Foam Concrete

Foam Concrete
What is foam concrete?
 Foam concrete, also known as aircrete.

 Typically made by mixing water, cement, and foaming agent.
 Sand can be included to make the mix stronger.
 Foam concrete is a type of concrete that has air voids within it, which reduces its bulk unit weight.
It is produced by adding foam (water + foaming agent + air) into a mixture of cement, water,
silica fume (a by-product from the production of elemental silicon or alloys containing silicon in
electric arc furnaces), calcite, and plasticizer.
 Foam concrete is known for its superfluidity, low weight, minimum aggregate content,
controllable resistance, and excellent insulation performance. It is commonly used as an
insulation material and can also be used as a structural component due to its lightweight and
insulator properties.
Properties of foam concrete
 Low density
 Lightweight (takes less energy and labour to move the concrete between locations)
 High strength-weight ratio
 Compressive strength (determined at 28 days) ranges from 0.2 to 10N/mm2.
 Low Bulk Density: Foam concrete has a low bulk density, typically ranging from 160 to 400 kg/m3,
making it lightweight and easy to handle.
 Insulation Performance: It exhibits excellent insulation properties, with a low thermal conductivity
coefficient. For example, the foam concrete discussed in the provided article has a thermal
conductivity value of 0.075 W/mK, making it an effective insulation material.
 Compressive Strength: The compressive strength of foam concrete can vary, and in the provided
article, the compressive strength was measured as 0.75 MPa.
 Homogeneous Air Voids: When foam is added to concrete, it creates homogeneous air voids within
the material, contributing to its lightweight nature and insulation performance.
 Production Flexibility: Foam concrete can be produced with local resources and is considered an
economical construction material due to its ease of application and lightweight nature.
 Fire Resistance: Raw materials used in the production of foam concrete are non-flammable, and it
does not exhibit combustible properties during a fire.
How to produce foam concrete
1. Prepare the Foam: Mix water, foam agent, and air using a foam generator. The foam generator
produces foam by mixing the water, foam agent, and air in a specific ratio.
2. Prepare the Slurry: Mix cement, silica fume, calcite, water, and super plasticizer additive using a
helix-shaped mixer. The slurry should be mixed until the desired consistency is achieved.
3. Add Foam to Slurry: Add the foam to the slurry at a pre-calculated volume and mix until the foam is
completely encapsulated by the concrete. The speed of the mixer should be adjusted to prevent the
added foam from fading or shattering during the mixing stage.
4. Transfer and Molding: Transfer the fresh foam concrete into molds and then allow it to set at room
temperature.
5. Curing: Depending on the specific application and requirements, the foam concrete may need to
undergo a curing process to achieve the desired properties.
6. Application: Once the foam concrete has been set and cured, it can be used in various construction
applications, such as insulation, structural components, partition walls, and non-constructional
components.
Applying foam concrete on mitigation sites
At the same time, researchers have looked into adding foam ash, silica fume, superplasticizer, and fibers
to reduce production costs and increase the material’s performance.
Types of foaming agents
Properties of foaming agent
Production of foam concrete

Different techniques
1. Using a foam maker
 most common method
 foam is produced by a machine that mixes a foaming compound with air and water.
 The foam produced is introduced carefully into the cementitious powder using a stirring
device.
 The uniform distribution of the foam in the mixture is critical to achieve lightweight
properties.
2. Pre-foaming using a foam machine or generator.
 This pre-foamed foam can then be added to cementitious mixtures and blended further
to ensure a consistent dispersion.
 This method can be used for large projects as it provides better foam control and
reduces the need for on-site equipment.
3.
Applications of Foam concrete

 Foamed concrete offers reduced manufacturing and shipping costs than conventional concrete
and can be used for structural components.
 lightweight and durable, foamed concrete is a great material. Foamed concrete is employed
because it reduces the foundation and support columns’ load, saving energy, time, and money.
 wall panels and building blocks,
 ground stabilization,
 grouting of masonry,
 filling of cavities and well backfilling,
 the building of mono- and double-pitched roofs,
 the thermal protection of flat roofs, and
 the installation of acoustic barrier floors
Properties of foam concrete

 Light Weight
 High strength to weight ratio.
 Filling huge areas of holes and cavities do not require compaction or vibration.
 can withstand high and low temperatures, keeps heat during building, and doesn’t move around
after that or during freeze–thaw cycles.
 FC has a lower tensile strength than conventional concrete.


Foam Concrete

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Foam Concrete

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Foam Concrete

What is foam concrete?

 Foam concrete, also known as aircrete.

Properties of foam concrete

Applying foam concrete on mitigation sites

Properties of foaming agent

Production of foam concrete

Applications of Foam concrete

Properties of foam concrete

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