Kostir léttsteypu

The usage of lightweight concrete (HEPPNI) in construction is increasing due to its many advantages over normal weight concrete. The main advantage is it can reduce the dead load of a building by 20% – 80%. This will save on construction cost and increase the speed of a project. It can be used to construct floors, veggjum, piers, deck slabs, bridges and precast structures. It is suitable for low-rise and high-rise buildings and can be easily transported from the batch plant to the construction site.

It is cheaper to make than regular concrete because it uses less cement. Það er líka léttara, which makes it easier to lift and place. It is also more environmentally friendly because it uses waste materials such as fly ash, slag and pumice instead of natural sand.

Lightweight concrete can be made using different methods, including replacing conventional mineral aggregates with cellular porous aggregates. This creates numerous intersectional voids within the concrete and gives it a honeycomb structure, known as aerated concrete. Another method involves omitting sand from the mix to create a no-fines concrete.

Other types of lightweight concrete include foamed concrete and autoclaved aerated concrete, which are both produced by aerating a mixture of raw materials and cement. These are very similar to standard concrete, but with the addition of air bubbles. They can range in density from 1200 Kg/m3 – 1800 Kg/m3.

Lightweight concrete is made from a variety of recycled and non-recycled materials, such as styrofoam, corral, clay, expanded shale, wood shavings, vikur, oil palm shells and corn cob. The reusing of these materials helps to maximize the use of available resources and reduce energy consumption. These lightweight concretes also have a low thermal conductivity, which allows for reduced power consumption for heating and cooling the building.