Thermal conductivity against densityHigher and further left: spreads more heat for its weightThermal expansion against thermal conductivityLower and further right: warps less when heated
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Sources8 documents: Kaiser Aluminum, National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, Federal Highway Administration, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USDA Forest Products Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology
Aluminum 3003-O
3003-O (annealed) aluminium-manganese alloy, the heat-exchanger tube and brazing alloy, Kaiser Aluminum Tube & Pipe Alloy 3003 Technical Data (Rev. 05/06), typical properties; specific heat from the NIST cryogenic 3003-F fit at 293 K.
Concrete
Normal-weight portland cement concrete, strength class f'c = 4000 psi (28 MPa) per NRMCA CIP 35; density NRMCA CIP 36; thermal conductivity USDA FPL Wood Handbook; service temperature ORNL/NRC review
1
Alloy 3003 Tube & Pipe Technical Data, Rev. 05/06Kaiser Aluminumarchived copyAluminum 3003-O · Yield strength: typical, O, 0.0625 in specimenAluminum 3003-O · Ultimate tensile strength: typical, OAluminum 3003-O · Elongation at break: typical, O, in 4DAluminum 3003-O · Young's modulus (stiffness): typicalAluminum 3003-O · Density: nominal, 20 °CAluminum 3003-O · Thermal conductivity: typical, O, 20 °CAluminum 3003-O · Thermal expansion: typical, mean 20-100 °CAluminum 3003-O · Melting point: melting range
2
CIP 35: Testing Compressive Strength of ConcreteNational Ready Mixed Concrete Associationarchived copyConcrete · Compressive strength: specified compressive strength class (f'c), not a measured typical
CIP 36: Structural Lightweight ConcreteNational Ready Mixed Concrete Associationarchived copyConcrete · Density: range for normalweight concrete
5
The Effect of Elevated Temperature on Concrete Materials and Structures: A Literature Review (ORNL/TM-2005/553)Oak Ridge National Laboratoryarchived copyConcrete · Poisson's ratio: general range at normal ambient conditions (overall 0.11-0.32)Concrete · Max service temperature: code long-term temperature limit (ASME Code, concrete containments)
Thermal Coefficient of Portland Cement ConcreteFederal Highway AdministrationConcrete · Thermal expansion: typical range for portland cement concrete (aggregate dependent)
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Best Practice Guidelines for Structural Fire Resistance Design of Concrete and Steel Buildings (TN 1681)National Institute of Standards and Technologyarchived copyConcrete · Specific heat: typical (NIST guidance for thermal analysis)
Each number points to the document that states it, with the exact basis. Values without a number are computed from the sourced ones. "Not sourced" means no citable source states it (or only a specification minimum); figures computed from it are left out too.
Questions
Mechanical
Which is lighter, Aluminum 3003-O or Concrete?
Concrete is lighter: 2,320 kg/m³ against 2,730 kg/m³ for Aluminum 3003-O.
Which is stiffer, Aluminum 3003-O or Concrete?
Aluminum 3003-O is stiffer: Young's modulus 69 GPa against 25.1 GPa for Concrete, so the same part in Aluminum 3003-O deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Aluminum 3003-O or Concrete?
For the same stiffness or strength: Aluminum 3003-O is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate.
Part that must be
Aluminum 3003-O
Concrete
Stiff rod or tie (tension)
lighter
2.34x heavier
Stiff beam (bending)
lighter
41% heavier
Stiff panel or plate
lighter
19% heavier
For the same stiffness or strength, mass scales with density over stiffness (or strength) raised to a power set by how the part is loaded: 1 for a rod in tension, 1/2 for a beam in bending, 1/3 for a panel (the standard material-selection indices).
Thermal
Which conducts heat better, Aluminum 3003-O or Concrete?
Aluminum 3003-O conducts heat better: 193 W/m·K against 0.9 W/m·K for Concrete.
Which expands less with temperature?
Concrete expands less: 10 µm/m·K against 23.2 µm/m·K for Aluminum 3003-O.