lightweight aggregate concrete is a high-strength, low-density construction material that is made of alternate aggregates and manufactured by using an admixture or cement slurry. It is used to reduce the weight of concrete and is gaining popularity as it is environmentally friendly. It also has other advantages over regular concrete, including a higher fire resistance, lower permeability, and ease of cutting, drilling, nailing, and shaping with ordinary woodworking tools.

The lightweight aggregate concrete market can be segmented by product type, application, and region. By product type, the market can be divided into all-lightweight aggregate concrete and sand lightweight aggregate concrete. lightweight aggregate concrete is used in a variety of applications, including industrial use, civil construction, and infrastructure. Civil construction includes buildings, bungalows, and warehouses, while industrial uses include manufacturing facilities and distribution centers. Infrastructural construction includes roads, museums, and bridges.

There are a variety of materials that can be used as lightweight aggregate in lightweight concrete, including volcanic pumice, industrial byproducts such as fly ash and slag, and clay, shale, or slate that has been expanded through heat treatment. Some materials are also known as AAC (autoclaved aerated concrete) and incorporate entrained air to further reduce the weight of the concrete.

In addition to the lightweight aggregate, mineral admixtures such as silica fume and metakaolin can be added to the lightweight concrete to improve its corrosion behavior. Adding SF to LWAC can increase its compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, and modulus of rupture by about 30%. It can also reduce its permeability and cracking resistance by up to 60%, as shown in the table below.