A comparative study on reinforced concrete lightweight roof decks

Abstract

Nine reinforced lightweight one-way slabs were produced with perlite, styropor and pumice lightweight aggregates as structural roof decks with insulating properties. Those plus three identical Ytong aerated slabs were tested as simple beams under short-term loads until failure. For comparison purposes unit weights (800 kg/m3 ) dimensions and reinforcement ot the produced slabs were tried to be kept the same as the Ytong slabs. Also, three cylindrical samples were taken from each slab for uni-axial compression tests. The deflections and mid-span strains were measured for the slabs during the flexural tests. Also, compression and deformation tests were done on the cylinders. According to the test results, all the slabs showed favorable conditions from the points of load-carrying capacities, deflections, initial crack loads and. crack widths with respect to the accepted standards. The slabs made with pumice lightweight aggregate had the highest carrying capacity with the lowest cost of production, therefore being the most economical.