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: Copper Development Association, National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, Federal Highway Administration, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Wieland, USDA Forest Products Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology
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
Copper C10100
C10100 oxygen-free electronic (OFE) copper, annealed to 0.050 mm grain size (OS050), 0.04 in. flat products, copper.org typical values
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C10100 Alloy (copper.org)Copper Development Associationarchived copyCopper C10100 · Yield strength: typical, 0.5% extension under load, 0.04 in. flatCopper C10100 · Ultimate tensile strength: typical, 0.04 in. flatCopper C10100 · Elongation at break: typical, 0.04 in. flatCopper C10100 · Young's modulus (stiffness): typicalCopper C10100 · Density: nominalCopper C10100 · Thermal conductivity: typical, 20 °CCopper C10100 · Thermal expansion: typical, mean 20-100 °CCopper C10100 · Specific heat: typical, 20 °CCopper C10100 · Melting point: melting point (liquidus = solidus, pure copper)
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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
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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)
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Wieland-K09 (Cu-OFE, C10100) Data SheetWielandCopper C10100 · Poisson's ratio: reference value at room temperature (Wieland-K09 = Cu-OFE = C10100, rolled products)
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, Concrete or Copper C10100?
Concrete is lighter: 2,320 kg/m³ against 8,941 kg/m³ for Copper C10100.
Which is stiffer, Concrete or Copper C10100?
Copper C10100 is stiffer: Young's modulus 117 GPa against 25.1 GPa for Concrete, so the same part in Copper C10100 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Concrete or Copper C10100?
For the same stiffness or strength: Concrete is lighter for a stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate; Copper C10100 is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension).
Part that must be
Concrete
Copper C10100
Stiff rod or tie (tension)
21% heavier
lighter
Stiff beam (bending)
lighter
1.78x heavier
Stiff panel or plate
lighter
2.31x 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, Concrete or Copper C10100?
Copper C10100 conducts heat better: 391 W/m·K against 0.9 W/m·K for Concrete.
Which expands less with temperature?
Concrete expands less: 10 µm/m·K against 16.9 µm/m·K for Copper C10100.