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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Sources9 documents: Rheocast Company, National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, Federal Highway Administration, North American Die Casting Association, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USDA Forest Products Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology
Aluminum A380
A380 aluminium high-pressure die-casting alloy, typical properties; Rheocast Company (aluminium die caster, Germantown WI) A380 alloy data page.
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
CIP 36: Structural Lightweight ConcreteNational Ready Mixed Concrete Associationarchived copyConcrete · Density: range for normalweight concrete
5
Product Design for Die Casting, Table 4.1: Die Casting Alloys Material Properties ComparisonNorth American Die Casting Associationarchived copyAluminum A380 · Poisson's ratio: typical, as-cast, separately die cast specimens
6
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)
9
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 A380 or Concrete?
Concrete is lighter: 2,320 kg/m³ against 2,713 kg/m³ for Aluminum A380.
Which is stiffer, Aluminum A380 or Concrete?
Aluminum A380 is stiffer: Young's modulus 71 GPa against 25.1 GPa for Concrete, so the same part in Aluminum A380 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Aluminum A380 or Concrete?
For the same stiffness or strength: Aluminum A380 is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate.
Part that must be
Aluminum A380
Concrete
Stiff rod or tie (tension)
lighter
2.42x heavier
Stiff beam (bending)
lighter
44% heavier
Stiff panel or plate
lighter
21% 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 A380 or Concrete?
Aluminum A380 conducts heat better: 96.2 W/m·K against 0.9 W/m·K for Concrete.
Which expands less with temperature?
Concrete expands less: 10 µm/m·K against 21.8 µm/m·K for Aluminum A380.