Operational and technical characteristics of

Will be building a house with your own hands? In this case, it's time to think about the choice of quality and, importantly, inexpensive building materials. In this article we will talk about one of these materials - about concrete, prepared with the addition of expanded clay.

Scope of application

Instructions for the application of solutions with the addition of expanded clay implies the manufacture of monolithic walls and floor screeds. In addition, liquid or semi-liquid mixtures are commonly used for the production of wall blocks.

You can learn about the peculiarities of the floor screed filling with the use of lightweight concrete in the relevant articles presented on our portal. In the same article we will take a closer look at the technical characteristics of the claydite-concrete blocks and the properties of the material from which they are made.

Construction solutions with the addition of expanded clay and their features

• Strength - This is one of the most important performance characteristics. Structures cast from expanded clay concrete are resistant to mechanical loads, despite the lower weight and lower density in comparison with heavy concrete. In accordance with the parameters of compressive strength, a certain grade is assigned to the material. Selection of a solution based on grade is one of the most important conditions for successful construction. The strength characteristics of structures made using expanded clay depend on the fraction and density of the aggregate and on the brand of cement used in the production of the mixture.

Important: Characteristics of claydite concrete are unique, since the strength of structures produced on its basis only grows with time.

• Density the finished material and products produced with its use, is determined by the ratio of mass to volume. In the case of a mixture of concrete and expanded clay, this parameter is less than 100%. On the one hand, the higher the density, the stronger the material, and on the other hand, the lower this parameter, the easier it is to mechanically process it and the less it weighs.
• Porosity - This property is primarily related to the density. Independent of the degree of density, there will always be a certain number of micropores in the thickness of the expanded clay concrete.
• Water resistance это еще одно свойство, которое следует учесть, планируя применение бетона с керамзитным заполнителем. Чем выше этот показатель, тем выше способность материала противостоять разрушительному воздействию воды. Water resistance определяется отношением прочности образца насыщенного водой к прочности сухих образцов. Этот параметр для керамзитобетона составляет не менее 0,8 единиц.
• Degree of thermal conductivity - this is a property on which depends how much the temperature in the room will depend on the external temperature indicators. For example, the degree of thermal conductivity of mortars based on cement and expanded clay is several times less than similar parameters typical of heavy concrete. As a result, from solutions made with the addition of expanded clay, you can build walls that are less thick than usual, without prejudice to the energy efficiency of the facility as a whole.
• High temperature resistance - this is the quality inherent in structures erected with the use of expanded clay. On the one hand, due to low thermal conductivity, and on the other hand, due to the characteristics of the aggregate, the structures and structures are able to withstand the long-term impact of critical temperatures up to 1000 ° C without the formation of cracks.
• Low Temperature Resistance This is a parameter that reflects the ability of a material to withstand critical temperatures. All building materials have a certain limit of frost resistance and claydite-concrete - is no exception. Moisture, penetrating into the porous structure of the material, freezes and expands. During non-slip freezing / thawing cycles, significant, sometimes irreversible, changes occur in the structure of the material. As a rule, the denser the solution, the more frost-resistant the structures erected with its use are characterized.

Important: Parameters of claydite concrete resistance to the negative impact of environmental factors can be improved by applying protective plasters.

• Bulk solution - characteristic depending on the parameters of the placeholder. In accordance with this property, expanded clay concrete is subdivided into three categories: extremely light, light and heavy. Usually a heavy variety is characterized by a bulk weight up to 1400 kg / m? with a strength of 25 MPa. Light solutions and products with their use have a smaller bulk density, usually no more than 1000 kg / m ?. Particularly light materials made with the use of more porous types of expanded clay are characterized by a bulk weight of 600-1800 kg / m? with strength indicators 7.5-40 MPa.

Configuration and block sizes

Ceramsite concrete blocks, produced in accordance with modern technologies, are characterized by a complex shape and a number of standard sizes.

The complexity of the forms is explained by the presence of a set of slotted voids providing optimal heat-saving properties. Again, due to the presence of voids, walls constructed from such a material allow less external noise to pass through.

In addition to the presence of voids, the configuration of the blocks assumes the presence of ridges and grooves through which a reliable connection is ensured. The sizes of blocks cast from expanded clay concrete are in many respects similar to those of wall blocks made of cellular and porous concrete.

Features of blocks made of expanded clay

Ceramsite concrete blocks are an analogue and competitor of blocks manufactured using autoclaved cellular concrete.

The following advantages are inherent in the construction material:

• affordable price;
• low thermal conductivity;
• the high bearing ability, in comparison with autoclave cellular concrete;
• high bending strength and, as a result, low risk of cracking;
• accuracy of forms and sizes and, as a result, ease of construction;
• lack of shrinkage and, as a result, the possibility of finishing works immediately upon completion of construction;
• durability - claydite-concrete gains strength over a long time, so after a few years, the house you have built will be even stronger.

Conclusion

Now you have a general idea of ​​what constitutes building solutions made with the addition of expanded clay and how they can be used for its intended purpose. You can find more useful information by watching the video in this article.