Estudo do comportamento térmico de paredes com blocos de concreto e argamassa de revestimento com pérolas de EPS

Abstract

The present study investigates the influence of Expanded Polystyrene (EPS), in the form of beads, on the composition of the cementitious matrix of concrete and rendering mortar. The object of analysis was four concrete walls coated with mortar, referred to as PC (common wall), P10, P20, and P30, containing, respectively, 10%, 20%, and 30% of EPS beads in both the concrete and mortar compositions. The methodology, a practical method, involved applying a constant heat source, a thermal blower, to the surfaces of the walls while recording the temperatures on the opposite side with a thermal camera over a 20-minute period. In addition to the thermal analysis, other relevant investigations were carried out throughout the study, with particular emphasis on the particle size analysis of the materials that make up the cementitious matrix. Moreover, an analysis of the density of fresh concrete was conducted, demonstrating the efficiency of polystyrene beads in composing lightweight concrete, highlighting their contribution to weight reduction and improvement of material properties. After analyzing the collected data, the P20 wall presented the best results, with a temperature difference between the 20th and 1st minute of only 0.9°C. Thus, the P20 composition stood out as the most efficient in terms of thermal comfort, emerging as a promising alternative for incorporating this technology into civil construction, with benefits for society. The results obtained in this analysis proved to be very favorable to the study's objectives.