Effect of microstructure on the mechanical and thermal properties of lightweight concrete prepared from clay, cement, and wood aggregates

Wood concretes of a clayey matrix are considered herein from the standpoint of developing insulation materials through reliance on local resources and reusing industrial mineral wastes. Both the mechanical and thermal properties of these materials depend heavily on their microstructure and, in particular, on their porous structure which the authors have identified initially. An experimental study of the compression resistance as well as of the thermal conductivity in the dry state and at ambient temperature shows the changes in these characteristics as;a function of porosity. A comparison with theoretical models previously tested for other types of cellular materials has served to validate its application in the case of wood concretes of a clayey matrix. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd