Use of Lightweight Concrete as Infill of Reinforced Concrete Sections

Abstract

In structural design, an ideal situation in material saving is to reduce the weight of the structure without having to compromise on its strength and serviceability. This paper presents a novel use of lightweight concrete to create a lightweight sandwich reinforced concrete (LSRC) section. The developed LSRC section can be used as beams or slabs in concrete structures. An experimental program has been conducted to explore the potential use of the developed LSRC section as beam members. Based on the tested beams, the flexural and shear strengths of LSRC beams are found to be comparable with the strengths of the solid beams having identical height. Details on the development of LSRC sections, experimental testing and results are presented. Benefits of using the developed LSRC beams will be highlighted.