Tuesday, December 27, 2011

AAC Product Range

Various types of Autoclaved Aerated Concrete products are mentioned below:

1. Block Generally AAC blocks are 24-25 in length, 8-9 in height and in varying thickness ranging from 3 to 12. AAC blocks fall under strength class of AC2, AC4 or AC6. Some manufacturers provide handhold on AAC blocks. 2. U-block AAC U-blocks are available in different sizes. These blocks are 24-25 in length, 8-9 1/2 in height and in varying thickness ranging from 8 to 12. AAC U-blocks fall under strength class of AC4. 3. Tongue and Groove Block Tongue and groove blocks are supplied with dimensions in range of 24-25 in length, 8-9 in height and in varying thickness ranging from 4 to 12. AAC blocks fall under strength class of AC2, AC4 or AC6. Some manufacturers provide handhold on blocks thicker than 8. 4. Cored Block AAC cored blocks are available in length of 24, height of 8 and thickness ranging from 8 to 12. Cored blocks fall under strength class of AC2, AC4 or AC6. 5. Lintel Some manufacturer provide lintels made from AAC. Such lintels are offered in various sizes. But usually the maximum length is 8 with height of 8 and thickness ranging from 8 to 12. AAC Lintels fall under strength class of AC4. 6. Jumbo Block Jumbo blocks are similar to normal AAC blocks except for size. Such blocks are 24-25 long, 8-9 high and 4 to 12 thick. Jumbo blocks can have a flat face or tongue and groove ends. These blocks fall under AC2, AC4 or AC6 strength class. 7. Horizontal Wall Panel Usual variety of AAC horizontal wall panels has maximum length and height of 20 and 24 respectively. Thickness of such panels ranges from 6 to 12. Strength class of such panels is usually AC4 or AC6. 8. Vertical Wall Panel Most AAC verticals wall panels available in the market have maximum length and height of 20 and 24 respectively. Thickness of such panels ranges from 6 to 12. Strength class of such panels is usually AC4 or AC6. Certain manufacturers might offer different sizes to suit clients requirements. 9. Interior Wall Partition Wall partitions are used inside a structure to isolate some areas. Such wall partitions are 4 thick, 24 wide and 98 in height. Usual strength class of such wall partition is AC4. 10. Floor Panel Floor panels can be used instead of conventionally building floors with concrete. Usually AAC floor panels are 20 in length, maximum 24 in width and thickness ranging from 8 to 12. Strength class is AC4 or AC6. 11. Roof Panel

Essentially similar to floor panels, roof panels are used in place of conventional roofing solutions. AAC roof panels are 20 in length, maximum 24 in width and thickness ranging from 8 to 12. Strength class is AC4 or AC6. **Sizes mentioned above are indicative. Manufacturers might offer different sizes depending on local market dynamics and customer requirements.** 1 comments Links to this post Labels: AAC, AAC blocks, Autoclaved Aerated Concrete, Concrete, Lintels, Panels, Wall partition Thursday, December 15, 2011

AAC blocks vs clay bricks

A quick comparison between Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) blocks and clay bricks:
Serial
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Parameter
Soil Consumption Fuel Consumption CO2 Emission Labour Production Facility Tax Contribution Size Variation in Size Compressive Strength Dry Density Fire Resistance (8" wall) Cost Benefit Energy Saving

AAC Blocks
One sq ft of carpet area with clay brick walling will consume 25.5 kg of top soil One sq ft of carpet area with AAC blocks will consume 1 kg of coal One sq ft of carpet area will emit 2.2 kg of CO2 Organized sector with proper HR practices State-of-the-art factory facility Contributes to government taxes in form of Central Excise, VAT and Octroi 625 mm x 240 mm x 100-300 mm 1.5 mm (+/-) 35-40 Kg/cm
2 3

Clay Bricks
Uses fly ash which is a thermal power plant waste product & thus no consumption of top soil One sq ft of carpet area with clay bricks will consume 8 kg of coal One sq ft of carpet area will emit 17.6 kg of CO2 Unorganized sector with rampant use of child labour Unhealthy working conditions due to toxic gases Does not contribute to government exchequer 225 mm x 100 mm x 65 mm 5 mm (+/-) 25-30 Kg/cm2 1800 kg/ m3 Around 2 hours None None

550-700 kg/m Up to 7 hours

Reduction in dead weight leading to savings in steel and concrete Approximately 30% for heating and cooling

0 comments Links to this post Labels: AAC, AAC blocks, Autoclaved Aerated Concrete, Clay bricks, Concrete, ecofriendly, Excise, National economy, Pollution Monday, December 12, 2011

Advantages of using AAC (Autoclaved Aerated Concrete)

Advantages of using Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) blocks are varied and many depending upon local condition. Some of those advantages from India's point of view are mentioned below:

Lightweight Autoclaved Aerated Concrete blocks are about 50% lighter than clay bricks of equivalent size. This translates into less dead weight of buildings and allows entire structure to be lighter therefore reducing amount of steel and concrete used in structural components like beams, columns and roof/floor slabs. Easy Workability Autoclaved Aerated Concrete is very easy to work with and can be cut accurately reducing the amount of waste generated. Single Product Solution Buildings constructed with AAC blocks do not require separate insulation products reducing construction cost, energy footprint and environmental impact of buildings. Environmental Impact Manufacturing of AAC blocks and panels does not have high energy requirements. Moreover since AAC is light weight, it also saves energy required for transportation and leads to reduced CO2 emissions by transport vehicles. Since AAC blocks are made from fly ash an industrial waste product generated by thermal power plants, it offers a low cost and sustainable solution for today and tomorrow. AAC is a requisite for green buildings. Easy Transportation It is easy to transport AAC blocks as it does not suffer from high transit breakage usually associated with clay bricks. Longevity AAC blocks do not lose strength or deteriorate over time. Buildings constructed with AAC blocks do not require routine repairs that are required for buildings using clay bricks. Thermal Insulation AAC blocks and panels offer excellent thermal insulation. This reduces recurring cost of energy required for heating and cooling. Better thermal insulation also allows usage of smaller HVAC than required conventionally. Shorter Project Duration Buildings can be built with AAC blocks 50% faster compared to clay bricks. This translates to lower project completion times benefiting project developers. Fire Resistance Due to high fire resistance offered by AAC blocks, structures made from AAC blocks have higher rate of survivability in case of fire. Sound Insulation sound absorption properties of AAC make it ideal material for reducing ambient noise. AAC is well-suited for establishments like hospitals and offices situated in noisy areas. High Survivability Millions of air pockets in AAC cushion structure from major force and prevents progressive collapse of a building. AAC structures are known to maintain structural integrity despite of heavy rains, extremely low temperature and salty air. Contribution to Nation AAC factories create many jobs directly and indirectly creating a social impact. Along with that they pay Excise Duty and VAT contributing to national economy. 0 comments Links to this post Labels: AAC, AAC blocks, AAC India, Autoclaved Aerated Concrete, Future, Green buildings, Light weight, National economy,Resources, Revenue, Social Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) Features

Some of the most notable features of Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) products are listed below:
Lightweight - AAC blocks possess a cellular structure created by the unique manufacturing process. Millions of tiny air cells impart AAC blocks very light weight structure. Density of these lightweight blocks

usually ranges between 550 700 kg/m3. Yes, AAC blocks are lighter than water and literally float on water. Ease of Use - AAC blocks are very easy to work with. These blocks can be cut or drilled using normal tools used with wood. Since AAC is steam-curried, it is ready to be used as soon as it comes out of autoclave. It does not shrink or warp once it is removed from autoclave. Versatility - AAC blocks can be used to make any design, be it carving or irregular shapes. Moreover it can be manufactured in various shapes and sizes to suit intended purpose. Long Life - AAC blocks does not rot or deteriorate over time. Structures built with AAC blocks have a long life and retain good finish even after decades. Eco-friendly - AAC has excellent thermal insulation property leading to lower energy requirements for heating and cooling. AAC serves as one stop solution for structure, insulation, and fire protection. Use of AAC eliminates use of different materials for structure, insulation, and fire protection as these requirements are met by only using AAC. By using AAC, separate materials are not required to meet these requirements leaving to lower energy footprint of a building. Using AAC blocks and panels is a must for any green building project. AAC is manufactured with industrial waste like fly ash and pond ash. AAC manufacturing process requires less energy is non-polluting and does not produce any waste products.

Building being constructed using Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) blocks

Thermal Insulation - Cellular structure of AAC creates millions of tiny air pockets. These air pockets give AAC very good insulating properties. Better insulation translates to lower cost for heating and cooling. Fire Resistance - AAC offers amazing fire resistance. 8 wall made from AAC blocks can resist fire for up to seven hours. Sound Insulation - Tiny air pockets created during production of AAC stop sound from travelling one end of the wall to another. Sound insulation of a wall built using AAC is much higher than a wall of similar

thickness built using other materials. Some AAC companies even offer special AAC products produced specifically for sound insulation.

Pile of Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) blocks at a construction site

Weather Resistance - AAC blocks do not decay, rust, deteriorate or burn. AAC has been found to be earthquake resistant. AAC structures are known to maintain structural integrity in heavy rains, extremely low temperature and salty air. Pest Resistant - Primary raw material used to manufacture AAC blocks and panels is fly ash. Fly ash (or pond ash) is an inert material and does not allow termites or other pests to survive. 2 comments Labels: AAC, AAC blocks, AAC India, Autoclaved Aerated Concrete, eco-friendly, Fire resistance, Green Building, Light-weight, Sound insulation, Themal insulation Sunday, December 4, 2011

Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) Blocks Overview

Use of Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) blocks in construction industry in India offers interesting proposition for various segments in the society. For a project developer it means faster and lower cost construction. For environmentally conscious it means eco-friendly products and for those who occupy buildings built with AAC blocks it means better safety and lower energy costs for cooling or heating. AAC was invented in mid-1923 in Sweden. It is also known as Autoclaved Cellular Concrete (ACC) or Autoclaved Lightweight Concrete (ALC). Production process of AAC is fairly simple. It is made with made with a mixture of fly ash, lime, cement, gypsum, an aeration agent and water. Aeration process, imparts it a cellular light-weight structure. AAC products are precast in various sizes and provide structure, insulation, and fire and mold resistance. AAC products are offered in various shapes and sizes including but not limited to blocks, wall panels, floor and roof panels, and lintels. Primary raw material for AAC is fly ash. Thousands of tonnes of fly ash is generated by thermal power plants everyday and its disposal is a cause of concern. Therefore by using fly ash to produce AAC products provides a sustainable, economic and environment friendly option. At the end it all translates to a better world for future generations.

Building constructed using Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) blocks

Pile of Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) blocks at a construction site