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Insulation efficiency of alkali-activated lightweight mortars containing different ratios of binder/expanded perlite fine aggregate

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Abstract

In the current paper, an attempt has been done to produce insulating materials based on alkali-activated slag (AAS) mortars, free from any foaming/blowing agent, with a good balance between suitable compressive strength and low thermal conductivity. Due to its prospective properties, expanded perlite (EP) was used as a lightweight fine aggregate. For AAS lightweight mortars, different binder/EP ratios of ½, ¼ and 1/6, by volume, were used. Traditional Portland cement mortar (TC) with a binder/siliceous sand ratio of ½ as well as AAS mortar with a binder/siliceous sand ratio of ½, by volume, were prepared for comparison purposes. To obtain more insulating materials, slag in the mixture containing binder/EP ratio of 1/6 was partially replaced with 50% solely metakaolin (MK) and 50% solely fly ash (FA). The bulk density, compressive strength, total porosity, thermal conductivity and thermal resistance for all mortar types were measured. The samples were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that good insulation materials can be produced without adding any foaming agent, of which low thermal conductivities (0.995–0.158 W/mK), low densities (2080–670 kg/m3), high total porosities (24.22–75.1%) and acceptable compressive strength (21.6–5 MPa) can be obtained.

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Abbreviations

AAS:

Alkali-activated slag

EP:

Expanded perlite

MK:

Metakaolin

FA:

Fly ash

SEM:

Scanning electron microscopy

PC:

Portland cement

C-S–H:

Calcium silicate hydrate

XRF:

X-ray-fluorescence

XRD:

X-ray diffraction

ASTM:

American Society for Testing and Materials

ES:

Egyptian Standard

BS:

Britch Standard

K:

Thermal conductivity (W/mK)

Q:

Heat flux (W/m2)

ΔT:

The difference in temperature between the cold and hot surfaces of the specimen (K).

Rt :

Total thermal resistance (m2.K/W)

Rai :

Outside clay brick wall thermal resistance (m2.K/W)

Rai :

Inside clay brick wall thermal resistance (m2.K/W)

L:

Sample thickness (m)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Building Materials Research and Quality Control Institute, Housing & Building National Research Center (HBRC), Cairo, Egypt

    Alaa M. Rashad

  2. Civil Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Shaqra University, Dawadmi, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    Alaa M. Rashad

  3. Building Physics and Environmental Research Institute, Housing & Building National Research Center (HBRC), Cairo, Egypt

    Mervat H. Khalil & M. H. El-Nashar

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  1. Alaa M. Rashad
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  2. Mervat H. Khalil
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  3. M. H. El-Nashar
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Correspondence to Alaa M. Rashad.

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Rashad, A.M., Khalil, M.H. & El-Nashar, M.H. Insulation efficiency of alkali-activated lightweight mortars containing different ratios of binder/expanded perlite fine aggregate. Innov. Infrastruct. Solut. 6, 156 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41062-021-00524-x

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