Lightweight screed containing cork granules: Mechanical and hygrothermal characterization

This paper presents the results of an experimental study on the use of expanded cork granule waste with cement-based mixtures to produce lightweight screeds as an overlay of a structural concrete slab. Lightweight screeds (LWSs) were made with Portland cement, sand, expanded cork granules (ECG) and water. These cork particles are industrial waste and are still a completely natural material even after industrial processing. The experiments were carried out on 3 cement dosages of 150 kg/m3, 250 kg/m3 and 400 kg/m3, incorporating expanded cork granules as replacement of part of the sand. Three additional mixtures without cork were prepared and used as reference. They had the same cement content as the lightweight ones. Hardened density, compressive strength, thermal conductivity, water vapor permeability, adsorption isotherms and water absorption by partial immersion of the mixtures were determined. Results show that the addition of expanded cork granules affects the screeds by decreasing their density, compressive strength and thermal conductivity while increasing their water vapor permeability.