Application of response surface design for the optimization of producing lightweight aerated concrete with blast furnace slag

Abstract

This study was conducted to optimize a mixing design of lightweight aerated concrete with the blast furnace slag(BFS) using Box-Behnken method, one of response surface designs. The lightweight aerated concrete with the BFS was made on the conditions of steam curing method at atmospheric pressure. The experimental factors were unit Water(W)/total powder(P d ) ratio, BFS replacement percentage and Al powder addition based on the total powder (P d *%). From the results of the response surface analysis, regression models for dried specific gravity and compressive strength of the lightweight aerated concrete were derived. When the target values for dried specific gravity and compressive strength of the lightweight aerated concrete were set at 0.72 and 4.42 MPa respectively, its optimized mixing conditions driven from the regression models were 0.62 of W/P d ratio, 35.5% of BFS replacement and 0.05% of Al powder addition. This experimental design model was found to be credible by measuring the dried specific gravity and compressive strength of the sample made from the above mixing conditions