If feasible, lightweight concrete’s long-term durability can help create more resilient and cost-effective buildings to satisfy owners. After more than a hundred years of designing low-rise, mid-rise, and high-rise buildings, many specifiers believe lightweight aggregate concrete to be the right choice for many jobs. According to Michael Corrin, PE, at Stanley D. Lindsey and Associates Ltd., “Recent trends for long floor spans have once again pushed lightweight concrete to the forefront as it allows the minimal depth of structure, yet still provides damping resistance to minimize vibration.” These benefits in conjunction with its ability to provide net savings to the bottom line makes lightweight concrete a dependable means to complete a project.
Notes
1 Consult IS032 Structural Lightweight Concrete, by Richard P. Bohan and John Ries, Portland Cement Association.
2 See Structural Lightweight Concrete on Fire Rated Steel Deck Assemblies: Higher Performance at Every Level, Expanded Shale, Clay and Slate Institute, https://www.escsi.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/4730.0-SLWC-on-Fire-Rated-Steel-Deck-Assemblies.pdf.
3 Read Cracking tendency of lightweight concrete, by B.E. Byard and A.K. Schindler, Highway Research Center, Auburn, Ala.
4 Read Long Wait for Lightweight, by B.A. Suprenant and W.R. Malisch, Concrete Construction.
5 Refer to Concrete Floor Drying Study for the Expanded Shale, Clay, and Slate Institute, by P.A. Craig, Expanded Shale, Clay, and Slate Institute.
6 Consult Concrete: Microstructure, Properties, and Materials, 3rd Edition, by P.K. Mehta and P.J.M. Monteiro, McGraw-Hill, Inc.
7 See Five Story Commercial Building Study, Utelite Corp, https://www.utelite.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Utelite-Study-Report-2022-01-26.pdf Accessed June 15, 2022.
