Pore characteristics and mechanical behaviors of autoclaved aerated concrete produced from coal bottom ash and tailings

Abstract The solid wastes such as coal bottom ash and tailings are currently widely used in various building materials, but further research on their application in autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) is needed. To study the physical and mechanical properties of AAC produced from coal bottom ash and tailings, the pore characteristics of two different density grades of AAC were extracted and analyzed, and wave velocity and uniaxial compressive tests under water‐saturated and dry conditions were carried out. The results show that the AAC produced from solid waste has excellent performance. The specimen is anisotropic, and the pore size distribution of its cross‐section is mainly concentrated in the ranges of <0.1, 0.1–0.5, and 0.5–1.0 mm. The pore size perpendicular to the direction of rise is smaller and the pores number is greater. The wave velocity and uniaxial compressive strength of the test specimens in the water‐saturated state are significantly lower than those in the dry state. The strengths of specimens loaded perpendicular to the direction of rise are higher than those loaded parallel to the direction of rise whether water‐saturated or dry. The failure mode of the water‐saturated specimens are different from those of dry specimens, which is manifested in the act that there are fewer surface cracks when the specimens fail in the water‐saturated state, while there are more surface cracks in the dry specimens, and their morphology is irregular. The physicochemical effect between water and components and the mechanical effect of pore water are the reasons for the deterioration of AAC's mechanical properties. The results help to reveal the performance of AAC produced from solid waste and have good practical significance.