The aim of this study was to present the problem of durability of structural lightweight concrete made of a sintered fly ash aggregate. The issue of durability was researched for 12 concrete series in terms of their water absorption, water permeability, and freeze-thaw resistance. Additionally, the microstructure of several concretes was analyzed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). In the durability research, the influences of the following parameters were taken into consideration: The initial moisture content of sintered fly ash (mc = 0, 17-18, and 24-25%); the aggregate grading (4/8 and 6/12 mm); and the water-cement ratio (w/c = 0.55 and 0.37). As a result of various compositions, the concretes revealed different properties. The density ranged from 1470 to 1920 kg/m3, and the corresponding strength ranged from 25.0 to 83.5 MPa. The durability research results of tested lightweight concretes showed that, despite considerably higher water absorption, a comparable water permeability and comparable or better freeze-thaw resistance in relation to normal-weight concrete may be present. Nevertheless, the fundamental requirement of lightweight concrete to achieve good durability requires the aggregate's initial moisture content to be limited and a sufficiently tight cement matrix to be selected. The volume share of the cement matrix and aggregate, the cement content, and even the concrete strength are of secondary importance.
Keywords: compressive strength; durability; freeze-thaw resistance; lightweight aggregate; lightweight concrete; microstructure; moisture content; sintered fly ash; water absorption; water permeability.