Lightweight Concrete Blocks
LIGHTWEIGHT CONCRETE MAKES BUILDINGS MORE ENVIRONMENT-FRIENDLY AND INSULATES BETTER THAN HEAVYWEIGHT CONCRETE.
The earliest versions of concrete block, commonly known as cinder block—and referred to in specifier language as concrete masonry units—arrived onto the building scene over a century ago. CMU quickly gained a reputation as an economical building material that met many practical design needs. In 1923, the first lightweight concrete block was introduced. Its key ingredient (other than Portland cement) was an expanded shale, structural grade lightweight aggregate.

Expanded shale, clay or slate lightweight aggregate (ESCS LWA) is made by expanding raw shale, clay or slate in a rotary kiln at temperatures reaching 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit while the material softens and bubbles. As the material cools down, the bubbles form an unconnected network of pores surrounded by a hardened, high-quality ceramic material. This “clinker” material is then crushed or screened into standard aggregate gradations. The result is a lightweight, low-density and structurally strong material used predominantly by concrete product manufacturers.

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