A Study on mechanical behavior of Eco-friendly  Light Weight Concrete (LWC) blocks using industrial wastes

In the construction industry, concrete is widely used due to its affordability and extensive applications. However, one of the major drawbacks of conventional concrete is its substantial self-weight, which can make it an uneconomical structural material. To reduce the self-weight, coarse gravel has been partially or substantially replaced by lightweight aggregates. This study aims to investigate the production of lightweight concrete (LWC) using cenosphere and pumice and subsequently evaluate their performance in terms of compressive strength, water absorption, wet density, dry density, and thermal conductivity. Based on a thorough review of the relevant literature, the goal of this study is to determine the optimal volume of cenosphere for fine aggregates and pumice for coarse aggregates in LWC blocks. In this study, cenosphere replaces fine aggregate at a ratio of 30%, as identified in the literature review, and pumice replaces coarse aggregate at varying ratios of 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100%. The strength and lightweight properties of various cenosphere and pumice concrete mixes were compared, and the mix containing 30% cenosphere and 60% pumice was identified as the optimal combination.The optimal mix achieved a compressive strength of 21.81 N/mm², which is lower than conventional concrete. It also exhibited a water absorption rate of 3.31%, which is higher than that of conventional concrete but greater than the 40% threshold for lightweight blocks (LWB). The results indicate that this mix offers a favorable balance between lightweight properties and strength.