Thermal insulation performance of aerated lightweight concrete

Building envelopes that insulate buildings against heat and cold are receiving increasing attention as a promising passive energy-efficient measure in building construction. The experimental study reported here evaluates the thermal insulation performance of aerated lightweight concrete of different densities produced by incorporating either 100% sand or 100% soil as filler. Experimental aerated lightweight concrete wall panels (750 mm long, 750 mm wide and 40 mm thick) were cast and tested. Both soil-based and sand-based (control) aerated lightweight concrete panels were cured in a room with a prevailing temperature of approximately 29°C. The temperature gradient for soil-based aerated lightweight concrete panels was found to be superior to that of control aerated lightweight concrete panels of comparable density. The results indicate the potential improvement of soil-based aerated lightweight concrete in terms of thermal insulation compared with sand-based aerated lightweight concrete.