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EDITOR'S COMMENT

Tweaking the Recipe


Of all the materials consumed by mankind, perhaps concrete is one of the most complex and fiercely debated subjects in modern material science. Reams of pages have been devoted to depict the high level of sustainability of concrete as a material. Examples ranging from the 2000-year-old Pantheon in Rome to the Burj Khalifa have been cited to prove this ubiquitous material's versatility and durable nature. While concrete as a product is extremely green, but unfortunately the manufacturing process that involves cement in the making of the concrete, contributes greatly to the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The levels are as high as one tone of carbon dioxide rises up for every tonne of the final product. The manufacture of Portland cement accounts for roughly 6% of all human-generated greenhouse-gas emissions. Recently, many R&D houses have been working to recommend improved manufacturing methods and formulations to deal with this rising issue. Cutting down on emissions would mean mastering this complex material, which is easier said than done. The good news though is that researchers around the world are trying their best and the results are quite encouraging. The Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology has recently come to highlight. However, concerns related to high-capital costs and long-term reliability of methods that require piping carbon dioxide emissions, remain. Pumped storage of liquefied carbon dioxide is another area, knowledge about which remains hazy. Perhaps the way forward lies in tweaking the recipe of concrete. A research team from the University of California, Berkeley, has found out how an extraordinarily stable compound calciumaluminum-silicate-hydrate (C-A-S-H) is behind the enduring structures of the ancient Roman Empire. The research team has arrived to the conclusion that the production of lime for Roman concrete was much cleaner, requiring temperatures that are two-thirds of that meant for making Portland cement. One of the crucial ingredients in Roman concrete was volcanic ash. It is also amazing as to how some of these Roman structures endured the harsh saltwater environment. While the earlier ingredients cannot be used now for the simple reason that they require more hardening time, research is going on in various parts of the world to find out how best volcanic ash could be utilized for producing concrete, for they offer an excellent alternative where fly ash is not available. Several other alternative recipes have emerged owing to intensive research such as Slag-PC cements made from ground granulated blast furnace slag (GBFS), Supersulfated cements, Calcium Aluminate cements, Calcium Sulfoaluminate cements, Belite Calcium Sulfoaluminate cements, and Magnesium Phosphate cements, among other alternatives that are doing the rounds. Finding out the alternative is only half the battle won. In making them a commercially viable option remains the bigger challenge. There are already a few encouraging signs, though. A California-based company, Calera claims to have found a carbon-negative method of cement manufacturing. Carbon dioxide emissions are filtered through seawater creating a chalky carbonate byproduct, which is used for mixing with aggregate and water for creating concrete. The method enables sequestering carbon emissions and the need to heat the ingredients, says the company. Novacem, an English cement manufacturer says that it has come out with a method using magnesium silicates, which do not emit carbon dioxide during combustion. It also claims that the cement absorbs far more carbon dioxide as it hardens, further offsetting the amount generated during the manufacturing process. These are sure motivational factors for the research wings as well as the commercial investors. The study in this line is bound to intensify considering the massive consumption of cement. Fingers crossed. Hoping a breakthrough in cement is just round the corner.

Your feedbacks are welcome and should be sent to: The Editor, The Masterbuilder, 102/11 (New No. 46/11), Tripti Apartments, Marshalls Road, Egmore, Chennai, India. Phone: +91 44 28555248 Telefax: +91 44 28586703
Editor-in-Chief K.P . Pradeep editor@masterbuilder.co.in Vice-Chairman K G K Moorthy moorthykgk@yahoo.co.in Director Editorial, Construction Chemicals Dr. Y P Kapoor Editor-in-Charge Ravi Damodaran Editor Nigel Narayan Associate Editors M.J. Krishna, M.K. Prabhakar, Sonjay Deb Head - Content Development CE, Infrastructure & Environment Sadagopan Seshadri Contributors Bhavani Balakrishna, Priya, Chaitanya Raj Goyal Vice President Marketing H. Usha Devi Head-New Media Initiative Pradeep Nair News Desk B. Sathya Venkatesh Credit Controller G.B. Muralidharan Finance R. Prema Manager Digital Production K. Sravanthi Kiran Manager Digital Media Lakshmi Creative Head S. Nithiyanandam Production Manager Caroline D'sylva Digital Production Assistant R. Anand, Sudhir Kumar Singh Subscription & Circulation Team Sateesh Kuniyil, S. Sasi Corporate Office MB Publishers Pvt. Limited 102/11 (New No. 46/11), Tripti Apartments, Marshalls Road, Egmore, Chennai - 600 008. Ph: 044-28555248 Telefax: 28586703. Subscription & Circulation lakshmi@masterbuilder.co.in Website www.masterbuilder.co.in Karnataka No.40, 2nd Floor, 7th "C" Cross, Ashwini Layout, Koramangala, Bangalore - 560047. Phone: 080 - 25701079 / 25705888 Mobile: 09343833191 Owned and Published by K.P . Pradeep 102/11 (New No. 46/11), Tripti Apartments, Marshalls Road, Egmore, Chennai - 600 008. Printed By Ashok Natarajan Times Printers & Publishers, New No. 57 (29), Dr. Besant Road, Ice House, Chennai - 600 014. Disclaimer All rights reserved. Reproduction, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, in whole or part without prior written permission is prohibited. All views expressed in this magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher, neither do the publishers endorse any of the claims made in the advertisements.

K.P . Pradeep, Editor-in-Chief


editor@masterbuilder.co.in

Contents

128
Cement: Analysis
Indian Cement Industry in Global Perspective
Sadagopan Seshadri Chief - Content Development, CE - Infrastructure - Environment

Editor's Comment.........................12 Classification Index..........................18 News & Events..................................22

48 56 68 76 80 88 98 108 114

Concrete: LCA 'Rethinking Concrete': Life Cycle of the Indian Concrete Industry
Chaitanya Raj Goyal

138 148 172 180 188 194 200 216 224

Concrete: Rheology A Review of Fresh Cement and Concrete Rheology


Sonjoy Deb, B.Tech, Civil Associtate Editor

Sustainability New Concrete Technology in Construction Aggregates Their Role in Concrete and the 'Green Agenda
Christopher Andrew Clear, British Ready-Mixed Concrete Association

Cements Low Carbon Cements and Concretes in Modern Construction


A John W Harrison, Managing Director, TecEco

Admixtures Chemical Admixtures for Concrete: An Overview


Deepak Kanitkar, GM Technology and Business Development Chembond Chemicals Limited (Construction Chemicals Division)

Concrete Flooring: Densifiers An Insight into Liquid Floor Densifiers


Ankita Adhikary

Admixtures for Tall Structures

Bruno D'souza, Regional Business Segment Manager, Admixtures, Asia Pacific, BASF

Structural Health Monitoring Structural Health Monitoring: A Dire Need of India Repair and Rehab Use of FRP Composites for Rehabilitation of Heritage Structures FRP Composites Recent Advances in Structural Retrofitting Using Precured FRP Profile Formwork Factors Affecting the Selection, Economics Involved in Formwork

Performances and Benefits of Concrete Admixtures in Concrete Durability

Philippe Ortega, Vice Technical Director, CHRYSO SAS, France

Waterproofing Positive Waterproofing from Negative Side


Samir Surlaker, Managing Director, MC-Bauchemie

Concrete Recycling Concrete Recycling:The Need of the Hour


Bhavani Balakrishna

Sameer S. Malvankar, Dy. Manager - Engineering, Gammon India Ltd.

High Performance Concrete High Performance Concrete using Microsilica

Surendra Sharma, General Manager-Concrete. Elkem South Asia.

Hiroshi Mutsuyoshi1, Nguyen Duc HAI1 and S.V.T. Janaka Perera1 Structural Material Lab, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Saitama University
1

Prestressed Concrete Development of Modern Prestressed Concrete Bridges in Japan

Bhavani Balakrishna

Cellular Concrete Cellular Concrete: An Alternative for Sustainable Design & Construction

Advertorial Versatile Aluminum Formwork Systems Storm Indian Market

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232

Concrete: Fibres The Use of Steel and Synthetic Fibres in Concrete under Extreme Conditions
Don Wimpenny1, Wolfgang Angerer2, Tony Cooper3 and Stefan Bernard4 1 Principal Materials Engineer, Halcrow Pacific 2Senior Tunnel Engineer, Halcrow Pacific 3Consultant Elasto Plastic Concrete 4Consultant, TSE

168 170 198 210 214 221 222 226 228 230 240 268 270 272 274 276 280 299 303

Pioneering Innovative and Sustainable Products Leading the RMC Revolution Offering a Wide Array of Construction Solutions Blazing a New Trail in Formwork Systems Top Notch Engineering Solutions Pioneering Foam Concrete Technology A Testimony to Top Quality and Performance Greaves Rolls Out High Capacity Concrete Pumps with S Valve Technology Stay Ahead of the Curve Via Strategic Training and Development Magnox ILW Interim Storage Facility, Berkeley Fiber Reinforced Concrete & Its Advantages Building Trust through Quality Focus DURAboardHD100: Bitumen Free Joint Filler Crack Injection System Interarch's Contribution to Aviation Sector in India and Abroad Industrial Overhead Doors: Making the Right Choice Hitech Concrete Solutions Chennai: A State-of-the-art Concrete Testing Center Advanced Multipurpose Waterproofing Coatings High Performance Liquid Membrane Series Launched

244 250 256 262 278 284

Equipment: Concrete Batching Plants Concrete Batching Plants: Emphasis on Quality and Variety of Concrete Drives Continual Demand
M.K. Prabhakar, Associate Editor

Equipment: Concrete Placement Concrete Placing Equipment: Application Requirements Dictate Market Trends
M.K. Prabhakar, Associate Editor

Equipment: Concrete Transportation Concrete Transportation Equipment: On the Move


M.K. Prabhakar, Associate Editor

Concrete: Block Machinery Concrete Product Machinery: Shaping Up Well


M.K. Prabhakar, Associate Editor

Events Growing Opportunity in India's Construction Sector Draws Global Attention Construction Chemicals: Industry Analysis The Indian Construction Chemicals Market: Building a Sustainable Future
M.K. Prabhakar, Associate Editor

Communication Feature

62 64 104

CENTRILIT NC: Concrete Additive Based on Pozzolanic Alumosilicate Magnox ILW Interim Storage Facility, Berkeley Evercrete Everwood and Evercrete Top Seal: Waterproof, Preserve and Enhance Life of Wooden Structures

164 Eco-friendly AAC Block is Here to Stay

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250 256 284

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Contents

Advertisers Index / Classification


AAC and CLC Blocks-Foam making machine Iyantra AAC Blocks Brickwell Citadel Eco-Build Solutions Methra Industries Adhesives and Sealants Dow Corning India Pvt. Ltd. Wacker Chemie India Pvt Ltd. Automation Doors Gandhi Automations Pvt Ltd Block Making Machinery Columbia Pakona Engineering Pvt. Ltd. Hess Concrete Machinery India Pvt. Ltd. Sri Parijatha Machinery Works Pvt. Ltd. Building Materials and Products Fabtech Sterling Building Technologies Pvt. Ltd. Cement Manufacturers Zuari Cement Italcementi Group Concrete Cutting Machine Prime Technologies Concrete Cutting Specialist Abcon Tech & Build Aids Pvt Ltd Concrete Densifier-Lithium Silicate Waltar Enterprises Concrete Grinding and Polishing Solutions Surie Polex Concrete Machinery and Equipment Ajax Fiori Engineering (I) Pvt. Ltd. Everest Equipments Private Limited Greaves Cotton Limited Linhoff India Pvt. Ltd Kyb-Conmat Pvt. Ltd Schwing Stetter (India) Pvt Ltd Toshniwal Systems & Instruments Pvt. Ltd. Universal Construction Machinery & Equipment Ltd. Concrete Products Buildtech India Corporation Concrete testing Equipment Technical & Scientific Sales(TASS) Construction Chemicals Amit Trading Corporation BASF The Chemical Company Cera-Chem Private Limited Chembond Chemicals Limited Cico Technologies Limited Contech Chemicals Fosroc Chemicals (India) Pvt. Limited Max Civi Chem Private Limited MC-Bauchemie (India) Pvt. Ltd. Multichem Group 215 281 219 165 75 65 13 255 Gatefold 265 Nuha Construction Solutions Penetron India Pvt. Ltd. Perma Construction Aids Pvt. Ltd. Pidilite Industries Ltd Front Inner Polyflex Razon Engineering Company Private Limited Sika India Pvt Ltd The Supreme Industries Construction Machinery and Equipment Action Construction Equipment Ltd. Wirtgen India Marini India (Fayat Group) Case New Holland Construction Equipment (India) Pvt. Ltd. ConMechAuto Consultants India Pvt Ltd Ammann Apollo Curing Compounds Rotho Robert Thomas Dry Mix Mortar Kerneos Aluminate Technologies Events & Conferences Excon -2013 ICI-CPWD UBM Concrete Show -2014 Construction Chemicals Regional Conference (C3R) ICI-IWC (2013) Big 5 Construct India -2013 SEWC -2013 World of Concrete Facility Services Reylon Facility Flooring Bekaert Industries Pvt. Ltd. Cipy Polyurethanes Pvt. Ltd. JB Associates Kasturi Metal Composites(P) Ltd Neocrete Technologies Pvt. Ltd. Recron 3S Silicone Concepts Intl. Pvt. Ltd. STA Concrete Flooring Solutions Stewols India (P) Ltd. Light Weight Concrete Keltech Energies Ltd. Material Handling Equipment Maco Corporation (I) Pvt. Ltd. PEB Interarch Building Systems MNF Metals and Forming Pvt. Ltd. Project Management Consultancy A.N.Prakash Construction Project Managemnet Consultants Pvt.Ltd Repair & Restoration/Rehabilation-Service Providers R & M International 289 91 279 31 101 97 45 259 33 145 39 261 36 / 37 277 15 291 293 294 295 296 / 297 298 299 300 272 29 79 183 227 135 243 83 159 / 193 279 137 281 9 123 S.N. Engitech Developers Pvt. Ltd. Structwel Designers & consultants Pvt. Ltd. Repair and Retrofitting Sanrachana Structural Strengthening Pvt. Ltd. Rolling Shutters Gandhi Automations Pvt Ltd Roofing Leister Technologies India Pvt. Ltd. Roofing Fastners Asons Enterprise Atul fastners Roofing Sheets Hindalco Everlast Aluminium Roofing & Structurals Sand Making Machine Robo Silicon Pvt Ltd Sandwich Panels Metecno India Software for Concrete Tekla India Pvt Ltd Steel Fiber Reinforced Concrete Bekaert Industries Pvt. Ltd. Kasturi Metal Composites(P) Ltd Stewols India (P) Ltd. Tiles-Thermal Insulation Igloo tiles Techny chemie TMT Technology Supplier H & K Rolling Mill Engineers Pvt. Ltd. BASF The Chemical Company Cera-Chem Private Limited Chembond Chemicals Limited Cico Technologies Limited Contech Chemicals Fosroc Chemicals (India) Pvt. Limited Max Civi Chem Private Limited MC-Bauchemie (India) Pvt. Ltd. Multichem Group Nuha Construction Solutions Penetron India Pvt. Ltd. Perma Construction Aids Pvt. Ltd. Pidilite Industries Ltd. Polyflex Razon Engineering Company Private Limited Sika India Pvt Ltd The Supreme Industries Trade Winds Wall Putty JK Cement Ltd. Waterproofing Membrane Texsa India Ltd. 17 / 19 51 63 Back Inner 71 289 85 59 53 Flap cover 289 91 279 Front Inner 31 101 97 45 283 21 95 239 269 151 13 117 199 177

22 / 23 125 Front inner 141 29 227 279 231 10

Cover Page 131 121 289 175 197 163 283 253 347 222 35 273 161 / 235 277 179 105 51 63 Back Inner 71 289 85 59 53 Flap Cover

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News & Events

CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT

Palfinger Marine Launches Its Marine / Offshore Cranes at Oslo Fair


Palfinger Dreggen and Palfinger Neddeck were unveiled at the NorShipping trade fair in Oslo for the first time. The successful integration of Palfinger Dreggen and Palfinger Neddeck is contributing to the unabated growth, a company spokes person said. At the trade fair in Oslo, the company was successful in positioning itself as the leading manufacturer worldwide of customized marine and offshore cranes as well as launch and recovery systems. Palfinger Marine has plans to expand its sales network by

opening new sales offices in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Houston, USA and Singapore. The company plans to serve the strong growth markets of South America and Asia.

Manitex Rolls Out New 19 Ton 1970 C Boom Truck

French Material Handling Equipment Major Haulotte Opens New Subsidiary in India
With a rated lifting capacity of 85 U.S. Tons, the new Sany SRC885 rough-terrain crane has been added to the product line to fill a gap in the market and meet the growing demand for higher capacity cranes. SRC 885 delivers lifting power, pick and-carry capability and operating stability on virtually any jobsite, regardless of terrain, Kyle Nape, senior vice president, Sany America Lifting Group said. The Sany SRC885 provides reach of up to 209.7 ft. (63.9 m) through a five-section, fullpower boom. It can achieve the rated 85-ton (77 tonne) lifting capacity at a 10ft. (3.05 m) radius. With an overall weight of 115,880 lb. (52 562 kg), the Sany SRC 885 is well sized for a variety of applications while still being easy to transport. The new SRC885 is equipped with Cummins engine, Braden winches and hoists, a Dana transmission and Parker hydraulics. The SRC885 achieves maneuverability and a smooth ride through 44 hydraulic powered steering and earthmover-style tyres.To provide stability in adverse ground conditions, the SRC885 rough-terrain crane features three-position outriggers that level the crane with up to 12.4 in. (315 mm) of ground penetration and maximum, hori-

zontal extension of 24 ft. (7.32 m). The 275-hp (202 kN) Cummins Tier 4i engine integrates with the hydraulic system for precision control, and multi-function load sharing. Hydraulic joysticks provide smooth, variable control of crane functions, and the two-speed swing system rotates 360 degrees in either direction. Standard operator comfort, convenience and safety features of the SRC885 include a spacious, ergonomic cab with all-steel construction, hydraulic joystick controls, optimum visibility, tinted safety glass, an opening skylight with visor and wiper system, a sliding door on the left side of the cab, a framed sliding window on the right side, acoustic foam for noise suppression and insulation, heat and air conditioning. A six-way adjustable seat with mechanical suspension features arm rests and a headrest. An in-cab monitor prominently displays the machine's operations and provides fullmachine diagnostic capabilities, enabling operators and maintenance personnel to perform onboard system checks.

Haulotte Launches Entrapment Prevention System


France based Haulotte Group has announced the launch of its Entrapment Prevention System, ACTIV'Shield Bar. The system is being launched in response to demands from the industry to protect operators from this type of risk, and reaffirms Haulotte's commitment to safe working at height. Haulotte's system alerts the operator to potential entrapment situations and is unique in that it features a Safety Gap, which can protect the operator from full entrapment and potentially allow them to get out of danger. Following the alert only reverse/lowering movements are permitted, allowing the possibly panicked operator to get out of trouble without making the situation worse. And, after being triggered, the system is easy to reset and reactivate from the basket which means there is no machine downtime. The system has been designed to preserve the machine's working envelope, maintain easy access to controls, which means no change in working practice for the operator

Manitex has unveiled the 19 ton 1970C boom truck mounted on a two axle 42 chassis. The crane is one of the highestcapacity cranes available on a two axle chassis. The 1970C offers a 21.3 metre three section synchronized telescopic boom, with optional two section extension for a 36.7 metre maximum tip height. It also features a two speed planetary hoist, full load moment indicator. It offers greater payload potential on the truck. The 1970C boom truck has best features priced reasonably and is user friendly, Andy Robertson director of sales and marketing said.

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News & Events

INFRASTRUCTURE

POWER
Alstom T&D India Bags ` 200 Crore Order From Bajaj Infra
Alstom T&D India has been awarded a contract by Bajaj Infrastructure Development Company, to supply eBoP (Electrical Balance of Plant) Package for their upcoming 3 x 660 MW Super Thermal Power Project (TPP) in Lalitpur, Uttar Pradesh. The contract is worth approximately 200 crore. The Lalitpur plant will be a major power supplier to the state of Uttar Pradesh in northern India, which has around 200 million inhabitants. Electrical Balance of Plant systems (eBoP) feed power to the equipment within a power plant to maximise availability of the power plant's electrical system. They are essential for efficient and stable operations. Under this contract, Alstom T&D India is responsible for the design, engineering, supply and installation of the eBoP at the Lalitpur plant, which includes supply of Station Transformers, Unit Transformers and other Electricals for the project. The equipment will be manufactured at Alstom T&D's state-of-the-art transformer

facility in Naini, Uttar Pradesh. Commenting on this success, Rathin Basu, Managing Director, Alstom T&D India said, This is Bajaj Infrastructure's first power project using supercritical technology. Alstom T&D India has won several e-BoP projects in India, particularly in the high end segment above 300 MW and for 600/660 MW power plants. As of now, around 9000 MW of projects are under execution by Alstom T&D, which highlights our expertise and leadership within the eBoP segment. The Lalitpur Super Thermal Power Project is scheduled to be commissioned in 2015.

850 MW Ratle Hydro Electric Power project at Kishtwar, Chougan ground of Jammu region. The project to be developed at a cost of ` 550 crore and is expected to be completed over the next five years. The Prime Minister also assured that all steps will be taken by the centre to exploit over 14,000 MW Hydro Power potential in the state. The centre will supply an additional 150 MW power to overcome the current power crisis in the state.

Adani Power Commissions Third 660 MW Thermal Power Plant At Tiroda

CIL to Set Up Seven New Coal Preparation Plants on PPP Mode This Fiscal

T.K. Sinha, general manager (project monitoring division). The projects will be taken up on public-private-partnership model with a washing capacity of 15 -16 million tonnes capacity. CIL now has 17 washeries washing around 35 million tonnes of coal. With growing demand CIL plans for setting up around 18 washeries with washing capacity of 98 million tonnes, during the 12th plan period.

PM Lays Foundation Stone of 850 MW Ratle Hydro Electric Power Project


Coal India Ltd (CIL) has proposed to set up seven coal washeries at an estimated cost of `2, 000 crore by the end of this fiscal. This was announced by The Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh along with UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi laid the foundation stone of the

Adani Power, a subsidiary of Adani Enterprises, has commissioned the third 660 MW unit of its thermal power plant at Tiroda in Maharashtra. With the commissioning of this 660 MW unit at Tiroda plant in Maharashtra the total power generation capacity of the company reached 7,260 MW, Adani Power said in a statement. Adani Power Maharashtra, a unit of Adani Power Ltd, is constructing a 3,300 MW thermal power plant in Tiroda, commissioned its first two units of 660 MW in last financial year 2012-13 and has a current generation capacity of 1,980 MW.The Tiroda project will help Maharashtra meet its electricity

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News & Events

INFRASTRUCTURE

demand. The company is targeting a capacity of nearly 10,000 MW by March 2014 and aim to generate 20,000 MW by 2020, Gautam Adani, Chairman Adani Group said. Adani Power now has a total generation capacity of 7,260 MW including 4,620 MW from the Mundra project in Gujarat and 660 MW from Kawai Power Plant in Rajasthan. of the all-weather rail connectivity to the Valley was commissioned after the statutory inspection by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) for running passenger trains. This opening of the rail link will be an alternate route to Jawahar Tunnel the only link in winter months. The rail link will reduce the distance between Banihal and Qazigund from 35km to 17km. The 18-km Banihal-Qazigund section passing through Pir Panjal ranges has been constructed at a cost of ` 1,691 crore.

conversion of 62 km-long narrow gauge line to broad gauge between Dholpur and Sarmathura. The broad gauge line will be extended upto Gangapur city, he said.

89% of land acquired for dedicated freight corridor project

RAILWAYS

Railways, Karnataka Govt to Spend ` 600 Crore on Rail Projects This Fiscal

Broad gauge line to link holy city Nathdwara with Mandiana

Karnataka government with Railways has planned to spend ` 600 crore to take up rail projects in the current financial year, Union Railway Minister M Mallikarjuna Kharge said. The centre will fund an additional ` 300 crore to take up some works pending for long to be completed within ten months. The rail projects including Kadur-Chikmagalur, KolarChikkaballapura, Gadwal-Raichur and Bidar-Gulbarga will be taken up on priority basis.

Banihal-Qazigund section of Udhampur-SrinagarBaramullah rail link commissioned


Qazigund-Banihal railway line was dedicated to the nation by the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on June 25. This will be a major link to connect the rest of the country with Kashmir Valley. The trial run

A broad gauge line will be constructed to link the holy city Nathdwara in Rajasthan where lakhs of pilgrims visit every year. Nathdwara will be linked with Mandiana that is 11 km away from the city. This was announced by the then Railway Minister C P Joshi. Nathdwara is famous for its 17th century Lord Krishna temple which houses the idol of Shrinathji the sevenyear-old incarnation of Krishna. A primary alignment has been identified to connect the temple town, and a detailed survey will be undertaken soon to lay the broad gauge line. There will be a modern station at Nathdwara town, Minister said. Joshi has also sanctioned ` 212.23 crore for

The Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Ltd (DFCCIL) has acquired 89% of the 10,667 hectare land required for the 3,326 km western and eastern corridors, which are being developed at a cost of ` 33,000 crore. The land that remains to be acquired is on the Sonnagar-Dankuni section of the Eastern Corridor in West Bengal. This was announced by R K Gupta, managing director, DFCCIL. The corporation has acquired major portion when compared to 555 hectares in 2010. The exclusive freight corridor project envisages 1,801-km Ludhiana-Dankuni section on the Eastern segment and 1,525km Delhi-JNPT stretch (Mumbai) on the Western corridor. The corridors are being developed with help from World Bank and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The department is planning to ensure delivery in time and haulage of over dimensional cargo once the corridor becomes operational. Civil and track work has started on both the Western and Eastern Corridors. On the multi modal logistics facility front, plans are for freight consolidation centre, auto park cum loading facility, industrial centre for process industry, ancillary services such as customs bonded warehousing and cold storage, among others.

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News & Events

INFRASTRUCTURE

ROADS
Cabinet Eases Norms for Expansion of Highways
The cabinet has allowed expanding highways up to 100 km without environmental clearance and widening by an additional 40 metres based on the recommendations on the Kasturirangan Committee. Earlier environmental approval was not required for road expansion up to 30 km and widening up to 20 metres. The Cabinet has also cleared the proposal to exempt from environment clearance mining of soil in an area up to 2 hectares for laying the foundation

Executing Agencies. This endeavour of the Ministry would result in saving natural resources like stone aggregates and bitumen. This may also result in saving in life cycle cost of road construction as compared to road construction using conventional materials. The time frame on construction will significantly come down on using latest equipments. The new materials will be tested under Indian conditions, traffic, rainfall, drainage, soil conditions etc. before being put to use.

for roads. More than projects worth ` 50,000 crore were put on hold earlier due to environment clearance made mandatory for mining common soil.

Agra Lucknow Expressway Project to Be Completed Before December 2016

IL&FS Transportation and East Nippon Expressway Join Forces to Take Up Road Projects

Innovative Materials and Techniques to Be Adopted In National Highway Projects


In order to meet the deadline of December 2016, a green strip of over ten meters width will be developed on both sides along the 270 kilometer AgraLucknow expressway soon. This was announced by Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary Jawed Usmani. The six-lane expressway covers seven cities Agra, Firozabad, Etawah, Mainpuri, Kannuaj, Hardoi and Lucknow and is constructed at a cost of ` 9,500 crore rupees. Chief Secretary has asked the officials to design the expressway to connect the outskirts of the cities.

IL&FS Transportation Networks Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with East Nippon Expressway Company Limited to work together through a strategic alliance for Implementation of PPP road projects. The alliance aims at utilizing Japanese technology and funds to carry out technical and prefeasibility studies, and other related works of potential road projects in India for implementation. Mr. K Ramchand, Managing Director on behalf of ITNL and Mr. Hiroshi Hirose, President & CEO was the signatory on behalf of the NEXCO in the presence of Mr. Ravi Parthasarathy, Chairman IL&FS group. Mr. Hirose and Mr. Ravi Parthasarathy stated that this MoU was an extension of the increasing industry level partnership being promoted by the two countries.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways have decided to use new materials and techniques in National Highway projects in the country on an experimental basis, in order to promote innovation and use of new technology in highway construction. In this regard, it has been decided to adopt innovative, new materials on at least one km stretch in widening and strengthening projects. The promoter of these new materials shall be required to bear the extra cost involved in the proposal. Being the experimental projects, failure if any of the trial reach, would not be treated as the responsibility of the Implementing and

PORTS & DAMS

Gujarat Maritime Board to Develop Maritime Cluster


Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) has plans to develop a maritime cluster and two port cities similar to that available in Singapore and Dubai. This was announced by A K Ramesh, Vice

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News & Events

INFRASTRUCTURE

storage and handling. The CFS is equipped with all modern handling equipments.

JNPT to Set Up a Marine Terminal at a cost of ` 2000 Crore


boost exports to Afghanistan and offer Iran easy access to the Indian Ocean. India, Iran and Afghanistan have an agreement on preferential treatment and low tariffs for goods moved through Chabahar port, which also has a free trade and industrial zone in its vicinity. A delegation led by shipping secretary Pradeep Kumar Sinha visited Chabahar port and had put up the proposal for the project. The current move is also seen as a strategy to counter China's recent takeover of the deep-sea port at Gwadar in south western Pakistan, which is some 72 nautical miles away from Chabahar. On approval this will be the first overseas investment by any of the 12 ports controlled by the Indian government. The investment in Chabahar is expected to be routed through a company in which Kandla and JN ports, which operate as trusts in India, would hold equity stakes.

Chairman and Chief Executive of the board. GMB will develop a port city at Mundra in Kutch district while Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC), a state-run body for attracting industrial investments, will build a second one at Pipavav. The port city planned in Mundra will be spread over 250-500 sq. km, and the one at Pipavav will be smaller at 100-150 sq. km. The government plans to develop the cities in phases to emerge as independent economic hubs when developed.

Container Freight Station Commissioned At Pipavav Port

The Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) has commissioned its 38th Container Freight Station (CFS) at Pipavav Port on June 24, 2013. The facility was inaugurated by Shri R. L. Meena, Commissioner of Customs, Jamnagar in presence of Shri T. K. Doshi, Director (M&CP), CWC, CO, New Delhi. M/s Nirma Limited brought first consignment of Export and M/s HMT brought first consignment of Import at the CFS.The total area of CFS is 22706 sq m with covered area of 6600 sq m and open paved yard of 10000 sq m to facilitate cargo storage and Impex Container

Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust has proposed to invest ` 2,000 crore to set up a marine terminal mainly catering to liquid cargoes like oil, acids and cleaning compounds. L&T Ramboll is designing and doing the project management consultancy and have submitted the draft Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the marine terminal to enhance the quantity to 30 million tonnes per annum. At present, there is a twin berth liquid cargo terminal of BPCL and IOC with a capacity of 5.5 million tonnes per annum. JNPT has also appointed URS Scott Wilson and Howe as consultants to carry out a feasibility study and to prepare DPR for setting up a mega container terminal near Nhava Island. JNPT currently handles 44 per cent of the country's container cargo. The fiscal ending March 2013 saw cargo handled by the 12 major ports to 545 million tonnes, from 561 million tonnes in 2011-12.

URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE
HUDCO to Provide ` 3000 Crore Soft Loan for Uttarakhand Rehabilitation
Housing & Urban Development Corporation Ltd. (HUDCO) has been instructed to provide long term soft loans of ` 3000 crore for 20 years duration for construction of houses and for reconstruction of Infrastructure facilities in Uttarakhand, Shri D.S. Negi, Officer on Special Duty (JNNURM & RAY) said. The Ministry for Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation will help in planning, designing and reconstruction of devastated houses by deputing a technical team drawn from

India to Develop Multi- Purpose Container Terminals at Port Of Chabahar, Iran


India's biggest state-owned ports, Kandla port and Jawaharlal Nehru port have proposed to develop multipurpose container terminals at Chabahar port in south-western Iran. India has proposed to invest $100 million to develop Chabahar port to

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INFRASTRUCTURE

HUDCO, Building Material and Technology Promotion Council (BMTPC), Hindustan Prefab Limited (HPL). The government will cover all affected Municipalities / Notified Area Councils in Uttarakhand under Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY) as a special case to support reconstruction of houses of the poor and reconstruct and redevelop these devastated houses. Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation has contributed ` 1.25 crore for rehabilitation/ reconstruction works for the flood and landslide victims as part of CSR initiative.

project is estimated at ` 23, 136 crore covering a total length of 33.5 km (fully underground). The gauge would be standard gauge, as per the Detailed Project Report (DPR). The project of the Mumbai Line 3 is scheduled to be completed in six years that is by March, 2019 from the date of start of work in the financial year 2013-14. The existing state level SPV for implementing the project, namely, the MMRC shall be converted into a joint ownership (50:50) SPV of GoI and GoM on similar pattern as for the Delhi Metro, Bangalore Metro, Chennai Metro and Kochi Metro. The joint ownership company will continue to be named as MMRC. The promoters, the GoI and the GoM, shall nominate five Directors each to the Board of Directors of the SPV, which shall have 10 nominee Directors. The Secretary, Ministry of Urban Development, GoI will be the ex-officio Chairman of the Board. The implementation of the project would provide much needed additional transport infrastructure to Mumbai.

18 will be built on elevated platforms. The cost of the project is expected to be around 7,000-8,000 crore rupees. Officials said, the project would largely be funded by external financing agencies and the remaining cost would be shared between the Central and state governments in 50:50 ratio.

PM Sets ` 115,000 Crore PPP Investment Target

Union Cabinet Approves ` 23,136 Crore Mumbai Metro Line-3 Corridor

Lucknow Metro Phase 1 to Begin by Year-End

The Union Cabinet approved the Mumbai Metro Line-3 Colaba-BandraSantacruz Electronics Export Processing Zone (Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ) corridor. It has further approved the conversion of the existing State level Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) into a Joint Venture Company of the Government of India (GoI) and Government of Maharashtra (GoM), with equity participation on 50:50 basis. The total completion cost of the

The construction work of Lucknow Metro Phase 1will commence by this year end with the state cabinet giving its nod for the project. The decision was taken after a meeting chaired by chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and headed by the Chief Secretary. The first phase will cover 23km stretch from Amausi airport to Munshipulia and will have 21 stations. The North-South corridor will have three underground stations while remaining

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has set an investment target of ` 1.15 lakh crore in PPP (public private partnership private partnership) projects across infrastructure sectors in rail, port and power in the next six months. This was announced at the meeting convened with key infrastructure ministries. Prime Minister proposed taking up of Mumbai elevated rail corridor at a cost of ` 30,000 crore, two international airports in Bhubaneswar and Imphal at a cost of Rs 20,000 crore and power and Transmission projects at a cost of ` 40,000 crore. There is a proposal to set up a rail tariff authority. Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Ministers of Power, Coal, Railways, Roads, Shipping and Civil Aviation were present at the meeting to finalise infrastructure projects for 2013-14.

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News & Events

POLICY

Road Ministry Proposes Stringent Rules to Make Highways Safe


The Ministry of Roadways has proposed to bring in slew of changes on toll rules to protect the interest of the customers and make highways safe. To discourage overloading of vehicles the Ministry has planned to increase the penalty by three or four times apart from unloading the extra weight. The Ministry plans to bring transporter or transport agent into the net by also penalizing them. Now it has been made mandatory that that all concessionaires building roads on PPP must have weight-in-motion

bridges to detect such violations. There is also a proposal to charge truckers and their owners involved in damaging public property.

Draft National Water Framework Bill Released

Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY).NULM would focus on the primary issues pertaining to urban poverty such as imparting skill training, enabling entrepreneurship development, providing wage employment and self-employment opportunities to the urban poor. The proposal of NULM is at approval stage. The annual targets under NULM will be fixed after final approval as per budget allocation for its implementation.

Chennai Corporation to install bio-methanation plants to power street lights


Industrial Services Guarantee Act' an exclusive law to ensure issuance and clearances to industries in a stipulated time. The policy to be drafted by the Udyog Bandhu will envisage provisions for delivering notified services within the specified time frame limits and fixing accountability of licensing authorities and erring officers for the delay by imposing a penalty. In the first phase industries, power, pollution departments, labour and factories will be included under the proposed act.

The Ministry of Water Resources has released Draft National Water Framework Bill, Draft River Basin Management Bill and Draft National Policy Guidelines prepared by the Ministry of Water Resources. The department has released the bill for getting comments on Water Sharing, Distribution amongst states, union territories and related ministries through expert committees. The same has also been uploaded on the ministry's website http://wrmin.nic.in. All the stakeholders can send their suggestions or comments by July 31, 2013 on nps-2012-mowr@nic.in

Union Government Proposes To Launch NULM Scheme


The Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation has proposed to launch a National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM) in 12th Five Year Plan, which will replace the existing Swarna

UP Announces 'Industrial Services Guarantee Act'


The Uttar Pradesh government has announced introduction of 'Uttar Pradesh

The Chennai Corporation has proposed to install small bio-methanation plants that will power lights. The civic body has identified Villivakkam slaughterhouse to set up two plants and one more at the garbage transfer station in Royapuram zone. The pilot project is expected to be set up in three months. The biomethanation plants will be fuelled with vegetable and food waste and will emit methane. The gas will be captured and used to generate power. The by-product, slurry, can be used as manure.

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News & Events

REALTY

Delhi Government Likely To Allow High-Rise Buildings


The Delhi government is mulling over the proposal for vertical growth in the city and has plans to review the Master Plan of Delhi 2021 and finalise on a number of amendments, including allowing high-rises and increasing the existing floor area ratio (FAR). Delhi government has sought centre's assistance to develop high-rise building across the state. Delhi Urban Development Minister Arvinder Singh Lovely said, Basic services like drainage, water supply and power distribution network will have to be strengthened if vertical expansion is allowed. Optimum usage of land resource for vertical growth will address the problem of shortage of housing sector, Minister said. The Delhi Development Authority approved the land pooling policy that

Punjab Government to Regularize 5,000 Unauthorised Colonies across the State

permits developers or land owners to pool in land for constructing residential blocks. The Punjab cabinet has given approval for regularization of about 5,000 unauthorised colonies in the State. Two lakh individual plot or building owners' across the state will benefit, an official spokesman said. Basic civic amenities will be provided for the residents of the unauthorised colonies. The regularization scheme will be applicable to those unapproved colonies constructed before April 1, 2013 and will be for a period of one year. The residents have to pay composition fee varying from ` 2.5 lakh to ` 15 lakh for an acre. Each individual must pay ` 50 to ` 500 a square yard for regularization which will be used to provide basic facilities. The policy does not cover colonies, which are set up over land belonging to the State, Central Governments, Public Undertakings, Panchayat lands, Waqf Board, Land under the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA). The Cabinet also gave the nod to the amendment in the Land Pooling Policy to enable the land owners to become partners in the development process. Under the amendment, a fixed sum of the value of land would be ensured to the land owners.

Real Estate Regulatory Bill to Be Introduced This Monsoon Session

Karnataka Government Plans To Regularise Unauthorised Construction

The real estate regulatory bill will be introduced in the monsoon session of Parliament, a top government official said. The bill is expected to bring transparency and accountability in the realty sector. The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Bill was approved by the cabinet to provide a uniform regulatory environment to the sector.

Karnataka government has proposed to introduce an amendment to the Karnataka Land Revenue Act 1964 to regularise unauthorised constructions of dwelling houses in government lands in urban areas, official sources said. Karnataka Land Revenue (Second Amendment) Bill, 2012 that was passed in both the Houses of the Legislature in the earlier regime was returned by the Governor H.R Bhardwaj citing that the Bill may lead to illegal grabbing of government land.

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News & Events

INTERNATIONAL

bauma Africa maiden international fair at Johannesburg from 18 -21 September


The first bauma Africa, International Trade Fair for Construction Machinery, Building Material Machines, Mining Machines and Construction Vehicles, is scheduled to take place at Johannesburg from 18 to 21 September this year. The event will take place at Gallagher Convention Centre and the organizers Highline Tours & Travel expect over 500 exhibitors on 60 000 sq m of exhibition space. Emerging Africa market as well as South Africa's status as the gateway into Africa, that led to the first bauma Africa event, says MMI South Africa CEO Elaine

Crewe. The event will house nine country pavilions for 200 of the key international exhibitors from Austria, China, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Korea, Northern Ireland and Spain.

Free trade agreement between China and Switzerland to boost trade

China has signed its first free trade accord with Switzerland a non-EU member of Iceland in Beijing amid escalating tensions with the European Union. China's commerce minister Gao Hucheng and Swiss Economy Minister Johann Schneider-Ammann signed the bilateral agreement in Beijing. The agreement is expected to boost trade between the two economies. China is targeting the EU wine industry in retaliation for a dispute with the European Union over cheap Chinese solar panels.

African power networks and ensure power supply to two-thirds of the population that is without electricity. America will focus on projects in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria and Tanzania which will be built by Power Africa. The President of America will make an announcement during his visit to Cape Town. US Export-Import Bank will fund major amount of $5 billion for development of power projects. According to the International Energy Agency, subSaharan Africa will need investment of more than $300 billion to achieve universal electricity access by 2030.

Geodynamics commissions 1MW geothermal pilot plant in Australia


Tata Power announced the successful commissioning of a 1MW geothermal pilot plant in Australia, by Geodynamics, an associate of Tata Power. Geodynamics is the industry leader in enhanced geothermal system (EGS). Geodynamics has geothermal exploration interests in three Australian states, and holds the license to explore 2,000 sq km of the Cooper Basin. Geodynamics tenements in the Cooper Basin contain the hottest granites on earth and are estimated to

US to unveil $7 billion plan to upgrade African power networks


US President Barack Obama will be unveiling a $7 billion plan to upgrade

provide a thermal resource equivalent of 50 billion barrels of oil. Tata Power intends to have a 20-25 percent contribution from "clean power sources", which will include a mix of hydro, solar, wind, geothermal and waste gas generation. Geothermal energy has been a key focus area for the company outside India. Tata Power is the only Indian player in geothermal energy sector and is also implementing a 250MW geothermal project in Indonesia in partnership with Origin Energy and PT Supraco. The company has invested in geothermal energy both conventional and EGS in Geodynamics, an Australia-based geothermal energy company, in 2008. Speaking on Tata Power's commitment to clean and green energy Anil Sardana, Managing Director, Tata Power, stated, The commissioning of the 1MW geothermal pilot plant is a significant milestone for the project and with this we plan to strengthen our footprint in the international markets. We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint through clean and renewable energy generation. Our aim is to have 20-25 percent of our generation portfolio from clean energy. Geothermal energy is the natural heat found within the earth, where temperature increases with depth, typically by 10-50 degree Celsius/km. In EGS technology, heat is extracted from granites located at a depth of a more than 4,000m by circulating water through them in an engineered artificial reservoir. The heated water returns to the surface under pressure and is converted into electricity via a heat exchanger and conventional geothermal power plant. EGS technology can potentially enable the setting up of base load power plants that are based on natural heat, thereby making them a clean energy source for the future.

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Concrete: LCA

'RETHINKING CONCRETE':
Life Cycle of the Indian Concrete Industry
Chaitanya Raj Goyal
ife cycle assessment (LCA) is today's sustainability buzzword, and the industry is filled with lively debate about its impact. As many rating systems like LEED, etc. find their place in the movement, increasing emphasis is placed upon the importance of examining all aspects of a structure. These include not just the building itself, but the embodied energy of materials, the long-term effects of manufacturing processes, the stages of construction, building performance and operations, durability and maintenance of existing structures, and in the end - demolition, materials recycling, and future land use corollary.

Even though, 80% of a building's CO2 emissions are generated not by the production of materials used in its construction, but in the electric utilities over its life-cycle, one building material, which just cannot be ignored is Cement Concrete and neither can one overlook a developing nation which is producing more than 300 million cubic meter of it per annum! Indian Cement Concrete Industry: Current times Concrete witnesses a production of 10 billion tons each year worldwide. The total concrete market in India is estimated at 300-350 million cubic meters

per annum, of which the commercial plant produced share is 55-65 million cubic meters. Industry players estimate that this share is expected to go up gradually from the present level of less than 9% of the total cement production to the global average of 7075%. A comparison of concrete production figures from different countries also reveals that the organized Indian concrete industry is the third largest concrete industry in the world. This industry occupies an important place in the Indian economy because of its strong linkages to sectors such as construction, transportation, coal and power. The growth of Indian

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Concrete: LCA

cement industry also substantiates the growth of country's concrete sector. India is the second largest producer of quality cement in the world, and its cement industry comprises 183 large cement plants and over 365 mini cement plants. Currently, there are 40 players across the country and the industry is expected to add 30-40 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of capacity in 2013 from the existing capacity of 324 MTPA, operating at 75-80 per cent utilization. Therefore, in view of the growth that the concrete sector in India is undergoing, and the large share it claims in international concrete industry, it is imperative that industry leaders realize their accountability towards global sustainability concerns and improve their focus on life cycle of concrete manufactured and used in India. Production: How does concrete fit in the big picture? Stepped on for hundreds of years, concrete rarely gets the respect it deserves. Perhaps the most omnipresent building material, its manufacturing is also among the most energy-consuming and polluting industrial processes and analysts expect greenhouse gas emissions from global concrete production to become a considerable contributor to climate change in the next 20 years. Even though concrete compares favorably to other building materials such as steel, wood and asphalt while analyzing energy consumption and CO2 emissions but when it comes to sustainable development, there is always an opportunity for improvement and this is especially applicable in case of India. For a variety of reasons, the concrete construction industry is not sustainable; the three prime reasons being: 1. Resource productivity this industry is the largest consumer of virgin materials such as sand, gravel, crushed rock, and fresh water. It is consuming Portland and modified Portland cements at an annual rate of more than a billion metric tons. The cement production in turn consumes vast amounts of limestone and clay.

Cement Production accounts for nearly 7% of global greenhouse gas emissions

Obviously, large amounts of energy and materials, in addition to financial resources, are wasted when structures deteriorate or fail prematurely which, in fact, has been the case with some recently built reinforced concrete bridges, buildings and other structures in India. 2. Cement manufacturing - The principal binder in concrete is Portland cement, the production of which is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. The popular Portland cement

mixes a powder of alumina, silica, lime, iron oxide, and magnesium oxide, which is then heated at temperatures up to 1,450 degrees Celsius. Heating and grinding the cement materials consumes an average of 4-5 gigajoules of energy per cement ton. The industry as a whole uses billions of gigajoules each year. Cement production-through cement plant's fossilbased energy consumption, the CO2 burned off when limestone is heated,
Concrete additive

Water Cement

Gravel

Recycling as gravel replacement Concrete granules

Ready-mix concrete Building construction = processing

Landfill

Lifetime of building

Dismantling Life Cycle of Concrete (Source: BMG Engineering)

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Concrete: LCA

associated vehicle use, and other factors account for nearly 7% of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Other parts of the manufacturing process such as operating mining equipment for extracting the raw materials and transportation of the raw materials to the cement plant emit relatively small amounts of CO2. 3. Durability - Many concrete structures suffer from lack of durability, which has an adverse effect on the resource productivity of the industry. In India, most concrete is produced by conventional methods instead of using latest methods and equipment at most of the construction sites and these results in: Inadequate control on aggregates for size, shape and grading Optimum Water-cement ratio not followed Labor-intensive production Time consuming and unorganized operation Wastage of costly input materials Dust pollution

durability of concrete. Prevalent corruption and unethical practices in the Indian construction industry also contribute immensely to this cause. Benefits of Concrete: Time to capitalize Concrete also brings numerous lasting benefits that many believe far outweigh the front-end energy problems associated with it. This is because locally available materials for production mean less transportation and pollution, and it also offers high thermal mass, contributing to energy efficiency and comfort. Most concrete structures today are designed for a 100-year life span which increases the period between reconstruction, repair and maintenance. Also, the material's light color can provide reflectivity that reduces air conditioning loads and helps reduce the urban heat island effect. Moreover, when a concrete structure is demolished, much of the material can be recycled. Furthermore, a significant portion of the CO2 produced during manufacturing of cement is reabsorbed into concrete during the product life cycle through a process called carbonation. One research study estimates that bet-

ween 33% and 57% of the CO2 emitted from calcination will be reabsorbed through carbonation of concrete surfaces over a 100-year life cycle. Despite all such benefits, the industry in India is still struggling to capitalize on the inherent and researched benefits of this amazing material and as discussed before, even though concrete is an environmentally friendly choice with one of the lowest carbon footprints among building materials, there is always scope for growth when it comes to conserving the environment and preventing adverse climatic changes! From production to demolition: Doing it better A sustainable concrete structure is one that is constructed so that the total societal impact during its entire life cycle is minimal and therefore, the lifecycle cost analysis process must evaluate energy use and environmental impact during the entire life of concrete. This process must include extracting and processing raw materials, manufacturing, transporting, maintaining, recycling, and returning to the environment. Costs and benefits must be evaluated and understood in both the short term and the long term. It does not take a genius to understand that a large-scale mechanization for production of engineered concrete with mineral and chemical admixtures, with the right quality control scheme, can lead to better sustainability of concrete in India. There are some worthy solutions which if comprehensively, strictly, skillfully and ethically implemented, can help the industry actually 'do it better'! Industrial ecology - achieving improvement in resource productivity through durability enhancement of products is, of course, a long-term solution for sustainable development. A short-term strategy that must be pursued simultaneously is to practice industrial ecology at a larger scale than is the case today. Simply defined, the practice of industrial ecology by a manufacturing industry involves the reclamation and

Each of these shortcoming's results into a life cycle implication in some form and they take a major toll on the

Cement - 5 mm

Fly Ash - 12 mm

Silica Fume - 5 mm

Ultra-Fine Fly Ash - 5 mm

Many mineral admixtures can be used to partially replace cement in concrete

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Concrete: LCA

re-use of its own waste products and, to the extent possible, the waste products of other industries, which are unable to recycle them in their own manufacturing process. Reportedly, over a billion ton of construction and demolition waste is generated every year. Cost-effective technologies are available to recycle most of the waste as a partial replacement for the coarse aggregate in fresh concrete mixtures. Similarly, industrial waste waters and non-potable waters can substitute for municipal water for mixing concrete unless proven harmful by testing. Blended Portland cements containing fly ash from coal-fired power plants, silica fumes, and ground-granulated slag from the blast-furnace iron industry provide excellent examples of industrial ecology because they offer a holistic solution for reducing the environmental impact of several industries. The construction industry already uses concrete mixtures containing cement replacement materials, such as 15% to 30% fly ash or 30% to 40% slag by mass. With conventional mate-

rials and technology; it is now possible to produce high-performance concrete mixtures containing 50% to 60% fly ash by mass of the blended cementitious material. Also, the cement industry can reduce its own waste by recycling more than 75 percent of cement kiln dust (CKD) directly back into the cement kiln as raw material. By doing so, manufacturers can conserve energy and reduce the use of limestone and other virgin raw materials. P2P Initiative (Prescriptive to Performance Specifications for Concrete)although the use of modern plant and equipment in the production, delivery and placement of concrete has increased in India, this has not matched improvement in the concrete specifications. On a majority of the construction jobs, concrete is still specified by its 28day compressive strength and slump at pour location. A mention is also made regarding the use of pump or otherwise during placement. Other mechanical properties of concrete, namely, flexural strength, tensile strength, modulus of

elasticity, shrinkage, creep, etc. are hardly specified. It must be realized that today concrete is no longer a mere mixture of cement, aggregates and water. Now-adays, concrete produced from readymixed concrete facility incorporates more than one variety of mineral and chemical admixtures and with their use the designing of concrete mixes has become more complex. This is because the use of different admixtures affects most of the properties of concrete in its fresh and hardened states, such as workability and workability retention, compatibility between cement and superplasticizer, compressive strength development, later age strengths, setting time, resistance to ingress of aggressive chemicals, etc. Therefore, it is difficult to write prescriptive specifications that encompass these developments. Further, in recent years, it has been observed that many structures constructed strictly following prescriptive specifications have necessarily not performed well, especially with regards to their durabil-

RMC can deliver high quality, durable and green concrete

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Concrete: LCA

ity. There is thus an urgent need to for a change in specifications from prescriptive to performance. Performance specifications provide concrete producers more flexibility to optimize concrete mixtures for intended performance and thus reduce the environmental impact, including CO2 emissions. Traditionally, construction specifications for concrete have required unnecessarily high quantities of Portland cement along with other limits on the use of supplementary cementitious materials. These limits are incorporated in the industry's standards and specifications. The P2P Initiative proposes to eliminate many of these limits and evolve to performancebased standards. Adopting Ready Mix Concrete - it wouldn't be wrong to say that quality and durability always take the back seat in Indian construction industry along with eco friendly and ethical practices. This is substantiated by the fact that in India, the captive consumption of cement through RMC is just hovering around 7-8% of the total cement

produced. The capacity utilizations are in the range of just 30-45%, indicating severe underutilization; the operating margins are in the range of 4-6% and the ROCE for most cement companies in RMC business is negative. All this is probably because the cost of RMC is 20% higher than that produced at site by mixing machines and 12% higher than that produced at site by large Batching Plants. But what many fail to understand is that with RMC one can achieve almost 15.5% savings in construction costs in terms of factors such as quality & wastage-avoidance and the claimed service life of 100 years can actually be established. Furthermore, even though there is a separate code on ready-mixed concrete (IS 4926:2003), it is unfortunate that cognizance of this code is not taken in many contracts. Even when using RMC, on many occasions, reference is made to only IS 456, the BIS specification on plain and reinforced concrete. The quality control process in IS 4926:2003 has been divided into three components, forward Control, Im-

mediate Control and Retrospective Control' and therefore, prepares Indian RMC manufacturers for producing and supplying best quality green and durable concrete using a variety of mineral and chemical admixtures. Conclusion Material science has a lot of potential to revolutionize the technological scenario in various walks of life towards cost-effectiveness and quality improvement. Today Concrete technology is revolutionized globally, but India has to yet to catch up with the advancements. The key is in the hands of professionals and builders and one need to use the key to reach and avail the treasure of durability. To achieve the objective of incorporating sustainability will be a herculean task. To start with, reasonably accurate data is required, which is woefully lacking and reliable information on rudimentary data like the total concrete production is difficult to obtain. The cement industry also needs to play a critical role in helping attain the desired targets. Indian cement manufacturers need to improve the energy efficiency of the entire manufacturing process by upgrading plants with state-of-the-art equipment and should improve product formulation to reduce energy of production and minimize the use of natural resources. Also, more research needs to be conducted on cement and concrete towards improving their energy efficiency and durability. It is to be expected that rating systems such as the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) system and ECBC (Energy Conservation Building Code) will become the norm in near future, and material suppliers such as concrete producers will be pressed to compete on the basis of environmentally friendly principles, that is, reduced energy consumption, reduced life-cycle costs, and the use of recycled materials. There is reason to believe that the concrete industry is well positioned for success, given the tools outlined herein.

With RMC one can achieve almost 15.5% savings in construction costs

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Sustainability

New Concrete Technology in Construction Aggregates - Their Role in Concrete and the Green Agenda
Christopher Andrew Clear
British Ready-Mixed Concrete Association

Sustainability of construction works is such an important topic that it should not be discussed by rather imprecise and emotive terms such as The Green Agenda. Therefore this paper deals with the sustainability assessment of building with respect to their environmental, social and economic performance before briefly covering how concrete and its aggregate constituent play a part in sustainable construction.
For a concrete technologist the term Green Agenda is a rather more difficult concept to understand than either Aggregates or Concrete. Having said this it is the authors opinion there is a degree of ambiguity associated with all three terms. This paper sets out what ought to be considered important to consider with respect to sustainable construction and a brief consideration of how aggregates and concrete support such an initiative. The Green Agenda A problem with the green agenda is that it is often not presented as a list of important environmental, social and economic considerations but as a banner around which those affected by some form of change to their environment gather to resist the change. However, with respect to building construction the position is changing as a comprehensive technical description of the green agenda is being set out across a set of International and European Standards. EN 15643-1[1] entitled Sustainability of construction works Sustainability assessment of buildings Part 1: General framework. This European Standard forms part of a suite of the European Standards that set out a system for the sustainability assessment of buildings using a life cycle approach. The sustainability assessment is quantified to assess the environmental, social and economic performance of buildings using quantitative and qualitative indicators but benchmarks or levels of performance are not set. It should be noted that currently it is only buildings that are covered by the EN 15643-1 framework, but there are proposals for standards to cover the sustainability assessment of civil engineering and other construction works. In carrying out assessments, scenarios and a functional equivalent are determined at the building level. This level means that the descriptive model of the building with the major technical and functional requirements has to be been defined in the clients brief or in the regulations as illustrated in Figure 1, abstracted from EN 15643-1. EN 15643 Part 1 is the general framework, and Parts 2[2], 3[3] and 4[4] the individual frameworks for environmental, social and economic performance respectively. All four parts contain a version of Figure 1, and in their draft stages the Environmental box was coloured green, the Social box coloured red and the Economic box coloured blue. The use of colour in what might otherwise be considered rather dull documents such as standards is to be applauded, however it is unfortunate that in this case it reinforces the misconception that The Green Agenda is concerned only with Environmental issues, whereas it should encompass Social and Economic issues as well. In Figure 1 the boxes within the thick red dashed box are those covered by the European Technical Committee entitled Sustainability of construction works, CEN/TC 350. As the EN 15643 standards state when describing the integrated building performance at the concept level, the environmental, social and economic performance are one part, and the technical and functional performance are another. Both parts are intrinsically related to each other as shown in Figure 2,

Figure 1: EN 15643 concept of sustainability assessment of buildings

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Sustainability

where the CEN/TC 350 work programme is represented by the boxes shaded grey as set out in EN 15643-1. Sustainability assessments can be undertaken for the whole building, for parts of the building which can be used separately, or for elements of the building. This is in a complete contrast to some simplified interpretations of the Green Agenda which may largely restrict consideration to just the environmental impacts of the various building products from which the building is made.

15643-4 for Economic performance. The indicators included in EN 15643 Parts 2 to 4 are summarized in Table 1. It should be noted that the items in the middle column come from a pre-Standard dated 2010, and the final lists within EN 15643 parts 2 and 4 changed significantly from the equivalent listings in their pre-Standards.

Figure 3: The organisation of the result of the assessment in accordance with EN 15643-1 life-cycle stages and the information groups

Table 1 is not a complete list as and EN 15643-2 includes a list of further environmental indicators, and these are listed in Table 2.
Figure 2: Work programme of European Technical Committee CEN/TC 350 Sustainability of construction works

Although the evaluation of technical and functional performance is beyond the scope of CEN/TC350 standards, the technical and functional characteristics are considered by reference to the functional equivalent. The functional equivalent of a building or an assembled system (part of works) shall include, but is not limited to, information on: - Building type (e.g. office, factory, school) - Pattern of use (e.g. occupancy) - Relevant technical and functional requirements (e.g. regulatory framework and clients specific requirements); - required service life There is an explicit requirement that the assessments shall be established on the basis of specified realistic scenarios that represent the whole building life cycle. To ensure the results of the assessment of environmental, social and economic performance can be readily understood they need to be presented in a systematic and transparent method, where Figure 3 shows the groups of information required. The standard EN 15643-1 makes it explicitly clear that tin the assessment report the results shall be expressed with all the defined indicators set out in EN 15643-2 for Environmental performance, EN 15643-3 for Social performance and EN

The detailed calculation method for the environmental performance of buildings using the environmental indicators set out in EN 15643-2, is set out in EN 159785 entitled Sustainability of construction works Assessment of the environmental performance of buildings Calculation method. This standard sets out a methodology on how to calculate and most importantly how to display the modular information for the different stages of building assessment. Figure 4 shows the general format for the output where for each stage A1, A2, A3, B1 there will be a number required for each of the environmental impacts as listed in column 1 of Table 1, and those in Table 2 where appropriate. The natural extension is to list the social and economic impacts as well but the Standards for these have yet to be drafted. It is important to remember that the eventual Table of results is for the whole building for its whole life, so a scenario has to be developed to cover the construction, use and end of life stages. On the specific challenge with respect to Global Warming Potential impact (measured by CO2 equivalent) the concrete options to meet the demand for low-energy housing specific research was commissioned and reported6. Figure 5 shows an example of the results where the cumulative CO2 emissions, embodied and operational, have been modelled for a 60 year period for both lightweight (timber) and medium weight (block work walls) simple semi-detached house. Due to predicted increase in summer temperatures resulting from climate change, the lightweight house needs air conditioning by 2021, whereas for a medium weight home it would not be needed until 2041.

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Sustainability

Environmental indicators EN 15643-2: 2011 Annex B.1 (informative)


environmental impacts (LCIA impact categories) - abiotic depletion potential (elements and fossil fuels) - acidification of land and water resources - destruction of the stratospheric ozone layer - eutrophication formation of ground-level ozone - global warming potential resource use (environmental aspects) - use of non-renewable primary energy excluding non-renewable primary energy resources used as raw materials - use of renewable primary energy excluding renewable primary energy resources used as raw materials - use of non-renewable primary energy resources used as raw materials - use of renewable primary energy resources used as raw materials - use of secondary materials - use of non-renewable secondary fuels - use of renewable secondary fuels - use of freshwater resources other environmental information (environmental aspects) - components for reuse - materials for recycling - materials for energy recovery - non-hazardous waste to disposal - hazardous waste to disposal (other than radioactive waste) - radioactive waste to disposal - exported energy

Categories for social aspects prEN 15643: 2010


Health and comfort - Thermal performance - Humidity - Quality of water for use in buildings - Indoor air quality - Acoustic performance - Visual comfort Accessibility - Accessibility for people with specific needs Maintenance - Maintenance requirement Safety/security - Resistance to climate change - Fire safety - Security against intruders and vandalism - Security against interruptions of utility supply Loadings on the neighbourhood - Noise - Emissions - Glare - Shock/vibrations

Economic Indicators EN 15643: 2012 Annex C (informative)


Cost - economic performance expressed in cost terms over the life-cycle Financial value - economic performance expressed in terms of financial value over the lifecycle

Table 1. Indicators listed in EN 15643-2 for Environmental performance, prEN 15643-3 for Social performance and EN 15643-4 for Economic performance

Further Environmental indicators EN 15643-2: 2011 Annex B.2 (informative)

environmental impacts (LCIA impact categories) biodiversity ecotoxicity human toxicity land use change resource use (environmental aspects) use of non-renewable resources other than primary energy use of renewable resources other than primary energy other environmental information (environmental aspects) use of environmentally sustainably managed materials (grouped per material type e.g. PEFC, FSC, responsibly sourced materials BS 8902:2009) use of environmentally sustainably managed fuels (grouped per fuel type e.g. Sustainability criteria for bio-fuels ISO 13065)
Table 2. Further indicators listed in EN 15643-2 for Environmental performance

required for the EN 15978 analysis, but for a complete EN 15978 analysis then a further 20 environmental impacts should be considered in addition to the single Global Warming Potential shown in Figure 5. The EN 15978 standard is clear that the communication of results may be limited to a selection of indicators, and so the use of a single indicator is within scope and the standards notes that the graphical representation of results like that shown in Figure 5 may be useful to communicate results. It is also evident that trying to carry out an assessment to encompass all or even just a majority of the indicators may be an overly cumbersome exercise and so a client may wish to restrict the range to those considered of greatest importance. What the EN 15643 series of standards clear state is that the The results of possible further aggregation of these indicators shall be clearly separated from the assessment results as additional information. This is an important facet as it is evident that where environmental indicators are normalised and/or weighted it is possible to present the assessment results in a way that appears to represent the just the bias

A typical concrete and masonry house with a medium level of thermal mass has about 4% more embodied CO2 than a lightweight house, but this could be offset in as little as 11 years due to energy savings provided by its thermal mass. The simple semi-detached house is the sort of scenario

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Sustainability

of those responsible for the manipulation system. Figure 6 below shows the results of a particular E-points system as applied to a tonne of coarse aggregate and a tonne of CEM I (Portland cement), where the higher the E-points the less environmentally desirable is the material. Unfortunately, many clients want to be seen to be complying with a green agenda and as all the tools and expertise to carry out a comprehensive sustainability assessment are not readily available the temptation is to go down a simplified route. Such a simplified route, like those based on an E-points type system, can give arguable results. For example we know that the cement represents a global warming potential equivalent to about 850 kg of CO2e/tonne[7], and that such emissions considering world production of over 3,300,000,000 tonnes of cement a year is generally considered to have a negative impact on the environment. According to the E-point system the extraction and use of one tonne of coarse aggregate in concrete is about as half environmentally damaging as the production and use of one tonne of cement, or say two tonnes of coarse aggregate is equivalent to the environmental impact of a tonne of cement. This cannot be sensible as a tonne of cement will initially put about 850 kg of CO2e into the atmosphere whilst even if the two tonnes of coarse aggregate is used to make concrete it is still available. That is the aggregate is still aggregate through the service life of the building but also be an aggregate in a subsequent life where as part of recycled concrete it is likely to be used either as an unbound or bound aggregate application. The important conclusion is that the term Green agenda is the wrong term and its use should be deprecated. Indeed Green Agenda is often regarded as synonymous with Environmentally friendly and even this is the wrong term. The correct term to use is Sustainability of construction works and until the necessary standards are developed for civil engineering works the more appropriate term is Sustainability

Figure 5: Cumulative Global Warming Potential, CO2 emissions (air-conditioned)

assessment of buildings in accordance with the EN 15643 series and supporting standards. Aggregate There is a suspicion that as far as a large number of Engineers are concerned aggregates for concrete are natural aggregates, and should be in accordance with BS 882: 1992[9] entitled Specification for aggregates from natural sources for concrete. To these engineers it may be a bit of a shock that BS 882 was withdrawn on 1 June 2004, when it was replaced by EN 12620 Aggregates for Concrete which was first published in 2002 but was subsequently amended in 2008[10]. To the European Standard aggregate is granular material used in construction. Aggregate may be natural, manufactured or re-cycled where it is evident that the widest range of usable materials is included. This type of standard supports sustainable construction as it means that any suitable materials can be used to make concrete, but it is up to the specifier to ensure that the correct aggregate and concrete properties are specified to suit a particular application. In the past it may have been considered reasonable to specify a high performance natural gravel or crushed rock for even the lowest grades or performance concrete classes, and where environmentally, socially and economically a high performance natural aggregate can be justified then that is perfectly acceptable. However, it should be equally acceptable that where there is a technically sound but lower grade of aggregate available to make a particular concrete then this will normally be the more sustainable option. If nothing else it would help preserve the resources of higher quality aggregates for more demanding concrete performances or other applications. Sometimes it may be possible to use Recycled Concrete Aggregate (RCA) or Recycled Aggregate (RA) providing the source and quality meet all the necessary limits with respect

Figure 4: Display of modular information for the different stages of building assessment in accordance with EN 15978: 2011

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Sustainability

construction, but the sustainability assessment needs to be in environmental, social and economic terms at the building level. Acknowledgements The author is grateful for all the input received from members of the British Ready-Mixed Concrete Association as well his colleagues and members of the Mineral Products Association. References
1 British Standards Institution. BS EN 15643-1:2010 Sustainability of construction works. Sustainability assessment of buildings. Part 1 General framework. BSI, London, 25 pp. 2 British Standards Institution. BS EN 15643-2:2011 Sustainability of construction works. Sustainability assessment of buildings. Part 2 Framework for the assessment of environmental performance. BSI, London, 32 pp. 3 British Standards Institution. BS EN 15643-3:2012 Sustainability of construction works. Sustainability assessment of buildings. Part 3 Framework for the assessment of social performance. BSI, London, 25 pp. 4 British Standards Institution. BS EN 15643-4:2012 Sustainability of construction works. Sustainability assessment of buildings. Part 4 Framework for the assessment of economic performance. BSI, London, 36 pp. 5 British Standards Institution. BS EN 15978: 2011. Sustainability of construction works Assessment of the environmental performance of buildings Calculation method. BSI, London, 60 pp. 6 HACKER, J. ET AL. Embodied and operational carbon dioxide emissions from housing: A case study on the effect of thermal mass and climate change. Energy and Buildings 40. 2008. 7 Mineral Products Association, Cementitious Slag Makers Association, UK Quality Ash Association. Fact Sheet 18. Embodied CO2e of UK cement, additions and cementitious material. Camberley, Undated but published 2012. 8 pp. 8 World Business Council for Sustainable Development. Cement Sustainability Initiative Progress Report, June 2012. Geneva. 6 pp. 9 British Standards Institution. BS 882: 1992. Specification for aggregates from natural sources for concrete. BSI, London, 14 pp. 10 British Standards Institution. BS EN 12620: 2002+A1:2008. Aggregates for concrete. BSI, London. 56 pp. 11 Waste Resources Action Plan. Quality protocol for the production of aggregates from inert waste, September 2005. 12 pp. 12 British Standards Institution. PD 6682-1: 2009 Aggregates Part 1: Aggregates for concrete Guidance on the use of BS EN 12620. BSI London, 28 pp. 13 British Standards Institution. EN 206-1:2000. Concrete Part 1: Specification, performance, production and conformity. March 2006. BSI, London. 69 pp. 14 British Standards Institution. BS 8500: 2006+A1: 2012. Concrete Complementary British Standard to BS EN 206-1 Part 1: Method for specifying and guidance for the specifier. Part 2 Specification for constituent materials and concrete. BSI, London. 59 & 44 pp. 15 British Standards Institution. BS EN 13055-1: 2002. Lightweight aggregates Part 1: Lightweight aggregates for concrete mortar and grout BSI, London. 40 pp.

Figure 6: E-points for coarse aggregate and CEM I showing contribution for mineral resource extraction and climate change (Global Warming Potential)

to particular impurities and other materials that may be deleterious to concrete performance. Recycled aggregates are produced in conformity with the Quality Protocol for aggregates produced from inert waste[11] where the material produced must also conform to EN 12620. To help ensure that aggregate for concrete is specified in the most appropriate manner guidance is available as BSI Published Document PD 6682-1[12] entitled Aggregates Part 1: Aggregates for concrete Guidance on the use of BS EN 12620. Concrete The European Concrete Standard, EN 206-1[13], and its complementary UK counterpart, BS 8500[14], are increasingly being made more flexible, and hence supportive of sustainable construction. The general concept will be that general suitability is established at European level for; natural normal weight aggregates, heavy-weight aggregates and air-cooled blast furnace slag conforming to EN 12620 as well as lightweight aggregates conforming to EN 13055[15] and aggregates reclaimed by the concrete producer. In addition at National level recycled and manufactured aggregates with an identified history of use may be used as aggregate for concrete if the suitability is established. In summary sustainable construction is supported by widening the range of materials deemed suitable for use in concrete, but the specifier may have to give some additional consideration to ensure that the materials specified are suitable for a particular application. Conclusions Sustainability is an issue of increasing importance to everyone, and sustainable construction is of particular importance to all those involved in the construction industry. Sustainable construction is not well served by the use of ill-defined jingoistic terms like green-agenda and it use of this term should be deprecated by the construction industry and its suppliers. Concrete and aggregates have a role to play in sustainable

www.masterbuilder.co.in The Masterbuilder - July 2013 61

Communication Feature

CENTRILIT NC: Concrete Additive Based on Pozzolanic Alumosilicate


entrilit NC (nano-crystallizer) is a pozzolanic concrete additive based on amorphous alumosilicate. It concerns a synthetically manufactured material, not an industrial byproduct. Apart from a high uniformity, a long-term availability is also ensured. New generation materials like Centrilit NC based on special nano-crystallizers have been recently developed. These new materials improve the properties that are crucial for the durability of highperformance concrete. In addition to reducing chloride migration, an exceptional chemical and acid resistance of the high-performance concrete can be achieved with Centrilit NC. The concrete structure is simultaneously reinforced right down to Nano scale, density is improved and compressive and flexural strength as well as abrasion resistance of the high-performance concrete is increased. The unique properties of Centrilit NC can be utilised in all areas of readymade and pre-cast concrete production that need high durability, e.g.: precast concrete, HPC in the energy, wastewater and chemical industry. Due to high homogeneity and reduced tackiness compared with Microsilicabased concrete, workability is improved significantly. In many instances, this even enables the production of high-performance concrete that can be pumped. A distinct improvement of the building structure's aesthetics is gained due to the fair appearance of the concrete surface. Centrilit NC performs over the

Strength Development of Centrilit NC

+ 30%

+ 33%
28 days Control Mix Microsilica Centrilit NC 1 day

some of the disadvantages of Other Superfine Pozzolans: Graded for dispersion in concrete Graded particle size Optimizes mixing time within concrete Good dispersion reduces unreacted material in the mix and increase's passivation by C-S-H gel on aggregate surface Reduces risk of Alkali Silica Reaction by Agglomeration of aluminosilicate particles

Reduced effects of alkali-silica reactivity (ASR) Enhanced workability, Better pumpability and finishing of concrete Reduced shrinkage in concrete, due to "particle packing" making concrete denser Improved color by lightening the color of concrete making it possible to tint lighter integral color Endless quantities as it is a Factory made Homogenous product Reduced dosage of super plasticizer

General Advantages of using Centrilit NC in Concrete Increased compressive and flexural strengths Reduced permeability (including chloride permeability), Increased resistance to chemical attack and hence increased durability Reduced potential for efflorescence, which occurs when calcium is transported by water to the surface where it combines with carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to make calcium carbonate, which precipitates on the surface as a white residue

MC-Bauchemie (India) Pvt. Ltd. manufactures this product along with a host of other Construction Chemicals in technical and financial collaboration with MC-Bauchemie, Germany. MCBauchemie (India) Pvt. Ltd. isan ISO 9001:2008 certified Company.

For further details:


MC Bauchemie (India) Pvt. Ltd.
411, Arenja Corner, Sector 17, Vashi, Navi Mumbai - 400703, Ph:+91-22-27892856/27880803, Fax:+91-22-27893870, E-mail: Info.india@mc-bauchemie.com Web: www.mc-bauchemieindia.com

Centrilit NC: Available Forms

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The Masterbuilder - July 2013 www.masterbuilder.co.in

Communication Feature

Magnox ILW Interim Storage Facility, Berkeley


he Intermediate Level Waste (ILW) Interim Storage Facility (ISF) at the site of the former Berkeley Nuclear Power Station is one of six new highlyengineered industrial grade Magnox facilities to provide protection for ductile cast iron ILW containers until the eventual geological disposal facility is available for permanent disposal. The purpose of the ISFs is to keep the ILW containers in a secure and controlled environment for up to 150 years. Storage of ILW through ISFs is part of a new and innovative Magnox approach whereby ILW is stored in robust selfshielding transportable containers, minimizing the need for shielding within the building structure, and thus significantly reducing decommissioning costs and timeframes. The Design The six ISFs are of varying size, and a scalable design has been developed to accommodate the varying number of ILW containers and stacking arrangements at each site. The design aims to minimise maintenance and maximise low-energy passive measures to provide the required storage environment, while also including active environmental monitoring and control measure. Selection of design features: A long-life, galvanised steel frame and insulated aluminium standing seam roofing and cladding system. A curved overhanging eaves and no rainwater gutters reduce maintenance and potential sources of leaks.

Magnox Project

An electric overhead crane used to move the containers. Prefabricated reinforcement edge beams, wall panels and roll out mats used to speed up the construction of the 400 tonnes of reinforcement.

Avoiding clashes with existing piled foundations The framing contractor, Cara Construction, requested for detailed prefabricated cages where possible, which could be manufactured off-site and significantly speed up the construction process. This would generally be a relatively straightforward task, but on Berkeley was made more complicated by the reuse of existing piled foundations, which had been installed in some cases up to 300mm off a regular grid. The Arup model containing the surveyed pilecap positions was referenced into our Tekla model, and we were able to accurately detail around these to ensure there would be no clashes once the cages reached the site. A new colour coded drawing system was utilised to help with the fabrication of the reinforcement cages and placement of rebar.

Interoperability with Revit model On this project, the structural engineer's model was imported using the industry-standard open IFC format (Industry Foundation Class) into Tekla Structures and used this as a base to produce the cast in-situ reinforced concrete details. The reinforcement model was then exported into Tekla BIMsight to overlay with the engineer's model and issued to Arup for checking and problem solving alongside the drawings and schedules provided.

For further details:


Tekla India Pvt. Ltd.
Unit no: 112115, Building no-2, Sector-1, MBP , Mahape, Navi Mumbai-400710. Ph: +91-22 61387777, E-mail: info.india@tekla.com Web: www.tekla.com
Tekla BIMsight Model Tekla BIMsight Model

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Admixtures

Chemical Admixtures for Concrete: An Overview


Deepak Kanitkar GM Technology and Business Development Chembond Chemicals Limited (Construction Chemicals Division)

Use of Chemical Admixtures in Concrete One of the most important and critical ingredient of modern concrete is the chemical admixture. The introduction of admixtures have changed the way we can work with the cement concrete. As the Powers Equation states, Vp=100w/ c-36.15 . The Porosity of concrete is inversely proportional to W/B ratio. The first and most important role of chemical admixtures is to reduce the water : binder ratio. Specifications and Test Methods IS 9103, ASTM C-494, ASTM C 1017, BS 5075 (withdrawn) and BS EN 934 part 1, 2, 6 with supporting test methods are commonly used, for classifying and testing chemical admixtures for concrete. There are different classes of admixtures, based on their effect on concrete properties. ASTM standard C-494 classifies admixtures in 8 types from A to G and S. Apart from reducing the mixing water, chemical admixtures have various functions such as slump retention, set retardation or acceleration, strength acceleration and more. Each type needs to meet different criteria, specified in test specifications. Moreover, there are other types like air entraining admixtures as per ASTM C-260, integral water proofing admixtures meeting the water impermeability requirements as per DIN 1048, anti- wash out admixtures, corrosion inhibitors, shrinkage reducing admixtures, foaming agents, corrosion inhibiting admixtures and shotcrete accelerators. Polycarboxylate Ether Based Admixtures Chemical admixtures are based on various chemistries. Water reduction greatly depends on the type of chemistry a formulator uses, to design the admixture. As we know, the best water reduction is achieved using PCE based admixtures. This is a result of very efficient dispersion of the binder which PCEs offer. The effectiveness of PCEs is more evident when the W/B ratio goes below 0.35. The versatile chemistry of PCE polymers, ensures their use in almost every Admixtures mix design. SCC has been mostly associated with PCE based admixtures. Along with the excellent water reduction, they also
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produce flowing concrete without segregation. In a properly designed SCC mix using a PCE based admixture, there is either no need for VMAs or their usage could be limited. Now a days modified PCE based admixtures are available which also offer good rheology control. One of the challenges in earlier PCEs was the increased stickiness of the concrete mix, now there are some molecules which offer excellent reduction in stickiness. This is often necessary while designing very high strength mixes which have a tight water cement ratio and high fines. There are other issues associated with PCEs such as, rapid loss of slump, dosage and temperature sensitivity, sensitivity to moisture content. Due to such factors concrete producers generally avoid the use of PCE based admixtures in lower strength mix designs. Modified PCEs are useful in meeting the requirements of lower strength mixes. Often, due to use of manufactured sand or stone dust, there are issues with regard to slump retention or segregation, these need to be addressed by smart formulations of blended PCE molecules. Shrinkage Reducing Admixtures As described earlier apart from the traditional use as water reducing agents and slump retainers, admixtures are nowadays used for more functional roles. Shrinkage reducing admixtures is an example. These are very effective in reducing cracks caused due to drying and autogenous shrinkage, also known as selfdesiccation. They act on very fine capillaries with diameters between 2.5 to 50 nm in diameter, by reducing surface tension within pore solution. This helps in preventing collapse of capillary walls, thereby reducing cracking. Their use in heavy duty industrial floors, enables increased the spans and reduction in the requirement for number of joints. SRAs are mainly based on Ethylene and Propylene Glycol derivatives. While using SRAs, one must consider their effect on final compressive strength and air entrainment. In general, at same W/B ratio, 10-15% reduction in final compressive strengths, have been observed. It is imperative that by adjusting the W/B ratio, one can actually maintain the desired compressive strengths.

Admixtures

The shrinkage could to some extent be determined from an equation derived by Tomita et al - (sh) = 390 + 2.89W - 21.77X-4.758E (x10-6) - Where W, X and E corresponds to unit contents 3 (kg/m ) of water, SRA and expansive additives respectively. - This suggests that SRA are more than 4 times as effective than the expansive additives or the effective dosage of SRAs is only 20-25% that of the expansive additives. Corrosion Inhibiting Admixtures Preventing or rather delaying corrosion of steel in concrete is achieved by at least three methods. Use of corrosion inhibiting concrete admixtures, CP systems and protective covering or penetrative treatments. The most important factors are chloride ingress and carbonation, apart from sulphates and other corrosive contaminants. CIAs are mainly based on inorganic chemicals such calcium Nitrate / Nitrite or bipolar acting agents based on amino alcohols and Amino polycarboxylates. Various products are available in the market and are in most of the cases equally effective. The mechanisms are different, so as the dosages. Internal Curing Agents Use of Internal curing agents for concrete are also gathering momentum. They act by providing additional moisture in concrete for a more effective hydration of the cement and reduced selfdesiccation. Internal curing means the introduction of a curing agent into concrete to provides this additional moisture. Two major methods currently available. - Use of saturated porous lightweight aggregate (LWA) in order to supply an internal source of water. - Super-absorbent polymer (SAP) particles can absorb a very large quantity of water during concrete mixing and form large inclusions containing free water, thus preventing self-desiccation during cement hydration. For optimum performance, the internal curing agent should possess high water absorption capacity and high water desorption rates.
Ingredients
Cement Fine Agregates Coarse Aggregates Admixtures Pozolanic additions Strength Grade Zone or Gradation Maximum Size and Gradation Type Mineralogy / Chemical Composition Type Shape Shape / Crushing method Chemistry Particle size

Admixtures For Sprayed Concrete or Shotcrete Most tunneling work will never be complete without the use of gunniting or the sprayed concrete. Spraying concrete is a very sensitive application. The nozzlemens job will not be easy without the use of an accelerating admixture. Typically, quick setting is as critical as controlling the reheology of sprayed concrete. Accelerators combine both these requirement, thus reducing the rebound to a great extent and achieving quick setting. There are more and more applications which could be discussed. Admixtures for making pervious concrete, colorants for decorative concrete, admixtures used for stopping the rejected concrete from setting for a period as long as 24hrs are available. Concrete Mix Proportioning Science and Art What is mix design? Concrete proportioning or designing of a concrete mix, is an art more than science. Although it involves a lot of statistics and material science, more depends on the actual feel of the concrete during the mixing and placing stages. In general concrete mix has 4 main constituents viz. cementitious materials, aggregates, water and chemical admixtures. More precisely, concrete consists of coarse aggregates which are bound by a mortar made of a paste of hydraulic binders mixed with fine aggregates. Mix proportioning involves, physical formulation of these ingredients to achieve certain properties. Main criteria remains that of mechanical properties but without achieving the fresh concrete performance, mechanical properties can never really be attained. In order to achieve the desired level of workability and a cohesiveness concrete mix, the gradation as well as granularity of both coarse and fine aggregates, cement content, water to binder ratio and use of a suitable chemical admixture, play a vital role. While doing this, apart from getting the desired performance, one has to also remember economy and properties of available resources, including water.
Properties

Fineness Absorption Absorption Dosage Dosage

Alkalinity Reactivity Reactivity -

Density Density -

Mineralogy Mineralogy -

Ingredients and their important properties

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Admixtures

Air in concrete is also a critical factor. Controlling the amount of air in the mix can to a certain extent be controlled during mix designing stage. There are two classes of concrete viz normal (Non Air Entrained) concrete and air entrained concrete. The amount of allowed air varies considerably in both types. Air entrainment is achieved through the use of air entraining admixtures. More recently, it is also known that Self Compacting Concrete (SCC) requires a different approach, than these two types. Essentials of a Mix Design Following are typically the most important factors, which need to be taken into account while deciding the mix proportions. - - - - - - - - Characteristic Strength Air content Workability requirements Climatic conditions / exposure conditions. Handling conditions / Automation Durability Economy Aesthetics and appearance

4. Climatic conditions and Exposure: Whether the concreting is taking place in winter or summer matters a lot. It is also imperative to understand the variations during the day and nights. Under water placement, needs anti washout admixtures and set accelerators. We have to also consider the exposure conditions. If there is a chance of moderate to heavy exposure to sulphates, one needs to consider the use of sulphate resistant cement or pozolanic additions such as fumed silica. in case of chloride based environment, use of corrosion inhibitors based on calcium nitrite or bipolar types, may be necessary. Industrial environment, may necessitate use of hydrophobic agents / corrosion inhibitor, along with low permeability mixes.

5. Handling conditions / Automation: Whether the concrete is hand placed, pumped, roller compacted or placed in moulds at a precast facility, will mean a different approach to the mix design. Each method has different requirement of consistency, viscosity and slump retention. 6. Durability: Air entrained concrete in Freeze Thaw zones, use of pozolans in marine environment, low permeability concrete in areas with heavy rain fall, use of internal curing agents or Shrinkage Reducing Admixtures in concretes prone to self- desiccation, are some of the examples, how the durability needs to be accounted at mix design stage. 7. Economy: The skill of a concrete technologist is in designing the best mix which meets optimum performance requirements within the allowable economy / cost. Low cost resources such as sand and gravel, need to be taken from the closest possible quarry. Major contribution to the cost of these materials, comes from freight and handling. Adjustment in gradation of these aggregates and minimizing the cement content will automatically result, in good economy of the mix. 8. Aesthetics and Appearance: Whether you require a plain finish or a texture, coloured concrete or a stamped finish, all such factors need to be considered during finalizing the mix design. Effect of ingredients on Properties of Concrete Cement Grade of cement decides maximum achievable compressive strength of a mix. Type of cement generally decides exposure conditions as well as water demand and compatibility with admixtures. Fineness of cement is important to decide water demand, initial workability, setting time as well as retention of slump. Alkalinity is responsible for both short term and long term performance parameters. IS Codes : 12269, 456, 8112 ASTM codes : C-150

We will take a look on, how some of the above factors help in arriving at a desired mix proportion. 1. Characteristic strength: Compressive strength of a mix is typically the most important mechanical characteristic. Once we know the strength requirements, it becomes simple to select the grade of cement, water content or W/B ratio as well as fine aggregate content. It is well known that reducing the W/B ratio, directly increases the compressive strength. 2. Air Content: Air in concrete is not always desirable. In non airentrained concrete it is desirable to have an air content less than 1 % more than the control mix or a maximum 2.5% by its volume. A little air helps in getting better slump and finishing of the concrete. As the air content increases, it starts decreasing the strength and simultaneously increase the permeability. We need to take this air into consideration, as the density and yield depend on the percentage of air in the mix. 3. Workability: It is the ability of fresh concrete which allows the placement and finishing at a particular point after mixing. The slump as it is called is measured using a slump cone at mixing point and at the point and time of placement. Depending on the actual application and placement technique, the value of slump can vary between almost zero for a pavement grade roller compacted concrete to a flowable consistency for the SCC. Apart from this point measure, the slump or workability may be required to be retained, up to a certain period of time. So, the required workability at a given time needs to be considered, while designing a mix.
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Admixtures

Fine Aggregates Fineness modulus and gradation of sand plays an important part in deciding the workability and cohesiveness of concrete mixes. Shape determines the flow, segregation and bleed characteristics. Absorption value determines the amount of water needed for adjustment after deciding free water content. Reactivity if any mainly with alkali needs to be mitigated using proper means such as pozolans, Lithium Silicates etc. Density which is generally determined by mineralogy affects yield. Coarse Aggregates Size of aggregates decides the amount of mortar required to coat all coarse aggregates. It also decides the maximum thickness up to which the concrete can be cast. Heavy density aggregates are generally used in radiation shielding concrete. The shape and size of aggregates is also critical in achieving desired workability and cohesiveness. Coarse aggregates can have round, angular, or irregular shape. Rounded aggregates because of lower surface area will have lowest water demand and also have lowest mortar/paste requirement. Hence they will result in most economical mixes for concrete grades up to M35. However, for concrete grades of M40 and above the possibility of bond failure will tilt the balance in favour of angular aggregate with more surface area. Flaky and elongated coarse aggregate particles not only increase the water demand but also increase the tendency of segregation. Flakiness and elongation also reduce the flexural strength of concrete. IS Codes : IS 383 ASTM Codes : C 33 Admixtures Admixtures play a very important role in todays concrete industry. Faced with a lot of environment, space and resource constraints and add to that the challenges of the modern day structural requirements and design diversities, no concrete today can really be considered without the use of chemical admixtures. We are having a detailed discussion on this topic at the end of this article. IS Codes : IS 9103 ASTM Codes : C-494, C-1017, C-260
Sieve Size
10 mm 40 mm 20 mm 10 mm 4.75 mm 2.36 mm 100.00 100.00 85.40 0.00 0.00

Pozolanic Materials Use of pozolanic materials has now become common. Both separate additions as well as blended cements are available. Microsilica (Fumed Silica), Fly ash, Slag, Meta Kaolin, Risk Husk Ash are predominant. Various specifications and test methods are used to determine the quality of these materials. IS Codes : IS 3812 ASTM codes : C-1240, C-311, C-441, C-618, C-989 There are different approaches to concrete mix design. We are showing a typical example of M-30 grade concrete, designed as per guidelines from IS 10262 : 2009. Here we have used KEM SUPLAST 128 UT which SNF based Concrete Super plasticizer conforming to ASTM C-494 type G and IS 9103. Mix Design Calculations as per IS 10262:2009 Stipulation for Proportioning Grade of concrete Type of Cement Type of mineral admixture Maximum nominal Size of aggregate Minimum cement content Maximum water- cement ratio Type of exposure Method of concrete placing Degree of Quality Control Type of aggregate Maximum cement(OPC) content Chemical admixture type Chemical Admixture brand Test Data for Material A) Cement a) Cement brand used b) Specific Gravity of Cement B) Fly Ash a) Fly ash brand used b) Specific Gravity of Fly Ash C) Water a) Source
50
20 mm 100.00 89.60 0.25 0.00 0.00 10 mm 50.00 50.00 42.70 0.00 0.00

30 OPC Fly Ash 20mm 320Kg/cum 0.45 Severe Pumping Very Good Crushed 450Kg/cum Superplasticizers KEM SUPLAST128 UT

U/T OPC 3.15

Dirk 2.15


% Passing
Combined 100% 100.00 94.80 42.83 0.00 0.00

Local
Specification as per IS 383
10 mm 100 100 85-100 0-20 0-5 20 mm 100 85-100 0-20 0-5 -

% Passing

50
20 mm 50.00 44.80 0.13 0.00 0.00

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IS Sieve
4.75 2.36 1.18 0.6 0.3 0.15 Pan

% Passing Individual
R.Sand 100.00 83.60 52.40 35.60 22.90 12.80 0.00 C.Sand 92.70 72.20 51.60 40.20 20.40 6.40 0.00 30

Combination
70 64.89 50.54 36.12 28.14 14.28 4.48 0.00 3.17 30.00 25.08 13.14 4.68 1.07 0.14 0.00 F.M=

Combine %
94.89 75.62 49.26 32.81 15.35 4.61 0 Zone=

Lower Limit
90 60 30 15 5 0 0 ZoneI

Upper Limit
100 95 70 34 20 10 0

D) Admixture a) Type & brand Kemsuplast b) Specific Gravity of Admixture c) % of dosage E) Coarse Aggregate a)Source b) Specific Gravity (SSD) 20mm c) Specific Gravity (SSD) 10mm d) Combine Sp. Gr. e) Water absorption % f) Free surface moisture Local Source 2.80 2.78 2.79 20mm 0.0% 10mm 0.0% 20mm 0.0% 10mm 0 . 0 % 128UT 1.24 1.2%

On trial experience base adopted water- cement ratio for this mix design is 0.42 0.42 < 0.45 Hence OK Selection of Water content From table 5 of IS 456, maximum water content for 20m 50 mm slump for 20 mm MSA =186Kg/cum Estimated water content for 120 mm slump =208Kg/cum Since use of superplastisizer will reduce 15 20% of water & above on trial with present superplastisizer water reduction achieved is 17% So the water content I =173Kg/cum Calculation of Cement content in design mix Water-cement ratio water content Total Cementitious content will be As per IS 456 minimum cementitious content is 410Kg/cum > 320Kg/cum Total cement (OPC) content Fly Ash content % by weight of cement @ 25%
I.S. Sieve Size in
40 20 10 4.75 2.36 1.18 0.6 0.3 0.15

Coarse aggregate Sieve Analysis F) Fine Aggregate River Sand a) Source of River sand b) Specific Gravity of River Sand c) Water absorption d) Free moisture Crushed Sand a) Source of Crushed sand b) Specific Gravity of Crushed Sand c) Water absorption d) Free moisture e) Combine Sp gr of total F.A. Local Source 2.68 0.0% 0.0% 2.7 Local Source 2.65 0.0% 0.0%

=0.42 =173Kg/cum =410Kg/cum =320Kg/cum Hence OK =308Kg/cum =103Kg/cum


Total % passing
100.00 97.09 67.98 41.75 33.27 21.68 14.44 6.75 2.03 0 6 10 35 30 50

C.A %
56.00% 56.0 53.1 24.0 0.0

F.A%
44.00% 44 44 44 41.8 33.3 21.7 14.4 6.8 2.0

Specifications
Min 100 85 Max 100 100

Combination of Fine Aggregate Fractions Design Calculation: Target Mean Strength fck+1.65X SD 30 + 1.65 X 5 38.25

Selection of Water/Cement ratio From Table 5 of IS 456, maximum water-cement ratio for M30 =0.45

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Proportion of volume of coarse aggregate& fine aggregates From table 3 of IS 10262(2009), Vol of CA corresponding to 20 mm size aggregate and FA (Zone I) for W/C ratio of 0.50 = 0.60. In present case W/C ratio is 0.42 Therefore Vol of CA is required to be increase to decrease the FA content as the W/C ratio is lower by 0.08 the proportion of vol of CA is increased by 0.02 So corrected vol of CA=0.62 For Pumping Mix this value should be reduced by 10% So Total vol of CA =62 X 0.9 =0.56cum Total Vol of FA = 1.00 0.56 = 0.44 cum Percentage of Fine aggregate and Coarse aggregate are arrived after conducting sieve analysis and combined grading as follows Percentage of C.A. To total aggregates Combination ratio of 20mm:10mm Percentage of F.A. To total aggregates Combination ratio of R.Sand : C.Sand =56% =50:50 % =44% =30:70 %

Test Results
Concrete Temperature 27oC Initial Slump Slump After 60 Min Workability Slump After 120 Min Slump After 150 Min Slump After 180 Min Mix Cohesive Collapse Collapse 210 mm 180 mm 140 mm

d) Volume of Admixture @

e) Volume of Water f) Total cementitious material + water + admixture g) Total volume of all aggregates h) Total quantity of coarse agg.

1 /1000 =0.047cum = Admixture Qty./Sp.Gr x 1/1000 =0.004cum =0.173 = 0.322cum =1-f =0.678cum =g x Vol of CA x Sp. Gr. Of C.A x 1000 =1062Kg/cum =531Kg/cum =531Kg/cum =g x Vol of FA x sp. Gr. Of F.A x 1000 =793Kg/cum =238Kg/cum =555Kg/cum

Combination Of All Aggregates Fractions Fine Aggregates % Coarse Aggregates % Mix Calculations a) Volume of Concrete b) Volume of Cement = 1cum = Cement Qty./Sp.Gr x 1 /1000 = 0.098cum = Fly Ash Qty./Sp.Gr x
Dry wt kg/M3 308 103 531 531 243 567 4.9 173 2460 0.42 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Moist. % W.A. % SSD kg/M3 308 103 531 531 243 567 4.9 173 2460 0.42

=44% =56%

Quantity of 20mm Quantity of 10mm I) Total quantity of Fine agg.

Quantity of River Sand Quantity of Crushed Sand Compressive Strength Data


Age Days 1 7 7 28 28 28 Weight KG 8.350 8.300 8.400 8.380 8.390 8.370 Density KG/Cum 2474 2459 2489 2483 2486 2480 Load KN 250 500 510 890 885 892

c)Volume of Fly ash Constituent Materials


Material Cemmentitious Material & Source OPC 53 Fly Ash CA2: 20 MM Aggregates CA1: 12 MM FA2: R.Sand FA1: C.Sand Admixture Water Kem Suplast 128 UT Local source

Strength N/MM2 Strength 11 22 23 40 39 40 40 Average 11 22 % 37 74 76 132 131 132

Note The above Mix is for guidelines purpose only, all the aggregates are considered as in SSD condition & their Sp. Gravity are considered according to materials available in Mumbai region. For practical purpose it is always advised to conduct the confirmatory trials at site conditions. Our representatives will be available for further advise if necessary.

Theoretical plastic density - = Water / Cement Ration =

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Admixtures

Admixtures for Tall Structures


Bruno Dsouza
Regional Business Segment Manager, Admixtures, Asia Pacific, BASF

Tall buildings or skyscrapers are constructed for several reasons. One reason being the creation of a status symbol, for example, the Burj Khalifa, the worlds tallest building which was constructed to symbolize Dubai as a world city. Other more obvious reasons for the presence of such structures would be part and parcel in the construction of central business districts in cities and also urbanization of populations. Urbanization is taking place at a faster rate in India than most places in the world. Urbanization in India was mainly caused after independence, due to adoption of a mixed system of economy by the country which gave rise to the development of private sector. Population residing in urban areas in India, according to 1901 census was 11.4%. This count increased to 28.53% according to 2001 census, and crossing 30% as per 2011 census, standing at 31.16%. According to a survey by UN State of the World Population report in 2007, by 2030, 40.76% of countrys population is expected to reside in urban areas. As per World Bank, India, along with China, Indonesia, Nigeria and the United States, will lead the worlds urban population surge by 2050.

Mumbai saw large-scale rural-urban migration in the 21st century. Mumbai accommodates 12.5 million people, and is the largest metropolis by population in India, followed by Delhi with 11 million inhabitants. Witnessing the fastest rate of urbanization in the world, as per 2011 census, Delhis population rose by 4.1%, Mumbais by 3.1% and Kolkatas by 2% as per 2011 census compared to 2001 census. Estimated population, at the current rate of growth, by year 2015 of Mumbai stands at 25 million, Delhi and Kolkata at 16 million each, Bangalore and Hyderabad at 10 million. Hence with urbanization increasing at such a fast pace, especially so in a developing economy such as India, puts more pressure on available land. This answers why construction companies in India are looking vertical space, kick-starting the trend of high-rise buildings dotting the country scape. Builders and architects are concentrating on building skyscrapers primarily because they are convenient. It allows them to create a lot of real estate on a relatively small ground area. Until the 1990s, the world of tall buildings was dominated by the North American continent and the United States in particular. In 1990, 80% of the worlds tallest 100 buildings were located in North America. Two decades later, these numbers have fallen to 35%. This trend is the result of a dramatic and continuing increase in tall building construction in both Asia and the Middle East. The construction of the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur built to a height of 452 m, Taipei 101 standing at 508 m and now the Burj Khalifa in Dubai at 828 m which stands 773 metres higher, or 15 times taller, than the worlds first tall building, the Home Insurance Building completed in Chicago in 1885, are a testimony to this fact.

Theres been an increasing trend toward construction of structural concrete super-tall buildings for several good reasons discussed in the following section of the paper. Whilst using such concretes, one needs to pay greater attention not only to aspects such as the mix design but also to its performance with respect to handling, pumping, placing, finishing and curing. Structural Material For many years, steel was the material of choice for the tall building, a fact displayed in the first 12 worlds tallest buildings. Currently, composite, concrete and mixed-structure construction is much more prevalent in tall structures. Only 24% of the worlds current 100 tallest structures contain a purely steel structural system, down from 57% in 1990. Reinforced concrete provides twice the dampening effect compared to steel, reducing forces on super-tall buildings due to wind and the cost of construction. Concrete buildings are quiet and structural concrete is naturally fire resistant. Modern formwork systems for horizontal and vertical castings greatly increase productivity and improvements in concrete pumping equipment and techniques, make easy and fast delivery of concrete possible. Advancements in concrete technology because of newly developed materials such as chemical admixtures have assisted in improving the properties of concrete, including strength and modulus of elasticity (E) making high-rise construction more attractive. Self-Compacting Concrete is increasing in use too, mainly due to the utilization of admixtures classified as Viscosity Modifying Agents (VMA) and Viscosity Enhancing Agents (VEA) and the availability of more economical fines or fillers.

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Admixtures

Chemical Admixtures Super-tall construction requires that the concrete to be economical and yet deliver high performance characteristics. High performance characteristics being properties such as high strength, low water/binder ratio, flowable for extended periods at ambient temperatures fluctuations from say 10 deg. C to 50 deg. C and most of all, pumpable to heights in excess of 600 m. To meet these challenges posed by various stakeholders including engineers, contractors and ready mixed concrete producers for the construction of such super-tall structures, BASF embarked on an intensive R&D project. The aim of the project was obviously to develop & deliver products capable of meeting the demands and needs necessary for the manufacture of such high performance concrete even in harsh environments. The R& D work resulted in an innovative concept being developed. This new concept is termed Total Performance Control (TPC). TPC concept ensures that the stakeholders achieve a concrete that is of the same high quality as originally specified; starting from production at the batching plant, to the delivery and application into place and followed by its hardening process. TPC is the stateof-the art technology that provides improved short and long term performances of concrete by controlling the two distinct features essential for high-quality concrete: extended workability and low water/binder ratio. These features are the key to the success of such an admixture system. The key element of the Total Performance Control is the Glenium SKY superplasticiser. Glenium SKY is an innovative superplasticiser based on second-generation polycarboxylate ether (PCE) polymers. It is derived directly from the TCP concept and is specially engineered to provide high water reduction and slump retention for ready mix concrete simultaneously. As compared with other PCE superplasticisers, it is possible to obtain a high quality concrete mix with accelerated strength development and extended workability without delayed setting characteristics. Glenium SKY is made using nanotechnology. A nanometer is a millionth of a millimeter the dimension of molecules and polymeric chains. In-house expertise in nanotechnology allows BASF to control the chemical and physical behavior of polymers and their interactions with cement by augmenting chain length, side chain length and density, and electrical charges as well as free functional groups. For the first time, nanotechnology allows local requirements and conditions to be better met. Self-Compacting Concrete produced using the TPC concept provides a concrete mix with exceptional placing characteristics, accelerated cement hydration for high early strength development and quality concrete. The addition of a Viscosity Modifying Agent (VMA) to Self-Compacting Concrete with Glenium SKY superplasticiser enhances the

robustness of the mix by providing excellent cohesion and anti-segregation properties. Robustness of a mix is desirable, especially when such mixes are expected to perform under high pump pressures and also flow for long horizontal distances and remain stable when dropped from heights into structural members such as columns and beams. Mechanism of Action The dispersion effect of superplasticisers is based on the adsorption of molecules on cement particles, imparting a negative charge that causes electrostatic repulsion and steric hindrance between them and, therefore dispersion. The hydration, and particularly the ettringite formation, works against the superplasticiser. Already adsorbed molecules are covered by the ettringite lawn, thus are ineffective. The particular configuration of the Glenium SKY molecules allows its delayed adsorption onto the cement particles and disperses them efficiently over a long period of time. The molecular structure is essential for the early development of strength. With superplasticisers based on conventional polycarboxylate ether, the molecules cover the entire surface of the cement grain and build a barrier against contact with water. Therefore, the hydration process takes place slowly. The Glenium SKY molecules, on the other hand, leave sufficient room on the cement surface to allow a rapid hydration reaction, resulting in high early strength development. A schematic representation of the mechanism of action of a normal PCE superplasticiser versus Glenium SKY is given below.

Application Burj Dubai, called Burj Khalifa since its opening, is the tallest building in the world by a large margin. Concrete admixtures from BASF have made a substantial contribution to its construction. The worlds tallest construction, reaching up 828 metres into the Dubai sky with the number of floors reported at 189, was opened on 4 January, 2010. Both, the second largest construction, the 610-metre Canton TV Tower in Guangzhou, China, and the second largest house, the 509-metre Taipei Financial Center in Taiwan, pale in comparison with these

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figures. Concrete admixtures from BASFs GLENIUM SKY product line brand have made a substantial contribution to this new world height record. Construction went on for five years in extreme climatic conditions. Burj Khalifa put great demands not only on the 2,400 construction workers deployed around the clock. The staggering heights, a demanding architectural design, and the climate required exceptional performance from concrete admixtures as well: The hyperplasticiser of the GLENIUM SKY brand enabled the concrete to be pumped up to a height exceeding 600 metres without interruption. In all, about 180,000 cubic metres of concrete with GLENIUM SKY were used for the structures foundation plate as well as the superstructure construction. The climatic conditions posed a further challenge during the construction of the worlds tallest building: Temperatures in Dubai not only fluctuate between 10 C in winter and 50 C in summer, but there are also temperature differences between day and night of up to 20 C. GLENIUM SKY and the BASF teams expertise counteracted these conditions and ensured a consistently high concrete quality. In addition, the staggering height of the Burj Khalifa and the resulting weight of the construction cause enormous pressure within the concrete structure. Through the use of GLENIUM SKY, the concrete acquires a compressive strength of up to

80MPa which is roughly equal to the pressure the total weight of a small car would exert on a big toe. The high strength also provides the concrete structure with a long service life and ensures the sustainable usage of the building. Conclusion Concrete with specialized & tailored admixture systems utilizing nanotechnology & unique polymer science can deliver the following benefits to stakeholders of tall structures: - Ensuring a constant high-quality concrete even at a low water/binder ratio - Providing concrete with extended workability at high temperatures, without delayed strength development - Guaranteeing a concrete that meets the original specification from the fresh to the hardened stage - Offering a single, versatile admixture system for many types of applications and conditions Refrences
- - Abalos, I., & Herreros, J. (2003). Tower and Office: From Modernist Theory to Contemporary Practice. Cambridge, MA:MIT Press. In L.S. Beedle & D. Rice (Eds.), Proceedings of the 4th World Congress of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat: Tall Buildings- 2000 and Beyond. Chicago, IL: Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, 3-12. Ali, M.M. (2001). Art of the Skyscraper: The Genius of Fazlur Khan. New York: Rizzoli. Ali, M.M. (2005). The skyscraper: epitome of human aspirations. In Proceedings of the 7th World Congress of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat: Renewing the Urban Landscape [CD-ROM]. Chicago, IL: Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. Ali, M.M., & Armstrong, P .J. (Eds). (1995). Architecture of Tall Buildings. Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat Monograph. New York: McGraw-Hill. Taranath, B. (1998). Steel, Concrete, & Composite Design of Tall Buildings. New York: McGraw-Hill.

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Admixtures

Performances and Benefits of Concrete Admixtures in Concrete Durability

Philippe Ortega
Vice Technical Director, CHRYSO SAS, France

s larger and larger amounts of concrete will be required worldwide in the future, the need for developing sustainable construction solutions has been progressively growing in our building industry, depending on each country sensitivity and awareness. Concrete is in fact is one of the most durable and cost effective construction material in use. Its durability is characterized by the capacity to keep over time its values in use for which it was designed (structural purpose, safety, comfort of users), while maintaining maintenance costs as low as possible. In order to guarantee this durability, it is still common in India, as well as in other countries, to see project designers prescribing a fixed concrete mix design, based on ultimate strengths associated with a workability target. However, based on the experience collected over the last decade, we can state that durability should be rather understood by considering a larger set of criteria: physico-chemical characteristics of the concrete, production and placement process, as well as a perfect knowledge of the exposure conditions. In a new approach considering durability more in terms of performance aspects, to take better into account all the criteria mentioned above, we will see that the role of concrete admixtures becomes of great importance, and we will detail how they can directly or indirectly improve some durability factors. Approaching Concrete Durability Performance Wise Traditionally, many project designers are used to specifying the durability of a concrete in terms of ultimate strengths, together with a pre-established mix design fixing typically a maximum Water / Cement ratio, a minimum cement content, even sometimes a definite dose of admixture. This prescriptive approach is able to provide a certain durability for the concrete, as it will ensure a reasonable compacity. Nevertheless, the mechanical strength of a concrete does not determine alone the durability. As an example, two concrete with same strengths can show very different behaviours in terms of resistance against sulphate attacks or alkali-silica reaction.

Even though the compacity would be comparable, the way the pores are distributed in the concrete, their size, will influence for example the diffusion properties of aggressive chemicals, and lead finally to different durability performances. The experience collected in the last years allows now to better optimize concrete mix designs in terms of durability while taking into account the real performance of the concrete. This performance approach requires knowing precisely the conditions playing a role on the durability: The concreting process: it is essential to respect the best practices in terms of concreting process. From mixing to curing, the way the concrete is handled will affect its quality, and, as a consequence, its durability. For example, a concrete can be properly designed for the exposure conditions, but may finally lack durability if not properly cured, because of a non optimal cement hydration. Another key point is the rheological behaviour of the concrete: workability, viscosity, cohesiveness, will provide more or less ability for placement and consolidation, which is also essential for keeping concrete structures durable. The physico-chemical concrete properties: beside the classical particles packing density that determines the compacity of the concrete, the chemical nature of the raw materials (aggregates, cement, SCM materials) plays an important role: it is well documented for example that slag and pozzolanic materials have a positive impact on durability, since they are able to reduce the corrosion rate by increasing the resistivity of the concrete. Furthermore, the potential reactivity between constituents has also to be considered (aggregates sensitive to ASR reaction, e.g.). The exposure conditions: taking precisely into account the environment in which the concrete structure will be located and the risk of attacks it will be exposed to during its service life is necessary to optimize the durability performance of the concrete. In Europe, a first step towards this performance approach has been achieved, by introducing in the EN 206-1 (European Concrete standard) some specific exposure classes

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related to corrosion induced by chlorides, by carbonation, freeze-thaw attacks and chemical. Using these classes, the project designer will be able to prescribe a minimum ultimate strength, cement content and maximum water to cement ratio, as well as the type and nature of some constituents. In some countries like France, this performance approach has been further investigated. Some specific durability indicators have been defined, in association with operating modes (like oxygen permeability, chloride diffusion, speed and depth of carbonation). Work is still in progress to link such parameters with the real life span of concrete structures. As an example, we can mention the construction of the Euro-tunnel, designed for 120 years: water permeability tests had been performed, which confirmed the low porosity (7 % to 8 %) of the concrete, allowing to select the final mix design parameters, especially the water to cement ratio of 0,32 (Rc 28D between 66 to 69 MPa). Approaching this way the durability performance wise, many benefits can be be found using concrete admixtures, since they will help to optimize some physico-chemical characteristics of the concrete and even the concreting conditions. How Admixtures can Improve Durability Related to the Concreting Conditions: One condition for guaranteeing durable concrete is a proper cohesiveness. It starts with the mixing process: according to the Indian standard IS 456, concrete should be mixed until
Class Designation Description of the environment

there is a uniform distribution of the materials and the mass is uniform in color and consistency. Mixing aid admixtures can help in that regard, as they will reduce efficiently the mixing time, especially in case of concrete containing high volumes of cementitious materials, particularly hard to defloculate. Also the placing of the concrete around the reinforcement, fully compacted, has got a very important influence on the final durability. It is therefore essential for the workmanship to respect the best practices of pouring and vibrating concrete. In addition, with the most advanced admixture technologies, like PCP based superplasticizers, it is possible to optimize this process, by producing highly flowable concrete that will require less effort to place. Some of these products allow also keeping a better control over other rheological parameters of the mix, like thixotropy: this reversible thickening force can lead to an early concrete stiffness, especially at low water cement ratios, disturbing consequently the placement process. Admixture suppliers have now developed specific molecules to decrease this effect. Not only the easiness of placing , but also its regularity is another key point for a consistent and guaranteed durability: the new generation superplaticizers allow to make for example Self Compacting Concrete, that do not require any more vibration. As the quality of compaction does not depend any more on the human factor, it is possible to expect a more regular placement quality, favourable for the durability. The regularity is also obtained by improving the robustness of the
Informative examples where exposure classes may occur

4 Corrosion induced by chlorides from sea water Where concrete containing reinforcement or other embedded metal is subject to contact with chlorides from sea water or air carying salt originating from sea water, the exposure shall be classified as follows: XS1 XS2 XS3 Exposed to airbome salt but not in direct contact with sea water Permanently submerged Tidal, splash and spray zones structure near to or on the coast Parts of marine structures Parts of marine structures

5 Freeze/thaw attack with or without de-icing agents Where concrete is exposed to significant attack by freeze/thaw cycles whilst wet, the exposure shall be classified as follows: XF1 XF2 XF3 XF4 Moderate water saturation, without deicing agent Moderate water saturation, with deicing agent High water saturation, without de-icing agent High water saturation, with de-icing agent or sea water Vertical concrete surface exposed to rain and freezing Vertical concrete surface of road structures exposed to freezing and airbome de-icing agents Horizontal concrete surface exposed to rain and freezing Road and bridge decks exposed to de-icing agents: Concrete surface exposed to direct spray containing de-icing agents and freezing splash zones of marine structures exposed to freezing Concrete exposed to natural soil and ground water according to table 2 concrete exposed to natural soil and ground water according to table 2 concrete exposed to natural soil and ground water according to table 2

6 Chemical attack XA1 XA2 XA3 slightly aggressive chemical environment Moderately aggressive chemical environment Highly aggressive chemical environment

Extract from the EN 206-1: Description of some exposure classes

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fresh concrete to different variables: first cement chemistry variations (the soluble alkali content especially) can lead to non regular water and superplasticizer demand, thus impacting workability. Today, products like alkyl phosphonate based superplasticizers have been designed to cover a large range of cement chemistries, and are proved to be much less cement specific than the regular PCPs. Then, other variations come also often in India from the aggregates particle size distribution: variable fine contents, in crushed sands particularly, increase sometimes a lot the risk of bleeding and segregation, and therefore the durability. For that, admixture suppliers have now in their offer some efficient molecules, known as Viscosity Modifying Agents, able to smooth up these variations and ensure a more regular concrete cohesiveness. Finally, another variation that may affect the placing process is the workability loss over time. Whereas PNS based old generation superplasticizers were hardly able to retain workability more than one hour, some PCP based superplasticizers, along with other newly developed technologies called slump extenders allow concrete open times up to 3 hours or more. Also, being

able to maintain constantly over time a cohesive concrete -from the time of mixing until the time of placing - avoids producing a concrete with a too high initial workability at the edge of segregation, as observed sometimes in India, which minimizes the risk of getting a non homogeneous concrete at the pouring point. After placing, curing is the next step which is essential for avoiding a too quick drying of the concrete surface, leading to drying shrinkage responsible for cracks. Most admixture manufacturers offer already different types of curing agents, mineral or water based, that protect efficiently the concrete surface, and therefore improve durability. Considering the relatively high outside temperatures in India, it makes fully sense to develop the use of such products compared to traditional solutions - typically water spraying - less efficient as they require many more repeated applications. To some extend, it is also possible to minor the shrinkage phenomena by using two other chemical types of solutions, known as Shrinkage Compensating Agents (SCA) and Shrinkage Reducing Agents (SRA). These liquid admixtures are able to help reduce the capillary forces while concrete is drying and their efficiency is excellent. As much as the SCA use remains confidential and some time difficult to control, the SRA technology is widely available and robust. How Admixtures can Improve Durability Related to the Physico-Chemical Characteristics Getting a microstructure as dense as possible is a well known key driver for improving concrete durability. Beside waterproofing agents dosed in the concrete mass, able to close to a certain extent the capillaries, and decrease consequently the risk of penetration of aggressive substances, the superplasticizers play a major role, as the most recent ones the new generation PCPs - are able to offer almost an unlimited reduction of the water to cement ratio. The consequence is the possibility, together with mix design optimization, to increase regular concrete compressive strengths up to 120 MPa and Ultra High Strength concrete (UHPC) up to 200 MPa in commercial applications. The consecutive reduction of the porosity allows today the designers to build concrete infrastructures up to sometimes 300 years. However, reducing too drastically the water to cement ratio will increase significantly the solid volume fraction in the paste, and consequently the viscosity, as it is predicted by the universal Krieger and Dougherty law. In India, due to high proportions of cementitious materials necessary to reach safely the strengths requirements, this practical limit is often exceeded, and people start to complain about too much stickiness. Some further admixture developments modified PCPs and alkyl phosponate based superplasticizers can now help about this issue, by reaching an acceptable compromise between rheological and strengths properties.

From a bleeding mixto a cohesive SCC mix using a Viscosity Modifying Admixture

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Admixtures

, by increasing the freeze-thaw resistance of concrete. Also, the so-called corrosion inhibitors, based mostly on calcium nitrite or more recently on amine technologies, will directly fight against the aggressive agents - chlorides in that case. These admixtures will chemically neutralize the chlorides, slowing down or stopping their penetration in the concrete. Some simplified tools (e.g. the American software Life-365) can be actually used to simulate their benefit on the life span of the structure. Unlike these admixtures specifically designed for durability purposes, it is interesting to bring up the case of products that found a secondary function as durability enhancers. Surface retarders is one typical example: normally designed for aesthetic purpose (it allows to produce exposed aggregate concrete, by removing the outer skin of cement paste to uncover decorative coarse aggregate), they can be advantageously used to ensure the continuity of reinforcement at construction joints between two concrete pours, which is a guarantee for a good durability of the whole structure. Instead of hammering the upper surface of the first concrete to make it rough, as we can still see on some Indian job sites, this surface can be treated instead with a surface retarder, providing a more regular surface attack. The aggregates are then perfectly exposed for receiving the new concrete, ensuring a good bound at the joint. Conclusion Following a mix design prescription that fixes ultimate strengths has been often considered as a sufficient guaranty for qualifying concrete durability. However, many other factors related to concrete properties (more than just the porosity), environmental conditions and production process, have a direct influence on the durability. As we saw, concrete admixtures producers can play a significant role in all these fields, as they have now well understood the new potential of their product on the durability aspect. Their contribution however especially with the newest superplasticizer technologies - will be only complete if the project designers accept to approach durability more performance wise, a trend seen more and more in European concrete regulations.
Author Bio Philippe Ortega is a graduate in Chemistry from Lille university (France). He joined CHRYSO in 1998 in order to start the first developments on Self Compacting Concrete in the German Precast and Readymix industry. From 2002 up to now, he works in the CHRYSO concrete business unit, in charge of the technical development and support in many countries (India, USA, European countries), where he has been given the opportunity to participate to the achievement of big job sites (ex. Nancy creek Tunnel, USA, Millennium Bridge, Poland).

Impact of the W / C ratio decrease thanks to a PCP based superplasticizer on water permeability

The admixture chemistry can be also very helpful to support the use of some particular concrete raw materials, like the Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCM). Within blended cements or added separately as a partial replacement for the Portland clinker, SCM materials contribute to a significant reduction of the carbon footprint, improving directly the durability of the concrete, sustainability wise. Furthermore, many of them, like fly ash or slag are able to improve some physico-chemical characteristics of the concrete related to durability: one the physical side, they improve further the compacity of concrete mixes thanks to their fineness, on the chemical side they can fight against aggressive exposure conditions, like corrosion induced by chlorides, sulphate disorders or alkali silica reactions (ASR). Also, the risk of thermal cracks, due to young concrete heat generation wave and its volume variation (expansion / contraction), especially in massive concrete works, can be minimized using SCM materials. Well documented, the synergy between such materials and conventional retarding admixtures has been proven years ago, to help to maintain temperature gradients into concrete at acceptable levels. However, putting high amounts of SCM materials can affect some concrete properties: often a decrease of the workability window, due to less soluble alkalis in the total binder, or a delay of setting times and early strengths. Admixture suppliers are now well aware of these issues, and they adapt their chemistry, especially the PCP based superplasticizers, to be fully compatible with SCM materials, by speeding up the strengthening process or by adding some specific slump extender admixtures to retain properly the workability. It is worth mentioning that some admixtures were specifically developed in order to improve specific durability performances related to physical or chemical concrete characteristics: air entraining agents for example, that avoid cracks due to the volume expansion of the frozen water left in the concrete pores. Such admixtures, providing a closely and uniformly distributed network of air bubbles, work therefore as real durability enhancers

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Waterproofing

Positive Waterproofing from Negative Side

Samir Surlaker
Managing Director, MC-Bauchemie

ith the increase in infrastructural projects, use of underground constructions is tremendously increased. Scarcity of land at ground level necessitates underground metros in crowded cities. Distances of rail and roads are lowered by tunelling through mountains and under the bed of water. Deeper basements are part of construction activities civil and geotechnical engineers are facing challenges firstly to gather geotechnical data and later to select construction techniques to complete projects on schedule. In spite of technological advancements in geological strata mappings, the real problems are faced while actual construction is going on. Since the exact nature of strata cannot be predetermined, civil engineers have to resolve problems at site. Rehabilitation of underground structures pose major problems as usually only the internal face is accessible and the problem is always on the other side. Movement of water is one of the major impediment to underground construction. Leakages can be uncontrollable and have to be repaired immediately. If leakages are not arrested early, the consequential damages to structures can be time consuming and costly to repair throwing the deadlines out of gear and endangers the very stability of structures. Fig 1 shows different types of Cracks in Tunnel linings. Fig 2 shows critical water ingress. Any repair based on predetermined material is bound to be ineffective. Sound principles of civil engineering is the

base to all repairs, rehabilitation or retrofitting. So positive waterproofing is possible from negative side. In many waterproofing projects, damp-proofing systems are specified and waterproofing is expected of them. There is a major difference between waterproofing and damp-proofing. As per ACI Committee 515 report, waterproofing and dampproofing is defined differently. Waterproofing is a treatment of a surface or structures to prevent the passage of water under hydrostatic pressure. Dampproofing is a treatment of surface or structure to resist the passage of water in the absence of hydrostatic pressure. While designing the waterproofing system, actual service conditions are to be borne in mind. It should be decided at this stage whether damp-proofing is required or waterproofing is desired. Positive side waterproofing systems are applied on the same side as the applied hydrostatic pressure and negative side waterproofing systems are placed on the side opposite the applied hydrostatic pressure. Previously negative side waterproofing was only adopted when access to positive side was unavailable as in case of common boundary lines. Negative side waterproofing systems were also used as repair strategy because the positive side was inaccessible and the back fill or protective layers had to be removed. There is an increasing trend in the country to specify negative side waterproofing. If the negative side waterproofing systems are unavoidable, extreme care should be exercised during the construction process. First and foremost, the concrete cast should be of very low permeability without honeycombing, cracks, crevices or any other surface defects. Efficient drainage systems are mandatory. Provision of water stops is also mandatory, as this is first line of defense in case of negative waterproofing. Fig 3 shows schematically the positioning of positive side and negative side waterproofing. It should be clearly borne in mind that negative side waterproofing accords no protection to concrete if soils contain corrosive chemicals. Extreme precautions should be taken at joints

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Waterproofing

Crack Injection
Structural injection for dry cracks Structural injection for damp cracks Sealing of cracks and cavities for waterproofing Sealing against pressurized water Injections for imparting stability in Masonry structures Frictional Sealing of loose masonry External sealing using curtain injection technology Grid injection for dampness
Table 1 : Different types of Crack Injection

between walls and floors and careful detailing is required to maintain integrity and water tightness. In every case it seems that negative waterproofings are chosen over positive waterproofing on account of ease of application and this trend should be discontinued in favour of positive waterproofing. Negative side waterproofings are also inefficient against high vapour permeability and therefore are ruled out when the interiors are to be used for humidity sensitive applications. Waterproofing as a System Waterproofing treatments cannot be carried out by application of single material on new concrete or existing treatments. There cannot be a single material that is right for every structure. Most of the failures in the waterproofing treatments are on account of this misconception. The only way to ensure reliable treatment is by considering the waterproofing treatment as a system. System for waterproofing can be defined as combination of materials, preparation of specifications, application techniques designed by taking into considerations the requirement of the client or home owner, which would provide efficient, reliable and long term protection to concrete structures with minimum maintenance costs. Waterproofing should never begin with a specific material in mind. The properties of material are to be stated and then the material is to be selected as per the merit. In case of underground structures the design has to consider the soil mechanics aspect like variable strata, unsuspected

Fig 2: Water Ingress which can be stopped

Fig 3 : Comparison of Positive Side & Negative Side Waterproofing

streams etc. which may contribute to the hydrostatic pressure. Efficient drainage systems should be designed to avoid build up of hydrostatic pressure due to stagnation of water against waterproofed surfaces. If necessary, the path of water should be re-routed with proper grading to control surface runoffs. Well connected network of perimeter drains connected to vertical drainage system is the key to achieving perfect waterproofing of subgrade structures. Fig. 4 shows basement waterproofing system designed with efficient drainage for a very high water pressure. Geotextile filter fabrics are normally designed for a narrow range of permeability. The filters are efficient guard against silt collection in aggregate drainage system as they avoid clogging of drainage conduits. Difficult ground water conditions can be overcome by providing well designed geodrainage systems which would eventually lower the hydrostatic pressure on waterproofing barrier system. If a sump is provided the pumping system should be proportionate to collection of water. Reasons for Crack Injection The other major avenue for water entry into structures are cracks. Cracks threaten the durability of buildings. Moisture ingress restricts the usage of buildings and may ultimately lead to adverse economic effects inclusive of collapse of

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Waterproofing

Various Injection Material Bases


PU/Hydrostructural Elastomers Water foam and bubble Adhere extremely well to wet substrates Good Performance with water Cementitious Water is a parpt of the curing process Must have water to build healing crystals Good Adhesion Good Performance with water EP / Duromers Foam and bubble with water Bubbles contain air, reduced strength Poor adhesion Bad Performance with water Acrylic Gel/ Hydrostructure Consists of 80% water Adhesion is reasonable movement is excellent Good Performance with water
Table 2 : Different Injection Materials

Fig 4: Subgrade waterproofing system with drainage

effectively at a later date. The material used for such cases must display excellent flow properties. Fig 7 shows usage of different materials for different Injection types.
Fig 5 : Grid Injection Principle

Guideline for Material Selection structures. The combined effect of moisture ingress and frost may even aggravate existing damage. Due to its increased volume, ice causes more serious crack damage and largearea frost heave. Cracks can endanger the stability of entire buildings. Apart from the structural aspects, the entire appearance of a building an important criterion for the valuation and assessment of buildings is considerably impaired by cracks and deterioration that is brought about by water entry and chemicals ingress. Table 1 shows various reasons for Injection. Usually three different systems are specialised applications to solve critical problems: Grid Injection: Water penetration is often caused by bad concrete compaction, honey combing or defective seals. This is rectified by using grid injection systems a special technology developed from the standard injection process. Fig 5 shows a Grid Injection Principle and Fig. 6 shows the process. Waterbar Injection: A special injection application is waterbar injection where waterbars are used to seal joints in moving structures against pressurised water. However, the concrete often proves to be a weak point in the area of the waterbar because of inadequate compaction. Waterstop Injections effectively clear off this defect and render structure waterproof. Reinjectable hose Injection: Other critical areas with regard to the watertightness of a building or structure are expansion joints that are not sealed with waterbars. Inserting injection pipes provides the possibility of sealing expansion joints The selection of material for injection in the crack largely depends upon the investigation and primarily the following factors: - - - - - - - Pattern of cracks Width of the crack Movements in the crack faces Due to temperature variations Due to dynamic loadings Moisture in the crack Dirt in the crack

Available Options Duromer Resins: Duromer Resins have been used for many

Fig 6 : Process of Grid Injection

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Waterproofing

How to choose the right product - Job Conditions


These are problems which injection can solve Sealing Coming from movement cracks stationary cracks construction joints expansion joints bad construction All needs flexible filling Strengthening Cracks coming from mechanical damages damages caused by earth movements general wear and tear Bad construction All needs rigid filling
Table 3: Selection of Materials

Fig 8: Showing Hydrostructure Resin PU Foam

years for the rigid injection of cracks in dry structural sections. Epoxy resins of very low viscosity can be injected into the finest of cracks. This guarantees a strong permanent bridging of both sides of the crack, thus restoring bearing capacity for the designed loads planned. This process can also be carried out where the structure is also subject to vibration. Duromer resins of varying viscosity can be used for injection and impregnation depending on the width of the crack. Elastomer Resins: If rigid injection material is used the cracks become visible after injection or new cracks develop adjacent to old cracking. High quality elastomer resins are a solution for avoidance of such occurences. Elastomer resins can be designed with distinct pore structures. An homogenous closed cell structure is formed which enables safe sealing. The integrated compression and decompression reserves in the cell structure absorb the expansion and the contraction in the crack. The effectiveness and permanency of the seal is guaranteed by the ability to expand and contract in sympathy with the crack movement while maintaining the tenacious bond to crack surfaces. Hydrostructural Resins: Hydrostructural resins cure to form elastic membrane and impervious seals when encountered with water. This property is very useful when the external of building is not accessible like in buried structures and when the external waterproofing envelope is damaged. By drilling

through the structure to the interface between existing waterproofing membrane or protection board, hydrostructure gels can be injected to recreate the seal. Hysdrostructure resins can be designed for high chemical and mechanical resistances. Fig 8 shows water reactive Pu Foam. They guarantee permanent elasticity, tenacious and isotopic bonding and unique skin effect. Fig. 7 different material for different injection types. The Process of Injection After completion of diagnosis and selection of materials for injection the work of injection passes through following stages. - - - - - - - - Preparation of the crack Location of points (nipples) for injection Fixing of injection points Surface sealing of cracks Injection of resin proper Removal of nipples and plugging Removal of sealing material Final surface treatment after injection resin/grout hardens

Components and Machinery Proprietary materials and machineries are available for treating the cracks by injection system. The materials are mostly synthetic resin based or cement based. The synthetic resins are usually two component materials based on epoxies and polyurethane. The cement based materials are invariably modified with polymers to impart flowability, non shrinking characteristics, better bonding etc. The first step is selection of packers. It is important that packers are in the form of metal or plastic tubes. They should be able to be connected to the injection nozzle, so that the pressure if any should not be lost. Thereafter, it should be possible to tie or seal the packers, so that the resin is not lost and they should be removable to enable the surface smoothening. Normally there are two types of packers.

Fig 7: Crack V/s. Materials to be used

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Waterproofing

substrates with epoxy and polyurethane resins where surface conditions are suitable. Drill or Bore Injection Packers: for the injection of dry, moist and water bearing (pressurized and Non-presurrized) cracks, cavities and substrates with epoxy, Acrylic and Polyurethane resins Hammer Packers: for the injection of cement injections and acrylic gels. Fig. 10 shows different packers for Injection. The more sophisticated the machinery, the better the control and therefore the performance. Secifications written in office can be perfectly adhered to at site and controlled via good supervision. Present day gel injections with a very low setting and reaction times require 2 component machineries which can mix materials at the nozzle. Fully computerized attachments can measure the pressure, control per point, idle time, time taken for injections and this data can be mentioned for documentation purpose. Further such data can be used by owner to control the quantity of repair process and materials respectively. The supervision at site is very essential to ensure that the specifications are strictly adhered to. The temperature plays very important role in the performance of some resin based systems: and therefore manufacturers instructions as to the environmental temperature as well as the temperature of the component in which the material in injected are to be followed. The simplest of the injection method is the brush injection. The resin is brushed on the non moving surface cracks and is absorbed in capillary action. In case of pressureless injection the material is poured into the packers especially in case of pipes acting as packers, the use of such injection depends largely on the dimensions of the crack. In case of structural cracks of the width 0.2 - 1.0 mm, it is advisable to resort to low pressure injection. This low pressure can either be created with hand guns (sealant guns, grease guns etc) or a normal compressor used at site. The pressure developed is around 6 - 10 bars. Depending upon the crack widths and depths, high pressure injections can be resorted to for structural crack repairs. It is possible to develop pressures to the tune of 500 bars using mechanical or pneumatic transmissions. The injection method should be clearly specified prior to the commencement of the work and should be supervised to conform with the specifications. Fig 11 shows Injection Machineries. Modern Injection Techniques When problems cannot be resolved by conventional methods of grouting and injections the resort can be made to modern injection techniques in which external envelope can be created by working from inside the structures. This means creating positive waterproofing from negative side. This

Fig 9: Different Packers for Injection

The packers, which can be stuck to the surface of the structure along the line of crack, if the surface is even and packers which are to be introduced in the structure after boring and inclined at 450C to the crack plane. The spacing of injection points depend upon the width of crack as well as the porosity of concrete. However, as a thumb rule, in case of adhesion packer, the spacing should be about 50% of concrete cross section. Adhesion packers should not be used for high pressure injections exceeding 60 bars. Fig. 9 shows both types of packers. Packer or Packer Systems are the link between the structure and face of the crack and the injection nozzle. Packers must be of adequate size to gurarantee the flow of injection resin to the desired place with or without being displaced or debonded due to injection pressures or rebounds. The critical selection depends upon the access to crack, quality of surface, surface condition as well as pressures used in injection process. Table 5 shows Technical data about packers. There are Normally Three Types of Packers used Under General Conditions Adhesion Packers: for the injection of dry cracks, cavities and

Fig 10: Showing Different Packers

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Waterproofing

technology involves new machineries, new materials and trained applicators as the technology is state of art. In order to ensure durability and, in particular, bearing capacity, the permissible crack width in the relevant norms is confined to a harmless size. If this width is exceeded, there is a danger of further secondary damage to the building or structure. Cracks smaller than the permissible maximum width can, when penetrated with water, also detrimentally affect the structure concerned. To maintain and restore operational use, any cracks appearing in a building or structure must be sealed. Various injection procedures are used depending on the cause of the crack and individual requirements. The material is injected into the crack through injection packers and a specially designed machine. The objective is the closing and sealing of the crack as well as the expandable or rigid bridging of the sides of the cracks. Epoxy resins have been used for many years for the rigid injection of cracks in dry structural sections. Epoxy resins of very low viscosity, can be injected into the finest of cracks. This guarantees a strong permanent bridging of both sides of the crack, thus restoring bearing capacity for the loads planned. This process can also be carried out where the structure is subject to vibration. Epoxy resins of varying viscosity can be used for injection and impregnation depending on the width of the crack. Mineral injection systems also fulfil the requirements of rigid injection. The newly developed cement based suspensions are suitable, in particular, for injecting moist cracks bearing pressureless water as well as dry cracks and can even be used for the rigid injection of cracks down to 0.2 mm vide. Even newly erected buildings and structures often show signs of defects in the form of cracks or cavities caused by damage. Mineral injection systems really come into their own in these cases because they are not sensitive to the moisture
How to choose the right product - Site Conditions
Few are only 2 site conditions which has to be taken into condition when injection shall be attempted Wet Cracks movement cracks stationary cracks construction joints expansion joints bad construction Needs Hydrostructure Resins and gels for flexible filling Dry Cracks Non moving cracks mechanical damages damages caused by earth movements general wear and tear bad construction Needs Duromers for Rigid filling
Table 4 : Selection of Materials

contained in new concrete. Rectifying defects with mineral polymer cement injection makes the building or structure appear as a unified entity for inspection purposes as well as restoring the structural integrity. Structures located in groundwater and pressure water environments, e.g. tunnels, reservoirs, etc., often display pervious areas, which can considerably impair the use of the structure in question. These pervious areas can be caused by cracks, voids or faulty seals. Water-bearing cracks make particular demands on injection technology. The objective is to seal an existing structure to prevent water penetration without impeding the normal expansion and contraction of the structure. Structures with water-bearing cracks are normally accessible from one side only. If the actual seal can only otherwise be repaired at a great expense, the only truly economical way of achieving permanent success is to use injection technology developed polyurethane-based injection systems for such cases and these have proved successful over many years. Permanent seals are achieved by using PU Injection with its outstanding material properties which was by forming an even closed pore structure. The result is a plastic workable product which makes flexible injection sealing possible. Even cracks bearing pressurized water can permanently sealed. In this case, a fast-foaming waterstopping polyurethane, can be used. Water penetration is often caused by bad concrete compaction, honey combing or defective seals. This is rectified by using grid injection systems, a special technology developed from the standard injection process. Fig. 5 shows the principle of grid injection of creating positive waterproofing from negative side. Fig. 6 shows the process of injection and grid matrix. A special injection application is waterbar injection where waterbars are used to seal joints in moving structures against

Fig 11: Injection Machineries

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Waterproofing

Packers
Adhesion Packer Material Steel Plate 38 x 43 mm shank 23 mm 1.5 mm 60 bar Drill Packer Aluminiumbase alloy 115 x 13 mm 1.5 mm 200 bar Hammer Packer Plastic

Measurements Valve Orifice Permitted max pressure in concrete Permitted max pressure in masonry Loss of pressure

115 x 23 mm 4.5 mm 30 bar

20 bar 10 - 15 bar

20 bar 10 - 15 bar

30 bar < 1 bar

easily penetrate into the crack also filling the so called crack root. This ensures a seamless, rigid bonding of the crack edges. These highly cross-linked duromer resins are also the right choice for critical joints, where all important static forces are being transmitted. The properties of the injection material must be compatible with the parent material. The structural mechanics of the injected element should remain unaffected. This is an important aspect when carrying out construction works on concrete or masonry buildings that are classified as historical monuments. Cement suspensions are insensitive to varying moisture levels in the building. Even large volumes of injection are possible with cementatious suspensions suitably modified to low viscosities and having non shrink properties. They ensure a high degree of efficiency enabling a reduction in restoring costs. Conclusion Occurrence of cracks is practically unavoidable in structures. The modern building chemical technology coupled with proper equipment can solve almost all types of rehabilitation problems thereby providing economical solution in comparison to demolition and reconstruction of structures. The specifications should be very clear and unambiguous. The specifications should at least cover points like material, viscocity, techniques to be adopted, the equipment to be employed, type of nozzles and spacings, pressure to be applied etc. The supervision at site is very essential to ensure that the specifications are strictly adhered to. The temperature plays very important role in the performance of some resin based systems: and therefore manufacturers instructions as to the environmental temperature as well as the temperature of the component in which the material in injected are to be followed. New Injection technology accommodates not only new materials but also advanced machineries and trained applicators. The latest injection methods and processes can arrest heavy water leakages in couple of minutes and therefore require precision mixing proportions and split second timing to achieve immediate gelation. It must therefore be first determined what is the purpose of injection and from this decision one should proceed to selection of material and adequate packers and machineries. Right decision at this stage is prerequisite for avoidance of failure. Planning therefore and technical guidance becomes key factor in the process of decision making sound knowledge of soil structure interaction, technical know how of material chemistry coupled with trained applicators are required to successfully carry out the job under actual site and job condition. Any repair based on predetermined material is bound to be ineffective. Sound principles of civil engineering is the base to all repairs, rehabilitation or retrofitting. So positive waterproofing is possible from negative side.

Table 5 : Technical data about packers

pressurized water. However, the concrete often proves to be a weak point in the area of the waterbar because of inadequate compaction. This technology is further proof of the effectiveness of solving structural problems with special injection systems. Other critical areas with regard to the watertightness of a building or structure are expansion joints that are not sealed with waterbars. Inserting injection pipes provides the possibility of sealing expansion joints effectively at a later date. The material used for such cases must display excellent flow properties. Viscocities play a major role in injection techniques. The reaction times also are very important. Secondary injections are a must. All cracks are different. They vary depending on the construction material, cause, location and environment. Quite often, cavities in the fabric of construction materials, construction joints or foundations with insufficient load-bearing capacity require injection measures. One single system is not able to achieve durable and reliable results. Various solutions based on different materials which are tailored to specific application needs are now available to users. Table 2 shows different available materials. A range of solutions is essential depending upon job and site conditions. Table 3 and 4 shows selection of materials with respect to these conditions. The use of unsuitable materials or techniques may necessitate costly subsequent reconstruction, which are more expensive than correct action right at the outset. These additional costs are avoidable through technical approach. Experience has shown that a superficial solution will necessitate further repair measures. Very low-viscosity, highly cross-linked series of duromers

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Concrete Recycling

Concrete Recycling:
The Need of the Hour
Bhavani Balakrishna
s landfill costs for construction, demolition, and land-clearing debris continue to rise, and the landfills becoming heavily regulated, it makes commercial sense to seek alternative means of disposal of concrete from construction and demolition operations. However, in many parts of the world the potential to recover concrete is overlooked, and it ends up as unnecessary waste in landfill. It is estimated that roughly 25 billion tonnes of concrete are manufactured globally each year. Twice as much concrete is used in construction around the world than the total of all other building materials, including wood, steel, plastic and aluminum. About 1,300 million tonnes of waste are generated in Europe each year, of which about 40%, or 510 million tonnes, is construction and demolition waste (C&DW).The US pro-

duces about 325 million tonnes of C&DW, and Japan about 77 million tonnes. Given that China and India are now producing and using over 50% of the world's concrete, their waste generation will also be significant as development continues. A study conducted by the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) states that in India, the construction industry generates about 1012 million tonnes of waste annually. The construction and demolition industry is one of the country's largest waste producers, contributing around 17 percent of waste that is sent to landfill. Concrete, shuttering material, paint, bricks, tiles, wood, metal, debris and masonry account for such construction waste. Most of this can be recycled but concrete and masonry, which constitutes over 50% of the construction waste, are

not being recycled in India. In some countries, waste concrete is typically put in landfill but countries like Netherlands, Japan, Belgium and Germany are ensuring high levels of recovery through mandatory policies and levies. Scarcity of aggregates is also making recovery necessary. In the Netherlands, crushing waste concrete to recycle it has been common practice for many years due to a shortage of natural aggregates and a lack of available landfill space. The recovery and reuse of concrete is achievable and will contribute to sustainable buildings and urban societies of the future through savings in natural resources, materials and energy Significance of Concrete Recycling Concrete recycling reduces the use of virgin aggregate and its associated

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Concrete Recycling

environmental costs of exploitation and transportation. Its use can potentially shorten project delivery as a result of expedited construction schedules due to reduced haul times. The potential for increased material transportation savings is even greater when there is no locally available aggregate, and aggregate has to be trucked in from farther away. It also reduces unnecessary landfill of valuable materials that can be recovered and redeployed. According to the Construction Materials Recycling Association, recycling concrete from demolition projects can result in considerable savings because it saves the cost of hauling broken concrete to landfills and eliminates disposal costs. Recovering concrete, however, has no appreciable impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions as in the product life cycle of concrete, the main source of carbon emissions is the cement production process (cement is added to aggregates to make concrete). Concrete Recycling Sources While concrete can be recycled from returned concrete that is fresh (wet) from ready-mix trucks, production waste at a pre-cast production facility or waste from construction and demolition, the most significant source is demolition waste. Recycled Concrete Applications Concrete is broken down into aggregate for use in a new life. This new life is usually road works aggregates, but in some areas, it is also used as aggregates in new concrete. Recycled aggregate accounts for 6% to 8% of aggregate use in Europe -the greatest users are the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland and Germany. Use as Aggregate in Road Base and Pavements The recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) can be defined as crushed concrete composed of aggregate fragments coated with cement paste or cement mortar from the demolition of the old structures or pavements that has been

Recycled aggre-gate accounts for 6% to 8% of aggregate use in Europe -the greatest users are the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland and Germany.

processed to produce aggregates suitable for use in new concrete. The processing, as with many natural aggregates, generally involves crushing, grading and washing. This removes contaminant materials such as reinforcing steel, remnants of formwork, gypsum board, and other foreign materials. The resulting coarse aggregate is then suitable for use in concrete.

The fine aggregate, however, generally contains a considerable amount of old cement paste and mortar. This tends to increase the drying shrinkage and creep properties of the new concrete, as well as leading to problems with unworkable mix and strength. The chloride content of recycled aggregates is of concern if the material is used in reinforced concrete. The alkali con-

The practice of recycling demolition waste to produce aggregate for use in road base is popular and widespread.

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tent and type of aggregate in the system are probably unknown, and therefore, if mixed with unsuitable materials, a risk of alkali-silica reaction is possible. The practice of recycling demolition waste to produce aggregate for use in road base is popular and widespread. It is well established overseas, dating back to the rebuilding of Europe after World War II. From a sustainability viewpoint, these low-grade uses currently provide the optimal outcome in most circumstances. When used as a base and sub-base, recycled aggregate has been found to have superior strength to virgin aggregate, providing a very good construction base for new pavement. Aggregate Base Course, or the untreated aggregates used as foundation for roadway pavement, is the underlying layer which forms a structural foundation for paving. A cross section of pavement would show dirt, or sub grade, as the lowest of three levels, with the aggregate base course at the center and pavement (whether concrete or asphalt) at the surface. The main drivers for recycling concrete as aggregate or road metal in the US are regional shortages/depletion of

virgin material and related transportation costs and the potential to claim credits under the LEED certification for buildings by the US Green Building Council. Credits are awarded for diverting demolished concrete from landfill disposal by recycling it into aggregate for road bases or construction fill and for using a proportion of recycled concrete aggregate for the project. Recycled concrete can be used as coarse and/or fine aggregate in Portland cement concrete (PCC) pavements. However, concrete incorporating more than about 10 to 20 percent fine RCM aggregates can suffer a reduction in quality because of the high amount of water required to maintain adequate workability of the concrete mix. The use of RCA in new concrete paving mixtures has been reported, and research for making RCA a more viable option for new concrete paving mixture applications has been performed. Research has shown that RCA can be used successfully as both coarse and fine aggregate in such applications. In Australia, RCA is allowed as a coarse aggregate in new concrete mixtures for curbs and sidewalks.

Reuse for Embankments & Drainage Fills Recycled concrete that has not been subjected to any additional processing other than crushing can be used for many types of general bulk fills, protection of roadside banks, as a fill for drainage structures, for road construction or as embankments and noise barriers. In general, recycled concrete aggregate has good durability and resistance to weathering and erosion, good stability and little post compaction settlement. However, the recycled concrete aggregate can induce corrosion in aluminum or galvanized steel pipes in presence of moisture due to its high alkalinity. Reuse in an original form for landscaping and other purposes Reuse of blocks in their original form, or by cutting them into smaller blocks, has even less environmental impact although only a limited market currently exists. Improved building designs that allow for slab reuse and building transformation without demolition could increase this use. Hollow core concrete slabs are easy to dismantle and the span is normally constant, making them good for reuse. Several broken concrete blocks and crushed concrete are effectively used for landscaping. For instance, the Nissan Advanced Technology Center in Japan used all the concrete debris from demolished university buildings within the site with 70% of the debris used as pavement subgrade and 30% as green embankment fillers for outdoor landscaping. Reuse in structural concrete Whilst the use of recycled aggregate has a reasonable track record in low grade applications, its use in structural grade concrete is a relatively new area, though some notable structural projects have been completed. Need for Education & Policies for Adoption of Recycled Aggregates

Reuse of blocks in their original form, or by cutting them into smaller blocks, has even less environmental impact although only a limited market currently exists.

Government policies and initiatives promoting or encouraging waste mini-

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Many European countries prohibit discarding material in landfills that can otherwise be recycled.

mization/recycling and proposed landfill levies can to a large extent drive the adoption of recycled concrete. In the Netherlands, RCA is considered a product rather than a waste material, and industry is involved in the processing procedures. Many European countries prohibit discarding material in landfills that can otherwise be recycled. Taxes on material sent to the landfill and/or taxes on the mining of virgin aggregate also help promote alternative uses for RCA. The recycling rate of construction and demolition waste in Denmark, for example, increased from under 25 percent in 1987, when a landfill tax was introduced, to 90 percent in the following 14 year period, during which it was increased ten-fold. In 2002, the UK introduced a levy on natural aggregate of 1.60 per tonne, which was increased this year to 1.95 per tonne ($5). This tax increased the cost of virgin aggregate from around 15 percent in London and the Home Counties to over 60 percent in some rural areas. Some 25 percent of the UK's aggregate demand is now produced from recycled and secondary sources. The practice of recycling waste concrete as aggregate is also well established in the US, but not to the extent that it is in Europe. This may be due to

the fact that the USA is not a signatory to the Kyoto Protocol and there is not a national landfill or virgin aggregate tax. In countries where the cost to produce RCA may be greater than the cost of acquiring virgin aggregates, government incentives and efforts to educate the public on the environmental benefits associated with the use of RCA are key to promoting increased and alternative applications As per the Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI), governments and other key stakeholders around the world should aim at developing economic incentives and legislation to promote more recycling, particularly through green building initiatives. It recommends setting usage targets for recycled concrete in road construction and building and calls on the construction industry to gather waste data to generate reliable global statistics. In India, Science and Engineering Research Council (SERC), Ghaziabad did an extensive research on Recycling and Reuse of Demolition and Construction Wastes with the aim of developing techniques/ methodologies for use recycled aggregate concrete. The experimental investigations were carried out in Mat Science laboratory and Institutes around Delhi/GBD to evaluate the mechanical properties and du-

rability parameters of recycled aggregate concrete made with recycled coarse aggregate collected from different sources. Also, the suitability in construction of buildings has been studied. The properties of recycled concrete aggregates RAC has been established and demonstrated through several experimental and field projects successfully. It has been concluded that RCA can be readily used in construction of low-rise buildings, concrete paving blocks & tiles, flooring, retaining walls, approach lanes, sewerage structures, sub base course of pavement, drainage layer in highways, dry lean concrete(DLC) etc. in Indian scenario. Commonly cited reasons for limiting the use of RCA include concerns related with the performance and quality of RCA. For example, a common concern is the use of RCA from concrete previously exhibiting materials related distress. There have been studies; however, that demonstrate how proper mitigation efforts can make RCA from such concrete source a viable option. Contractors are also concerned that RCA will result in inconsistent quality. Educating contractors and owneragencies about methods for effectively incorporated RCA into new concrete mixtures could help the industry overcome this limitation. Such an education would require understanding the characteristics of RCA, revising specifications for aggregate as necessary, understanding the impact of the use of RCA on fresh and hardened concrete properties and on the durability of pavements, and making appropriate adjustments in the development of mixture proportions and production methods. This education would show contractors that RCA can be a cost-effective material that will not compromise the quality and result in an industry wide change in perception about the use of RCA. There is momentum and an appetite for the recycling and indeed upcycling of waste concrete. This is sensible from a number of perspectives, not least of which is societal expectation surrounding the issue.

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Communication Feature

Evercrete Everwood and Evercrete Top Seal:


Waterproof, Preserve and Enhance Life of Wooden Structures

atural wood is used in housing and other construction projects in various areas such as on landscaping gardens and podiums, decks, porch, etc. The natural wood adds to the aesthetic look of the project. There are many row houses and cottages that are entirely made out of wood. Natural wood structures need to be protected well so that they last long. The natural wood generally cracks when the natural moisture from the wood escapes the wood over a period of time. Also due to the moisture in the air and the contact of wood with water, it may lead the wood to expand or crack. Evercrete Everwood is water based and is ready to use on natural wooden surfaces Evercrete Everwood reacts with the cellulose in the wood and entraps the natural moisture of the wood. This delays the cracking of the wood, and the wooden structures last longer. Evercrete Everwood also protects the wood from fungus, molds, and insect damage, and reduces the powder formation that may generally be seen in wooden surfaces. Wooden surfaces treated with Evercrete Everwood can be painted or polished easily, without the use of a primer. Evercrete Everwood helps to

The right side of the piece of natural wood is treated with Evercrete EW and Evercrete TS. The area treated with Evercrete TS, does not absorb water.

enhance the bonding of the polish, etc with the wooden surfaces. Once the wooden surface is treated with Evercrete Everwood, it is recommended to apply Evercrete Top Seal over it. Evercrete Top Seal is water based, ready to use water repellent. Evercrete Top Seal will repel the water that comes in contact with the wood.

The area treated with Evercrete EW and Evercrete TS does absorb water, even during rains.

The right side treated with Evercrete Top Seal does not absorb water.

It is not mandatory to use Evercrete Everwood and Evercrete Top Seal in conjunction with each other. They can be used individually as well. In fact Evercrete Top Seal can also be used on natural stones, to prevent the growth of fungus, moss, algae, etc. Evercrete Top Seal maintains the natural look of the stone, does not change the natural colour or the texture of the stones. It can also be used on concrete structures which dont need to be painted, to maintain the natural concrete look.

For further details:


Poly Flex
E-mail: polyflex@polyflex.co.in Web: www.polyflex.co.in
The right side of the piece of natural wood is, treated with Evercrete EW. The change in colour is uniform and negligible

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High Performance Concrete

High Performance Concrete using Microsilica


Surendra Sharma
General Manager-Concrete. Elkem South Asia.

Need for High Performance Concrete Concrete structure gets deteriorated on account of chemical reactions such as corrosion of rebar or physical effects like porosity which permits easy access of harmful ions into the main body of concrete which makes concrete resistance weak there by shortening the life cycle of concrete. Some of the factors which affect durability of concrete are reinforcement corrosion, chloride diffusion, carbonation, sulphate attack, alkali silica reaction, frost action, leaching of concrete etc. In practice, most of this deterioration of concrete cannot be seen as they developed as concrete grow older. Fig.1 below shows some of the damages and therefore as a practicing engineer one need to design and place concrete which is durable and sustainable in the long run. Therefore as a good practicing engineer, the best way of protecting these damages is to make concrete less permeable as high degree of water saturation is seen as one of the causes for durability problem. It becomes very essential to design concrete with less porosity to protect the concrete as water

is only medium through which chlorides, sulphate and other harmful trace element can enter into concrete structure and cause damages to concrete from inside .i.e. corrosion. All major infrastructure projects are designed for 100+ years and capital intensive. It becomes very essential to increase the life cycle and produce the concrete which can last for longer period and boost the nations economy. Replacing concrete or structure is a costly affair. ACI defines High Performance Concrete as concrete meeting special combinations of performance and uniformity requirements that cannot always be achieved routinely using conventional constituents and normal mixing, placing and curing practices. Microsilica: Elkem Microsilica is one of the principle products supplied by Elkem Silicon Materials. It finds a wide range of applications in high-strength concrete, High Performance Concrete other building materials such as roof tiles and facade cladding, and fire proof products for heavy industry. Microsilica is also used for sealing tunnels and drilling oil wells. Microsilica is proven mineral additive which has been in use since many years to provide high performance concrete solution to construction Industry. Worldwide 10 Million m3 or even more concrete is produced with Microsilica. The ACI defines Silica fumes as very fine non crystalline silica produced in electric arc furnaces as a by- product of the production of elemental silicon or alloy containing silicon. Microsilica is having a very fine particle. The average particle size of Microsilica is 0.15 m. The specific surface tested on BET method is minimum 15000 m2/Kg (See SEM Fig 2). Which provide better filler effects and make concrete less porous and robust and it helps in improving concrete resistance to chloride and sulphate attack. Usually Microsilica available in condensed from. There are two type of Microsilica available in the market.

Fig. 1

1) Undensified Microsilica

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High Performance Concrete

High Performance Concrete Bulk Density - Undensified Microsilica Densified Microsilica


Specific Gravity
Physical properties of Microsilica.

0.45um 130 to 480 Kg/m3 480 to 720 Kg/m3


2.2

and when one adds water to concrete; generally following chemical reaction takes place. Cement hydration Portland cement (C3S, C2S) + water = CSH + Ca (OH)2 Secondary Pozzolanic reaction with Microsilica Pozzolana (SiO2) + Ca (OH)2 + water = CSH
Fig. 2

Meaning you get more, CSH-gel (binder) Denser concrete/good interface Higher compressive strength. Also, above chemical equation shows that free lime, Ca(OH)2 which detrimental to concrete is turned to something good meaning more C-S-H (Calcium-Silicate-Hydrate) gel meaning additional binder for given concrete which provide improved strength and durability characteristics both at early age and later age besides improving plastic properties. Other value attributes of Microsilica in Plastic stage of concrete Generally the recommended dosage of Microsilica is 5 to 10%
INDIA IS 15388: 2003
85.0

2) Densified Microsilica During Microsilica production, Undensified Microsilica is densified by use of hot air which helps in increasing its bulk density. It is essentially a non-hazardous material and fall into general category of nuisance dust, which is similar to cement and many other fine particles. The relevant standard for Microsilica in India is IS 15388-2003. Please see below the other physical and chemical properties specification of Microsilica as outlined by different standard. How does it work? Microsilica has minimum 85%-99% of SiO2 which, make it very reactive pozzolanic material in concrete. As we all know, water is an essential element in the cement hydration process
USA ASTM C 1240-2004
Sio2 %> SO3%< Cl %< CaO %< MgO Si (free) %< Total Alkalies Free C Moisture Content %< LOI %< Specific Surface m2/gm> 3 6 15 4 15-35 0.4 85.0

EUROPE CEN prEN 13263: 1999


85.0 2 0.3

CANADA CSA A23.5-98


85.0 1

NORWAY NS 3045
85.0

AUSTRALIA AS 3582
85.0 3

Report if > 0.10 2

Report

1.5

3 4 15 6 5 12

2 6

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Bulk Density Pozzolanic Activity Index %> Retained on 45 micron sieve %< Density, kg/M3 Autoclave Expansion %< Canadian Foaming Test

Report 105%-7d accel curing, w/cm=variable 10 100%-28d Normal Curing w/p ration=0.5 85%-7d IS 1727 Factor N=1 10 85%-7d acceld curing 10 95%-28d Normal curing w/cm=0.5

Report Report

0.20% No visible foam Characteristic values. Not an official standerd in the approval process Requirement of limiting alkali only in case of reactive aggregares

Notes

charateristic values

by wt of cementitious content depending upon the specific characteristics that need to be improved in the concrete mix. Microsilica as stated earlier is a very fine material and it need proper dispersion well in concrete matrix and it occupies space between cement grains thereby improving permeability of concrete mass. Typically it is said that in one grain size of cement, 100 Microsilica grains can exits. It also helps in improving mobility of concrete when energy is applied to concrete. Through the permeable structure of concrete the ingress of chloride and sulphate ions can damage the concrete as stated earlier and addition of Microsilica largely improved this and protects the concrete. Fine particles also hold other constituent of concrete better and therefore other value addition of Microsilica is better cohesion. This property largely helps in short creating operation as well as helps in pumping the concrete. In addition it reduces bleeding and segregation and aids in efficient finishing and helps in slip form because of better finish. These plastic properties have its own value and are of equal

important while placing and finishing concrete. The first and foremost principle a concrete mix designer should bear in mind is to make the concrete cohesive enough with limited stickness, good mobility and finishability at a given workability which enable concrete to hold its constituent together under pressure which will be excreted during mixing, transportation and placing of concrete. What is the use of a great mix design made in the laboratory which cannot be placed in field? And therefore these plastic properties becomes equally important, Once cohesion of concrete is satisfactory then mechanical properties such as compressive strength, E-Modulus etc and durability characteristics tested on durability standard in terms of permeability ,I-Sat, Rapid Chloride Penetration, Sorptivity, Water Penetration, chloride diffusivity etc are to be taken care of. These plastic, harden and durability characteristics have been seen as remarkable improved by addition of Microsilica. If someone is using higher content of cement, by adding Microsilica he/she can reduce cement content and make concrete less sticky too this would be a desirable largely in pumping operation. It also help us to reduce heat of hydration while strength is maintained which ultimately help to prevent early age cracking. Other value attributes of Microsilica Hardened stage of concrete. In fully hydrated Portland cement paste, approximately 1/4th of the hydration product by mass consists of oriented, heterogeneously distributed and weekly bonded layers of calcium hydroxide crystals; which de-bond easily under tensile stress thereby serving as potential sites for formation of micro cracks. Therefore, transformation of most of this calcium hydroxide into the calcium silicate hydrate paste (which is the predominant phase produced by hydration of Portland cement) would result in a much more homogeneous hydration product. At hardened stages, it helps in,

Fig. 3

Fig. 4

- Improving Strengths,

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Building Name
Burj Khalifa International Commerce Centre Petronas Twin Towers Taipei 101 Guangzhou West Tower Trump Tower Two International Finance Centre Burj Al Arab 311 South Wacker Drive Trianon World One Polais Royal Worli Oasis Towers Worli Minerva Tower Ireo Victory valley

Location
Dubai Hong Kong Kuala Lumpur Taipei Guangzhou Chicago Hong Kong Dubai Chicago Frankfurt Mumbai Mumbai Mumbai Mumbai New Delhi

App. Height (M)


828 484 452 508 432 423 413 321 293 186 442 320 372 302 178

Date
Tallest structure in the world, completed 2010 Completed 2010 Tallest twin buildings in the world, completed 1998 Completed 2004, tallest LEED rating building Completed 2010 Completed 2009 Completed 2003 One of the worlds tallest hotels, opened 1999 Completed 1999 Completed 1993 On going On going On going On going On going

- Reducing Permeability, - Improving Acid Resistance, - Improving Abrasion-erosion Resistance, - Improving Durability As you all, are aware addition of extra cement beyond certain mass depending upon cement type, per cu.m of cement does not increase your strength and highly uneconomical. And if one wants to design for higher strength and high performance concrete, addition of Micro silica helps a lot to achieve the desired plastic and hardened properties of concrete with robust and workable design. There are other mineral admixtures available based on Fly ash and GGBS, however they have their own limitation on SiO2 content and other and largely influence setting characteristics of concrete as they influence hydraulic properties of concrete and in todays age everyone need high early strength to speed up the construction and high ultimate strength to go vertical in building high rise structure. If you see, fig 3 and fig 4, fig 3 is a hardened concrete surface of concrete made with only cement and fig.4 is hardened concrete surface of concrete made with Microsilica and if you closely look at the interface of matrix or a cement glue (see letter A in the Fig 3 & 4), you will find that Microsilica concrete is having much less thickness of cement paste or glue or matrix and holding the aggregate better meaning economical

use of cementitious materials. Besides this, there are enumerable advantages of Microsilica in the concrete and Microsilica is playing very important role to redefine High Performance concrete and allowing structural engineer to think of reduced size of structural elements and dream higher in the sky. And incorporation of Microsilica at designed stage of structure results in direct saving for the project. As a concrete mix designer we all should strike a balance between performance and economy and it is seen that reduced material cost per cu.m of concrete is taken only as means of economic mix design which is not true. Therefore concrete cost must not be compared with material cost per cu.m but a comprehensive cost analysis is needed which includes all cost associated right from placing to maintenance of the structure till its design period is to be taken in to account which will the serve the purpose in longer run. Also there is need to go for performance based specification rather prescriptive based specification and Microsilica will ensure to meet the specifications. Please see the summary of high rise executed in the recent past where Microsilica has been used in the project which one proves value additions of Microsilica. References - Silicafume users manual 2005 - Internal references from Elkem ASA

112 The Masterbuilder - July 2013 www.masterbuilder.co.in

Prestressed Concrete

Development of Modern Prestressed Concrete Bridges in Japan


Hiroshi Mutsuyoshi1, Nguyen Duc HAI1 and S.V.T. Janaka Perera1
1

Structural Material Lab, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Saitama University

Prestressed concrete (PC) is being used all over the world in the construction of bridge structures. In Japan, the application of PC was first introduced in the 1950s, and since then, the construction of PC bridges has grown dramatically. This is largely due to several advantages such as lower initial and life-cycle cost compared to steel bridges, and superior characteristics concerning economical and aesthetical aspects compared to reinforced concrete bridges. However, many PC bridges have been deteriorating even before their designed service-life due to corrosion and other environmental effects. Therefore, the durability has become a particular concern and should be seriously considered in the design and construction of PC bridges. In Japan, a number of innovative techniques have been developed to enhance both the structural performance and the durability of PC bridges. These include the development of new materials such as pre-grouted internal tendon, high-strength concrete and structural systems such as external prestressing, highly eccentric external tendons, extradosed prestressing and corrugated steel web. This paper presents an overview of such innovated technologies of PC bridges including a brief detail of their development and background as well as their applications in the actual construction projects.
For more than half a century prestressed concrete (PC) is one of the most important construction materials in not only Japan but also all over the world particularly in the field of bridge construction. The increased interest in the construction of PC bridges can be attributed to the fact that the initial and life-cycle cost of PC bridges, including repair and maintenance, are much lower than those of steel bridges. Moreover, comparing to the reinforced concrete (RC) bridges, PC bridges are more economically competitive and aesthetically superior due to the employment of high-strength materials. In Japan, the first PC bridge, Tyousei Bridge, was built in 1951 and since then, the construction of PC bridges has grown dramatically (Figure 1). However, deterioration of bridges is becoming a big social issue since many bridges are getting older over 50 years. In recent years, many PC bridges have been deteriorating even before their designed service-life due to corrosive circumstances, alkali-silica reactions, and other environmental effects. Hence, the durability has become a particular concern and should be seriously considered in the design and construction of PC bridges apart from structural safety, aesthetical appearance and economical viewpoint. In Japan, a number of innovative techniques have been developed to enhance not only the structural performance but also the durability of PC bridges. These include the development of novel structural system and the advance in new construction materials. This paper presents an overview of such innovated technologies of PC bridges including a brief detail of their development and background as well as their applications in the actual construction projects. Development of Innovative Materials for PC Bridges In Japan, most of PC bridges were constructed using internally post-tensioning tendons with grouting in sheaths. Recently, however, problems regarding grouting condition have been of much concern because the insufficient grout of internal tendons was found in some existing PC bridges (Mutsuyoshi 2001). Many researches have been carried out recently for the development of new materials to enhance the performance and longterm durability of the PC bridges. In this section, application of pre-grouted internal tendons and high-strength concrete are explained with brief overview on their applications in actual PC bridge projects. Pre-Grouted Prestressing Tendon Pre-grouted prestressing tendon was first developed in Japan in 1987. It is made by coating a prestressing strand with unhardened epoxy resin and a polyethylene protective tube (Figure 2) and is embedded directly into concrete with the

Figure 1 Trend of construction of different types of bridges in Japan

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Prestressed Concrete

polyethylene protective tube as a tendon for posttensioning. Time of hardening is set for the epoxy resin filled in the polyethylene protective sheath so that post-tensioning process can be completed before hardening or the epoxy resin. The resin has viscosity like grease before hardening, and it naturally hardens with certain time after the completion of tensioning of prestressing steel and bonds with concrete to form an integrated member. As the grout is injected into the polyethylene sheath, complete grouting is ensured in this technique. Furthermore, construction work can be saved as neither in-situ insertion of prestressing tendonds nor grouting process is required. Sheath and epoxy resin also provide double layer corrosion proection to the prestressing tendons. This technique also ensures stronger bond with concrete than conventional cement grouting technique. Moreover, smaller diameter of sheath makes concrete placement relatively easier and provide higher efficiency in prestressing can be achieved as polyethylene sheath and unhardened resin reduce the friction during prestressing. Pre-grouted prestressing tendon, primarily in the form of single strands, was generally applied to transverse prestressing of deck slabs or other work. Application to main tendons has just started in view of the above benefits (see Figure 3). When pre-grouted prestressing strands are used for main tendon, more prestressing strands are required than when conventional multiple strands are used. Numerous prestressing strands therefore should be anchored in a limited anchorage region. Hence, attention should be paid in design for the arrangement of pre-grouted prestressing tendons and details of anchorage. High-Strength Concrete High-strength concrete (HSC) has become common in building construction in recent years as it enables the use of smaller cross-sections, longer spans, reduction in girder height

Figure 3 Use of pre-grouted prestressing strand for main tendons

and enhanced durability. In addition to this application, there are a few instances of HSC being applied to PC structures (Figure 4) (Mutsuyoshi et al. 2010). The chief advantage of using HSC is the possibility of achieving higher prestressing force compared to the normal concrete which will lead to smaller crosssection and reduction in the overall weight of the structure. Hence, the use of HSC has a good potential in the construction of large structures. The lower water/binder ratio in HSC may, however, cause the increase in autogenous shrinkage which will lead to decrease in effective prestressing force and cracking due to restraining caused by the reinforcing steel. Conventional method of reducing autogenous-shrinkage-strain is to use expansionproducing admixture and shrinkage-reducing agents. However, these materials are expensive. This problem has been overcome by the development of new type of artificial light weight aggregate called as J-Lite (Figure 5). J-lite is made from environmentfriendly coal ash and is twice as strong as conventional light weight aggregate. Low shrinkage ultra HSC termed as Power Crete with compressive strength as high as 120 MPa, has been developed with the use of J-lite

Figure 2 Pre-grouted prestressing tendon

Figure 4 AKIBA pedestrian bridge constructed with HSC (fc = 120 MPa) in Akihabara

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Prestressed Concrete

together with expansion-producing admixtures and shrinkage reducing agents. As strength development in lowshrinkage HSC is independent of the curing condition, it can be used for cast-in-place applications as well.

flexural failure (so-called second-order effect). One possible method of enhancing the flexural strength of externally PC structures is to make the tendons highly eccentricity (Figure 7). This kind of construction is possible only when external prestressing is used, since this allows the tendons to be placed outside the concrete section of girder. In this concept,

Figure 6 Typical layout of an external PC box girder bridge

Figure 5 J-lite

Development of Modern Structural Systems in PC Bridges External prestressing technique is widely being used in the construction industry. Externally prestressed PC bridges are designed with prestressing tendons placed outside the concrete section, but still remaining within the bounds of the cross section of girder (Figure 6). The concept of external prestressing has become increasingly popular in the constructions of medium- and longspan bridges due to its several advantages such as reduced web thickness, possibility to control and adjust tendon forces, and ease of inspection of tendons during construction. The Japan Highway Public Corporation (abbreviated for JH; it is changed to three highway companies at present), has actively adopted the concept of fully external tendons for box girder bridges (Figure 6) since 1999 due to the improved durability performance compared to that of internally grouted tendons. It is of importance to note that, recently, a new construction of PC bridges with internally grouted tendons has been forbidden by the JH due to the bad quality of grouting of internal tendons in some existing PC bridges (Mutsuyoshi 2001). For the better performance of the externally prestressed concrete bridges, various new technologies have recently been developed in Japan. PC Bridges with Highly Eccentric External Tendons Although externally prestressed PC bridges are well recognized to have several advantages, however, they have lower flexural strength compared to that of bridges with internally bonded tendons (Virlogeux 1988). This is due to the smaller tendon eccentricity, which is limited by the bounds of concrete section of girder (i.e., at the bottom slab in case of box-girder bridges) as well as the reduction in tendon eccentricity at the ultimate

Figure 7 Ordinary vs. highly eccentric external tendon

the compressive forces are taken by concrete and the tensile forces by external tendons, thus taking advantages of both materials effectively (Mutsuyoshi 2000). There has been extensive research conducted at Saitama University both analytically and experimentally to study the fundamental behavior of girders with highly eccentric external tendons (Aravinthan et al. 1999, Witchukreangkrai et al. 2000). From the test results of single-span beams, it was found that by increasing tendon eccentricity, the flexural strength can be significantly improved or, conversely, the amount of prestressing reduced; the result is more economical structures. By extending the concept of highly eccentric external tendons to continuous girders, the structural performance can be further improved. In addition, the girders consisting of linearly transformed tendon profile were found to have the same overall flexural behavior (Figure 8). This gives the designer to take advantage of arranging the external tendon layout freely, depending on the site conditions. To verify the application of this concept to the segmental

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construction method, the behavior of segmental girders with highly eccentric external tendons was also investigated and found to be nearly the same as that of monolithically cast girders. Hence, this gives considerable flexibility in selecting the method of construction when designing the bridges with highly eccentric external tendons. One of the concerns raised for this type of structure was the shear capacity as the girder height is considerably reduced. It was verified, however, from the experiment on shear characteristic of model specimens that the shear capacity of the girder with highly eccentric external tendons is much higher than that of the conventional girders due to the large increase of tensile force in external tendons. The worlds first application of the prestressing with highly eccentric external tendon to a continuous-span girder was in the construction of the Boukei Bridge in Hokkaido, Japan. Considering the site conditions, the bridge was designed with a two-span continuous and unsymmetrical girder having a total length of 57 m as shown in Figure 9. The effective width of the bridge varies from 3.0 m at the abutments to 6.0 m at the central pier. A completed view of the bridge is shown in Figure 10. The characteristic of this innovative bridge is that the external tendon layout takes the similar shape of the bending moment diagram as shown in Figure 11. The structure was designed to form a pseudo truss, with the main girder made of concrete as compression chords, the external tendons as tension chords, and the steel deviators as diagonal members. This allowed the girder height to be reduced significantly, thus making the bridge lightweight. The external tendons are placed below the girder in the midspan region by means of

steel struts, the function of which is similar to a truss. At the intermediate support region, it is placed above the bridge deck and covered with a fin-shaped concrete web member. The combination of the subtended tendons and the finshaped concrete web makes this bridge a unique one with aesthetically pleasing appearance.

Figure 9 Layout diagram and dimension of the Boukei Bridge

Although having several advantages, PC bridges with highly eccentric external tendons should be carefully designed and constructed concerning the following important points. Since the main girder, struts and highly eccentric external tendons form a truss in this type of structure, construction precision of individual members has a significant influence on the structure. For this, it is necessary to give special consideration to the techniques and procedures for constructing the falsework, formwork and external tendons. Moreover, the vibration characteristics under service load may be of concern due to the smaller stiffness of the main girder caused by the reduction in girder height. Nevertheless, the authors believe that this new concept of prestressing would pave way to a wider use of external prestressing technology in the construction industry, leading to improved structural performance as well as cost effective PC bridges. The research is in progress regarding the possibility of applying these kind of structures to highway bridges using precast segmental construction. Extradosed PC Bridges An extradosed prestressing concept, which was first proposed by Mathivat in France (Mathivat 1988), is a new type of structural system in which the tendons are installed outside and above the main girder and deviated by short towers located at supports. Considering its definition, this type of bridge is placed between cable-stayed bridges and ordinary girder bridges with internal or external tendons.

Figure 8 Linear transformation of tendon layout

Extradosed PC bridges have several positive characteristics.

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The girder height may be lower than that of ordinary girder bridges, thus reducing self-weight of structures. As shown in Figure 12, the ratio of the girder height to the span length (H/L) in extradosed bridges ranges between 1/15 and 1/35, while it is approximately 1/15~1/17 for box-girder bridges. Comparing to cable-stayed bridges, the height of the main tower in extradosed bridges is lower; hence, a reduction in labor costs of construction can be achieved.

The major difference among box-girder, extradosed and cable-stayed bridges can be further revealed by comparing the relationship between materials used with span lengths. In box-girder bridges, the average concrete thickness increases with the span length, since the girder height is a function of the span length. On the other hand, in cable-stayed bridges, there is almost no increase in the average depth of concrete because the girder height is generally designed to be 2.0~2.5 m, regardless of the span length. It is interesting to note that extradosed bridges are placed between these two types, and the rate of increase is also thought to be midway between the rates of the other two types of bridges. Similarly, with increasing span length, the quantity of prestressing tendons in box-girder bridges shows a more increase than that in cablestayed bridges, whereas extradosed bridges yield the intermediate value between the other two types. From the above discussion, it can be concluded that an extradosed bridge is similar in construction and appearance to a cablestayed bridge. In the light of structural properties, however, an extradosed bridge is closed to ordinary PC girder bridges, and the design specifications may be considered to be the same for both types of bridges.

Figure 10 Completed view of the Boukei Bridge

Because of a lower main tower in extradosed bridges, vertical loads are partly resisted by main girders and stress variations in stay cables produced by live loads are smaller than those in cable-stayed bridges. This is quite similar to the behavior of box-girder bridges, where the main girder itself has a decisive influence on the structure rigidity and live loads produce only limited stress variations in tendons. Based on these facts, the Japan Road Association has recommended that the safety factor for the stayed cables in extradosed bridges under design loads shall be taken as 1.67 (0.6 fpu; fpu = tensile strength of tendons), which is same as that for tendons in ordinary girder bridges. For cablestayed bridges, this value is specified to be 2.5 (0.4 fpu) (Japan Road Association 2002).

Figure 11 Schematic view of layout of external tendon

Figure 12 Comparison among externally box-girder, extradosed and cablestayed PC bridges

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In case of extradosed bridges it is necessary to provide an structural rationale rather than simply assuming an allowable stress of 0.6fpu in design of the bridges. In this point, attention focuses on the distribution ratio of vertical load carried by the girders and the stay cables. Figure 13 shows the relationship between the distribution ratio of vertical load ( ) and maximum stress change of stay cable due to design live load ( ) of various cable-stayed bridges and extradosed bridges constructed in Japan. As shown in the figure, it is difficult to clearly distinguish between extradosed bridges and cable-stayed bridges in terms of structural mechanics since many of the cablestayed bridges are very similar to extradosed bridges. In designing stay cables, stress change due to design live loads provides an effective index that can be easily determined through the design process. Approximated Design Method for Stay Cables The fatigue limit state is usually critical in the design of stay cables. When bridge structures reinforced by stay cables, the design of stay cables would be structural rationale by focusing on the stress change in the stay cables rather than defining whether bridges are cable-stayed or extradosed by assuming allowable stress for the stay cables. This would make it possible to design each stay cable separately and enable the allowable stress to be set individually for each stay cable. Unlike suspension bridges, the stress change in a cable-stayed bridge will differ depending on the stay cables and it is not rational to define the allowable stress using a single value of 0.4fpu. This is reflected in the Specifications for Design and Construction of Cable-Stayed PC Bridges and Extradosed Bridges (Japan Prestressed Concrete Engineering Association 2009). The specification allows two kinds of design method. Method A is normal fatigue design using fatigue load and design lifetime of a bridge. However, it is usually difficult to estimate the amount of future traffic and heavy trucks, especially in local roads. In that case, method B using stress change in stay cables due to design vehicular live loads is introduced. Figure 14 shows the relationship between the allowable tensile

stress (fa) of stay cable for highway bridges and the stress change due to live load regulated in the specifications. The difference in fatigue strength between prefabricated wire type and strand type is considered. By using prior experience in Japan with cable-stayed, extradosed and similar bridges having spans of up to about 250 m, method B is defined so as to ensure adequate safety in comparison with bridges designed using method A. Fatigue design was performed for the estimation line of stress range for two million cycles ( 2E6) including secondary flexural bending due to girder deflection (determined according to design conditions on a design service life of 50 years and average daily traffic of 70,000 mixing 50% trucks) by using the structural models of the Odawara Blueway bridge, the Tsukuhara bridge, and

Figure 14 Allowable tensile stress and stress change of stay cable

the Ibi River bridge as shown in Figure 13. Based on the calculations the stress change due to fatigue load is about 1/3 of that due to design live loads and the stress level due to secondary flexural bending is the same as that due to axial forces of stay cables. It is noted that the estimation line of is assumed to be 2(1/3)(Max ). The safety margin of 2E6 L method B can be confirmed by comparing with fatigue 2E6 strength (fscrd) divided by a safety factor ( b). In the stay cables designed by method B, is determined L to require a safety factor of about 2.0 for with respect 2E6 to fscrd / b, in order to take into consideration the fact that the method includes more uncertainties than method A, and in order that the safety of stay cables does not vary greatly from that of cable-stayed and extradosed bridges constructed to date. In the most of extradosed bridges and some cablestayed bridges, the tensile stress of 0.6fpu can be used because stress changes are low (20 to 50N/mm2). Moreover the most rational point of this specification is that we can choose the tensile stress in each stay cable from 0.4fpu to 0.6fpu continuously. This is based on the concept that one value of tensile stress in one bridge is not structurally rational.

Figure 13 Distribution ratio of vertical load and stress change of stay cable

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Prestressed Concrete

Figure 15 shows the Odawara Blue-Way Bridge, which is the first extradosed PC box girder bridge in the world and was completed in 1994. This bridge was designed with a threespan continuous box-girder with extradosed prestressing, having a middle span length of 122 m, a tower height (h) of 10.5 m, and a girder height at supports (H) of 3.5 m. The ratios of h/L and H/L are approximately 1/12 and 1/35, respectively. Figure 16 shows the prospective view of the Shin-Meisei bridge on Nagoya Expressway No. 3 crossing the class1 Shonai River in western Nagoya. From both aesthetic and economic viewpoints, the bridge was designed with a threespan continuous rigid-frame structure with extradosed prestressing, which is to become a landmark of Nagoyas western threshold. The length of the middle span (L) is 122 m, a tower height (h) of 16.5 m, and a girder height at supports (H) of 3.5 m, giving the ratios of h/L and H/L of 1/7.4 and 1/35, respectively. Corrugated Steel Web Bridges In PC bridges with corrugated steel webs, light-weight corrugated steel plates are used instead of concrete webs.

The corrugated steel plate webs are capable of withstanding shear forces without absorbing unwanted axial stresses due to prestressing, thus enabling efficient prestressing of top and bottom concrete deck slabs, thus resulting in an accordion effect (Figure 17). Moreover, the corrugated webs also provide high shear buckling resistance. Use of light-weight corrugated steel plates for webs causes a reduction of self weight of about 25% of main girders. Therefore, this enables the use of longer spans and reduction of construction cost. The weight of a segment to be cantilevered during erection can also be reduced, thus longer erection segments can be adopted and construction period can be shortened. This also eliminates assembly of reinforcement, cable arrangement and concrete placement for concrete webs. Thus, saving of construction manpower, quality enhancement and improvement of durability are expected. In addition, replacing the damaged deck slabs is easier than that in ordinary PC bridges. Recently, the use of corrugated steel web has been applied to a variety of new constructions of PC bridges in Japan (Figure 18). In addition to the rigid or box girder bridges, the concept of corrugated steel web was also successfully adopted in the constructions of extradosed and cable-stayed PC bridges.

Figure 17 Typical section of PC bridge with corrugated steel web

Figure 15 Odawara Blue Way bridge

Figure 16 Shin Meisei bridge (prospective view)

Figure 18 Ginzanmiyuki bridge with corrugated steel web

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Prestressed Concrete

Rittoh Bridge located in the southern edge of Lake Biwa, is the first extradosed PC bridge with corrugated steel web whose main girder has a three-celled cross section, making it suitable for a bilaterally suspended structure with a wide roadway. The bridge consists of four-span and five span continuous rigidframe structure with total span length of 495m and 555m, respectively (Figure 19).

term durability, which is becoming one of the serious problems in concrete structures nowadays. Considering the development of new construction materials, the application of pregrouted internal tendons and use of low-shrinkage HSC were discussed. In light of new structural systems, external prestressing with highly eccentric tendons and extradosed prestressing are excellent examples of a wider use of external prestressing technology to achieve a PC bridge with improved structural performance as well as cost-effective outlook. The corrugated steel webs, which take advantages of steel and concrete, have proved to be one of promising solutions that can reduce the selfweight of main girders, thereby enabling the use of longer spans and reduction of construction cost. Acknowledgement The authors wish to acknowledge the members of the international committee of Japan Prestressed Concrete Engineering Association (JPCEA) for providing valuable information. The authors would also like to extend their gratitude to Nippon Expressway Company (NEXCO). References
- Aravinthan T, Mutsuyoshi H, Hamada Y, and Watanabe M (1999) Experimental Investigation on the Flexural Behavior of Two Span Continuous Beams with Large Eccentricities, Transactions of JCI, 21, pp. 321-326. Japan Prestressed Concrete Engineering Association (2009) Specifications for Design and Construction of Prestressed Concrete Cable-Stayed Bridges and Extradosed Bridges, (in Japanese). Japan Road Association (2002) Japan Specification of Highway Bridges-Part I Common Part, Part II Steel Bridges, Part III Concrete Bridges, (in Japanese). Mathivat J (1988) Recent Development in Prestressed Concrete Bridges, FIP Note, Feb., pp. 15-21. Mutsuyoshi H (2000) State-of-the-Art Report on External Prestressed Concrete Bridge with Large Eccentricity, Concrete Journal, 38(12), pp. 10-16 (in Japanese). Mutsuyoshi H (2001) Present Situation of Durability of PostTensioned PC Bridges in Japan, Proceedings of the 1st fib/ IABSE Workshop on Durability of post-tensioning tendons, Belgium, pp. 75-88. Mutsuyoshi H, Ichinomiya T, Sakurada M, and Perera S V T J (2010) High-strength concrete for prestressed concrete structures, CPI Trade Journal for the Concrete Industry, August, pp. 42- 46. Virlogeux M P (1988) Non-linear Analysis of Externally Prestressed Structures, Proceedings of FIP Symposium, Israel, pp. 319-340. Witchukreangkrai E, Mutsuyoshi H, Aravinthan T, and Watanabe M (2000) Analysis of The Flexural Behavior of Externally Prestressed Concrete Beams with Large Eccentricities, Transactions of JCI, 22, pp. 319-324.

- -

Figure 19 Rittoh Bridge (Extradosed PC bridge with corrugated steel web)

Conclusions Recent techniques in design and construction of PC bridges in Japan were presented in this paper, with emphasis on their background and development as well as their applications in actual structures. Not only to improve the structural properties in terms of safety, aesthetic and economical aspects, such innovated technologies were developed to enhance the long-

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Cement: Analysis

Indian Cement Industry


In Global Perspective
Sadagopan Seshadri
Chief - Content Development, CE - Infrastructure - Environment

Major policy and fiscal initiatives initiated to catalyze infrastructure, housing and industrial development continue to spur the demand for cement

ement is vital to the construction sector and all infrastructure projects. The cement industry occupies an important place in the Indian economy because of its strong linkages with other sectors such as construction, transportation, coal and power. The sector notably plays a critical role in the economic growth of the country in its journey towards an inclusive and decidedly conclusive growth. The con-

struction sector alone constitutes 7 per cent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP). Given the right drivers, no doubt India has become the second largest producer of quality cement in the world. The cement industry in India comprises 183 large cement plants and over 365 mini cement plants. Currently, there are 40 players in the industry across the country.

Trend & 'Demand-Supply' Match The demand for cement, being a derived one, depends mainly on the industrial activities, real estate business, construction activities and investment in the infrastructure sector. The cement industry in India continues to experience a boom on account of overall growth in the economy. Demand pattern for cement in India is cyclical; barring short-term disruptions, it grows largely in tandem with economic growth. The growth in demand driven by GDP has been ably catered on the supply side by growth in production to fill up the consumption growth on all sectors of the economy. (See figures 1, 2&3)

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Product Offerings The Indian cement industry is involved in production of several types of cement such as Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC), Portland Blast Furnace Slag Cement (PBFS), Oil Well Cement, Rapid Hardening Portland Cement, Sulphate Resisting Portland Cement, White Cement, etc. They are produced strictly as per the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) specifications, and their quality is comparable to the best in the world. Market Size & Growth Areas The cement industry of India is expected to add 30-40 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of capacity in 2013. The industry has a current capacity of 324 MTPA and operates at 75-80 per cent utilization. "It is anticipated that the cement industry players will continue to increase their annual cement output in coming years, and the country's cement production will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 12 per cent during 2011-12 - 2013-14 to reach 303 million metric tonne (MMT), according to a report titled 'Indian Cement Industry Forecast to 2012', by research firm RNCOS. There have been strong demand drivers even in the near term in the following sectors of economy. 1. Housing growth The Housing segment accounts for Trend in GDP and Growth in Cement Demand
16% 12% 8% 4% 0% 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011E 2012E 247 228 207 200 156 150 100 50 0 FY07 FY07 FY09 FY10 FY11 FY12E 168 182 -4% 2013E
129

GDP growth YoY (%)


Figure 1 Growth in Demand

Cement demand growth YoY (%)


Source: Ambit Capital, Aranca Research

Production of Cement (MT)


300 250

Figure 2 Supply: Growth in Cement Production Source: Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Aranca Research Notes: MT - Million Tonnes, E - estimate

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Cement: Analysis

All India
CAGR 10%
236.3 196.4 163.4 177.5 210.2 265.9

demand for office space in India is being driven by the increasing number of multinational companies and the growth of the services sector. Strong growth in tourism, including both business and leisure travel, has boosted the construction of hotels throughout the country. Estimated demand by real estate segment between 2010 and 2014: Office (240 million sq ft), Retail (55 million sq ft), Hospitality (78 million room nights) Main Players Although the Indian cement industry has some multinational cement giants, like Holcim and Lafarge, which have interests such as ACC, Ambuja Cement and Lafarge Birla Cement, the Indian cement industry is broadly homegrown. Ultratech Cement, the country's largest firm in terms of cement capacity, holds around 22% of the do-mestic market, with ACC (50%-owned by Holcim)
GDP (PPP) (2011) GDP/capita (2011 est.) Population (July 2012) Area Integrated plants Integrated capacity Grinding plants Grinding capacity TOTAL CAPACITY US$4.42bn US$3700 1205.1m 3,287,263km 146 302Mt/yr 55 63.5Mt/yr 365.5Mt/yr

FY08

FY09

FY10

FY11F

FY12F

FY13F

Figure 3: Growth in Domestic consumption of cement (mtpa) Source: CMA, Edelweiss, Aranca Research; Note: MTPA - Million Tonnes Per Annum

a major portion of the total domestic demand for cement in India. Between 2010 and 2014, demand for housing units is estimated to be 4.3 million, leading to a higher demand for cement for homebuilding. Growing urbanisation, an increasing number of households and higher employment are primarily driving the demand for housing. Initiatives by the government are expected to provide an impetus to construction activity in rural and semi urban areas through large infrastructure and housing development projects. 2. Infrastructure growth The government is strongly focused on infrastructure development to boost economic growth. It plans to increase investment in infrastructure to USD1
Industrial 4%

trillion in the 12 th Five Year Plan (201217), compared with USD514 billion under the 11 th Five Year Plan (2007-12). Infrastructure projects such as Dedicated Freight Corridors as well as new and upgraded airports, and ports are expected to further drive construction activity. The government in-tends to expand the capacity of the railways and the facilities for handling and storage to ease the transportation of cement and reduce transportation costs. 3. Commercial real estate growth The demand for commercial real estate segments, comprising retail space, office space and hotels, as well as civic facilities, including hospitals, multiplexes and schools, has been rising due to the growth in economy. The

Table 1: Summary Statistics - India & The Cement Industry

All India
10.0%

13% Commercial Residential 63% Infrastructure 20%


66.1%

7.5%

Ambuja Cement ACC

15.0% 1.4%

Ultratech Cement Jaypee Cement Others

Figure 4 The 'Consumption Areas' Spread

Figure 5: Market share by installed capacity (2011)

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Cement: Analysis

and Ambuja (50%-owned by Holcim) having 15% and 13% shares respectively. Many of the remaining dozen top players are Indian and are (in order of diminishing market share); Jaiprakash Associates (10%), The India Cements Ltd (7%), Shree Cements (6%), Century Textiles and Industries (5%), Madras Cements (5%), Lafarge (5%), Birla Cement (4%) and Binani Cement (4%). Between them, the top 12 cement firms have around 70% of the domestic market. Around 100 smaller players produce and grind cement on a wide range of scales but are often confined to small areas. An understanding of what factors influenced in the making of the composition of this industry as it is, essential to make prudent decisions on what are interventions needed and whether these issues will be instrumental in steering the Indian Cement Industry towards a consolidation over the next years. Most answers may lie in, 'What does a new entrant experience in this sector? ', Which can be summarily put as: Entry barriers are high as huge capital investments required present substantial barriers to entry and achieving economies of scale. Buyers' power - Substantial market concentration among large players ensures low bargaining power of buyers. Substitutes threat - Cement, as of now has practically no substitutes and this is positive. Players' rivalry threat - The Indian cement market is oligopolistic in nature, characterised by tacit collusion, where large players partially control supply for better price discipline. There have been off late CCI trying though to intervene to set this right. But as of now cement firms rule the roost.

Some of the initiatives taken by the Government to further promote the sector are as under:
Excise duty rationalised for packaged cement, whether manufactured by mini cement plants or others. Packaged cement, whether manufactured by mini-cement plants or others, attracts differential excise duty depending on the retail sale price per bag. It is proposed to prescribe a unified rate of 12 per cent + ` 120 (US$ 2.16) PMT for non-mini cement plants and 6 per cent + ` 120 (US$ 2.16) PMT for mini-cement plants. It is proposed to charge this duty on the retail sale price less abatement of 30 per cent The Indian construction industry has shown significant development over the years with eminent and efficient engineers at the helm and is among the best in the world, said Anand Sundaresan, Managing Director, Schwing Stetter (India) while inaugurating a conference on 'Latest Trends in Construction Industry' The private sector is expected to contribute 44 per cent of the total projected spend of US$ 100 billion on roads and highways over the Twelfth Five Year Plan (2012-17) period.

Some of the major investments in the sector are as follows: Barings Private Equity Asia has picked up a 14 per cent minority stake in the Indian unit of cement major Lafarge, for ` 1,427 crore (US$ 257.11 million) Sinoma International Engineering (Hong Kong), a part of the Chinese state-run National Materials Group Corp, has entered the Indian cement equipment industry by acquiring a majority stake in Chennaibased equipment manufacturer LNV Technology Dalmia Cement plans to invest ` 1,800 crore (US$ 324.32 million) to increase the company's cement manufacturing capacity over the next two years. The company also plans to set up a 2.5 million tonne (MT) greenfield unit in Karnataka Ambuja Cements plans to invest ` 2,000 crore (US$ 360.33 million) to enhance its cement capacities in Rajasthan and northern region. The proposed project at Rajasthan would add five MT capacity to the total cement production of India Reliance Cement Company (RCC), a subsidiary of Reliance Infrastructure Ltd, has commenced production of cement from its first manufacturing unit at Butibori, Nagpur in Maharashtra

try will have to add another 150 MT of capacity during the period, according to the latest report from the working group on the industry for the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17). The major policy and fiscal initiatives are expected to catalyze infrastructure and industrial development in the region, spurring the demand for cement. Investments: Confidence Makers The cement and gypsum products sector has attracted foreign direct investments (FDI) worth ` 11,779.04 crore (US$ 2.12 billion) between April 2000 to February 2013, according to the data published by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP).

Government - The Right Initiatives India would require overall cement capacity of around 480 MT. The indus-

Holcim, the Switzerland-based cement major, says India is among the robust of markets in Asia. It has said so at a time when the country's cement sector faces rising costs and poorerthan expected demand, despite this being the peak construction period. The company operates in India through group companies ACC and Ambuja Cements. It has said its outlook for Asia continues to be positive and that India, Indonesia and Philippines rank among the most promising growth markets. Its latest annual report says prospects for the construction industry are very good in these countries, given the high demand for infra-

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Cement: Analysis

structure expansion projects, as well as the need for low-cost housing. Holcim is expanding its production capacity in India. ACC plans to raise this from the existing 30 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) to 35 mtpa, in a phased manner till 2015. As part of this project, a new plant at Jamul in the state of Chhattigarh is under process. Also at Jamul, grinding capacity is being replaced. Part of the clinker produced in Jamul is earmarked for the expanded Sindri grinding plant (in Jharkhand) and for the new grinding plant in Kharagpur (West Bengal). ACC and Ambuja have a combined capacity of 57 mtpa, around 16 per cent of India's overall cement making capacity of 360 mtpa. Lafarge plans to expand its India operations across the country despite an anticipated slowdown, the French major's chairman and CEO Bruno Lafont said citing a new study that says India will become the world's thirdlargest construction market by 2025, to support his buoyancy. The study by Global Construction Perspectives and Oxford Economics expects India to add 11.5 million homes a year to become a $1-trillion, or about 59 lakh crore, a year market, even though it has cut India's short-term growth prospects. "The attractive growth of the construction industry will be higher than the short term economic growth. India is one of our focus countries, as we want to expand our operations from the North

"The attractive growth of the construction industry will be higher than the short term economic growth. India is one of our focus countries, as we want to expand our operations from the North East to the rest of the country,"

Industry trends; Healthy & Wise There has been an increasing presence of small and mid-size cement players. Marked observation is of new entrants and existing marginal ones' capacity additions, Presence of small and mid-size cement players across regions is increasing, which helps to diminish market concentration of industry leaders Small and mid-size players have been constantly increasing their installed capacity to cater to increasing cement demand

Moreover, there is an Increasing sale of blended cement, which was not so earlier. Bruno Lafont
CEO, Lafarge

East to the rest of the country," Lafont told ET. Lafarge is present in 65 countries and Lafont says there is no easy country to work in. "The path that the Indian authorities is taking is working; we are happy in India," he says, but adds that Lafarge would like to see a "simplification of the framework of regulations so projects can move faster." Lafarge, which has opened a laboratory in India to promote innovations that are close to the market, will focus on India's booming Tier 2 cities, Lafont says.

The proportionate sales of blended varieties of cement - Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC) and Portland Blast Furnace Slag Cement (PBFC) - has risen over the years During 2011, blended cement accounted for 75 per cent of total cement production in the country

The third factor that has emerged is the serious attempt on Cost reduction through the use of alternate fuels Major cement manufacturers in India are increasingly using alternate fuels, such as even bio-energy to fire cement kilns This is not only helping to reduce production costs of cement companies, but is also proving effective in reducing emissions

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133

Cement: Analysis

Company/Plant

Strategy

Benefits

Madras Cement's Alathiyur plant

Use bioenergy through burning of coffee hust and cashew nut shells

Annual cost savings of USD 1.7 million

India Cements Ltd's Dalavoi plant

Use Low Sulphur Heavy Stock (LSHS) sludge as alternate fuel

Annual savings of USD6500 approx.

UltraTech's Gujarat Cement Works

Use tyre chips and rubber dust as alternate fuel

Reduction of about 30,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually

Lafarge's Arasmeta plant

Substitute 10% of coal used in kilns with rice husk

Higher energy savings and lower carbon emissions

Figure 6 : Illustration of Successful use of alternate fuels in cement production

An illustration of successful implementation of alternate fuel usage in cement production to reduce production costs is shown in Figure 6. The Sustainability Score Energy efficiency: The Indian cement industry is one of the most energy efficient, according to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development's (WBCSD) Cement Sustainability Initiative's (CSI) Getting the Numbers Right (GNR) data programme.7 Despite the large capacity of Indian cement industry, the country performed extremely well in terms of specific energy consumption per tonne of clinker produced, with an average 3130 MJ/t across the 50% of cement capac4500 Specific energy consumption (MJ/t clinker)

ity that the GNR programme received data on (reference 2010 the most recent year for which data is available). Brazil and China, which also have rapidly-developing large cement industries, performed slightly less well.( See Figure 7) For all the three countries, it is the recent expansion of the industry that provides this thermal efficiency, an obvious consequence of the newly installed modern plants being more efficient than older ones. The comparison evidently is with the EU27 group of countries (and the USA to a greater extent), which have older units. In the Indian case, efficiency achievement and its sustenance in the new capacity additions is attributable to two
1000 Specific energy consumption (MJ/t clinker) 900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0

complementing factors. Firstly, the fact that (expensive foreign) coal, the dominant fuel for the Indian cement industry acts as a strong driver towards efficiency. This is complemented by a skilled knowledgeable engineering force that maximizes operating 'equipment & systems' efficiency levels. Coal is a reliable and stable kiln fuel that has helped Indian kilns to be very finely tuned for better efficiency. GHG emissions: in the matter of CO2 emissions per tonne of clinker, India performs not that well, as CO2 released is 837 kg/t of clinker though this is close to the global average. In this respect cement, industries will have to switch to alternate fuels of which Germany is one of the best examples. Indian cement industry too has entered this arena (See fig. 8) but this is an aspect that has to be fully customized so that a proper balance in bet-ween carbon footprint and efficiency is maintained. Finally, 'Low Carbon Technology Roadmap' for the Indian cement industry is already under launch. The roadmap will outline a possible transition path for the cement industry to reduce its direct emissions by 18 per cent by 2050. Indian cement majors ACC Ltd, Shree Cement and Ultratech have signed a cooperation pact to support low-carbon investments in India. The pact was signed in Geneva with member companies of the World Business Council (WBC) for Sustainable Devel-

4000 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 USA Germany EU27 Brazil WORLD China India

China

USA

India

Brazil

WORLD

EU27

Germany

Figure 7 Energy Efficiency

Figure 8 GHG Emissions

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Cement: Analysis

opment's Cement Sustainability Initiative and International Finance Corporation (IFC). Additional capacity requirementWhat to Expect? An improved capacity utilization notwithstanding the surge in continued demand is pushing up increasingly the need for installed capacity addition. Installed capacity increased at a CAGR of 13 .6 per cent over FY06-11 while production witnessed an increase of 9.1 per cent during this period. Total capacity of 331 MT is estimated to have been created in FY12. Considering the sharp growth in construction, infrastructure and real es-

All India
82 78 77

FY11F

FY12F

FY13F

Figure 9 : Forecasted capacity utilization levels of cement players (%)

tate in the Indian economy, It is logical that the 12 th Five Year Plan estimates additional capacity requirement will surely reach 139.7 MT by FY17 What lies 'Ahead'? By virtue of Cement's demand being

Additional capacity creation as per the 12th Five Year Plan 38.7 35.5 30.2 25.3

12.9

13.4

primarily based on the pace of activities in the business, financial, real estate and infrastructure sectors of the economy, all of which are racing ahead, cement demand will continue to demonstrate healthy growth trend. Cement being the most preferred building material worldwide for all construction works from housing and industrial construction to the creation of infrastructures like ports, roads, power plants, etc. the industry will expand by leaps and bounds. As for the Indian cement industry, it is globally competitive with the industry having demonstrated healthy trends in terms of cost control and a continuous technology upgradation. While India is experiencing growth in all areas, the industry and the cement market is moving ahead even in the wake of world-wide economic recession. The domestic environment too is spurred up by initiatives taken by the Government of India to various infrastructure projects, road network and housing activities with a huge 1.15 lakh crore investment basket. The right moves by the government should be a big compliment to an industry which too has done a lot of good work on capacity addition, utilization, efficiency and environmental measures. References
1. 2. 3. 4. ACC Ltd. http://www.acclimited.com/ World Bank Indicators website. United States Geological Survey. Cement Manufacturers' Association website: 'http://www.cmaindia.org /portal/static/DynamicHistory.aspx 'Global Cement Directory 2013,' PRo Publications International Ltd., Epsom, UK, November 2012. Global Cement http://www.globalcement .com/ Singh, S.P . 'Assessment of competition in cement industry of India,' Competition Commission of India & Vinod Gupta School of Management, IIT, Kharagpur,. World Business Council for Sustainable Development, Cement Sustainability Initiative. Global Cement website, 'Cement industry in India,' http://www.ibef.org/ industry/cement-india.aspx, Updated November 2012.

FY12

FY13

FY14

FY15

FY16

FY17

Figure 10: Capacity Creation

450

100 95

400 Amount of Cement (Mt)

90 85 Capacity utilisation rate (%)

5.

350

80 75

6.

300

70 65

250

60 55 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

7.

200

50

8.

Figure 11 Capacity v/s Capacity Utilization

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Concrete: Rheology

A Review of Fresh Cement and Concrete Rheology


Sonjoy Deb, B.Tech, Civil Associtate Editor

heology is the science of the deformation and flow of matter, and the emphasis on flow means that it is concerned with the relationships between stress, strain, rate of strain, and time. Available literatures have helped to overcome perceptions of the difficulty of rheology with its often mathematically complex relationships. Flow is concerned with the relative movement of adjacent elements of liquid and in shear flows liquid elements flow over or past each other, while in extensional flows elements flow towards or away from each other. In a shear flow, imaginary parallel layers of liquid move in response to a shear stress to produce a velocity gradient, which is referred to as the shear rate, equivalent to the rate of increase of shear strain. Elongation or stretching flows are rarely found in cement systems but there may be some elongation at the entry or exit of a pipe. They will not be considered further here. The rich variety of material behaviour can be characterised in various ways, of which the flow curve showing how shear stress and shear rate are related is very common, but equally data may be presented as the variation

of viscosity (the ratio of shear stress to shear rate) with shear rate or time. Basic Information on Rheology Rheology is the scientific description of flow. The rheology of concrete is measured with a concrete rheometer, which determines the resistance of concrete to shear flow at various shear rates. Concrete rheology measurements are typically expressed in terms of the Bingham model, which is a function of: - Yield stress: the minimum stress to initiate or maintain flow (related to slump) - Plastic viscosity: the resistance to flow once yield stress is exceeded (related to stickiness) Concrete rheology provides many insights into concrete workability. Slump and slump flow are a function of concrete rheology. Refer Figure 1 for a typical rheometer and typical flow curve.

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Concrete: Rheology

Workability versus Rheology - Workability tests are typically empirical - Tests simulate placement condition and measure value (such as distance or time) that is specific to the test method - Difficult to compare results from one test to another - Multiple tests needed to describe different aspects of workability - Rheology provides a fundamental measurement - Results from different rheometers have been shown to be correlated - Results can be used to describe multiple aspects or workability

Figure 2: Flow Curve

Some Concrete Rheometers are shown in Figure 3 below: Rheology Testing Methods for Cement Based Materials There are wellestablished rules for the sizes of apparatus and sample to ensure that rheological measurements are reliable, chiefly that any gap must be 10 times the size of the largest particles and that the ratio of outer cylinder radius to inner must be less than 1.2. For coarse granular materials like concrete this means that a coaxial cylinders viscometer is impracticably large, requiring a sample volume of 2.5m3 [1], whereas a specially designed one for mortar is feasible [16,17] and cement pastes are well within the capability of any of the wide range of laboratory instruments available commercially. These principles are equally applicable to other geometries and mean, for example, that the cone and plate viscometer cannot be used for suspensions because the gap is zero under the apex of the cone. This led to the development of the truncated and annular plate and cone geometries [8]. Fresh concrete Because of the impracticability of using a coaxial cylinders viscometer of anything like ideal dimensions for fresh concrete, Tattersall and coworkers developed a highly successful and practical apparatus in which an interrupted helical impeller rotates in a cylindrical bowl of fresh concrete and the

Figure 1: Rheometer and Typical Flow Curve

Concrete Flow Curves - Flow curves represent shear stress vs. shear rate - Bingham model is applicable to majority of concrete - Other models are available and can be useful for specific applications (e.g. pumping) - Very stiff concrete behaves more as a solid than a liquid. Such mixtures are not described by these models. Refer a Flow curve in Figure 2. Rheology Measurement: Typical Geometry - Rheometers must be uniquely designed for concrete (primarily due to large aggregate size) - Results can be expressed in relative units (torque vs. speed) or absolute units (shear stress vs. shear rate)

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Concrete: Rheology

behaviour is analysed using the theory of mixing [1]. This has been developed further by Domone and Banfill [18] and the current computer assisted model of the Twopoint apparatus is available commercially [19]. Following calibration it can deliver the yield stress and plastic viscosity of fresh concrete in fundamental units. Other, broadly equivalent, approaches to the measurement of fresh concrete rheology have produced the IBB rheometer [20], the BML rheometer [21] and the BTRHEOM [22]. These instruments were developed in different countries and the question naturally arose as to whether the results can be compared. The first attempt to answer this was a programme of comparisons achieved by bringing all four instruments together at a single location with a fifth, the CemagrefIMG [23], a large (0.5m3) coaxial cylinders instrument used as a standard, all under the sponsorship of the American Concrete Institute [24]. While each instrument characterised fresh concrete as a Bingham material and the yield stresses and plastic viscosities measured on the 12 concretes tested remained in the same rank order, the results fell into two groups. The CemagrefIMG and BTRHEOM agreed well, and the Twopoint and BML agreed well, with the second group giving a generally lower yield stress. Pairwise correlations were highly significant and enable the result of one test to be predicted from another. Since the BTRHEOM uses parallel plates, the Cemagref IMG uses coaxial cylinders, the Twopoint uses an interrupted helix rotating in a cylinder and the BML uses coaxial cylinders this agreement is encouraging. Mortar Mortar can be considered to be fresh concrete without the coarse aggregate and its testing has attractions for the study of the effects of ingredients at small scale. A coaxial cylinders viscometer, while feasible, proved to be inconvenient and Banfill described the use of the Viskomat as a small calibrated mixer for mortar testing [25]. More recently Jin [26] used a scaled down interrupted helix (like the Twopoint impeller)

in an extensive study of the mortar fraction for design of self compacting concrete and demonstrated that its rheology could be predicted with a high degree of certainty from tests on the rheology of the mortar. Progress with cement paste Experimental challenges for testing cement pastes and slurries are the risks of slippage at the walls of the viscometer, sedimentation of the particles and plug flow. Depletion of particles at the viscometer surface can result in a thin (<1mm) layer of water which facilitates bulk flow of the sample, superimposed upon the shearing flow within the rest of the material. The result is an underestimate of the stiffness of the sample [27]. The slip can be avoided using a roughened surface and Mannheimer [28] showed convincingly that slippage reduced measured yield stress by 85%. This is supported by comparisons between smooth coaxial cylinders and a vaneincup apparatus: slippage in the former reduced the measured yield stress by 50% but oscillatory measurements at lower stresses were indistinguishable [29]. However, proof that slippage does not occur with roughened surfaces above the yield stress has been elusive. At the high water contents representative of concrete, the particles in cement pastes may separate gravitationally and centrifugally and this can cause errors. When measurement geometries include devices to keep the paste homogeneous the results are much more satisfactory. These include angled blades to lift the particles [30], recirculating pumps [31], blades with interlocking fingers [32] and more conventional mixers [33]. The problem of plug flow, when the shear stress does not exceed the yield stress everywhere in the sample and some part of the sample does not shear, was first raised by Tattersall and Dimond [34] but has never been satisfactorily resolved. They found that hitherto irreconcilable anomalies in breakdown measurements were explained when filming the flow in the gap of a coaxial cylinders viscometer revealed that a solid plug of paste formed and was either stationary (rough cylinders) or slid round slowly (smooth cylinders). No satisfactory explanation has ever been offered for this anomalous plug flow but its existence casts doubt on all experimental data where full shearing flow has not been confirmed visually. Rheological Results of Cement Based Materials It might be expected that the rheology of the more complex material, concrete, containing a wider range of particle sizes, would be more complicated than that of one of its constituent materials, cement paste, but in fact fresh concrete has proved to be simpler and considerable practical progress has been made with it and, more recently, with mortars. Concretes

Figure 3: Rheometers

Much work has been done on the effects on the rheology of

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Concrete: Rheology

Material
Yield stress N/m2 Plastic viscosity Ns/m Structural breakdown
2

Cement paste, grout


10-100 0.01-1 Significant

Mortar
80-400 1-3 Slight

Flowing concrete
400 20 None

Self-compacting concrete
50-200 20-100 None

Concrete
500-2000 50-100 None

Figure 4: Rheology of cement paste, mortar and concrete

concrete of mix constituents and their relative proportions, cement properties and admixtures and cement blending agents [1,17,20,21,35]. Concrete conforms to the Bingham model and does not show structural breakdown over the range of shear rates used in the test. Yield stress and plastic viscosity vary in a complex fashion with composition and this makes rheology measurement a versatile way of controlling the quality of fresh concrete production: tests carried out on the fresh concrete can show up changes in the mix composition which may have implications for the concretes hardened properties and performance in use [35]. With the recent advent of selfcompacting concrete, characterised by a very low yield stress, it has been found that the thickeners used to prevent segregation in use by raising the viscosity of the water also change the flow curve from the normal Bingham behaviour to Herschel Bulkeley type behaviour (see below) [26]. Mortars Mortars undergo structural breakdown and measured data are sensitive to the previous shear history of the sample, but the equilibrium flow curve conforms to the Bingham model [25] The effects of composition are similar to those observed in fresh concrete and mortar tests can be used as small scale predictors of concrete rheology [26, also Banfill, unpublished]. Cement Pastes There are qualitative and quantitative disagreements between the results for cement paste reported by different research workers. The flow curve has been reported to fit several different

mathematical forms, all of which indicate the existence of a yield stress: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) Where A, B and C are constants. Additionally the numerical values reported for the rheological parameters cover a very wide range, which cannot be wholly explained by variations in the materials used. It can only be accounted for by accepting that differences in experimental technique and apparatus of different workers have a much greater effect than has been generally realised. Differences in the shear history at the time of test, undetected plug flow and slippage at the smooth surfaces of a viscometer could all combine to give experimental variations as large as those reported. However, there is general agreement on two fundamental qualitative aspects of the behaviour of cement pastes.

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Concrete: Rheology

Comparison of Cement Pastes, Mortar and Concrete Figure 4 shows that there is a trend in the rheological properties of cementbased materials, as quoted in the literature, which can be explained semi quantitatively by the presence of aggregate in the coarser grained materials. The flow properties of suspensions are governed by the interfaces between solid and water and, in terms of the surface area of contact, the dominant contribution is due to the cementwater interface. This is progressively diluted by the presence of aggregate. Thus, for example in one comparison, two cements which gave pastes whose rheological parameters differed by a factor of two produced concretes of indistinguishable flow behaviour [1]. The yield stress and plastic viscosity increase as the maximum particle size increases. This is because in a typical concrete at least 50% by volume is in the form of aggregate which is capable of withstanding the applied stresses without deformation: consequently the yield stress is higher, a point confirmed by the increase with increasing aggregate content in concrete [1]. The increased plastic viscosity is partly due to the increased interparticle contact and surface interlocking, as demonstrated by the fact that for two concretes with the same yield stress containing rounded and angular coarse aggregates, the plastic viscosity of the latter is higher. It is also partly due to the inability of the aggregate to be sheared: when an overall shear rate is applied to an imaginary concrete consisting of aggregate and paste 50:50 per cent by volume, the shear rate within the solid aggregate particles is zero and that in the paste is. This higher shear rate results in a higher stress and resistance to flow in the paste which in turn accounts for the increase in measured plastic viscosity of the bulk material. In contrast, the yield stress and plastic viscosity of cement paste increase as the cement gets finer [44], which reflects the dominance of the watercement interface in this system. Evidently the influence of particle size is a surface area effect in fine grained pastes and a simple volume effect in the coarser grained concretes. Perhaps further work on particles suspended in dispersions will suggest the particle size range where the

change from one influence to the other occurs.[45] Models for Particular Situations Pumping Transport of fresh concrete by pumping through pipes to the point of placement has been used since the 1930s and is an obvious candidate for rheological study, to help select pumping equipment and conditions. Pipe flow of a Bingham material is well characterised and the variation of shear stress from a maximum value at the wall of the pipe to zero at the centre line means that a plug of solid unsheared material moves surrounded by a zone of shearing flow from which pressureflow rate equations have been derived [1,7]. However, this assumes that the material is homogeneous, whereas pumped concrete actually forms a layer of paste which lubricates the wall and facilitates flow. Therefore the pumpability of a concrete is mainly governed by its ability to form and maintain this layer under the pumping conditions and an acceptance test has been developed [48]. In fact, practical problems with blockage of pipe work have meant that most pumping trials have had to be done at full scale, which is both costly and inconvenient. Interactions at the Surface of Formwork A related problem requiring a knowledge of friction at a concretewall interface is the pressure on formwork, which is lower than the equivalent hydrostatic pressure because of the yield stress within the material and the friction at the wall [50], but empirical predictions underestimate the actual pressures measured for modern highly fluid concretes. Friction between steel and fresh concrete was measured in a tribometer based upon moving a steel plate between opposed pressurized cylinders filled with concrete which exert a known stress normal to the surface [51,52,53]. Applying the coefficient of friction between steel and concrete determined in this apparatus enabled preliminary estimates of the formwork pressures exerted by fluid and self compacting concrete to be compared with those measured in full size formwork up to

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Concrete: Rheology

12 meters high. This confirmed the complexity of the factors affecting formwork pressure and showed that it is about 25% less than hydrostatic for a selfcompacting concrete, but the contribution of friction depends on surface roughness, concrete rheology and particle size distribution. Vibrational Compaction Vibration is the most popular means of compacting fresh concrete into formwork and around reinforcement and there is an extensive literature on the effects of such features as frequency, amplitude and acceleration, but several recent papers have significantly advanced understanding. Practically vibration removes the yield stress of fresh concrete which then flows under its own weight [54,55] and the important characteristic of the vibration is the peak velocity. The fluidity of vibrated concrete, defined as the reciprocal of its low shear rate viscosity, is proportional to peak Vibrational velocity up to a critical value, above which it is constant, and the viscosity of the vibrated concrete is proportional to the plastic viscosity of the unvibrated concrete [56]. This work enabled the effect of vibration to be defined phenomenologically but a more rigorous investigation was recently completed by Teixeira et al [57]. The Action of Superplasticisers It has long been established that superplasticisers can have spectacular but sometimes unpredictable effects on the rheology of cement systems. The yield stress of cement and concrete are reduced to very low values by the dispersion of flocculated cement particles [1]. However, the progress of the hydration reactions causes stiffening (slump loss) and this can be a serious practical problem. Flatt and Houst proposed that there are three components of the behaviour of the superplasticiser added to the system [59].The first part is consumed by intercalation, coprecipitation or micellization within the hydrating cement minerals, forming an organomineral phase. The second part is available for adsorption at the surface of cement particles and is effective in dispersing the flocs, but the adsorbed amount is not easily measured since current analytical methods are based on the amount removed from solution and this cannot distinguish between admixture consumed in the first part and adsorbed on surfaces [60,61]. Conclusion Rheology is important because of the scope it offers for characterising fresh cement paste, grout, mortar and concrete, and for understanding how they perform in practical applications. Without satisfactory fresh properties it is unlikely that the desirable properties of the hardened materials can be achieved. Their rheology is dominated by the structure that exists in the cement paste, but in mortar and concrete the structure has been partially or fully broken down during mixing. As a result they conform closely to the Bingham model and their behaviour
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during pumping, vibration and in formwork can be explained by reference to that model. Reliable instruments for testing the coarser grained materials are available and experience in comparing the data is growing. In contrast there remain apparently conflicting results for cement pastes, which are probably due to the different experimental techniques used by different workers. The important effects of shear history, mixing energy and wall slippage on the results obtained in viscometers are only now being generally understood. Rheology can be optimized to ensure concrete performance Reference
[1] Tattersall, G.H., Banfill, P .F.G. The rheology of fresh concrete, Pitman, (1983), 356pp [2] Banfill, P .F.G. (editor) The rheology of fresh cement and concrete, Spon, (1991), 373pp. [3] Bartos, P .J.M, Marrs, D.L., Cleland, D.J. (editors) Production methods and workability of concrete, Spon, (1996), 541pp. [4] Skarendahl, A., Petersson, O. (editors) First international RILEM symposium on selfcompacting concrete, Spon, (1999), pp.786. [5] Nonat, A. (editor) Why does cement set? An interdisciplinary approach, 2nd International RILEM workshop on hydration and setting, RILEM Publications Sarl, (1997), 419pp. [6] Barnes, H.A., Hutton, J.F., Walters, K. An introduction to rheology, Elsevier, (1989), 199pp. [7] Barnes, H.A. A handbook of elementary rheology, Institute of NonNewtonian Fluid Mechanics, University of Wales, (2000), 200pp, [8] Banfill P .F.G., Kitching, D.R.Use of a controlled stress rheometer to study the yield value of oil well cement slurries, The rheology of fresh cement and concrete, Spon, (1991), pp125136. [9] Bombled, J.P . A rheograph for studying the rheology of stiff pastes: application to cement setting, Revue des Materiaux de Construction, no. 673, (1970), pp.256277. [10] Barnes, H.A., Carnali, J.O. The vaneincup as a novelrheometer geometry for shearthinning and thixotropic materials, Journal of Rheology, vol.34. (1991), pp.841866. [11] Gregory, T. The measurement of early strength development in polymer modified cement pastes, 5th International congress on polymers in concrete, (1987), pp.205208. [12] OKeefe, S.J. Rheological properties of polymer modified cement pastes, PhD thesis, Bristol Polytechnic, (1991), pp.232 [13] Banfill, P .F.G., Carter, R.E., Weaver, P . Simultaneous rheological and kinetic measurements on cement pastes, Cement and Concrete Research, vol.21, (1991), pp.11481151. [14] Schultz, M.A., Struble, L.J. The use of oscillatory shear to study flow behaviour of fresh cement paste, Cement and Concrete Research, vol.23, (1993), pp.273282. [15] Keunings, R. A survey of computational rheology, 13th international congress on rheology, (2000), vol.1, pp.1.71.14. [16] Banfill, P .F.G. Feasibility study of a coaxial cylinders viscometer for mortar, Cement and Concrete Research, vol.17, (1987), pp.32933. [17] Banfill, P .F.G. A coaxial cylinders viscometer for mortar: design and experimental validation, Rheology of Fresh Cement and Concrete, Spon, (1991), pp.217226. [18] Domone, P .L.J., XuYongmo, Banfill, P .F.G. Developments of the twopoint workability test for highperformance concrete, Magazine of Concrete Research, vol.51, (1999), pp.171180.

For complete list of the reference kindly view the digital edition.

Cements

Low Carbon Cements and Concretes in Modern Construction


A John W Harrison
Managing Director, TecEco

A multidisciplinary analysis and review of low carbon cements and concrete is provided. Options are set out in a table and explained in the context of a wide range of disciplines and concepts. The paper takes a lateral thinking approach and calls for a change in mindset, teaching methods and the way standards are written so that the business model of cost cutting prevalent in the industry can change. It finds that significant de-carbonation will result not so much by changing the chemistry of existing cements or by developing new ones but by focussing on properties affecting lifetime energies and making CO2 and other wastes resources to manufacture synthetic carbonate aggregates and introducing carbon capture during manufacture or Portland and other hydraulic cements.
There are some significant problems facing humanity including climate change, ocean acidity and food shortages, land degradation and water pollution by wastes. At the 2007 Driving CO2 Reduction National Conference held in Melbourne on 13 & 14 September 2007 M K Singh stood up and said I want the cement industry to be the saviour of the world. Concrete can be and those in the industry who take on this challenge will succeed. We must however think outside the square and develop new technical paradigms1. Cement production was 3.4 billion tonnes in 2011 and the concrete produced with it roughly 28 billion tonnes. The annual carbon emissions from the cement in this huge material flow amount to roughly 2.9 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide, or 8.8%2 of total anthropogenic carbon emissions making cement a significant source of emissions. If other associated supply chain releases are included, significantly more. China and India between them are now consuming 40 times more cement and concrete than the USA. India currently produces around 210 million tonnes of cement, second to China at around 2 billion tonnes (25). There is a solution to global warming, salinity and many other global problems and it is potentially very profitable. TecEco Gaia Engineering utilises the huge flow of concrete to create an enormous CO2 sink and I will explain this as I go through the options and issues for cement and concrete in modern construction. According to the British Research Establishment (BRE) we cannot address de-carbonation without changing the composition of cement and fuel derived emissions will diminish slowly for purely economic reasons (19). Papers describing numerous different binder formulations abound and I have written some of them. The BRE are applying the wrong emphasis. The composition of
Figure 1 - Predicted Global Cement Demand and Emissions (19)

cement does not have change so much as the composition of concrete. Cement is only around 10% of concrete. The use of a high proportion of SCMs coupled with synthetic carbonate aggregates made from flue CO2 and waste magnesium ions and other materials effecting properties3 would make concrete made with any hydraulic cement currently associated with emissions a very green material with net sequestration. Mehta summarised some of the techniques used by architects for dematerialisation (15) but did not consider the effect of dematerialisation on lifetime or operational energies and TecEco have realised the potential of carbon capture during manufacture. These and other alternatives are summarised with reference to Table 1 that follows. I then address the options, dealing with those that have been dealt with in the literature adequately more briefly than others that have not. Alternative Binders There are a large number of alternative binders and many options to improve the energy and emissions associated with their manufacture. Given necessary brevity and the fact that they have been dealt with extensively by others most of them are presented as Table 2 - Future Binder Contenders with

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Cements

(according to our patents) to make a cement4. Calcium sulfoaluminate cements & belite calcium sulfoaluminate cements are low energy cements that can be made from industrial by products such as low calcium ( class F) flyash and sulphur rich wastes. The main hydration product producing strength is ettringite. Their use has been pioneered in China and more recently in the UK. Calcium aluminate cements are hydraulic cements made from limestone and bauxite. The main components are monocalcium aluminate CaAl2O4 (CA) and mayenite Ca12Al14O33 (C12A7) which hydrate to give strength. Calcium aluminate cements are chemically resistant and stable to quite high temperatures. Belite cements can be made at a lower temperature and contains less lime than Portland cement and therefore has much lower embodied energy and emissions. Cements containing predominantly belite are slower to set but otherwise have satisfactory properties. Many early Portland type cements such as Rosendale cement were rich in belite phases. (See http://www.tececo.com/links.cement_rosendale.php.) Reactive magnesia blended with other hydraulic cements and Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs)5 Reactive magnesia (rMgO)6 is a powerful new tool in hydraulic cement blends. 15-30% improvement in compressive strength and greater improvements in tensile strength, much faster setting, better rheology and less shrinkage and cracking, less bleeding and long term durability have been demonstrated with 50 % replacement and more of PC by flyash and GBFS. We believe autogenous shrinkage has been solved.7 rMgO is an ideal
Drivers
Sustainability and profit.

Figure 2 - Mehtas Triangle (15)

Differentiated Supply Chain Options on the next page. Data on production emissions with and without capture in most cases is included. Noticeably the hydraulic cement group dominated by Portland cement is the largest and there are many variants providing high early strength, sulphate resistance etc. Many of the new cements are variants of a Portland cement theme. Hydraulic Cements There is significant potential for carbon capture with cements made with a calcination step such as most if not all hydraulic compositions. This potential is covered in more detail under the heading Alternative Manufacturing Processes. Slag-lime or slag Portland Cement (PC) cements. Slag is made from ground granulated blast furnace slag (GBFS) which is a waste and latently hydraulic. It can be used with activators such as Portland cement (PC), lime and/or reactive magnesia
Option
Alternative Binders

Description
Numerous and described in Table 2 - Future Binder Contenders with Differentiated Supply Chain Options Reduce process emissions. Cements that involve calcination can be made without releases. Blending with Limestone with cement to reduce net emissions has met with some success and is now incorporated into many standards. There are however issues. Blended cements that contain a high volume of replacement materials (SCMs) such as fly ash, slag cement (gbfs), pozzolans, silica fume, rice husk ash etc. High replacement cement concretes often have improved properties such as rheology, less shrinkage, greater durability etc. The use of reactive MgO makes the use of higher proportions of SCMs possible.

Players
Scientists (Cement Chemists) Scientists. TecEco and Calix. Cement technol ogists

Barriers
Conservatism, out dated software. Prescription standards and approvals systems (see http://www.tececo.com /sustain ability.permissions_rewards.php.) Inability to think laterally. Fear of change

Standards & Guides


A few guides and draft standards (e.g. with Geopolym ers) Common sense!

CO2 Capture during Manufacture Replacement of Portland cement by Limestone

Sustainability, carbon taxes. Economic cost/benefit, sustainability, Leed, GBC, r & d & procurement Policies. Economic cost / benefit, sustainability, Leed, GBC, r & d & procurement Policies.

Buyer hesitancy.

New standards emerging because industry driven.

Replacement of cement by SCMs

Cement technol ogists

Conservatism, out dated software. Prescription standards and approvals systems (see http://www.tececo.com/sustain ability.permissions_ rewards.php.)

Mix design methods. LCA & LCCA. New better software.

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Cements

Dematerialisation

Innovative architecture and engineering. More durable concretes.

Architects & Engineers

Economic cost / benefit, sustainability, Leed, GBC, r & d & procurement Policies. Economic cost/benefit, sustainability. Economic cost/benefit

Prescription standards and approvals systems (see http://www.tececo.com/sustain ability.permissions_rewards.php.)

Design codes, LCA & LCCA

Mix Optimisation

Appropriate particle packing, better admixtures and use of brucite hydrates to release water for more complete hydration Mineral composites other than concrete with just stone aggregate can improve sustainability. E.g. composites with a high R value An emphasis other than on the binder to improve sustainability. E.g. Use of synthetic carbonate aggregate. A greater focus on properties having a high impact on lifetime energies. Although not a technical matter the right business model is essential for progress to be made. Legislative restrictions and standards throughout the world are prescriptive in nature and this and a lack of training is holding back innovation. There is a strong need to throw away dogma for what it is and get back to science.

Cement technologists Materials scientists

Conservatism, inappropriate software. Prescription standards and approvals systems (see http://www.tececo.com/sustain ability.permissions_rewards.php.) Inability to think outside the box. Fear of change

Mix design methods. LCA & LCCA. New better software. Standards, LCA & LCCA

Product Differentiation and Specialisation Changing the emphasis

Scientists

Sustainability, economic cost/benefit. Technical merit

Inability to think outside the box. Fear of change. Technical issues (?).

Common sense!

The Right Business Model The Right Framework to Operate in

Consultants

Profitability in a changing business environment The need to change

Conservatism, standards and legislative environment. Conservatism, inability or unwillingness to change.

Scientists and Consultants

Table 1 - Ways to make Cement and Concrete More Sustainable.

additive as it aids the dissolution of SCMs and contributes positively to many other properties (See REPLACEMENT OF CEMENT BY SCMS 7 Chemical Cements Magnesium Phosphate Cements are chemical cements that rely on the precipitation of insoluble magnesium phosphate from a mix of magnesium oxide and a soluble phosphate. They include some of the oldest binders known8 and are potentially very green if the magnesium oxide used is made with no releases or via the nesquehonite (N-Mg route) which is part of the TecEco Gaia Engineering solution (See ALTERNATIVE MANUFACTURING PROCESSES. It would also be good if a way is found to utilise waste phosphate from feedlots9. Carbonating Cements Reactive Magnesia Based Carbonating Binders can, like lime, be used for full thermodynamic cycle binders such as carbonating mortars. Reactive Magnesia (rMgO) has the advantage of also taking on water of crystallisation so the solid produced for input mass ratio is higher than for lime based carbonating binders. rMgO can also be made without releases10. Lime Based Carbonating Binders can, like magnesia, be used for full thermodynamic cycle binders such as carbonating

mortars. As water of crystallisation is not also taken up, the solid produced to input mass ratio is lower than for magnesium based carbonating binders which is a disadvantage. Other Cements Geopolymers are potentially very green but suffer from a number of fundamental flaws that will restrict their use and increase risk outside factory environments where they are currently being mainly used. They suffer from the nanoporosity durability flaw and the fact that water is not consumed in their setting with the result that making them fluid enough for easy placement is difficult. Because geopolymers are nanoporous soluble aggressive agents can get into them and attack aggregates. What makes them risky to use is the variability of results obtained. The problem is that the amount of water added is critical - too much and they are insufficiently alkaline or too little and they cannot be placed. Getting over these problems has been the main area for research and some success has been achieved as geopolymer premix concretes are commercially available as at the time of writing in Australia for non - structural applications. Sialites are a neologism for rocks made in a manner mimicking natural rock forming processes. 11 The technology is not new

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Cements

Re absorpti on (tonnes CO2 /tonne output in 1 year)

Net Emissions (Sequestration) (tonnes CO2 / tonne output in 1 year)

Process CO2 (tonnes CO2 / tonne output)

Decarbo nation CO2 (tonnes CO2 / onne output)

Total Emissions (tonnes CO2 / tonne output)

Cements Based on

Example of Cement Type

Type applies to/proponent

PC

Conventional

Process

.266

0.498

.764

.004

.760

Ordinary portland cement Carbonated ordinary Portland cement blocks Terniary mix with MgO additive.

Most dense concretes Gas permeable substrate Most dense concretes

Normal premix. No supplementary cementious or pozzolanic materials No supplementary cementious or pozzolanic materials Faster setting and higher early strength

PC

Permeable block formulation

.266

0.498

.764

.144

.620

42% PC 8% MgO 25% Flyash 25% GBFS PC With capture

.199

.209

.408

.001

.407

.266?

.266?

.004

.266?

Recapture during calcination. Eco- Cements sorel & magnesium phosphate cements.

Most dense concretes Historic and conventional

No supplementary cementious or pozzolanic materials Sorel and Mg phosphate cements. TecEco Eco-Cement Force carbonated pure MgO (Cambridge University) Sorel and Mg phosphate cements. TecEco Eco- Cement Force carbonated pure MgO (Cambridge University) TecEco, University of Rome La Sapienza. N-Mg route TecEco

MgO 7501000oC

Conventional

.240

1.092

1.322

-1.092

.240

MgO <750oC

Tec-Kiln (with capture)

.240

.240

-1.092

-.851

Eco-cement Brucite (MgO) boards

TecEco, Cambridge University

MgO <450oC

MgCO3 .3H2O Conventional calcination MgCO3 .3H2O Tec-Kiln (with capture) MgCO3 .3H2O Tec-Kiln (with capture) Silicate route

.378

.007

.385

-1.092

-.706

Eco-cement concrete, pure MgO concretes Eco-cement concrete, pure MgO concretes Novacem concretes? Eco-cement concrete, pure MgO concretes Novacem concretes?

TecEco, University of Rome La Sapienza. TecEco

MgO <450oC

.378

-1.085

-.706

-1.092

-1.798

MgO <450oC 20% PC 80% MgO

.369

-.743

.374

-.874

-1.248

TecEco

N-Mg route TecEco

Novacem, Calix? .266 .266 ? ? ? ? 0.16 0.578 0.511 0.594 0.216 .785 1.051 .266 >0.578 >0.511 >0.594 >0.216 .785 .785 ? ? ? ? .266 -.518 >0.578 >0.511 >0.594 ? 0.16 Belite cement Tri calcium aluminate cement Calcium sulfoalumin ate cement Chinese & others Geopolymer Alliance, Geopolyer Institute, University Melbourne Chinese & others Carbonating lime mortar Carbonating lime mortar Calera, British Lime Assn & many others Calera, British Lime Assn & many others

After Klaus Lackner?

CaO CaO C3S C2S C3A C4A3S Geo polymers

Conventional CaCO3 Tec-Kiln (with capture) Conventional Conventional Conventional Conventional Flyash + NaOH

Small net sequestration with TecEco kiln

Increased proportion

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Table 2 - Future Binder Contenders with Differentiated Supply Chain Options

Notes to Table 2 - Future Binder Contenders with Differentiated Supply Chain Options
1. http://www.tececo.com/files/spreadsheets/TecEco-CementLCA15Jan2013.xls, 2. Quillin, K. and P . Nixon (2006). Environmentally Friendly MgO-based cements to support sustainable construction - Final report, British Research Establishment., 3. http://www.geopolymers.com.au/science/sustainability Much of the thermodynamic data used in this table has been calculated using TecEcos LCA Tool downloadable from the TecEco web site at http:// www.tececo.com/files/spreadsheets/TecEco-CementLCA15Jan2013.xls. The tool is in the form of an editable Excel spread sheet with no password that calculates energy and emissions to the factory gate only. Please send any corrections or suggestions to a.john.w.harrison@tececo.com

as it has been known by some for years how to solidify some fly ashes12 for example. Alternative Manufacturing Processes So far the industry response has mostly been to: - - - - - - Modernise and upgrade plant Convert wet to dry plant processes Convert shaft to rotary kilns Install preheating, more efficient burners etc. Improve grinding and other efficiencies. Burn cheaper waste fuels. Burning waste materials with high calorific value including timber, tyres, solvents, waste oil, animal fats, carbon waste from the aluminium industry (14) etc. has met with opposition in some countries because of the associated pollution. - Reduce kiln temperatures and adjust the composition of cement accordingly with more aluminates and less alite13. Capture During Manufacture Significant sequestration can be achieved with capture of CO2 from kilns but the problem, which has not been solved yet for any form of sequestration, is what to do with it. One approach taken by Ramesh Suri of ACC in 2006/7 was to use Algae to consume the CO2 and produce bio fuel14. The problem lies in the sheer volume of CO2 produced and in making the sequestration process profitable. To meet this challenge TecEco is developing the N-Mg sub-process of Gaia Engineering that will sequester huge amounts of CO2 as synthetic carbonate that can be used as aggregate or as feedstock to make rMgO for its cements15. Manufacturing Taking Advantage of Full Thermodynamic Cycles The manufacture and use of Portland cement does not involve a full thermodynamic cycle and there is therefore little point in splitting the process into the endothermic16 and exothermic17 sub processes18 with one or two exceptions such as the manufacture of Syngas19. It is a different situation with carbonating cements containing rMgO such as TecEco Eco-Cement. Recapture occurs with net sequestration possible if CO2 is also captured during calcination. The real game changer and pinnacle of industrial ecology is our N-Mg sub process of Gaia Engineering that will produce large quantities of nesquehonite (MgCO3.3H2O) from waste

magnesium cations such as found in oil process water and bitterns and if this source runs out then from any brine containing Mg++(step 1). Nesquehonite can then be calcined in our Tec-Kiln without releases (step 2) to make rMgO and the CO2 fed back into the process (step 1) to precipitate more nesquehonite. The rMgO is then used as a binder to agglomerate massive amounts of nesquehonite to make synthetic carbonate aggregate or in TecEco Eco-Cements where it re carbonates (step 3). The sequestration into synthetic carbonate aggregate without saturating the market for aggregate is sufficient to solve the global carbon problem as can be seen from the graph in Figure 6 below. Eco-Cement binders according to TecEco Pty. Ltd.s patents are ideal for agglomerating synthetic carbonate aggregate and from the graph the total sequestration possible given 2011 12 concrete production is over 22 billion tonnes which is around 2/3 of that needed to consume all anthropogenic emissions. As a matter of proportion, the particular cement used in the future becomes less important in relation to the total sequestration possible in concrete if the focus is also on aggregate. TecEco call this breakthrough technology Gaia Engineering and it is a whole new way of thinking about industrial ecology and associated molecular flows. Gaia Engineering can profitably solve the problem of global warming and related problems such as ocean salinity and in doing so mitigate other problems such as pending food shortages15. Replacement of Portland Cement by Limestone Limestone is now routinely being added to Portland cement in varying proportions around the world and some success is being claimed mainly as a result of the improved particle packing. Compton and Chandler make it clear that Portland cement is not the best possible additive however when they say limestone is generally considered to be the poorest potential performer of the available suite of mineral additions and as such considerable effort is focused on developing Portlandlimestone cements that achieve the current general purpose Portland cement performance (2) By adding limestone to Portland cement the industry may be

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reducing the effectiveness of better and more suitable mineral additions such as rMgO and supplementary cementing materials (SCMs) classified and ground as necessary to optimise particle packing. The SCMs most commonly used include fly ash, ground granulated blast furnace slag and silica fume. Greater consumption of such wastes should be encouraged not compromised by a lowering of pH caused by the addition of limestone. Hooton, Nokken and Thomas make it clear One area where there is very little data is on the influence of limestone cements when used in conjunction with SCMs. A question that needs to be answered is whether the use of limestone cements will reduce the replacement levels of SCMs that can effectively be used. (8) A theoretical analysis of the issue is on our TecEco and Gaia Engineering web sites20 At the present time considerable effort is focussed on developing Portland-limestone cements that achieve the current general purpose Portland cement performance (2). The goal is to find out just how much ground limestone can be added without compromising the properties of normal cements too much. The argument is that limestone is the obvious choice for most cement manufacturers. It is a fundamental raw material at cement plants, and high grade limestone is readily available through its use as a supplement to amend raw meal chemistry. Limestone is abundant, pure and soft and makes an ideal mineral addition to be interground with clinker and gypsum during cement milling (1) Given the theoretical evidence I present on the TecEco web site20 it is essential that cement that consists of clinker and gypsum in the right ratio with 5 % or less of limestone21 and nothing else continues to be made available for downstream blending as the economics of other mineral additions will change and many work much better such as rMgO which would otherwise compete with limestone for interstitial sites between cements grains. Reactive magnesia blended with Portland cement and SCMs results in significant improvements in properties as detailed in the next section. The problem is that best results are achieved

if it is fine enough to also fill interstitial sites between grains of Portland cement. Replacement of Cement By SCMS Portlandite should not be left in a concrete because it is far too reactive. On the other hand consuming it all in the pozzolanic reaction also has technical issues. Mistakes are routinely made. Portland cement can be blended with pozzolans such as flyash which will consume Portlandite (Ca(OH)2) in the pozzolanic reaction. It is important however that not all of the Portlandite is consumed as calcium will start leaching from CSH22 if it is. As an alternative pH buffer we recommend the addition of rMgO which hydrates to brucite. The equilibrium pH of Brucite is approximately 10.5 and the pH of CSH

Figure 4 Manufacture of MgO from Magnesite with and without Capture

around 11.2 (22). The pH of a CSH and Brucite assemblage in equilibrium will not fall much below 10.5. According to the 12th plan in India around 10 million tonnes of GBFS are produced annually (10). In a recent article by Dr Yashpal Singh a figure of around 175 million tonnes of flyash was estimated for 2012 (20). As most SCMs are wastes their use is obviously more sustainable than digging up limestone, grinding it and adding it to cement and the paradox is that the use of limestone may compromise the use of SCMs as explained in the previous section. In many parts of the world builders are negative about the use of SCMs because when added, concretes take longer to gain strength. Grinding cement finer to compensate for the negative chemical effects of limestone should have been considered as one way of making it more reactive with SCMs such as flyash however this costs money. Another is to air classify pozzolans increasing their reactivity. A way of accelerating the setting of mixes containing a high proportion of SCMs is to include about 8-10 % rMgO as a proportion to PC in a mix. The reason is because when dissolved in water Mg2+ has a profound effect on the polarity of all species in solution that can be polarised. Of particular

Figure 3 - Options for Portland Cement Manufacture

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dimensional distress in the proportions we recommend and does not act in the same way. Dematerialisation Dematerialisation is a technique for reducing the materials used by design and has been practiced for many years by some architects. As the subject was covered by Mehta extremely well (15) I will not elaborate. I refer readers to Figure 2 - Mehtas Triangle on page 3 and comment that the impact of dematerialisation on lifetime energies must be considered. Mix Optimisation
Figure 5 - The N-Mg Sub-Process of Gaia Engineering

interest in relation to cement are water and its disassociation species. Mg++ is a strong kosmotrope and strongly attracts electrons and brucite (including microcrystallites) has a strongly charged surface. Water dipole strength is increased and propagated in mix water. Water and its disassociation species such as hydroxides have reduced negative electron clouds around protons. Dissolution of SCMs by proton wrenching occurs more readily, speeding up reactions and making their use more acceptable to builders24. With about 8-10% of reactive magnesia (rMgO) added, 50% or more of (SCMs) can be used and the resulting concretes still outperform ordinary Portland cement concretes25. This may not be achievable with higher additions of inter-ground limestone. Surely the goal should be to use SCMs most of which are wastes. The focus of my efforts in the past few years has been to find ways of making reactive magnesia much more cheaply so it will be blended with Portland cement and SCMs as a matter of routine as it should be. Readers should however be aware that some manufacturers are actively selling magnesia for use in concrete without stating the reactivity in possible breach or circumvention of our patents and possibly dangerously as well because magnesia that is not highly reactive can cause

Mix optimisation is mostly an art and should be a science. It is not practiced widely enough and there are a lot of shortcuts in the software used. More often than not the rule book of prescriptive standards is religiously followed without questioning why. For example the use of gypsum to prevent flash set even when blended with SCMs. An important aspect is particle size and charge. It is not just what is in the mix but the particle size range of each component and how they fit together in 3D space. The smaller

Assumptions Tec-Cement concret with synthetic magnesium carbonate aggregate Percentage by weight of cement in concrete Percentage by weight of rMgO in Tec-Cement Percentage by weight Ca (OH)2 in cement % of Ca(OH)2 in concrete that carbonates Proportion cement that is flyash and/or GBFS 1 tonne Portland Cement Proportion concrete that is aggregate CO2 captured in 1 tonne aggregate Net CO2 sequestration 1 tonne rMgO (N-Mg route, 1 complete recycle) 12.00% 9% 29% 10.00% 20% 0.867 Tonnes CO2

80.0%
1.084 1.794 0.785 Tonnes CO2 Tonnes CO2 Tonnes CO2

Figure 6 Sequestration capturing CO2 from the air in the N-Mg process using TecEcos Tec-Kiln

CO2 captured hydration and carbonation of tonne Cao (in PC)

Figure 7 - The Sequestration Potential for Synthetic Carbonates in Concretes

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the average size of each addition the more particle charge becomes important26. What is or is not included should be carefully considered with end use in mind and many changes are suggested in this paper. RMgO for example accelerates first set because it goes negative at the surface as the pH rises as demonstrated in Figure 10 above/ It is important to realise that packing considerations apply to all components in a mix, not just the cement and that small component substitutions can make a big difference to properties and the amount of cement required to achieve a given strength. Less cement for a given strength is more sustainable. A pioneer in this field is de Larrard from France (13)(12) and the TecSoft27 project at TecEco has been initiated to implement some of his math. Mix optimisation is also too focussed and should be better connected with need as discussed in the section with the title Product Differentiation and Specialisation. Product Differentiation and Specialisation. It has been said in the industry that all that is grey is great, all we make goes out the gate. Significant amounts of energy would be saved with specialisation for differentiated market niches. Market penetration would also increase with the development of new concrete product. With rising energy costs and an urgent need to improve sustainability additions to cementitious composites that improve lifetime or operating performance are an import part of a profitable future. Many waste streams can offer a wider range of properties for purposes such as thermal insulation or weight reduction. With the use of rMgO any toxics are encapsulated as well as immobilised and bonding to alternative included materials such as agriculture or domestic wastes is dramatically improved as are fire resistant properties. Concretes with high thermal mass for heat retention and

concretes with greater elasticity and plasticity for road pavement are other examples. New mineral composites incorporating waste streams with low thermal flow characteristics will be in high demand (e.g sawdust blocks) in the future and will drive this differentiation. Cementitious composites such as concrete can take a lead role in reducing lifetime energies and become part of the solution instead of the problem. Changing the Emphasis It is essential to think of concrete not just cement as each component has a role in the performance at every stage. It we think whole of concrete as recommended by Ken Hover (9) and many others then it becomes much easier to understand the material and issues concerning it such as sustainability. There is too much emphasis on strength and not enough on durability and properties. As discussed under the heading Product Differentiation and Specialisation. Concretes with a wider range of properties such as low conductance or light weight could play a major role in reducing the lifetime or operational energies of structures. About seven years ago now I realised that aggregate is 80% or more of most concretes and therefore represented an opportunity to sequester huge amounts of carbon dioxide as synthetic carbonate in our Gaia Engineering process explained in this document under the heading Capture during Manufacture and in a lot more detail at www.gaiaengineering.com. The Right Business Models For a long time a cost cutting model has dominated the efforts of players in our industry however if we are to move forward and fulfil the potential of solving many of the worlds problems this will have to change. New innovation based business models will have to be adopted. Most governments have realised that innovation is important and in relation to this some interesting statistics are coming

Figure 8 - Gaia Engineering

Figure 9 The Mg++ ion drags electrons to it exposing more electro positive protons23

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out of the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education in Australia that conclusively demonstrate that innovative companies perform better (See Figure 11)

trading the industry should also consider using standards, modified as suggested, as a way of providing benchmarks for minimum embodied energy and emissions. Existing standards could be relegated to a role as guides. Legislative Frameworks fall into the same trap as standards with too much restriction although some governments such as my own here in Australia pay lip service to the need for change as evidenced by renaming departments with the word innovation included. The way forward surely lies in better education and training and the conversion of standards to guides. The concrete industry produce and place the most used and important materials in construction yet in many countries no qualifications of even basic training are required by those practically involved. This deplorable situation must improve and hopefully the training is not rote but such that it awakens minds to the possibilities. The Right Policies to Support Research and Development to Improve Sustainability Few governments have ever managed to get the mix of stick, incentive and procurement right or even remotely efficient. The level of control continues to increase without the leadership to drive it. As Lord Stern made clear in his review of the economics of climate change (23) there are huge opportunities for emissions reduction in building and construction, not just in reducing the embodied energy and emissions of the materials we make but by changing the way we design structures and the way we utilise the materials we use to build them. The biggest problem is that governments do not follow their policies through the supply chain. It is no good supporting the Research and development of for example carbon capture methods without making sure there are financial sticks and/or incentives to encourage the changes required to the process of making cement. Back to Science There are too many non - scientific dogmas in the cement and concrete industry. At TecEco we have relied on science to explain what we

Figure 10 The Change in the Surface Charge of Metal Oxides with pH. (21)

Companies in the construction sector including the concrete industry do not spend much on research as shown in Figure 12. The main reason why is because our industry is bound by a framework of standards, legislation and conservatism that has resulted in low margins. It is no wonder cost based business models prevail. The Right Framework to Operate in The concrete industry in most countries operates with a restrictive framework of standards and guides and supporting legislation that breeds conservative managers who do not innovate and a cost cutting business model. Our engineers are taught to rely on out of date dogma not rely on science or their common sense. Change must occur if we are to move forward on sustainability and take advantage of emerging opportunities for carbon trading. Given the lack of training and education at the base level this will be a difficult challenge. An Inappropriate Permissions and Rewards Systems At Concrete Solutions 09 (6) I spoke about the tremendous potential for players in the concrete industry to make money as a result of inevitable change yet many barriers still exist as I have discussed. One of the greatest remains our ill-conceived permissions and rewards systems28 designed with the false notion that they protect the status quo. There is a rising current of change that I helped initiate and prescriptive standards and inappropriate legislation is getting in the way. Standards for cement and concrete are still prescription based in most countries and even the Green Building councils in the US, Australia and elsewhere have fallen into the same trap of locking in the status quo and stifling innovation. Prescriptions should be confined to guidelines on how to do things. Standards should set out minimum performance requirements in a chosen range of categories. In order to take advantage of carbon

Figure 11 - Increases in Business Performance by Innovation status 2008 9(4)

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observe. By using science rather than applying dogma it is easier to understand what is really happening and see a way forward for improvement. Conclusions It is time cement companies adopted a business model that connects innovation with profitability. In many other industries profitability is understood to be a function of research and development and that the regular release of new technically improved product generates revenue growth. Progress towards de-carbonation will be slow unless this occurs. Engineers should be taught science not dogma and standards need to be rewritten as benchmarks not prescriptions. The legislative framework in many countries needs a broom through it and governments need to realise that the concrete industry could in fact be the saviour of the world as M K Singh bravely arose and said29. All this can only be achieved if there is a change in mindset, a strong desire to move the agenda towards greater sustainability forward, a willingness to throw away the rule book, a whole new modern scientific lateral thinking. Last century there were many different mineral cement contenders and Portland cement was only one of them. By 1900 it emerged as the dominant formulation. In the future a new differentiation of product based on properties will probably occur and this will be a good thing as it will result in greater margins and product more suited to particular use such as, for example, the development of binders suitable for utilising wood waste to make insulating composite products for the outside of buildings including rMgO for fire retardation. The major barrier to implementation will be the mindset of our managers and out dated prescription based standards. John Phair said at the conclusion to his paper that Further developments and new techniques must continue to be introduced into the cement and concrete industry. Green chemistry will play a significant role in facilitating a holistic industrial ecological approach to cement from a fundamental level. This will provide distinct alternatives to an OPC dominated

cement market. (18). There will be greater diversification and alternatives but in my view the market will still be PC and PC derivative based but only if new formulations and production processes that include capture are implemented such as our N-Mg process which produces synthetic carbonate aggregate. Chemistries that fix known sleeper issues such as Portlandite content will need to be embraced including our own Tec and Eco-Cement technologies. With the use of a high proportion of SCMs, particularly if pre - blended the addition of gypsum and limestone are questionable. As Paul Hawken makes clear in The Ecology of Commerce,concrete that is more durable is more sustainable(7). By adopting a whole of concrete approach there is much more scope for sustainability. The obvious target in construction is to lower lifetime or operational energies so we should be thinking properties as well as strength and durability and this will require product diversification. Paradigm changes such as our Gaia Engineering project will modify the supply chain to focus on carbon capture and then use the CO2 produced to manufacture synthetic carbonate aggregate. A new approach to cement and concrete formulation cannot evolve without the realisation that concrete can be part of the solution not the problem. Portland cement concretes are the most ubiquitous and will probably remain so because immense economies of scale make them relatively cheap and sustainability problems can be overcome by carbon capture with CO2 used as synthetic carbonate aggregate and a reformulation excluding limestone and gypsum and including reactive MgO and a mix of classified fine and normal SCMs in high proportion. Footnotes
1 The technology paradigm defines what is or is not a resource. 2 The Chinese government (16) estimate that 861 kg (net) of CO2 are emitted for every tonne of Portland cement clinker produced. The production of 3.4 billion tonnes cement would results in emissions of 2.9 billion tonnes CO2. Global emissions are around 33 billion tonnes (17) so the current contribution of cement production globally as 2.9/33 x 100%, or 8.8%. 3 The inclusion of additions that introduce properties such as thermal capacity and lower heat transfer rates have significant scope to reduce lifetime or operational energies. Many of these additions can be sourced from waste streams. 4 We include for convenience GBFS in our definition of hydraulic cements in our patents in most countries and claim the right to reMgO GBFS mixes. Beware of infringements. We do not think reactive magnesia (rMgO) a good activator but it is an excellent additive and facilitates more rapid dissolution 5 The NRMCAs CIP 30 Supplementary Cementitious Materials includes pozzolans which by themselves do not have any cementitious properties and other materials such as ground blast furnace slag that do. 6 The magnesia must be reactive and be wary of imitations that are not

Figure 12 Australian R & D Expenditure by Industry Size (Bubble diameter) Employment and Gross Value Added. (3)

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7 Much more detailed information is available in the TecEco web site in the downloads area. 8 Dung + MgO in ancient Indian stupas. 9 Thereby solving an environmental pollution problem. 10 See under the heading Alternative Manufacturing Processes. 11 The name Sialite is attributable to Dr Henghu Sun and others of the Pacific Resources Research Center in California, in collaboration with Tsinghua University in Beijing; see (24) for a description. 12 Depending on the composition 13 Pers comm. WA (Tony) Thomas Chief Engineer Concrete, Boral Construction Materials 14 http://www.tececo.com/files/newsletters/Newsletter64.htm 15 See www.gaiaengineering.com home page and some of the latest movie downloads at http://www.gaiaengineering.com/movies.php 16 Calcination of limestone. 17 Reaction of quicklime (CaO) with clays, shales etc to produce clinker.) 18 More processes result in more process energy. 19 Dr Sheila Devasahayam at the SMaRT Centre, School of Materials Science and Engineering, The University Of New South Wales, is researching pyroprocessing CaCO3 with an additive to produce Syngas 20 In the technical areas of www.tececo.com and www.gaiaengineering. com under the heading Ground Limestone in Portland Cement - A Good Idea or Lost Opportunity. 21 Preferably none at all 22 Properties will change and CSH is thought to become more brittle (5). 23 Water is in equilibrium with hydroxide and hydronium ion ions. When acidic or basic compounds are dissolved the equilibrium is pushed towards more hydronium or hydroxide ions respectively. e.g.: H2O <=> H3O+ + OH The hydronium ion is highly solvated and H5O2 +, H7O3 + and H9O4 + are increasingly accurate descriptions of the environment of a proton in water. Chemists represent a hydronium ion as just a hydrogen ion (H+, as in the figure) in place of H3O+ 24 See the web page Reactive Magnesia - A Theoretical Explanation of Properties in the technical area at www.tececo.com 25 See Presentation 50 at http://www.tececo.com/document.conference_ presentations.php 26 It is not well known that electrostatics plays a significant role in the setting of concrete (11) 27 See www.tecsoft.com.au 28 See also http://www.tececo.com/sustainability.permissions_rewards.php 29 See Introduction References 1 CHALMERS, DES, MARSTON, ERIK. Principles and practices in the use of limestone mineral addition in general purpose cements. 2012, 38(1): Compton M, Chandler J. Elevated limestone mineral addition impacts on laboratory and field concrete performance. Concrete in Australia. 2012, 38(1):27 33. Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education(Australia).AustralianInnovationSystemReport2012[Internet]. Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education (Australia); 2012. Available from: http://www.innovation.gov. au/Innovation/Policy/AustralianInnovationSystemReport/AISReport 2012.pdf Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research (Australia). Australian Innovation System Report 2011 [Internet]. Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research (Australia); 2011. Availablefrom:http://www.innovation.gov.au/Innovation/Policy/ Australian Innovation System Report/ AISR2011 /wp-content/ uploads/2011/07/Australian-Innovation-System-Report-2011.pdf

5 6

Glasser FP . Pers. comm. 2002, Harrison AJW. The Implementation and Advantages of Carbon Trading in the Concrete Industry. In: Concrete Solutions. Luna Park, Sydney: Concrete Institute of Australia; 17-19 Sept 09. Hawken P . The Ecology of Commerce. New York: Harper Collins; 1993. Hooten, R. D, Nokken, M, Thomas, M.D.A. Portland-Limestone Cement: Stte-of-the- Art report and Gap analysis for CSA A 3000. University of Toronto for the Cement Association of Canada; 2007. Hover, Kenneth C. Concrete Design and Construction from the Inside Out. In: Concrete in the Third Millenium. Brisbane, Australia: Concrete Institute of Australia; 2003.

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10 Indian Bureau of Mines. Indian Minerals Yearbook 2011 [Internet]. 2011, [cit 2013 janv 15] Available from: http://ibm.gov.in/IMYB%202011_Slagl. pdf 11 Labbez C, Nonat A. The Cement Cohesion: an Affair of Electrostatics. In: Iutam Sympiosium on Swelling and Shrinkage of Porous Materials. Petropolis, Brazil: 2007. 12 De Larrard F, Sedran T. Mixture-proportioning of high-performance concrete. Cement and Concrete Research. 2002, 32(11):1699. 13 DE LARRARD F. Concrete Mixture Proportioning: A Scientific Approach. E & FN Spon; 1999. 14 MCGRATH TM. Sustainable cement and concrete. Concrete in Australia. 2012, 38(1):1515. 15 MEHTA PK. Global Concrete Industry Sustainability. Concrete International. 2009, Vol 31(2):4. 16 MEP . Technical Requirements for Environmental Labeling Products: Low-carbon Cement (Discussion Paper) [Internet]. Ministry of Environment Protection, China; 2012. Available from:http://www.mep. gov.cn/gkml/hbb/bgth/201112/W020111208396803781008.pdf (in Chinese) 17 PETERS GP , MARLAND G, LE QUERE C, BODEN T, CANADELL JG, RAUPACH MR. Rapid growth in CO2 emissions after the 2008-2009 global financial crisis. Nature Clim. Change. 2012, 2(1):24. 18 PHAIR JW. Green chemistry for sustainable cement production and use. Tutorial Review. 2006, 19 QUILLIN K. Low-CO2 Cements based on Calcium Sulfoaluminate [Internet]. Available from: http://www.soci.org/News/~/media/Files/ Conference%20Downloads/Low%20Carbon%20Cements%20Nov%2 010/Sulphoaluminate_Cements_Keith_Quillin_R.ashx 20 SINGH, YASHPAL. Fly Ash Utilisation in India [Internet]. [cit 2012 janv 15] Available from: http://www.wealthywaste. com/fly-ash-utilization-in-india 21 SMALL RJ, PETERSON ML, ROBLES A, KEMPA DK. Using a buffered rinse solution to minimize metal contamination after wafer cleaning [Internet]. MicroMagazine.com. 2005, Available from:http://www. micromagazine.com/archive/98/01/small.html 22 SPENSE, ROGER FP . Chemistry of Cement Solidified Waste Forms. In: Chemistry and Microstructure of Solidified Waste Forms Symposium. Oak Ridge: D. Lewis Publishers; 1992. p. 1 39. 23 STERN N. The Stern Review on the economics of climate change [Internet]. 2007, Available from: http://www.hmtreasury.gov.uk/ independent_reviews/stern_review_economics_climate_change/ stern_review_report.cfm 24 SUN, HENGHU, JAIN, R, NGUYEN, K, ZUCKERMAN, J. Sialite technology: Sustainable alternative to Portland cement. Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy. 2010, 12503 516. 25 USGS. Mineral Commodity Summary - Cement [Internet]. 2012, (2012): Available from: http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/ cement/mcs-2012-cemen.pdf

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Communication Feature

Eco-friendly AAC Block is Here to Stay


t won't be wrong to say that this is the age of environment-friendly building materials and strategies. Autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) blocks can be counted among the most popular ecofriendly building materials that are available. While there are several brands available, Cell O Con autoclaved aerated concrete blocks from Methra Industries India has carved its own distinct identity. These concrete blocks are cured in an autoclave, which is a large pressure vessel measuring 45 meter length and 3 meter in diameter. Steam is fed into the autoclave at high pressure i.e. 800 kPa, and a temperature of 180 degrees Celcius. The AAC blocks are produced using Portland cement, lime and pulverized fuel ash or Portland cement, lime and fine sand. A small quantity of gypsum is also added. Autoclaved aerated concrete is quite different from dense concrete, both in the production and in the composition of the final product. In the case of dense concrete it gains strength after about two days and most of its strength after a month. On the contrary, as soon as the AAC blocks are removed from the autoclave and cooled, they are ready for use.

Manufacturing Process As part of the manufacturing process, cement, lime, and PFA are mixed to form a slurry. Fine aluminum powder is added to produce a cellular structure. The density of the final product varies depending upon the quantity of aluminum powder added to the slurry. Slurry is poured into moulds, and thereafter, two processes occur simultaneously. The cement hydrates to normally produce ettringite and calcium silicate hydrates and the mix gradually stiffens to form the green cake. The green cake rises in the mould due to the evolution of hydrogen gas formed from the reaction between the fine aluminum particles and the alkaline liquid. These gas bubbles give the material its cellular structure. When the cake has risen to the required height, the mould moves along the track where the cake is cut to the required block size. Depending on the actual production process, the cake may be demolded entirely onto a trolley before cutting, or it may be cut in the mould after the sides are removed. The cake is cut by passing through a series of cutting wires. At the cutting stage, the cakes are

green. If they are too soft the cut blocks may fall apart or stick together. If they are too hard, the wires will not cut them. The cakes are loaded into the autoclave and kept inside for 8 to 10 hours. When removed from the autoclave and cooled the blocks will achieve their full strength and packed ready for transport. Cell O Con AAC blocks are manufactured using latest technology. The tests conducted on the Cell O Con AAC blocks by the Structural Engineering Research Centre, CSIR Chennai and M/S Hitech Lab, conform to IS 2185, which vouches for their quality. Key Benefits Cell O Con AAC blocks exhibit excellent insulation properties. Apart from superior thermal insulation, these AAC blocks also offer excellent acoustic insulation. Sound transmission class ratings up to 60 are possible with AAC blocks. The AAC blocks are also highly resistant to water, sun, wind, fire, termites and pests. AAC blocks are made up of natural inorganic material that does not burn. This ensures that there is no need for any additional fire proofing material. Ease of construction is another major advantage with AAC blocks. Apart from being easy to transport, they are also easy to handle, groove, drill and nail. Utilities can be easily routed through the AAC blocks. In a nutshell, Cell O Con AAC blocks are eco-friendly, light weight, help reduce dead load, enable more carpet area, require minimal external and internal plastering and energy efficient, making it a favorite with contractors, builders and developers.

For further details:


Methra Industries India Pvt. Ltd.
62 Panchali Amman Koil Street, Arumbakkam, Chennai - 600106 Ph: +91-44-23638652, E-mail: admin@methras.in Web: www.methras.in
Cell O Con AAC Block

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Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Blocks

Communication Feature

Pioneering Innovative and Sustainable Products


he Indian construction industry has been growing at a rapid rate over the past two decades. It is not surprising then that a host of innovative products and solutions have been hitting the market regularly catering to the needs of the industry. However, while there could be several new products entering; only a select few have been successful in making a mark. Two such remarkable products are 'i.light' and 'TX Active' from Zuari Cements, which is part of the globally well-known Italcementi Group. Zuari Cement's steady

growth has seen the company emerge as a leader with a capacity of 6.2 million tons. The company has three plants, which include two manufacturing units at Sitapuram and Yerraguntla, and a grinding center at Chennai. The company's manufacturing units are ISO: 9001 and ISO: 14000 certified, respectively. Zuari Cement has been adjudged as a Power Brand after a rigorous survey conducted by ICMR among consumers across India based on reach, availability, demand and growth. Earlier in 2011, Zuari cement has also

been awarded with Master Brand by the CMO council Asia. 'TX Active' and the Photocatalytic Active Principle Zuari's innovative products, 'TX Active' and 'i.light', add to the sustainability quotient of a building. 'TX Active' works on the photocatalytic active principle and is a truly innovative and unique product. 'TX Active' is photo catalytic cement that abates some contaminants in the air, thereby offering the perfect solution to pollution. What exactly is photocatalysis, one is bound to ask. Photocatalysis is a natural phenomenon in which a substance known as a photocatalyst uses light to expedite the rate of natural oxidation process. Using light energy, photocatalysts can induce the formation of strong oxidizing reagents, which decompose some organic and inorganic substances in the atmosphere through oxidation. Photocatalysis promotes faster decomposition of pollutants and prevents them from accumulating. It is proven that concrete and cement-based products produced with 'TX Active' will reduce pollutants associated with motor vehicle exhaust, heating exhaust, fuel combustion and other commercial and industrial processes. These include, Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), Sulfur Oxides (SOx), volatile organic compounds (VOC's) and Particulate Matter (PM), among others. Moreover, the 'TX Active' ingredient can never be used up. This is because the principle ingredient is a catalyst that accelerates the natural oxidation process and is not consumed in the process. Therefore, as long as the concrete remains intact, UV light can trigger the process, and the principle remains indefinitely. The 'TX Active' range consists of TX Arca cement developed in 1996. White concrete made using TX Arca cement offers extraordinary brilliance and selfcleaning properties, which ensures

Milan Lorenteggio Eco-Technological Complex

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Communication Feature

that the original beauty of buildings last for years. The TX Aria environmental line provides a comprehensive range of cement products and binders for formulation into all varieties of mortars, stuccos, cementitious veneers and many other concrete end uses. Proven Technology 'TX Active' photocatalytic cements have been used extensively in the European market for over a decade. Their effectiveness has been thoroughly tested and thus certified by important independent research centers (CNR, ARPA, Ispra Research Center). Its formulation is the result of 10 years of research, tests and applications carried out by CTG, Group Technical Centre, a company in the Italcementi Group which has led to the final formulation of the photocatalytic active principle. The first project of recognition was the Dives of Misericordia Church in Rome, designed by Richard Meier, a world-renowned architect. In addition, many other projects with different applications such as precast buildings, roadways, paver blocks, tunnels, etc., have been completed. The perfect testimonial for the efficacy of the self-cleaning 'TX Active' cement can be found at Vodafone Village in Milan. Covering 67,000 square meters, the village provides accommodation to over 3,000 employees of

Vodafone. The architects chose 'TX Active' for it guaranteed a constantly clean facade, thanks to the combined action of the active ingredients and sunlight. Hotel de Police in Bordeaux, France is another good example for the efficacy of the photocatalytic principle. A total of 750 panels, cover an area of 5,400 square meters of architectural precast concrete. 'TX Active' was chosen to preserve the aesthetic quality of the building. Similarly, 'TX Active' rough surface finishing was selected for the Air France Headquarters, Roissy-Charles de Gaulle building, which is located amid high concentrations of hydrocarbons from aircraft exhausts. In the case of Ciments du Maroc's headquarters in Casablanca, Morocco, the building's circular structure was made with traditional concrete covered with a white mineral coating of 'TX Active'. The Academy of Sant'Eufemia, the largest Yoga center in Europe, boasts of an external photocatalytic pavement, about 3,000 sq.m, made up of photocatalytic interlocking paving stones. Self-cleaning, pollution busting courtyards have been designed using 'TX Active' in an affordable green housing project in the City of Highland Park, a municipality on the outskirts of Chicago. Another interesting project is the gateway elements cast with 'TX Active' photocatalytic cement on the new Inte-

Dives Misericordia

rstate 35 West Bridge spanning the Missisippi River in downtown Minneapolis, USA. 'i.light'- The Revolutionary Precast Concrete Panel A precast concrete panel that can transmit light is a concept that was, until now, deemed possible only in science fiction movies or literature. Today it is reality thanks, to 'i.light', a precast concrete panel that can transmit light. Obtained by bonding special resins in an innovative mortar, 'i.light' not only lets natural and artificial light in but also allows seeing objects placed behind the panel and creating a surprisingly transparent effect. The story of how 'i.light' came into being makes for interesting reading. 'I.light' was actually created at the request of the architect responsible of designing the Italian Pavilion for Expo Shanghai 2010, who wanted a cementitious material capable of transmitting light.3,774 transparent panels of 'i.light' were produced and used to cover a total surface of 1,887 sq. m., amounting to about 40% of the pavilion's entire shell. The effect was to create a sequence of light and shade constantly changing throughout the day. The Italian pavilion was a huge success attracting over 6 million visitors. In fact, the Chinese Government was so impressed that it decided to make it a permanent pavilion which would not be dismantled after the expo.

For further details:


Zuari Cement
Ph: +91-080-41194408, E-mail: zclmkt@zcltd.com Web: www.zuaricements.com
Dives Misericordia

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Communication Feature

Leading the RMC Revolution

he Indian construction industry has seen a steady increase in demand for ready-mix-concrete (RMC) over the last two decades. Stricter project specifications, rising emphasis on adhering to quality standards and tighter project deadlines have all been behind the increased penetration of RMC in India. A name that has played a pioneering role in this growth story is that of RMC Readymix (India), one of the largest RMC manufacturers in the country. RMC Readymix (India) is part of Prism Cement Limited, India's largest integrated building materials company with a wide range of products from cement, RMC, tiles & batch and kitchen accessories. The company has three divisions, viz. Prism Cement, H & R Johnson (India), and RMC Readymix (India). Prism Cement Limited also has a 74% stake in Raheja QBE General Insurance Company Limited, a JV with QBE Group of Australia. Established in 1996, RMC Readymix (India) currently operates 88 RMC plants in three cities and towns across the country. The company has also ventured into the aggregate business and operates large quarries and crushers. RMC Readymix (India) has been at the forefront in setting high standards for plant and machinery, production, quality systems and product services in the ready-mixed concrete industry.

Quality Assurance Increasing demand has meant that RMC Readymix (India) has been striving hard to expand its production capacity. It has recently added two key locations to its existing network, Bhopal, in the heart of India and Guwahati, the economic and industrial hub of Northeast India. One of the cornerstones of the company's success story has been its unflinching commitment to quality. As part of its initiatives, RMC Readymix (India) has added another feather in its cap. One of its labs attached to Whitefield Plant in Bengaluru - was subjected to NABL Certification. The lab has achieved the distinction of getting the accreditation under ISO/IEC: 17025: 2005, in the field of 'Mechanical Testing of Aggregate and Concrete'. Latest Generation Concrete The demand for specialized concrete for specific applications is rising by the day. Catering to this demand, RMC Readymix (India) offers a wide variety of concrete to its customers. These include: MegacreteTM - high strength concrete for large structures. EasycreteTM flow able concrete requiring less labour & effort for placement.

FRCcreteTM concrete incorporating polypropylene & steel fibres for ground slabs, eliminating the need for reinforcing steel. FoamcreteTM light weight concrete for thermal insulation, acoustics, fillers, etc. ColourcreteTM Concrete in a wide array of colours for aesthetic purpose HighdensecreteTM High density concrete for special applications such as radiation shielding in hospitals, reactors, etc. and to add dead weight to structures. ThermocreteTM Concrete at lower temperatures for mass concrete pours. Pervious Concrete concrete designed to capture water run offs & for rain water harvesting.

With its quality-focused approach and expertise in the field of delivering latest generation concrete, we are sure to hear more about RMC Readymix (India) in the future.
For further details: RMC Readymix (India)
Mobile : 09769801903 Toll-free: 1800-22-3454 E-mail: customercare@rmcindia.com customer.connect@rmcindia.com

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Concrete Flooring: Densifiers

An Insight into Liquid Floor Densifiers


Ankita Adhikary

n many cases, the best floor-covering is nothing. Leaving the concrete slab exposed and finishing it as the floor can be economical, aesthetically successful, and sustainable. It is so durable that it may well be the ultimate floor the last floor that will ever need to be installed in the space. The key to optimizing the performance of concrete as a floor is densifiying. Densifiers make concrete floor more durable, and abuseresistant. Densification eliminates wear - induced powdering of the surface known as dusting. It makes the surface less permeable to liquids, improving stain-resistance and making cleaning easier and more eco-friendly. A dilemma sometimes faced by concrete floor contractors and owners is what to do about a recently installed or existing industrial floor that has a weakened surface. After concrete has been Installed, how can contractors most effectively correct the dusting, poor abrasion resistance, and high porosity that characterize such a surface? (Weakened floor surfaces are typically caused by adding excess water to the concrete, poor

finishing techniques, and a poor-quality cure.) Obviously, removing and replacing the concrete is not a favorable option, because it is disruptive, labor-intensive, and costly. A simpler, less expensive option is to use a liquid chemical treatment to harden and densify the concrete surface. Refer Figure 1 for a hardened concrete floor. Need for Densifier New or existing concrete can be improved by densification. It transforms concrete into a more practical flooring solution, and is applicable to a wide variety of projects. Owners of retail, commercial, and institutional environments are opting to expose the concrete floor instead of covering it. Densification expands appearance finishing options, enabling the success of finishing techniques such as burnishing and polishing. A densified, diamond polished concrete slab can achieve a high gloss that can rival the look of natural polished stone at a fraction of the cost. A slab burnished to a sheen after densifiying can achieve almost as attractive a result, but faster

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and even more affordably. Combined with techniques like dyeing, staining, or grinding to expose aggregate, a broad palette of visual options are available for taking concrete beyond a featureless gray surface. The cost of densification and polishing is competitive with the least expensive floor coverings available. Even with the added expense of coloring, it is still more affordable than the lowest end carpet or stone floors. Densifiers are also used where appearance is not a concern because of the improved performance of the slab. As it is easy to keep clean and safe, the densified floor is suitable for warehouses, factories, and maintenance facilities such as automobile service bays. Chemical densifiers (also called hardeners or densifier / hardeners) are a small investment that leads to long-term savings and improved performance for decades. About Liquid Densifier Liquid floor hardener formulations vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, but they usually contain inorganic compounds that undergo a series of complex chemical reactions with the available lime in mature concrete. Some liquid hardeners also contain special proprietary ingredients to make treated floors more resistant to chemical attack and wear and to improve the aesthetics of the finished surface. Unlike solvent-based, membrane forming sealers, which usually contain resins and hazardous solvents, most liquid floor hardeners contain inorganic compounds that are water soluble and comply with todays environmental, health, and safety regulations. Wetting agents (surfactants) are usually added to a liquid hardener to help the product penetrate the pores of the concrete substrate. The efficiency of the floor hardening treatment increases with the depth of penetration, which usually ranges from 1/8 to 1/4 inch.

Though manufacturers of liquid floor hardeners sometimes use the word sealer to describe their products, a liquid hardener is actually a treatment, not a surface coating like most membrane - forming organic sealers. A drawback to applying a membrane to concrete is that the membrane tends to wear away in high-traffic areas. Not only is the worn coating unattractive, the unprotected concrete is susceptible to chemical attack by acids and caustics. Liquid floor hardeners not only protect concrete surfaces, they protect the concrete down to the depth of penetration. Also, the hardeners dont form a coating or membrane on the concrete surface, so they dont scratch; peel, show tire marks, or require recoating. Working Principle of Liquid Densifier As soon as a liquid floor hardener is applied to a concrete substrate, a chemical reaction takes place between the inorganic compounds and lime (whether hydrated or unhydrated) in the pores of the concrete matrix. The primary product of this reaction is a mixture of dicalcium and tricalcium silicate compounds, which hydrate (react with water) even further to produce a chemical compound called calcium silicate hydrate, or tobermorite gel. The ultimate strength and binding properties of hydrated Portland cement are primarily due to the presence of tobermorite gel in the concrete matrix. Therefore, liquid hardeners increase concrete strength by increasing the concentration of tobermorite gel. Liquid floor hardeners can also increase concretes density. When the tobermorite gel forms in the concrete pores, its crystalline growth effectively blocks voids in the concrete, decreasing the pathways for moisture movement. Since chemicals attack concrete by penetrating the matrix, the presence of an insoluble gel in the substrates pores and on its surface greatly increases the concretes chemical resistance. In addition to the benefits of strength gain and chemical resistance, a liquid hardener can enhance the beauty of a troweled floor by giving it a polished look. This high sheen results when the treated floor is polished by mechanical means. Floors treated with liquid hardeners will not dust when abraded or polished. The drawing below shows a cutaway view of a rough, porous floor prior to floor- hardener treatment. When light strikes the

Figure 1: A typical hardened concrete floor

Figure 2: Working Principle of concrete hardened floor versus untreated concrete floor

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irregular surface, the light is reflected in all directions. This scattering of light makes the concrete surface appear dull. After a floor has been treated with a liquid hardener, the pores are filled with tobermorite gel and the concrete surface can be polished smooth. When light strikes this smooth surface, it is reflected uniformly, so the floor shines. Refer Figure 2 for how concrete hardened floor works as compared to normal concrete floor. Application Tips of Liquid Densifier Ideally, concrete floors should be treated with liquid floor hardeners at least seven to 14 days after placement, or after the cement has had sufficient time to hydrate. Cement hydration increases the amount of available lime in the concrete, thus increasing tobermorite gel formation. In addition, this waiting time allows the pores of the concrete to dry, so the liquid hardener can penetrate the concrete surface rather than merely lying on it. It is much easier for a liquid hardener to displace air than water in the concrete voids. True liquid floor hardeners should not be applied to fresh concrete at the time of initial cure, because the concrete is still saturated with moisture. This saturated condition prevents the hardener from penetrating the surface. Also, liquid hardeners should not be applied as curing compounds, since they do not meet the requirements of ASTM C 309, Standard Specification for Liquid Membrane- Forming Compounds for Curing Concrete. Always check the manufacturers recommendations for when to apply its product. The type of cure used on new floors prior to application of chemical floor hardeners is very important. Liquid hardeners must penetrate the concrete surface to undergo the chemical reaction that imparts density and hardness, but they cant penetrate a membrane forming curing compound. If a curing compound has been used, be sure to remove it before applying a liquid hardener. ACI 302.1R- 89, Guide for Concrete Floor and Slab Construction, recommends moist curing floors that will later be treated with a liquid floor hardener or other surface treatments. Surface preparation of the floor before hardener application is also important. The surface must be

thoroughly cleaned to open the concrete pores and allow for hardener penetration. Typical cleaning methods include chemical cleaners and high-pressure water. Some chemical floor hardeners contain magnesium fluosilicates, which are low- grade toxic chemicals. When applying these products, be sure to wear protective clothing such as rubber gloves, boots, and goggles. Typically, fluosilicate hardeners are supplied in concentrated form and must be diluted with water before application. Non fluosilicate floor hardeners, that are more commonly used today are colorless, odorless, biodegradable, and VOCcompliant. Many manufacturers offer 10- year warranties with these products. When using a non fluosilicate floor hardener, apply a slight flood coat to the concrete surface, covering about 200 square feet per gallon. Next, scrub the material into the surface with a stiff-bristle broom or janitorial floor- scrubbing machine for 15 to 30 minutes, until the product begins to gel or become slippery. Wet the material lightly with a water spray, and then rework it into the surface for another five to 10 minutes. After this process, rinse the floor and remove any excess material with a mop or squeegee. This final step is important, because residue is more difficult to remove if it is allowed to dry. Application Areas of Liquid Densifier Typical applications for liquid hardeners include floors in warehouses, industrial plants, shopping malls, stores, schools, food-processing plants, and hospitals. Installation costs vary, depending on the required surface preparation and size of the project. The degree of surface hardness and density that can be achieved with a liquid hardener depends on the quality of the concrete surface. Liquid hardeners can improve the abrasion resistance and reduce the dusting of a lower-quality concrete floor. On higher-quality concrete surfaces (those with

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more prevalent in the North American and potassium is predominate in Europe. A.4 Lithium Silicates. Lithium silicates were developed to combat Alkali Silica Reaction (ASR). ASR is more prevalent in exterior applications where there is a constant source of water. Lithium silicates are less susceptible to solubilization than sodium or potassium. One of the byproducts of this particular silicate is its ability to reduce sweating on slabs. B. Silicinates - excellent sealer, poor hardening characteristics. Real world typical life expectancy is 18 to 24 months, and then it should be reapplied. Disposal of the waste material is currently an issue. - Silicinates are applied the same way silicates, spray, scrub, mist, rinse, and vac. - Silicinates can offer increased abrasion resistance over silicates in the short term due to the coating effect of the silicinates. - Silicinates are either potassium or sodium. a lower water-cement ratio and denser finish), the need for a chemical floor hardener diminishes. Many manufacturers claim that liquid floor hardeners improve the chemical resistance of a concrete floor. This is true to a degree, but one should carefully examine the chemicalresistance requirements of the floor before proceeding with hardener application. Though liquid floor hardeners improve the chemical resistance of a concrete surface, they do not make the surface 100% chemical resistant. Unfortunately, liquid hardeners are sometimes sold as chemical-resistant products meant to replace truly chemical-resistant coatings, such as two-component aliphatic urethanes. For floors exposed to high levels of chemicals, consider using a chemical- resistant coating instead of a liquid floor hardener. Types of Liquid Densifier Chemical Hardeners (Densifiers) include three basic categories of chemicals: silicates, silicinates and silica: A. Silicates - penetrate and harden. They are not good sealers. Disposal of the waste material is currently an issue. A.1 The oldest is Magnesium Fluorosilicates, which have been around since 1905. This type of product requires multiple applications with varying rates of dilution. A.2 Sodium Silicates Developed initially in Germany in the 1930s. Application of the product requires that it be applied at an average of 200 square feet per gallon, spread and worked until the surface tension is broken, mist with water, allowed to gel a second time and then rinsed and wet vacuumed to remove. A.3 Potassium Silicates. The main difference between the sodium silicates and potassium silicates is sodium is
Some Photographs of Densified concrete floor (Reference: Densification for High Performance Floors, By Steven H. Miller, Concrete Tech. Today Densifying Concrete)

C. Silicas are the newest and most promising of the chemical hardeners: - Silicas are applied simply by spraying them on the surface of the slab and allowing them to dry. The surface should be clean and void of any curing compound. Application rates are between 400 to 600 square feet per gallon.

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Concrete Flooring: Densifiers

- Silicas increase abrasion resistance over silicates or silicinates by up to twice as much - Silicas do not contribute to ASR - Silicas do not raise the pH of the concrete since the product is neutral 6.5. - Silicas have the highest increase in abrasion resistance - Silicas have reduced application and labor costs - Silicas have no hazardous waste to remove or dispose - Silicas do not contribute to silicosis and are not carcinogenic unlike silicates which do contribute to silicosis and are carcinogenic - Silicas will not contribute to sweating or efflorescence - Silicas performance is not contingent on dwell time unlike silicates or silicinates In a nut shell there are features and benefits to each of these types of chemical hardeners. The upside for the silicates is that they harden better than silicinates, Silicinates seal better than silicates. Silicates have been directly linked to silicosis. Silicates and silicinates have been tagged as carcinogens. Silicates and silicinates must be disposed of as hazardous material. There is significant research that documents the ill effects of sodium, potassium silicates and silicinates on reactive aggregate in concrete. Currently the best technology for chemical densifiers is amorphous silica. Advanced Densifiers A new generation of densifiers based on colloidal silica is replacing older densifiers based on chemical compounds called silicates. Colloidal silica performs the same functions, but makes the densification process itself faster, easier, more affordable, and more sustainable. It is competitive in material cost, and reduces time and labor expenses for densification by as much as 75%. Colloidal silica has also been used to rescue slabs that have not responded to silicate treatments. The first generation of concrete densifiers was generally made from silicate compounds such as sodium silicate and potassium silicate; this range of silicate based compounds was later broadened to include lithium silicate. All these silicate compounds are highly caustic, with a pH of 11 to 12, similar to the alkalinity of lime itself. Sodium- or potassium-silicate application is also time consuming and labor-intensivethe chemical has to be worked with a broom for an hour to help precipitate silica and scrub it into the slab surface. The process leaves behind a caustic, gelatinous slurry that has to be scrubbed off thoroughly and disposed of. (Sodium hydroxide, also known as lye, is a by-product of sodium silicate densifiers and is sometimes present in their residue.) Applicators often try to neutralize the slurry with other chemicals before disposal, costing additional time and money. Many silicate-based densifiers require an overnight curing period before polishing

can begin. Inadequate removal of sodium- and potassiumsilicates often leads to concrete discoloration by salt deposits a problem known in the industry as whiting. The only way to remove whiting is to regrind the slab, an expensive and time consuming process. Whiting can also be a danger with lithium silicates if the material is over-applied, tempting some applicators to under-apply the product and ultimately fail to adequately densify the floor. The high pH of silicate materials also makes them dangerous and unpleasant for applicators to handle, especially during the removal process. With increasing restrictions on disposal of caustic substances and construction waste, properly getting rid of the silicate slurry has become an issue for applicators to deal with. The new waterborne colloidal silica product, available from Lythic Solutions (www.lythic.com) under the trade name LythicTM Densifier, eliminates these problems. It is made from 5-nanometer diameter amorphous silica particles, mechanically suspended in water rather than chemically tied up in a compound. Colloidal silica is more immediately available for reaction in concrete than a silicate compound the molecule has more chemically reactive sites, and the greater pH difference between colloidal silica and lime makes the reaction begin quickly, within minutes after application. The particles consist of nearly pure silica, and the colloids extremely low sodium content eliminates the danger of whiting. There is no danger of over-application. The simplified application process reduces risks and cost, and only minimal training is required. There is no removal step (as required with silicates) and consequently no caustic slurry to dispose of only a small amount of dry powder residue that can be boomed off, or will be vacuumed up during polishing. Conclusion Concrete is one of the worlds oldest construction products, but it is continually advancing to meet the needs of the times. Improved densifiying technology is a classic example of this process: taking advantage of the basic nature of the material, densifiers make a concrete slab more durable, sustainable, maintainable, and aesthetically versatile. Densification makes the concrete slab an ideal flooring solution for the economic and environmental requirements of our age. The newest densifiying technology, colloidal silica, carries those sustainability and cost advantages to the next level, and adds new performance levels to the densification process. Reference
1. Look at Liquid. Floor Hardeners. By John Gill and Cyler Hayes, (www.concreteconstruction.net/.../A%20Look%20at%20Liquid% 20Floor... ) 2. Comparison of Concrete Chemical Hardeners (Densifiers). By Roger Allbrandt, B.A. Environmental Biology, (www.absolute polishing.com / A -brief -overview -of -Concrete -and -Chem...) 3. Densification for High Performance Floors, By Steven H. Miller, Concrete Tech. Today Densifying Concrete

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Structural Health Monitoring

Structural Health Monitoring: A Dire Need of India


Yogesh Indolia, 21SHM Consultants Dr. Gopal Rai, R&M International Pvt. Ltd.

ith an advent of all new structures coming up a time when India is competing in today's competitive global market, one cannot tend to ignore that fact that India carries the burden of numerous old structures owned not only by the state but also the people. These old structures have known or unknown deficiencies and cannot be identified unless a disaster is experienced. However, it would be too late by then as the damage would have already happened in terms of human loss. This leads to the present state of the poor affairs and needs a careful consideration to be pro-active to conduct health monitoring and providing proper solution, and then it would be up to the owner, may it be private or government to execute it in the national interest. Structural health monitoring (SHM) in general sense is a process aimed at providing accurate and timely information about the condition and performance of a structure. It can be either short term (eg. repairs efficacy) or a long term (monitoring parameters continuously or periodically) process. A need for SHM arises with the fact that properties of both concrete and steel depends on a large number of factors, which are often hard to predict in practice. The representative parameters selected for health monitoring of a structure in general can be of mechanical, physical and chemical in nature. In India due to negligence and non availability of technology, SHM has not been taken seriously and therefore, misses its full potential. If safety standards are emphasized and followed SHM will grow to its full potential and be an integral part of structural maintenance and management. Safety is a serious issue and should be addressed properly in the future. In this paper, Structural Health Mo-

nitoring basics are covered and need for SHM in the future Indian scenario. Also presented are experiences in some SHM work, which has been undertaken and its impact on the structure both in the United States and in India. Introduction As new materials and technologies are discovered, buildings get taller, bridges get longer spans and the de-signs of structures become more ambitious, but more complex. In view of these developments, there is an increased requirement to providing both the costs savings with regard to maintenance and a safer environment for by preventing structural failures. India even being a developing country has picked up the structural developments including the new technologies. India has a rich cultural and historical background which is very well reflected in the varied amount of historical structures. These structures are very well built and have withstood the test of time. But due to there historical importance it becomes very important to assess health condition of these structures, so that appropriate steps can be taken before it is too late. Apart from old buildings there are high rise buildings made of steel and concrete which have started to make their way in India and as they need extensive modelling, design details and analysis before and during construction it becomes important and good to know about what has been made and its behaviour in future. Critical buildings (or Lifeline Structures, as they are also called) like hospitals, schools, power plants etc and buildings with large public gatherings like sports arenas, stadiums, commercial buildings, which could cause harm to large amount of people at a time and

are something to be taken care on a regular basis, if they suffer any damage due to any calamity, either natural or manmade. The safety of dams in our country is the principal concern of the State agencies that are involved in the various aspects of their investigation, planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance. While most of the dams have performed well, there have been a few failures. These failures, either partial or complete, highlight the need to review the procedures and the criteria that are being adopted by the various States with the object of establishing the best assurance of dam safety within the limitation of the present state-of-art. Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) is a process aimed at providing accurate and in-time information concerning structural condition and performance on a proactive basis. It consists of (i) permanent continuous, (ii) periodic or (iii) periodically continuous recording of representative parameters, over short or long terms. The information obtained from monitoring is generally used to plan and design maintenance, increase the safety, verify hypotheses, reduce uncertainty and to widen the knowledge concerning the structure being monitored. In spite of its importance, the culture on structural monitoring in India is not yet widespread. Basics of Structural Health Monitoring The Process of Structural Health Monitoring is process similar to the pain and illness experienced by human body and how it is cured. If the body is considered like a structure[1]. When a person has some damage or problem with his body, the unhealthy condition is detected by the nervous system and it sends signals to the brain about the issue. Person real-

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Structural Health Monitoring

izes that he is ill and visits a doctor in order to prevent its further development. Synonymously the sensors act as the nervous system and the acquisition system act as a brain. The structural expert is like an doctor for the structure and listens to the responses and proposes a solution/repair strategy. The important aspects are responses in the structure. Responses which can be commonly measured can be in general divided in Mechanical: strain, deformation, displacement, cracks opening, stress, load Physical: temperature, humidity, pore pressure Chemical: chloride penetration, sulphate penetration, pH, carbonatation penetration, rebar oxidation, steel oxidation.

Fig 1: Major Civil Structures in which monitoring is required

can then be incorporated into bridge maintenance and management strategies, and improved design guidelines. There are various advantages and positive ramifications of including Structural Health Monitoring in civil structures. 1. Confirm the design parameter: Detection of damages during construction which can cause any change in properties than expected by design. 2. Quality Assurance: By providing continuous and quantitative data, a monitoring system helps you in assessing the quality of your structure during construction, operation, maintenance and repair, therefore eliminating the hidden costs of damages caused by non achieving the required designed standards. 3. Complex Structures are well managed: Learning how a structure performs in real conditions will help you to design better structures for the future. When new materials, new technologies and methods are involved in construction monitoring is an effective way to know the real behaviour and to refine structural behaviour theories. 4. To Ensure safety of people, nature and property: Early detection of performance degradation can save lives and property in time by stopping exploitation and access to the structure. This guarantee the safety of the structure and its users. It also gives us a way to assess the possible damages after a natural calamity or any other type of major event which can affect the structural properties and condition. 5. Monitoring reveals hidden re-

sources: Many times the structure performance is better than what it is designed for and this gives an extra freedom to play with for further designs and construction. Economically structural health monitoring process is also very reasonable and is synonymous to buying an insurance policy for your health. One protects the individual, his/her depending family and finally gives a peace of mind. The same is true for SHM Policy, which gives a much more personal, local and national image for sustainability. The cost of installing a system and doing health monitoring at a given time like construction or repairs is 0.5% to 3% of the total construction or repair costs respectively. The cost of doing Structural Health Monitoring for a period of 10 years is 2% to 5% of total structures building cost[1].

The physical diagnostic tool of SHM is the comprehensive integration of various sensing devices and auxiliary systems, including: [2] Sensory system Data acquisition system Data processing system Communication system Damage detection and modelling system

The above points shows that SHM is very economical and the returns are large and worth spending for. Scope of SHM and its need in India Concrete and steel are two materials which are mostly used in construction today, often in the form of reinforced concrete. These two materials in the form of reinforced concrete have become highly popular for construction due to its high compressive strength, resistance to fire, very low maintenance cost as compared to service life, and most importantly it being highly economical. But due to its high requirement of quality control and problems related to reliability with material properties it has some drawbacks. The steel inside the reinforced concrete gets corroded. Carbonation is a problem. Ageing phenomenon of concrete is very difficult to predict and this can lead to accidents and losses. Reinforced concrete structures in critical places like nuclear plants makes them so important that we have to be sure that they are in good condition. This is where structural health monitoring has a role to play. It gives a way to overcome these drawbacks with minimal damage and loss.

Monitoring is not supposed to make a diagnosis. To make a diagnosis and propose the cure It is necessary to carry out a detailed inspection and related analyses. Detection of unusual structural behaviours based on monitoring results is performed in accord with pre defined algorithms. The efficiency of monitoring depends on both the performance of the applied monitoring system and the algorithms employed. Aim, Needs and Benefits The objective of SHM is to monitor the in-situ behaviour of a structure accurately and efficiently, to assess its performance under various service loads, to detect damage or deterioration, and to determine the health or condition of the structure. The SHM system should be able to provide, on demand, reliable information pertaining to the safety and integrity of a structure. The information

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Steps Involved with SHM The following major steps are involved in overall process of structural health monitoring. - Identify structures needing monitoring - Acquire information on probable degradation mechanisms and risks from design engineers or owners of structure. - Establish expected responses to degradations. - Design SHM system to detect such conditions and select appropriate sensors. - Install and calibrate system (Fig 2). - Acquire, analyse and manage data.

Fig 2: Various sensors installed for assessing data

Fig 3: Data acquisition from various sensors which are logged for analysis.

This involves alarming the concerned people whenever there is an emergency (Fig 3). Status of Structural Health Monitoring, World Major drivers in this area have been the oil industry, operators of large dams

and highways agencies, whose installations have received the greatest attention and research effort. Also the need to keep culturally important structures in good health has given SHM attention. Although worldwide SHM is a relatively new term in civil engineering industry, the use of instruments to assess the health is not new. Bridge field testing using various measuring instruments is very old activity. The objectives of SHM are consistent with the objectives of many of these long standing practices. SHM is in fact an augmentation of current practice. According to International Society of Structural Health Monitoring and Intelligent Infrastructure (ISHMII) lot of bridges and structures have been installed with sensors and are monitored for any damage in European countries[3]. This is primarily because of the European culture having its root way back in the past. This allows them to retain a stock of old structures, which have to be maintained in good condition to represent their culture. This has driven the SHM of these structures and made them popular. ISHMII provides reference of many bridges being monitored presently all over Europe. Some Asian countries which have seen very high growth in recent times due to the manufacturing and technology revolution, namely China, Singapore, Japan, Taiwan, have many structures under monitoring and are doing well. In USA the number isn't high but appreciable work has been done. Many universities have been involved with research in structural health monitoring and have also installed them on bridges and buildings. There are many reasons. First, unlike Europe or our country, the US structures are fairly young (less than 300 years, compared to several centuries for us). Second, the structures are marked as historic by the US regulations, which are maintained and cannot be altered. The Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) and the Historic American Engi-neering Record (HAER) have considerable information on the subject and have an excellent website. [7] Their collections document achie-

vements in architecture, engineering, and design in the United States and its territories through a comprehensive range of building types and engineering technologies including examples as diverse as the Pueblo of Acoma, houses, windmills, one-room schools, the Golden Gate Bridge, and buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Administered since 1933 through cooperative agreements with the National Park Service, the Library of Congress, and the private sector, ongoing programs of the National Park Service have recorded America's built environment in multi-format surveys comprising more than 556,900 measured drawings, large-format photographs, and written histories for more than 38,600 historic structures and sites dating from Pre-Columbian times to the twentieth century. India has much more to do professionally. A lack of general awareness and reluctance towards trying new technology and methods may have kept us behind on this. There are government records of many historical buildings, which are not easily available to the public for further professional study and research. One can call it in a simplistic manner, Report Card for Infrastructure (as in the US) in a national policy level. In india we can learn from the West for improving our conditions much faster as the information is available, communication is simpler and the world has become much smaller to work. Status and need of SHM, India Residential buildings and commercial structures in India have received very less almost in existent focus on structural health monitoring primarily due to owners not knowing about its availability and poor knowledge about them. In these cases SHM can only be made possible and implemented in these structures after some efforts have been made to make them aware and educate them or forcing them into it by legally making rules. Some insurance plans can also be worked out for them. Dams are structures of great national importance. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water,

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while other structures such as floodgates or levees (also known as dikes) are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydro-power and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are often used in conjunction with dams to provide generate electricity. A dam can also be used to collect water or for storage of water which can be evenly distributed between locations. In India dams are majorly owned by state government or the agencies governed by state government. A report on dam safety procedures has re-vealed that on the instrumentation side, which is vital for monitoring of dam safety, there appears to be a communication gap between the officer-in-charge of design / construction and officers who take over maintenance[4]. There are many instances where the officers in charge of maintenance are not aware of the instrumentation proposal that has gone into the dam and there exist many missing links. The initial readings of the instrument are rarely available for an instrument embedded in the dam, the absence of which has made subsequent analysis difficult. Bridges are important lifeline structures, it is important for them to have elaborate inspection and maintenance programmes. Static and Dynamic Load testing's are carried out in today's bridges to satisfy the IS codes and safety measures. These tests are carried only during major events in the bridge lifespan especially the construction time and major repairs & retrofitting. Apart from this Permanent & Continuous monitoring are required for majority of bridges to prevent any human loss. These can be also useful to assess the distress during or following any major event like earthquake, landslides, storms etc. Modal Analysis has come up as a very effective way of finding damages and overall health of bridges. Such global methods are very important but can only detect only global changes such as foundation settlement, bearing failure or major defects, such as loss of main cable tension or rupture of deck element . But again does not need a high density of sensors and can be

done minimum of optimally located sensors. Some work of installing advance Structural Health Monitoring has been done in india on very few bridges. One of the bridge is Naini Bridge over Yamuna River at Allahabad. This was probably the first installation of fully standalone new generation GPS combined with advance post processing software to continuously monitor the bridge for various changes in climate and operations with high accuracy for example 3D absolute deflections can be measured up to mm accuracy[5]. This work was carried out by COWI/ Devcon Infrastructure. But this kind of work has to be carried over all important bridges for there better understanding and safety. A structurally deficient bridge is closed or restricted to light vehicles because of its deteriorated structural components. While not necessarily unsafe, these bridges must have limits for speed and weight. A functionally obsolete bridge has older design features and, while it is not unsafe for all vehicles, it cannot safely accommodate current traffic volumes, and vehicle sizes and weights. These restrictions not only contribute to traffic congestion, they pose such major inconveniences as school busses or emergency vehicles taking lengthy detours. The ASCE Infrastructure report card[6] was devised under the leadership of American Society of Civil Engi-neers (ASCE) in 1997, in which the se-nior author was personally involved. It reveals some important facts about Infrastructure and also gives a lesson in making us, as professionals, more responsible for the national stock. We as profession must guide and direct such activity in India to make public aware of the future of our infrastructures. Conclusion and Future: In the paper many aspects of Structural Health Monitoring were considered. - The need of SHM gives us some strong reasons for it to become a integral part of a structure - India as a developing country needs

to be more aware and cautious about its Infrastructure. A major event can cause irreversible losses and hence should be well informed in time. There are many important structures where instrumentation is already being used in India like the dams, whose various parameters have to be looked upon, but these are not being done effectively and can be better with new technologies. Lifeline structures like hospitals and important bridges and tunnels should be mandated with monitoring as their failure cause more losses than any other. Structural Health Monitoring economically is also light and is only 0.5% to 3% one time cost of total structures cost and 2% to 5% for monitoring structure over 10 years. It is done with some structures in India but have to be focused more on.

Structural Health Monitoring is relatively new concept worldwide and very recent for India. It has proved to be effective and fruitful in many countries, now being practices often, and has a great potential and usefulness for india for gaining confidence over the structures we are making so that development happens faster and with accurate results References
1. Branko Glisic and Daniele Inaudi, Fibre optic methods for structural health monitoring, John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, 2007. 2. Guidelines for Structural Health Monitoring, ISIS Canada. 3. International Society of Structural health Monitoring and Intelligent Infrastructure, www.ishmii.org 4. Report on Dam Safety Procedures, Government Of India, Ministry of Water Resources. 5. Jacob Egede Anderson, Structural Health Monitoring Systems, Cowi A/S and Futurtec OY, 2006. 6. Report card for America's Infrastructure, American Society of Structural Engineers, 2005. 7. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/col lections/habs_haer/

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Repair and Rehab

Use of FRP Composites for Rehabilitation of Heritage Structures


Dr. Gopal Rai
R&M International Pvt. Ltd.

ll heritage buildings have their unique historical significance. Their character defining elements that account for its heritage values vary from structure to structure. The master builders of the Middle Ages were able to use geometrical rules, developed through centuries of trial and error, to build structural elements at times when there was no knowledge of material properties or allowable stresses. The preservation and strengthening of heritage structures is tricky, the intended change in the use of such building will invariably create difficulties to tackle, which in turn would make compliance with the statutory building safety and health requirements a challenge. Another balance to be considered is the need for preservation of character-defining elements of the heritage buildings and the need to comply with the minimum building safety and health standards. Repair and strengthening by grouting of brick and stone masonry walls has been largely applied throughout Europe on historic buildings, nevertheless no great effort was done in advance and during the time to test the effectiveness of this technique. The seismic resistance of historic masonry buildings is a special scenario to consider. The seismic analysis of unreinforced masonry structures is a field in its infancy, with most earthquake engineers insisting that historic buildings do not have sufficient ductility to resist a major seismic event. Many engineers would propose that a structure need to be strengthened to improve its seismic resistance, but as a profession, we should caution that our understanding of the seismic response of masonry buildings is limited at present. Many reasons are present for pro-

per attention to be given to these heritage/ Masonry structures. The following are the major reasons for them to undergo rehabilitation, strengthening: 1. Temperature changes and exposure to moisture and other environmental factors result in deterioration, weakening, fatigue effects, chemical attacks, weathering and inadequate maintenance and distress of masonry elements. 2. Old masonry construction as unreinforced structures is especially vulnerable due to many environmental calamities like: s Earthquakes s Tsunamis s Excessive rain s Soil pressure s Settlements due to underground construction s Problems due to construction of newer structures around and below. s Vibrations induced due to various factors. s Fire also weakens the structure and calls for rehabilitation. 3. These structures are often overloaded over the period of time as the requirement of floor space and strength has become high with the today's world. 4. The use of many structures has also changed many times during the time. As the structure were not designed and made for all kinds of future loads, it is very evident that these structures need attention and strengthening. There are numerous ways of doing the strengthening. Confinement: It literally means to impede the deformation. Reinforcement: Taking use of new materials and technology to build sections around to impart extra strength. Enlargement: Widening of the resisting section with the addition of new material. Material substitution: Removal and replacement of damaged parts of a

structure. The materials used in the reconstruction may be similar to the original ones or possess better mechanical properties. Structural substitution: Creation of new load bearing structure with modern materials, without the dismantling of the old one. Tying: Binding together different elements or different parts of a single element. Propping: Supporting a part of a structure with additional elements made of steel or other new materials. The main distinction has to be made between lateral propping (strutting) and vertical propping. Anchoring: Fastening an element or a part of a structure to a firmer solid. The most diffuse form is an-choring to rock and soil. This intervention is used to improve the stability of a structure and to avoid its collapse in case of a seismic event. Prestressing: Changing the stress field in a structure or in an element using external loads or induced compression before loading. Isolation: Absorbing the seismic forces and vibrations in external devices usually placed between the proper foundation and the masonry structure. Soil stabilization: Intervention focused on the soil beneath the structure, aiming at an improvement of its bearing capacity.

Most of the above techniques and materials involve the following Use of heavy materials inducing dead load Changing the original floor space and creating more space constraints

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by increasing size and inducing new structural members Semi-destructive practices involved, which are very harmful and undesirable for old structures as they need to be conserved and some of them are of high cultural values Changing the look and aesthetics of the existing structure as it involves erecting new members, enlargement of size, use of different and new materials etc.

Finally, it is the responsibility to understand the proper requirement of these structures as they are not from the modern world and have to be taken care with proper expertise and guidance i.e. errors in any kind of restoration are highly un desirable. FRP composites when used properly on these structures, they are best suited for tackling these problems of masonry structures, which can be used to make them durable, ductile and stronger for the times ahead. This paper further presents some use of FRP strengthening techniques in masonry structures. FRP Use in Structural Repair and rehabilitation FRP composites have been lately very popular in the field of structural rehabilitation. The use of materials, like carbon or glass fiber composites, has considerably increased in the field of rehabilitation. RCC structures that have been successfully rehabilitated and strengthened have considerably increased. The FRPs present several well-known advantages, including negligible specific weight, corrosion immunity, and high-tensile strength. Flexibility and easy application also allow a wide range of application areas that is strengthening and restoration in several damaging conditions. Masonry structures have always been used since the dawn of construction, and nowadays, due to aging, material degradation, settlements, and structural alterations, usually some members need strengthening to re-establish their performance. In this aspect, FRP composites in the form of bonded lami-

nates applied to the external surface of masonry have become a viable solution. The most important reason is that they comply with the cultural value of the building. There are numerous possibilities in terms of material properties and application methodology of FRP materials in old heritage structure as it is important to conserve the cultural significance and aestheticity of the structure. The following is the major applications of FRP composites in masonry structures. There are two techniques, which are normally adopted for strengthening of masonry systems. Single layers of composites and FRP wrap: In this method, separate matrix and fiber are used, and they form the composite at the place of application after wet Lay-up. It is also known as wet Layup system. Carbon Composite Laminates: In this method pre-cured carbon fiber laminates/Plates are used, which are bonded adhesively with the structural member.

Shear Strengthening can be done by using FRP Composites and applying in horizontal directions as shown in Fig 1. Seismic strengthening: As shown in fig the behavior of Masonry structures in the effect of seismic forces. The actual cracks developed after an earthquake is shown in Fig 3.

Roof Level Lintel Level

Plinth Level Masonary Building Components

(a)Basic Masonary Components

The guidelines are very important for any technology/ method to be commonly accepted and used. Lack of guidelines for strengthening of masonry structures with FRP have for been resisting the use of these materials on masonry structures. The technical committee of ACI 440 is working on bringing the code for use of these materials. Until then the use of FRP composites have to be made aware by publications and journals. FRP can be effectively used in strengthening on the walls in flexure by applying procured laminates or rods made of FRP in the vertical direction (Fig 1).

(b) Rocking and seismic forces acting on the structure.

X Cracking of Masonary Building Components

(a)The Cracks developed by the seismic forces Fig 2: The seismic behavior of the structure

The strengthening of these components is done by applying cross laminates so that they can resist the move-

Fig 1. Flexure and shear strengthening of the walls using FRP Composites

Santa Monica, Northridge Earthquake, 1994 Fig 3: Cracks developed in the earthquake.

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ment and development of these cracks in the direction perpendicular to their application. Examples are shown in Fig 4.

Fig 5: Front View of the Structure. Fig 8: a) Vertical Application of C- FRP wrap and horizontal application of G-FRP .

Fig 6: Horizontal Crack on the Structure.

Fig 8(b): The Back side view of the structure.

Case Study 2: Repair and Strengthening of Settlement affected old structure in Delhi.
Fig 7: Horizontal Crack in the wall

cessfully completed in 2012. The following was used to strengthen the wall.
Fig 4: Diagonal Bracing of wall for strengthening

Case Study 1: Retrofitting of a Old Bungalow in Alibag In Alibag, an old bungalow was in bad condition as per structural point of view. It belonged to a known business man in south Mumbai. Bungalow is a load-bearing structure and number of floor is G+1. It was found that some horizontal crack near first floor beam. To protect the structure from any further cracking and harm a structural consultant was appointed, and he collaborated with R&M International to execute the work. It was decided to be done with the help of glass and carbon fiber from both the face of the wall. The Bungalow and cracks are shown in Fig 5, 6 and 7. R&M International was appointed for the execution of the work. It was suc-

a. Carbon FRP: First Carbon fiber is applied over the structure. The orientation of the carbon fiber sheet was vertical as shown in Fig 8a. b. Glass Fiber: After curing period of carbon fiber sheet, horizontal sheet is applied as per the drawing as shown in Fig. 8b. The same procedure was used to retrofit the structure from inside.

The US India Foundation is located in Caunaght place, New Delhi. The Building under consideration was built in 1928. The structure is a load bearing brick masonry G+1 structure. Due to ongoing tunneling below the structure cracks were developed in the brick walls and the cracks were seen in the right hand side block of the structure. As the client wanted the structure to be safe and strengthening measures to be undertaken. The following observations were done for the cracks developed. The cracks were present in the right hand side of the structure and in the middle portion. The cracks were uniformly present in all walls and columns of the structure. Two major cracks were present, which could be seen to have a clear presence throughout the wall. The cracks were present at the first floor as well as the ground floor.

As the cracks were present all over the walls in the right hand side of the structure, it becomes important to take

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care of the cracks and to give extra strength so as to remove any concern, which might arise in future and makes the structure stable.

Fig 9: Major crack developed on the 1st floor as seen from outside

Fig 10: Cracks present as seen inside on the columns and on the top.

Repair Methodology The following were the steps involved in repairing and strengthening of the structure. All the area where cracks have appeared had to be cleaned and all the plaster and other superficial and protective materials such as the gypsum, etc had to be removed where the cracks had been noticed. The area where crack had propagated needed to be cleaned and exposed properly with the help of sand papers and less impact tools. The crack propagation can be of two types. They can either be on the joint which is the more likely one, and it can also be through the bricks. The cracked mortar has to be removed by means of a toothing chisel or a special pointer's grinder, to a uniform depth that is twice the joint width or until sound mortar is reached. Care must be taken not to damage the brick edges. Remove all dust and debris from the joint by brushing, blowing with air or rinsing with water.

Refilling or repointing mortar should be carefully selected and formulated. It is always advised to produce best results to fill them with the original mortar itself. Otherwise, a mix of 1 part Portland cement, 4 parts hydrated lime and 11 to 15 parts fine sand is used to fill the removed mortar space. The repointing mortar should be prehydrated to reduce excessive shrinkage. The proper prehydration process is as follows: All dry ingredients should be thoroughly mixed. Only enough clean water should be added to the dry mix to produce a damp consistency which will retain its shape when formed into a ball. The mortar should be mixed to this dampened condition 1 to 1 before adding water for placement. The joints to be repointed should be dampened, but to ensure a good bond, the brickwork must absorb all surface water before repointing mortar is placed. Water should be added to the pre-hydrated mortar to bring it to a workable consistency (somewhat drier than conventional mortar). The mortar should be packed tightly into the joints in thin layers (6.4 mm maximum), as shown in Figure 5c. The joints should be tooled to match the original profile after the last layer of mortar is thumbprint hard, as in Figure 5d. As it may be difficult to determine which joints allow moisture to penetrate, it is advisable to repoint all mortar joints in the affected wall area. For cracks hairline in the bricks. If

the bricks are very much damaged it can be removed and replaced one at a time. A small part of the brick could also be used and replaced by using the repointing mix as described above. The whole repaired surface will be then applied with carbon fiber wrap as per the Fig 6. The full drawing is enclosed with the report.

Fiber Bands Scheme of Fiber Treatment for Strengthening walls

Fig 12: Wrapping details along the Walls which were affected by cracks.

The columns have to be installed with fiber wrap with laminates where the plane is changing as shown in figure 7.

Front View

Laminates to confine the Fiber Wrap Fiber Wrap All around the column

50 mm Grooved inside from below and top

Details of Wrapping at Columns at USIEF

Fig 13: The details of confinement of columns with FRP and Laminates

Fig 14: (a) Column Wrapping done for confinement and strengthening (b) Wraps done over the cracks for arresting them.

References:
a) Deteriorated Mortar Joint b) Mortar Cut back to Uniform Depth

c) Pack Pointing Mortar in Thin Layers

d) Tool Joint to Match Original Profile

Fig 11: Repointing Methodology in the joints.

1. Islam Md. R,, Inventory of FRP strengthening methods in masonry structures, Masters Thesis, Erasmus Mundus. 2. Motavalli M., Guide for the design and construction of externally bonded FRP systems for strengthening exis-ting structures, CNR-DT 200/2004, Rome, Italy, 2004. 3. Maruccio C., numerical analysis of frp strengthened Masonry structures, PhD Thesis, December 2010.

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FRP Composites

Recent Advances in Structural Retrofitting Using Precured FRP Profile

Dr. Mangesh Joshi


MD, Sanrachna, India

ecent developments in the field of fiber reinforced composites have resulted in the development of highly efficient construction materials. Now days the use of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites in civil engineering applications is gaining high importance. In-situ FRP warp system has wide acceptance and now days it has become the common method of strengthening and/or repair of RCC structures. Taking into considerations the limitations of the in-situ FRP wrapping, it has been constant endeavor by SSSPL to develop the innovative system in FRP composites itself. As a part of such consistent efforts, recently SSSPL have successfully delivered a project for strengthening of RCC silo structure at Dalla, India, using specially designed pre-fabricated FRP stiffeners. The basic problem with the RCC silo structure was its faulty construction and hence, it had completely lost the verticality. This resulted into eccentric loading under its own weight. And considering the pressure imposed by the content ultimately resulted into undue moments at the different levels of the RCC wall of the silo structure. Therefore, in order to improve the load carrying capacity of the structure, specially designed FRP prefabricated stiffeners were used. The main advantages of using FRP pre-fabricated stiffeners are excellent quality and ease of installation at site The repair of the structures with conventional materials is often difficult, expensive, hazardous and disruptive to the operations of the existing structures. The removal and transportation of large amounts of concrete and masonry materials causes concentrations of weight, dust, excessive noise, and requires long periods of time to gain strength before the structure can be re-opened for service. On the contrary, FRP , though originally developed for the aerospace industry, are being considered for application to the strengthening/repair of structures. It's mainly due to their low weight, ease of handling and rapid implementation. A major development effort is underway to adapt these materials to the strengthening/repair of buildings and civil structures. Appropriate configurations of fiber and polymer matrix have to be developed to resist the complex and multidirectional stress fields present in structural members. At the same time, the large volumes of material required for structural strengthening/repair and the low cost of the traditional build-

ing materials create a mandate for economy in the selection of FRP materials for structural strengthening/repairs. In structural strengthening/repairs applications, in-situ FRP wrap system has now days gained wide acceptance. However, it's being more labor oriented process; the quality of the work highly depends on the skill set of the workmen, environmental conditions and ease of access at site. The particular silo structure is located at very remote place in North India. It's difficult to work with the polymer matrix system at such a low temperature environment. And access to the structure was also an issue. Therefore, it was decided to

Figure1: Misalignment in the vertical wall of the silo structure

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FRP Composites

U.P . Cement Projects (D.C.F.)


x
N

Date:-

Plumb Checking of Blending Silo (K-5) During Operation of Slip Form

Size of the RCC silo structure: 18000 mm ID, total elevation = 68000 mm The structure was out of the alignment throughout the height as per the initial survey report as shown in figure-1 Due to such loss of vertical alignment in the basic RCC structure, the additional forces/moments imposed onto the structure were calculated considering P- analysis
60.00 m Vertical FRP Stiffner @ 4000mmc/c 54.00 m
Horizontal FRP Stiffeners @ 6000 mm spacing

Vertical FRP Stiffner @ 2000 mm c/c distance

Horizontal FRP Stiffeners @ 4000 mm spacing

Legent:T = Top B = Bottom

30.00 m

KEY PLAN
Vertical FRP Stiffner @ 1000 mm c/c distance

design and develop the pre-fabricated FRP strengthening system, which can easily be installed at site by way of adhesive bonding as well as mechanical fastening system with the existing RCC structure. Since it's a pre-fabricated system produced in the control environment at factory, the quality of such system is much better than in-situ system. Being special modular design, the mass production was feasible with limited numbers of moulds, which resulted into significant product cost saving. Transportation and installation at site was very easy due to modular design and light-in-weight of those stiffeners. Design and Analysis Project: Strengthening of RCC silo structure- K5 Project,

Horizontal FRP Stiffeners @ 2000mm spacing

18.00 m

Figure 3: Schematic arrangement of FRP stiffeners


40 mm 60 mm 40 mm

Cross-Section of FRP Stiffner


3 mm nominal thickness 50 mm 50 mm

Figure 4: Typical sectional details of FRP stiffeners

Vertical GRP Stiffeners

Cicumferential GRP stiffeners

a) FE Model from level of 19.373m to 68m. Eccentricity is modeled based on the input data

Figure 2: FE model

b) FE Model showing FRP stiffening arrangement. For clarity, in the present view only partial stiffeners are shown from elevation of 19.373m to 37m. Such stiffening arrangement will be provided up to elevation of 68m

Joint Jacket in GRP

Figure 5: Typical inter-stiffener joint details

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FRP Composites

Conclusion As per the structural analyses, the maximum stresses induced in the fiber-reinforced composite stiffeners were well within the allowable limit. The allowable limits were determined based on the safety factors calculated as per EUROCOMP Design Code and Handbook1. Actual laminate test results2 were obtained during design stage itself to determine the mechanical properties (tensile strength and modulus) of the laminate. And hence, the design was based on the realistic material properties. The project was completed in September 2011 within actual execution time span of eight weeks. And since then the system has been successfully performing under service conditions. Acknowledgements
Figure 6: FEA Results: Stresses in FRP Stiffeners (Maximum stress = 3 MPa < allowable strength of FRP as per EUROCOMP Design Code) _ Safe

We acknowledge the entire team of SSSPL involved in the process of design, development and installation this innovative FRP strengthening system. References John L. Clarke, Structural Design of Polymer CompositesEUROCOMP Design Code and Handbook, Chapman and Hall, London, 1996 Mechanical test reports on FRP laminates Input data like survey reports, 2D drawings, etc provided by client

In order to counteract those additional forces/moments, FRP stiffening system was designed considering the special geometrical form and reinforcements using glass fiberepoxy system. Owing to the complex nature of the problem and solution system, the structural analyses were carried out using finite element techniques. Figure 2 below shows FE Model considered in the analyses

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Communication Feature

Offering a Wide Array of Construction Solutions


.N.Engitech Developers is one of the leading solution providers for improvement / protection / repair of concrete structures in the country. The company provides comprehensive solutions to the construction industry in diverse areas. These include, waterproofing system, repair/rehabilitation, strengthening structures, expansion joint systems, rebar fixing, Trimix flooring, core cutting and protective coating. S.N.Engitech has been associated with several landmark Civil Engineering projects around India. Its wide array of project expertise include hydro power, industrial buildings, corporate houses, real estate, factory buildings, food processing units, roads & runways, etc. With a team strength of over 40, the company has its corporate and registered office located in Faridabad and a branch office in New Delhi. The team provides immediate and responsive product and sales support via email, phone and VoIP to customers around the country. The company has built up cherished long-term rapport with several globally renowned names. Some of the top players with whom S.N.Engitech has partnered include, Seal Boss Corporation, USA, BASF India Limited, Chryso, Germany, and various other national and internationally well known principles. The company is the sole technical partner, distributors and approved applicators for the entire range of the

famed SealBoss range of products in India. Expertise in Ensuring Watertight Systems The company's expertise in the field of water proofing is evident in one of its recent projects in Gumani Dam, located in Jharkhand state. The dam, built in 1970-71 at the origin point of Gumani River has a catchment area of 7 sq.miles. This earthen dam with rubble masonry abutment walls and a spillway is the only water source for the nearby Air Force Station Base at Singharsi. The client was experiencing a number of leakage points at the interface of spillway wall and abutment walls. Cracks were also seen at both the abutment walls. The downstream face of spillway had also developed signs of wear and tear. This is when S.N.Engitech's expertise was sought by the client. The team from S.N.Engitech removed all the loose vegetation and chemically treated the surface to stop further ingress of natural penetrating vegetation. The applicators then drilled 14-20 diameter holes for injection of Colloidal Silica and Microfine Cement as and were required. NRC packers of SealBoss Corp USA were fixed at required C/C distance and depth at different heights and surface of the abutment wall. Pointing of raked-off cement mortar from the area of leakage in D/S face of spillway was

done and filled with high strength Polyurea Quickfix 6060 from SealBoss Corp. After this, SealBoss 1510 and SealBoss FlexGel2 were injected into the designated areas forming a watertight PU seal. SealBoss 1430 LV Resin was then injected at designated places, further helping in making it a complete watertight system. Another Successful Project The Malana Hydroelectric Dam at Haryana is another project for which S.N.Engitech's expertise was sought. The client was experiencing water intrusion through joints and perimeter of the dam. Malana is a run-of-river facility that uses water from the Malana Stream, a tributary of the Parvati River. The project was commissioned in July 2001. As part of the repair method, all the paint was removed by chemical / manual means from the joints and perimeter cracks. The surface was then prepared with the application of epoxy compound to the face of the substrate. The applicators drilled holes at a 45 degree angle into the joints and cracks, intersecting the substrate halfway through thickness. Spacing of the ports was 3 packers per meter. SealBoss 1510 and SealBoss FlexGel2 were then injected into the joints and cracks forming a watertight polyurethane seal. The surface was then treated with a moisture insensitive epoxy compound and fiber glass cloth for final water tight finish.

For further details:


S N Engitech Developers Pvt Ltd.
Booth No. 10, Basement Sector-16A, Market Faridabad-121002 Ph: +91-129-4132000, E-mail: snengitech@yahoo.in Web: www.snengitech.com
Repair & Rehabilitation of Dam

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Formwork

Factors Affecting the Selection, Economics Involved in Formwork


Sameer S. Malvankar Dy. Manager - Engineering, Gammon India Ltd.

Appropriate selection of a formwork system is a crucial factor in successfully completing most building projects. However, in practice, selection of an appropriate formwork system has traditionally depended mainly on the intuitive and subjective opinion of practitioners with limited experience. This paper, discusses the guidelines on how to choose formwork, factors affecting the selection, economics involved in formwork and the present scenario of formwork in India. This article can assist engineers to determine the appropriate formwork system at the inception of future projects.
Formwork is a die or a mould, including all supporting structures, used to shape and support fresh concrete until it attains sufficient strength to carry its own weight. It should be capable of carrying all imposed dead and live loads apart from its own weight. A formwork system is defined as the total system of support for freshly placed concrete including the mould or sheathing which contacts the concrete as well as supporting members, hardware and necessary bracing. However, System implies a fully compatible arrangement of formwork with a minimum of individual components with reusable elements intended to solve each forming task thereby rationalizing the forming work. Formwork system is among the key factors determining the success of a construction project in terms of speed, quality,

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Formwork

A large proportion of the cost of formwork is related to formwork labour cost. Significant cost savings could be achieved by reducing labour cost. An exemplary comparison reveals that the additional concrete use of up to 15% is economical than the handling of angular forming areas, since their assembly is rather time-consuming and the cost per square meter is higher than that for a straight surface. B) An Integrated Formwork/concrete Life Cycle The process of providing formwork and concrete is highly integrated. In the figure 2, the left circle represents the formwork life cycle, while the right circle represents the concrete construction life cycle. The two intersection points represent the beginning and the end of concrete construction life cycle. It should be noted that the phases cure concrete and stripping of formwork are interchangeable depending on the type of structural element. For example, columns and walls are cured after stripping the forms while slabs and beams are cured before and then stripped. C) Economy of Formwork and Significance 1. Economy in design of a concrete structure The architect or design engineer can also contribute much to reduce formwork cost by keeping the requirements of formwork economy in mind when one is designing the structure. At the time of design, consideration of the materials, methods that will be required to make, erect and remove the formwork. Avoid varying sizes in columns and beams; Usage of same sizes to the possible extent economizes the design permitting the reuse of formwork without alteration. 2. Economy in design, planning and building formwork In designing, planning and building formwork, the contractor should aim for maximum economy without sacrificing quality and safety. Short cuts in design or construction th at endanger quality or safety may be false economy. For example, if forms do not produce the specific surface finish, much hand rubbing of the concrete may be required; if forms deflect excessively, bulges in the concrete may require expensive rectification measures.

Figure 1 Main cost type in a typical building project

cost and safety of works. Nowadays, most projects are required by the client to complete in the shortest time possible as a means to minimise costs. For high-rise buildings, the most effective way to speed up works is to achieve a very short floor cycle to have the structure of a typical floor completed in the shortest time. On the other hand, aiming purely at speed often contradicts the achievement of other quality standards. Problems such as misalignment, misplacement, deflective concrete or holding up other works causing serious interruption can result. The basic parameters of formwork are: - Quality: in terms of strength, rigidity, position, and dimensions of the forms - Safety: of both workers and the concrete structure - Efficiency: in operation, the ease of handling, erection and dismantling, number of repetitions within the optimal limits - Economy: the least cost, consistent with quality and safety A) share of Formwork Cost In a typical multi-storey reinforced concrete building, formwork cost is the largest cost component. Formwork cost accounts for nearly 20-40% of cost of concrete and involves more than 60% cost of time. Overall formwork related cost have significant share ie.10% in the total construction cost.

Figure 2 - Integrated formwork/concrete lifecycle

Figure 3 - Categories of formwork classification

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- Limit the size of formwork panels or systems to largest possible that can be handled at site. - Standardize formwork making, erection and stripping to maximum possible extent - Minimise the amount of components and accessories like nut, bolts, nails etc. to avoid risk of losing - Create a material cost awareness cost of material consciousness in the personnel - Control reuse and repetitions. Specially plywood and timber - Standardize various formwork systems coordination and cooperation between engineers, contractors are necessary to achieve the goals. Saving depends on inventiveness and knowledge of the contractor. Judgment in the selection of the materials and equipment, in planning, fabrication and erection procedures, and in scheduling reuse of formwork, will expedite the job and cut costs. D) Various Formwork Systems Formwork can be classified according to a variety of categories as follows: (Refer Figure - 3) Classification according to sizes - Small-sized formwork - Operation by workers manually Wooden and aluminium formwork - Large-sized formwork - Crane facilities are required in the operation Reduce the number of joints and to minimize the number of lift Stiffening components -studs and soldier Classification according to location of use Various elements in the structure have specific design and performance requirements in the use of formwork. Some systems are more adaptive for specific location of use, such as - Irregular frame structure Conventional traditional timber form. - Wall, Column Girder form, Frame panel form, climb form or jump form - Slab Conventional timber form, Modular slab formwork, primary-and-secondary beam method, Panel form, Drop head beam- panel system, table form - Repeated regular section tunnel form, modular aluminium form - Core walls, shells- Climbing formwork, Jump form and slip-form - Precast structure- steel /aluminium mould forms Classification according to materials of construction - Timber: most popular formwork material -low initial cost -high adaptability to complicated shape-labour intensive and environmental unfriendly - steel: hot-rolled or cold-formed sections heavy weight suitable for large-sized panels

- Aluminium: stiff and light weight-higher material and labour cost-excellent finish - Plastic: recyclable, tough, lighter weight - Sacrificial concrete panels- Left in place formwork Classification according to nature of operation - Crane independent- Manually handled formwork -Selfclimbing formwork - Crane-dependent formwork - Gantry, traveling and tunnel type formwork system E) Evaluation / Selection Criteria for Formwork System Earlier formwork was once built in-place, used once, and subsequently wrecked. The trend today, however, is towards increasing prefabrication, assembly in large units, erection by mechanical means, and repetitive use of forms. These developments are in tune with the increasing mechanisation of production in construction sites and other fields. Formwork planning includes detailed layouts, cycle plans, calculation of optimum amount of material for the site, observance of fixed schedules and selection of the most appropriate and the most economic formwork system to be used at the construction site.

Figure 4 - Parties involved in formwork selection process

Different Parties involved in formwork selection The proper selection of the formwork systems to be used in concrete structure is concern to all involved parties.

The following selection criteria have to be considered:


1) Geometry of building / structure Internal layout Some buildings may have very simple layouts with few i n-situ walls and floor plates framed with regularly spaced columns, as seen in many commercial and office buildings. However, some developments feature very complicated load bearing internal walls that can make the casting process difficult. Structural forms Like internal layout, the structural form of buildings also affects the formwork options. For example, buildings with a structural core in the form of a vertical shaft limit the use of other formwork

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Formwork

systems other than those of a self-climbing nature. Buildings in flat slab design make table forms or flying forms the most obvious choice. For buildings with regularly arranged shear wall designs, the best selection is large-panel type steel forms or other types of gang forms. Consistency in building dimensions Some buildings may have non-standardised dimensions due to the architectural design and layout or to fulfill other structural requirements. These include the reduction of sizes for beams, columns and walls in high-rise buildings as the structure ascends. Formwork systems like the climb-form or steel form, may be quite difficult to use in such situations, due to the frequent adjustments of the form to meet the changes in dimensions may eventually incur extra cost and time. Headroom Higher headroom increases the amount (height) of staging required and can also create accessibility and safety problems. It can also make the erection of formwork, ensuring formwork stability and the placing of concrete more difficult. Building span Large building spans also create problems similar to those with high headroom situations. In addition, long-span structures generally have larger beam sections, heavier reinforcement provisions, or accompany post-tension works. This will further complicate the formworks design and erection process. Repetitive nature High-rise block-shaped structures usually require highly repetitive cycles and this is favourable to the use of formwork. However, the degree of repetition in building with very large construction area like a podium or underground structures such as basements is limited and the use of formwork, as an expensive resource, becomes very critical. 2) Project Planning/speed of work The over-all construction sequence must be planned to use formwork in efficient manner and to permit the optimum investment in formwork to meet schedule requirements. Contractor should plan formwork and job sequence at the time of making a bid. Project planning such as the phasing or sectioning arrangement, integration of the structure, site layout and set-up arrangements or hoisting provisions and concrete placing facilities are influencing factors when considering formwork selection and application. When working with buildings with large construction areas and horizontal spread, projects can be expedited by the introduction of additional sets of formwork, to create more independent work fronts. This will, of course, increase the cost of construction. For high-rise buildings, increasing the number of formwork used cannot always expedite the project, for the critical path still depends on the floor cycle. However, a properly

selected, designed and arranged formwork system will increase work efficacy for each typical cycle. In some cases, adding half or a full set of formwork, especially for the floor forms, may help to speed up the cycle as the additional set can provide more flexibility when the form is struck at an earlier time. 3) Construction process, methods For selecting formwork one must know the sequence of construction activities and methods to be followed. Construction method will always give idea about inter dependency of the activities, specifications and additional requirements in pour. This will enable us to workout appropriate system which fulfils the construction needs. 4) Site logistics Exceptionally small or very large sites sloped or very crowded sites, proximity to sensitive structures, sites where other major activities are underway, or sites with many physical or contractual restrictions will increase the difficulty of working with formwork. There is no specific solution to improve the situation in general and problems are tackled according to individual circumstances. Accessibility to work during the course of construction, accessibility problems may be created through segregation, temporary discontinuation, or blocking of the layout by the partially completed building or, in cases constructing a shafttype core wall is constructed in an advanced phase, the shaft may stand independently for a long period of time before it is connected to the horizontal elements. Proper access to all components should be considered while planning a site layout. 5) Climate condition Formwork systems are sensitive to weather conditions. Typically, in vertical forming systems, the newly placed concrete is supported by the wall already cast below it. The lower wall section must get the sufficient strength to support the fresh concrete above. The rate of strength gain of lower wall is influenced by the ambient temperature, moisture content, and the freezing and thawing cycles. Another factor that affects the economy of the selected system is the effect of stopping formwork activity and concreting because of extreme weather conditions. In the case of a slipform, the work is usually continuous, 24hrs around the clock. If the slip-form stops because of weather conditions, it may impact structure as well as cost. 6) Labour efficiency Considering the availability and qualification of the work force, improving labour cost efficiency is a major factor, especially in markets experiencing a building boom. Here, the qualification of workers tends to be low in relation to ever higher demands posed by construction methods.

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Formwork

7) Cost of formwork system This is a vital factor for deciding formwork system as one must know the capital provision for formwork in the project. It is always beneficial to work out these details at the time of bid. Cost is influenced by three components; Initial cost or make-up cost: Includes cost of transportation, materials, assembly and erection. Reuse cost of formwork system: The formwork system cost goes on reducing as we increase reuse of same. The re-use for traditional timber formwork is usually limited due to the durability of the plywood sheathing. The optimum number of uses for timber form usually ranges from 12 to 14. Thus, it is still sufficiently economical to use timber formwork for high-rise buildings at heights in accordance to the multiple of the usual re-used times. Although the metal form can be re-used many times, the high initial cost of providing the form often discourages its selection, especially when there is no need to reuse them too many times, for example in a low-rise development. A careful balance between cost, speed, performance and the quality of output should be properly considered when making the selection.

8) Maintenance & storage cost: It includes cost of stripping, repair, storage, etc. Formwork materials are a valuable asset of company, If proper care is taken during handling and storage, much return is obtained on the investment. Formwork needs to be handled correctly, maintained, repaired if necessary and finally, cleaned regularly. Avoiding damage reduces costs incurred. Proper storage of formwork materials gives easy reconciliation, faster retrieval of material, better space management and avoid unnecessary expenditures, improve safety at work place. 9) Availability of lifting devices (Crane time) Many factors should be considered before employment of a construction plan and the selection of the right formwork system. These include considerations of whether there will be lifting appliances provided for the erection of formwork; whether these appliances will be able to access the work spot to assist in the operation as the structural works proceed; whether any special equipment will be required for striking the forms; and how the removed formwork panels can be transported to other spot to continue work. Characteristic to high rise building sites is the confined and congested space availability for working. Crane time and space is regularly limited. In general, reinforcing (rebar) activities are most critical, since lifting the reinforcement to building level is the most crane- time consuming job of all. Thus, the capability of formwork to rely less on or be used independently of crane time is critical in high rise construction. 10) Simple logic of the system Formwork system ought to be self-explanatory to use, this automatically eases the usage for the engineers/supervisor and also the labour who are end users of the system. 11) Working safety Formwork should be self-securing with safe access and working platforms. Thus, it is not left to the end user whether they takes safety measures or not. Creating a safe work environment for the entire work force involved in the construction process, has become the pivotal issue in emerging construction markets. 12) Special requirements on Concrete surface/finish Fair-faced concrete demands very high quality formwork in terms of surface treatment of the panels, tightness of the formwork joints and in dimensional accuracy. Requirements are slightly relaxed where the concrete surface is to be finished at a later stage. 13) Area or volume of cast per pour The optimum volume of cast per pour depends on the types of formwork used, the particular elements of structure to be placed, the actual scale of work, and different levels of provisions of plant facilities. Usually a volume of concrete ranging from 60200 cubic meters per pour can be comfortably handled in most

Figure 5 - Factors affecting selection of formwork system

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Formwork

site environments. It also depends on whether the concrete to be placed is for the vertical elements only or also includes the beams and slabs, as a means of saving an additional phase in the overall work cycle. 14) Involvement of other construction techniques Tensioning and prefabrication activities are often involved in construction. This may create certain impacts on the use of formwork, especially where precast elements are to be incorporated during the casting process. Provision should be made for temporary supports or slot spaces and box out positions in the formwork for the precast elements, or extra working space for placing stressing tendons and onward jacking. 15) Provision of construction joints in structures Many a times a large number of construction joints are inevitable in a large structure because of the subdivision of works into effectively workable sizes. The provision of construction joints can challenge the output and affect the quality of the concrete. Careful selection should be made to ensure a particular formwork system can satisfactorily allow such arrangements. 16) Inventory- The fewer, the better The most frequent time & cost consuming activity of formwork assembly is the loose and small components/accessories. The lesser inventories will help to reduce risk of losing parts and provide ease in construction. F) The Current Situation in India In the past, India had been lagging behind over the other advanced countries in applying advanced and safe concepts for formwork in reinforced concrete construction resulting in a poor surface quality, wastage and low productivity of the people involved in concrete construction. This unfortunate situation continued for a long time because of availability and use of very cheap unskilled labour and very few skilled personnel who have had professional training for formwork jobs. With increasing demand and competition and reducing project completion times, there have been significant developments in the construction industry in terms of experience and mastering of the required managerial, construction or engineering skills for handling very large and complex projects. At the same time, the motivating factors highlighted above have created an eagerness and readiness within the industry to advance. From the building construction point of view, the use of better formwork systems is no doubt a very direct way for introducing innovative methods in the construction of buildings. - Formwork labour cost is so immense that any innovative system resulting in a labour cost reduction is highly lucrative. - Fulfillment of fast track construction schedule provides fewer choices, one of which is to adopt more innovative formwork systems. - Traditional systems can hardly satisfy the tight quality standard that is required nowadays.

- Similarly, traditional systems can hardly satisfy current safety and environmental standards. - The accumulation of experienced crews makes the application of more sophisticated formwork systems more reliable and economical. - Many developers view the application of innovative technology in the construction process as a positive image-building factor. G) Major Systems Dominate Todays State of Art Formwork Approach in High Rise Construction - Slab edge protection by screens, providing a safe working environment on the construction levels - Modular slab formwork, operated independently of the crane time, adapted flexibly to different building geometries and floor layouts - Undisturbed shoring for slab with drop beam systems - Frame formwork for columns and walls - Crane dependent climbing formwork for shear walls/mega columns - Crane independent climbing formwork for core H) The Potential and Limiting Factors of Innovative Technologies in the Built Environment of India Potentials - The publics expectation (government, developers, building users) are rising all the time. - More stringent regulations have been imposed to control the performance of the construction industries. - Accidents are costly, especially where human casualties are involved (both for the reasons of compensation, image and government records). - The development or importing of advanced technology have become more common and market affordable. - The industry is gradually accepting the production of higher performance buildings involving a more expensive resource input. Limitations - Insufficient research and development in most contracting firms or other supporting units. - Lack of working space on construction sites (both on-site and off-site work areas). - Training opportunity (including on-the-job training) is still limited for both the professionals and other workers. - No guarantee of a consistent market environment for the development and continual application of innovative technology in construction (learned skill and experience will lose eventually). - The extensive use of cross wall design especially in most residential buildings and small-scaled projects makes the use of more innovative formwork system less feasible. - The exceptionally large scale and complex nature of projects in terms of the site condition as well as structural and building design confine the application of more advanced and sophisticated formwork system.

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Formwork

I) The Industry or Individual Corporations May Consider for the Following Measures: - Explore ways to streamline and re-engineer the work structure at both industrial and corporate levels. - Invest steadily in the human resources development and to train competent and high quality staff with the required attitude and readiness to work in the new environment. - Invest steadily in the research and development of technologies that are particularly suitable for the built environment of India - Strengthen the linkages among government departments, developers, consultants and contractor firms in the promotion, development, cooperation and implementation of more innovative projects. - Government or other institutions may consider providing funding to support research and development for the exploration, recommendation or setting up of guidelines and standards in the application of newer technology and work systems in construction. Conclusion 1. Selection of formwork system, is highly dependent on individual site/project environment 2. Economy of formwork can be achieved with seamless collaboration between owner, architect, designer teams and contractor. And it can aid in the effective use of advance formwork systems 3. The structural form of the building is one of the critical factors to determine the choice of formwork 4. System products can contribute much in the success of formwork application

Formwork Standards
Indian
IS 14687-1999 IRC 87-1984 IS 2750-1964 (1995) International ACI 347-04 ACI 347.2 R-05 ACI SP-4 BS 5975-2008 DIN 4420 & 4421 DIN 18218 CIRIA Report 108 Guide to formwork for concrete Guide for shoring / reshoring of concrete multi-story buildings Formwork for concrete British standard code for practice for temporary works procedures and the permissible stress design of falsework German standard for formwork Pressure of fresh concrete on vertical formwork Concrete pressure on formwork Falsework for concrete structure guidelines Guidelines for the design and erection of falsework for road bridges Specification for steel scaffoldings

References
1. ACI 347_04, Guide to formwork for concrete, American concrete institute, 2005 2. Hanna A. S. & Sanvido V.E. , An interactive knowledge based on formwork selection system for building, Computer integrated construction, 1989 3. Hurd M. K. Formwork for concrete, American concrete institute, 1915, 6th edition 4. Raymond W. W. M. , Application of formwork for high rise and complex building structures-Hongkong cases, Division of building science & technology, city university of Hongkong.

208 The Masterbuilder - July 2013 www.masterbuilder.co.in

Communication Feature

Blazing a New Trail in Formwork Systems


t won't be a misnomer to say that the Indian formwork and scaffolding industry has grown by leaps and bounds in recent times. With project specifications getting complex and scales increasing, there has also been a corresponding increase in the pressure on contractors, who not only need to complete projects on-time and withinbudget, but also have to adhere to stringent quality standards. Coming to their aid have been modern formwork and scaffolding systems. While it is true that several names have entered the fray, there are only few players who have been able to carve a niche of their own. The customer today wants formwork systems that are easy to use, affordable, and score high when it comes to safety and quality. A name that immediately comes to mind when you think about all these factors is Maini Construction Equipments. It is the name to watch out for in the Indian formwork industry. What makes Maini stand out from the crowd is its commitment to quality, safety and sustainability. This ISO 90012008 certified company, offers a wide range of aluminum formwork systems. What sets its services apart is the complete involvement of the team in every

stage of a project. Right from designing, to the actual erection, Maini provides complete support with regard to formwork and scaffolding systems. Its range of steel scaffolding includes cuplok systems, props, spans, metriform, wall form and customized systems. A Name to Watch Out For A key asset to Maini is a vastly expe-

rienced top management team, which firmly believes in using the latest technology, when it comes to manufacturing, and constant upgradation of the same at regular intervals of time. Its state-of-the-art production facilities in Faridabad, NCR and Rudrapur, Uttarakhand, are manned by some of the finest talents in the industry. Perhaps the best testimonial for Maini is in its remarkable growth story, in a relatively short span of time. The eventful journey started in 1986 when Maini Scaffolding Company was incorporated. It was earlier a dealer. By 1996, it had entered the mainstream and made deep inroads into the Indian market. The company started aluminum formwork in 2008 and is today considered a pioneer, which offers end-to-end solutions in this highly competitive industry. The fact that in just about five years of time Maini has created such a brand recall speaks volumes about its commitment to superior quality and excellent technical support services. Today it is considered the only Indian company to manufacture all types of system formwork under one umbrella.

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Communication Feature

Economical and Environmental Sustainability A penchant for being innovative and unique has been the driving force of the company. A good example of it is available in its utilization of specialized design software. Maini is considered a trendsetter with its 'Maini Software', which provides a 3D platform for fast, professional planning of formwork and scaffolding systems. From a simple basement to a complicated industrial building, from wall & slab formwork to platform systems and scaffolding- the most diverse problems can be solved using the software. Sustainability is the buzzword in the construction industry these days, and this is another area where Maini has focused. Its panels are made of 100% recyclable aluminum. These panels are

recyclable under normal industrial process. These panels can be used by unskilled workers, so typical of the Indian market, without dimensions or quality getting affected. In comparison to conventional wooden formwork, these are reusable for more than 250 times and are environmental-friendly. It saves the site from wasteful items, while also keeping the environment clean for workers. It also helps to organize the operation line up more efficiently to produce economical construction. This ensures both economical and environmental sustainability. Excellent technical back-up support is another area where Maini is a frontrunner. Experienced Maini supervisors are sent to site to train the supervisory staff and labour in the proper handling of the equipment and to assist in

getting started, to establish the desired work cycle. This improved coordination and construction management enables the equipment to be cycled at optimum speed and ensures that the results in terms of system efficiency and speed of output are outstanding. No wonder Maini formwork systems have been part of several key infrastructure projects, including, bridges at Karnal to Ambala Highway for NHAI, AllahabadNaini Bridge, Mumbai-Pune Expressway, Delhi Metro, Delhi Airport, Kolkata Airport, etc, to mention only a few.

For further details:


Maini Construction Equipments Pvt. Ltd.
Ph: +91-11-49686800, Email: info@mcepl.com Web: www.mainiformwork.com

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Communication Feature

Top Notch Engineering Solutions


harp Engineers, (Prop. M/s. Sharp Designers & Engineers India Pvt. Ltd.) offers worldclass products and services in projects and engineering solutions like acoustics enclosures, core drying ovens, stainless steel & glass fit-outs/finishes and aluminum formwork systems. The company established in 1987 has its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility located in Chakan

near Pune. The plant is equipped with modern machinery such as CNC turret punches, CNC press brakes, laser cutting machines, painting & powder coating plants as well as NC controlled shearing facilities. Sharp Engineers has extensive experience in the field of glass and stainless steel interiors. The company's ability to understand every client's unique requirements and come up with stunning designs, while also being costeffective has made it a preferred choice today. Apart from interiors, the company also creates customized designs for spiral stair cases, canopy, wall /ceiling cladding, ramps, bridges, etc. Sharp Engineers' easy to use and economically viable aluminum formwork systems conforming to the latest

DIN18218 standards are aimed at achieving faster forming, de-shuttering andreducing concreting cycle times, apart from guaranteed superior finish and near total saving of plastering work, thereby making it a cost effective solution. High level of accuracy is ensured for every client, right from designing to onsite erection of formwork systems, an approach which has been behind the company's success story.
For further details: Sharp Engineers
Gat NO. 301/2, Nanekarwadi (CHAKAN) Tal. Khed, Dist. Pune - 410501, Ph: +91-2135-320601 E-mail: marketing@sharpeng.com Web: www.sharpeng.com

Construction Chemicals & Waterproofing


Perma Construction Aids Pvt. Ltd.
Complete Solution for the Construction Industry Refer Page No.: 279

Pidilite Industries Ltd.


Whatever the roof, we'll waterproof it. Refer Page No.: 6

Polyflex
Modified hybrid acrylic polymer Refer Page No.: 31

Razon Engineering Company Pvt. Ltd.


For complete waterproofing solutions

Refer Page No.: 101

Sika India Pvt. Ltd.


Sika adds value to your concrete Refer Page No.: 97

The Supreme Industries


The most compressible filler board for Expansion joints Refer Page No.: 45

Trade Winds
House of Construction Chemicals Refer Page No.: 283

Flooring
better together
Bekaert Industries Pvt. Ltd.
Dramix steel fibres- Leaders in reinforcing tunnels since 1985* Refer Page No.: 29
CONCRETE SOLUTIONS

Bringing Life To Concrete

Cipy Polyurethanes Pv. Ltd.


Solutions for your coating needs Refer Page No.: 79

Ironite Co. of India Ltd.


Tough floors. For a smoother life. Refer Page No.: 191

JB Associates
Bringing life to concrete Refer Page No.: 183

To know more on the products, solutions and services offered by the leading brands featured above write to: masterbuilderads@gmail.com

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Cellular Concrete

CELLULAR CONCRETE:
Bhavani Balakrishna

An Alternative for Sustainable Design & Construction

oncrete is one of the most widely used construction materials in the world. The production of concrete, notably it's most important ingredient, cement, poses several sustainability issues that need to be managed. Significant amounts of coal are used in the kilns to make clinker, which is the major component in cement. Electricity is needed to run the machinery for grinding and blending in order to make the clinker and then to process it with other materials into cement. The whole production process emits large amounts of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the quarrying of raw materials produces local impacts such as noise and dust. Because of limited natural resources, concern over GHGs, it is necessary to look for sustainable solutions for future concrete construction. The future viability of the concrete community will be determined by its response to the global issue of sustainability. New research and tech216

nology, and the rapid development of the green building movement clearly point out that change in current life styles are essential if we are to maintain and improve our way of life. One of these changes includes the use of materials that will extend the service life of concrete and additionally make concrete a contributor to the more efficient use of energy and raw materials. A sustainable concrete structure should have a very low inherent energy requirement, be produced with little waste, produce durable structures, have a very high thermal mass while leading to lower carbon emissions. One such alternative that comes close to the above description is cellular concrete. Cellular concrete, also known by many other names such as aerated concrete, air-cured lightweight concrete, autoclaved cellular concrete, cellular light weight concrete and cellular light-weight, is engineered, lowdensity concrete with versatile fea-

tures that can solve several construction, mining, and manufacturing challenges. Cellular concrete is more durable when compared to traditional insulating materials, especially when considering potential chemical / fire exposure such as in process facilities. Compressive strengths are typically greater than four times that of plastic foam. It also has fireproofing, insulation, sound attenuation and energy absorbing characteristics. What is Cellular Concrete? Cellular concrete is a lightweight construction material consisting of Portland cement, water, foaming agent, and compressed air. The foam is formulated to provide stability and inhibit draining (bleeding) of water. Pozzolans, such as fly ash, and fibers are often added to the mix to customize compressive and flexural strengths. Cellular concrete typically contains no sand or aggregate. By trap-ping air bubbles within the concrete, a light-

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Cellular Concrete

weight, insulating material is formed. There are three ways of making the air and the voids needed for a cellular concrete. Many companies sell rich, thick, long lasting foam that is added to cement slurry. This foam is made by using special foam generators. A second way to make cellular concrete is to use Expanded Polystrene (EPS) for the voids. A third way to make the air bubbles needed for cellular concrete is to use an alumi-num powder. The aluminum powder reacts with the water in the mix that creates tiny hydrogen bubbles that creates the air voids. Water and cement are mixed to form slurry. Then foam, EPS beads, or aluminum powder is then introduced into the mix. Foam is the most common agent used for the air bubbles. And it is also the least expensive. There are two primary methods of adding the externally generated foam to a slurry mix to produce cellular concrete. The first is to add the foam to a batch mix, such as a drum mixer truck or a stationary mixer such as used in precast plants or on-site for large jobs. The second is to add the foam in-line to a pipe-line carrying the slurry mix or into the hopper of a continuous mixer such as used on volumetric truck mixers. Concrete foaming agents used for the production of the externally generated foam fall into two main categories: The first is protein based, which usually means animal by-products. In recent years, more foaming agents are synthetic based materials. Blended foam liquid concentrates (blends of protein and synthetic ingredients) were introduced later to technicians additional tools for proportioning cellular concrete mixtures to meet demanding project or product performance requirements. The additive chemicals and structure used for the foaming agent can affect the bubble size, foam life, and general toughness of the foam. For the fini-

shed cellular concrete, this in turn affects such properties as compressive strength; shrink during setup and cure, uniform aggregate dispersion, pumping stability, practical lift thickness, and compatibility with admixtures. As the density of all light-weight concrete is reduced, it becomes ever more difficult to maintain the properties noted above and the foaming agent and foam generation equipment become increasingly important. The mix design chosen for the production of cellular concrete can have a great effect on the properties after curing as well as the ability to place the material. In general, if the application is geotechnical or other types of fill, the mix design can be quite simple and is not too difficult to develop. However, as soon as there is any structural element requirement introduced, then mix design can become critical. There is not a single best mix design for production of cellular concrete and the final design is also dependent on local materials, batching techniques, foam mixing and placement methods. Benefits of Cellular Concrete Cellular concrete provide superior performance, more efficient construction, and reduced cost when compared to alternative construction and manufacturing technologies because of its following properties. High Strength/Low Density/Lightweight Typical cast densities range from 25 to 55 per cubic foot, with comWet Density (kg/m3) 400 450 500 550 600 28-Day Compressive Strength (MPa) 0.71 0.84 1.14 1.51 1.98

pressive strengths of 40 to 750 psi, respectively. With its low density, cellular concrete imposes little ver-tical stress on the substructure, a particularly important issue in areas sensitive to settlement. Due to its low density, cellular concrete is a viable solution for reducing loading on bur-dened soil. Additionally, cellular con-crete is less susceptible to differential settlement. Heavier density cellular concrete with higher strengths is produced and used for specialty applications. High Fluidity High air content makes it easy to pump materials long distances at low pressures. The material is naturally self-leveling and fills the smallest voids, cavities, and seams. When placing in excavations cellular concrete conforms to every sub grade contour. Rapid Installation and Minimal Site Disruption High volume production and placement (via hose) of cellular concrete is a continuous operation from a mobile central plant on location. Since the foam is the largest volume contributor in cellular concrete, limited deliveries of the raw materials are required, resulting in minimal disruption to the construction site. When used as pavement underlayment and recharge bed in permeable pavement applications, pervious cellular lightweight concrete can reduce the amount of excavation required by as much as 50%, miniThermal Conductivity (W/m/K) 0.075 0.080 0.086 0.092 0.97 R Value per Inch (OF ft2 hr/Btu) 2.0 1.8 1.7 1.6 1.5

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Cellular Concrete

mizing site disruption, saving time and money, and reducing the project's carbon footprint. More Flexibility for Specific Construction Challenges Cellular concrete can be constructed into various formations and profiles. It can be produced as a nonpermeable or a permeable material capable of reducing loads without disturbing or re-directing natural water flow. It also forms a rigid, well-bonded body after hydrating; thus, it is effectively a freestanding structure on its own and does not impose lateral loads on adjacent structures. Pervious to Water Cellular concrete is optimal for applications where drainage is needed. It is capable of reducing loads without disrupting or redirecting the natural flow of water. Reduced Sound Transmission When used in roof deck, flooring, cast-in-place walls, floors or roofs,

block or per-fabricated elements, fir or partition wall applications, or as cavity fill for vehicles, the void structure of cellular concrete reduces the passage of sound. Thermal Insulation Cellular concrete provides good insulating qualities. It is thermally efficient and is an unmoving insulation material which maintains long term in-place stability for a variety of construction and industrial applications. Cellular concrete mixes harden to provide a material with proven high temperature resistant characteristics which permit it to be used as a fire resistant material. Provides Shock & Energy Absorption Used beneath roadways, bridges, and ramps, buildings and other structures, it reduces soil loading while adding compressive and shear strength. As cellular concrete is compressed during impact, resistance increases and kinetic energy is absorbed. In America and Japan in par-

ticular, contractors and engineers frequently use cellular lightweight concrete provide shock absorption in earthquake zones. When used in roof deck, flooring, in-situ affordable housing, cast-inplace walls, floors, or roofs, or block or prefabricated element applications, cellular concrete provides proven deformation resistance properties and an ability to absorb loads and crush in a controlled manner. Cellular concrete is also fire resistant. Recyclable Cellular concrete is inert and can be safely removed and reused. One green use of recycled cellular concrete is as aggregate in vegetated roof construction (green rooftops). Recycled Content Cellular concrete can incorporate ground granulated blast-furnace slag or fly ash in the slurry or grout mix design without adversely affecting cellular concrete performance. The use of these post-industrial by products eliminates the need to landfill the materials and reduces the need for virgin materials in cellular concrete production and the environmental impacts from the extraction and processing of these virgin materials. Reduced Carbon Footprint Cellular concrete is produced on site in most construction and manufacturing application or at a pre-cast facility within 200 miles of the construction site. Local production reduces shipping distances for building materials, minimizing fuel requirements for transportation and handling, and associated energy and carbon dioxide emissions. On-site production of cellular concrete in geotechnical applications reduces a project's carbon footprint significantly. Projects with volumes exceeding 10,000 cubic yards of geotechnical fill use an on-site batch plant that

High air content makes it easy to pump materials long distances at low pressures

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Typical Cellular Concrete Applications


Construction, Renovation, and Rehabilitation
Insulating cellular concrete roof decks with 2-hour fire ratings (UL-listed) Insulating roof deck fills Composite insulated roof decks Floor/ceiling fill systems Cast-in-situ affordable housing Cast-in-place walls, floors, and roofs Pre-cast, reinforced-concrete wall, floor, and roof panels Air-cured, cast-in-situ lightweight concrete blocks and pre-fabricated elements Permeable pavement underlayment and recharge beds Firewalls Slab-on-grade insulation and subbase fill Underground thermal conduit linings Pipeline and culvert installation (bedding and backfill) Roadway rehabilitation Retaining wall backfill Replacement of unstable soils Annular grouting Density-controlled load relief Load-reducing fill over structures Void fills Structural fills Permeable fills / Stormwater runoff retention Controlled, low strength material ( CLSM) Thermal insulation for doors, safes, storage tanks, coolers, etc. Sound absorption for partition walls Fireproofing panels Architectural elements Cultured stone

Geotechnical and Mining Manufacturing

produces and pumps cementitious slurry, with trucking needed only for the delivery of cement. Cellular Concrete in Jobsites It is important to procure and place cellular concrete from contractors who have extensive experience in cellular concrete installation. Typical equipment used for production of cellular concrete in job sites are foam generators made specifically for job site. Contractors also work with project engineers to ensure the wet density of the material produced at the job site is within a specified range of the designed wet-density project mix and meets project strength requirements. Cellular concrete is most typically placed by pumping. Owing to its high fluidity, cellular concrete is not affected by long pump runs. They have been successfully pumped beyond 500 feet vertically and 5000 feet horizontally. Cellular concrete can also be placed by other methods such as bucket cranes, ready-mix truck chute placement, wheelbarrow placement, and even hand placement from carried buckets. Installation and finishing methods differ for each type of cellular concrete applications. As most cellular concrete is covered by another material, it is not surface finished like a typical concrete

slab. Foam liquid concentrate manufactures and distributors also provide training and technical support for cellular concrete used in pre-casting and other manufacturing appli-cations. Cellular Concrete & Sustainability Cellular concrete delivers a more complete sustainable solution by significantly reducing the amount of raw material needed and the energy required to mold it into a shape for construction Up to 5 m3 of cellular concrete can be made from 1 m3 of solid raw materials. Thanks to this efficient use of resources, cellular concrete actively contributes towards sustainable economical methods of building. The cellular concrete industry strives for as environmentally-friendly production as possible. Process-related emissions from the use of fuels are continually optimized, and reduced to a minimum. The use of primary energy during the manufacture of cellular concrete is comparatively low. The production of cellular concrete is free of waste and waste water. Left-over cellular concrete which arises during the manufacturing phase and on the construction site are fed back into the production. The high quality of the cellular concrete products guarantees low eco-

logic and economic resulting costs during the phase of utilization, and guarantees longterm building and living quality. Cellular concrete has a practically unlimited service life. Due to the extremely low thermal conductivity of up to l = 0.06 W/(mK), cellular concrete is a suitable building material for use in energy-saving building projects. Cellular concrete doesn't contain any toxic substances or release any. This applies to both the processing and the entire life cycle of cellular concrete. Even in the event of a fire, no harmful gases are released. The outstanding balance of source reduction, energy efficiency, low embodied energy, absence of toxins and ozone depleting substances, and noise reduction make cellular lightweight concrete the ultimate green building material. Challenges & Future Outlook Despite its versatility, cellular concrete has lagged in popularity due to a general lack of awareness about the benefits of this construction material in the construction community. Again, while there are design specifications and protocols for traditional materials, there are very few educational tools that are available in the industry or a knowledge consortium that construction professionals can resort to while implementing cellular concrete solutions. Also, past poor experience with foam liquid concentrates, lack of technical support and proper production and installation guidance has discouraged the use of cellular concrete solutions in the industry. There are still a few qualified contractors in the industry and construction professionals who have experienced the wonders of cellular concrete and it is the true partnering between these stakeholders of the industry can lead to the adoption of cellular concrete worldwide.

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Communication Feature

Pioneering Foam Concrete Technology


yantra is a leading provider of foam concrete technology in the country. The company provides plant, machinery, technical knowledge and allied chemicals for setting up foam concrete plants of any capacity, for various applications across the world. The company's modern manufacturing facility is located in Vishakapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. Spread over a sprawling 4,800 sq.mts the plant is equipped with the latest equipment and appropriate standards for manufacturing foam concrete machinery. A competent and skilled 50 member strong team, taking care of technical and non-technical aspects, is another asset for Iyantra. Its range of machines includes pop-

ular models such as, IFCS (BAV), IFCS (SAV) and IFCS (FAV). The company manufactures specially designed foam generator for foam concrete production. Iyantra's foam generators come with corrosion resistant coated steel body along with timer, air compressor and lance units. Iyantra's foam concrete mixers are uniquely designed to mix foam throughout the concrete in an even manner without destroying the foam, for accurate density and continuous production. The foam concrete mixers come with inbuilt water discharging system and digital weighing scale system. The mixer body is built with high gauge steel, while the shaft and other parts are made from alloy steel to bear

high impacts and loads. Some other offerings of Iyantra include, foam concrete pumps, screw conveyors, belt conveyors, silos, silo accessories, centralized control panels, wire cutting machinery, foam concrete block moulds, foam concrete conveying trolleys and other ancillary equipment. A protein based foaming agent 'Conlite' is yet another quality product of Iyantra. 'Conlite' is a 100% bio-degradable foam concentrate, which forms very stable bubbles, which impact necessary porosity to foam concrete. The company also offers synthetic-based foaming agent, hardeners, plasticizers and other construction chemicals used in foam concrete technology.

For further details: Iyantra


3-2-611/2, 1st Floor, KGN Plaza, Opp. Howard Public School, Himayat Nagar, Hyderabad- 500029 Ph: +91-40-27630666 E-mail: vsimha309@yahoo.com Web: www.iyantra.com
Foam Concrete mixer Bricks

Flooring

Kasturi Metal Composites Pvt. Ltd.


Build strong, last long Refer Page No.: 227

Neocrete Technologies Pvt. Ltd.


A path everyone wants to tread, but does not know where to goWe offer the complete solution Refer Page No.: 135

Recron 3S
It takes anything you can throw at it. Like 400 tons of steel. 100 times a day Refer Page No.: 243

Concrete Flooring Solutions

Silicone Concepts Intl. Pvt. Ltd.


Installing New Floors or Renovating existing surfaces? HTS has the right size machine for you and your job Refer Page No.: 83

STA Concrete Flooring Solutions


We Deliver Faster, Flatter, Floors. Refer Page No.: 159 & 193

Stewols India Pvt. Ltd.


Give your concrete the strength of steel. Refer Page No.: 279

To know more on the products, solutions and services offered by the leading brands featured above write to: masterbuilderads@gmail.com

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Communication Feature

A Testimony to Top Quality and Performance


itadel Eco-Build Pvt Ltd is the largest supplier of aerated autoclaved concrete (AAC) blocks manufactured by Biltech Building Elements Ltd in India. The company has added yet another feather to its cap. It has been rated by top rating agency, CRISIL, as the High Performance and Moderate Financial Strength company. The rating assures Citadel Eco-Build's customers, principals, investors and bankers that they can bank on a reliable company, which means business and which values and follows ethical business practices no matter what the circumstances. In addition to supplying quality AAC blocks, Citadel are also manufacturers of GreecoBond- a ready to use, wet mix mortar, especially suited for AAC blocks/ engineered blocks and GreecoPlast- a ready to use plaster. The company has been growing by leaps and bounds under the dynamic leadership of its founder Amol Shitole. Citadel Gallery A strong R & D focus has enabled Citadel to bring these innovative, ecofriendly new products to clients- products which save time and reduce construction cost. Citadel has always been a trendsetter. It is also the first company to come out with an exclusive gallery for its customers across the metros, where there are facilities available for testing products and display of products. This

OPEN

APPLY

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gallery setup is available in the following cities like Pune, Mumbai, Goa, Kolhapur, Solapur, Aurangabad, Hingoli, Baramati & Karnataka. It has been the endeavor of Citadel Group, right from the time of its inception to provide safer, more affordable permanent housing and structures. The company is committed to utilizing environment-friendly 'Green' building materials for construction purposes. Citadel is committed to providing the industry with products which help in designing structures that are hurricane, wind, pest and fire resistant, apart from being environmentally responsible. The company is for promotion of housing that is energy efficient and safe. It achieves this by promoting building materials that eliminate many of the dangerous toxins and allergens, so commonly found with conventional construction methods of today. Citadel's quest for the 'Perfect Green House' has led it to combining two unique and superior products - GreecoBond and GreecoPlast. According to the company by incorporating these two products, we can minimize or eliminate unsafe, toxic and flammable materials from buil-

ding structures, and at the same time dramatically reduce costs. As a responsible corporation and one of the largest eco-friendly building products suppliers in India, Citadel has been in the forefront in endorsing sustainable construction strategies. One of the key reasons for the company's rapid growth has been its excellent support services. Its team of qualified engineers helps clients to calculate the exact quantity of AAC materials required for projects, thereby reducing excess procurement cost. The team also provides technical know-how about AAC to project managers and site engineers. Strict adherence to quality standards is another hallmark of Citadel. Test certificate and weight slips are provided with every delivery by the company. The company also makes sure that the material is delivered on time, every time. A rapidly expanding client base of over 1000 stands testimony to the company's remarkable growth story.

For further details:


Citadel Eco-Build Pvt. Ltd
795/35, Samadhan Apt., Bhandarkar Road, Pune - 411004 Ph: +91-20-2565 6575, 6528 9672, Web: www.citadelecobuild.com

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Advertorial

Versatile Aluminum Formwork Systems Storm Indian Market


he Indian formwork industry is presently going through an exciting phase of development. Several innovative technologies are making their way into the Indian market. Hi-Lite Systems, a global pioneer when it comes to aluminum systems now offers its quality range in India. The company, formerly known as Jackson Scaffolding, started its eventful journey in 1952. Hi-Lite designed its first aluminum shoring system in 1974, the first company in the world to do so. Since then there has been no looking back. Factors including, reduced maintenance, lower costs, less handling and incredible versatility make aluminum systems from Hi-Lite the ideal choice for a variety of construction projects. Let us take a closer look at these aluminum systems. Aluminum Shoring Systems- For Speed, Economy & Quality Hi-Lite Systems is a pioneer in aluminum shoring systems. It is now offering its wide range in India, which is ideally, suited for both infrastructure and real estate projects. Aluminum shoring frames from HiLite are known for their reliability, durability and quality. The average lifespan of these frames is over 20 years. Additionally, with an amazing 70% scrap value, even after 20 years, they make for excellent investment. The fact that they are much more durable and offer a higher scrap value, makes them score over steel shoring frames. The durability of the systems has been clearly proved. A drop test, which was conducted at IIT, conclusively proved the fact. In a free fall test of aluGaumont Disneyland Paris

Project 1: Hoggs Hollow Bridge in Toronto - Contractor Dufferin Construction

minum frame from 20' height in all directions and that too repeatedly, the frames showed no defects. In order to ensure higher strength of aluminum, the company uses pure billets and not scrap metal. Tests done at IIT show that the frames are 50% more stronger than in cases where scrap metal has been used, while also ensuring longer life and enhanced safety. Another major advantage with the aluminum shoring frames from Hi-Lite Systems is the fact that they can be erected a mind-boggling 10 times faster than steel frames. They also score high when it comes to safety. There are no loose parts and they come integrated with couplers and pins. This ensures that the systems are very safe for workers to climb, erect tower, with nonslippery rungs. These quality aluminum formwork systems are now being manufactured in India. Hi-Lite Systems also offers a

Project 2: Athabasca River Bridge - Largest Bridge of Alberta - Size of Five Football Fields - Contractor: Flatiron Constructors

slew of value-added services including help with financing. Excellent site support and technical back-up services is another advantage that is offered by Hi-Lite Systems. This ensures quality assurance on site, while additionally speeding up construction work, without any compromise on the quality front. Aluminum Telescopic Flying FormsFor Incredibly Fast Cycle Times With aluminum telescopic flying

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Advertorial

sites of L & T India alone, a fact that speaks volumes about the quality and performance of the systems. Hilite is trying to achieve 3 days cycle time for residential and commercial projects in Mumbai and Pune.

Bracket - Connected to Abutment Wall for Bridge Refurbishment

formes from Hi-Lite Systems, contractors have been able to achieve remarkable cycle times of as less as 3 days. The aluminum telescopic flying form systems from the company are ideally suited for multiple storied buildings and infrastructure projects. One of the major advantages is its light weight which makes handling and assembling easy. The modular component system ensures quicker turnaround times. The telescopic design ensures that the modular component system can be adjusted for differing floor heights and for other complex construction geome-

Telescopic Flying Form

1st Project in Gujarat (RES & COMM)

tries. The system can be used on typical floors and non-typical floor too, where floor heights are different. In this case just by pulling the pin out, the telescopic struts can be extended, as per the floor height, before the pin is adjusted again. The light weight of the system also means reduced crane time or in some instances, such as in the case of lighter sized frames, no requirement of cranes at all. This is something that is just not possible with either timber or steel forms. Another major advantage with the aluminum telescopic flying frames is drastic reduction in labor costs. The stripping of the system is also not labor, time or cost intensive. In fact, it can be done by a minimum number of construction workers. These systems have enabled construction cycle times which were till now considered practically impossible. A good example is available in the form of Casino Structures, located in Atlantic City, New Jersey, US, where Hi-Lite Systems has been able to achieve an incredible cycle time of 3 days using the aluminum telescopic flying form. In India too the company has been able to achieve a cycle time of 5 days for a project of L & T. With so many advantages, it is not surprising that aluminum telescopic flying formwork from Hi-Lite Systems is finding an increasing number of takers in India. In fact, the company has supplied its products to 60 construction

Aluminum Brackets In Gang Form

Feature of Aluminum Bridge Overhang Brackets: 1/3rd The Weight of The Steel Bracket = Capacity 8000 KG with safety factor 1.5:1 Top Down Adjuctment Extreamly Safe For Workers Saves Huge Labor Costs Connect 5 To 6 Brackets Together and Fly Together saves Man Hours And Labour Costs
For further details:
Hi-Lite Systems India Pvt. Ltd. VIRAG H BHACHECH
(VP SALES & ENGG) 5B1, Fifth Floor, J.P . Tower - 7/2, Nungambakkam High Road, Chennai - 600034. Mob: 09409541938 H.O.: Toronto Canada, Tel No.: 001-647-880-4032 E-mail: virag@hi-lite-systems.com

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Communication Feature

Designed for heavy duty construction activities in high-rise commercial, residential buildings and infrastructure worksites

Greaves Rolls Out High Capacity Concrete Pumps with S Valve Technology

reaves construction equipment business, part of Greaves Cotton Limited, one of India's leading engineering companies, recently launched its high capacity concrete pumps, with contemporary S Valve technology. The Greaves S Valve stationary concrete pumps are available in three models: GCP 5500, GCP 6500 and GCP 8500. Designed primarily for infrastructure concreting operations, these high performance pumps are used for heavy duty construction activities in high- rise commercial and residential buildings and infrastructure worksites such as tunnels, dams, bridges, irrigation etc. All three models of the stationary concrete pumps are powered by fuel efficient and emission compliant engines and integrated with contemporary hydraulic systems and components that are designed to deliver concrete perform under challenging pumping condition. Greaves Concrete pumps ensure the lowest cost per cubic meter of concrete pumped. A fully electrical

control panel with remote as a standard feature can operate both on the piston and the rod side. This results in a maximum concrete output of 50-80 cubic metres per hour, varying from model to model. The hard chrome platted concrete cylinder in the pumps offer extended service life against wear and corrosion. The replaceable hard rams are designed to withstand high pressure and are high wear resistant. The internals are well designed so as to allow for minimum wear and tear, thereby minimising replacement and maintenance costs. Speaking at the launch, Sunil Pahilajani, MD & CEO, said, Being an increasingly demanding business, technologically superior products are the need of the hour. With the launch of Greaves S valve concrete pumps, customers can be assured of reliable, bestin-class product backed by a strong after market support. The S valve concrete pumps add to our existing range of concrete offerings making Greaves a comprehensive

and total player in the infrastructure segment. Customers can now avail technologically advanced S Valve concrete pumps, which are durable, economic and highly cost-efficient. The intelligently designed features provide functional superiority and ease of use," said R. Nandagopal, CEO, Construction Equipment Business. He added, Our endeavour is to respond to customer requirements and market demands. This launch is a testimony to our continuous efforts in innovation and product development. Complementing our wide range of products is our countrywide extensive service network, which caters to discerning customers anytime, anywhere. About Construction Equipment Business Playing a vital role in India's infrastructure development, Construction Equipment Business offers a wide range of concreting and compacting equipment. Products include Automated Batching Plants, new-generation concrete Mixers, Concrete pumping systems, Soil compactors and Heavy and Light Tandem Rollers. Greaves Cotton has established three dedicated plants near Chennai, for the manufacture of specialized construction equipment and systems. The manufacturing facility is located at Gummudipoondi, Chennai, TamilNadu.

For further details:


Ms. Bhavna Singh
General Manager- Corporate Communications Greaves Cotton Limited Ph: +91-22- 24397626 E-mail: bhavna.singh@greavescotton.com
GCP 5500 Concrete Pump

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Communication Feature

Stay Ahead of the Curve Via Strategic Training and Development


he battle for retaining and attracting new talent occupies a special position when it comes to shaping the future health of an organization. The shortage of right talent, accentuated by easy access through internet sourcing, puts a very high premium on acquiring, retaining and developing talent for most organisations. With each passing year, the gap between supply and demand is only increasing, and the gap between academics and practice is ever widening. In this scenario, training in organisations, physically, socially, intellectually and mentally becomes essential for not only retaining and developing talent but also to facilitate higher levels of productivity. However, it is not just theoretical knowledge, but experiential knowledge that grant the ability, the skill, the understanding, and the information, which every individual need to acquire in order to be able to function effectively and perform efficiently. Today, it is the quality of human resources, which is the prime mover in any organization; however, wellendowed it may be with the machines, materials and even money. Training is the most effective tool in systematic development of the knowledge, skills and attitudes required by employees to perform adequately on a given task or job. It can take place in a number of ways, on the job or off the job; in the organization or outside the organization. Staff training and development is a work activity that can make a significant impact on the overall effectiveness and profitability of an organization. Hence, systematic approach to training encompassing holistic training is essential in organizations. We have been often asked; are investments in the area of training and development linked to the bottom line within the business? Increasingly, high performing organisations today are recognizing the need to use the best training and development practices
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available to enhance their competitive advantage. Training and development is an essential element of every business if the value and potential of its people are to be harnessed and grown. Many studies have highlighted the clear links between well designed and strategic training and development initiatives and the bottom line within the business. The image of an industry and of individual employers is also influenced by the extent and quality of staff training and development. Potential employees, with their focus on career progression and development, in such an open labour market will assess the track record of prospective employers in this vital area. In today's business climate where all industries are experiencing staff and skills shortages, companies are faced with stiff internal and external competition for quality employees. Each employer who invests seriously in the area of Training and Development will reap the benefits of an enriched working environment with higher levels of staff retention as well as increased productivity and performance. While the percentage and time spend on training staff may be useful in order to get an overview of the company's commitment to training and development, it is the manner, approach and content of the training initiatives as well as their assessment and follow up which determine success. It is all too easy to throw money at a performance problem and assume that a training course will sort it out, when this may well be just putting a plaster over an open wound. Training initiatives need to be strategically aligned to the overall company mission and goals. They need to be designed and delivered with the aim of helping staff achieve their departmental as well as personal goals, so the trend of increased involvement by line managers and employees is a positive development in terms of ownership of the

Nagesh Rammurthy
Project Management Professional A N Prakash Construction Project Management Consultants Pvt. Ltd

Nagesh Rammurthy is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) with over 25 years of experience in the areas of project construction strategies, controlling, delivery, closing & handover and learning & development. He graduated in Civil Engineering from Bangalore Univer-sity in 1989 and currently holds the postion of Director, School of Construction Management Excellence, A N Prakash Constr-uction Project Management Consultants Pvt. Ltd. (ANPCPMC). He has worked with Consultants, Constructors, Developers, and Architects in various capacities and has published several research papers on Construction Project Management.

training and learning program. By adopting a strategic approach to training and development rather than an unplanned and ad hoc one, training and development initiatives become more targeted, measurable and effective. In order to remain competitive and to ensure excellent staff are attracted to and remain within the organization, companies need to ensure that the training and development of all employees is an issue which is taken seriously. By investing in the development of the people who are the face of the business, companies can get ahead of the competition and excel in

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Communication Feature

what they do. One of the most important aspects of managing people lies in helping employees become more effective in their jobs and being able to adapt to that job or another job as he/she matures within the organization. This requires a high level of coordination between employee training and development and the range of other personnel functions, such as recruitment and selection, performance appraisal, reward systems and employee relations. Identification of a company's training needs, designing a relevant training plan, selecting and implementing the resulting training program and evaluating its success are therefore, integral elements of the overall Human Resource Development process. However, for any of these functions to be effective, the training plans and policies must be in line with the organisation's strategic objectives. Studies have indicated that most effective training are those which include both cognitive training, interpersonal skills followed by those which include

psychomotor skills or tasks. The training function is increasingly considered to be a key player in helping the organization achieve its goals through its people as it is becoming more generally accepted that there is a strong correlation between organizational success and investment in training and development. There is now a growing awareness on the importance of a planned approach to training and development as a tool for competitive advantage, staff recruitment, selection, retention and motivation. Increasingly, organizations are turning to specialists, with demonstrated experiential success to work as coaches for ushering their organizations into such action learning programs. With the focus on experiential coaching and learning, the Training programs result in improved performance and other positive changes that serve as antecedents to excellence in job performance. These practitioner-led training programs with its accent on multiple delivery mechanisms and focus on

techno-managerial training, including regular training effectiveness studies and fine-tuning, help organizations bring their employee development and retention aspirations to fruition. Finally, many organizations have realized that they serve their customers best, by focusing on their most valuable assets their human resources, for, honing the skills of these assets ensures not just customer retention, but unleashes the innate innovativeness in these resources to create ever increasing value for the customer. Sooner than later, this is going to become the key differentiator between the successful companies and those that also ran. Wouldn't you want to be the former?
For further details: A N Prakash CPMC Pvt.Ltd
491,"Viswakarma", East end road, 9th Block Jayanagar, Bangalore 560069, Ph: +91-80-26639780 Fax : +91-80-26639780 E-mail: bd@anpcpmc.com Web: www.anpcpmc.com

Steel Fiber Reinforced concrete


better together

Sand Making Machine

Bekaert Industries Pvt. Ltd.


Dramix steel fibres- Leaders in reinforcing tunnels since 1985*
Refer Page No.: 29

Kasturi Metal Composites Pvt. Ltd.


Build strong, last long
Refer Page No.: 227

Stewols India Pvt. Ltd.


Give your concrete the strength of steel.
Refer Page No.: 279

Robo Silicon Pvt. Ltd.


The Eco-Friendly alternative to river sand
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Software for Concrete

Adhesives and Sealents

Cement Manufacturers

Tekla India Pvt. Ltd.


Tekla structures BIM complete concrete solutions
Refer Page No.: 141

Dow Corning India Pvt. Ltd.


A fire rated joint sealant that no one else can match!
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Wacker Chemie India Pvt. Ltd.


Sustainable solutions for cementitious tile adhesives
Refer Page No.: 65

Zuari Cement Italcementi Group


Just what a greener world needs. Pure light and air.
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Concrete DensifierLithium silicate

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Largest Manufacturer and exporter of Lithium Silicate Refer Page No.: 175

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No pre & post wetting saves Natural Resources, Time & Energy Refer Page No.: 281

Citadel Eco-Build Solutions


No pre & post wetting saves Natural Resources, Time & Energy Refer Page No.: 219

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A Green Revolution for Future Buildings Refer Page No.: 165

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To know more on the products, solutions and services offered by the leading brands featured above write to: masterbuilderads@gma il.com

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229

Communication Feature

Microtopping by Neocrete
B M Nagarajan, Director, Neocrete Technologies Pvt. Ltd.

eocrete specializes in transforming mundane concrete flooring into a work of art. Their passion in taking up challenging assignment combined with their quest for innovation has resulted in their executing a beautiful floor in one of the prestigious towers that has come up in the heart of Mumbai. Nestled in Lamington road, this tower promoted by Earth Developers boasts of a number of firsts in this area. Multi-story parking areas, automatic state-of-the-art lifts, PU coating of parking decks, stamped concrete in entrance portico and a designer concrete in ground and fifth floor are some of the bold initiatives taken by the developer. The sequence of events is as follows: Concrete is ground so as to remove laitance; loose particles, etc and provide a mechanical key. If the area has lot of undulations, it is necessary to level the floor with self-leveling cementitious underlay. In this case, we leveled it with our product Neoflor 3010.

Our cementitous micro-topping viz. Neoflor 4010 is formulated with highquality polymers & UV resistant pigments and is designed to give an excel-

lent flow with the addition of water. Mix the material and pour into the respective receptacle one-by-one. Pour various colours one after another ensuring that thickness of one pour does not exceed 5mm. Apply two coats of sealer coats to provide enhanced properties of sheen, ant-fungal and abrasion resistance. The enclosed photo speaks volumes about the capability of our micro-topping to provide a most amazing floor that provides beauty and elegance unmatched by any other product.

For further details:


Neocrete Technologies Pvt Lt

Prepare design templates based on the design which should be made to the exact scale. Position the templates over the area and draw the pattern on the floor.

13-A, Satellite Tower, Film City Road, Goregaon(East), Mumbai - 400063 Ph: +91-22-32937981, Email: bmnagarajan@gmail.com Web: www.neocrete.co.in/www.neocrete.in

230

The Masterbuilder - July 2013 www.masterbuilder.co.in

Concrete: Fibres

The use of Steel and Synthetic Fibres in Concrete under Extreme Conditions
1 3

Don Wimpenny1, Wolfgang Angerer2, Tony Cooper3 and Stefan Bernard4

Principal Materials Engineer, Halcrow Pacific 2Senior Tunnel Engineer, Halcrow Pacific Consultant Elasto Plastic Concrete 4Consultant, TSE

The tunnelling and maritime environments can provide extreme conditions for reinforced concrete. Exposure to aggressive saline water can be combined with design lives of 100 years or more. In recent years, traditional carbon steel reinforcement has been substituted by the use of steel fibres and, more recently, by synthetic fibres for sprayed concrete and precast items, such as tunnel segments. This paper describes some of the factors which have prompted the change from rebar to fibres and includes a detailed consideration of the specific durability design aspects of fibre reinforced concrete use within desalination facilities.
The use of fibres to enhance the properties of construction materials can be traced back over 4000 years to the use of straw in bricks and horse hair in plaster. Fibres can reduce plastic cracking in fresh concrete and enhance the post-crack ductility of hardened concrete. The elimination of reinforcement fixing can have significant time, cost and safety benefits. Whilst the random orientation and dispersal of fibres means they are not as efficient as conventional reinforcement for dealing with predictable stresses, they are able to resist crack propagation under unforeseen stresses, particularly those arising close to the surface of elements during construction and in service, such as impact. Fibres can be particularly beneficial under extreme environments, such as exposure to chlorides and fire. Fire and abrasion resistance are enhanced and the discrete nature of fibres means that the risk of corrosion and associated spalling is significantly reduced. The mining and tunnelling industry makes extensive use of fibres in sprayed concrete linings for underground support. Fibres allow the lining to retain ductility, even under high deformation, which is critical for safety. Precast tunnel segments have utilised both steel and synthetic fibres for handling and improved fire resistance respectively (1). Marine works have used synthetic macro fibres to eliminate corrosion risk under exposure to seawater (2). This paper provides a review of structural and durability design approaches based on published guidance. It should be noted that performance is dependent on the particular fibre type, including the manufacturer. Fibre reinforced concrete Fibre types The principal fibre types in BS EN 14889 (3,4) are shown in Figure 1. The shape and surface texture of the fibres is important in determining their effect on concrete properties. Fibres should fail by gradual pull-out after disbondment from the cement matrix in order to provide ductility and features such as hooked ends, crimping, twisting and embossing are intended to promote friction associated with the pull-out mode of failure. Table 2 summarises the characteristics of two widely used fibre types and compares the attributes of concrete made with these fibres to conventional concrete. Short term laboratory and field studies on the durability of uncracked steel fibre reinforced concrete (SFRC) indicate carbonation induced corrosion is restricted to those fibres immediately below the surface (5). Galvanic corrosion and spalling do not appear to occur (6), but there is a potential for corrosion at cracks (7). This is important, as it could ultimately lead to sudden failure of the concrete due to fibre breakage rather than ductile failure by fibre pull out (5). It is recommended that limiting crack width of 0.1 to 0.2mm be adopted, depending on the service conditions. Corrosion of steel fibres will cause staining and where this would be unacceptable, galvanized steel is sometimes used (as the solubility of zinc is increased when chloride ions are present, stainless steel and synthetic macrofibres are more appropriate in a chloride-rich environment). Structural synthetic fibres are an alternative to steel fibres for controlling handling damage and providing long-term ductility. They are not significantly affected by exposure to seawater (8) or sodium chloride at temperatures of 20-40C (9). However, the maximum service temperature should ideally be limited to 60C and exposure to some chemical agents, such as chlorine gas, should be avoided. Field examples Evidence of satisfactory performance of fibres in concrete elements is important in providing confidence to potential users. Unfortunately, there is relatively limited information on long-term durability of FRC in the field. For example, steel and synthetic macrofibres have only been employed in sprayed concrete since the 1970s and the 1990s respectively. Table 3 summarises a selection of projects where the concrete is exposed to extreme service conditions. Despite the many projects

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Concrete: Fibres

utilising fibres, the duration in service is modest compared to the design lives of 100 years, or more, which are increasingly required. Structural design Design methodology The design of an FRC section follows the same approach used for the design of reinforced concrete, with appropriate modifications for material properties in the tension zones. In reinforced concrete the properties of the concrete and reinforcement can be determined separately. For FRC the properties of the composite of fibre and concrete, such as tensile splitting strength, flexural strength at first crack and residual flexural strength, should be determined
Characteristic
Shape/Texture Collation Length (mm) Diameter (mm) Tensile Strength (MPa) Elastic Modulus (GPa) Dosage (kg/m3) Service temperature (C) Melting point (C) Base material Workability Plastic shrinkage cracking Early-age thermal cracking Long-term shrinkage cracking Stray current corrosion Durability in chloride exposure* Fire spalling resistance Compressive strength Residual flexural strength Impact strength Flexural toughness Abrasion resistance Freeze-thaw resistance Flexural energy absorption Concrete permeability Pump wear Safety* Finishing

concurrently. These properties can utilised in standard equations, which define the load capacity of the composite element. Initial designs may use manufacturers data or data from previous projects to estimate the material properties. However, it is important that the validity of the data is checked and that the performance of the material is demonstrated by testing in pre-production trials and by regularly sampling throughout production. Figure 2 shows the stress-strain diagram adopted within the Rilem design method. The values of stress and strain in the diagram are defined in RILEM TC-162 TDF (10) and the design standards using this approach such as Eurocode 2 (11) or NZS3101 (12). Similar recommendations are given in guidance by the German
Synthetic micro-fibres Synthetic macro-fibres
Continuously embossed Uncollated 48 0.5-1 550 10 6-10 60 150 Polyolefin (polypropylene, polyethylene) Slightly reduced Slightly reduced Reduced No data Eliminated Greatly Increased Increased Unaffected Increased Increased Increased Slightly increased Increased Greatly Increased Slightly increased Reduced Increased Fibres may float and protrude in poorly designed mixes

Steel Fibres
Cold drawn hooked ends Glued bundles 60 0.75 1050 >200 25-35 300 >800 Carbon steel Reduced Unaffected Reduced Reduced Reduced Increased Slightly Increased Unaffected Increased Greatly Increased Increased Increased Slightly increased Greatly Increased Slightly increased Increased Hazard from handling and protruding fibres Extra care during floating

Characteristic of Fibres Straight smooth Fibrillated 12 0.02-0.03 30 2 1-2 60 150 Polypropylene Slightly reduced Reduced Unaffected Unaffected Unaffected* Unaffected* Greatly Increased Unaffected Unaffected Unaffected Unaffected Slightly increased Increased Unaffected Slightly increased Reduced Increased Exposed fibres soon abrade

Comparison with conventional concrete (Unreinforced except where indicated by*)

Table 2. Comparison of steel and synthetic fibres

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Concrete: Fibres

Figure 2. Stress-strain diagram for fibre reinforced concrete

test specimen and the actual structure. Care should be taken in the choice of test method (eg. beam or panel) and specified limit. In particular, high residual flexural strength requirements at high deflection values may have no relevance to the design and prove unnecessarily difficult to achieve. The full life of the structure should be considered in the structural deign (5). For example, bursting performance of tunnel segments during construction is based on tensile splitting and compressive strength. Permanent loading for the serviceability limit state is normally based on ensuring elastic un-cracked behaviour and as such relies on the flexural strength at first crack. The ultimate limit state allows for some plastic behaviour and utilizes the residual flexural strength. However, fibres are generally not relied upon as the primary reinforcement in plastic hinge regions. Structural designs for serviceability generally incorporate limits on stress, strain (eg. 10 microstrain in the tensile section) or crack width (eg. 3mm maximum for durable fibres). Due to the random distribution of the fibres in a concrete matrix, there is no recognised method to calculate crack widths in fibre reinforced structures. A reliable first approximation of crack widths can be estimated in members subject to axial and bending forces by derivation of stress-strain diagrams in a linear elastic analysis. Crack widths can be therefore be predicted according to the
Application
Sprayed concrete lining to a sub-sea tunnel non-corrodible reinforcement in a sub sea tunnel Sprayed concrete lining to tunnel close to waterfront non-corrodible reinforcement in ground with high sulphide levels sprayed concrete lining under chloride exposure track slab subject to stray currents and sulfate and chloride exposure Sprayed concrete repair to abrasion damaged aggregate storage bins Precast revetment units subject to handling, abrasion and seawater precast segments subject to fire loading Segmental lining for intake and discharge tunnels

Figure 1. Fibre types to BS EN 14889

Concrete Association and in Concrete Society Technical Reports 63 and 65 (13, 14). Although codes and recommendations mainly provide information regarding steel fibre reinforced concrete, the design principles apply equally to other structural fibres. Testing may be required to confirm the validity of some of the design factors and allowance should be made for the difference in stress-strain behaviour, longterm performance and implications of exceptional load scenarios, such as fire. The properties determined from specific tests will differ from the full-scale structure. The designer should verify that properties are based on representative concrete samples and provide adequate allowances for the variability of the test method, the pattern of loading and the difference in geometry between the
Project
Halsney Tunnel Project Atlantic Ocean Tunnel Project E18 Motorway E18 Motorway Sydney Northside Storage Tunnel Docklands Light Rail Extension Quarry Bins Blackpool South Shore Channel tunnel rail link Gold Coast Desalination Project

Country
Norway Norway Norway Norway Australia United Kingdom United Kingdom United Kingdom United Kingdom Australia

Fibre type
Macro-synthetic Macro-synthetic Steel Macro-synthetic Macro-synthetic Macro-synthetic Steel Macro-synthetic Steel and micro-synthetic Steel

Date entered service


2005 2009 2009 2009 2003 2004 1998 2006 2003 2008

Table 3. Examples of fibre reinforced concrete under extreme conditions.

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Concrete: Fibres

following equation: w = b (h-x) (1) where w is the crack width, b is the strain at the extreme tension fibre, h is the section thickness and x is the depth of the compression portion (Figure 3). However, the values obtained from such assessments are often higher than the 0.1 to 0.2mm limit for steel fibres in extreme exposure conditions (Section 2.1). Furthermore, the design methods are not reliable enough to ensure these crack widths will be consistently achieved. A prudent design approach for SFRC exposed to chloride from seawater or de-icing salts is to prevent the section from cracking during serviceability loading. Long-term performance of FRC is heavily influenced by the interaction between the fibres and the concrete matrix. Two aspects are particularly important. Firstly, the aim of the addition of fibres is to avoid the brittle failure associated with unreinforced concrete. In FRC the development of excess strength and hardness in the enveloping concrete matrix may result in a change from ductile behaviour to brittle behaviour, as fibres fracture instead of gradually pulling out of the matrix (15). Secondly, the discontinuous nature of fibres means that they may exhibit slip within cracked concrete leading to creep under sustained loading. Recent research by Bernard on the creep of cracked FRC (16) indicates that creep depends on the fibre type, dosage and applied load (Figure 4). The results are specific to the particular fibre types tested. The designer needs to verify the influence of creep behaviour on the structure and provide appropriate contingencies in the design, such as limiting the tensile stresses. Durability Design Design Methodology The durability design for steel fibre reinforced concrete involves the prediction of carbonation and chloride ingress and the associated corrosion. In conventionally reinforced concrete, corrosion damage to the concrete, such as spalling or cracking, would often be used as the serviceability limit state. In the case of FRC, the loss of cross-sectional area of fibres by corrosion determines the depth of concrete over which the contribution of fibres to tensile and flexural strength should be ignored by the structural designer. A limiting value of 20% loss is typically used. The accuracy of the assumed exposure conditions is critical to the validity of the predictions. In the case of a desalination facility,

conditions during construction and any maintenance outages should be considered, as these may be more severe than those in service. Table 4 indicates the input parameters defining the service conditions and the characteristics of the concrete mix.

Figure 4. Relationship between creep deflection at 100 days and imposed load for ASTM C1550 panel test (16).

The surface level of chloride will vary depending on the salinity in the environment and amount of contact the concrete has with the environment. For concrete in the marine environment the surface chloride level will typically vary from 1-2% for submerged and atmospheric exposure to 4% for wetting and drying. For desalination schemes where the salinity can be 50% higher than seawater surface chloride levels may be correspondingly increased. The carbonation and chloride models used in durability design are discussed below. Carbonation Model The carbonation model commonly used is based on work by the Building Research Establishment (17) showing a good correlation between the carbonation rate and oxygen permeability. The latter is predicted based on the cement type, concrete strength and duration of curing. Gas permeability or diffusion testing should be carried out on proposed concrete mixes to validate the assumed oxygen permeability value. The modelling is normally deterministic rather than probabilistic,
General input parameter
Relative humidity (%) Temperature (C) 28-day cube strength (MPa) Cementitious content (kg/m3) Tricalcium aluminate level of cement (%) Slag, fly ash or silica fume level (%) Reinforcement diameter (mm) Fibre thickness (microns) Cover (mm) Allowable corrosion loss (%) Service life (years)

Specific input parameters


Carbonation: Carbon Dioxide Level (%) Intrinsic oxygen Permeability (m2) Curing (days) Chloride: Background and surface chloride levels (%) Chloride diffusion value (m2/s) and age (days) Aging factor Exposure type (wetting/ drying, submerged, atmospheric) Steel type (stainless, carbon) Additional protective measures (coatings, corrosion inhibitor)

Figure 3. Calculation model for estimation of crack width in fibre reinforced members subject to axial compression and bending

Table 4. Input parameters to durability modelling

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Concrete: Fibres

in that it adopts single values for each parameter rather than allowing for variation and then predicting the likelihood of different outcomes. The adopted values often reflect the worst likely conditions for temperature and carbon dioxide levels. The carbon dioxide level will typically lie between 0.04%, the average outdoor value, and 0.1% for poorly ventilated spaces (17). Relative humidity is a key parameter affecting carbonation and a sensitivity analysis should be carried out to encompass the range of possible values during construction and in service. Typical output from the model is shown in Figure 5. Chloride Model The chloride ingress by diffusion is predicted using a model based on published research (18). The model uses Ficks second law of diffusion: (1)
(b) Graphical output showing loss of fibres during construction period Figure 5. Typical output from carbonation model

where Dc is the diffusion coefficient (m2/s), Cx is the chloride


Summary of Input
Parameter relative humidity temperature carbon dioxide level 28-day cube strength cementitious content ggbs level pfa level minimum cover bar diameter fibre thickness acceptable loss of section curing oxygen permeability service life Summary of Output (rebar) corrosion initiation propagation of 0.1mm cracks propagation of 0.3mm cracks service life to 0.1mm cracks cover for service life service life to 0.3mm cracks cover for service life Summary of Output (fibres) depth of loss of section of 20%
(a) Summary of input and output

units % C % MPa kg/m % % mm mm micron % days 10-6m2 years


3

value 85 25 0.03 50 400 0 30 30 16 750 20 3 1 100

concentration at depth x (m) after exposure time t (s), Csn is the notional surface chloride level (% by mass of binder) and erf is the error function. The diffusion coefficient will increase with temperature but reduce with age, dependent on the concrete mix and the exposure conditions. The model allow for these effects, as well for as the release of chlorides due to carbonation (18). The chloride diffusion coefficients assumed in the design should be verified by appropriate testing, such as the NTB 492 method (19). The chloride levels increase until the threshold chloride level is surpassed and then corrosion is initiated. The threshold level depends upon the cementitious type, service temperature, presence of corrosion inhibitors and reinforcement type (eg. carbon steel, stainless steel). The rate of corrosion of steel is assumed to increase as the chloride level in the concrete adjacent to the steel increases. For example, the tidal and splash zone in marine conditions: (3)

where CR is the corrosion rate (microns/year) and Cx is the chloride concentration (% by mass of binder) at the depth of the steel reinforcement. The corrosion rate will depend on the temperature and relative humidity. An adjustment for temperature can be made using Arrhenius law (18). The model allows different corrosion mitigation measures to be assessed, including: changes to the concrete mix and the use of protective coating, integral waterproofers, silane, controlled permeability formwork and stainless steel reinforcement. The cumulative corrosion from each stage of the structures life is calculated and used to estimate a depth over which the effect of the fibres should be ignored, in a similar way to the carbonation. Figure 6 shows typical graphical output from the modelling. Conclusions Fibres provide significant advantages over reinforced and plain concrete under extreme conditions, including exposure to fire, abrasion and seawater. Steel fibres and synthetic macrofibres

52years 3years 15years 55years 41mm 67years 37mm

32mm

www.masterbuilder.co.in The Masterbuilder - July 2013 237

Concrete: Fibres

(a) chloride ingress 50mm depth Figure 6. Output from chloride model

(b) loss of section of fibres for outages of

increase post-crack ductility. This is an important consideration for use in ground support, Steel fibres by virtue of their discrete nature and small diameter appear to eliminate galvanic corrosion and associated spalling damage compared to steel rebar and enhance resistance to chloride and carbonation induced corrosion. However, maximum crack width should be limited to 0.1-0.2mm depending on the service life and exposure conditions. Synthetic macrofibres are non-corrodible but will be affected by elevated temperature and some chemical agents. Structural design methods are available for fibre reinforced concrete. These should use values of compressive, flexural and tensile strength based on performance tests on the FRC and should consider the whole life of the element. Serviceability limit state design should generally be based on elastic behaviour of an uncracked section using flexural strength to first crack data. Ultimate limit state design can allow for some plastic behaviour using residual flexural strength data. The interaction between the concrete matrix and the discrete fibre is critical. SFRC may lose ductility when the concrete matrix becomes too strong leading to fracture rather than pull-out the fibres. Creep due to slip and elongation of fibres is also an issue. Deformation and creep in cracked FRC depends on fibre type, dosage and loading. Durability design of facilities, such as desalination schemes, should assess the conditions during construction, operation and at times of outages. Carbonation and chloride ingress can be predicted from models based on published research. The loss of cross-section of fibres by corrosion can be used to estimate the depth of concrete over which any effect of fibres on flexural or tensile strength should be ignored.

References
1. Greenhalgh J., Segmental linings the future is steel-fibre-reinforced, Concrete Magazine, October 2003, pp 19-20. 2. Perry B., Synthetic macrofibres storm to the front of coastal defence innovation, Concrete Magazine, November 2006, pp 72-73.

3. British Standards Institute, BS EN 14889-1 Fibres for concrete, Part 1: Steel fibres- definition, specifications and conformity, BSI, London, 2006. 4. British Standards Institute, BS EN 14889-2 Fibres for concrete, Part 2: Polymer fibres- definition, specifications and conformity, BSI, London, 2006. 5. King M. R., and Alder A. J.,The practical specification of steel fibre reinforced concrete (SFRC) for tunnel linings, Proceedings of Underground Construction 2007 Conference, London, Brintex Ltd. 6. American Concrete Institute, ACI 544.4R Design considerations for steel fibre reinforced concrete, 1996 7. Bernard E. S., Durability of cracked fibre reinforced shotcrete, 2nd International Conference on Engineering Developments in Shotcrete, Cairns, Australia, October 2004, In Shotcrete: More Engineering Developments (Bernard E S ed) Taylor and Francis, London, 204, pp 67-80 8. Hannant D. J., The effects of age up to 18 years under various exposure conditions on the tensile properties of polypropylene fibre reinforced cement composite, Materials and Structures, Vol 32, No 216, March 1999, pp 83-88. 9. Basell, Prof-fax and Moplen Polyproplene Chemical Resistance, Data sheet 08/02, 2002. 10. Rilem, Final recommendations of TC162-TDF, Test and design methods for steel fibre reinforced concrete, design method, Materials and Structures, Vol 36, 2003, pp 560-565. 11. British Standards Institution, BS EN 1992, Eurocode 2, Design of concrete structures, Part 1-1, General rules for buildings, BSI, London, 1994 12. NZS 3101, Concrete Structures, Part 2- Commentary on the Design of concrete structures, Appendix C5A, Test and design methods for steel fibre reinforced concrete subject to montonic load, 2006, pp 7-13 13. Concrete Society, Guidance for the Design of Steel-Fibre-Reinforced Concrete, Technical Report 63, 2007. 14. Concrete Society, Guidance on the use of Macro-synthetic-fibrereinforced Concrete, Technical Report 65, 2007. 15. Bernard, E.S. 2008. Embrittlement of Fibre Reinforced Shotcrete, Shotcrete, ACI, Summer edition, pp 16-21. 16. Bernard E. S., Creep deformation of cracked fibre reinforced shotcrete panels for Elasto-plastic concrete, TSE Report Number 189, March 2008. 17. Quillin K. Modelling degradation process affecting concrete, CRC Ltd, 2001. 18. Bamforth P . B., Enhancing reinforced concrete durability, Guidance on selecting measures for minimising the risk of corrosion of reinforcement in concrete, Technical Report 61, 2004. 19. NTB 492, Concrete, mortar and cement based repair materials: chloride migration coefficient from non-steady migration experiments, Nordtest method, 1999.

238 The Masterbuilder - July 2013 www.masterbuilder.co.in

Communication Feature

Fiber Reinforced Concrete & Its Advantages


case of industrial flooring sector, people tend to use onsite small mixers more. To promote steel fiber reinforced concrete in India and to give superior quality and stronger concrete to the nation, Kasturi has started manufacturing glued hook end steel fibers here. Till now customers had no choice but to import them from other countries. Kasturi is the first and only manufacturer of glued hook end steel fibers in the country. Apart from providing Duraflex Glued Hook End Steel Fibers for Ball Free mixing, Kasturi also actively partners all its clients by providing them with optimum design solution as per TR34 British Standards for Concrete Industrial Flooring. This helps the client to achieve ultimate design with optimum dosage of Duraflex Steel Fibers and maximum cost savings. The onsite technical team of the company assists the client to handle various mixing, placing and finishing issues. Every member of the team is professionally trained and well equipped to resolve any operational problems that may arise during the process of laying industrial flooring. The company's wide range of products includes Duraflex Steel Fibers for concrete reinforcement, Durabond Steel Fibers for friction industry, Polypropylene Fibers for concrete reinforcement and Steel Wool Rolls. This ISO 9001:2008 Certified company has a state-of-the-art manufacturing unit manned by some of the finest talents from the industry. The company also has an exclusive R&D unit, which ensures constant improvement in the product range, apart from ensuring that the production processes are in line with government recommended environment safety measures. The company has a dynamic team of professionals at the helm of affairs. Mr.Samit Singhai is the DirectorTechnical of the company. A technocrat with wide ranging experience in the field of steel fibers, Mr.Singhai has been one of the key players responsible for the remarkable growth story of the company. Cement Concrete, whether containing natural or waste glass aggregate is relatively brittle, and its tensile strength is typically only about one tenths of its compressive strength. Concrete by itself is naturally very brittle, lacking ductility when tension or impact loads are imposed. When subjected to tensile stressed, un-reinforced concrete will crack and fail. Traditionally concrete has been successfully reinforced with steel bars and/or welded wire fabric set into the concrete where analysis indicates high tensile stress or high impact loads. However even well designed barreinforced concrete systems will manifest cracking over time. For many applications, it is becoming increasingly popular to reinforce the concrete with small, randomly distributed fibers. Their main purpose is to increase the energy absorption capacity and toughness of the material along with superior crack resistance. The concept of fiber-reinforced concrete is not new, rather from a historical perspective it appears much like a contemporary version of an old theme. Historical records dating back to bibli-

Samit Singhai
Director- Technical, Kasturi Metal Composites (P) Ltd.

asturi Metal Composite (P) Ltd is a leading manufacturer and exporter of a wide assortment of steel fibers. With a mission to provide India with best quality products featuring latest technology, at most economical prices, Kasturi has launched glued hook end steel fibers in India. Considering today's market scenario, where unavailability of skilled labour for proper mixing and placing of steel fibers in concrete is an issue, Kasturi has launched Duraflex Glued Hook End Steel Fibers for the industrial flooring and tunnel shotcrete sectors to ensure Ball Free mixing. It is a fact that concrete mixing machinery varies from site to site in India and especially in the

SFRC (Steel Fiber Reinforced Concrete) Industrial Flooring-A Super Crack Resistance concrete

240

The Masterbuilder - July 2013 www.masterbuilder.co.in

Communication Feature

cal times clearly attest to the practice of using "straw" in building blocks. Even Roman building practice incorporated a type of "fiber" - horsehair, which was widely used in the construction of many imposing structures notably the Colloseum. Through the ages therefore, the use of fibers has been a recurring theme from straw in adobe, hair of wild animals to the host of modern synthetic fibers. Steel-fiber-reinforced concrete is a state-of-the-art composite material made of hydraulic cements, fine or coarse aggregate, and a dispersion of discontinuous steel fibers. It may contain pozzolans and additives commonly used with conventional concrete. The amount of fiber in concrete mixes typically ranges from 0.5 percent to 2.0 percent by volume, although smaller amounts have been used successfully in reduction of plastic- and drying-shrinkage cracking. According to the Portland Cement Association, steel fiber contents greater than 2.0 percent result in poor workability and fiber dispersion within the concrete mix. However, the main effect of adding steel fibers in concrete, that is also the main advantage of SFRC and the most useful regarding design of hyperstatic construction (like slab on ground), is its post-crack behavior or toughness of SFRC. Steel fibers in concrete start acting when the first crack appears and have the ability to absorb and redistribute the loads (or energy), so that the SFRC will still be able to bear loads even after the formation of cracks. In fact, SFRC has a ductile behavior or toughness and therefore, that surplus of flexural capacity from the plastic phase (post-crack ductility) can be used for design of structure when deformation must be controlled like slabs or for structures where deformations controlled the design like underground linings. It is the reason why, for the same thickness, a SFRC slab on
Without Fibers BRITTLE

ground can support higher loads than a conventional concrete slab. The addition of these fibers provides improvements of the engineering properties of the concrete such as Impact strength, toughness (post-crack ductility), ability to resist cracking and material disintegration, as well as fatigue resistance. The exact amount of increased strength depends on many variables, especially fiber content. With fiber contents of 1.5 percent to 2.0 percent by volume, direct tensile strength will increase 30 to 40 percent, and flexural strength (first crack) will increase 50 to 150 percent.

Compatible with all surface finish and coating techniques.

DURAFLEXTM Steel Fibers and DUROCRETETM PP Fibers are high strength fibers, with favorable shape, orientation, and strength. The steel fibers are known to have possessed high tensile strength and ductility. The most significant factor affecting resistance to crack propagation and strength of the fibrous concrete and mortar are Shape and bond at fiber matrix interface Volume fraction of fibers Fiber aspect ratio and Orientation of fibers workability and Compaction of Concrete Size of Coarse Aggregate Mixing

Benefits of Duraflex SFRC Floors To the Owner Less Cost, High Quality, Longer Life of Floors Resistance to micro cracks propogating into macro cracks Provides high impact resistance Excellent surface finish can be achieved Eliminates spalling due to corroding reinforcement Reinforces the edge helping to prevent joint failure

To the Consultant Cusomized Design Support Suitable for wide range of applications Ease in designing for complete life span of Concrete Floors Ensures Optimum use of material and Technology. Reduce steel reinforcement requirements

Fiber Blends for various FRC (Fiber reinforced Concrete) applications WAY TO LOOK FORWARD!

To the Contractor Faster construction Reduced labor cost Easy to handle, mix, place and finish variety of Floors surfaces. Environmentally friendly

Micro cracks
CONTINUOUS REINFORCEMENT
With Fibers DUCTILE

Micro cracks
DISCRETE REINFORCEMENT

Fibres

Performance of conventional concrete is enhanced by the addition of fibers in concrete. The brittleness in concrete is reduced and the adequate ductility of concrete is ensured by the addition of Fibers in concrete. The main reasons for adding steel fibers to concrete matrix is to improve the post-cracking response of the concrete i,e., to improve its energy absorption capacity and apparent ductility, and to provide crack resistance and crack control.

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Communication Feature

Fiber Blends Concrete can be reinforced blends of steel and/or synthetic and/or cellulose fibers. The reason for using fiber blends is to enhance the properties of concrete by combing the benefits that each particular fiber type can impart. There is no fiber type that can encompass all the desired properties of fresh and hardened concrete in terms of, for example, providing load bearing capacity at cracked sections, crack control, spalling resistance at elevated temperatures, improved abrasion, impact and frost resistance. However, appropriate blends of fibers, with or without, traditional reinforcing bars can lead to synergetic effects, i.e. combinations of different fiber types can enhance concrete in both its fresh and hardened states.
Microfibers
Microcracks

Large fibers

Stress

Short microfibers

Large fibers Plain matrix Strain

erties of concrete at an early age. Micro polypropylene fibers are better suited to take up stresses in plastic concrete due to their lower elastic modulus. Furthermore, their ability to interfere with the capillary forces by which water bleeds to the surface of concrete reduces the risk of plastic settlement due to water evaporation. Consequently, a blend of large steel fibers and micro polypropylene fibers can combine structural reinforcement with plastic crack control. The micro synthetic fibers in the concrete also increase its resistance to spalling in fire situations. Synthetic/Synthetic Blends As previously mentioned, micro synthetic fibers have been used for many years to effectively control plastic shrinkage cracking as well as plastic settlement cracking in concrete floors and slabs. However, once the concrete has set and begun to gain strength, there are no benefits with respect to crack control. Macro synthetic fibers are dimensionally much bigger than micro synthetic fibers and therefore they provide very few benefits to the plastic concrete (although there are some commercially available macro synthetic fibers that are claimed to perform a similar role to that of micro synthetic fibers). The main role of synthetic/synthetic blends is to control plastic cracking (in fresh concrete) and drying shrinkage cracking (in hardened concrete), and to improve post-cracking toughness,

subject to the previously mentioned provisos on the long-term properties of macro synthetic fibers. Micro synthetic fibers also increase resistance to spalling in fire situations. Steel/Synthetic Blends A more recent development in fiber reinforced cement-based composites concerns the use of hybrid blend of Steel and Synthetic PP Fibers. The concrete toughness can be optimized by using steel fibers that will affect the cracking process during different stages of loading and micro-fibers improve composite strength by bridging microcracks and, therefore, delaying the coalescence of these cracks into macrocracks. On the other hand, macro-fibers are more effective in bridging larger crack openings. Therefore, blend can be considered a multifunctional material that is able to achieve a set of desired performances by the use of different Fiber types; as a second example, toughness and ductility can be provided by high-modulus fibers, shrinkage cracking control by low-modulus fibers, conductivity by carbon fibers.
For further details: Kasturi Metal Composites Pvt Ltd
Regus, Level 13, Platnm Techo Park, Plot no 17 & 18, Sect 30A, Vashi, Navi Mumbai - 400705 Ph: +91-721-2590293/95 E-mail: info@steelfiberindia.in Web: www.steelfiberindia.in

Properties of Fiber Blends Reinforced Concrete Steel/Steel Fiber Blends Small steel wire fibers are effective in micro-crack bridging, leading to an increased fractural energy and higher flexural strength. Their use, when blended with larger steel wire Fibers, can dramatically increase the peak load and post-cracking performance of concrete. In other words, by combining steel fibers that are effective in both microcracking and in macro-crack bridging, synergetic effects will increase the fractural energy absorption capacity and toughness of the concrete. Steel/Micro Synthetic Fiber Blends Steel Fibers do not contribute significantly to the performance of plastic concrete, because their strength and stiffness differs too much from the prop-

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Equipment: Concrete Batching Plants

Emphasis on Quality and Variety of Concrete Drives Continual Demand


M.K. Prabhakar, Associate Editor

Concrete Batching Plants:


to ensure that they provide all this at a fair price, particularly in the context of the price-sensitive Indian market. Things have however, taken a turn in recent times, with contractors understanding that the long term gains would always offset any higher initial investment. With the market getting segregated along certain specific lines, the job of manufacturers has become in a way a lot easier. For the large scale projects they offer the bigger machines, while for the real estate sector and smaller projects there is a vast range of compact batching plants available in India today. The Indian construction industry has seen the steady growth of ready-mixconcrete (RMC) sector over the last two decades. With the increased demand for specialized concrete such as selfcompacting concrete, fiber-reinforced concrete, temperature-controlled concrete, etc, contractors have found an able ally in the latest generation concrete batching plants. Stricter specifications and stringent quality standards have made the use of concrete batching plants almost imperative. Following the patterns in the developed world, RMC could soon overtake site-mixedconcrete (SMC) in popularity stakes here. All these factors have been fuelling the growth rate of concrete batching plants in the country. The growth rate is poised to increase rapidly, given the increased adaption of RMC both in the infrastructure and real estate sectors. Tough Competition As mentioned earlier, leading players are focusing across a range of capacities, catering to different market segments. A lot of R&D is also going into coming out with product innovations to suit the needs of the Indian market. For example, with labour costs getting steeper by the day and labour also becoming difficult to find, companies are focusing on self-loading mechanisms in concrete batching plants. A good example for this is available in the form of the popular CP30 model from Schwing Stetter India. The plant with planetary mixer comes in three ver-

he Indian construction industry has had a fairy tale run over the past two decades or so. It all started with the opening up of the economy in the early 1990s and the ensuing boom in construction. The entry of global players brought with it several new technologies and a greater focus on quality. The way concrete was produced underwent a sea change. Leading this revolution were the modern concrete batching plant models. By the turn of the century, India had become one of the key markets for concrete batch plants. It is one market segment that has been maintaining a steady pace of growth of around 20% consistently from the early 2000s, whatever may be the state of the economy. Dictating the trends has been an ever - evolving customer, who today wants a concrete batching plant that should offer optimum performance, fuel efficiency, is environment-friendly, should be easy to install and if necessary must be portable enough to shift to another location. Manufacturers on their part had

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Equipment: Concrete Batching Plants

sions, star, compartment and inline. CP30 inline version with skid and conveyor can help contractors cut down on labour costs. The company had also in recent times come out with the latest version of HN1 horizontal batching plant, featuring planetary mixer with twin discharge and inclined belt conveyor system, ideally suited for precast application. Schwing Stetter India also offers other popular models such as the M2.5, the largest foundationless concrete batching plant in the country, according to the company, and the CP18. Linnhoff India is another leading player that has made major inroads into the Indian market with its wide range of concrete batching plants. The 'Eurotec' Series of concrete batching plants from the company have proven their mettle in several parts of the world. Among its specialties is the 'Eurotec Control System' (ECS), which ensures optimal homogenous mix. Going into details behind the system, Mr.Ashok Tanna, Managing Director of the company explained, The ECS is a batching software for full use of the plant automation through a user- friendly windows interface. The system is easy to learn and offers security features to protect sensitive data and input. Plant controls can easily be switched between fully automated and total manual control giving full flexibility to the plant operators. Software options allow the system to be accessed remotely via modem giving head office the choice to monitor plant production and material consumptions. Data downloaded from the control system can be readily utilized in Microsoft Windows software allowing office staff to incorporate the data into various accounting packages. Additional options for extra aggregates, silos and even moisture control sensors too can be easily interfaced with the software system. Another leading player which has been focusing on unique technology to cater to a discerning customer is Ajax Fiori. The company's 'Radius Lift Arm Batching Plants' ranging in capacities of 20 cu.m per hour to 30 cu.m per hour, feature the unique 'Swinging Radius Lift

The ECS is a batching software for full use of the plant automation through a userfriendly windows interface. The system is easy to learn and offers security features to protect sensitive data and input. Plant controls can easily be switched between fully automated and total manual control giving full flexibility to the plant operators".

Ashok Tanna
Managing Director, Linnhoff India

Arm' technology. Self-loading of aggregates and sand with minimum wastage is ensured due to the two radius lift arms, swinging almost 180 degrees. The plant also eliminates the need for bins /partitions like traditional systems as the radius lift arms pick up material from the ground. It also offers compact batching plants,

which include the dragline type and the compartment bin type with planetary mixer in the 30 cu.m per hour capacity. The planetary mixers are manufactured in-house in collaboration with Eurostar, Italy. The company also offers the 'inline bin' type batching plants in the capacity range of 30 cu.m per hour to 180.cu. Per hour. Suppliers are concentrating on models with modular design to enable easier installation. Aquarius Engineers for example, offers stationary concrete batching plants featuring modular design under its 'SP' series. The company also offers two mobile plants, MP 21 and MP 24, which can be mounted on re-usable precast foundations. The company's range of concrete batching plants feature control system based on requirement or application. Explaining the top features of the control system, Mr. Sudhakar Waggh, Country Manager (Service) of the company stated, Our batch control system is user-friendly and capable of providing data in CSV format, delivering concrete with 100% accuracy for cement and additives, and allows remote access for after sales service & troubleshooting. Other top features include GSM/ISM synchronization for delivering online reports and messages on phone and mails, con-

Plants that are easy to set up and require less labour to operate are in demand

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Equipment: Concrete Batching Plants

Our batch control system is user-friendly and capable of providing data in CSV format, delivering concrete with 100% accuracy for cement and additives, and allows remote access for after sales service & troubleshooting

Sudhakar Waggh
Country Manager (Service), Aquarius Engineers The real estate sector has been helping sustain demand for concrete batching plants

crete slump indication, continuous level indicator for cement, and a 'mixer mind' feature for better performance of mixer. With competition intensifying, manufacturers are also focusing their R&D on making plants 'greener'. A good case in point is available in the form of the range offered by Universal Construction Machinery & Equipment. The company offers concrete batching and mixing plants which are environmentfriendly due to the adoption of electric drives, which do not emit any pollutants and also ensure low noise. Highlighting the other salient features of the tech-

nology, Mr.Rajesh Kawoor, VicePresident (Concrete Business) of the company explained, Our batching plants are also equipped with dust filters and dust collectors, which limit dust pollution to a great extent. The latest batching plants offered by us are fitted with advanced control systems which ensure optimization of energy due to superior operating efficiency. Another popular player that offers a wide range is Apollo Infratech. The company offers popular models such as ATP 20, ATP 30, ATP 45/ATP 60 and ATP 90/ATP 120. It also offers models

such as ATP 21, ATP 31, and ATP 61 under its compact series. Similarly, Speedcrafts is one more name that offers a wide range of concrete batch mix plants which includes models SCP30, SCP-45, SCP-60 and SCP-90 ranging in capacities from 30 cu.m per hour to 90 cu.m per hour. It also offers compact, mobile concrete batch mix plants in the 20 cu.m per hour capacity range. Speedcrafts also offers mobile concrete batching plants with output ranging up to 30 cu.m per hour capacity. Conmat, another leading brand in construction equipment market, also

Aquarius Engineer's concrete batching plant

Mobile plants are doing well in smaller towns and cities

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Equipment: Concrete Batching Plants

Our batching plants are equipped with dust filters and dust collectors, which limit dust pollution to a great extent. The latest batching plants offered by us are fitted with advanced control systems which ensure optimization of energy due to superior operating efficiency

20, 25 and 35 cu.m per hour capacity range. Macons , a familiar name in the construction equipment industry, offers bin type plants under the 'MCP'series, and compact plants under 'MAC' series. Sany India is yet another top brand that offers concrete batching plants, consisting of models SPB05 and SBP10. With the gradual penetration of RMC, deep into the rural parts of India, and the continued thrust being provided to infrastructure development under the XII Five Year Plan, several new players are expected to enter this lucrative market. Positive Signals Emanate There are several sectors which are driving demand for concrete batch plants, notwithstanding the recent recessionary trends. The transportation sector, for example, has been one, what with several highway projects, many of them involving tunneling , along with railways announcing key projects offers immense

Rajesh Kawoor
Vice-President (Concrete Business), Universal Construction Machinery & Equipment

offers a wide array of fully automatic mobile concrete batching plants in the

scope. The realty sector, especially in smaller towns and cities, is another market that is driving demand, especially for compact sized plants. Manufacturers too have taken note of this trend and come out with models that offer mobility. The recent announcement from the Prime Minister, Dr.Manmohan Singh about ramping up measures to improve infrastructure comes as a shot in the arm for the concrete batching plant manufacturers. The Prime Minister has set an ambitious investment target of `1.15 lakh crore in PPP projects across core infrastructure sectors such as rail, power and port in the next six months, at a meeting convened with key infrastructure ministries recently. The announcement is yet another testimony to the continued thrust being provided to infrastructure development. All these developments translate into a period of sustained demand for concrete batching plants in the near future.

Block Making Machinery


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To know more on the products, solutions and services offered by the leading brands featured above write to: masterbuilderads@gmail.com

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Equipment: Concrete Placement

Concrete Placing Equipment:


M.K. Prabhakar, Associate Editor

Application Requirements Dictate Market Trends

he ways and means to convey and place concrete have undergone a sea change over the last three decades and in a way have played a big role in the proliferation of mega projects, which were earlier considered impossible. Whether it is the tallest building or the longest tunnel, if there is one thing common among all major projects, it has to be the equipment being used for conveying and placing concrete. From setting new records in vertical concrete pumping to pumping concrete over record distance horizontally, it is one market segment that has grown steadily in India. According to industry estimates around 2500 units of concrete pumps are being sold in

the country on an average every year. Given the consistent thrust to infrastructure development and with the scale of projects getting bigger by the day, these numbers could grow exponentially in the coming future. Among concrete pumps, stationary concrete pumps are the preferred choice followed by boom pumps. Concrete pumps is a market segment which has seen intensifying competition, with manufacturers fighting it out on as much on the plank of technology as price. Leading players have also been ramping up their existing manufacturing and service networks in a growling market. Higher & Longer Concrete pumps have always

enjoyed consistent demand in the Indian market over the past two decades. With the need to pump concrete higher and longer, while also not compromising on the end-quality of concrete, it is one product category, whose usage has become almost imperative for contractors. The market for concrete pumps in India is passing through one its most crucial phases. It is a phase which is witnessing consolidation by big names and enthusiastic competition from the not-so-big ones. The market which has maintained a healthy growth rate of 20%-30% consistently over the past decade could grow at a quickened pace in the near future, what with the positive forecasts for the economy. It is also one

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Equipment: Concrete Placement

market segment among concreting equipment which is set to witness intense competition in the near future. The demand for boom pumps has hit the upward curve over the past five years. Pushing the demand has been the spurt in infrastructure projects. A good case in point is the number of metro projects around the country. From building elevated viaducts and stations to underground construction, where boom pumps play a key role in areas like sidewall construction, they are now a much sought after type of equipment for metro projects. Manufacturers have spotted the rising opportunities and come out with range of capacities specifically tailored to meet the demands in India. Horses for Courses As mentioned earlier, application has been driving demand patterns for concrete pumps in the country. Increasing high-rise construction in metros and booming mid-rise construction in smaller cities, for example, has necessitated pump models specifically tailored for the need. Therefore, vertical pumping capabilities have been an area of focus among concrete pump manufacturers in recent times. Several new models catering to this market segment have been launched in recent times. A good example can be found in the form of the SP1600 model unveiled by Schwing Stetter India recently. It had earlier
Concrete pumps play a key role in adhering to strict project deadlines

launched the SP1400 and SP1800 models for high-rise construction. Schwing Stetter India also has in its range, the powerful SP3600, with twin circuit 160 bar pressure valve, ideally suitable for concreting beyond 200 metres height, and comes in an aesthetic aerodynamic design. The company's other trailer pump models include, SP1000, BP350, SP1200, SP2800, SP 4800 and SP8800. Aquarius Engineers is another leading name that is catering to the highrise project segment. Its 700, 1000, 1400 and 2100 series of high performance pumps are used for high-rise and long

Nothing is impossible: Thanks to powerful concrete pumping machines, there has been a spurt in mega infrastructure projects in recent times

distance conveying. A unique feature of all Aquarius concrete pumps is the water cleaning system and effective reverse pumping of concrete. A pump regulator protects the hydraulic system from overheating and the engine from overloading. Aquarius Engineers range includes its latest new look models 703D, 1004D and 1405D.These models feature a canopy which helps bring down sound levels of the pumps drastically, a factor so crucial , especially in urban environs. Global players have been entering the Indian market in recent times, either by setting up their own manufacturing units or with tie-ups with domestic players. Universal Construction Machinery & Equipment Ltd for example has now tied up with Zoomlion for distribution, marketing and service of its concrete pumps in India. Going into details on what gives the range the edge over competition, Mr.Rajesh Kawoor, VicePresident (Concrete Business) of the company explained, All the concrete and truck mounted boom pumps manufactured by Zoomlion and offered by Universal are equipped with an automatic centralized lubrication system which ensures proper and timely lubrication. The models are also equipped with hydraulic accumulator which avoids overloading on the hydraulic systems, features that become necessary in order

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to take on the rough and tumble of Indian working conditions. Suppliers are focusing their R & D efforts towards coming out with machines that are ready to meet the evolving challenges such as larger scales of projects. Putzmeister India for example has its BSA series of trailer pumps with freeflow hydraulics mechanism that helps in pumping large quantities of concrete. Some of its popular models include, 702D, 1403HE, 1404HD, 1405D, 1406E, 1407D, 1408D and 1409D. Apollo Infratech is one more top name which offers a range of concrete pump models such as the SAP -50 and SAP-20. The companies range of concrete pumps have been part of various thermal power and canal projects in Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh and Jharkhand, apart from, high-rise building projects in Mumbai and other metros. One more leading name in the fray is REL- Construction Equipment Division, with its Revathi Waitzinger models- THP 45D, THP50D and THP60D, which are designed for long distance conveying.

Increase in core infrastructure projects like tunneling is keeping demand consistent for concrete pumps

All the concrete and truck mounted boom pumps manufactured by Zoomlion and offered by Universal are equipped with an automatic centralized lubrication system which ensures proper and timely lubrication. The models are also equipped with hydrauBhavani Balakrishna lic accumulator which avoids with inputs from Knight Frank Research overloading on the hydraulic systems

The GCP 350 D/E Deluxe model from Greaves Cotton is another powerful concrete pump that can generate high pressure, up to 86 bars with the ability to placing concrete at distances of over 400 metres horizontally and 100 metres vertically. Another top brand is Sany, which offers stationary pump models including, HBT30C- 1006DY, HBT40C-1408DIIY, HBT50C-1410DIIY and HBT60C-1413DY, to mention only a few among its extensive range. With competition getting intense by the day in the stationary concrete pump market segment. Newer market opportunities are also emerging in the form of hinterlands that are now witnessing a

spurt in real estate, as well as infrastructure projects. Manufacturers are keeping a close watch on the developments and strengthening their service network reach in order to tap into this potentially huge market for trailer mounted concrete pumps. The Boom Continues Boom pumps are gradually making their presence felt in India. Their sales figures, hovering around the 150 units a year till recently, is bound to rise, following the spurt in metro and flyover projects. Manufacturers have been banking on innovative product design and a varied capacity range to cater to

Rajesh Kawoor
Vice-President, Universal Construction Machinery & Equipment Pvt Ltd. Aquarius Engineers' 43 m boom pump model

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the evolving market dynamics. Pointing out the demand drivers for boom pumps, Mr.Sudhakar Waggh, Country Manager (Service), Aquarius Engineers observed, High volume concrete work in minimum time and high mobility make boom pumps preferred equipment for projects such as mass housing projects, slum rehabilitation projects, industrial projects, bridge projects, metro projects, road projects, RMC business, etc. Additionally, the demand for stationary boom placers is picking up for high-rise building projects in cities like Mumbai, Noida, Bengaluru, Pune, etc. While earlier there was a lot of hype about longer reach booms , today you have a scenario where there are boom pumps ranging from 20m to the over 40 m range , having created their own market niche in India. Recent times have seen intense competition in the 20 m height range, since these boom pumps with a shorter unfolding heights and which could be driven through narrow roads, are ideally suited for urban centres of India. The 20 m boom pumps have come as the ideal starter boom pumps for road contractors, metro contractors and RMC companies that want a price-competitive machine that performs efficiently.

With clear market differentiation, companies are focusing on offering specific solutions, as far as boom pumps are concerned. Aquarius Engineers for instance, offers a 20 m boom pump, apart from 32, 36 and its recently introduced 43 m model, with a 5-section, 'RZ' folding boom. Schwing Stetter India also offers a wide range that includes models- S43, S36, S20 and S17, designed for infrastructure projects. Universal Construction Machinery & Equipment offers boom pumps of Zoomlion with boom vertical and horizontal reach range of 35.6 x 31.6 metres and 18.2 x 21.6 metres. The Zoomlion boom pumps are equipped with twin hydraulic pumps for pumping and agitating, ensuring high reliability. Another salient feature is the quick piston change technology. The boom pumps also feature PLC technology which according to the company ensures optimization of the hydraulic system resulting in lower fuel consumption. An extensive range of boom pumps is also offered by Sany India under its 'SY' and 'SYG' series. One more name that offers models in varied boom reach capacities is Putzmeister India with its BSFM 20-3, BSF M32-4 and BSFM465 models.

High volume concrete work in minimum time and high mobility make boom pumps preferred equipment for projects such as mass housing projects, slum rehabilitation projects, industrial projects, bridge projects, metro projects, road projects, RMC business, etc. Additionally, the demand for stationary boom placers is picking up for high-rise building projects in cities like Mumbai, Noida, Bengaluru, Pune, etc

Sudhakar Waggh
Country Manager (Service), Aquarius Engineers

Discerning Customer The Indian market for concrete pumps is entering a rapid growth phase. With demand expected to pick up further, it is also a market where the competition is also getting more intense by the day. While several leading global players have already set up shop here, there are several others, who are waiting to get a foothold in this lucrative market. Apart from key infrastructure projects such as metros , which have always been driving demand for concrete pumps, encouraging news is also coming from the reality market, which is expanding, in the true sense of the word. The realty boom which was earlier witnessed in the metros has spread to the deep hinterlands. Infrastructure projects are also coming up in remote areas. Suppliers therefore face challenges in the form of logistics and service network. Project assistance and prompt technical support services are among value additions that customers have taken as given, given the highly competitive scenario. In how well they serve this demanding customer lies the key for the success of suppliers.

With project scales getting bigger, higher capacity stationary and boom pumps could be in demand in the near future

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Equipment: Concrete Transportation

Concrete Transportation Equipment: On the Move


M.K. Prabhakar, Associate Editor
he market for concrete transport equipment has been maintaining a healthy growth rate of 25% -30% in recent times, the recessionary trends notwithstanding. The increased use of transit mixers has kept manufacturers on their toes. Customers' preferences have forced product innovations. Manufacturers have been focusing their R &

D efforts in coming out with design and features that suit the unique application requirements of the Indian market. Perhaps the rising popularity of selfloading concrete mixers is the best example for applications dictating product design and popularity. The maneuverability of these machines, especially onsite, and their ability to double up as

a mini batching plant has made them extremely popular in recent times. Innovative Strategies In a rapidly evolving market, manufacturers have been focusing on innovation in design and incorporation of new technologies in order to woo a customer, who is no longer driven only by price but

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is looking for added value. Manufacturers have been constantly getting feedback from end-users and incorporating changes in their transit mixer models to maintain that competitive edge. It is no different in the case of transit mixers. Manufacturers keep talking to endusers to keep coming out with innovative features. A good example for innovation can be found in the form of the 7 cubic metre transit mixer of Schwing Stetter India, which comes with optional accessory of ad mixer dosing system, an addition which is ideally suited for a country like India, where quality assurance onsite is a major issue. Schwing Stetter offers a wide range of transit mixers under its 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 cubic metre series. Off-ered in three different versions, i.e., mixer with slave engine, mixer with PTO drive and mixer mounted on trailer, they come with a host of advanced features including, plastic extension chute, water metre, hydraulic chute adjustment mechanism and flap drum cover. The company has also set a new trend with the launch of its 3 cubic metre capacity 'Nimo'. With the common 6 cu.m class transit mixers not being allowed inside cities during peak traffic hours, it meant that there was only a small window, available for RMC delivery at sites. The Nimo is the only transit mixer can be delivering RMC during daytime, according to the company. Another advantage of the model is the facts that it can be maneuvered easily throw narrow roads, an aspect that is common to most Indian cities and towns. Similarly, the smaller capacity also means a more economical option for sites where it does not make sense to send a larger transit mixer for the contractor. One more name that offers both smaller and higher capacity transit mixers is Ajax Fiori. Its range includes the XVJ 4001, and the XC 6000 models, with drum capacities of 4 cubic metres and 6 cubic metres respectively. Transit mixers from Ajax Fiori comes with a host of features such as a unique drum design made of highly durable steel, optimized positioned spirals with anti-

Apollo Infratech offers transit mixers in the 2, 4 and 6 cubic metres capacities

wear protection, efficient hydraulics with planetary drive, rugged & compact mixing units, water tank and pump and special loading hopper and unloading chute, among others. In a market like that of India, it makes sense for manufacturers to offer a choice, as wide as possible, because of the variation in project scales. Apollo Infratech, for example, offers ATM2, ATM 4 and ATM6 models, in the 2 cubic

metre, 4 cubic metre and metre capacities, respectively. These transit mixers feature long life mixing drum and spirals made of ST-52 materials. Similarly, Greaves Cotton offers the GCM 45 XL, with 4 cubic metre capacity for smaller pours and the larger GCM65 XL model for bigger pours. Transit mixers from the company feature low centre of gravity which creates an ideal balanced load distribution, obtaining better driving

Smaller capacity transit mixers like Nimo are ideally suitable for smaller pours in cramped urban centres

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nounced production of truck mixers from its production unit in Pune a few years ago. Truck mixer models from the company include, TM0601, TM002 and TM0603. A Glut of New Machines Convergence seems to be the name of the game, whether it is electronics or even in the case of construction equipment. A single machine that does multiple jobs is what the typical Indian contractor is looking for, and that is what they get with self-loading concrete mixers. These mean machines are mobile, they mix concrete and help in laying it too, making it an all-rounder, that has become imperative construction sites. Their self-loading nature means savings on labour costs too. These mixers have become the staple whenever the requirement is small to medium concreting jobs at semi-urban areas and remote project sites. They offer excellent mobility onsite. With almost all models featuring 4 wheel drives and superb maneuverability, they are cut out for the rough and tumble of Indian construction sites, where slushy conditions are common. They also complement larger capacity concrete batching plants and transit mixers at major infrastructure projects too, adding to their versatility. With their popularity picking up, it is no wonder that competition is intensifying in this market segment. One of the first names to enter the fray was Ajax Fiori, with its successful 'Argo' Series of self-loading mobile concrete mixersArgo 1000 (1 cu.m), Argo 2000 (2 cu.m) and Argo 4000 (4 cu.m) versions. These mixers feature the indigenously developed 'Concrete Batch Controller' (CBC) with print facility, so that reports can be generated right on the side. The closed cabin offers superior protection, safety and comfort to the operator. With India emerging as a lucrative market for self-loading mobile concrete mixers, several global majors have been announcing strategic tie-ups in recent times. Apollo Infratech for example, earlier announced strategic partnership with Carmix, Italy. The company offers

Tweaks in traffic rules can further boost sales of higher capacity transit mixers in India

position and perfect stability, particularly in narrow bends, traits that are so crucial for safe driving in India. With India continuing to be a key market for transit mixers, it is not surprising that many overseas players are looking to enter the market. KYB, for instance, which is the largest transit

mixer producer in Japan, has recently entered into a strategic partnership with Conmat India. With recession hitting European markets hard, there have been indications that many big names from Europe are eyeing the Indian transit mixer market. Similarly, Sany, a global leader in construction equipment an-

Ajax Fiori self-loading concrete mixer at a construction site. It is difficult to imagine infrastructure projects without self-loading mobile concrete mixers these days

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Equipment: Concrete Transportation

Growing RMC market penetration in India is good news for truck mixer suppliers

a wide range of self-loading mixers, including models such as 5.8 XL, 3.5TT, 2.5TT, 25FX and One. Similarly, another leading name who has entered the fray in recent times is Speedcrafts. It has entered into collaboration with Dmix SRL of Italy to start production of self-loading concrete mixers in their manufacturing facility at Har-dwar. The company's range includes models- DS 1000 (1 cu.m), DS 2500 (2.5 cu.m) and DS 4000 (4 cu.m). Some of the salient features of these models include an optimal mix due to special drum configuration, electronic batching system, high maneuverability and excellent road holding capability, among others. One more leading name that offers self-loading mobile concrete mixers is Macon. The company offers models available in the 1, 1.2, 2, 2.5, 3.5 and 4 cu.m capacities. Some other top features include, 35% gradeability, 180 degrees reversible driving post and electronic weigh batching unit. Apart from the infrastructure sector,

the realty sector is another key market segment that has been driving demand for self-loading concrete mixers. With the focus now also shifting to smaller tier-II and tier-III towns and cities, as far as real estate development is concerned, demand has been spurred on by projects in India's hinterland. Their ability to offer a short turning radius and negotiate slushy conditions, which are commonplace in Indian construction sites, especially in cramped urban centres, have made them a favourite with contractors. When it comes to infrastructure projects, these machines are ideally suited for a variety of projects such as concrete pavements, airport runways, irrigation canals, drains, culverts, etc., to mention only some. Upwardly Mobile The market for concrete transportation equipment is not going to plateau down anytime soon. With the kind of infrastructure projects envisaged under the 12th Five-Year Plan Period (201217), the demand for these machines is

only expected to increase. The next decade could see a rapid growth phase for these mean machines. The realty sector has also emerged as one of the key market segments for concrete transportation equipment. Suppliers have taken note of the trends and are trying their best to come out with products tailored to suit the unique requirements of the Indian market. Global players have been keeping a keen eye on the Indian market. With the pace of award of infrastructure projects expected to pick up steam soon, it won't come as a surprise if many of them jump into the concrete transportation equipment bandwagon. What is required is further push to the RMC sector. Archaic traffic rules prevalent in many of our cities too need to be looked into, for they have long been an unnecessary hindrance to the growth of the transit mixer market. Once things are set right, concrete transportation equipment is one market segment that could grow by leaps and bounds.

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Concrete: Block Machinery

Concrete Product Machinery: Shaping Up Well


M.K. Prabhakar, Associate Editor
n a vast majority of the case of midsized construction equipment, there has been an interesting trend witnessed over the last decade or so. There has been a gradual transition from the dominance of the unorganized sector to that of an organized one. Perhaps, nowhere is it more evident than in the case of concrete product machinery. A lot of it has got to do with entry of global players and increasing awareness levels about latest technologies. Adding to

the transition was the fact that today's contractor is under more pressure than ever before to deliver quality, on-time and within budget. The Indian market was earlier being dominated by the smaller, semi-automated or manually operated machines. Several Chinese machines were also doing the rounds of the market. They still do, but are no longer the staple. The entry of global players in the field has changed market equations. The more 'aware'

customer of today demands machines, with larger capacities, which are easy to set up and which also feature green technologies. Consistent Demand The recent recessionary trends do not seem to have much of an impact on concrete product machinery manufacturers. With contractors under pressure to stick to or cut down on project costs, concrete blocks have come as a boon.

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Concrete: Block Machinery

According to industry estimates, the market for concrete block machines has clocked a healthy 25%-30% growth rate in the recent past, the recessionary trends notwithstanding. What is also in favor of concrete product machineries is the fact that concrete blocks and other products are being used in both infrastructure and real estate sectors. The demand therefore is sustained. If there is a lull in infrastructure projects, it can be offset by the real estate sector and vice-versa. Evolving Market Trends The continued thrust being provided to infrastructure development and the growth of the real estate sector has meant that India has emerged as a key market for concrete block making machines over the past decade. Global players are entering the fray and consolidating their presence. The focus is on being closer to the market, by setting up manufacturing facilities in India. Hess India, the Indian arm of a global leader in concrete product machinery, has made steady progress in recent times. When queried upon the logic behind the company starting manufacturing facilities in India, when others have adopted a cautious stand due to the economic upheavals of the recent past, Manoj Kumar, Managing Director of the company observed, A plus point for Hess in starting local facilities in places like India and Brazil, which have higher import duties, is that we were able to support the customer in saving the import duty and freight cost. Further by offering local support and service, the customers are able to get real confidence while investing. As a Germany company, we have the trust and goodwill in the market, and we consider India as a major market with huge potential. For this reason, we have taken a strong step to proceed with the expansion of our Indian base. This has helped us to do more engineering in India, by reducing the cost of the materials without compromising on quality. Decision to source locally has given Hess India a greater edge over the competition, words that sum up the

Global players are entering the fray and consolidating their presence in India

sound reasoning for global players trying to set up manufacturing base here. Hess India offers a variety of machinery including, concrete block machines, handling systems, autoclaved

As a Germany company we have the trust and goodwill in the market and we consider India as a major market with huge potential. For this reason we have taken a strong step to proceed with the expansion of our Indian base. This has helped us to do more engineering in India, by reducing the cost of the materials without compromising on quality. Decision to source locally has given Hess India a greater edge over the competition

Manoj Kumar
Managing Director, Hess India

aerated block machines, concrete pipe machines and press machines. Hess India has also started production of wet cast press machines in India together with forest Press from UK. The company that offers a range of models globally including Multimat RH 2000-3, Multimat 1500-3, Multimat 760, Multimat 600-2 and Multimat RH -500 has been focusing on coming out with machines that are ideally suited for the Indian market. With competition intensifying companies are focusing on value added services. Prompt technical support service, is something that is crucial of it helps in avoiding machine downtime. Columbia Pakona Engineering, which is the Indian joint venture company of Columbia Machine Inc USA for instance, has a strong thrust on offering technical support services. Highlighting this point, T.P .Soji, Senior Manager Marketing, of the company explained, We have a strong, well experienced customer service team based out of our factory at Vadodara. This service support along with local availability of all spares for our equipment has given us an edge over our competitors who are planning to start such facilities in India. The company has been manufacturing complete block machinery plants including aggregate/cement storage, batch-mixing plants, block machines, pallet and pro-

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Concrete: Block Machinery

duction handling equipment, moulds, etc for its customers in India for over ten years. The company provides a range of concrete block machines from the economical 2-Block machine model SPM20 to the 12-Block machine model SHP 5000C. In addition to their versatility in manufacturing a wide range of products, these machines feature the unique vertical vibration technology. This results in superior product quality arising from uniform density, throughout the height of the product, between products within a single pallet or cycle and between products of various pallets or

We have a strong, well experienced customer service team based out of our factory at Vadodara. This service support along with local availability of all spares for our equipment has given us an edge over our competitors who are planning to start such facilities in India

Rapid urbanization has made scenes like this commonplace in India

to watch out for when it comes to concrete pipe making machines. Going into details on the opportunities available, Mr.Manoj Kumar of Hess India pointed out that the pipe industry is completely dependent on governmental policies and decisions. He further added, The market potential really huge in India and substantial part of its development is poised for growth on account of industrialization, urbanization, economic de-

velopment and people's rising expectations for improved quality of living. Certain states like Gujarat, Haryana and Tamil Nadu already prepared a long term plan. This may be in the form of connecting the rivers by canals or pumping water through pipe lines either for agriculture, industrial or domestic usages. Not surprisingly several global majors are eyeing the Indian market. It was only sometime ago that companies like

T.P. Soji
Senior Manager - Marketing, Columbia Pakona Engineering Pvt Ltd

cycles. According to the company, products manufactured using its equipment have lower material costs arising from reduced cement consumption and superior height control with an accuracy of + /-0.5mm. Several other global companies could be following suit soon and setting up base in India in the near future, considering the encouraging market trends. No Longer a Pipe Dream With water supply projects becoming a major focus among civic authorities, India has emerged as the market

Concrete pipe making machinery has got a fillip due to demand for pipes from civic authorities

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Concrete: Block Machinery

HawkeyePedershaab, considered a global leader in the field, have entered the fray. A joint venture between Apollo Infratech and HawkeyePedershaab, offers concrete pipe making machines of various capacities. The JV offers models CAP-150, CAP-200 and VIHY Masterflex SC60. The CAP-150 and CAP-200 machines are used for producing concrete pipes, manhole systems, box culverts, lined pipes, jacking pipes, etc. While the pipe manufacturing capacity of CAP-150 is 300mm to 1500 mm diameter, it is 300 mm to 2000 mm diameter in the case of CAP-200. The VIHY Masterflex SC 60 is used for mass production of small-diameter, nonreinforced concrete pipes. It is also capable of producing branch pipes and gulley pots. Use of Industrial Waste The rising emphasis on environmentfriendly building strategies has also been one of the key reasons behind the growing market for concrete block making machinery. Manufacturers are focusing on machine models that utilize industrial by-products such as fly ash in a big way. Hess India for example has been doing lots of R&D in concrete and fly

The M1600 model from Columbia Pakona Engineering

ash related products and developed systems. According to Manoj Kumar, it has installed plants with leading names like Jindal and KJS in India. In the case with the plant with Jindal, transportation and manual interference were avoided, with the ash reaching the Hess machine directly through a closed conveyor. He further added that other than fly ash, the company also offers machines that are able to use GGBS (Ground-granulated blast-furnace slag) and even Pumice. It has also supplied similar machines to steel companies like Tiscon, Ruuki, SSAB,

Rockwool and Kuttner for steel briquetting. Similarly, Columbia Pakona Engineering offers the SPM20 model, capable of manufacturing 8000 to 16000 numbers of hollow/solid blocks or 50000 numbers of fly ash bricks in a day. It's SPM26 model is capable of manufacturing 80000 fly ash bricks or 15000 to 25000 hollow/solid blocks in a day. In addition, the company also offers the 1600 model which is capable of manufacturing 20000 to 35000 hollow / solid blocks or 125000 fly ash bricks in a day and model SHP5000 C PRO, which is capable of manufacturing 40000 to 75000 hollow/solid blocks or 150000 fly ash bricks in a day. Many of our customers have started using slag from steel plant as a replacement for aggregates for the manufacture of bricks and blocks, said T.P .Soji, Senior ManagerMarketing of the company, highlighting the increasing awareness levels about using environment-friendly technologies and construction strategies in India. Dynamic Market The concrete product machinery market is entering an exciting phase. There are several international players queuing up to take advantage of a lucrative market. Many of them are either setting up manufacturing units or looking to tie-up with domestic players to establish their brands in India. All this spells good news ultimately for the customer, who now has a wider choice to choose from. However, challenges remain for manufacturers. For one, the rising input costs are one factor for which they look towards the government for help. The authorities concerned should come out with plans to encourage increased use of concrete products. Fortunately, for the manufacturers the signals towards this end are already visible. There has been rising emphasis on using precast components. The increased use of concrete blocks and products in largescale projects such as integrated realty townships, high-rise projects, highway projects and SEZs has also come as good news for manufacturers.

Concrete blocks are here to stay

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Communication Feature

Building Trust through Quality Focus

uildtech India Corporation (BIC) is a leading producer of a wide range of cement paver blocks, designer tiles, shot blasted pavers, kerb stones and concrete blocks. Apart from manufacturing, as a service provider, the company also undertakes laying contracts for paving blocks and exterior tiles. Its commitment to high quality, along with cost-effective and sustainable solutions has made BIC a preferred choice since its inception in 2008. The versatile produce range offered by Buildtech finds varied applications. The cement paver blocks from Buildtech are ideal for both domestic and commercial pathways and driveways. They are sturdy, do not break, enhance the aesthetic value of driveways and pathways, while also being easy to maintain. Cement paver blocks used for external floors are in great demand owing their unbeatable combination of aesthetics, durability and economy. The company also manufactures designer paver blocks, which are made in addition with white cement. The designer paver blocks add to the

Cement Paver

Shot Blasted Paver

looks of buildings, while also being durable and long lasting. Some of the paver block types/shapes offered by BIC include, Trihex, Dumble (I shape), Barbeque, Unipaver (zigzag) and Hexagon. These paver blocks come in various sizes including (a) Light Use 40mm width, which are used as sidewalk pavers, garden walk pavers, swimming pool side walks, footpaths, cycle path, etc, (b) Medium use- 60mm width- used typically in open restaurant area, hotel drive area, farm house drive road, shopping malls, parking lots, railway stations, etc, and (c) Heavy Use-

Kerb Stones

Designer Pavers

80 mm width, used for applications such as factory compounds, petrol pumps, industrial floors, bus terminal, warehouses, etc. Buildtech's shot blasted pavers are the preferred choice for several applications. Use of high quality materials provides the shot blasted pavers with optimal level of durability and makes them last long. Application areas of shot blasted pavers include, exteriors and open spaces like foot-paths, side-ways, garage, parking, open areas, promenades, swimming pool decks, building compounds, verandah, etc, to mention only a few, where good finish, anti-skid properties or textured look is desired. BIC also offers a range of kerb stones, known for their sturdy construction and endurance, which are used as kerb elements to demarcate roadway edges, pedestrian pavements, footpaths and the likes. They are also used for adding style and grace to the floors as well as the pavement areas buildings or a confined area. BIC is also one of the leading manufacturers of concrete blocks, hollow blocks and solid blocks. Environment-friendly in nature, these blocks are ideally suited for the construction of both commercial and residential buildings.

For further details: Buildtech India Corporation


No. 8/16, 2nd Floor, Round Building, Anna Nagar West Extension, Chennai - 600101, Mob: +91-9840084687 E-mail: info@buildtechcorp.in Web: www.buildtechcorp.in
Designer Tiles

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Communication Feature

DURAboardHD100:

Bitumen Free Joint Filler


filler board, closed-cell joint filler material available in the board or sheets form. It is very light weight. This makes it very easy to handle and install. Being polymer based, it is rot proof and bacteria resistant. The striking features of 'DURAboard HD100' are:
Ajay Mohta
General Manager, Construction Accessories Division, The Supreme Industries Ltd

n expansion joint is an assembly designed in-order to safely absorb the heat-induced expansion and contraction of various construction materials, to absorb vibration, to hold certain parts together, or to allow movement due to ground settlement or earthquakes. Throughout the year, building faces, concrete slabs and pipelines expand and contract due to the warming and cooling through seasonal variation, or due to other heat sources. If expansion joints were not implemented in bridges, building, highways etc. the intense heat in the summer would expand the metal, brick, or concrete materials in a structure resulting in developing cracks and may eventually end up breaking. Furthermore, in the winter, the harsh cold temperatures would make the materials contract in nature, and this would also result in disastrous circumstances. 'DURAboardHD100' (formerly SILflex/Capell HD100) is an exclusive compressible filler board specially designed to be used as expansion joint filler in concrete brick, block work and isolation joint, where is readily compressible low load transfer joint filler is required. Its excellent recovery property makes it the most suitable product for this application. 'DURAboardHD100' is a high performance, pre-moulded compressible

Bitumen free - can be cut into any size with a normal knife Excellent recovery of 95 percent after compression up to 50 percent Polymer based hence it won't deteriorate also over a long period Resilient and does not distort under normal load from wet concrete Non-staining

'DURAboardHD100' can be used in: Expansion joints in building, concrete structure Expansion joints in concrete roads, parking areas, industrial flooring etc. Joints in bridges, decks, water retaining and water excluding structures etc.

Isolation joints in machine foundation. The construction industry across the world, is witnessing a tremendous boom. And India is no exception! Government polices and expenses on infrastructure have helped the sector grow at higher levels, and the same pace is likely to be seen in the coming years too. This industry comprises of many components, including construction of heavy and civil engineering (highways, bridges, railway tracks, airports, etc.), real estate (both residential as well as commercial) development, and specialized construction products (such as architectural products, electrical connections, decorative items, etc.) The 12th plan (2012-2017) envisages a massive $ one trillion investment into infrastructure development thereby, providing a major boost for the civil construction industry. The importance of civil construction industry can be gauged from the fact that it is the second largest economic activity after agriculture. With estimated investment

DURAboardHD100 in Columns

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Communication Feature

DURAboardHD100 in Roads

in construction pegged at 11 percent of India's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) it holds huge untapped potential. Around Rs. 15,099.84 billion is likely to be invested into the infrastructure sector over the next five to ten years in segments such as power, roads, bridges, city infrastructure, ports, airports, telecommunications this is expected to give impetus to the construction industry nationwide. The role of organizations like Supreme Industries in supporting the construction industry has become prominent and critical. Exposure to worldclass expertise and advent of global players has led to infusion of new materials, equipment and technologies in the construction practices in India. However, quality along with cost-effectiveness remains a serious challenge. Moreover, the gap between the requirements of the construction industry and solutions available remains unfulfilled. The Supreme Industries Ltd, founded in 1942, pioneered many pathbreaking products in the country and became trendsetters in plastic products by introducing many advanced

solutions for various applications and industries. Ajay Mohta, General Manager, Construction Accessories Division, the Supreme Industries Ltd, talks about the company's star brand, 'DURAboard HD100'. The construction accessory division of Supreme has developed customized solutions, specifically for the construction requirements of various segments. All our products have been developed after continuous research and understanding the needs of the changing demands of the new-generation constructions. Many of these products have been pioneered by Supreme, he said. He further explained, A case in point is the creation of a low compression set filler board 'DURAboardHD100' especially for expansion joints application, to replace less effective bitumen board based solutions. The division offers new generation, better alternative products to conventional materials like rubber, metals, and wood, thus being cost effective. The 'DURA' ranges of products are manufactured from virgin raw material and we do not use any CFC / HCFC gases.

At every stage of the manufacturing process, a stringent quality check methodology assures the reliability of the products, he added. However, Ajay Mohta, raised his concerns over use of old specification of bitumen by some government organizations. They still hesitate to use new generation products, said worried Mohta. Using bitumen based boards and cork sheets, which disintegrate over a period of time, absorbs water and hardly recovers once compressed - it defeats the purpose of application. It absorbs water and oozes bitumen thereby staining the structure. Supreme has a number of satisfied customers (government, semi- government and private) who have stopped using and recommending bitumen boards/ corks sheets after understanding the benefits of 'DURAboard HD100' concludes Ajay Mohta.

For further details:


The Supreme Industries
Mobile No.: 09831020808 E-mail: dura@supreme.co.in Web: www.supreme.co.in

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Communication Feature

Crack Injection System


s a principle, the grouting injections systems should be selected based on the crack or cavity width. The following materials can be selected from the MCBauchemie Range: a) For cracks 2mm width Centricrete b) For cracks > 0.2 to 2mm width MC-DUR 1264 Epoxy System Centicrete is a ready to use, Hydraulically Setting, Polymer Modified Waterproof grout for injection and filling of cracks and cavities. Centricrete injection grout is produced with carefully selected water repellent and silicifying chemical compounds and inert fillers to achieve varied characteristics like water impermeability, non-shrinkage, free flow, etc. Centricrete creates an integral waterproof barrier and prevents water penetration and rising dampness. Centicrete injection grout is suitable for gravity as well as pressure grouting. This grout is pumpable when the water-powder ratio is about 0.45 to 0.50 i.e. for 30 Kgs Centricrete, 13.5 to 15 litre of water. MC-DUR 1264 is a two component, low viscosity Epoxy injection resin for structural repair of cracks. This method

of application varies from simple brush treatment to sophisticated two component pressure injection machines. The application time of MC-DUR 1264 depends on the amount of resin mixed and the ambient temperature. The mixing ratio of Resin to Hardener is 100:18 Pbw. MC-Bauchemie (India) Pvt. Ltd. manufactures these products along with a host of other Construction Chemicals in technical and financial collaboration

with MC-Bauchemie, Germany. MCBauchemie (India) Pvt. Ltd. is an ISO 9001: 2008 certified Company.

For further details:


MC Bauchemie (India) Pvt. Ltd.
411, Arenja Corner, Sector 17, Vashi, Navi Mumbai - 400703, Ph:+91-22-27892856/27880803, Fax:+91-22-27893870, E-mail: Info.india@mc-bauchemie.com Web: www.mc-bauchemieindia.com

Key Performance: Dimensional Stability Fast Setting Quick Drying Rapid Hardening The Solution For: Excellent Mechanical Performance Rapid Return to Service Crack free Application

The worldwide reference for calcium aluminate technology in drymix mortars

Example of Applications: Precision Grout Concrete Repair Mortar Road Repair Mortar Tile Adhesive and Grout Waterproofing Mortar Waterstop Self-leveling Flooring www.kerneos.com

The Wait is finally over

Kerneos is the ONLY BIS certified company for Sales & Promotion of Calcium Aluminate Cement in India.

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Communication Feature

A Unique Dry Powder Mixer from Toshniwal


ry powder blending is at the heart of many processing industries today. However, it still remains to be the least understood of all the processes. Mixing and blending of dry ingredients occurs frequently in building materials such as: Dry Mortar Construction Chemicals Renders Wall Plasters Wall Putty (Dry) Floor Screeds Skim Coats Blended Cement

However, the uniqueness of each individual product formulation, usually mean that no two blending processes are ever the same. From the basic blending of two similar materials to the blending of many different ingredients with different characteristics, today's mixers have a wide variety of possible applications. Although mixing and blending technology has greatly improved over the years with the advent of modern blenders that are now capable of mixing of all kinds of powders the process of selecting the best blender and the correct overall system design of a specific application, still remains an art form owing to the many variables involved. Given today's Lean Manufacturing environment, it has become imperative for one to carefully consider blending times, equipment flexibility, Product segregation i.e demixing of the blended product in post blending. Toshniwal Mixer Toshniwal offers the innovative Norwegian technology mixer which is an absolute test proven mixing efficiency for manufacturing the building material product. The mixing quality is extremely good, and mixing time for most applications is very short about 30 seconds. Due to the very short mixing time high throughput can be achieved, the influence of shear is negligible. M/s. Toshniwal Systems & Instruments Pvt. Ltd., 267, Kilpauk Garden Road, Chennai - 600 010, India Phone No: 91-44-26445626 / 26448983 Email: sales@toshniwal.net / Web : www.toshniwal.net

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Communication Feature

Interarch's Contribution to Aviation Sector in India and Abroad


ince the inception in 1982, the company has been instrumental in the aviation sector. The very first project for Interarch was the IGI T2 in New Delhi. Interarch was the first company to introduce window coverings through their product TRAC and first one to introduce engineered metal roofing and cladding systems. Interarch entered into infrastructure projects as it bagged the largest order for turnkey supply of one-of-its-kind composite roofing system and pre engineered roof structural system for the Indira Gandhi International Airport Terminal3, New Delhi which was completed in 2010. For airports, the prime concerns, functionally and aesthetically, are usually the large clears span framing can be easily made in steel. Steel is also faster in construction in comparison to other materials and less disturbance at site, which further results in faster construction resulting in early occupancy & early return on investment. For large storage of cargos, vertical multistory steel buildings and retrieval system, steel helps in faster storage and delivery. Steel can offer highest architectural flexibility in design and fabrication. The product has been successfully applied for various steel structures under this sector, like Airport terminal
Building Location Building Usage Area Length in meters Width in meters Height in meters Key Features

Project Snapshot: Delhi Cargo Services Centre

buildings, Air plane hangars, Cargo and freight stations, warehouses, fire station buildings and roof and ceiling of buildings. Some of the Nitty-gritty's that worked in favor of the application in steel were, Smaller manageable parts no matter how large the final structure - Helps logistics and reduces transport costs Bolt-On assembly - All sections are designed to align perfectly during assembly Ready to build - Shaped, welded and tested for designed load conditions

Project Snapshot: Delhi Cargo Services Centre

Indra Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi Cargo Warehouse-ground + 2 multistory building 25000sqm 366m 102m 22m 22m height 3 level multi storey warehousing built entirely in pre-engineered steel 1:40 roof slope with Tracdek Standing Seam roof system (virtually flat roof) Each floor designed for 150 MT/ Sq M DL + LL and for forklift movement
DAIL IGI T3 Terminal Air Deccan Hanger

Project Snapshot: Delhi Cargo Services Centre

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Communication Feature

Indian Airlines Jet Airways Spice jet Delhi Cargo Service Air Deccan Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board Star Track Terminals Delhi Cargo Terminal 3 Airport Haj Terminal Nagpur Airport Hyderabad International Airport Delhi Airport Bagdogra Airport Mumbai Airport Bangalore Airport Chennai Airport Guwahati Airport Bhopal Airport Raipur Airport Lilabari Airport Agartala Airport
Major Projects Executed

Air Cargo Warehouse Air Cargo Warehouse Air Cargo Warehouse Warehouse Aircraft Hangar Helicopter Hanger Warehouse Air Cargo Warehouse Haj Terminal Building Roofing Roofing&False Ceiling System False Ceiling System False Ceiling System False Ceiling System False Ceiling System False Ceiling System False Ceiling System False Ceiling System False Ceiling System False Ceiling System False Ceiling System

HAJ Terminal

Taj Flight Kitchen

Manufactured to endure - Specialized coatings and treatment available for longevity Shipped smart - Smart logistics and shipment synchronized with construction requirements at project site.

For further details:


Interarch Building Products Pvt Ltd
E-mail: info@interarchbuildings.com Web: www.interarchbuildings.com

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Communication Feature

Industrial Overhead Doors: Making the Right Choice


andhi Automations Pvt Ltd is considered an industry leader in the field of entrance automation systems and loading bay equipment in the country. The company offers a wide range of products that includes, high speed industrial doors, sectional overhead doors, dock levelers & dock shelters, aircraft hangar doors & shipyard doors, motorized rolling shutters, tail lifts & scissor lifts and boom barriers & gates. One if its specialties are automatic industrial overhead doors, the ideal solution for all industrial needs. The weather resistant industrial doors offer maximum safety and best use of transit openings. The compact size of the automatic industrial overhead doors leaves more available space both inside and outside the premises. These overhead doors ensure a better use of inside space as the side runners vertically

move the door along the wall and parallel to the ceiling. The doors are installed above the opening, thus ensuring a better use of the transit opening. Other top features of the automatic industrial overhead doors from Gandhi Automations include: Easy and practical to open and operate: As these doors slide vertically, stopping in the proximity of the ceiling, they blend in with the architectural features of the building. Their compact size ensures more available space both inside and outside of the premises. The doors are also easy and practical to use, especially if the original Ditec motors are used. More environmental control: Heat insulation and soundproofing ensured by heat-insulated panels improve working conditions on the

Sectional Overhead Doors

premises and ensure energy savings. Light and aesthetically pleasing environments: The panels can also be manufactured with the addition of practical portholes or full aluminium sections featuring polycarbonate or unbreakable glass panels, wire meshing or air grilles. They add value to the premises and meet all requirements: The design and different solutions offered ensure the door to be aesthetically pleasing and perfectly suited in any architectural environment from modern and traditional industrial buildings to fine commercial buildings. The doors can meet any industrial and commercial requirement and add value to the building they are installed on. These doors are built to ensure the highest ease and flexibility of use which, in turn ensures a quick, hassle free and accurate replacement of old doors. Reliability: All products are affixed with a CE mark.

For further details:


Gandhi Automations Pvt Ltd
2nd Floor, Chawda Commercial Centre Link Road, Malad (W,) Mumbai 400064 Ph: +91-22- 66720200, Fax: +91-22-66720201, E-mail: sales@geapl.co.in Web: www.geapl.co.in

Sectional Overhead Doors

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Events

Growing Opportunity in India's Construction Sector Draws Global Attention


Unprecedented international & local response for mega building & construction show organized by FICCI, Ministry of Urban Development and DMG events

purred on by the boom in the real estate segment which accounts for nearly 43% of the construction spend, India's growing construction industry is attracting a large number of global players. According to a PwC report prepared for the organizers of The Big 5 Construct India, the real estate sector is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of 3.6% during 2012 to 2016, with a total market for this segment during this period estimated to be US$ 380 billion (approx. ` 22,800 crore) To provide a platform to the large number of international manufacturers keen on entering the Indian construction market, FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry), the Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India (MUD), and dmg events are organizing a mega building & construction show in Mumbai from 2nd to 4th September this year at the Bombay Exhibition Centre. The show has evoked overwhelming response and has received confirmations from 10 international country pavilions, including Germany, Italy, Spain, Turkey, UK, Iran, Greece, Taiwan, Korea & China. In addition, leading companies from countries like India, Thailand, Japan, UAE, Oman, Vietnam, Singapore, France, Australia, etc have confirmed their participation. Emerging technology trends are redefining the Indian construction industry and taking it to the next level globally. Technology is emerging as a catalyst of change as the industry grapples with challenges like escalating project costs and prolonged construction periods. Technology holds the key to address these issues and enables the sector to react to changing market conditions effectively and efficiently.

Aptly, the show focuses on building products and construction technologies." As in other industries, widespread deployment of advanced technology products is helping the construction industry to improve quality, timeliness of project delivery and performance as well as to address long term sustainability and environment related concerns. The Big 5 Construct India show will feature a staggering range of the latest local and international building material and construction products with several companies exhibiting their products for the first time in India. These products include innovative technologically advanced polyurethane products for water proofing, flooring and roofing; the super stretch and wrap ultimate multipurpose rescue tape that could be used to fix virtually anything; and seamless sculptural wall surface designs, seamless contemporary resin floorings and decorative resin wall panels. We have participated in other editions of The Big 5 in other parts of the world and they all offered us many opportunities to showcase our products and promote our business. This time too we plan to exhibit our range, including rebar, wire rod and heavy sections. We believe that this event will be good for our business, knowing that it is taking place in a market that is growing every year and poised for exceptional growth. Other benefits of being at the show include making direct contact with our end customers and networking with new ones, said Mr. Mohammed Al Afari, AVP Emirates Steel. Construction in India offers huge potential to those looking to develop and expand their business, and The

Construction in India offers huge potential to those looking to develop and expand their business, and The Big 5 Construct India Show is a perfect

Muhammed Kazi
Project Managar, The Big 5 Construct India

Big 5 Construct India Show is a perfect place to cultivate new opportunities in the region, said Muhammed Kazi, Project Manager, The Big 5 Construct India. A series of free seminars and panel discussions will complement the show floor activity providing participants with up-to-the-minute information, trends analysis and best practice case studies to improve the decision making process and encourage investment. The Big 5 Construct India show will be held at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Goregaon, Mumbai from 2nd to 4th September 2013. The leading names supporting the event are as follows: Platinum Partner: Emirates Steel; Associate Partner: ARC; Seminar Partner: Tekla Stone; Pavilion Partner: CDOS; Knowledge Partner: PwC. For more information contact Angelique Botes, Marketing Manager, DMG Events Tel: +971 4 4453770
Email: angeliquebotes@dmgeventsme.com

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Communication Feature

A State-of-the-art Concrete Testing Center


hange is the only constant goes an old adage and nowhere is it more applicable than in the case of concrete. The concrete of today is no longer just a combination of water, cement and aggregates. While the production formula may be still simple, the production process has undergone a sea change, what with the increase in demand for specialized concrete such as selfcompacting concrete, temperature controlled concrete, fibre-reinforced concrete, etc. Stringent quality standards are also dictating the way concrete is produced and used. Testing of concrete therefore, has emerged as a key area in the construction industry globally. India is no different. As the country builds its infrastructure, concrete testing is a field that has now gained importance. One name that has made rapid strides in the field is Hitech Concrete Solutions Chennai Pvt Ltd, an NABL accredited Laboratory in Chennai. A consulting company, it specializes in providing solutions to various concreting issues through insitu and laboratory testing. Its founders are structural engineers with over two decades of experience in various non-de-

Hitech Concrete Solutions Chennai:


structive testing techniques, as well as concrete technology. The company which offers solutions in the areas of concrete technology and non-destructive testing (NDT) for quality related issues has its state-of-the-art laboratory located in Chennai. Focus Areas Formerly known as NDT Consultancy & Services, most of the equipment was already in place when Hitech Concrete Solutions was formed. After the formation of Hitech Concrete Solutions, a number of equipments for NABL conformity were acquired by us, pointed out Dr. K. Balasubramanian, Managing Director of the company. According to him, the company's main focus area has been NDT. Hitech Concrete Solutions is also into suggesting appropriate repair methodology with BOQ based on NDT. Material testing and concrete design mixes are its other areas of concentration. Hitech Concrete Solutions is also into training of site engineers in the areas of concrete technology and waterproofing. Going into details behind the training initiative, Balasubramanian explained, Initially

We have signed an MOU with CSIR-SERC for possible out-sourcing of consultancy. This will also help in undertaking more R&D and S&Trelated related initiatives for the industry.

Dr. K. Balasubramanian
Managing Director Hitech Concrete Solutions Chennai Pvt. Ltd.

when we started, we didn't want to enter into any rat race with others. Since I had a strong exposure to the power sector, what I started to do was to go into the sector and offer training to their site engineers. This helped in being some kind of a stepping stone. The company also allows students on a selective basis to use the lab facilities for their Post Graduate thesis. In addition to this, it encourages construction chemical companies to use its lab facility and Balasubramanian further added that BASF is one of its regular clients. Hitech Concrete Solutions got its NABL accreditation recently in April, 2013 in the areas of NDT and Mechanical testing(testing of construction materials including bricks and blocks and steel rebars). Other significant milestones achieved by the company include signing of an MOU with CSIR-SERC for possible outsourcing of consultancy, which would help it undertake more R&D and S&T related initiatives. Infrastructure

A host of non-destructive and partially destructive testing equipments are available at Hitech Concrete SolutionsChennai

Sound infrastructure has been a cornerstone of Hitech Concrete Solution's

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Communication Feature

The cement lab is temperature and humidity controlled for conducting various tests on cement as per relevant Indian Standards.

success story. The company's premise in Chennai has a cement lab, concrete lab, chemical lab and NDT lab. A host of nondestructive and partially destructive testing equipments can be found in the labs. The cement lab is temperature and humidity controlled for conducting various tests on cement as per relevant Indian Standards. The concrete lab is equipped with pan mixer, vibrating table, various workability measurement devices and an accelerated concrete testing chamber. A

3000 kN cube Compression Testing Machine (CTM) and a 1000 kN Universal Testing Machine (UTM) for the testing of cubes and steel rods can also be found in the concrete lab. The concrete lab is also having facilities for testing of the various constituent materials of concrete, viz., fine and coarse aggregate. The lab can give economical concrete design mixes based on trial mixes for the various grades and using mineral admixtures. The chemical lab is equipped with

state-of-the-art facilities with Fume Cupboard to evaluate the chemical composition of reinforcing steel rods and water. For non-destructive and partially-destructive testing, Hitech Concrete Solutions has equipments such as Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity (UPV) Tester, Rebound Hammer, Profometer, Half Cell Potential Measuring Device, Rapid Chloride Penetration Tester (RCPT) and Pile Integrity Tester. The company caters to several sectors such as power, institutional buildings & factories, infrastructure projects and marine structures. Some of its top clients include names such as Larsen & Toubro Limited, Gammon India, Reliance Infrastructure, Lanco Infratech, JMC Projects, ITD Cementation, NCC Limited, BGR Energy Systems, Bridge & Roof, CCCL, Soma Infratructure, Afcons, Panduraga Energy, Coastal Energen Power Corporation, KSK Mahanadi Power Company Limit, Sterling Resorts, NABARD, Orchid Chemicals, Lafarge Concrete, Ultratech Concrete, Marg etc. to mention only a few. Some of the major projects which it has been associated with include, Amarkantak Power Project at Korba, Sasan Ultra Thermal Power Project, CMRL, Vizhinjam Port, DGNP , Vizag to mention only some. As part of its future plans, Hitech Concrete Solutions has lined up some interesting initiatives. Going into details about them, Balasubramanian said, One of the emerging opportunities is in the field of testing of epoxies and other testing requirements of construction chemical companies. Long term monitoring of infrastructure like bridges in collaboration with SERC and IIT is another domain that we are looking at for the future. Third party auditing of quality structures and soil testing are the other areas which are high on its agenda for the future. For Further details Hitech Concrete Solutions Chennai Pvt. Ltd.,
(NABL Accredited Laboratory as per ISO/IEC 17025: 2005) #64, Galaxy Road, Ponniyamman Nagar, Ayanambakkam, Chennai- 600 095. Mobile: +91 99404 55530 / +91 99403 88556/ +91 44 2653 0060 Web: www.hitechconcrete.in

The company caters to several sectors such as power, institutional buildings & factories, infrastructure projects and marine structures.

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Construction Chemicals: Industry Analysis

The Indian Construction Chemicals Market: Building a Sustainable Future


M.K. Prabhakar, Associate Editor
onstruction chemicals in India are assuming greater significance with the surge in residential and commercial construction due to urbanization and emphasis on infrastructure. The Indian construction community is gradually realizing the importance of enhancing the performance and durability of buildings and struc-

tures. However, the construction chemicals industry in India is still in a nascent state with the per capita consumption of construction chemicals being low in comparison to countries from Europe, North America, and even Southeast Asia. India's penetration levels are 50% lower than China's penetration and 70% lower than the developed world.

Market Drivers According to a report by FICCI, the construction chemicals market has increased from ` 1,400 crores in 2007 to ` 3,100 crores in 2012. The Indian construction chemicals market has shown a strong growth rate of 17% per annum historically and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 19.49 percent over the period

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Construction Chemicals: Industry Analysis

2012-2016. The market revenue for the Indian construction chemical's market is expected to reach up to USD 1.13 Billion by the end of 2018. A large part of this number is attributed to the growing awareness amongst the community architects, builders, contractors and owners - that construction chemicals help in improving the quality and performance of construction over a longer period. Architects and consultants have realized the importance of quality construction chemicals, and they generally tend to specify trusted brands of construction chemicals. The entry of foreign players in the construction chemicals sector has also accelerated the growth of the construction chemicals sectors. Big players are investing efforts and manpower on educating contractors and builders on the significance of construction chemicals. Local R&D labs have been with an aim to manufacture products suitable for local conditions at affordable prices. This has led to a subtle shift in the contractors from being price conscious to quality conscious with respect to construction chemicals. And with increased emphasis on need for affordable housing, urbanization and heightened investments in infrastructure by the government, the demand for construction chemicals in the future only seems brighter. Market Split Construction chemicals can be classified into product categories admixtures, waterproofing systems, sealants, flooring, tiling and repair & rehabilitation etc. There are also other miscellaneous construction chemicals, which can be used to enhance construction activities.
Spending on Concrete Admixtures ( $/m3)

"In Inida it is necessary to make products that are suitable to the local conditions because the needs are extremely specific"

as compared to the developed world while the country has a lower share of tiling, sealants and waterproofing. More than 80% of the construction business is from new built structures & buildings. Market Players The construction chemicals market is fairly consolidated with the top players accounting for more than 50% 60% of the market. 70% market is controlled by organized sector. The rest comprises of small and unorganized players. 300 companies are estimated to be operating in this segment. However, there is considerable fragmentation of individual products and application areas. India's construction chemicals market is highly competitive with just top five companies accounting for almost 50% market revenues in 2012. The key vendors dominating this market space are BASF, Fosroc, Pidilite, SWC-Chryso, Sika, CICO, Penetron, Vandex, Techny Chemy, MC-Bauchemie, Cera Chem and STP . Several international players have entered the Indian construction chemicals market and investing heavily in local R&D industry as even though the market does not make extensive use of construction chemicals at present, the sheer size of its potential and ongoing urbanization makes it attractive.

Thierry Bernard
Global CEO, Chryso

According to a report, the Indian construction chemicals market is forecasted to witness exponential growth, especially in its admixtures segment in the next five years. In 2012, the admixtures and waterproofing systems constituted more than 60% of the overall construction chemicals market revenues. Concrete admixtures accounted for 42% of the total construction chemicals market, while flooring and waterproofing chemicals had a share of 14%each. Other segments include sealants, grouts and adhesives, which together account for 18% of the total construction chemicals market. The share of flooring is high in the Indian market

India

China

USA

According to a report, the Indian construction chemicals market is forecasted to witness exponential growth, especially in its admixtures segment in the next five years

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Construction Chemicals: Industry Analysis

Environment friendly materials such as water-based coatings, green coatings, The major industry players are in-vesting a lot in R&D activities in order to develop high value and low cost products to cater to the price sensitive Indian market. and insulation coatings are required for the constructing of green buildings

R&D and Innovation The major industry players are investing a lot in R&D activities in order to develop high value and low cost products to cater to the price sensitive Indian market. Current and prospective regulatory guidelines incentivizing energyefficient and green buildings will drive demand for suitable, innovative protective coatings and safe chemicals. As a result of the increasing focus on energy conservation and eco-friendliness, the need for green buildings and green products has increased across industries in India. Environment friendly materials such as water-based coatings, green coatings, and insulation coatings are required for the constructing of green buildings. For instance, insulation coating on the roof and walls of a building act as an insulator, providing a cooling effect, which reduces energy consumption and the load on air conditioners. The emergence of eco-friendly construction chemicals is one of the emerging trends in the construction chemicals market in India. Siliconebased based construction chemicals are also gaining rapid popularity. Chryso, a key international French specialist in construction systems, recently set up its center in India, spread over approximately 5000 square feet now, with a provision for extension across the total area of 10000 square feet in the future. The R&D center is aimed at customization of products specific to

Indian conditions. The R & D center boasts of latest pieces of equipment on the cutting-edge of technology. Some of the repertoire includes instruments for testing of concrete admixtures, waterproofers, technical mortars, and cement additives. Concrete mixer with speed controller to replicate the speed of a transit mixer is key equipment. Other instruments and facilities in the laboratory include moister analyzer, digital viscometer, pullout bond tester, colour comparator, hardness tester, humidity chambers, epoxy / pre-paint dispenser, spectrophotometer, FTIR to mention only some. One of the primary

areas of focus in the center will be development and upgradation of concrete admixture for ultra-high strength concrete M80 and above, using polycarboxylate technology. Another key area of concentration will be developing concrete admixtures to encounter thixotrophic nature. Some of the other focus areas include development of aesthetic concrete, water proofing membranes, PU & Epoxy base, flooring & coatings and technical mortars, etc. Pidilite's construction chemicals division has introduced several innovative products under the Dr. Fixit brand during the year - Dr. Fixit Low Energy Consumption (LEC) systems for high end waterproofing coupled with insulation for terraces and walls, Dr. Fixit Extensa, a high end puncture-proof waterproof coating for roofs & basements and Dr. Fixit Bathseal Kit, a solution for comprehensive and long lasting waterproofing for bathrooms. Pidilite has an innovation center in Singapore, which focuses exclusively on green coatings that can lead to lower consumption of electricity and therefore, eventually leading to an important contribution to green buildings. Building can use heat insulation coatings on the roofs or the walls. Coatings, such as Dr. Fixit Heatshield, provide a cooling effect and acts as an insulator, resulting in the reduction of air conditioning loads. This naturally has an impact on the energy conservation and eco-friendliness.

"Manufacturers have the responsibility of incresing the awarness level on the benefits of using construction chemicals from an overall life cycle perspective. This is a challenge the industry has to face boldly in its own interest.

Subu Venkatraman
MD, Sika India Pvt. Ltd.

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Construction Chemicals: Industry Analysis

Challenges

Product Categories Market Split


18%

42% 12%

Admixtures Flooring Waterproofing Repair & Rehabilitation Miscellaneous

14% 14%

Vandex offers a well-rounded portfolio of coatings for protecting structures from water penetration such as diaphragm walls or elevator shafts, underground garages or swimming pools. Vandex cementitious products for drinking water retaining structures are designed to provide a sea of application, exceptional resistance to leaching, protection from contamination and easyto-clean surfaces. As part of its marketing initiatives, BASF has rolled out its Master Builders

It calls for collaborated efforts involving all stakeholders the industry, the end users, the concerned ministry, concerned approved organization in chemicals like FICCI, codal organizers like BIS, university syllabi committees and even Planning Commission to collaborate and recognize the importance of this industry.

Samir Surlaker
Managing Director, MC-Bauchemie (I) Pvt. Ltd

Solutions brand in India - a comprehensive portfolio of varied specialty BASF brands to construction industry majors, all under one umbrella. The portfolio of products and services marketed under the Master Builders solutions brand embraces chemical solutions for new construction, maintenance, repair and renovation of buildings and infrastructure: concrete admixtures, cement additives, chemical solutions for mining and tunneling, waterproofing, concrete protection and repair products, grouts and high-performance flooring products. This is expected to facilitate better access to the market and strengthen the awareness of the construction industry on our existing range of products and offerings. The introduction of Glenium technology by BASF India in the admixtures segment is expected to drive its market share in the next five years. In order to further strengthen its strong customer-orientation and develop and offer innovative solutions to the construction industry customers in South Asia, BASF recently announced the opening of a new Construction Technology Center in Mumbai, India. The new center will support joint development with customers for new product applications and formulations, providing an excellent venue for enterprises in the sub-region to embrace world-class, cutting-edge technologies in partnership with BASF's technical professionals.

Despite several players in the industry, the end user market is still suffers from low awareness levels on the application and benefits of construction chemicals. Low awareness levels among contractors about the technology and application of construction chemicals hampers the growth of the industry. While major players of the industry impress upon the need for the skill and know-how to the end-user and are willing to provide their teams for guidance, training and support, there is a dearth of skilled workers and technical expertise in the industry. It also does not help that the current civil engineering curriculum and syllabus in colleges and universities do not devote much attention to the significance of construction chemicals on the structure and performance of buildings. The Indian construction chemicals market is highly cost-conscious. The customers demand the best quality at very low prices and sometimes use low-cost substitutes that may not perform under severe conditions. Decisions are taken based on immediate cost not on overall cost of ownership (life-cycle

Our Building Codes by the BIS are primitive and there are neither codes nor codes of practice for waterproofing, repairs, flooring, structural rehabilitation etc. Our civil engineering curriculum in the engineering colleges is also very old and obsolete.

M.A. Waheed
Perma Construction Aids Pvt. Ltd

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Construction Chemicals: Industry Analysis

Industry Initiatives: CCMA


In 2012, the manufacturers for construction chemicals in India came to-gether to form the Construction Chemicals Manufacturers Association (CCMA) in 2012 with the aim of promoting and accelerating the growth of construction chemicals in India and act as a forum to communicate with the government bo-dies, associations, chambers of commerce and other commercial industrial and public bodies within or outside India. CCMA has also urged Construction In-dustry Development Council ( CIDC) to work with CCMA on skill development of craftsman involved in the application of construction chemicals across India, improving specifications and creating awareness at front-line engineers, jointly organize CC awareness workshops across India for all end users and influencers, assist and guide CCMA to develop a syllabus on basic usage of construction chemicals and take up and address the issue of imported raw materials at the chemical industry forum. The market players have realized that continuous training and education about new technologies in construction chemicals is the need. Most of them are individually organizing meets and workshops for their dealers, distributors and other stakeholders. These workshops include onsite training to educate construction contractors about the benefits of using superior construction chemicals, in terms of lower project completion time and ease of usage, providing technical trai-ning to workers about appropriate usage of these chemicals in construction will ensure correct application and better result and correct usage of chemicals. Many of the big players have dedicated applicator care cell, which helps them in providing the right kind of solutions for their problems. Pidilite has set up a not-for-profit organization called Dr. Fixit Institute, which imparts training to contractors, applicators, engineers and students on a continuous basis.

Despite several players in the in-dustry, the end user market is still suffers from low awareness levels on the application and benefits of construction chemicals

cost) basis. Margins are lower because most contractors prefer low-cost chemicals to reduce the overall construction cost. High value products have limited demand and are used only by premium construction houses. There are no established standards for construction chemicals unlike other countries where guidelines about product performance are clearly laid out. Furthermore, due to lack of standards and low entry barriers, several low value products are being sold in the market, thus hindering the growth of the industry.

Future Outlook The Indian construction chemicals market has been termed as the sunrise industry and the term seems appropriate at this juncture. The Indian construction industry is expected to witness a surge in the next decade and with increasing levels of awareness about the role and significance of construction chemicals in building sustainable, durable and eco-friendly structures, the growth of the Indian construction chemical industry seems inevitable.

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Waterproofing

Advanced Multipurpose Waterproofing Coatings


Sameer R.Bhore, Project Manager, Multichem Group, Mumbai

t has been reported that heavy rains and a burst geyser or water pipe are one of the most damaging disasters to a building. Waterproofing a building plays a pivotal role in preventative risk management. It is cheaper to outlay money before damage is caused as opposed to outlaying money after damage has been caused. The waterproofing should be made mandatory for all structures and should not an optional one. The approach to waterproofing problem must be conceptual and the selection of appropriate material and proper diagnosis of the problem and employing the right applicator for executing the job is equally important. Waterproofing is as important as any other parameter involved in designing a structure. It is because waterproofing also plays a vital role towards the durability concrete as well as the safety o the structure.

Fig. 1: A Leaking Basement

Waterproofing Methods Water is most destructive weathering element of concrete structures; water continues to damage or completely destroy more buildings and structures than natural disasters. Waterproofing techniques preserve a structures integrity and usefulness through an understanding of natural forces and their effect during life cycle. What is Waterproofing? Is the formation of an internal or

external membrane which is designed to prevent water from entering or escaping the concrete. Internal membranes are created with waterproofing admixture. External membranes are applied to the surface of the concrete nearly always on the positive side. External membrane is divided into two sub categories: fluid applied membranes and sheet applied membranes. There are few types of the most commonly use system of waterproofing in construction industry. - Cementitious water proofing - Liquid waterproofing membrane - Bituminous coating - Bituminous membrane - Polyurethane liquid membrane Cementitious waterproofing: Cementitious waterproofing is often used in the internal wet areas such as toilets. Most of the time the type of cementitious waterproofing is semiflexible, some even toward rigid type. It is still good to use because internal toilets are not exposed to sunlight and weathering and so it do not go through the contraction and expansion process continuously Liquid waterproofing membrane: Liquid membrane is a thin coating which consists of usually a primer coat and two coats of top coats. It offers more flexibility than the cementitious types of waterproofing. The elongation properties of the coating can reach as high as 1000%. But the durability of the waterproofing coating also depend on what type of polymer the manufacturer use for the making of the liquid waterproofing. Bituminous coating: Bituminous waterproofing coating is made of bitumen based materials and it is not suitable for expose to sunlight. It becomes very brittle and fragile when long exposure to the sunlight unless it is modified with more flexible material such as poly-

urethane or acrylic based polymers. The flexibility of the finished products always depends on the solid content of the polymer added to the bitumen. Bituminous membrane: Bituminous waterproofing membrane have torch on membrane and self adhesive membrane. Torch on membrane is the more preferred one use because of its shelf life and ease of use during application. The self adhesive type must be use fast as the bonding properties of the membrane is reducing through time. Very often applicators find the self adhesion membrane already lose its bonding properties when they want to apply. Therefore, they have to use one additional primer to prevent the debonding problem in the near future. Torch on membrane have exposed and covered types. Exposed membrane often has mineral granular aggregate to withstand the wear and tear of the weathering and the other types of membrane, contractor need to apply one protective screed to prevent the puncture of the membrane. But one has to be very careful when applying the protective screed which is often cement mortar. The cement ratio has to be high and the mixing has to be thorough through out the process. There is premixed type of cement mortar in the market available for use for better quality and consistency. Site mix usually will compensate the quality of the finish work but the cost is always cheaper compared to premixed mortar. Polyurethane liquid membrane: Polyurethane is also use for the flat roof area and exposed to weathering but it is expensive. It can offer higher flexibility. Polyurethane is very sensitive to moisture content present, therefore before application; one has to be very careful evaluating the moisture content

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Waterproofing

of the concrete slab. Otherwise peeling or debonding easily observed after some time. Waterproofing Technology Hydrophilic vs. Hydrophobic: Hydrophobic or water repellent products repel the water by increasing hydrophobility. they reduce absorption but are not enough to resist significant of water pressure.

proofing application. We are talking about the side where the water will be coming in contact with the concrete. The opportunity to waterproof the positive side is mostly there only during construction.

Fig. 4: Positive Side Waterproofing Fig. 2: Hydrophobic

Hydrophilic chemicals absorb and utilize water to catalyze and react with cement particles to produce elongated crystalline structurers.they physically block pores, cracks and ITZ to sufficiently resist the penetration of water under pressure.

Negative side Waterproofing: Negative side waterproofing is applied to the inside (dry) face of a structure (or outside of reservoir); Easy access to the dry side makes negative side waterproofing the first choice for remedial projects.

Fig. 5: Negative Side Waterproofing

Fig 3: Hydrophilic

Such type of waterproofing products is commonly called catalytic waterproofing by crystallization, e.g. Hydronil range of products, manufactured by Multichem. Positive and Negative-side Waterproofing Positive side waterproofing: When referring to the positive side of water-

Multichem Group Provides You Advanced Waterproofing Coatings MULTIGUARD IW+: an integral waterproofing product - It is always better to add waterproofing additive in fresh/green concrete and plaster before they are casted/applied. Such additives give excellent waterproofing properties inside the body of the mass, because of creation of cohesive mix and internal waterproofing barrier. Such additives are called Integral waterproofing compounds. Multiguard IW+ falls into this category and impart corrosion protection to rebars along with leakage protection. LeakShield: LeakShield is a single component polymer modified cementitious high performance water-

proofing coating for concrete protection. LeakShield forms a dense, waterproof surface barrier. It consists of Portland cement, well-graded quartz sand and active polymer enhanced special chemical ingredients (with nano technology), making a hard and flexible membrane. LeakShield can be used for rigid waterproofing of water tanks, sealing internal basement and cellar walls against dampness, water leakage, protection of concrete structures in marine environments, external tanking of substructure concrete such as foundations and basement walls in new buildings. The product can withstand positive side water pressure up to 8 bar/atm water pressure. For terrace or exterior waterproofing protection, product comes in white, gray, and multiple of colours. Hydronil: Waterproofing of concrete structure by Catalytic Crystallization Waterproofing of rigid structures such as basement, water tanks, swimming pools, can be best protected by catalytic crystallization based waterproofing products. Hydronil range of products, give near to permanent protection to the lifetime of structure. They become part of body of concrete, hence absolutely no chance of damage by external activities. Structures waterproofed with Hydronil products can withstand 17 atm water head. RainSHIELD: Elastomeric Waterproofing coating - RainSHIELD is water based high solid elastomeric coating utilizing the latest advances in acrylic and polyurethane technology. Highest quality resins are combined with reinforcing laminar pigments, an effective biocide packages and nonmigrating fire retardant, resulting in superior durability, weatherproofing, ultraviolet resistance, algae/mildew resistance and fire retardancy. RainSHIELD is highly reflective, thermal insulating, permanently flexible, breathing membrane, allowing moisture vapour from the substrate or building interior to escape while remaining impervious to mass water penetration form the exterior.

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Waterproofing

Unique Features: - Superior Flexibility, Hardness and Solvent Resistance. - Bridges substrate crack up to 2mm. - Long term crack resistance. - Superior freeze/thaw resistance. - Self curing. - Very low shrinkage. - Non-toxic and environmental friendly product. - Unique anti-fungus and anti-algae properties - Superior exterior durability and UV light resistance. - High temperature stability. - Low temperature flexibility down to 15c. - Dirt pick-up resistance. - Excellent adhesion to polyurethane foam and many other substrates. - High reflectivity which reduces wall surface temperatures, thereby prolonging wall life and reducing interior temperatures. - Easy application by spray, brush, or roller-thus lowering application costs. - Low toxicity and order. - Simple water cleanup for manufacturers and contractors. ROOFSHIELD: Elastomeric Waterproofing coating ROOFSHIELD is water based high solid elastomeric coatings utilizing the latest advances in acrylic and polyure-

Fig 7

thane technology. Highest quality resins are combined with reinforcing laminar pigments, an effective biocide packages and non-migrating fire retardant, resulting in superior durability, weatherproofing, ultraviolet resistance, algae/mildew resistance and fire retardancy. ROOFSHIELD is highly reflective, thermal insulating, permanently flexible, breathing membrane, allowing moisture vapour from the substrate or building interior to escape while remaining impervious to mass water penetration form the exterior. It is

available in high tensile strength version for roof areas subject to heavy maintenance traffic, severe weather conditions, chemical fallout etc. Uses: - Cured concrete substrate (Flat or sloping) - All metal roofs - Polyurethane foam, Asphalt shingles, EPDM, Hypalon, bitumen etc. - Wood - Old buildings Conclusion: Waterproofing of structure is as important as any other construction related activities of the project. In fact, waterproofing will make structure more durable and long lasting. It is also equally important that different products should be chosen as per the waterproofing requirement, e.g. Basement is best protected by crystalline based technology and roofs are protected from water and heat by using elastomeric coatings. These coatings can last for more than 15 years.

For further details:


Multichem Group
1, Mahavir Gaurav Building, M.D. Kini Marg, Bhandup Village, Bhandup (E), Mumbai - 42 Ph: +91-22-25669137, Mob: +91-9323890195, E-mail: info@multichemgroup.net Web: www.multichemgroup.net

Fig 6:

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Showcase

High Performance Liquid Membrane Series Launched


TP Limited is one of the leading names in the Indian waterproofing and protective coatings market. The company has a widespread dealer network spanning the length and breadth of the country. STP had recently organized its annual North India Regional Associates Meet. The meet, held at the Tivoli Garden Hotel in New Delhi, saw the enthusiastic participation of 200 leading Point of Sales (POS) dealers from North India. The company has always focused on receiving feedbacks from its associate network, consisting of distributors, dealers or applicators, in a bid to constantly improve upon its product range. STP has been an R &D led innovative company endeavoring to deliver value for money to its customers. The meet saw STP launch its 'Liquid Membrane' series. An interactive-session, during which there was a demonstration of onsite application of the products, was one of the highlights of the meet. Addressing the associate during the meet, Mr.K.P .Shrivastav, Chief Executive Officer of the company remarked, In our endeavor to establish STP as the most preferred brand and delivering value to our customers, STP shall continue to invest in core R & D to maintain its leadership position and to deliver quality products at competitive prices." The following are the products

launched by the company under the Liquid Membrane series during the occasion:TarFelt LM - Water Based Bituminous Liquid Membrane TarFelt LM is a single component; water based elastomeric polymerized bituminous emulsion with selected graded fine fillers and some additives. TarFelt LM is applied by brush / roller without any use of heat. TarFelt LM forms a tough, elastomeric, monolithic, seamless water proofing membrane. ShaliUrethane LHM - Single Component Elastomeric Modified Polyurethane Waterproofing Membrane ShaliUrethane LHM is a single component modified polyurethane elastomeric liquid applied waterproofing membrane coating. It forms a seamless waterproofing membrane by reaction with atmospheric moisture. This confirms to ASTM C-898-2009, C-836-2012 codes. ShaliCryl RWP - UV Resistant Heavy Duty Liquid Acrylic Roof Waterproofing ShaliCryl RWP is an unique elastomeric heavy duty terrace waterproofing liquid membrane system composed of specially developed highly elastic and resilient acrylic polymers, properly selected and graded fillers, light fast and weather durable pigments, microfibers, additives and best quality fungicidal in water medium. It is used as liquid applied waterproofing membrane for all type of building terraces.

Having a unique UV cross-link curing mechanism, ShaliCryl RWP becomes more durable with age. ShaliUrethane BTD - Single Component Elastomeric Bituminous Polyurethane Liquid Membrane ShaliUrethane BTD is high performance water based cold applied elastomeric coating. This unique single component system is ready to use material based on PU modified bitumen emulsion. ShaliCryl 215 - Single Component UV Resistant Elastomeric Exterior Coating ShaliCryl 215 is a unique elastomeric high build coating based on a revolutionary acrylic polymer with quick-set capabilities to resist premature moisture attack. ShaliCryl 215 provides durability, flexibility, and excellent weather resistance. Because of a unique UV crosslink curing mechanism, ShaliCryl becomes more durable with age. It is easy to apply and is environmentally safe and non-polluting. ShaliCryl 215 has inherent waterproofing qualities as well. ShaliBond APP - Cold Applied Adhesive APP Membrane ShaliBond APP is pressure applied, synthetic rubberized adhesive with bonding strength designed specifically for cold application of modified bitumen membranes. ShaliBond APP membrane adhesive has superior bonding strength and high flexibility to accommodate temperature related expansion and contraction. STP also introduced a virtual selfadhesive - TarFelt APP in combination with ShaliBond APP , on the occasion.
For further details:
STP Limited
707 Chiranjiv Tower 43 Nehru Place, New Delhi - 110 019 Ph: +91-11-46561359, Fax: +91-11-46561358 E-mail: info@stpltd.com Web: www.stpltd.com

Mr. K.P .Shrivastava Addressing to the Gathering

New Product Launch

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The Masterbuilder - July 2013 www.masterbuilder.co.in

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