Optimization of Foam Concrete with Fly Ash and Silica Fume for Energy-Efficient Wall Blocks
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56143/pb97ht02Keywords:
Foam concrete, preformed foam, fly ash, silica fume, thermal conductivity, dry density, lightweight wall blocks, water absorption, energy efficiencyAbstract
The article presents a design-screening approach for non-autoclaved foam concrete intended for thermal-insulating and structural-thermal-insulating wall blocks. The proposed mixtures combine Portland cement, fine quartz sand, fly ash, silica fume, a polycarboxylate superplasticizer and preformed foam. The main objective is to obtain a rational balance between dry density, compressive strength, thermal conductivity and water absorption without excessive cement consumption. A five-level density series from D500 to D900 was analyzed. The results show that mixtures in the D650-D750 range provide the most balanced performance: thermal conductivity remains below 0.16 W/(m·K), while the predicted 28-day compressive strength exceeds 3.0 MPa. The paper also proposes an integral score method that can be used for selecting foam concrete compositions for wall products in dry and hot climatic regions.
