Analysis of Comparison between Unconfined and Confined Condition of Foamed Concrete Under Uni-Axial Compressive Load

Abstract

Problem statement: Foamed concrete has become most commercial material in construction industry. People in industries were come out with the new mix design of foamed concrete to meet the specification and the requirements needed. Approach: This is because foamed concrete has the possibility as alternative of lightweight concrete for producing intermediate strength capabilities with excellent thermal insulation, freeze-thaw resistance, high-impact resistance and good shock absorption. Results: Currently Standard test to measure the compressive strength of foamed concrete is using standard unconfined compressive test. Several research has been conduct but the compressive strength using standard unconfined compressive test not capture true behavior of foamed concrete because it just achieved only low compressive strength and sample under compression failed due to brittle collapse of the sample. This study was analyzed the comparison between standard compressive test and confined compressive test. The confinement test introduced to prevent sample from brittle collapse. Foamed concrete cylindrical sample has been investigated under the standard compressive test for hard concrete (ASTM-C39). Based on the research, samples are produced under unconfined and confined condition. Analysis has been done and the result show that under standard compressive test, the sample failed due to early crack initiation and failed. Confinement condition was increase the compressive strength but this condition influence the result. Conclusion/Recommendations: Standard test is not suitable to capture the true behavior of foamed concrete, and to prevent the sample from brittle collapse during the test, new testing method was introduced to capture the true behavior of foamed concrete which is using Quasi Static Indentation Test. This test can be used to study about the behavior of foamed concrete before it can be implemented to its final application.