Lightweight Concrete Strength Testing - Vermiculite 6:1 Mix Ratio

The Lightweight Concrete Showdown continues testing the strength to weight ratio of our lightweight concrete test blocks to find out just how strong lightweight concrete can be. We have made lightweight concrete panels, each 28 inches long by one inch thick, with different mix ratios and lightweight aggregates to find out just how much weight they can take before breaking.
For comparing our lightweight concrete mixes based on strength performance, we first had to make and test a regular (full weight) concrete / mortar control test block. Full strength concrete will be stronger than lightweight concrete mix designs, but how close we can get the strength to weight ratio is very useful information.
Watch as weight gets added to this 6:1 vermiculite to portland cement block and see just how much it can take before it breaks. The results of this strength to weight ratio testing will be compared to the full strength control block as well as the other lightweight concrete test panels. Do any of the lightweight mix recipes hold up to the results of the full strength block? Stay tuned to find out how each panel stands up the the weight of testing.
See the full series of Lightweight Concrete Showdown:
Making Full Strength Mortar Control Test Block - • Lightweight Concrete S...
Concrete Strength Testing - Control Block 3:1 Mix Ratio - • Concrete Strength Test...
Making Lightweight Concrete With Perlite (4:1) - • Making Lightweight Con...
Lightweight Concrete Strength Testing - Perlite 4:1 Mix Ratio - • Lightweight Concrete S...
Making Stronger Lightweight Concrete With Perlite (2:1) - • Making Stronger Lightw...
Making High-Strength Lightweight Concrete - • Making High-Strength L...
Mixing Vermiculite Concrete (3:1 mix) - • Mixing Vermiculite Con...
Lightweight Concrete Strength Testing - 3:1 Vermiculite Mix Ratio - • Lightweight Concrete S...
Mixing Concrete With Vermiculite (6:1) - • Mixing Concrete With V...
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[@michaelgill5950]

Thank you again for your testing out different mixes. I hope you are able to keep doing what you do!

[@creatingconcrete]

Still working on it but it is a slow grind to be sure. More to come.

[@barnysadventures]

Would love to see you expand this to cover polystyrene concrete and also using sawdust (course sawdust like from a chainsaw) as a strengthener in each of the recipes. Very useful info coming out of this that should be educational viewing for years to come.

[@JavierCamacho]

I'm wondering how strong will it be if added some wire and/or laminating the exterior with some formica and contact cement or fiberglass. Keep up the good work.

[@jamesschultz796]

Use water instead of sand. That would remove the hammering of the dropped in sand.

[@michaelrocole7174]

Excellent

[@creatingconcrete]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@jerrylafran1708]

I need your help . I need a strong, white, cement mix that is as strong as CementAll, but doesn't set up as fast, and is WHITE, so I can tint it with thinned latex paint for pastel colors. What do you think of VersaBond, white fortified for 3/4" thick x 3" x 4" shapes. Strong enough for wall hooks?, or do you have a better mix recipe?

[@creatingconcrete]

2 parts white sand to 1 part white cement, with 25% of the water being replaced with liquid acrylic / latex. It is strong and the latex is a retarder so it will slow down your initial set time.

[@sharonglazier2552]

how do I measure 25 gallons of foam for aircrete?

[@Slaphappy-_-]

Question 🙋🏼‍♂️ How brittle is the edge? And does the bucket having the lip on the bottom not allowing bucket to sit flat/ flatter do anything?

[@creatingconcrete]

The bucket is flat on the bottom middle so it actually has a lot of surface area contact with the test board. This 6:1 mix is pretty weak (brittle) at the edge as to be expected with such a low cement ratio and no sand used.