Polystyrene concrete is made from a mixture of cement, natural
aggregates and polystyrene beads in the form of expanded polystyrene
(EPS) or unexpanded polystyrene (UEPS) aggregates. By incorporating
the polystyrene aggregate at different volumes in the
concrete, mortar or in the cement paste, a wide range of concrete
densities can be produced for building applications as well as other
specialized applications like the sub-base material for pavement
and railway track bed, construction material for floating marine
structures, sea beds and sea fences, energy absorbing material for
the protection of buried military structures and fenders in offshore
oil platforms [5–13].
Owing to the different applications of EPS concretes, studying
the mechanical and durability aspects of EPS concrete have been
an interesting and challenging topic for many researchers. The
importance of research studies in this area is emphasized by considering
the hydrophobic nature and lower density of EPS beads
in comparison with the mineral lightweight aggregates [14–17].
Despite a number of research studies on the different properties
of EPS concrete, it has rarely investigated in a comprehensive study
as concrete with a potential of producing different grades of compressive
strength. In this regard, this paper aims to incorporate different
percentages of EPS beads as part of aggregates replacement
to produce structural, moderate strength and insulating lightweight
concrete. Moreover, in view of the global sustainable devel-