Quantification of Ceramsite Granules in Lightweight Concrete Panels through an Image Analysis Technique

Abstract

Ceramsite particles are an important component of lightweight ceramsite concrete wall panels, and the density of the aggregate is much lower than the density of the slurry. It is generally accepted that there are inhomogeneities in the distribution of ceramsite particles in wall panels. Ceramsite concrete wallboard material is a research hotspot in the field of fabricated building materials at home and abroad; however, there is no effective way to quantify their inhomogeneity. Based on the application of image recognition technology in concrete homogeneity, a method to quantitatively evaluate the distribution of light aggregates in wall panels was developed. Three commercial lightweight vitrified concrete wall panels were cut into 324 cubes. The four cut surfaces of each specimen were photographed to analyze the proportion of ceramsite particle area, while the density, ultrasonic pulse velocity, and compressive strength of the specimens were tested. The results demonstrated that the image analysis method could effectively describe the homogeneity of the panels. The proportion of particle area of aggregate in the section of the cube had a strong correlation with the compressive strength, ultrasonic pulse velocity, and density, and there was an obvious linear relationship with the height of the plate where the cube was located. Based on this, the correlation equations of the proportion of particle area of aggregate, density, ultrasonic pulse velocity, compressive strength, and the height where the specimen was located were proposed. The quantitative parameters of the relevant properties of the wall panels were also obtained: the maximum difference between the proportion of particle area of the aggregate was 24%, the maximum difference between the density at the top and bottom of the wall panels was 115 kg/m3, and the maximum difference in the strength reached 5 MPa.

Experimental Research into the Uniaxial Compressive Strength of Low-Density Reef Limestone Based on Image Recognition

“…References Intelligent excavation [29] Assessing the roughness coefficients of rock joints [30] Measurement of local deformation in rock and soil [31] Identification of tunnel lining water leakage [32] Quantification of ceramsite granules in lightweight concrete panels [33] Detection of rockfill gradation [34] As the current factors influencing the UCS of low-density reef limestone remain unclear, this research quantified porous structures of low-density reef limestone by means of an image recognition technique based on testing results. On this basis, by referring to the research methods of other rocks [35][36][37], the influences of basic physical properties and porous structures on the UCS of low-density reef limestone were explored.…”

Preparation and Performance Investigation of Epoxy Resin-Based Permeable Concrete Containing Ceramsite

“…One promising approach to creating permeable concrete is through the incorporation of ceramsite, a lightweight aggregate material derived from clay minerals [ 9 , 10 , 11 ]. Ceramsite offers several advantages such as a high porosity, low density, and good thermal insulation properties, making it an ideal candidate for use in permeable concrete applications [ 12 , 13 ].…”

Influence of Volume-to-Surface Area Ratio on the Creep Behavior of Steel Fiber Ceramsite Concrete Beams

“…Moreover, the strength and toughness of ceramsite concrete can be improved by adding steel fibers [3]. Recently, ceramsite concrete, which has been used in high-rise buildings, bridges and other structural projects, has good application prospects [4,5].…”