Supersulfated Cement Applied to Produce Lightweight Concrete

The physical and mechanical characteristics of expanded-clay lightweight concrete based on a supersulfated binder in comparison with lightweight concrete based on ordinary Portland cement were studied. In replacing CEM 32.5 with a supersulfated binder of 6000 cm²/g specific surface, one can increase the tensile strength in bending up to 20% and can increase the ratio of the tensile strength in bending to the compressive strength that indicates the crack resistance increase of concrete. Compressive strengths at the age of 28 days were equal to 17.0 MPa and 16.6 MPa for the supersulfated binder of 3500 cm²/g specific surface and CEM 32.5, respectively. Shrinkage deformation of hardening concrete, indicators of fracture toughness, frost resistance, and thermal conductivity were determined during the experimental works. The coefficient of thermal conductivity decreased up to 12% compared to the use of CEM 32.5. An enhancement in concrete properties was associated with the increase of supersulfated binder fineness.