SmartBrief Articles

Finishing Practices for Lightweight Concrete

Understanding timelines and techniques for working with lightweight concrete is crucial for contractors and engineers. Discover where it is most reasonable to specify LWC, the proper finishing timelines, and how finishing tools interact with it to ensure your project’s success. Access the resource in English here, or in Spanish here.

Cost Comparison of Lightweight Concrete

Looking at materials that provide structural functionality and keep a project on its timeline while making economic sense can be challenging. Utilizing structural lightweight concrete with its better fire ratings and lower deadloads makes sense, but what does it cost?

Is Lightweight Concrete All Wet?

This is a question that has been asked when it comes to the application of roof systems over concrete roof decks. Designers have faced adhesion challenges in both normal weight and lightweight concrete applications. Dive deeper into choosing the right material on your next project.

Improve Concrete Durability and Service Life

With the government’s focus on infrastructure, the spotlight on sustainable design is bright. A study to determine the effects of expanded shale, clay and slate (ESCS) lightweight aggregates on the transport properties of concrete shows that the service life will be increased.

Internal Curing Extends Service Life

Caltrans begins testing the application of internal curing in slab replacement with rapid strength concrete in the field. They identified a project on Route 680 in the Bay Area and placed slabs to compare the performance of the rapid strength concrete and RSC using internal curing.

Innovation with IC Concrete

It is well-documented that Internal Curing (IC) improves all concrete. Denver Water has solved a long-time challenge with the use of IC for large storage tanks and is now using IC in a new water treatment plant under construction. Learn how IC could be the solution for your next project.

Lightweight Aggregate Solves Port Issue

Port Canaveral, one of the world’s busiest maritime operations, developed a new berth to serve today’s larger cruise ships. Developers basically created new land by extending the existing port out into the water in this project.

Lightweight CMU Unsnarls Supply Chain

Lead times for some materials, especially precast concrete panels, are stretching to 16 months in some regions. Many Owners and GCs are rediscovering that Lightweight Concrete Masonry buildings still have short lead times and make meeting tightening energy codes easy.

PCRs Announced for ESCS Lightweight Aggregate

Commitments to efficient production and sustainable development of expanded shale, clay and slate (ESCS) lightweight aggregate plants have culminated in Product Category Rules (PCRs) for ESCS lightweight aggregate. PCR development is the prerequisite for creating EPDs.

Lightweight Aggregates Recycle Wastewater

This reciprocating wetland constructed with lightweight aggregate biofilters has been removing pollutants and providing respite for employees for twenty-five years. The durable and porous substrate provides hydraulic conductivity plus surface area for microbes and plant roots. Talk about sustainability!

Natural Aging of ESCS Amendment with Heavy Metals in Stormwater Increases its Antibacterial Properties: Implications on Biofilter Design

Expanded shale, clay and slate lightweight aggregate media can make stormwater biofilters bactericidal. It can adsorb large amounts of heavy metals, and hence, can be used to kill off pathogens as heavy metals are toxic to pathogens.

Antibacterial Lightweight Aggregate

Expanded shale, clay and slate lightweight aggregates adsorb large amounts of heavy metals which alters their surface properties to increase adsorption and removal of pathogens, extending the life cycle of ESCS bioretention systems.

The Case for Lightweight Aggregates in Parks

Three factors point to the increasing need for lightweight aggregates in parks. They include a desired reduction in water use and maintenance, mandates for less stormwater runoff, and the increasing diversity in outdoor park and recreation programming.

ASTM Standards Related to ESCS for Green Roofs

Not until April 2000 did ASTM establish the Green Roof Task Group within E06. Since then, 9 standards/guides were published relating to green roofs. This article will review the publications that include ESCS applied as fill, drainage or growing media for vegetative green roof systems.