Béton mousse

Béton mousse, également connu sous le nom de béton cellulaire léger (CTC) est un type de béton constitué d'air entraîné dans de petites bulles de mortier de ciment. It is manufactured at a lower weight than normal concrete, and can be used for construction purposes as well as thermal insulation of walls and roofs.

The key to the successful use of foam concrete is the quality of the foam that is produced. The ideal foam should be stable and resistant to the physical and chemical processes involved in mixing, placing and hardening of the concrete. It should also be able to withstand the pressure applied during transport, hoisting and pumping. This can be achieved by using a suitable foaming agent, combined with a foam stability enhancing admixture and specialised foam generating, mixing and pumping equipment.

Several different types of foaming agents are available on the market, each with their own optimum W/C ratio for producing a strong and durable FC. Different W/C ratios create different foam densities, and it is important to select a foaming agent that produces a density that suits the application of the concrete.

The foaming agent is a mixture of water and a special foam stabilising additive that is mixed with a cement-mortar mix. The resulting slurry is then injected into the concrete mixer to produce a uniform mixture of foam and cement mortar. The final concrete can be cast in a mould, or it can be pumped directly into a structural form.