Characteristics of polystyrene concrete and polystyrene concrete blocks

Polystyrene concrete blocks - area of ​​use

Polystyrene included in concrete affects the scope of application of polystyrene concrete:

• polystyrene concrete for structural purposes is used in the form of ready-made polystyrene concrete blocks;
• in the form of a mixture, the material is used as thermal insulation, which is poured into the formwork.

Polystyrene concrete (PSB) - especially lightweight concrete with a porous structure, produced on the basis of a cement binder, with a porous granular aggregate

Structural polystyrene foam, blocks of which are capable of taking increased loads, is used for the construction of:

• boxes of buildings, load-bearing walls;
• fencing elements, internal partitions.

It is used for the following constructs:

• interfloor ceilings;
• attic rooms;
• ceilings, floors.

Using polystyrene for concrete, you can prepare the mortar used for concreting:

• frame structures equipped with panel formwork;
• insulated floors built on reinforced concrete slabs;
• screed, which is built on floors with a heating system;
• internal cavities in structures assembled from individual elements.

With the help of the composition, walls are finished from polystyrene concrete (warm plaster), as well as plastering the ceiling with polystyrene concrete. Gypsum polystyrene concrete, expanded clay polystyrene concrete, wood concrete also contain polystyrene filler.

Depending on the tasks set, lightweight concretes for structural and thermal insulation purposes are widely used.

Disagreements arise mainly when using blocks of polystyrene concrete as external load-bearing walls

Equipment

The production of blocks from polystyrene concrete is carried out without the participation of heavy equipment. However, a concrete mixer is used to obtain a homogeneous composition. The shape for polystyrene concrete blocks is selected depending on the further application. Additionally, you should stock up on the following equipment:

• The generator is installed if it is necessary to produce from 20 to 25 cubic meters of solution. Thanks to this, it will be possible to ensure its supply without interruption.
• GOST 33929 2016 polystyrene concrete and its technical conditions require a generator in the process of manufacturing a monolithic version. It delivers the solution to the place where it is poured.
• Greater convenience and automation can be achieved through the use of a mobile unit. It has a significant drawback - high cost. It is advisable to acquire it for professional construction crews. Private needs cannot be recouped in this way.
• Even with the participation of the equipment described above, it will be necessary to manually determine the proportions per 1m3 of polystyrene concrete.

There are also modern equipment samples. They differ in power. Their use is advisable only in large enterprises:

• Conveyor lines are fully automated. They are capable of producing over one hundred cubic meters of finished material per day. The equipment allows to achieve exceptional geometry of each block. At each stage of production, the quality of the finished material is checked.
• Stationary lines are compact and affordable. They are also installed in medium to small size enterprises.

If a person is thinking about how to prepare polystyrene concrete for private needs, then the purchase of equipment is not advisable. Installations allow you to make polystyrene concrete for sale. They occupy about 100 sq. m. and allow you to get 80 cubic meters per day. m. of finished raw materials.

Detergent against LMS

SDO - micro-foaming agent.In a cement slurry, it creates, with stirring, air bubbles in the size of a fraction of a millimeter or less. Foam in the usual sense when using SDO, if there is no overdose, does not work. According to industrial recipes, up to 2% of cement is introduced, as mentioned above. The specific amount is determined empirically, depending on the temperature of the ingredients and the air in the room, as well as on the hardness of the water. Detergent (MS) added in excess creates large bubbles with vigorous stirring. Certainly more than a millimeter. As a result of intensive mixing of polystyrene concrete, something similar to foam concrete with added foam balls is obtained. What is not good. Depending on the temperature, the MS produces a different amount of normal foam. The higher the temperature, the more foam. Again, there are MCs with minimal foaming, such as detergents for washing machines. However, if you knead carefully and start with the minimum amount of MC, then excess foam can be avoided. The minimum amount of MC can be determined visually by how the cement slurry runs on the foam ball. If the solution envelops the ball more or less evenly and does not drain from it, then MS is sufficient. You need to practice a little, the desired consistency of the solution will be immediately noticeable on the second attempt.

For the manufacture of a block with immediate stripping, it is necessary to achieve the lowest possible mix mobility. If the solution is too foamy on the MS, then in order to extinguish the foam, it is necessary to add about a quarter of all the ingredients to the solution, first adding cement, and then everything else, except water, of course. And stir more slowly.

Again, it makes sense to knead in the following order:

1. Moisten the foam granules with water and MS to improve wettability.

2. Simultaneously prepare sand dough without MS or with a minimum amount

3. Combine the moistened foam granules and sand concrete dough with the addition of water in the batch to obtain the necessary mobility of the mixture.

How to form a block of polystyrene concrete with immediate demoulding is described in detail and partially shown in the video:

Stages of the production process

Since we have familiarized ourselves with the material, it's time to move on to considering the production technology. And we will start with a list of the required raw materials and equipment.

Necessary equipment and raw materials

The production of polystyrene concrete blocks involves the purchase of one of several line options:

Conveyor line - automated as much as possible. The involvement of workers is practically not required. Differs in high cost and maximum efficiency. Production volumes are usually large.

Products manufactured on such equipment will have good geometry and high performance due to precise dosing of components, and strict adherence to technology.

Economy class conveyor line

A stationary line is a more budgetary option. However, the main disadvantages are the need to attract additional workers and the limited number of products produced, which cannot be as large as when using a conveyor.

Any completeness of such equipment can be chosen. The result partly depends on the availability of machines - and this should be taken into account.

Stationary line for the production of polystyrene concrete, photo

For the development of small business, or in the manufacture DIY polystyrene concrete, a mobile setup is perfect.The price for it is low, and the productivity can reach 30 m3 per day.

The disadvantages of using the installation are as follows: there is a high probability of errors in weighing the proportions of raw materials, since you will have to do it yourself; possible overrun by a component due in part to manual manufacturing and inexperience.

Mini installation for the production of polystyrene concrete

The simplest and most inexpensive set is a set of concrete mixer, raw materials and molds for products. In the event that it is planned to produce products exceeding the volume of 25-30 m3 per day, it will be necessary to purchase a foam generator that can ensure uninterrupted supply of the mixture.

As for the composition, the main components are, as already mentioned: polystyrene chips, cement, water and sand. Wood resin is often used as an additive.

Approximate proportions for the production of polystyrene concrete mixture

There is no exact recipe, there are only recommendations. Therefore, the presence of an experienced technologist in the team when starting a business is only welcome.

This is one of the reasons why products from different manufacturers can differ significantly from each other.

Description of technology

Production of polystyrene concrete can be done in one of two main ways: injection molding or semi-dry pressing.

The technology for the production of polystyrene concrete blocks by casting provides for the execution of certain stages.

The instruction looks like this:

• First, the ingredients are fed into the mixer in the right proportions;
• Mixing occurs;
• The finished solution is poured into molds, which are recommended to be preliminarily lubricated with a special compound. Diluted engine oil is also suitable;
• After a few days, you can remove the formwork from the products. In winter, you will have to wait a little more;
• Grade strength is achieved only after 28 days; it is not recommended to use blocks in construction earlier than this period.

As a result, products are obtained with low or medium density grades. The basic order of work under factory and home conditions is not much different apart from the level of automation. The technology for manufacturing blocks from polystyrene concrete is the same in both cases.

Polystyrene concrete blocks: production technology by means of the casting method, diagram

The difference will be in the finished products. A block made with your own hands will probably not be so ugly and even - most likely, its geometry will be violated. It is also difficult to produce a high density block yourself.

Since the products are not controlled by anything or anyone, it is not possible to accurately state their characteristics. The second method, more efficient and modern, is vibrocompression.

Its essence is as follows:

1. The content of cement in the solution, as a rule, is increased, and the content of water is reduced. The mixture is very thick.
2. Using a vibrating press, the products are brought to a semi-dry state.
3. The next step is to process the blocks in an oven.

The video in this article: "Polystyrene concrete block production: manufacturing technology" contains some information about the stages of the release process.

Briefly about polystyrene concrete: composition and properties of the material

For a successful start of production, in addition to organizational issues, you must first familiarize yourself with the characteristics of the material and the composition of raw materials. Agree, it would be stupid to release something you don't know anything about.

Polystyrene concrete structure

So, polystyrene concrete is a representative of lightweight concrete. It differs in the presence of polystyrene and concrete crumbs in the composition, as well as specialized additives that increase the characteristics of the mixture and products from it.

Polystyrene concrete blocks: composition

The polystyrene fraction can be different, it varies mainly from the desired density index.The relationship is simple: the more polystyrene, the lighter the block, and the higher its heat-saving ability.

Polystyrene concrete crumb

Let's move on to the main features:

• Like other types of lightweight concrete, depending on the average density, polystyrene products can be used as a heat-insulating or structural material. This indicator can vary from 150 to 600 kg / m3.
• In this case, the thermal conductivity of the dry material starts counting from a numerical value equal to 0.05. In this respect, polystyrene concrete can be said to be the leader. The maximum value does not exceed 0.145.

Thermal conductivity and vapor permeability of polystyrene concrete

The finished structure, erected using polystyrene concrete, will, of course, have a large coefficient - due to being in a state of operational humidity. However, there will be no significant shifts.

Comparison of the heat-saving characteristics of polystyrene concrete with other materials

• Polystyrene concrete is characterized by a high grade of frost resistance - it can reach 200. This means that the products are able to withstand exposure to up to 200 time-based freezing and thawing cycles.
• It is also worth noting that polystyrene concrete is an environmentally friendly material, it does not burn. However, it is not able to withstand exposure to high temperatures for a long time.
• The durability of the products leaves no doubt. Much depends on the manufacturer, operating conditions, the composition of the raw materials and the technically correct finish. However, subject to all standards, polystyrene concrete will last an extremely long time.

Polystyrene concrete takes a leading position in durability

The strength grade is in direct proportion to the density. The minimum value established by GOST is 0.35.

Technical properties of polystyrene concrete:

Advantages and disadvantages

To begin with, it should be noted that polystyrene concrete blocks have been known to the construction world for a long time. However, the material only became widespread in the 1960s. This is due to the fact that initially the production of such a material as polystyrene concrete was rather complicated and expensive. However, with the development of technology, the situation has changed. Today, expanded polystyrene concrete blocks are in demand in the process of building low-rise suburban buildings. The material is used not only in Russia, but also in other countries of the world, for example, the United States of America, Germany, France and so on.

The raw materials for the production of polystyrene concrete blocks are as follows:

• Portland cement (which is essentially a type of cement);
• water;
• granular polystyrene;
• quartz sand;
• plasticizers.

There are several methods for the manufacture of polystyrene concrete blocks, namely:

• handicraft (or foundry) - this method is similar to the procedure for making non-autoclaved aerated concrete, since all the necessary elements are interconnected, poured into specially designed molds and contained there until hardening;
• vibrocompression (or vibroforming) - this method is used in industrial production, it is quite complex and lengthy.

Polystyrene concrete blocks are not an ideal building material. They are characterized by a set of individual characteristics (both positive and negative). Thus, before purchasing a material and using it in construction, it is necessary to evaluate all the advantages and disadvantages.

To begin with, consider the existing advantages of the material.

• Availability. Polystyrene concrete blocks have a budget price.Thanks to this, the material is available for purchase to almost every person (regardless of his economic and social status in society).
• Low thermal conductivity. Thanks to this property, in the process of building a house, there is no need to equip additional wall insulation with the help of other materials.
• Low density and low weight. Due to this property of the material, you have the opportunity to reduce the load on the foundation of the house. This also reduces the material and financial costs of transportation and masonry.
• Low water absorption. Due to this characteristic of polystyrene concrete blocks, water (and any other liquid) is not absorbed into the surface. In addition, this property is associated with such a characteristic as low thermal conductivity.
• High quality soundproofing. In this regard, polystyrene concrete blocks can be used for the construction of buildings of any purpose.
• Simple handling. You do not need to have a lot of specialized theoretical knowledge or practical skills to process the material. Polystyrene concrete blocks are easily fed by sawing or chasing.
• Resistant to low temperatures. Due to their frost resistance, polystyrene concrete blocks are used for construction in various regions of our country (including the northern ones).
• Ecological cleanliness. Since polystyrene concrete blocks are environmentally friendly, they can be used for a variety of purposes.

Despite the large number of advantages, it is necessary to remember about the existing disadvantages.

Low level of compressive strength. In connection with this property of the material, it should be remembered that polystyrene concrete blocks are a material that is not suitable for the construction of tall buildings. They can be used to build structures no higher than 2 floors.

Low vapor permeability

In this regard, it is important to create a special system for removing unwanted moisture, for example, an air conditioning or ventilation system.

Flammability. Polystyrene concrete blocks are decomposed by fire

A similar process is the reason for a decrease in the strength and heat-shielding characteristics of the material.

Fasteners. In order to attach something to a polystyrene concrete block, you need to use high-quality and reliable fasteners, for example, anchors and dowels.

Thus, you were able to make sure that the advantages of the material significantly outweigh its disadvantages.

Features of the use of the material

It is worth noting that another advantage of the material is the possibility of using both finished products and structures, and preparing the solution directly at the construction site.

Consider how to make polystyrene foam concrete with your own hands:

First you need to stock up on everything you need, you can buy a finished product in dry form, or you can assemble all the components yourself. You will need M500 grade cement, foam granules (you can even grind the sheets if there are no crumbs), sand if wall structures are to be made, and components to improve the properties of the composition.

The instructions for preparing the composition are simple, and even those who do not have experience in carrying out such work will cope with the work.

For 1 m3 of granules, depending on the desired brand, the following number of main components will be needed: for the D200 brand - 160 kg of cement, 90-100 liters of water and 1 kg of additive, for the D300 brand - 240 kg of cement, 120 kg of water and 1 kg of additives, D500 - 410 kg of cement, 170 liters of water and 800 g of additive. In accordance with this, other brands are being prepared, if wall material is needed, then 800 kg of sand is taken for 1.1 m3 of granules and 300 kg of cement.
It is best to prepare the solution using a concrete mixer, but you can also handle it manually, the main thing is to prepare a convenient container

It is very important to mix all components thoroughly and to achieve maximum homogeneity of the solution.

The finished composition can be used as an insulation layer, warm screed or the main wall covering, it all depends on the brand. The formwork requirements are low due to the lightness of the mortar, so even with this type of work you will save time and money. (See also the article Insulation for concrete: features.)

If you make such a screed, it will not be afraid of any cold.

Properties and purpose

The characteristics of polystyrene concrete take into account its lightness and practicality. Such a composite material is produced using a simple technology with minimal financial investment.

Specifications

Polystyrene concrete belongs to the group of composite building materials based on Portland cement or its varieties, silica filler, and also a porous component.

The manufacturing process provides for an even connection of raw materials, including:

1. Cement mixture.
2. Sand.
3. Water.
4. Granular polystyrene.

The mortar is placed into prepared molds or formwork at the construction site. To create quality material, you can use simple mixers.

The main properties of polystyrene concrete include:

1. Long service life - more than 100 years.
2. Compliance with environmental safety standards.
3. High vapor permeability.
4. Ignition resistance.
5. High moisture and frost-resistant properties.
6. Good noise insulation parameters.

The performance list is as follows:

1. Manufacturability - due to the low weight and correct geometry of the blocks, it is quite simple and quick to create walls and ceilings on their basis.
2. Thermal insulation properties - a 30 cm thick wall structure can hold as much heat as a 180 cm brick wall. Thermal conductivity values ​​vary from 0.7 to 0.1 W / mS. This helps to reduce the cost of thermal energy by 5 times.
3. Water vapor permeability. Due to the good transmission of moisture and air, walls made of polystyrene concrete can "breathe", which ensures stable regulation of humidity.
4. Durability - as the operation progresses, polystyrene concrete blocks acquire additional strength. The declared service life exceeds 100 years.
5. The temperature range at which the use of the material is permitted varies from -60 to + 70 ° C.
6. Affordable cost - 1 sq. m walls made of polystyrene concrete will cost much less than another option.
7. Thermal inertia - buildings are effectively heated, while their cooling takes a long period of time.
8. Environmentally friendly - since cement, water, wood resin and safe polystyrene are used for the production of the material, the final product meets all environmental requirements.
9. Flammability class - in terms of fire safety, polystyrene concrete belongs to the NG1 class (non-combustible). The material is not afraid of the effects of open fire, since during ignition, the surface granules begin to evaporate.
10. Weight - blocks measuring 200x300x600 mm weigh no more than 18 kg. This characteristic provides a high masonry speed and reduced labor costs.
11. Strength indicators - a wall with a thickness of 30 cm is capable of withstanding a distributed load of up to 35 tons per linear meter. m.
12. Waterproofing properties - the material absorbs no more than 4% moisture, which is 4 times less than brick or wood. The likelihood of the formation of fungi is practically excluded.
13. Noise isolation - a 30 cm wall is capable of absorbing more than 70 dB of sound.

Application area

Before you start producing polystyrene concrete blocks with your own hands, you should consider the main areas of their application. Such structures are in demand when arranging screeds or internal partitions, erecting walls and insulating buildings for various purposes.

The material is also used in the production of facade panels or liquid solutions for pouring monolithic objects.

Acceptance and control of products

In accordance with GOST, any building material is subject to verification and control, the result of which must be reflected in the relevant documents. Let's consider in more detail.

Rules for the acceptance of material and products from it

The acceptance instructions are as follows:

• Upon acceptance, a batch is taken to be a certain number of products that were manufactured within a day (change), provided that the same raw materials and technology are used.
• In the event that the material is produced in small quantities, products made in a few days (no more than a week) are taken as a batch. Again, in this case, they must be characterized by the same composition and manufacturing technology.
• The density and strength indicator is checked for each batch of goods or ready-made polystyrene concrete mixture.
• The control of the indicators of thermal conductivity, bending and compressive strength, frost resistance is carried out individually before the start of production and then at least every six months.
• Once every 5 years, the fire resistance and the content of radionuclides are checked.
• Acceptance is carried out in accordance with GOST 7473.
• Re-verification of indicators is carried out if the previous check was unsuccessful, or the composition or technology was changed during manufacture.
• All indicators must be indicated in the documents accompanying the product.

Test methods

All numerical values ​​of the properties of the polystyrene concrete mixture and products made from them are controlled by product testing. For this, samples are taken, which, with the help of specialized equipment and appropriate calculations, are subject to verification.

We will use the table in which we will briefly consider the main test methods and their essence.

Polystyrene concrete test methods:

In this video you will see the strength test of polystyrene concrete.

We have considered the main indicators, but control is exercised over others, such as flammability, the presence of radionuclides and many others.

What is polystyrene concrete

Polystyrene concrete wall blocks

When creating this material, the engineers were faced with the task of coming up with a building material for the walls, which, with a limited thickness, will not need additional insulation, and to make sure that the flammable foam becomes safe in this regard. As a result, we got what we have.

The composition of polystyrene concrete includes: Portland cement, granules of expanded polystyrene (aka polystyrene), quartz sand, plasticizing additives to reduce the delamination of the mixture and increase its elasticity, as well as water. Together, this gives the material the following positive and negative properties (let's start with the first ones):

Low Density Polystyrene Concrete Building Blocks

The material can be used in a very high temperature range. If we take into account the possible drops on the entire planet, then we can say that it has no restrictions at all.

Polystyrene concrete perfectly tolerates its sharp drops, which is important.
Humidity for polystyrene concrete is also not a problem. The presence of polymer granules in the structure greatly reduces the absorbency of the blocks, which is especially good for regions with high humidity.
Due to the fact that moisture practically does not penetrate into the material, its frost resistance also increases.

Manufacturers claim that the material is able to withstand from 150 to 300 defrosting cycles, which, as you know, is a lot. And, importantly, this does not in any way affect its thermal insulation characteristics.

Polystyrene concrete wall blocks - material structure

Thermal insulation and sound insulation characteristics of expanded polystyrene concrete are at a very high level

What can I say, the creators managed to achieve the desired effect.
Polystyrene concrete is lightweight, thanks to which a lightweight foundation can be laid under walls and ceilings, which is important for private low-rise construction, since it can significantly reduce material costs.
The material can be purchased in liquid form or prepared by yourself to be poured into the desired forms. Thus, you can make overlappings and lintels over door and window openings - we will talk about this a little later.
If desired, the building box can be made monolithic using the same liquid mixture - this construction technology is also gaining popularity today.
Construction from such blocks is much faster than from bricks, since they have large dimensions.

We also remind you that the material is light, which means that you can do without large lifting equipment.
The material is easily cut with a conventional hacksaw, which allows you to fit parts quickly and accurately.

Construction from polystyrene concrete blocks - house from panels

The material has many advantages, but it is not without its disadvantages.

Among their total number, it is worth highlighting the most important:

The polystyrene itself is moisture- and vapor-proof. It also endows the walls with ceilings made of it with the same property. For this reason, moisture gradually begins to accumulate inside buildings, since it simply has nowhere to go. High humidity means a decrease in thermal insulation characteristics, a violation of the microclimate, as well as the possibility of mold on the finish over time.

Filling the screed with liquid polystyrene concrete

Polystyrene concrete blocks are not as strong as expanded clay concrete and similar materials. However, in this regard, it is much better than gas blocks that have no filler at all. Weights can be hung on polystyrene concrete walls, but it is still recommended to use special fasteners.

Dowel for polystyrene concrete blocks

• Polystyrene concrete is a new material, and, despite all the assurances of manufacturers, we can judge about its durability only by some forecasting systems. That is, there are no real examples, and there cannot be.
• There are no precise toxicity studies, as styrene is harmful and can be released into the ambient air.
• The fire safety of polystyrene foam blocks has been established, but it is also known for certain that with strong heating, the polymers in the composition begin to emit toxic substances. At the same time, the strength of the material itself is greatly reduced, which means that if a fire occurs, but the building resists, it will still have to be dismantled.

Advantages and disadvantages

Understanding what characteristics polystyrene concrete blocks have, the pros and cons of these structures should be studied first.

The list of benefits includes the following items:

1. Effective thermal insulation that allows you to keep warm in the rooms in winter and provide a comfortable microclimate in the hot season.
2. Lightweight and lightweight. These characteristics deprive builders of the need to use expensive equipment and special equipment for the project. Even due to the reduced weight, the blocks are easy to transport.
3. Ease of self-processing. Communication systems can be laid in ready-made structures. At the same time, the owner of the house can make changes to the geometry of the blocks and implement any architectural ideas.
4. Long service life and high strength properties. According to manufacturers, a building made of polystyrene concrete blocks can last more than 100 years.
5. Good sound and heat insulation properties, which eliminate the need to purchase additional insulation materials.
6. Crack resistance under point loads.
7. Compliance with environmental regulations.
8. Lack of reaction with chemical and biologically active substances.
9. High degree of frost resistance.
10. Fire resistance. Due to this property, blocks can be used to erect buildings with the first category of fire hazard.

But besides the advantages, the wall blocks in the house made of polystyrene concrete also have disadvantages. Among them:

1. Low strength of installation of fasteners such as dowels, anchors and self-tapping screws. You can get them out of the structure by hand without the use of special tools. Because of this property, it is better to fasten the hinged elements only in the voids between the blocks where the concrete mixture is located, and use anchors as fasteners.
2. Loss of stability of doors and windows in case of non-compliance with the installation technology.
3. Vulnerability to open fire. At high temperatures, polystyrene granules begin to break down and lose their thermal insulation properties. To eliminate the problem, their surface must be covered with a fireproof protective film and plaster.

Starting the construction of a house from self-made blocks, you need to select a balanced composition of raw materials, avoiding the presence of granules with a diameter of more than 20 mm.

Carrying out the plastering procedure does not have any particular difficulties, but it requires adherence to technological rules.

Specifications

The practical qualities of this material are determined by its characteristics:

• shrinkage strength of polystyrene concrete - varies from 0.73 to 3.6 MPa;
• the density value is 150 - 600 kilograms per cubic meter;
• fracture and bend resistance - 0.08 - 0.73 MPa;
• thermal conductivity - from 0.55 to 0.145;
• resistance to temperature extremes - from 100 to 500 freeze-thaw cycles;
• adhesion - less than four percent;
• shrinkage - no more than 1 mm per meter;
• in terms of fire resistance, the material belongs to the G1 group - low flammability;
• soundproofing qualities - with a wall thickness of 100 mm, the sound penetration rate does not exceed 37 dB.

The technical characteristics can be supplemented by the low specific gravity and biological resistance of the material, which makes it possible to resist the formation of mold and mildew.

> Often you can hear negative statements about the increased level of hygroscopicity, difficult processing, low level of vapor permeability of the material. But this can be attributed to the properties of polystyrene concrete, and not to negative qualities. It can be protected from excess moisture with waterproofers and a finishing layer, and the strength grade is determined taking into account the tasks set by the design solution.