SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING AND DESIGN

BACHELOR OF QUANTITY SURVEYING (HONOURS)

MARCH 2014

[BLD62003] BUILDING MATERIALS

Assignment 1A: Research on Building Material – CONCRETE

Name: ID:

CHEONG KHA MAN 0319456

ELEY CHONG SHU HUI 0319458

KONG XIN YU 0319959

LOW CHEE YING 0319126

Lecturer: Pn. Hasmanira Mokhtar

Content

Translucent Concrete

Introduction -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1

Application --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2

Advantages and Disadvantages ----------------------------------------------------- 2

Images, Diagram ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3

Ferrocement Concrete

Introduction -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4

Definition ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4

General Information --------------------------------------------------------------------- 4-5

Application --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5-8

Physical and Chemical Properties --------------------------------------------------- 8

Advantages and Disadvantages ----------------------------------------------------- 8-9

Suitability/Sustainability ---------------------------------------------------------------- 9

Performance/Behaviour ---------------------------------------------------------------- 9

Maintenance ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9

High Strength Concrete

Introduction -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10

Definition ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10

General Information --------------------------------------------------------------------- 10

Application --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10

Advantages and Disadvantages ----------------------------------------------------- 11

Images -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11

Fiber Reinforced Concrete

Introduction -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12

Definition ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12

Physical and Chemical Properties --------------------------------------------------- 12

Advantages and Disadvantages ----------------------------------------------------- 12-13

Specification ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 13

Application --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14

Images -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14

Reference List ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 15-17

Translucent Concrete

Introduction

Translucent concrete also known as light-transmitting concrete or transparent concrete. It is

an emerging material that is a based building material with light-transmissive property due to

implant light optical fibers. Light is conducted through the stone from one to another. So, the

fibers need to go through the whole object and this will cause a certain light pattern on the

other surface depending on the fiber structure. The fibers run parallel to each other and light

transmitting between two surfaces of the concrete element which they are implanted.

Silhouettes will appear due to shadows cast onto one side of the material. Thickness of the

optical fibers can be different between 2 µm and 2 mm to satisfy the particular requirements

of light transmission.

Translucent concrete is based on a fine grain concrete, and 5% light conducting elements

that are added during casting process. The material will be cut into panels or blocks of

specified thickness, yet the surface is then polished typically to resulting in finishes ranging

from semi-gloss or high-gloss. Smaller and also thinner layers allow an increased amount of

light to pass through the concrete.

http://www.cement.org/for-concrete-books-learning/materials-applications/architectural-decorative-concrete/applications/light-transmitting-concrete

http://kishaniperera.com/2012/04/translucent-concrete/

http://www.cement.org/for-concrete-books-learning/materials-applications/architectural-decorative-concrete/applications/light-transmitting-concrete

Application

Translucent concrete is suited to create partition walls, load-bearing walls, pavements,

decorative tiles, stairs and even lamps. Partition wall which was made by translucent

concrete can be used in place where the sunlight doesn’t reach properly. For decorative and

aesthetic purpose, furniture also can be made in the translucent way. Subway station is

suitable to build by this type of material for the reason increasing visibility in dark. It also

suited to lighting indoor fire escapes, in the event of a power failure.

The sidewalk of a public square in Stockholm, Sweden looks like it were made from general

concrete but when it is being lighten up with the colour lights at night, it looks gorgeous.

Advantages

- Application of translucent concrete in building can save energy.

-Translucent concrete has fantastic architectural properties for giving good aesthetical view to

the building.

Disadvantages

- Translucent concrete is expensive compare to the traditional one because of the optical

fibers.

- Process of casting the translucent concrete block required special labour who has the

special skilled because it is difficult.

http://dornob.com/see-through-light-transmitting-concrete-material/#axzz2v1i4eRSM

Images, Diagram

Diagram1- Price list.

Figure 1- Samples.

Figure 2- Translucent concrete at Expo Bau 2011, München/Germany.

http://comedownarts.blogspot.com/2009/12/translucent-concrete.html

http://litracon.hu/samples.php

http://illumin.usc.edu/printer/245/translucent-concrete-an-emerging-material/

Ferrocement

Introduction

Ferrocement is the forgotten sister of standard reinforced concrete construction that both

were invented and patented in France in the 19th century. Reinforced concrete was used for

building while ferrocement was mostly used for boat hulls. But ferrocement’s use in

construction was eclipsed by reinforced concrete.

Definition

Ferrocement is a highly versatile form of thin reinforced concrete made up of large amounts

or several layers ofsmall-diameterwire meshes, sand, water, and Portland cement mortar,

which possesses unique qualities of strength and serviceability (Kulkarni & Gaidhankar,

2013). The wire meshes are used uniformly throughout the cross section instead of discretely

place reinforcing bars and they can be metallic or other substance materials wire meshes

(S.P.SHAH, 1981).

General Information: 1. History of ferrocement

The first known ferrocement boats were built by Joseph Louis Lambot in 1849. However, the

technical beginning of ferrocement was in 1943 when an Italian engineer, Pier Luigi Nervi did

http://boatbits.blogspot.com/2013/05/another-good-boatbuilding-material.html

HYPERLINK "http://theconstructor.org/concrete/ferro-cement-in-construction/1156/"http://

a series of experiments, investigated the properties of ferrocement and stated the principles:

The fundamental idea behind this new reinforced concrete material ferrocement is the well-

known elementary fact that concrete can stand large strains in the neighborhood of the

reinforcement and that the magnitude of stress depends on the distribution and subdivision of

the reinforcement throughout the mass of concrete (Canby, 1969).

General Information: 2. Four phases of ferrocement construction (S. P. SHAH,1981)

Fabricating the skeletal framing system

Applying rods and mesh

Plastering

Curing

Application

Ferrocement for Indigenous Boats in Developing

Countries

Compared to oceangoing trawlers with

sophisticated western-style hulls, individual

boatmen, whether commercial or subsistence, who

would benefit from the low cost, long life, and easy

repairs of small, familiarly shaped and propelled

ferrocement boat. This is because this kind of small ferrocement workboats can be

built on site by the local laborers who are usually available and low cost. Ferrocement

is free from attack by teredos (shipworms), wood rot and other hazards and is

equivalent or lighter in weight than wooden craft (National Academy of Sciences

(U.S.), 1973).

Ferrocement for water tanks

http://www.new-territories.com/ZOO/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/i_1855-bateau-lambot-petit.jpg

http://nomadness.com/blog/page/10

There is a scarcity of water for drinking and washing in rural areas of developing

countries. Therefore, simple, economical and durable ferrocementis suitable used for

water tanks compared to high cost, rusting,

consequent maintenance and limited life-span steel

tanks. For an urban environment, a suitable and

durable precast ferrocement cylindrical water tank by adapting available mechanized

production methods is required in high rise buildings to alleviate the acute shortage

and high cost of skilled labour. It will be more economical and lighter than conventional

reinforced concrete (P Paramasivam, 2001).

Ferrocement for silos or food storage

Ferrocement silos can help to preserve grain and

other food crops in developing countries because of

its fabrication from local materials, its structural

strength and reliability and it is easy for maintenance

and has a long life span compared to stainless steel

silos. Since the ferrocement silos are airtight, the

inside air is quickly deprived of oxygen by the

respiring grain and insects. Thus, storing grains and

other foods could help farmers to become more self-reliant and contribute significantly

to a country’s economy and food reserves (National Academy of Sciences U.S., 1973).

Ferrocement for low cost roofing slabs

The use of the ferrocement to concrete slabs enhanced the perforation resistance and

reduce the heat transfer through the thinner thickness of the steel mesh reinforced

cement matrix. Ferrcocement slabs can also

resist fire, weather and crack propagation and

even the ferrocement layers show good

stiffness, ductility and impact resistance (Civil

Engineering, 2012). It is also easily fabricated

in many types of shapes and acts as

http://watercharity.org/book/export/html/167

http://newseq.blogspot.com/2011/09/sevai-ferro-cement-roofing-is-for.html

http://geekygetaways.wordpress.com/2011/09/25/auckland-waterfront-

secondary roofing slabs to insulate against intense heat in tropical countries (P.

Paramasivam, 2001).

Ferrocement for sunscreens

Owing to the handling and erection, architectural requirements, durability and overall

cost led to the choice of ferrocement as the most suitable alternative material in the

prevention of direct exposure to sunlight in the housing developments which consist of

multistory apartment blocks. The sunscreens were cast in steel moulds in a precast

factory and they were painted and transported to the site after necessary curing.

Another type of ferrocement sunscreens were installed in several partially completed

apartment blocks(P Paramasivam, 2001).

Ferrocement for structural beam rehabilitation

According to its superior performance and versatility, ferrocement is not only used in

housing industry but its potentials are being continuously explored for its use in retro

fitting and strengthening of damaged structural members. It is necessary to adjust the

material properties to the construction type and acting

forces in the structures, to obtain the proper strength,

stiffness, cracking control, ductility and impact

resistance. The ferrocement laminates were cast onto

the soffits (tension face) of the beams without any

change in width of the beams for flexural

strengthening (Civil Engineering, 2012).

Ferrocement for houses

Ferrocement houses are particularly in dome shaped

or earth sheltered and survive in hurricanes and

tornadoes. Earth sheltered and dome ferrocement are

also considered relatively secure in earthquakes (AL

FIN, 2009).

Ferrocement for raised bed gardening

http://opensourceecology.org/wiki/Ferrocement

http://theconstructor.org/concrete/retrofitting-of-rcc-structural-members/7363/

Ferrocement in Disaster Relief

Ferrocement could be used at a disaster site for last long

not only for transport facilities such as simple boats

floating bridges, but also for emergency shelters which is

easy to erect and highly efficient (National Academy of

Sciences (U.S.), 1973).

Physical and Chemical Properties

It exhibits an easy mold-ability because of wire meshes. Thus, it can be used to

produce any desired shape of structure (Civil Engineering, 2012).

It is lighter and thinner in weight than wood, steel, fiber glass and others (Canby,

1969).

Ferrocement minimizes the maintenance cost and is durable as it has superior

tensile strength (Canby, 1969).

Although it can resist fire, the strength of ferrocement is changed due to rapid

dehydration (Canby, 1969).

It has a low thermal expansion that will keep a boat warmer in the winter and cooler

in the summer (Canby, 1969).

Ferrocement has a good sound absorbing and vibration absorbing characteristics

(Canby, 1969).

Advantages

It is extremely flexible as the load of the structure is widely distributed and

ferrocement tends to perform well in earthquakes (McMahon & Harris, 2014).

Its basic raw materials are readily available and it is affordable in most countries

(Ranaparkhe, Nim & Chandore, 2013).

http://alfin2100.blogspot.com/2009/09/versatile-

http://opensourceecology.org/wiki/ferrocement

It can be fabricated into any desired shape according to the designer (Ranaparkhe,

Nim & Chandore, 2013).

Ferrocement can be used by the unskilled labors as the skills for ferrocement

construction can be acquired easily (Ranaparkhe, Nim & Chandore, 2013).

Heavy plants and machinery do not be involved in ferrocement construction

(Ranaparkhe, Nim & Chandore, 2013).

It can be repaired easily in case of damage (Ranaparkhe, Nim & Chandore, 2013).

Being labor intensive, it is relatively inexpensive and low labor skill is required in

developing countries (Ranaparkhe, Nim & Chandore, 2013).

Ferrocement is lighter in weight and has long lifetime compared to the others

materials and ease of construction (Mishra, 2012).

Disadvantages

Structures made of pointed objects can punctured into the ferrocement by collision

(Mishra, 2012).

Corrosion of the reinforcing materials due to the incomplete coverage of metal by

mortar (Mishra, 2012).

It is difficult to fasten to ferrocement with bolts, screws, welding and nail (Mishra,

2012).

Requirement of labors and the cost of semi-skilled and unskilled are high in amount

(Mishra, 2012).

Tying rods and meshes together is tedious and time consuming (Mishra, 2012).

Suitability/ Sustainability

Ferrocement is suitable for those developing countries due to the fabrication of ferrocement,

basic raw material, providing skill to laborers, transportation, materials-handling and easily be

repaired on site(National Academy of Sciences (U.S.), 1973). Furthermore, it is more difficult

to be used in developed countries because ferrocement needs more labors and the cost od

employees is high.

Performance/ Behaviour

The behavior of ferrocement element under compression mainly depended on mix design

properties (Civil Engineering, 2012).

Maintenance

Minimum maintenance of ferrocement with low cost (Canby, 1969).

High Strength Concrete

Introduction

High strength concrete (HSC) may be defined as concrete with a specified characteristic

cube strength between 60 and 100 N/mm2, although higher strengths have been achieved

and used. Strength levels of 80 to 100 N/mm2 and even higher are being used for both

precast and in-situ work in the countries like USA, Norway and others.

Definition

"High strength concrete" is often taken to mean the same thing with "high performance

concrete". As indicated, "high performance" to a concrete means that has good specific

characteristics, such as high strength, high resistance to chloride ingress or high abrasion

resistance.

General Information

The method and technology required for producing high strength concrete and normal

strength concrete are almost the same there are not substantially different. The target water

and cement ratio should be in the range 0.30–0.35 or even lower. HSC can be produced with

most available Portland cements, but those cements that are particularly coarsely ground are

usually unsuitable (John Newmen and Ban Seng Choo,2003). Crushed rock aggregates with

suitably high crushing value are preferable, actually there is also a wide range of aggregates

can be used.

Application

The main applications for HSC in-situ concrete construction are in offshore structures,

columns of high-rise buildings, long-span bridges and other highway structures.

High strength concrete is typically used in the erection of high-rise structures. It has

been used in components such as columns (especially on lower floors where the loads

will be greatest), foundations and shear walls.

High strength concrete is sometimes used in the construction of highway bridges

because it permits reinforced or prestressed concrete girders to span greater lengths

than normal strength concrete girders.

Advantages

Reduce using of compression elements and lower amount of longitudinal

reinforcement required.

For the same level of loading, longer spans and fewer beams are required.

Higher resistance to freezing and thawing, chemical attack, and significantly improved

long-term durability and the increase of crack.

The maintenance and repairs have been reduced.

Low creep and shrinkage.

Disadvantages

Increased quality control is needed in order to maintain the special properties desired.

High strength concrete must meet high performance standards consistently in order for

it to be effective.

Materials are necessary to be selected carefully and high quality materials must be

used even though these materials may costly than the materials of lower quality.

Allowable stress design discourages the use of high-strength concrete. Therefore,

using load factor and resistance design with the utilizing of the high strength concrete

can solve the problem .

Minimum cover over reinforcement or minimum thickness of members may restrict the

realization of maximum benefits.

It is insufficient to achieve maximum strength if prestress force in a member.

Special curing requirements are required by low water to cementitious materials ratios.

Increased capacity may not be fully utilized since serviceabilty conditions such as

deflection can control design.

Fiber Reinforced Concrete

Introduction

When concreteis weak matrix reinforced with steel fibres, it will issued through its whole mass

averagely and will become more strength. The matrix and then defined as a composite

material with properties significantly different from normal concrete. The principal fibers in

common commercial use for Civil Engineering applications include steel (SFRC/SFRS),

glass, carbon and aramid. Fibers in the form of mat are also being used in the development

of high performance structural composite.

Definition

Portland-cement concrete containing discontinuous discrete fibers composed to be fiber-

reinforced concrete. Concrete is added on different types of fibers such as fibers made from

steel, plastic and glass. A convenient numerical parameter describing a fiber is its aspect

ratio, defined as the fiber length divided by an equivalent fiber diameter. Typical aspect ratios

range from about 30 to 150 for lengths of 6.4 to 76 mm (0.25 to 3 in.).

Physical and Chemical Properties

The volume of fibre and the physical properties of the fibre is important to control the property

of the composite. Tensile strength of concrete wont change after it mixed with fiber. In

addition, most of the reinforcing fibre are high strength, high stiffness, and relatively low

density.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Reinforcing Fibers

Fibre Advantages Disadvantages

E-glass, S-glass -High strength

-Low cost

-Low stiffness

-Short fatigue life

-High temperature sensitivity

http://civildigital.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/High-Performance-Concrete.jpg

https://www.google.com.my/search?hl=en&authuser=0&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1366&bih=590&q=high+strength+concrete&oq=high+strength+&gs_l=img.1.0.0l10.2834.13960.0.15533.14.11.0.3.3.0.647.2625.6j0j1j1j0j3.11.0....0...1ac.1.42.img..2.12.1385.oKJYGcSqIC4#authuser=0&hl=en&q=high+performance+concrete&tbm=isch&facrc=_&imgdii=ayv3xGWcw3E7AM%3A%3B2CzpgSZ4ZpdwQM%3Bayv3xGWcw3E7AM%3A&imgrc=ayv3xGWcw3E7AM%253A%3Bl7BvHsewRxp5BM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.columbia.edu%252Fcu%252Fcivileng%252Fannouncements%252F11_01_25%252Fance.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.columbia.edu%252Fcu%252Fcivileng%252Fannouncements%252F11_01_25%252Findex.html%3B300%3B238

Aramid -High tensile strength

-Low density

-Low compressive strength

-High moisture absorption

Boron -High stiffness

-High compressive strength

-High cost

Carbon (AS4, T300, IM7) -High strength

-High stiffness

-Moderately high cost

Graphite (GY-70, pitch) -Very high stiffness -Low strength

-High cost

Ceramic (Silicon carbide,

alumina)

-High stiffness

-High use temperature

-Low strength

-High cost

Advantages of Shotcrete

Steel Fiber Reinforced Concrete or Shotcrete (SFRC/SFRS) have been used throughout the

world in various applications. For example, their method is picking up slowly. The advantages

of SFRC reinforced concretes are:

• Save 10% - 30% of cost over conventional concrete flooring systems.

• In all directions versus one plane of reinforcement (sometimes in the sub-grade) in only two

directions throughout the section.

• Increased ultimate flexural strength of the concrete composite and thus thinner

sections.

• Increased flexural fatigue endurance and again thinner slabs.

• Increased flexural toughness, or the ability to absorb energy.

• Increased impact resistance and thus reduced chipping and joint spalling.

• Increased shear strength and thus the ability to transfer loads across joints in thin

sections.

• Increased tensile strength and tensile strain capacity thus allowing increased

contraction/construction joint spacing.

Specification

Reinforced concrete contains rebar that gives tensile strength and reinforcement. Concrete

has good compressive strength but little tensile strength. Fiber-reinforced concrete contains

fiberglass, synthetic or steel fibers. Besides, it is not expensive as rebar while increasing in

tensile strength. Its tensile strength must match engineering specifications for the

construction project when using fiber-reinforced concrete.

Application

The applications of SFRC depend on the ingenuity of the designer and taking advantage of

its enhanced and superior static and dynamic tensile strength, ductility, energy-absorbing

characteristics, abrasion resistance and fatigue strength.

Moreover, growing experience and confidence by engineers, designers and contractors has led to many new areas of use particularly in precast, cast in-situ, and shotcrete applications. Traditional application where SFRC was mainly used as pavements, has now gained wide acceptance in the construction of a number of airport runways, heavy-duty and container yard floors in several parts of the world. This is because the savings in cost and superior performance during service.

BOSFA - Projects - Case Studies http://www.google.com.my/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F

%2Fwww.bosfa.com%2Fupload%2Fimages

%2FComposite_Decks.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F

%2Fwww.bosfa.com.au%2Fprojects%2Fcasestudies.aspx%3Fid

%3D44&h=768&w=1024&tbnid=yOSfo-1WmVwiTM

%3A&zoom=1&docid=2B4zdx3wEXjm4M&ei=7fdYU-

qUOYmErAfy1oCQBw&tbm=isch&ved=0CMUBEDMoVTBV&iact=rc&uact

=3&dur=1680&page=7&start=85&ndsp=15

Anand Paul. Fibre-Reinforced Concrete. http://civildigital.com/fiber-reinforced-concrete/