Precast Systems for Buildings using Structural Lightweight Aggregate Concrete

Speaker: Tommy Lo

Affiliation: City University of Hong Kong

Time: Monday 07/05/2012 from 14:00 to 15:00

Venue: Access Grid UWS. Presented from Penrith (Y239), accessible from Parramatta (EB.1.32) and Campbelltown (26.1.50).

Abstract: The use of structural lightweight aggregate concrete [LWAC] allows greater flexibility in building design with substantial cost saving. In Hong Kong, prototype design, laboratory testing and full scale trial for precast concrete slab production using LECA lightweight aggregate has been carried out for economic building construction. Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregates (LECA) is a stable lightweight material made by burning clay in rotating kiln. Strengths of lightweight concrete using LECA can be comparable to normal weight concrete but 25% to 35% lighter in density. However, the performance of LWAC varies with the high water absorption of different lightweight aggregates. Surface modification is one of the effective measures to control the water absorption of LWA for concrete production, bonding strength between the hardened cement paste and LWA can be controlled.

Biography: Dr. Tommy Lo is the Associate Professor of Civil and Architectural Engineering Department, City University of Hong Kong. He is a Registered Professional Engineer in Building, Civil and Materials Discipline.