Thermal characteristics of commercially manufactured expanded polystyrene composite lightweight concrete

This study establishes the thermal characteristics of commercially manufactured expanded polystyrene (EPS) composite lightweight concrete and investigates the results of a range of laboratory test methods, which are then compared with real-world performance. The thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity, and thermal diffusivity were measured for a range of densities and mean temperatures via three different experimental methods: modified transient plane source (MTPS), transient plane source (TPS), and heat flow meter (HFM). Furthermore, CT-scanned image analysis (CTIMA) of a representative sample was conducted to evaluate the total porosity, effective thermal conductivity and tortuosity of the product. The thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity, and thermal diffusivity were in the range of 0.09–0.19 W/m. K, 0.22 - 0.92 J/m 3 . K× 10 6 and 0.14 - 0.64 m 2 /s × 10 −6, respectively, while the density of the samples varied from 424 kg/m 3 to 552 kg/m 3 . For different instruments, the mean temperatures used were 26 ± 1 °C, 23 ± 1 °C, and 52 ± 1 °C. The tortuosity was 5.11 ± 0.17 when the total porosity was 0.611 ± 0.004. Furthermore, the method of testing could influence these outcomes. The results from TPS and CTIMA are comparable with real-world performance and are recommended for use as reliable design values for Building Information Modelling-based analysis.