Study of Density and Modulus of Elasticity of Lightweight Concrete with Brazilian Aggregate

Concrete is one of the oldest building materials and applying known to humankind. From 1800s, with the advent of Portland cement concrete has taken a prominent place among the construction materials due to large values of strength, durability and versatility it offered compared to other products, allowing the molding of the various architectural forms. Until the early 80s, the modern concrete remained only as a mixture of cement, aggregates and water, however, in recent decades, due to the development of new techniques and products, the concrete has been undergoing constant changes [. This article discusses the application of technology of lightweight aggregates for concrete production, for use in building elements such as structural panels or fence. Developed an experimental program for the analysis of concrete, with the primary objective to characterize the properties of the parts in the hardened state. The results showed that the lightweight aggregate concrete with Brazilian expanded clay are extremely suitable for the production of prefabricated elements slender, mainly due to the reduction in density and excellent performance in mechanical properties, especially modulus of elasticity, despite the low toughness of lightweight aggregate.