Most concrete producers, even those that routinely make structural lightweight, find this category of product extremely challenging not only to make, but to control. In fact, this is the category where Miracon® ToughAir® or CapCell® are ideally suited to optimize for strength as well as other performance properties, all combined with ease of predictably manufacturing end-product.

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Miracon® has experience with a full spectrum of densities – from 120pcf down to 100 pcf – using lightweight aggregate to some degree, or not at all. For sure, even replacing some of the lightweight aggregate with 8% to 12% Miracon® product makes production, pumping and placement amazingly better. Using Miracon® ToughAir® or CapCell® at 18% to 33% depending on the density target only improves the ease of manufacturing, pumping, placement and finishing. As lightweight aggregate is replaced, even by 10% - 60%, it dramatically reduces the mix sensitivity to water/aggregate absorption issues common with most lightweight aggregate.

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Besides making the structural lightweight product easier to make, pump, place and finish, and then helping to dramatically lower shrinkage and permeability, Miracon’s® products also have the effect of dramatically lowering the mix cost of structural lightweight.

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