7.12cFlorida Department of Transportation predicted
m3) permitted 120 ft (37 m) spans for Florida bridge (Brown
et al. 1995). (Brown et al. 1995).




SD

8.3.1 Precast structures

w cm

w cm

-
3
]) (Holm and
Bremner 1994).




8.3.2 Buildings

8.3.2.1
1967

Fig. 8.3.2.2Alternative construction schemes for transfer

of high-strength normalweight concrete column loads
Holm and Bremner 1994).

8.3.2.2 The North Pier Apartment Tower, Chicago, 1991

8.3.2.3 The Bank of America, Charlotte, 1992

Fig. 8.3.2.3Bank of America, Charlotte, NC (Holm and

Bremner 1994).

8.3.3 Bridges

8.3.3.1 Increased number of lanes during bridge rehabili-

tation

1 *

8.3.3.2 Increased load capacity

Fig. 8.3.3.2aOriginal and rehabilitated decks for White-

hurst Freeway (Stolldorf and Holm 1996).

Fig. 8.3.3.2bAASHTO LRFD (1994) H20-44 and HS20-44

8.3.3.3 Bridges incorporating both lightweight-concrete loadings (Stolldorf and Holm 1996).
spans and normalweight concrete spans

Expanded

8.3.4.2

8.3.4 Marine structures

8.3.4.3 Hibernia oil platform, 1998

8.3.4.1 Tarsiut Caisson Retained Island, 1981

Fig. 8.3.3.3Raftsundet Bridge (Expanded Shale, Clay and Fig. 8.3.4.1Tarsuit Caisson Retained Island (Concrete
Slate Institute 2001). International 1982).




8.3.5 Floating bridge pontoons

Fig. 8.3.4.3Hibernia Offshore Platform (Expanded Shale,

Clay and Slate Institute 2001).

;
Fig. 8.3.5Nordhordland Bridge, Bergen, Norway (Elkem
Micro Silica 2000).

w cm

as reported in

8.5.1 Transportation advantages

m

reported by

structure

Fig. 8.5.1Fresh and ASTM C567/C567M-calculated equi-

librium concrete density with varying replacements of lime-
stone coarse aggregate with structural LWA (Holm and Ries
2000). Fig. 9.1Illustration of the difference between internal

distributed uniformly and spaced close enough to provide

coverage for the entire paste system ((Castro et al. 2010a).

Jensen

; ;
;

noticed by

MLWA S* LWA = Cf CS max

wc

and

used

Fig. 9.2aExample of two-dimensional image 1.8 x 1.8 in.

(30 x 30 mm) from internal curing simulation (Bentz et al.
2005)

Fig. 9.3aTypical time-dependent water absorption of LWA

(Castro et al. 2011).

Fig. 9.2bVolume of protected paste in concrete where 30

percent of aggregate by volume is replaced with different

(Henkensiefken et al. 2009c) based on ASTM C33/C33M

guidelines

Fig. 9.3bIllustration of desirable and undesirable aggre

aggre-
gate desorption behavior ((Castro et al. 2011
2011).

suggested by

* * *

11

wc
using
calorimetry and

9.4.1 Effect of internal curing on plastic shrinkage

hydration ((Castro et al. 2011).

9.4.2 Effect of internal curing on concrete strength

w cm

w cm

w cm

wc

strength of mixtures containing supplementary materials

(De la Varga et al. 2011)

Golias 2010).

9.4.3 Effect of internal curing on elastic modulus

wc

; ; Fig. 9.4.2cEffect of internal curing on splitting tensile

strength for specimens cured under fall and summer condi
condi-
tions ((Byard
Byard and Schindler 2010
2010).

measured a
wc =

9.4.5 Effect of internal curing on volume change and

cracking

;
; ;
; ;

9.4.4 Effect of internal curing on creep

and

;
;

in sealed concrete (Golias 2010).

shrinkage cracking (Henkensiefken et al. 2009a).

Fig. 9.4.3bEffect of internal curing on modulus of elas-

development and reserve stress capacity. (a) Plain mixture;
ticity for specimens cured under summer conditions (Byard
Byard
and (b) mixture containing internal curing (Schlitter et al.
and Schindler 2010).
2010).

and

9.4.6 Effect of internal curing on porosity

ning electron microscopy by

;

exam

reduced w c wc
in
9.4.7

wc

obtained an
wc

Fig. 9.4.5c(a) Rigid cracking frame used; and (b) effect of internal curing on restrained
stress development for specimens cured under fall conditions (Byard and Schindler 2010).




Fig. 9.4.6BSE/SEM images of mortar microstructures for silica fume blended cement
-
tions (Bentz
Bentz and Stutzman 2008).
2008). Scale bar for each image is located in lower right corner.

conductivity (Henkensiefken et al. 2009b).

-
tion and electrical conductivity for samples with different
/c (Castro 2011).




Fig. 9.6Comparison of present value cumulative expendi-

tures for three bridge deck alternatives (Cusson et al. 2010).

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Phone: +1.248.848.3700
Fax: +1.248.848.3701
www.concrete.org

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