Telhas de concreto com Esferas de Poliestireno Expandido (EPS)

Abstract

Concrete tiles are used worldwide due to their aesthetics and durability. However, from a structural point of view, they have a high weight as a disadvantage. In this sense, new technologies have been pointed out, including the study of sustainable formulations that allow the manufacture of lighter construction elements and the consequent reduction of the forces acting on the structures. Lightweight concrete with expanded polystyrene (EPS) has been the subject of study in several universities around the world, mainly due to its low specific mass and thermal insulation capacity. The general objective of this work was to produce concrete tiles using EPS, as a lightweight aggregate in their formulations, and to study its effect on the technological properties of the tiles obtained. For this purpose, conventional concrete tiles and lightweight concrete tiles were produced with the addition or replacement of 15% and 20% of EPS in relation to the fine aggregate (sand), by volume. The technological characteristics of the tiles were determined and evaluated according to current standards and the microstructural characteristics were analyzed by optical and scanning electron microscopy. In general, the results of the physical and mechanical tests of the tiles produced meet the requirements of NBR 13858-2. The addition of 20% EPS in the formulations provided greater lightness to the concrete tiles studied, presenting a weight reduction of 11.10% in relation to the tiles without the addition of EPS. It was found that the addition/replacement by EPS provides a reduction in mechanical resistance, but does not compromise the quality of the tiles produced. It can be concluded that the EPS contents studied in this research (15% and 20%) are promising for application as lightweight aggregate in cementitious tile compositions.