Coarse-pored expanded clay foam concrete — an effective structural and thermal insulation material for external enclosing structures

Coarse-pored expanded clay foam concrete is a variety of a well-known wall material, large-porous expanded clay concrete. The technology for producing it was developed in the second half of the 20^th century and found widespread use in large-panel housing construction. Increased demands on the thermal resistance of enclosing structures in modern conditions have made the use of coarse-pored expanded clay concrete as the base layer of wall panels virtually impossible, leading to its widespread abandonment for many years. This article presents information on the manufacturing technology and application of coarse-pored expanded clay foam concrete, characterized by a low average density (400–450 kg/m³) and a thermal conductivity coefficient of no more than 0.11 W/(m · °C). This effect is achieved through the use of particularly lightweight expanded clay pellets (bulk density of 250–270 kg/m³) and infusing the cement matrix in concrete with micropores using synthetic foams.