Building Pressure Tests Of Fiber-reinforced Foam-based Lightweight Concrete Precast Wall Panels
Abstract
Instrumentation and procedures for building pressure tests were designed as a
means of providing new wind pressure test methods for full-scale building models.
Fiber-reinforced foam-based lightweight concrete precast wall panels were studied in
this investigation. Three (3) full-scale prototype buildings were tested for this purpose.
To determine the material properties and design parameters for this targeted 90
pcf (1,446 kg/m3) cellular lightweight concrete and to gain overall knowledge of its
behavior, some tests such as compressive strength test, pull-out strength test, and
flexural strength test were performed. The wind pressure tests performed provided results for strength, maximum wind pressure the panels can sustain, and the deflection
capacity of these lightweight concrete panels.
The results for each of the tests were the following: In Test #1 the maximum
pressure sustained was 3.14 psi (0.22 kg/cm2); a deflection of 0.15 inches (0.38 cm) and
the failure was ductile. In Test #2 the panels sustained a maximum pressure of 4.5 psi
(0.32 kg/cm2); a deflection of 0.18 inches (0.46 cm) and failure was also ductile. The
panels in Test #3 sustained a maximum pressure of 4.76 psi (0.33 kg/cm2); a deflection
of 0.57 inches (1.45 cm) and failure was ductile as well. Results from these tests
provide information that will be later compared with information of Normal Weight
Concrete.