Lightweight Concrete and Application in Construction Industry

LIGHTWEIGHT CONCRETE AND APPLICATION IN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

CHAPTER ONE

TOPIC- LIGHTWEIGHT CONCRETE AND APPLICATION IN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

1.0

INTRODUCTION

Concrete is one of the most popular construction materials used since hundred years ago. Because of its flexibility in usage it becomes more important and is prefe preferre rred d compar compared ed to timber timber or steel. steel. The combin combinati ation on of cement cement,, coarse coarse aggregate, fine aggregate and water makes up a concrete. It is an acceptable fact now that not only the strength of concrete which plays a main role, in deciding the quality of concrete but what matters most is the durability at services stage. This technological advancement forms a challenge to mankind to look into various ways and means to improve concrete.

Aggregate is one of the important ingredients in term of strength and bonding in concr concret ete. e. In gener general al,, aggr aggreg egat atee in concr concret etee can be defi define ned d as thos thosee havin having g apparen apparentt specif specific ic gravit gravity y of 2.4 or above. above. Aggregat Aggregatee can be divide divided d furthe further r according to their particle shape such as rounded irregular, angular and flaky and according to their surface texture, i.e. glassy, smooth, granular rough, crystalline and honey, combed and porous. By virtue of the aggregate’s density, the concrete produce is quite heavy and has a density of about 2400kg/m³.

Reducing concrete density will lead to economical construction because it reduces the cost of transportation, handling and constructability. One of the ideas to make concrete lighter is by the introduction of lightweight aggregate and air entraining agent. Using lightweight aggregate and air entraining agent in the concrete results 1


reduction of dead load, faster construction time and lower haulage and handling cost.

It is this true that the application of LWC (Lightweight concrete) is limited to certain purposes compared to normal concrete, but the introduction of LWC gives more alternative alternative to constructi construction on industry, industry, which currently currently focuses on natural natural resour resources ces.. Some Some of the lightw lightweig eight ht aggreg aggregate ate are manufa manufactu ctured red from from waste waste material such as Lytag, whereby it was produced from pulverized fuel ash (PFA). Study shows that in Malaysia the use of LWC is gaining popularity whereby in the 1994, more than 100,000m² of LWC panel have been produced and it can be said that the demand for the coming year will increase [MCB Concrete Product Sdn. Bhd, 1994].

Some Some of the the majo majorr proj projec ectt wher wheree LWC LWC panel panelss had been been used used and and prov proved ed beneficial areas follows:i. Taman Rasah Rasah Jaya Single Single-stor -storey ey link link houses, houses, Seremban. Seremban. In this this project, project, M-PANELS (LWC panel) is used as a wall element. The standard MPANE PANELS LS is 100mm 100mm wide wide with with lengt length h avai availa labl blee from from 150m 150mm, m, in 100mm increments. ii. ii. Terrac Terracee houses houses of Taman Taman Puteri, Puteri, Kulai Kulai,, Johor. Johor. iii. iii. Housin Housing g project project Desa Desa May, May, Pulau Pulau Pina Pinang. ng. iv. Venice Venice Hill’s Hill’s Condom Condomoni onium, um, Cheras Cheras,, Selangor Selangor..

The LWC panels produced for the above mentioned projects are able to withstand the industria industriall enviro environme nment. nt. This This is evident evident of the capabili capability ty of LWC in the construction industry. It is of paramount importance that research on LWC be extended and intensified to incorporate other durability test that normally done on normal concrete. By so doing the effectiveness of LWC can be compared to normal concrete.

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1.1 1.1

ISSU ISSUE E OF OF THE THE TO TOPI PIC C / PROB PROBLE LEMS MS ST STAT ATEM EMEN ENT T

LWC (Lightweight Concrete) has been adopted all around the world for the last 2 decades. But, in Malaysia the use of LWC is not very common; this may be due d ue to large amount of gravel aggregate still available in the market. Malaysia imports lightweight lightweight aggregates aggregates from France and Germany, Germany, and in 1983, lightweigh lightweightt wall panel factory was set up at Nilai, Negeri Sembilan.

Based on the statement, we know that the construction industry in Malaysia have a problem about the LWC application. May be it is not popular relating expensive cost, less knowledge and experience, not having enough the skill worker, the machinery and appliance to constructed the LWC is not enough, or other reasons.

1.2

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

1. To understand the Lightweight concrete and level of application in construction industry mainly Malaysia. 2. To compare the strength and density of LWC with normal concrete. 3. To kno know that that the the dif differ ferent ent types pes of LWC LWC and and appl appliicati cation on in construction industry.

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1.3 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The main purpose of this research is to know what is the lightweight concrete and used level in construction industry at Malaysia. Any factor will be included in this resear research ch as a recomm recommenda endati tion. on. This This resear research ch methodo methodolog logy y select selected ed for this this research is interview and get information from developer or local authorities, get information from oversea such as UK and other countries about the lightweight concrete and also from reference books so that related the lightweight concrete and application in construction industry at Malaysia.

Our study also using 3 sites to research about the lightweight concrete in Malaysia and choice the site at around Selangor state, it is because the Selangor state is develop state in Malaysia and attempt to develop the lightweight concrete in our country country.. It also also suitab suitable le with with Rancan Rancangan gan Malays Malaysia ia ke-9 ke-9 when when the Malays Malaysia ia governm government ent wants wants at each each govern governmen mentt

projec projectt must must use the light lightwei weight ght

concrete although small amount.

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1.4

METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY

This This stage stage involv involves es the procedure procedure of collec collectin ting g data data in order order to achieve achieve the objectives of this research. This stage can be divided into two categories: -

1.4.1 .4.1

Primary da data:

This is a process of obtaining main data for the research. The data and information are obtained by conducting interviews and getting information with the developer and local authorities on the lightweight concrete in Malaysia. The data will be collected through

the appointment, ask questionnaire and comparison

to find if they

could be classified in order to give the best result of

the research.

1.4. 1.4.2 2

Seco Second ndar ary y data data::

These data will be obtained through reading and analyzing the information resources that related to the research topic.

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1.5

STAGES OF THE RESEARCH

To achieve the objectives of this study, the research will perform the following:-

INITIAL START

REASON FOR STUDY

ESTABLISH OBJECTIVES

LITERATURE REVIEW

AN OVERVIEW OF LWC

CASE STUDY

DATA ANALYSIS

OUTCOME OF THE STUDY

FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATION AND CONCLUSION

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Figure 1.1 Research Process

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Lightweight Concrete and Application in Construction Industry

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