What is silicate concrete, what are its features and where it is used?

A special kind of building material, silicate concrete is renowned for its adaptability and longevity. In contrast to conventional concrete, silicate concrete is created by combining silicate compounds, mainly consisting of water, lime, and sand. Its unique properties, derived from this unique blend, make it appropriate for a wide range of construction applications.

The remarkable resilience of silicate concrete to environmental conditions is one of its most notable qualities. It is a great option for outdoor structures since it can tolerate harsh weather. Furthermore, silicate concrete’s high compressive strength guarantees the durability and robustness of infrastructure and buildings constructed from it.

Additionally, silicate concrete exhibits remarkable fire resistance. Because of this, it is a material of choice when constructing buildings where fire safety is a top concern. Because it is non-combustible, it can aid in containing fires and halting their spread, providing extra security for residents and their belongings.

Silicate concrete is frequently used to build load-bearing walls, facades, and other structural components for commercial, industrial, and residential buildings. Because of its versatility, architects and builders can creatively incorporate it into a variety of architectural designs. Furthermore, its recyclable nature and environmentally friendly manufacturing process make it a desirable choice for sustainable building methods.

All things considered, silicate concrete is unique among building materials in that it is dependable, strong, and adaptable. Because of its special qualities and extensive range of uses, it’s a great option for projects requiring both durability and sustainability.

Topic Details
What is silicate concrete? Silicate concrete is a type of concrete that includes silicate-based binders, providing high durability and strength. It is known for its resistance to weather and chemicals.
Features It offers excellent resistance to moisture, frost, and chemical exposure. It also has high compressive strength and long-term durability.
Uses Silicate concrete is commonly used in construction projects that require strong, long-lasting materials, such as bridges, roads, and buildings in harsh environments.

What is silicate concrete?

Silicate concrete has a light gray, viscous appearance. It is composed of silica and limestone compounds, along with a calcium oxide hydrate found in quartz sand. A chemical reaction that results in the formation of a calcium hydraulic system as the components are connected fastens the monolith and joins all of the components together.

Substances become activated during autoclave processing when water becomes vaporous and is constantly present in the air due to pressure and temperature changes. Silicate concrete’s characteristics are similar to those of regular concrete solutions.

This material and cement concrete differ greatly from one another:

  • The silicate mixture is saturated with silicon compounds that repel moisture, so silicate concrete is quite waterproof;
  • increased content of calcium oxide or slag additives gives excellent resistance to the influence of aggressive factors;
  • The material has many pores that can be filled with gas, liquid, foam with the receipt of new solutions (foamsilicates, gas sods).

Features of the material

The following characteristics and technical details define silicate concrete:

  • The level of water absorption depending on the degree of sealing of the mixture is 10-18% (after additional processing of products or structures by hydrophobic silicon substances, the indicator can still be reduced);
  • frost resistance-F50-F100 or more;
  • high heat resistance, tolerance of sharp temperature differences;
  • low thermal conductivity;
  • noise -insulating abilities;
  • service life is up to 70 years;
  • high corrosion resistance (it decreases only with constantly increased humidity in the room, coupled with the lack of anti -corrosion processing of reinforcement);
  • significant strength (depending on the exact brand, the density of the composition).

Crucial! Silicate concrete is ideal for low-cost building construction because it has a low production cost.

Once the solution is poured and allowed to cure, a robust artificial stone with exceptional technical properties is produced. The degree of sand grinding and the amount of calcium oxide in the composition determine the material’s quality. The properties are optimized as the sand grain dispersion increases.

Concrete composition and GOST requirements

Water-diluted lime and silica components form the foundation of silicate concrete. As silica, materials such as domain slag, small quartz or quartz-puffy sand, artificial or natural putzsolan-ash from thermal power plant waste, are typically used. GOST 25214-82 represents the overall quality of the solution as well as the final quality of each component taken separately.

The lime used in silicate concrete should meet the following requirements:

  • Magnesium oxide content – up to 5%;
  • firing particles with the same speed;
  • hydration with an average speed;
  • The period of extinguishing – less than 30 minutes.

Other fillers, such as aggloporite sand or crushed stone, expanded clay of various fractions, slag pumice, and shungisite gravel particles, can be utilized in the production of silicate concrete.

Crucial! GOST states that water must also have a specific chemical makeup.

To enhance the qualities of the concrete, a range of additives can be added to the mixture:

  • plasticizers;
  • foaming agents;
  • Trietanolamine (TEA);
  • gypsum;
  • water -repellent substances and t.D.

Varieties of material

All silicate concretes are classified as porous (containing foamylics and gas mushrooms), dense light (containing large or fine-grained porous aggregate), and dense heavy (containing quartz sand).

Dense heavy concrete

Small-fractional and coarse concrete can be made using silica fillers. Small-grain mixes are thought to be the most well-liked. Their homogenous structure, which results from the dense chemical reaction between the aggregate and astringent, is characterized by their composition of small quartz sand and lime.

The material’s low cost contributes to its demand as well. They actively create floor panels, columns, stairwells, etc. out of it.

Density ranges from 1800 to 2200 kg/m³, while compression and stretching strengths range from 100 to 600 kg/cm² for severe silicate concrete. The indications vary based on the filler’s weight, precise composition, and autoclave processing mode. For instance, the composition will have a strength of 100–300 kg/cm² if lime makes up 8–11% of the volume of aggregate.

Light concrete

The presence of porous fillers such as slag pumice, perlite, expanded clay in the form of crushed stone, and gravel sets light silicate concrete apart. The other ingredients in concrete’s composition don’t change.

Three categories of light concrete are distinguished based on their densities:

  1. Heat insulation (density less than 500 kg/m³, thermal conductivity – 0.18 W/m*C). Suitable for insulation of ceilings and walls in residential, public, industrial buildings.
  2. Structural-heat-insulating (density-400-1400 kg/m³, thermal conductivity-0.58 W/m*C). Used for the device of external concrete structures.
  3. Structural (density-1400-1800 kg/m³). Suitable for the production of reinforced structures and prefabricated reinforced concrete products.

Cellular concrete

Porous silicate concrete components are separated into the following categories:

  1. Pososilicate blocks. Produced from a lime-creamy mixture with a foaming agent by mixing the components and processing them in the autoclave.
  2. Gas mosquiture blocks. It is obtained during the addition of aluminum powder to the lime-creamy mixture. The material is more durable, and its production is the most economical.

Areas of application

Silicate concrete that has holes in it is a good choice for industrial and rural building thermal insulation. Silicate concrete is also used to make cornice slabs, walls, floor panels, beams, staircases, and columns.

Crucial! They are perfect for making large structural products, but they are also frequently used to make small items like cladding, panels, and blocks.

Other applications for the content:

  • filling out the internal space of various structures;
  • reinforcement of silicate concrete railway sleepers;
  • arrangement of underground shafts, tunnels, highways;
  • production of fundamental blocks, linear rafter systems, blocks for basement walls;
  • as a component for a bloodless pressed slate, tiles.

Materials for the production of silicate concrete

Thin milk lo-gun lime, also known as boil, is typically used in place of limestone to facilitate the release of silicate concrete because it possesses the required qualities and satisfies GOST regulations.

Crucial! Every portion needs to burn evenly. The shortcoming causes the material to be consumed more quickly, and the overwhelming causes the time it takes for the completed objects’ surfaces to swell, crack, and become hydrated to shrink.

Use of the following kinds of lime mixtures is permitted:

  • lime-loser (with domain slag);
  • lime-creamy (with quartz sand);
  • lime-zero (with coal or shale ash);
  • Laundice-Keramzite (with expanded clay).

When it comes to quartz sand, it should have a minimum of 80% silica, less than 10% clay inclusions, and up to 5% impurities. Sand should be dispersed 2.5 times less thoroughly than ground lime.

Made mostly of sand, lime, and water, silicate concrete is a special kind of building material valued for its exceptional strength, resilience to the elements, and weatherability. Because it doesn’t require cement as a binder like traditional concrete does, it is more economical and environmentally friendly. Because of its superior thermal and acoustic insulation qualities, silicate concrete is highly valued and is frequently used in the construction of residential and commercial structures as well as a variety of infrastructure projects. It can also be used in industrial settings and harsh climates due to its resistance to chemical attacks and weathering.

Release technology

The steps involved in producing silicate concrete are component preparation, mixture preparation, product molding, and autoclave processing. This is how the procedure moves along:

  1. In the grinding workshop, they are crushed on pipe or vibration mills, dried, all ingredients are sifted for preparing the solution.
  2. By means of a pneum pump, the components are sent to a special department for dosing, after which they are loaded into a forced mixer.
  3. Pour water into the dry mixture, the mass is mixed until smooth, plasticizers are introduced.
  4. The finished solution is supplied to the concrete pouring that pours it into forms.
  5. In the forms, the mixture is withstanding until solidified (at least 20 hours). Then the products are extracted, folded with stacks on trolleys and brought to autoclave – a cylindrical tank with hermetic lids, a manometer protecting the valve.

The autoclave lids are securely closed after the blocks are loaded and are saturated with water at a temperature of approximately +100 degrees. Additionally, the temperature and steam pressure are raised, the products are kept at that temperature for a predetermined amount of time, and then the pressure is lowered to ambient levels. Allow silicate concrete to cool in the air or inside an autoclave.

Because of its distinct composition and remarkable durability, silicate concrete stands out in the construction industry. Its remarkable strength and weather resistance come from a combination of silica, lime, and other materials. This makes it a great option for projects that call for sturdy, long-lasting structures.

The high resistance of silicate concrete to chemical attack is one of its main characteristics. This quality is especially useful in settings where there are harsh chemicals or severe weather conditions present. It is also appropriate for a range of industrial applications due to its capacity to withstand high temperatures without experiencing appreciable degradation.

Silicate concrete is frequently used to build industrial facilities, bridges, and buildings. Because of its durability, structures are guaranteed to be secure and operational for a long time, which lowers maintenance costs and lengthens the project’s lifespan. For many engineers and builders, silicate concrete is the material of choice because of its dependability and versatility.

In conclusion, silicate concrete is a dependable and adaptable building material that is strong and resistant to adverse weather. Its use in a variety of construction projects demonstrates how crucial it is to contemporary building. It is a prudent investment for the future because silicate concrete allows builders to guarantee the longevity and durability of their structures.

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