Measuring the Thermal Characteristics of Concretes Exposed to Extreme Conditions

Abstract

This article presents the results of an experimental research dealing with the measurement of the thermal characteristics of concretes based on natural and artificial aggregates (steel slag). The samples of concrete composites were prepared on the basis of natural aggregate fractions 0/4, 4/8 and 8/16 mm and on the basis of steel slag fr. 4/8 mm. The volume ratio of the individual aggregate fractions in all experimental mixtures used for the production of concrete composites was 40:30:30 (fr. 0/4: 4/8: 8/16). The prepared samples of concrete composites based on natural aggregate and natural aggregate combined with steel slag were subjected to the tests of strength characteristics, water-tightness, thermal characteristics using a commercial device ISOMET 2104 (measurement of the coefficient of thermal conductivity λ, specific heat capacity c, and the coefficient of thermal diffusivity a), and heating in a prototype calorimetric computer-controlled chamber. The main attention was focused on the testing of the value changes of the coefficients of thermal conductivity λ depending on the changes of temperatures within the range of -5 °C to + 40 °C. The measurements of these thermal characteristics have very high informative value, especially because these material parameters are not tabulated for the newly designed building materials, and that is why they are not examined at extreme temperatures. This is a reason why they cannot be used as important data during the thermal calculations of a non-insulated concrete structure (e.g. using polystyrene and / or glass wool).