إنتاج خرسانة خفيفة الوزن باستخدام النبات البحري (البوزيدونيا)

Abstract

Urban development and economic conditions necessitate the search for alternative materials that are cheap and available locally that can be added to concrete to obtain lightweight concrete. This type of concrete should be characterized by its ability to insulate heat, its economic feasibility and its lightweight. For a concrete, being light weight helps it reduce the loads placed on the structural elements, which consequently reduces the total cost of the building.

This research aims to study the changes that may occur to some of the properties of concrete when changing the type of the ordinary aggregate to a marine plant, which is  known locally as sea straw (poseidonia); the availability of this plant in huge quantities on the Libyan coasts triggered the idea of being used and tested. Many laboratory tests were conducted to find out the changes that may occur.

Aplan was set and implemented to demonstrate the effect of replacing the ordinary aggregates with sea plants (poseidonia) on pressure resistance, absorption, thermal insulation and durability i. e. resistance to exposure to chemical substances; the variable was the ratio of water to cement (W / C).

Although the results showed good compressive strength of aggregate concrete, it was indicated that it decreased by about 50% compared to normal aggregate concrete. In contrast, the thermal insulation of the marine plant concrete was improved compared to the normal aggregate concrete.