modeling and production of lightweight aggregates and concretes from Egyptian shales and their roles in conserving energy and environment

Summary

Under the present conditions of the Egyptian society and its urgent need to reduce energy consumption,
it is of prime importance to elaborate cost-effective integrated model for the production of lightweight
aggregates (LWA) and concrete (LWC) from the widespread occurrences of shales and clays in
Egypt. The low density of LWA/LWC results in a marked decrease in the transportation journeys and
number of trucks, thus, reducing the harmful gas emissions as well as their costs. Also, the thermal
insulation properties of LWA/LWC used in construction markedly improve the energy performance of the
buildings which significantly contributes to the reduction of energy consumed by air-conditions. However;
the production of LWA/LWC requires high temperatures and, consequently, high energy consumption
and gases emissions. Therefore, this research proposal aims at creating integrated model – in a
statistical environment - to optimize the production of LWA/LWC from shales/clays (containing
expandable clay minerals) at the lowest levels of energy consumption. The model will take into
consideration the physical and compositional characteristics of these shales/clays and, consequently,
defines those which are suitable to produce LWA/LWC at optimum manufacturing conditions.
To achieve the goal of this proposal, field, mineralogical, mechanical, physical, microstructural and
tomographical studies will be conducted. Also, geochemical datasets will be constructed to develop and
optimize the utilization of Egyptian expandable shales/clays. Specifically, the proposal will address the
following questions: (1) Why would the expandable shales/clays bloat?; (2) What are the factors that
control their bloating?; (3) How would the microstructure, phase composition and pore system of the
produced LWA affect their physical properties?; (4) What are the geotechnical characteristics of
LWC?; (5) To what extent could LWC resist fire?; (6) How far could the LWC resist permeability of
fluids? and (7) How will the integrated model be created?. Answering these questions will result in
significant intellectual merits, broad societal implications and positive industrial impacts.
The important intellectual merit of the proposed activities will involve the utilization of an integrated,
innovative, and cost-effective approach to assess the possibility of the different Egyptian expandable
shales/clays for bloating at the lowest amount of energy. In addition, using LWC as a thermal insulator
will significantly minimize the use of air-conditions and, consequently, the conservation of the electrical
energy for industrial uses. The proposal will develop predictive tools that can accurately assess the
different conditions that control the characteristics of the LWA/LWC. Its findings could be utilized to
develop effective strategic plans for the utilization of LWA/LWC in buildings and other constructions. All
the proposed tasks will be accomplished jointly by Egyptian scientists from Ain Shams
University, Housing and Building Research Centre, The National Research Centre and Assiut University
– New Valley Branch.

Achievements

Modelling.

List of Publications from the Project

In preparation.

Partners

Project Members

Project Leaders