Predicting Compressive Strength of Foamed Concrete Based on Anisotropy of the Pore Structure with the Influence of Pore Size and Shape Using X-ray Computed Tomography

In order to reveal the anisotropy of the pore structure and predict the compressive strength of foamed concrete based on its pore characteristics, X-ray computed tomography was used to characterize the pore structure. Empirical models were modified to correlate pore structure with compressive strength considering the anisotropy of the pore structure, pore size, and shape, based on the pore structure in the compression direction rather than the overall pore structure. For the first time, the compressive strength of foamed concrete was related to cross-sectional porosity, average pore diameter, and circularity in the compression direction. The pore size and shape were considered in modified models through a newly proposed pore size factor and pore shape factor, respectively. The modified Balshin model was found to be the most suitable for predicting the compressive strength of foamed concrete based on the anisotropy of the pore structure, along with the influence of the pore size and shape.