Experiments and mechanical simulation on bubble concrete: Studies on the effects of shape and position of hollow bodies mixed in concrete

This paper proposes a new type of lightweight concrete called bubble concrete, which was developed by mixing concrete with high-strength hollow bodies. In the present study, concave and spherical steel hollow bodies were used not only to form multiple cavities in the concrete but also to transfer internal stresses. Through compression tests, the shape effects and distribution effects of the hollow bodies on the strength and Young’s modulus of concrete were investigated. In addition, the mechanical characteristics of the bubble concrete were simulated by nonlinear elastoplastic finite element analysis to study the stress distribution and failure mechanism. The results indicate that with the proper combination, bubble concrete can reduce its density to 1.971–2.003 g/cm³ (83.3–84.7%, compared to control concrete) and its strength reaches 27.536–28.954 N/mm².