Characteristics of Lightweight Aggregate Concrete according to Freezing and Thawing Resistance Test Methods

The method used to test lightweight aggregate concrete for its resistance to freezing and thawing is different in each country. In Korea, the method of KS F 2456 on normal concrete is adopted for lightweight aggregate concrete, while the testing method of ASTM C 330 lightweight aggregates for structural concrete is used in the majority of overseas countries. In this study, we identified differences between KS F 2456 and ASTM C 330 in terms of the testing method for freezing and thawing resistance, and we studied the influence of this on the freezing and thawing resistance of lightweight aggregate concrete. The results of this study were as follows: Blocked lightweight aggregates had a slight collapse of shape and lost weight by repeated freezing and thawing, but unblocked lightweight aggregates were badly collapsed. And while the freezing and thawing resistance tests of normal concrete showed similar results despite the difference in the KS and ASTM testing method, the results for lightweight aggregate concrete were very different. So the KS test method shows evaluation results that are much lower than the ASTM test method.