The study of deformation properties and creep of sulfur-containing wood concrete composites

The paper deals with the issues of studying deformation properties and creep of sulfur-containing wood concrete composites exposed to permanent loads and various compressive stresses. The study of these aspects is of great interest for the foreign researchers from neighboring countries and abroad, especially in the regions with extreme continental climate. Sulfur-containing wood concrete composites are the most lightweight building materials with lower heat conductivity and enhanced sound insulating properties. Modern theory and practice of creation and development of technologies for wood concrete wall blocks on the base of composite sulfur-containing binders served as the methodological framework of the research. Standard measuring instruments and analysis methods of chemical, physical and mechanical properties were used when implementing experiments. In all the experiments, the samples were lightweight concrete prisms with the cross section 150x150mm and the length of 600mm. One batch of the samples was made from sulfur-containing wood concrete, with crushed reed fiber being the organic component, while the second batch was prepared from sulfur-containing expanded clay concrete for comparison purposes. The samples were exposed to permanent loading by means of specially prepared spring specimens. As the research results shown, the rate of creep growth for sulfur-containing lightweight concretes depends on the curve of strength increment in time demonstrating the concrete hardening process. Thus, if compared with sulfur-containing lightweight concretes, creep of sulfur-containing wood concrete is significantly lower that leads to creep reduction at the same level. The results of the investigation could be applied at manufacturing of effective wall materials for residential construction, in particular in seismic areas.