Thermal performance of cement-leca composites for 3D printing

This work aimed to evaluate the influence conventional fine aggregate substitution by LECA (light expanded clay aggregate) evaluating the physical and mechanical properties of lightweight cement-based composites for 3D printing. The mixtures were formulated using a 22 central composite rotatable design (CCRD). The independent factors were the substitution content of sand and the aggregate-to-binder ratio. The results showed that the replacement of sand by LECA increased the thermal insulation without compromising important structural properties such as mechanical strength and porosity. The thermal behavior of the composites was modeled and an equation dependent only on the substitution content was found.

Automated summary

This work aimed to evaluate the influence of substituting conventional fine aggregate with LECA on the physical and mechanical properties of lightweight cement-based composites for 3D printing. The experimental results showed that replacing sand with LECA improved the thermal insulation performance of the composites without compromising their mechanical strength and porosity. Additionally, a mathematical equation that solely depends on the substitution content was derived to model the thermal behavior of the composites.