Results of the development of the technology of light-weight concrete based on diatomite rocks and instrument study of its thermal conductivity

THE PURPOSE. One of the directions of energy saving and energy efficiency improvement is the reduction of consumption of fuel and energy resources. A large amount of thermal energy is spent on heating buildings and structures during the heating season. To reduce heat losses through the building envelope, various heat-insulating materials with low thermal conductivity are used. The purpose of this research was to study the problem of developing the technology of lightweight concrete based on diatomite rocks, as well as uneven inclusions of filler from microspherical granules arising during its creation, assessing the effect of the presence of zones not occupied by microgranules on the insulating properties of the composite material, as well as determining the effect of the volume content of microspherical granules on the value of thermal conductivity.METHODS. In this work, we studied the production of lightweight structural concrete with porous aggregate synthesized from diatomite  rocks of the Vladimir region, as well as the effect of the presence of zones not occupied by microgranules on the insulating properties of the composite material. RESULTS. The results showed that the distribution of microgranules in the matrix has a significant effect on the insulating properties of the composite, and the presence of voids in the material contributes to heat losses and a decrease in the thermal resistance of the material.CONCLUSION. The technology for obtaining the developed concrete does not differ from the technology for the production of high-class concrete, which allows the use of widely used concrete equipment.