Prospects for the use of pumice from Georgia in lightweight concretes

Lightweight concrete is a building material with a density not exceeding 2000 kg/m3. Its structure is determined by the structure of the used components and manufacturing methods. The advantages of these building materials are their low density, good thermal insulation, frost resistance, high thermal resistance, ease of use of blocks, which is due to their large size and low weight; also important is their wide range, which allows one to choose the optimal material composition suitable for operating conditions. In the production of lightweight concrete, pumice, along with binders, is one of the main components of its composition. These minerals are frothy, have a low volumetric weight, high porosity and high toughness. All these properties make them a valuable mineral raw material mainly used as additives for lightweight concretes and hydraulic cements. Pumice is abundant in Georgia (more than 35 million m3). The prospects for the use of these minerals are great, so the study of their physical and chemical properties is relevant and obligatory. Six pumice samples from four different locations in the Javakheti region of Georgia were studied. Chemical, X-ray diffractometric, infrared spectroscopic, petrographic, and granulometric methods were used for investigations. Chemical and mineralogical composition of the analyzed samples, peculiarities of their structure, as well as bulk and compacted samples volume masses and their granulometric composition were determined. The slags with the best properties will be recommended as additives for use in the production of lightweight concrete.