Compressive strength and microstructure analysis of a lightweight sand concrete in sodium sulfate environment

摘要

This article aims to study the compressive strength and the microstructure analysis of lightweight sand concrete, to knowsand concrete lightened by wood shavings and barley straws, in sodium sulfate solution. The methodology is to make acomparative study of the compressive strength between both immersions, the first in water saturated with lime as a referenceimmersion and the second in sodium sulfate solution as a sulfate attack immersion, for a period of 18 months immersion.The microstructure analysis has been made between the lightweight sand concrete, before immersion compared to after18 months immersed in a sodium sulfate solution. The results show that the lightweight sand concrete is considered to be asustainable eco-material in the sodium sulfate environment. The advantage of the results is in favor of the weight changesand the compressive strength at 18 months immersed in a sodium sulfate solution, which increases by 40 compared to thatbefore immersion, and the compressive strength increases of 58 compared to reference immersion (water saturated withlime). Furthermore, the results of microstructure analysis are very interesting, through a cross analysis, which was carriedout by combining scanning electron microscopy, Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction.