What is Self-Leveling Concrete? Properties, Advantages and Disadvantages

What is Self-Leveling Concrete? Properties, Advantages and Disadvantages

 

1. Introduction

Self-leveling concrete is a polymer-modified high-performance concrete that has the ability to flow, compact, and provide a leveled surface when poured over an area. Self-leveling concrete does not require vibration as required for normal concrete.

It is poured in liquid form and goes down 1/4 to 1.5 inch thick in single pass. A gauging tool is used to spread it in place. Qualities include smoothness, flatness and a compressive strength over that of traditional concrete floors. After you apply it, you can add decorative overlays or concrete stains or dyes.

Self-leveling overlays are among the newest trends for architects and commercial property owners. It is quick to install and can be installed pre or post construction. It can cover plywood or tile floors as well, and is flood proof and hypoallergenic.

2. Properties of Self-Leveling Concrete (SLC)

  • Low Plastic Viscosity.
  • High Flow-ability.
  • Low segregation.
  • Low Bleeding.
  • Stability.

a- Low Plastic Viscosity

The low plastic property of SLC increases the flow ability properties which imparts the self-leveling property. The balance and proportion of the above-mentioned properties in mix design help to design the desired SLC concrete.

b- High Flow-ability

Providing low viscosity of the concrete mix can result in stability issues. This can result in high segregation and bleeding problems. This low viscosity or high flow-ability is introduced by the addition of super plasticizes or polymer agents that maintain stability without affecting the flow-ability characteristics.

c- Stability

High-homogeneity is received by self-leveling concrete with its self-leveling property. The flow-ability properties of SLC are greater as compared with (SCC) self-compacting concrete. This increase in flow-ability is one reason to obtain good finish in final hardened SLC

d- Low segregation / Low Bleeding

The viscosity agents added prevents the settling down of aggregates that cause segregation and keep the cohesiveness of the mix within the bond which in turn helps in avoiding bleeding. Maintain the viscosity throughout the layer without letting the aggregates to settle at the bottom.

 

3. Advantages of Self-Leveling Concrete (SLC)

 

  • Labor required less.
  • Leveled and smooth surface.
  • Water Resistant surface.
  • SLC concrete gives a flat and smooth surface.
  • The best choice of heavily reinforced concrete construction.
  • The hardening of concrete is taking place in a homogeneous way.
  • The best option where form-work is arranged in unusual geometry.
  • Compressive strength is higher as compared to traditional concrete.
  • Self-leveling concrete gives cohesive concrete that resits bleeding and segregation issues.
  • Easy to use. Self-leveling concrete also levels the playing field. Now subfloor leveling is a DIY project.
  • Two options to choose. Acrylic-based concrete is more giving, has a slight flex and sturdiness. Water-based concrete dries fast and is harder than standard concrete.
  • Radiant heat capable. Most self-leveling concrete brands and styles are rated for using over around or under radiant floor heating systems.
  • Quick acting. The formula that makes up the concrete compound is strong, durable and fast acting. It can set up in as little as 10 minutes and be ready for most flooring types in just a few hours.
  • Hypoallergenic. Unlike standard concrete which has been known to cause work-induced asthma, self-leveling concrete doesn’t contain those chemicals and minerals.
  • Mold and mildew resistant. Even when installed in wet areas, self-leveling concrete is more resistant to mold and mildew growth than standard concrete.

4. Disadvantages of Self-Leveling Concrete (SLC)

 

  • Fast acting. Yes, this is also a pro item, but it dries fast. You shouldn’t mix until you are ready to pour, and when you pour you shouldn’t stop. Finding the right balance can be difficult.
  • Doesn’t repair subfloors. If there is damage, cracks, joints or weak spots in your subfloor, self-leveling concrete will not fix or patch them. If the spot worsens, it will disrupt the self-leveling concrete and the floor above it, too.
  • Difficult to remove. If you splash, get it on your clothing, tools or other surfaces and it is allowed to dry, you will have a difficult time getting it off. Any spills or splashes need to be cleaned up quickly.
  • Mixing is hard. You need to be precise in your measurements and you don’t get to make mistakes. If you add too much water or not enough, it will affect how the concrete pours and how viscous it becomes.

MS Project 2019 Advanced Tutorial

MS Project 2019 Advanced Tutorial

 

  • Start 0:00
  • Introduction 0:03
  • Introduction to Tracking Actuals 2:21
  • Marking Tasks Complete 4:03
  • Introduction to Tracking Tables 6:57
  • Creating Custom Tables 9:36
  • Moving Projects and Updating Actual Duration 14:04
  • Filtering, Highlighting, Grouping, and Updating Resource Info 19:17
  • Project Statistics 26:08
  • Resource Reports 30:12
  • Cost Reports 33:49
  • In Progress Reports 46:24
  • Dashboards 50:33
  • Custom Reports 55:35
  • Customizing Task Boards View and Managing Sprints 1:01:37
  • Task Boards Reports 1:08:25
  • Visual Reports 1:11:46
  • Customizing Visual Reports 1:15:53
  • Introduction to Administration 1:21:18
  • Getting Started Tutorials and Report 1:22:50
  • Basic Administration 1:25:31
  • Using the Organizer to Save Custom Objects 1:30:35
  • Creating Templates 1:35:46
  • Creating New Files from Excel Workbooks 1:41:09
  • Creating New Files from SharePoint Task Lists 1:46:33
  • Advanced Administration 1:48:00
  • Creating a Consolidated Project 1:51:42
  • Sharing Resources with a Resource Pool 2:00:46
  • Exporting Data to Other Data Sources 2:07:39
  • Conclusion 2:09:41

 

Download Link

The Common Types of Bridge Railings

The Common Types of Bridge Railings

 

A bridge’s railing depends on various factors such as location, material, and purpose. The railing adds safety for pedestrians, aesthetics, and a custom touch to bridge construction.

Guardrails for bridges are located prominently to make the public stay alert and safe during their drive through bridges. These railings not only keep the traffic within the boundaries but also improve the bridge aesthetics.

Types of Bridge Railings

The common types of railings used for bridges are:

  1. Steel bridge railings
  2. W-Beam railings
  3. Thrie-Beam railings
  4. Concrete beam railings

1. Steel Bridge Railings

 

Steel railings come in different cross-sections and designs. The most common type of steel bridge rail is a tubular rail system. These types of railings can be built alone or integrated into the concrete curb or on a low barrier wall.

For bridges with low-vehicular traffic and for pedestrians, architectural steel railings are commonly used. Architecturally important bridges do not have a bulky and heavy design. They incorporate decorative railings without compromising pedestrian safety.

 

2. W-Beam Bridge Railings

 

W-Beam railings are used for bridges with less traffic. As shown in the figure-2, W-Beam railings have a two-wave design and are attached to steel posts or truss girders.

W-Beam is a simple steel railing system that can be designed for higher strength.

 

3. Thrie Beam Bridge Railings

 

Thrie beams are high-strength guard rail systems designed for highways, especially on sharp curves and slopes.

Thrie-Beam features ‘three’ waves across its section versus ‘two’ on W-Beam and therefore provides greater rigidity, which in turn means lower deflections and higher containment that is more suitable for heavier vehicle protection.

Thrie beam rail systems can absorb the impact of out-of-control vehicles and guide them to a safer stop. These rail systems provide excellent performance and versatility.

It has an added corrugation that gives an advantage for use in transitions to bridges and along high volume, high speed roadways.

 

4. Concrete Bridge Railings

 

Concrete is the most common material used for bridge construction. Concrete railings are attached to the bridge’s deck slab to create a strong vehicle barrier.

A concrete railing attaches to the bridge’s deck slab and creates a powerful vehicular barrier. These sturdy railings are ideal for high traffic roadways or areas where run-off the road accidents are frequent.

The initial construction cost of concrete railings is high. Huge concrete railings in some situations can impede an open road view. In such situations, concrete railings with high strength can be combined with a tubular railing system.

The dimensions and construction of bridge railings are dependent on the construction budget, the bridge deck material, and the mandated state specifications.

Highway Engineering – Planning, Design and Operation Second Edition Free PDF

Highway Engineering – Planning, Design and Operation Second Edition Free PDF

 

Highway Engineering: Planning, Design, and Operations, Second Edition, presents a clear and rigorous exposition of highway engineering concepts, including project development and the relationship between planning, operations, safety and highway types.

The book includes important topics such as corridor selection and traverses, horizontal and vertical alignment, design controls, basic roadway design, cross section elements, intersection and interchange design, and the integration of new vehicle technologies and trends.

It also presents end of chapter exercises to further aid understanding and learning. This edition has been fully updated with the current design policies and reference manuals essential for highway, transportation, and civil engineers who are required to work to these standards.

Key Features
  • Provides an updated resource on current design standards from the Highway Capacity Manual and the Green Book.
  • Covers fundamental traffic flow relationships and traffic impact analysis, collision analysis, road safety audits and advisory speeds.
  • Presents the latest applications and engineering considerations for highway planning, design and construction.

 

Download Link

The Best Alternatives to Concrete In Construction

The Best Alternatives to Concrete In Construction

 

Introduction

 

The cement industry is one of the main producers of carbon dioxide, and growing consumer awareness of climate change and the environmental impact of construction have some clients looking for alternatives to materials that rely on cement.

There is a growing range of concrete alternatives. These materials provide similar benefits as concrete, like strength, durability, and longevity, but at a lower carbon cost, with less environmental impact, and often with an appealing and distinctive appearance.

Concrete Alternatives For Construction

 

1. Recycled Plastic

Plastic is the most concerned material that significantly impacts the environment as they are non-biodegradable. It is essential to know that only 9% of the total plastic produced can be recycled.

So innovations suggest using recyclable plastic in facades of buildings or other structures. Using recycled plastic in construction is a great way to achieve fewer greenhouse gases effect while unclogging the plastic-filled landfills.

The recycled plastic can substitute 20% of aggregate in concrete; concrete blocks filled with recycled plastic are much lighter when compared to conventional concrete blocks. Using these blocks in small-scale construction is recommended while not suitable in taller structures.

Some advantages of using recycled plastic as concrete alternatives include that recycled plastic is highly versatile and can be resistant to impact, water, and chemicals.

Concrete production using recycled plastic requires less cost, and it has excellent electrical insulation and thermal properties. While the disadvantage is that plastic has a Low melting point.

 

2. Ashcrete

The main component in ashcrete is Fly Ash, which is a by-product of coal combustion, which is used to be discarded in the ground. Still, innovations lead this material to have a significant role to play in the green concrete manufacturing process.

Ashcrete is a concrete alternative used in modern construction to reduce the greenhouse effect, and it is also said that 25% of cement can be replaced using high-volume fly ash.

To make ashcrete similar to conventional cement, fly ash is mixed with water and lime to make it stronger and durable. Another advantage of using fly ash is that it makes concrete restraint to alkali-silica reactivity.

 

3. Green Concrete

Green concrete is a form of eco-friendly concrete that is manufactured using waste or residual materials from different industries, and requires less amount of energy for production. Compared to traditional concrete, it produces less carbon dioxide, and is considered cheap and more durable.

The manufacturing process of green concrete consumes Less amount of energy when compared to conventional. concrete.

The carbon emission from the production is comparatively less, and it is an economical. and durable concrete alternative.

 

4. Blast Furnace Slag

Blast furnace slag is a by-product produced and used as a concrete alternative in construction, and it is an environmentally friendly material that would impact less greenhouse gas effect.

This blast furnace slag comes in the form of glassy granular material produced by quenching molten iron slag from the blast furnace into steam or water.

This concrete alternative can replace 70-80% of cement and improve the durability and strength of concrete. During the blast furnace slag, the production process emits less hydration or heat.

 

5. Papercrete or Fibrous Concrete

Papercrete is a concrete alternative made by recycling the waste paper and used as an aggregate material in concrete. The cement is not entirely replaced by papercrete in the concrete mixture.

But some small quantities of papercrete are enough to combat some harmful effects during concrete production. Papercrete is considered to be one of the cheap or economic concrete alternatives.

The workability of this concrete alternative material is good enough; it can be molded into different shapes. The concrete blocks made from papercrete are lightweight.

Along with the advantages, there are some disadvantages of papercrete. The damp resistance of paper is low and has Less compressive strength than traditional concrete.

6. Bamboo

In many countries, Bamboo has replaced steel, has modern innovation comes with new ideas regarding concrete alternatives.

Bamboo is considered one of the best concrete alternatives as they possess characteristics like tensile strength, lightweight, and fast-growing renewable nature.

 

Bamboo is mainly used in framing buildings and shelters, as these are locally available building materials and cost very little compared to conventional materials.

 

7. Glasscrete

In galsscrete, glass substitutes fine aggregates in the concrete mixture, and the glass is broken into small pieces. The concrete mix of glasscrete includes cement, coarse aggregate, and glass aggregate components.

Concrete with broken glass has better workability than concrete with natural. sand. Using glass can increase the durability and efficiency of the concrete.

Read more about Glasscrete

8. Hempcrete

Hempcrete, also known as hemplime, is a bio-composite material that can be used in construction as an alternative to materials such as concrete and traditional insulation.

Hempcrete is made by using the woody inner fiber of the hemp plant. The manufacturing process of hempcrete involves bounding hemp fibers with Lime to crate concrete-like shapes that are lighter and stronger.

Some advantages of hemperete are that they are super lightweight, and hemp is a renewable resource as they are grown continuously.

 

9. Micro Silica

Micro silica is the by-product of ferrosilicon alloy and silicon production and from the condensation of silicon dioxide, which comes as an ultra-fine powder. Micro silica is also known as Silica Fumes.

Micro silica has a great advantage; when added to the concrete mixture, they increase the durability of concrete by making concrete less porous and increasing its compressive strength.

Burj Khalifa is constructed using Micro Silica

This type of concrete alternative is most often used in structures that are exposed to harsh conditions like exposure to chemicals when compared to conventional. concrete, This type of concrete is less harmful to the environment, thus making it an eco-friendly material.

 

10. Rammed Earth

Rammed earth is made by compacting dampened subsoil between temporary formwork. The earth, once cured, is strong, durable, and resistant to the elements with the right treatment. It can be further strengthened with the use of construction techniques like rebar and steel frames.

Because the mixture of subsoil needed for rammed earth is readily available on many construction sites, it can sometimes be as easy to source as concrete — or even easier.

Construction crews require only minimal training on the material to build new structures using it. Building a rammed earth structure is a labour-intensive process, however, meaning that labour costs for a building may be higher when rammed earth is used. A crew will also need at least one skilled laborer to lead the construction process.

The material also has a unique visual appearance. It’s multi-colored, and with the layers of soil visible in the final product, it makes a good choice for clients who want a distinctive building facade or interior walls.

11. Timbercrete

Timbercrete is made from a mixture of waste sawdust and cement. It’s lighter than concrete, and because it reduces the amount of cement necessary for each brick or slab, it’s also less carbon-intensive. Depending on the ratio of sawdust to cement, it can be comparably strong and weather-resistant.

12. Ferrock

Ferrock is a carbon-negative concrete alternative. The material’s name comes from ferrous rock, but it is primarily composed of waste steel dust and ground silica glass.

The material generates significantly less carbon dioxide than concrete. It’s also very strong — around five times more sturdy than Portland cement. It’s also flexible, meaning it can bend without breaking due to compression or seismic action.

On the construction site, the material sets faster than concrete, making it practical for jobs where speed is necessary. The material can be hard to source due to its novelty, but in areas where it is available, it makes an excellent alternative to concrete.

 

 

 

What Is Grasscrete? Types of Grasscrete

What Is Grasscrete? Types of Grasscrete

 

Introduction

Grasscrete is manufactured by a simple process by pouring concrete over styrene void formers. It is thus a cast on site cellular reinforced concrete system with void created by formers.

Former is fundamentally equipment or a mould that forms voids in the concrete, which can be filled later with a variety of porous materials such as stone, gravel or vegetation.

Grasscrete is one of the pavements methods where instead of the plain paving surface, vegetation or grass is grown on the surface, which gives an appealing look to pavements or driveways.

Grasscrete consists of a reinforced cellular cast on-site concrete on that one can grow natural grass by filling those voids with either soil or stones. These voids are created with the help of plastic formers (generally called moulds).

This type of pavement is widely adopted in major cities and modern designs because of its aesthetically appealing and environmentally favorable.

Types Of Grasscrete

  1. Stone Filled Grasscrete
  2. Partially Concealed Grasscrete
  3. Concealed Grasscrete

 

1. Stone Filled Grasscrete

As the name suggests, in stone-filled grasscrete instead of soil, crushed stones are filled between the concrete. These crushed stones’ size comes in a range of 1/2 inches to 3/4 inches.

Generally, the draining capacity of stone-filled grasscrete rates up to 480 inches per hour with 100% water retention. The main reason to consider this one is that it is considered a low-maintenance design, and it is best suited for traffic sustained areas and provides max percolation rates.

This type of Grasscrete is ideal if you are looking for considerably a low maintenance design. Stone filled Grasscrete is perfect for sustained traffic areas. Furthermore, it provides maximum percolation rates. It is both functional and environment friendly.

This grasscrete type is used for:

  • Military Installations
  • Access Roads
  • Vehicle Parking
  • Fire and Emergency Access

 

2. Partially Concealed Grasscrete

 

In this type of grasscrete, the vegetation or the grass is placed parallel to the concrete. Usually, concrete with a thickness of 51/2″ is provided along with a half-inch space to protect the root alongside the vegetation.

Partially concealed grasscrete is eco-friendly and pleasing in appearance. It is most suited for sustained traffic areas.

This grasscrete type is used for:

  • Road Shoulders
  • Access Roads
  • Driveways
  • Fire and Emergency Access
  • Vehicle Parking

 

3. Concealed Grasscrete

In concealed grasscrete, a layer of soil with linch thickness is laid on the concrete. While the concert below has a depth of five and a half inches.

The vegetation or the grass laid on the soil surface. These types of grasscrete are best suited for low-traffic areas.

This grasscrete type is used for:

  • Medians
  • Low traffic access roads
  • Overflow vehicle parking
  • Fire and emergency access

 

Advantages Of Grasscrete

 

There are various advantages, including Economical, Structural, and Environmental benefits.

1. Economical Advantages

 

Longer Lifecycle:

Grasscrete has a longer lifecycle in comparison to the other conventional impervious paving systems. In fact, Grasscrete has installations that go back in time as far as 1974 that is still in place today.

Reduces Costly Infrastructure;

One of the unique properties of Grasscrete is that, it allows natural water infiltration. And it is also established that treating stormwater is not a practical solution but is also regulated by a number of agencies. Thus, the need for expensive stormwater infrastructure such as curbs, gutters and underground piping can be reduced or even eliminated in some cases.

Low Maintenance Costs:

The most viable option associated with low maintenance cost is the stone filled Grasscrete. It is also the most widely used Grasscrete. Clogging of the voids in areas having slope less than 1% is not typical although, these voids can be cleaned out easily.

2. Environmental Benefits of Grasscrete:

 

Increases Green Space and Reduces Heat Island Effect:

Heat islands are nothing but the built up areas that are hotter than the nearby rural areas. The visually appealing green space/vegetation reduces the heat Island effect, thereby creating a comfortable, attractive and a calming parking area for the use of vehicles. This is how Grasscrete allows a barren vehicular area transform into a green urban oasis.

Uses Recycled Materials:

The use of recycled material is encouraged in Grasscrete right from the manufacturing process of the concrete mix to fill the voids and the sub base layers. Grasscrete maintains its environmental focus by utilizing the recycled materials to its 100% capacity.

Infiltration of Storm Water:

Grasscrete not only maintains the natural equilibrium of the groundwater recharge but also significantly reduces the runoff. Infiltration of the stormwater in Grasscrete is at about the same rate as any other ordinary lawn located in the same area.

 

 

 

error: Content is protected !!
Exit mobile version