No-Fines By eliminating fines (sand or fine aggregates) from regular concrete, lightweight concrete is composed of just coarse aggregate, cement, and water. No-fines concrete’s benefits, drawbacks, and mix proportions are reviewed. Single-sized coarse aggregate, passing through 20 mm and held at 10 mm, is often employed. Because of some of the benefits it has over traditional concrete, no-fine concrete is becoming more popular. The single-sized aggregates produce an excellent no-fines concrete that, in addition to having big voids and therefore being lightweight, has an aesthetically appealing appearance.
The Benefits of No-Fines Concrete
- Due to the lack of fine particles, concrete is a lightweight concrete, with a density of roughly 25% to 30% less than regular concrete. As a result, the structure’s self-weight is reduced.
- It has less drying shrinkage than standard concrete since it does not include sands or fine particles.
- It has a greater thermal insulating property than regular concrete, making it suitable for exterior wall building.
- Because it contains no fine particles, the amount of surface area needed for cement application is significantly decreased. As a result, as compared to regular concrete, the amount of cement used per cubic metre is lowered. As a result, it is cost-effective.
- Because lightweight concrete contains no fine particles, it has no influence on quality owing to coarse aggregate segregation. As a result, it may be dropped from great heights.
- It may be compacted without the use of concrete vibrators and can be done as simply as tamping with rods.
