A new approach for production of reactive powder concrete: lightweight reactive powder concrete (LRPC)

Currently, reactive powder concrete (RPC) has been used in the production of structural beam components, manhole covers and similar road accessories etc. In this study, the production of lightweight reactive powder concrete (LRPC) was aimed by using pumice aggregate so as to gain advantage on transportation due to its lowered weight. For this purpose, mixes were designed by using pumice aggregate (0–1 mm), CEM I 42.5 R type ordinary Portland cement, silica fume (SF), brass coated steel fiber and polycarboxylate-based superplasticizer. The effect of pre-setting pressure (between 0 and 50 MPa) and curing regime (at 20 °C standard water curing; 200, 235 and 270 °C autoclave curing) on density, water absorption and compressive strength of LRPC specimens were researched. As a result, density, water absorption percentage and compressive strength values of hardened LRPC specimens were found between 1840 and 2430 kg/m 3 , 1.4 and 6.3 %, 69 and 176 MPa, respectively.