The Masterbuilder - August 2012 - Fabric Architecture and High Rise Construction Special

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Aquarius Engineers Pvt.Ltd
Aquarius Engineers Pvt.Ltd
Pidilite Industries (Dr.Fixit)
JCB India Ltd
Balaji Awnings Industries
Loya Constructions Pvt.Ltd
Techny Chemy
Marini India Pvt Ltd (Fayat India)
EDITOR'S COMMENT
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Tall Buildings and Sustainability

f the recent announcements on the number of tall buildings are anything to go by, then architecture in India is surely heading towards a growth spurt. Architects across the country are unlocking air rights, breaking through traditional height barriers and looking up to the sky in order to make the most of a small footprint of prime metropolitan land. While there is no denying that this is expected to create an imposing skyline, some food for thought is - Are tall buildings truly as functional as they are designed to be? Not really. According to a greater number in the industry who are certain that this battle for the tallest may come at the cost of a buildings lifespan. While there is a lot of debate surrounding whether high-rise buildings are in comparison more carbon inefficient than low-rise structures, this has not discouraged the growing number of supposedly green skyscraper across the country. Water treatment plants, farms, waste management and entire communities are all moving upwards, offering to use the basic inner-city skyscraper design model to bring environmental elements into space-short areas. The question however is - Will it really work as planned? Operational windows are out of the question in a skyscraper due to high wind issues, making natural climate control a near impossibility. Furthermore, ventilation in square plated buildings is a challenge and with the sheer width of the buildings, natural lighting of conventional skyscrapers in all areas and particularly in central spaces is in a way unrealistic. These are not the type of buildings that can be easily retrofitted or even newly designed and constructed to be optimally green. The cost to efficiently and sufficiently light, cool and run tall buildings that are completely on-grid and have no capability to perform these tasks naturally will simply be way too expensive for the future generation and as a consequence these structures will need to be redeveloped, or may be just abandoned. Tall buildings have been often referred to as the Hummers of the architecture world, and while both these buildings and Hummers may seem symbols of modern technology on a superficial level, their inefficiency in common carbon cutting goals makes them unviable Competition may very well be the force behind why some exceedingly tall buildings have surfaced. For human beings, there is a show of power behind height. It represents authority, strength and leadership. However, is competition leading to a misuse of height? Essentially, it is leading to a barrage of the next big thing, and then to the next, changing cityscapes to represent this trend. Should the architectural ambitions of Indians be restricted to height? Height is but one aspect of a building and should be treated as such. While this may be a reality, it does not nessecerly mean that one needs to continually glorify them like we do today. We need to take our focus off height as a building's omnipotent feature and put them back onto buildings that offer a more comprehensive solution to the demands of the ever growing urban middle class.
K.P Pradeep, Editor-in-Chief

editor@masterbuilder.co.in
Gandhi Automations Pvt.Ltd
Contents
Editor's Comment.......................10 Advertisers Index.......................20

Metal Building: Condensation
MB Bureau Report
Condensation Phenomena in Metal Buildings
168
100 110 122 128 136 144 152 156
Classification Index....................22 News & Events............................24
46 50
Earthquake Engineering: Rocking Systems Controlled Rocking System with Replaceable Fuses Minimizing Earthquake Damage in Buildings
Bhavani Balakrishna
Ground Engineering Geogrid Reinforced Basal Foundation for Soft Soil Stabilisation CE: Aerial Work Platforms ' BOOM Time Ahead: Lifting Aerial Work Platforms to New Heights! Fabric Architecture: Analysis Tensile Fabric Structures: Demand Rides on the Back of Design & Application Versatility
M.K. Prabhakar, Associate Editor
Job Thomas , Binsu C. Kovoor , Jeesan Jose , Krishnan C.E. Corresponding Author, Reader in Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, Assistant Professor in Information Technology, 3Graduate Student, 4 Principal, Sree Gurukulam College of Engineering, Ernakulam, India Cochin University of Science and Technology
1 2
Project Management: Research Ant Colony Optimization Module for Scheduling of Resource Constrained Construction Project
1 2 3 4
Chaitanya Raj Goyal
58 68 76 82 88 96
Corrosion in Concrete Critical Chloride Content in Reinforced Concrete

Sonjoy Deb, B.Tech,'Civil' Associate Editor
MB Bureau Report
Fabric Architecture: ETFE An Insight into ETFE - History, Application & Future
High Performance Concrete An Approach towards High Performance Concrete

Communication Feature MT 3000-2 Offset: The Versatile VGELE Feeder with Pivoting Conveyor Focus: Batching Plants Buying Your First Concrete Batching Plant: Things to Consider Before Buying
Special Correspondent
Andrzej Ambroziak, Pawel Klosowski Department of Structural Mechanics and Bridge Structures, Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Gdansk University of Technology, Poland.
Fabric Architecture Example of Tension Fabric Structure Analysis
Fabric Architecture: London Olympics 2012 Tensile Fabric: Leading the Medal Tally in London Olympics 2012
Bhavani Balakrishna
Road Engineering: Rural Infrastructure Innovative Construction Technology for Quality Construction of Rural Road
Fabric Architecture: Connection Assemblies Tensile Fabric Structures: Factors to be Considered for Arriving at the Right Type of Connection Assemblies
Dr. S K Chaudhary, Assistant Engineer, Road Construction Department, Bihar
Communication Feature ETFE: The Preferred Choice for Roofing Solutions
Industry Interaction JCB - Buoyant About the Future
166 High Performance Qik Boom Barrier's from Gandhi Automations
144 110
12 The Masterbuilder - August 2012 www.masterbuilder.co.in
152
122
Enviro Geosynthetics Pvt.Ltd
Contents
194 Cat 197
120K2 Boosts Transstroy's Business Goals
Buildings: Sustainability 174 Tall Tall Buildings and Sustainability: Myth or Reality?
World Class Safety Standards in Spartan Tower Cranes
198 Shriram Automall (SAMIL): Deals Anything On Wheels

3000-2 Offset: The Versatile VGELE Feeder 202 MT with Pivoting Conveyor
Rise: Building Technology 180 High Building Big: Civil Engineering Behind Skyscrapers
MB Bureau Report
Rise Building: Super Fibers 191 High Use of Super Fibers in Sky Scrapers
204 The Truth behind Sustainable Development and Materials 206 A Comparison of Various Waterproofing Materials Buildings 158 Metal Pre-Engineered Metal Buildings
MB Bureau Report
& Placement 209 Training Skilled Manpower for Construction: Is it Really Alarming
Rajeev.Jain, Senior Additional Director, CIDC
Power 212 Infrastructure: States Agree to Avoid Future Power Grid Crises
M J Krishna, Associate Editor
180 158 174 212

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The Masterbuilder - August 2012 www.masterbuilder.co.in
H & K Rolling Mill Engineers Pvt.Ltd
Contents
Advertisers Index
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20 Microns A1 Decors Action Construction Equipment Ajax Fiori Engineering India (P) Ltd Ancon Enterprises Apollo Infratech Pvt.Ltd Aquarius Engineers Pvt.Ltd Asons Enterprises Atul Fasteners Ltd Balaji Awnings Industries Bauma China 2012 BC India (Bauma Conexpo Show) Buildmat 2013 Case New Holland Construction Equipment (India) Pvt.Ltd Cera Chem India Pvt.Ltd Cosmos Construction Machineries & Equipments Pvt.Ltd Cosmos Sales Corporation Desire Construction Systems DFI India 2012 Encon Enviro Geosynthetics Pvt.Ltd Esquire - CMAC Pvt.Ltd Everest Tent Technologies FIAB Forensic Geotechnical 65 Gandhi Automations Pvt.Ltd Garware Wall Ropes Ltd (Synthesis) H & K Rolling Mill Engineers Pvt.Ltd Hercules Fibers
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11 115 Pennar Engineered Building Systems Ltd Perfect Tensile Structure Pidilite Industries (Dr.Fixit) Polyflex Raajratna Metal Industries Ltd Reach International Reliance Industries Ltd Relyon Facility Services Roljack Industries Safari Construction Equipments Pvt.Ltd Schwing Stetter (India) Pvt. Ltd Skyshade Technologies
P
43 139 Front inner - 1 27
A
165 113 85 125 91 Gatefold 119 121
H
19 23
R
41 114 149 177 141
I
ICI - 2 days National Seminar on Modern Equipment 186 /187 Igloo Tiles Indiachem -2012 (FICCI) INSTRUCT Ironite Co. of India Ltd JBA Concrete Solutions JCB India Ltd JK Cement Ltd Kalyan Industries Kaushalpati Infra Equipments Pvt.Ltd Kumkang Kind India Larsen & Toubro Ltd Lipi Polymers Pvt.Ltd Liugong India Pvt.Ltd Loya Constructions Pvt.Ltd Maco Corporation India Pvt.Ltd Marini India Pvt Ltd (Fayat India) MC - Bauchme (I) Pvt Ltd. Metecno India Pvt.Ltd MM Castings (P) Ltd MMI India Pvt.Ltd Nina Concrete Systems Pvt.Ltd 103 190 179 147
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Front inner - 2 61 167 183 203 BASF Construction Chemicals (I) Pvt.Ltd
S
49 35 163
J
71 2nd Wrapper 21
Southern Agro Implements P Ltd (Toshniwal Systems & Instruments Pvt.ltd ) 161 Spartan Engineering industries Pvt.Ltd STP Ltd Tashi India Ltd Techny Chemy The Masterbuilder Corporate Ad The Masterbuilder Subscription Form Thermoshield Ultratech Cement Ltd Unisteel Engineering Works United Steel & Structurals Pvt. Ltd 151 95
C
31 57 155 157
K
177 163 78 / 79
T
25 8 197 207 167
L
33 131 37 7
D
39 195
U
Back Cover 97 99
E
133 13 143 127
M
109 9 53 Back Inner 107 177
Universal Construction Machinery & Equipment Ltd 87
V
Venus Equipments & Tools Pvt.Ltd Western Outdoor Structures Pvt.Ltd Wirtgen India Pvt.Ltd WISE INDIA 171 /173
F
165 199
W
135 29 209
N
67 / 75
20
JK Cement Ltd
Contents
Advertisers Index / Classification

Admixtures 20 Microns 65 Aerial Boom Lift Kaushalpati Infra Equipments Pvt. Ltd. 163 Maco Corporation (India) Pvt. Ltd. 109 Reach International 114 Cement JK Cement Ltd. UltraTech Cement Ltd. 21 Back Cover Crushing Roljack Industries Doors -Automatic Gandhi Automation Pvt. Ltd. EPC L&T Construction Exhibition BAU-2013 Munich Bauma China-2012 Fibre Reinforcement Hercules Fibers Tashi Reinforcements LLP Flooring Ironite Company of India Ltd. JBA Concrete Solution Kalyan Industries Reliance Industries Ltd. Tashi Reinforcements LLP 141 11 33 177 167 23 25 147 71 177 149 25 STP Ltd. Technychemy Roofing United Steel & Structurals Pvt. Ltd. Roofing Fastners Asons Enterprises Atul Fastners Ltd. Scaffolding Cosmos Sales Corporation Shuttering Plywood Desire Construction System Steel Reinforcement Raajratna Metal Industries Limited Sustainable Building Materials Thermoshield India Private Limited Tensile Membrane Lipi Polymer Pvt Ltd 95 8 99 119 121 157 39 41 167 131
Concrete Machinery & Equipment Ajax Fiori Engineering (I) Pvt. Ltd. 85 Apollo Infratech Pvt. Ltd. 91 Aquarius Engineers Pvt. Ltd. Gate Fold Schwing Stetter India Pvt. Ltd. 35 Concreting Equipment Toshaniwal System & Instrument Pvt. Ltd.
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Construction Machinery & Equipment Action Construction Equipment Ltd. 113 Ajax Fiori Engineering (I) Pvt. Ltd. 85 Apollo Infratech Pvt. Ltd. 91 Aquarius Engineers Pvt. Ltd. Gate Fold Case New Holland Construction Equipments (India) Pvt. Ltd. 31 Cosmos Construction Machineries & Equipment (P) Ltd. 155 Esquire Cmac Pvt. Ltd. 143 JCB India Ltd. 2nd Wrapper Liugong India Pvt. Ltd. 37 Marini India 9 Schwing Stetter India Pvt. Ltd. 35 Spartan Engineering Industries Pvt. Ltd. 151 Unisteel Engineering Works 97 Universal Construction Machinery & Equipment Ltd. 87 Wirtgen India 29 Cranes Action Construction Equipment Ltd. Cosmos Construction Machineries & Equipment (P) Ltd. Safari Construction Equipments Pvt. Ltd. Spartan Engineering Industries Pvt. Ltd. 113 155 49 151
Flooring & Concrete Paving Machinery Venus Equipment and Tools Pvt. Ltd. 171 / 173 Formwork Desire Construction System Kumkangkind India Geosynthetics Enviro Geosynthetics Pvt. Ltd. OEM M M Casting (P) Ltd. 39 78 / 79 13 107
Tensile Membrane Structures A1 Decors 165 Ancon Enterprises 125 Balaji AE Industries Front inner -2 Encon 133 Everest Tent Technologies 127 Garware Wall Ropes Ltd 115 Perfect Tensile Structures 139 Skyshade Technologies Pvt. Ltd 163 Western Outdoors Structures Pvt. Ltd. 135 Tensile Welding Machine FIAB Tiles Igloo Tiles 165 103
PEB Loya Pre Engineered Buildings Pvt. Ltd. 7 Metecno India Pvt. Ltd. Back Inner Pennar Engineered Building Systems Ltd 43 Repair and Rehabilation BASF India Limited 61 Cera-Chem Pvt. Ltd. 57 MC - Bauchme (I) Pvt Ltd. 53 Nina Concrete Systems Pvt. Ltd. 67 / 75 Pidilite Industries Ltd. (Dr. Fixit) Front inner -1 Poly Flex 27
TMT-Technology Suppliers H & K Rolling Mills Engineering Pvt. Ltd.19 Waterproofing Technychemy BASF India Limited Cera-Chem Pvt. Ltd. MC - Bauchme (I) Pvt Ltd. Pidilite Industries Ltd. ( Dr. Fixit) Poly Flex STP Ltd. 8 61 57 53 Front inner -1 27 95
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Hercules Fibers
News & Events
CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT
Chinese equipment major Zoomlion's first direct overseas investment in India
Chinese construction equipment manufacturer Zoomlion clinched a deal to set up a joint venture plant in India with ElectroMech, India's largest industrial crane manufacturer. This is Zoomlin's first directly invested overseas plant. Zoomlion will hold 70 percent stake while the Indian counterpart ElectroMech will hold the remaining 30 percent stake. After signing the agreement with ElectroMech in Changsha, central China's Hunan province, He Wenjin, Vice President of Changsa Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science and Technology Development Co Ltd said that the company has a long term stratergy in Indian market and plans to invest $ 100 million to bolster its business development in Indian in
Caterpillar Grader Series Meets European Norms
the next five years. The joint venture will specialze in tower crane production and expects to reach $ 50 million in annual sales in five years. Tushar Mehendale, Managing Director of ElectroMech said that India has planned to invest $ 1 trillion on infrastructure construction in next five years and is the right time for the Chinese machinery producer to enter the market.
Revival of Loss Making CPSEs
The Board for Reconstruction of Public Sector Enterprises (BRPSE) has so far given its recommendations for revival of 59 Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) and closure of 3 CPSEs to the Government, Minister for Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises Mr Praful Patel said. Based on the recommendations of BRPSE, Government has so far approved revival of 43 CPSEs and closure of 2 CPSEs envisaging total assistance of ` 26,108 crores that included a cash assistance of ` 4,505
crores in the form of infusion of funds and non-cash assistance of ` 21,603 crores in the form of waivers/write offs of interest/loans, conversion of loans into equity, etc. from Government of India. The remaining 17 cases are at different stages of consideration by the Government. The Department of Heavy Industry, Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises is making all efforts for the revival of sick/loss making CPSEs by making them competitive and profitable. The Department has started the process of undertaking a fresh appraisal of the status of each such CPSE with a view to assessing the prospects of its revival on case to case basis. As per the process established for considering restructuring/revival of CPSEs, cases of identified CPSEs under the Department are placed before the BRPSE for suitable recommendations. After approval of revival schemes of sick CPSEs by the Government, funds are released to such CPSEs as sanctioned in the revival packages.
Caterpillar was to improve its grader series in order to adapt them to the European norm has finally achieved it by introducing M series: the 120M2 and 12M2 Cat graders. These graders are equipped with variable power engines that have the ACERT technology developed by the construction equipment make. The 120M2 and 12M2 graders can respectively reach a power of 141kW and 166kW at the maximum of their capacities. In order to comply with the requirements of the Tier 4 norm, Caterpillar equipped its graders with an after-treatment and reduction of nitrogen oxides emissions system. The fuel consumption is reduced due to a system that emits less power in the first gears and additional horsepower in each forward gear 5th through 8th.
Central Excise Issues Notice To L&T
The central excise department had issued a notice on Larsen and Toubro (L&T) for alleged non-payment of excise duty of ` 160 crore against import of heavy earth moving vehicles through M/s Komatsu India Pvt Ltd. L&T allegedly cleared the goods without payment of duty and registration under central excise and had cleared a substantial quantity of these parts and removed them from the factory without payment of duty.
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Tashi India Ltd
News & Events
INFRASTRUCTURE POWER
All industries to work for four days a week due to acute power shortage in Andhra Pradesh
energy, has undertaken a collaborative research, development and demonstration project with Talboom, a Belgian firm to harness geothermal energy in South Cambay Basin (Gandhar field) by setting up a pilot power plant. The first of its kind pilot power plant of 3-5 MW scale would be set up through a 50:50 joint venture between OEC and Talboom by 2013-14. OEC expects South Cambay basin zone to have the potential to generate few hundred mega watts of geothermal energy. OEC will be using one of its dry wells and also dig a new well in the said zone. At about 150-170 degree centigrade the company will take out hot water and through that it generate steam to run the power plant, Talboom will provide technical know how for the project. Long-Wall (PSLW) Technology or Continuous Miner (CMs) Technology or other appropriate technologies like Blasting Gallery Technology with remote controlled Load Haul Dumpers (LHDs), Highwall Technology etc. Currently, eight numbers of Continuous Miner Machines are operational in different subsidiaries of CIL. One Highwall Technology Project is operational in South Eastern Coalfields Ltd. Further, CIL has drawn an action plan for technology upgradation in the12th Plan, as per which seven longwall technology projects and twenty one continuous miner technology projects are envisaged which includes four continuous miner projects in MCL. Tenders of two Longwall Projects, one each in Eastern Coalfields Ltd. and Bharat Coking Coal Ltd. have been finalized recently. In case of Opencast Mines, different technologies namely, Shovel-dumper combination, dragline operation, surface miner operations, crushing and conveying technology etc. have already been adopted. Adoption of higher capacity heavy earth moving machinery (dumpers, shovels, dozers, draglines, drill machines, surface miners) is a continuous process. The Minister said that the new technologies for exploration using geo-physical seismic surveys and remote sensing techniques, including 2D and 3 D high resolution seismic surveys have already been adopted for coal exploration. Further, high capacity hydro-static drills have been procured by CMPDIL for higher rate of drilling and better productivity. Technology upgradation is a continuous process. With the help of the various technologies adopted in the mines of CIL, the coal production is envisaged to increase from the level of about 436 Million Tonnes achieved in 2011-12, the terminal year of the 11th Five Year Plan to 615 Million Tonnes in 2016-17, the terminal year of the 12th Five Year Plan. Technology adoption is through Global tendering process for foreign collaboration. Since indigenous manufacturing facilities for mining equipment are limited, the global tendering process would provide access to best technology and best practices available in the world, he added.
The present shortage of power is estimated at about 67 MU per day in Andhra Pradesh eventhough AP Transco has increased the purchases from 16 MU to 29 MU, when compared to August last year. The company blames failure of monsoon and consequent negligible inflows of water into Hydel reservoirs for severe power shortage. The Hydel generation that remained at 36 MU last year during the month of August has drastically come down to 6 MU during the same period this year. The reduction in gas supplies from KG D-6 field resulted in fall of generation from 39 MU to 22 MU. Additional power purchases could not be made due to non-availability of corridor between new grid to southern grid. The Transco has announced revised load relief pattern effective where in there would be three hour power cuts in Hyderabad, Tirupati, Visakhapatnam, Vizayawada and Warangal and five hours in district headquarters and corporations, six hours in towns, municipalities and mandal headquarters. Transco has declared three day power holiday for all industries in a week in the State.
Indigenous manufacturing facilities for mining Equipments limited
OEC to tie up with Talboom to produce geothermal energy

ONGC Energy Centre (OEC), a research division of ONGC on alternate
It is the endeavour of Coal India Ltd. (CIL) to introduce innovative and modern technologies to improve productivity in various subsidiary companies including Mahanadi Coalfield Ltd. (MCL), Pratik Prakashbapu Patil, Minister of State in the Ministry of Coal said. At the planning stage of Underground Mines based on the techno-economic feasibility, priority is given to adopt Powered Support
26
Polyflex
News & Events
INFRASTRUCTURE
Thorium Reserves found in Andhra Pradesh
of pipelines infrastructure is under various stages of implementation. The government has initiated multi-pronged measures to increase availability of natural gas in the country by intensification of domestic Exploration & Production (E&P) activities through New exploration Licensing Policy (NELP) rounds, Coal Bed Methane (CBM), Shale Gas, Gas Hydrates, Import of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) from various countries, and Transnational pipelines viz., Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-PakistanIndia(TAPI) pipeline and Iran-PakistanIndia (IPI) pipeline.
Exploration activities carried out by Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), a constituent unit of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), has resulted in establishing 3.74 million tones of Monazite in Andhra Pradesh which contains about 3,36,600 tonnes of thorium oxide equivalent to 2,96,000 tonnes of thorium metal, the Minister of State in the Ministry Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions and in the Prime Minister's Office, Shri V. Narayanasamy said. These reserves are explored and established. Indian three stage nuclear power programme is aimed at long term energy independence including use of thorium resources in the third stage. In order to realize this goal, presently, the first stage of programme is accomplished through the nuclear reactors based on natural uranium fuel. The second stage envisages setting up of Fast Breeder Reactors. A Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor is planned at Kalpakkam. The utilization of thorium would be technically possible only in the third stage. Since the country is still in the first stage of the nuclear power programme, the requirement of Thorium by 2020 is quite modest.
Regional Centre for Fluoride and Fluorosis Management at Gandhinagar will assist in providing solutions to Fluoride contamination in drinking water and Fluorosis management. The Government of India has constituted an Expert Committee under the Chairmanship of Director, National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Nagpur to finalize the terms of reference of the Institute and prepare Detailed Project Report. Under National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP), 67 percent of the funds released to the States can be spent on coverage and water quality problems including fluoride contamination in rural drinking water supply.
BHEL looking for acquisition opportunities in Europe and USA
Government focus on gas pipelines to meet growing demand
Looking to bolster its overseas foot prints, state-run Bharat Heavy Electricals is actively scouting for acquisition opportunities in Europe and the US. At present, the company is executing as many as 24 contracts spread across 19 countries, including Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Sudan, Syria and Vietnam. BHEL is actively pursuing acquisition opportunities in Europe and the USA in the areas of core technologies in energy sector, including renewables, transportation and transmission.
Fluoride Mitigation Centre to be set up in Gujarat

Fluoride Mitigation Centre (FMC) will be set up in Gujarat to bring solution to contamination of drinking water in Northern States within the 12th Five year Plan, Rural Development Minister and the Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation Mr Jairam Ramesh said. The More than 11,000 km of cross-country gas pipelines have been laid so far for connecting the consumption centers for supply of gas, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Mr R.P .N.Singh said. Another 14,000 km
Defense mechanism and protection system to ensure integrated operations of national and regional grids
The central government has asked all the eastern and the north-eastern states including Delhi, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh to take necessary defence mechanism and protection systems to ensure inte-
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Wirtgen India Pvt.Ltd
News & Events
INFRASTRUCTURE
Project aims to create new industrial cities with manufacturing as the key economic driver. It passes through the 6 States of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. The preparation of the Perspective Plan for the overall DMIC region is complete. Land acquisition process has been initiated by all the DMIC States, except Uttar Pradesh. Financial and Institutional Structure for development of the industrial cities in DMIC has been approved by the Government of India on 15th September, 2011.
grated operations of the national and regional tranmission grids in adherence with the Indian Electricity Grid Code The central government has adviced the state government to have independent third party audit of the protection systems for power grids within three months and the process would be monitored by regional power committees. The other proposal that was approved include improving the power grid.The defence plans of states, in case of grid failures, should include islanding schemes, special protection and automatic demand management schemes.
Central government has identified eight RRTS corridors

The central government has identified eight Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridors to connect various towns and areas of National Capital Region (NCR), Minister of State for Urban Development Mr. Saugata Roy said. The
corridors include Delhi Ghaziabad Meerut, Delhi Gurgaon Rewari Alwar, Delhi Faridabad Ballabgarh Palwal, Ghaziabad Khurja , Delhi Sonipat Panipat, Delhi Bahadurgarh Rohtak, Delhi Ghaziabad Hapur and Delhi Shahadra Baraut. Out of these, three corridors have been prioritized in consultation with the respective state governments for implementation. They are Delhi Ghaziabad Meerut ( 90.2 km), Delhi SonipatPanipat (111.2 km) and Delhi Gurgaon Rewari Alwar (180 km).
RAILWAYS
DMRC to compensate for 14,701 trees to be felled for Delhi MRTS Phase III project
DMIC project to link all industrial cities, in progress
A Concept Note has been prepared by the Ministry of Urban Development for inclusive economic development along the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor of Railways. The Western Dedicated Freight Corridor being constructed by the Railways is targeted for commissioning in March, 2017, Minister of State of Commerce and Industry, Mr Jyotiraditya M. Scindia said. The Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC)
Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (DMRC) is adhering to the policy of Forest Department, GNCTD for raising ten trees against felling of one tree, Minister of State for Urban Development Mr Saugata Roy said. DMRC has informed that a total of 14,701 numbers of trees are proposed to felled for Delhi MRTS Phase-III project. DMRC has further informed that there are no differences between the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD), Forest Department and DMRC. Forest Department considers the tree felling permissions on case to case basis. DMRC is depositing necessary security for compensatory plantation and maintenance of trees with the Forest Department, GNCTD and has requested them to take up the compensatory plantation on behalf of DMRC.
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Case New Holland Construction Equipment (India) Pvt.Ltd
News & Events
INFRASTRUCTURE
SHIPPING
Rolls Royce to design and power a highly specialised vessel for India
British power systems manufacturer Rolls-Royce has bagged a $12.6 million deal to design and power a highly specialised vessel that India will deploy in the strategically important Andaman and Niconbar Islands to maintain offshore navigational aids. Rolls-Royce, the global power systems company, has secured a 8 million pounds ($12.6 million) contract to design and power a highly specialised buoy tender vessel for India,' the company said in a release here. The vessel will be operating in remote waters off the east coast of India and around the Andaman & Nicobar Islands maintaining and replacing navigational aids and buoys. The buoy tender vessel is a Rolls-Royce UT 755 S, which is a (CCL) & Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) on 30.4.2012. No response has been received to the above mentioned EOI. Subsequently, in view of their past association with study of illegal mining of coal, CIL has requested Xavier Labour Research Institute (XLRI), Jamshedpur and Indian School of Mines (ISM), Dhanbad for undertaking the study of illegal mining of coal. Both have given their consent to take up the study. This was informed by Shri Pratik Prakashbapu Patil, Minister of State in the Ministry of Coal.
development of the UT 755 series and designed to operate safely in the most challenging conditions. In addition to the design, Rolls-Royce will also supply the main engines, propulsion system, automation and control system, deck machinery and shaft generators. The vessel will be built at the Cochin Shipyard and is due for delivery in 2015.
URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE
Infrastructure development of North Eastern Region on cards
COAL
State Mineral Policy framed by Meghalaya government
arrangements with Village Durbars to protect the source in order to ensure longevity of drinking water sources. Awareness programmes have been conducted to educate mine owners/ miners and mine dependent families on ill effects of unscientific mining and storage of coal. Sources of some drinking water supply schemes have had to be shifted due to contamination caused by mining and some major rivers in the area have been found to be unfit for human use. Jaintia Hills in particular is facing an acute drinking water crisis.
In order to address the issue of mining in Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya and its effect on water pollution, the state government of Meghalaya has framed a State Mineral Policy, Mr Jairam Ramesh, Rural Development Minister and the Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation said.. It has also entered into special
XLRI and ISM to assess the extent of illegal mining in major coal fields
The Coal India Limited (CIL) has floated an Expression of Interest (EOI) for selection of a consultant to assess the extent of illegal mining in the lease-hold areas of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), Central Coalfields Limited
The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Mr Paban Singh Ghatowar has said that Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region sanctions projects for infrastructure development of various sectors under Non-Lapsable Central pool of Resources (NLCPR) Scheme and Special BTC Package for development of North East Region (NER). All such sanctioned projects are implemented and executed by State Governments in North East Region including Sikkim. No funds from NLCPR have been sanctioned for providing relief for flood damages in Assam, the Minster added.
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Larsen & Toubro Ltd
News & Events
INFRASTRUCTURE
ROADS
Central government allotted ` 200.97 crore for NH maintenance in Uttarakhand
The central government has allotted ` 200.97 crore between 2009 and 2012 for maintenance of National Highways against which an expenditure of ` 150.45 crore has been incurred in the State of Uttarakhand, Minister of State of Road Transport and Highways, Dr. Tushar A. Choudhary said. The Ministry is primarily responsible for the development and maintenance of National Highways and is not responsible for maintenance of State roads including State Highways. He said there are 15 National Highways (NHs) viz NH-58, he said. Pace of road construction is adversely affected due to rainfall, landslides and other such natural phenomenon but it is not possible to quantify affect of these on road construction activity. He said, in order to accelerate construction of roads under SARDPNE, periodical review of projects with executing agencies is being taken regularly. Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has been instructed to switch over to execution of roads construction, through contract from current practice of Departmental Execution, since BRO was failing to meet time schedules of road construction
72, 72A, 72B, 73, 74, 87, 87(Extn.), 94, 108, 109, 119, 121, 123 and 125 with an aggregate length of 2149 Kms in Uttarakhand.
Delay In NH Projects Due To Land Acquisition And Environmental Clearances
one each in Haryana and Karnataka. Minister said the completion target of the projects are revised wherever necessary depending upon the bottlenecks and resolutions thereof. A highpowered committee has been set up in states under the chairmanship of concerned chief secretaries besides establishing special land acquisition units to minimise delays.
AIR PORTS
Airport infrastructure higher than the growth of economy in India

The growth in the investment in the airport infrastructure in the country has been higher than the growth of economy because air passengers traffic has been consistently growing at a higher growth rate than the growth rate of GDP , Minister of Civil Aviation Mr Ajit Singh said. The passengers traffic in the last ten years from the year 2002 has grown to 15% as against the GDP growth rate of 7% to 9%. To cope up with the higher growth of air traffic, the investment in airports was made keeping with the growth in the traffic. At the end of 11th Plan (2007-2012), total passenger handling capacity at all Indian airports was 197.77 million against the demand of 162.30 million passengers i.e. capacity is ahead of demand.
BRO To Execute Road Construction Through Contract Basis

About 58 ongoing National Highways Projects have delayed due to problems in land acquisition and environmental clearances, Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Tushar A Chaudhary said. The maximum number of 18 delayed projects was in Assam, followed by seven in Jammu & Kashmir and five each in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, he said. Projects facing delays on account of land acquisition included four in Rajasthan, two each in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh and The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Mr. Paban Singh Ghatowar has said that funds for Special Accelerated Road Development Programme in North East (SARDP-NE) are allotted by Ministry of Road Transport and Highways for entire programme, which are not State/ Project-wise. The government has allocated ` 1950 crore and spent ` 1940 crore in 2011-12. For the year 2012 2013, the government has allocated Rs 2000 crore and has spent ` 379 crore,
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Schwing Stetter (India) Pvt. Ltd
News & Events
CORPORATE
large broad-spectrum programme covering the entire range of new and renewable energies is implemented in the country. He placed special emphasis on developing reliable storage technologies and doing directed research that would improve the lives of people. Speaking on the need for going for research to cut costs, Dr. Chaidambaram, Principal Scientific Adviser to Government of India gave the example of polysilicon produced at economical cost will be critical to the development of solar power in India. Shri B.K.Chaturvedi, Member (Energy), Planning Commission said that the Planning Commission is supporting faster development and deployment of renewable energy technologies in the country. The 11th Five Year Plan witnessed an impressive progress in research and development and deployment in renewable energy sector. It may be mentioned that MNRE has sponsored 169 R&D projects in the area of solar energy, bioenergy and hydrogen and fuel cells with a total outlay of about ` 525 crore. He said that renewables contributed to nearly 14,660 MW power during the 11th Plan and they will become more important in future. Shri Gireesh Pradhan, Secretary of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy expressed the view that research should be directed towards application and deployment. Only then will renewable energy improve the lives of people. He told the gathering that the outlay for R&D activities in the Ministry per year is presently around ` 600 crore which is expected to be doubled in the 12th Five Year Plan. A Compendium on on-going R&D projects was released on the occasion by Hon'ble Minister of New and Renewable Energy, Dr.Farooq Abdullah. The objective of the Conclave was to present the on-going R&D projects funded by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and to seek the views of related stakeholders for faster development of renewable energy technologies in the country.
CORPORATE
Competition Commission penalises one more Cement Manufacturer
The Competition Commission of India passed its final order today in a restrictive trade practice inquiry against cement manufacturers and their trade association viz. Cement Manufacturers Association (CMA). The Commission in its order issued on 30th July found eleven cement manufacturers including M/s Shree Cement Limited and CMA in contravention of the provisions of the Competition Act, 2002 which deal with anti-competitive agreements including cartels. As the cement companies (except M/s Shree Cement Limited) were already found to be in cartel in Case No. 29 of 2010 and penalized by the Commission vide its order dated 20.06.2012, the Commission decided not to order remedies including imposition of penalty on such companies again for the same period of contravention. The inquiry was based on a case received on transfer from the Office of the Director General (Investigation & Registration) of the erstwhile Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission under section 66(6) of the Competition Act, 2002. The MRTP
Commission had initiated the investigations on the basis of press reports published in a business daily as well as on a letter of Builders Association of India. The Commission directed M/s Shree Cement Limited to cease and desist from indulging in any activity relating to agreement, understanding or arrangement on prices, production and supply of cement in the market. The Commission has also imposed a penalty on M/s Shree Cement Ltd. at the rate of 0.5 times of its profits for the years 2009-10 and 2010-11 aggregating to ` 397.51 crore.
SUSTAINABILITY
MNRE Fast Tracking New and Renewable Energy Technologies in the Country
In an attempt to give a boost to new and innovative technologies in the field of new and renewable energy applications, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) organized a twoday R&D Conclave on New and Renewable Energy-Prospects for Cross-Cutting Technologies from 9-
10th August, 2012 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The Minister for MNRE, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, who inaugurated the workshop said that the vision of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is to develop new and renewable energy technologies, process, materials, components, sub-systems, product and services at par with international specifications, standards and performance parameters, and deploy such indigenously developed and manufactured products and services in furtherance of the national goals of energy security and energy independence. A
36
Liugong India Pvt.Ltd
News & Events
CORPORATE
The two-day Conclave was attended by policy makers from relevant government departments , experts from R&D institutions , industries, eminent scientists and technologists from all over the country. In all, nineteen scientists presented the outcomes and results for their projects. The discussion during the sessions, which focussed on solar photovoltaic and solar thermal, new fuels and bio-energy technologies, provided provide an insight into possible projects to be taken up in the 12th Plan.
INFRASTRUCTURE
Railway Revenue Increases by 19.87 %.
Who said that the country's top transport operator and goods carrier cannot rake in the moolah? There was a time when any government service sector initiative would be conscious of the end cost for the user, the poor man, and price its services accordingly. This would be the case in the Indian Railways too. However, it was in the 70s and the 80s that more modern diesel and electrical locomotives rapidly started replacing the steam engines, while carriages and passenger facilities too were bettered. In the past decade the account books of the Indian Railways showed an increase in their profits, and coincidentally made a minister in charge of the portfolio a seemingly management-savvy star. The Railways have come a long way since the first trip from Bombay to Thane over a hundred and sixty years ago. When the account books for the AprilJuly period of 2012 was sent to news agencies, the figures showed a healthy state for the men of the railroad. The total earnings of Indian Railways on originating basis during the four months of the current fiscal were ` 39632.02 Crore. This compared to ` 33061.33 Crore during the same period last year, registering an increase of 19.87 per cent. The total goods earnings have gone up from ` 22272.05 Crore during the same period last financial year to ` 27617.27 Crore during the period this year, an increase of 24.00 per cent. The total passenger revenue earnings during first four months of the financial year 2012-13 were ` 10320.58 crore
compared to ` 9215.23 crore during the same period last year, registering an increase of 11.99 per cent. The revenue earnings from other coaching sources amounted to ` 1017.00 Crore during April-July 2012 compared to ` 919.74 Crore during the same period last year, an increase of 10.57 per cent. Out of the total earnings of ` 6487.94 crore from commodity-wise freight traffic during the month of July 2012, Rs. 2702.17 crore came from transportation of 39.36 million tonnes of coal, followed by ` 671.39 crore from 9.83 million tonnes of iron ore for exports, steel plants and for other domestic user, ` 587.09 crore from 8.18 million tonnes of cement, ` 499.83 crore from 3.83 million tonnes of foodgrains, ` 413.72 crore from 3.92 million tonnes of petroleum oil and lubricant (POL), ` 403.24 crore from 2.95 million tonnes of Pig iron and finished steel from steel plants and other points, ` 374.18 crore from 4.09 million tonnes of fertilizers, ` 114.86 crore from 1.33 million tonnes of raw material for steel plants except iron ore, ` 300.61 crore from 3.34 million tonnes by container service and ` 420.85 crore from 5.38 million tonnes of other goods. The total number of passengers booked during April-July 2012 was 2844.01 million compared to 2732.26 million during the same period last year, showing an increase of 4.09 per cent. In the suburban and non-suburban sectors, the number of passengers booked during April-July 2012 was 1459.38 million and 1384.63 million compared to 1411.42 million and 1320.84 million during the same period last year, showing an increase of 3.40 per cent and 4.83 per cent respectively. Assuming that this would be pattern of revenue till the end of the current fiscal, one hopes that the amount earned could be put to good use in investing in safety measures, signaling, training and manpower planning of India's second largest work force.
New Nuclear Waste Separation Plant In Tarapur

A new nuclear waste separation plant will soon become operational next year at the atomic energy facility of Tarapur, Maharashtra. This plant will facilitate the separation of the radio-active waste from the spent fuel discharged from the nuclear power reactors. This is a crucial step vital for the efficient handling of spent nuclear fuel in the country. In India, only 2-3 % of the spent fuel waste is radio active and this can be isolated, and the rest will go back into the reactor again as fuel, after appropriate fabrication. The first stage of the separation process is reprocessing in which the radio-active fuel will be segregated from the fuel waste. The separated waste will have two types of components; one is long-life isotopes and the other, short-life ones. The next stage is called, "burning", in which the long-life isotopes would be burnt in fast reactors specially designed for this purpose, with a future option of using accelerator driven systems later. The isotopes with short life would be safely stored in underground facilities. Now, "India is one step ahead of most countries in terms of nuclear waste management", says a DAE spokesman.
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Desire Construction Systems
Page 39
News & Events
POLICY
National Highways works which are not done on PPP mode would now be done through EPC mode. EPC relies on assigning the responsibility for investigation, design and construction to the contractor for a lumpsum price under a fixed time frame determined through competitive bidding. The EPC document has been structured in a manner that time overrun and cost overrun in implementation of National Highways works shall be minimised to a great extent and there will be optimisation of design and quality construction.
State Mineral Policy framed by Meghalaya government

In order to address the issue of mining in Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya and its effect on water pollution, the state government of Meghalaya has framed a State Mineral Policy, Mr Jairam Ramesh, Rural Development Minister and the Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation said.. It has also entered into special arrangements with Village Durbars to protect the source in order to ensure longevity of drinking water sources. Awareness programmes have been conducted to educate mine owners/miners and mine dependent families on ill effects of unscientific mining and storage of
coal. Sources of some drinking water supply schemes have had to be shifted due to contamination caused by mining and some major rivers in the area have been found to be unfit for human use. Jaintia Hills in particular is facing an acute drinking water crisis.
Megalaya urges for a boundary commission on priority
BIS comes out with Earthquake Engineering Code

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) h a s p u b l i s h e d v a r i o u s s t a ndards/codes on earthquake engineering. Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) has published these guidelines on quake safe construction for greater public awareness. However, enforcing the codes would be the problem, since no government body has been constituted to ensure that the BIS guidelines and engineering codes are being followed by new structures in the country. An expert committee constituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs had prepared a Model Town and Country Planning Legislation, Zoning Regulation Development Control and Building Regulation / Bye-laws for safety against natural hazards with special emphasis on earthquakes. The committee recommended among other things, amendments in Town & Country Planning Act, regulation in land use zoning and mandatory use of codes related to earthquake resistant construction to be implemented by State Governments.
With the enactment of Disaster Management Act in 2005, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) was set up by the Government to spearhead and implement a holistic and integrated approach to disaster management in India. The NDMA has issued earthquake guidelines envisaging State Governments to review, revise the Town & Country Planning Act, land use zoning regulations, Building Bye-laws and Development Control Rules. The Building Materials Technology Promotion Council has also organized several workshops in States/Union Territories (UTs) to disseminate the information contained in the above recommendations.
EPC mode an alternative for PPP mode on National Highways

The Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure has given a green signal for model Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) Agreement document for construction of two-lane national highways. By this all the
The inter-state boundary between Meghalaya and Assam must be reexamined and re-defined. Steps must be taken to expedite the constitution of a boundary commission, Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said. He has urged the Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde to take up the issue on a priority basis to find a permenant solution to the long pending problem. Meghalaya has 12 areas of difference on the boundary with Assam. There have been serious differences between Assam and Meghalaya on the matter of inter-state boundary ever since the state of Meghalaya came into existence. Meghalaya became an autonomous state in 1971 and a full-fledged state Jan 21, 1972. Since then, the inter-state boundary as defined under the North Eastern Areas (Re-Organisation) Act, 1971, has been a point of difference between Meghalaya and Assam. Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has said his government also wants to settle the boundary row with Meghalaya.
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Raajratna Metal Industries Ltd
INTERNATIONAL
Strategy by increasing the use of BIM in the construction industry and creating a lasting legacy of best practice in innovation. The training received at the Academy will also help contractors use the knowledge and skill gained here on other major projects such as HS2. The Academy, located in Bentley Systems' offices near Bank station, will offer a curriculum particular to Crossrail requirements focusing on the best use of BIM, latest software and best practice. The training on offer will benefit the entire construction industry by driving standards of design innovation within the construction industry. To support innovation and the use of Building Information Modelling, Crossrail will next month establish a BIM Industry Panel engaging academic institutes, construction companies and specialist consultants as a platform to promote collaboration and best practices in BIM. Bentley is the global leader dedicated to providing architects, engineers, geospatial professionals, constructors, and owner-operators with comprehensive software solutions for sustaining infrastructure
JICA draft plan for Yangon City in Mayanmar to be ready in 2013

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is drafting a 40-year Yangon City, an upgrading plan of city's drainage system, urban transportation, drinking water system, Thilawa Special Economic Zone and port terminals, Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC) said. The draft plan is expected to be completed by the year 2013. Overpasses to minimise traffic congestion are being planned at Shwegondaing and Tarmwe while construction has already begun at Hledan and Bayintnaung. The draft plan also covers upgrading port terminals at Yangon Port in line with international
standards in collaboration with private entrepreneurs under jointventure basis or build-operatetransfer (BOT) system. With a population of over six million and an area of 795 sq km, Yangon city is demarcated as 45 townships of which 33 represent the municipal area.
Crossrail and Bentley Systems launch UK's first dedicated Building Information Modelling academy
Crossrail and Bentley Systems launched a dedicated Information Academy to provide hands-on training to the Crossrail supply chain on the latest technology and software being used to design and build the new railway including Building Information Modelling (BIM). The Academy is an undertaking of the technology partnership created earlier this year between Bentley Systems and Crossrail Limited. The Information Academy will capture, develop and share BIM best practices with the Crossrail supply chain. The increased use of BIM by industry is a key element of the Government Construction Strategy. Detailed design work for the Crossrail project began in 2008 and working in a collaborative 3D environment was a core contractual requirement across each of the 25 design contracts. The entire project exists in a digital 3D model which is handed to the construction contractors and will eventually move across to the operators and maintainers of the railway thereby reducing the costs of
running the railway. Today, Crossrail integrates the information developed from over 25 main design contracts, 30 advanced works contracts and over 60 logistics and main works construction contracts, all of which have an extraordinary number of interlinked interfaces within the complex urban environment of London. Crossrail owns all the project data. The BIM processes provide up-to-date information either about the 3D model or from a document database from a central source accessible to all contractors. This significantly reduces information loss between contracts and project stages and gives greater visibility into the design and construction processes. Crossrail and Bentley have collaborated on all aspects of setting up the Academy with Crossrail providing project expertise and Bentley facilitating the physical learning environment. Andrew Wolstenholme, Crossrail's Chief Executive said, Crossrail is pioneering the use of Building Information Modelling in Europe on a scale that has not been undertaken before. This has directly enabled us to develop innovative engineering design solutions, minimize waste and reduce future costs for maintaining the railway. The Academy will support the Government Construction
Government focus on corporatization of new ports

The two newly proposed ports projected to be erected in Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal will be established through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) with 26% equity from the respective State governments and 74% from the Union government, Shipping Ministry had said. The Union government will finalize the agreement for the Sagar Island in West Bengal and will also identify the location for a port at Andhra Pradesh this week.By corporatization ports would function more efficiently and will have greater financial and operational autonomy. The government has set a massive target of awarding projects worth ` 14,500 crore in the current fiscal (2012-13) to augment major ports' capacity to about 934 million tonnes per annum.
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Pennar Engineered Building Systems Ltd
Earthquake Engineering Rocking Systems
Controlled Rocking System with Replaceable Fuses

Minimizing Earthquake Damage in Buildings
Bhavani Balakrishna
ost earthquake engineering practices and current building codes focus on protecting life safety. While this may be the right priority, by building inelasticity in conventional structures that allows for dissipation of seismic energy and protection against collapse, it can lead to expensive permanent damage to the structure, making it financially un-reasonable to repair. Engineering teams led by Professor Jerome Hajjar, chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Northeastern University in Massachusetts and Professor Gregory Deierlein at Stanford University in California have come up with a controlled rocking system that eliminates residual drifts and concentrates the majority of structural damage in replaceable fuse elements. Concentrating seismic structural damage in replaceable elements and restricting residual drifts to negligible magnitude can significantly reduce repair costs and downtime due to earthquakes. The remaining repair costs and downtime will be largely due to damage of nonstructural elements which may someday also be designed in such a way as to limit their earthquake damage. The controlled rocking system for steelframed buildings employs the following three main components: Steel frames that remain essentially elastic and are allowed to rock about the column bases. The column base detail permits column uplift but restrains horizontal motion using bumpers or an armored foundation trough Vertical post tensioning tendons provide active self-centering forces. The tendons are initially stressed to
46
less than half of their ultimate strength, so as to permit additional elastic straining when the frames rock - Replaceable energy dissipating elements act as structural fuses that yield, effectively limiting the forces imposed on the rest of the structure. The fuses are configured as yielding shear elements between two frames in a dual frame configuration or at the base of the frame in a single frame con-figuration. In the single frame configuration, shear fuses are placed at the ground floor, and can be connected to the frame at the base of the first-story columns, or through an attachment at the center of the frame. The fuses are attached so as to permit the center spine of the fuse to move vertically when the frame rocks, thus incurring shear deformation. In the dual frame configuration, shear fuses are placed between two rocking frames. When the frames rock, the two inner columns are displaced relative to each other and therefore impose shear deformation in the fuses. The single frame system has the advantage of simplicity in design, while the dual frame system can extend its applicability to taller buildings for which more fuses can be installed along the height of the structure. It is the combination of elastic post
h h Shear Fuse
Post-tensioning
Post-tensioning
Shear Fuse Rocking Base
Rocking Base
tensioning and energy dissipating fuses that the self-centering action is acquired. During an earthquake, the steel bracedframes are allowed to rock up and down within steel "shoes" secured at their base. Vertical post tensioning strands made of high-strength steel cable strands twisted together run down the center of the frame from top to bottom to control the rocking and return the frame to vertical when the shaking stops. At the bottom of the frame sit steel "fuses" designed keep the rest of the building from sustaining damage. In the event of an earthquake, the flexible steel "fuse" handles the impact of the force, keeping the frame and constituent tendons from being
Replaceable Fuses Absorb Enrgy
Vertical PostTensioning Provides SelfCentering Frames Remain Essentially Elastic Bumpers Restrain Horizontal Motion in Both Directions
burdened with the entire load. The fuses are easily replaceable when they blowsimilar to an electrical fuse. Following a quake, the building can be refitted with fresh fuses for the next tectonic event. A large-scale experimental program was conducted at the University of Illinois including quasi-static cyclic and hybrid simulation tests. Nine specimens were tested representing three-story frames at approximately half scale. These experiments validated the per-formance of the system, demonstrated system response when subjected to simulated ground motions, allowed the investigation of detailing and construc-tion methods, provided information on frame member forces, and provided data to confirm and calibrate computational models. Hybrid simula-tion tests, using the 1995 JMA Kobe ground motion, evaluated how the rocking frame interacts with the overall building, including the gravity load framing. Fuses were designed and tested that employed steel plates with straight slits and steel plates with butterfly cut-outs. Butterfly fuses were shown to have the largest and most repeatable shear strain capacity of the different types of fuses tested at Stanford University. The slit steel plate fuses were shown to exhibit a progression of behavior: yielding at the ends of the links, initiation of out-of-plane buckling, crack initiation at the link ends, tearing of the links, and full link fracture. The out-of-plane buckling of the fuse links coupled with large tension stresses at the extreme fibers caused crack
www.masterbuilder.co.in The Masterbuilder - August 2012
47
Controlled Rocking Frame
Pin Moves center of Fuse Up and Down
Steel Frame Remains Essentially Elastic, but is Allowed to Rock at the Base Post-Tensioning Strands - provide self-centering -
Center Column Connects frame to Fuse

Fuse is Steel Plate with Specially Designed Cutouts
Base of Frame is Free to Uplift
initiation at the ends of the links at 5.6% to 10.0% shear strain across the link length. Significant strength loss due to fracture of the links caused the end of the tests at fuse link shear strains between 18.6% and 30%. The onset of tearing in the fuse links caused strength reduction, but did not eliminate the ability of the fuse to resist load. Butterfly fuse plates on the other hand did not exhibit cracking or fracture in the links until late in the loading history. Fracture of the fuse links in the butterfly fuse specimens did not occur until between 30% and 46.5% shear strain across the fuse link length. The geometry of the butterfly fuse plates was selected to cause the initiation of yield and the initiation of plastic hinging at the quarter point of the fuse link. Concentrating the yielding and maximum fiber stresses away from locations of discontinuity allows larger ductility and dis-placement capacity. For this reason, the butterfly fuses were shown to have the largest and most repeatable shear strain capacity of the different types of fuses tested at Stanford University. A large scale testing of the controlled rocking system was conducted at the Edefense the world's largest earthquake simulatorHyogo Earthquake Engineering Research Center in Miki City, Japan. The tests of the new system were conducted using a three-quarters size model of a standard modern three-story office building with a footprint 120 by 180 feet. The 26-foot tall model sat on a massive vibrating shake table the largest in the world, measuring over 3,000 square feet
in size that is designed to reproduce the shaking from different earthquakes. Each of the three stories weighed 100 metric tons. The researchers subjected their model to ground motions recorded d u r i n g t h e 1 9 9 5 Ko b e , J a p a n , earthquake, magnitude 6.9, and the 1994 North-ridge earthquake, magnitude 6.7 using butterfly fuses and buckling restrained braces. A 2D numerical model was built using the program OpenSees to perform FEM analysis of the system. It was confirmed from strain gauge readings that all the frame members and post-tensioning strands remained elastic, which was the intent. Inelastic deformation only occurred in the shear fuses, which dissipated energy through hysteretic behavior. The loops return to the origin, thus demonstrating the self-centering response. No residual deflection existed after the MCE (Maximum Considered Earthquake) level excitation. Overall, the large-scale shaking table tests confirmed the behavior and reliability of the controlled rocking frame system. In particular, the tests demonstrated: The successful self-centering and damage control capabilities of the frame Validity of criteria and guidelines for capacity design of the braced frame components that are intended to remain elastic, in-cluding the effects of pounding impact on the columns and base plate details Reliability of the steel post-tensioning
tendons and the influence of modest levels of tendons on the response The influence on fuse degradation and energy dissipation capacity on the rocking response That the simplified OpenSees numerical model is effective in predicting the system's seismic response
Finally, the successful design, fabrication, erection and testing of the large-scale specimen demonstrated the viability of overall controlled rocking frame concept and its practical implementation through the steel braced-frame system. The steel frames that are situated around the building's core or along exterior walls can be part of a building's initial design or could be incorporated into an existing building undergoing seismic retrofitting. They are economically feasible to build, as all the materials employed are commonly used in construction today and all the parts can be made using existing fabrication methods. References:
Large-Scale Cyclic and Hybrid Simulation Testing and Develop-ment of a Controlled-Rocking Steel Building System with Replaceable Fuses by Matthew R. Eatherton and Jerome F. Hajjar Seismic Design and Behavior of Steel Frames with Controlled Rocking Part II: Large Scale Shake Table Testing and System Collapse Analysis by Xiang Ma, Matthew Eatherton, Jerome Hajjar, Helmut Krawinkler and Greg Deierlein
Safari Construction Equipments Pvt.Ltd
Project Management Research
Ant Colony Optimization Module for Scheduling of Resource Constrained Construction Project
Job Thomas1, Binsu C. Kovoor2, Jeesan Jose3, Krishnan C.E.4
Corresponding Author, Reader in Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, Assistant Professor in Information technology, Graduate Student, 4 Principal, Sree Gurukulam College of Engineering, Ernakulam, India *Cochin University of Science and Technology
1 2 3
The optimized scheduling of activities in a project is the difficult task for a manager. The scheduling of construction project activities under limited resources, such as crew sizes, limited equipment, finance and materials is complex. The direct methods used for solving project management problems are critical path method (CPM) and project evaluation and review technique (PERT). The effectiveness of direct methods in modeling the complex situation is limited. Optimization methods yield better approximation for the complex situation. However, optimization methods often require large computational and storage capacities for large construction projects. The details of scheduling of a resource constrained construction project using ant colony optimization method (ACO) are presented in this paper. An ACO module is developed in visual basic integrated with commercially available planning and scheduling software based on early start distribution. The module is customized to account for constrains on resources such as materials and finance. The results are compared with ordinary CPM schedules. The outcome of the study indicates that the solutions created by ant colony optimization (ACO) approach are efficient and satisfactory.
roject completion within a time limit is essential for successful project performance, regardless of the size and complexity of the project. Each delay in the completion time constitutes a loss in revenue that can hardly be recovered later. The critical path method (CPM) has been widely used as a project management tool to improve schedule and project administration tasks supporting project managers to ensure project completion on time and on budget. CPM is developed based on the assumption that resources required by the activities are unlimited. In practice, some of resources are limited and is not available in required quantity. In most of the construction projects, planning without considering the limitations of the resources results in a non-credible schedule, since the start ability of activities is effected by resource availability. A real time construction project is invariably composed of activities linked with constrains. The aim of the manager is to execute the activities in project with the aid of available resources within minimum duration. The expertise and skill of the manager help to optimize the resource constrained project. Present study aims to automate the involvement of
an expert manager in scheduling the resourced constrained construction projects. In this study, a module is prepared based on ant colony optimization (ACO) approach, a heuristic optimization method, which mimics the social behavior of real ants. The ACO module is integrated with commercially available software based on early start distribution, which can be used for optimized scheduling of resource constrained construction project. The duration of the project activities scheduled using CPM and ACO approaches are compared. Need for the study A four storied apartment project is scheduled using CPM method, early start distribution method, uniform distribution method and heuristic method. The total duration of the project scheduled based on various approaches is given in Table 1. The quantity of the river sand, a material resource in the project is constrained to 50 percent of the quantity required in the unconstrained condition. The material resource is constrained over a period of 15 percent of estimated duration of the project in the unlimited resource
condition. The material resource is constrained during its peak period of demand.
Schedule approach
CPM Method Early start distribution (Primavera P6 version) Uniform distribution (Primavera P3 version) Heuristic approach
Resource condition
Unlimited resource condition Constrained resource condition (Material resource 50% constrained) Constrained resource condition (Material resource 50% constrained) Constrained resource condition (Material resource 50% constrained)
Project duration
182 days 208 days
Project delay
0 days 26 days
of project is observed for ACO approach with five ants when compared to the corresponding results of single ant. The study indicated that the scheme of population of ants influences the results. Thangavel [4] showed that an ant colony optimization algorithm is a good alternative to existing algorithms for hard combinatorial optimization problems like resource constrained project scheduling. Xiong and Kuang [5] developed a hybrid model combining ant colony optimization (ACO) with serial schedule generation scheme (SSGS) for the solution of resource leveling problems in the construction projects. Liu and Wang [6] developed a flexible model for handling the optimization of scheduling problems in linear construction projects involving different objectives and resource argument tasks. The model is suggested for the scheduling of construction activities of high-rise building or bridge projects. Jianxing and Cang [7] demonstrated the use of ant colony optimization algorithm to solve the dynamic problem of resource scheduling in group project management. Goncalves, Menes and Resende [8] used genetic algorithm for the scheduling of multi-resource constrained project. The chromosome representation of the problem is selected based on random keys. The schedules are constructed using heuristic approach that builds based on priorities, delay time and release dates. Rogalska and Bozejko[9] developed a hybrid algorithm for the analysis of time and cost relationships performed using time coupling method (TCM). Time couplings are internal interdependencies between construction process and sectors, which take into account the resource and technical constraints. Drezet and Billaut [10] developed a solution to the resource constrained project-scheduling problem. The model is developed accounting for the limiting resource as labor-force and activity are required to complete within a given duration. In this approach, problem is formulated with linear programming and with tabu search algorithm for optimization. Wang and Liu [11] developed a profit optimization model based on constrained programming (CP) for resource constrained projects. The model accounts for limit on resource usage and cash flow and management requirements, namely, resource and credit limits and attempts to maximize the project profit. Christodoulou, Ellinas and Aslani [12] proposed a mathematical model for the solution of resource constrained scheduling problems accounting for the project entropy. The entropy is a measure of the degree of disorder in a system and is an indicator of project progress. Hsie, Chang and Yang [13] proposed an optimization model to minimize
225 days
41 days
203 days
21 days
Table 1. Comparison of project duration scheduled using different approaches
The analysis of the results given in Table 1 indicates that in resource constrained condition, the minimum project duration is achieved by heuristic approach. For resource constrained construction projects, the schedule prepared using early start distribution approach and uniform distribution approach is indicative and does not accounts for all the aspects considered in the heuristic approach. Hence, a need is identified to develop a module based on heuristic approach for the scheduling of resource constrained projects. In this study, ant colony optimization (ACO) algorithm, which resembles with the heuristic method, is integrated with the commercially available planning and scheduling software based on CPM. Background information Colorni, Dorigo and Maiezzo [1] developed ACO approach in 1991 based on the fact that real ants are able to find the shortest path between their nest and the source of food. This is done using pheromone trails, which ants deposit whenever they travel, as a form of indirect communication. Colorni, Dorigo and Maiezzo [1] designed artificial ants, which represents solutions and the collective intelligence of ants are transformed into useful optimization techniques that find application. Dorigo and Blum [2] reviewed the convergence requirements of ACO, connections between ACO algorithms and cross entropy methods. The influence of search bias on the working of ACO algorithms is discussed in Dorigo and Blum [2]. Mohamed [3] developed ACO algorithms with single ant, and also with five ants. The model is used for scheduling resource constrained projects. In the five ants ACO algorithm, each ant finds a solution in all iterations and uses the best-found solution so far developed for the pheromone update. A significant reduction in the duration
www.masterbuilder.co.in The Masterbuilder - August 2012 51
the project duration. An optimal set of production rates in limited resources atmosphere is used in the model. The model accounts for the lead-time, lead distances between operations and the limited availability of multiple resources. Kumar and Rao [14] applied data mining algorithms to explore the patterns in data generated by an ant colony algorithm. A rule based scheduling module which approximates the ant colony algorithm is developed. Abdallah and Hassan [15] extended the use of ant colony optimization module in project evaluation and review technique (PERT). The ACO module is used for path minimization. The proposed PERT-ACO model imitates the natural ants, in which, the start node is equivalent to the ants nest and an end node equivalent to the food location. Thiagarasu and Devi [16] presented a multi-agent coordination for environment consisting of a standard operating procedure for resource constrained project scheduling. The coordination of overlapping of activities, task scheduling and the effective resource allocation is accounted for in the model. The literature reveals that researchers have developed numerous methods and techniques to overcome the complex nature of resource constrained project-scheduling problem. In all these models, physically renewable resources, such as manpower and machineries have been considered as the constrained resource for the analysis. In construction projects, constraints on consumable materials and cash flow are important. The availability of construction materials, such as sand, cement and aggregates may be limited during the course of construction. In this study, a model is proposed to schedule the resource constrained construction projects. The constraint on finance and on consumable material, namely river sand is considered for the illustration of the performance of the proposed model. The proposed model is based on ant colony optimization algorithm that can be used as a module of CPM based scheduling software. Ant colony optimization (ACO) approach
Ant colony optimization (ACO) is a nature inspired meta-heuristic approach used for solving combinatorial optimization problems. The inspiring source of ACO is the foraging behavior of real ants. When searching for food, ants explore the area surrounding their nest in a random manner. As soon as ants find a food source, part of the food is picked up and carried to the nest. During the return trip, the ant deposits a chemical pheromone on the ground. The behavior of real ant colonies is exploited in artificial ant colonies in order to solve discrete optimization problems. In the subsequent stages, trail pheromone information is utilized to explore the sudden unexpected change in the terrain and is given in Figure1. A colony of ants traveling over a shortest linear path between nest A and food point E is shown in Figure 1(a). The presence of the pheromone trail helps the ants to recognize the path between nest A and food point E. The ant deposits a chemical pheromone on the ground during the travel and the concentration of pheromone increases in the subsequent trips. When an unsymmetrical object is present between the path A to E, some of the ants will move in the route A-B-F-G-H-D-E and others will move in the route A-B-C-D-E and is given in Figure 1(b). It is expected that the probability of selecting the path B-F-G-H-D-E and B-C-D-E from the point B is equal. For a given duration, the total number of ants travels over the shortest duration A-B-C-D-E will be more when compare to the corresponding number of ants in the route A-B-F-GH-D. Consequently, the pheromone concentration over the path B-C-D will be greater than that over the path B-F-G-HD. Thereafter, an ant reaching at the point B will move in a path B-C-D-E having higher concentration of pheromone. The optimized path A-B-C-D-E having shortest route length is established for the successful completion of the food transport and is given in Figure 1(c). The behavior of ant colonies inspired in developing ant colony optimization meta-heuristic algorithm, in which a set of artificial ants co-operate to find solutions to optimization problem by depositing pheromone trails throughout the search space. Mathematical formulation of ACO module In a combinatorial optimization problem, the constrain is the basic component (C) and is given by C = c1, c2, ........cn (1)
The feasible solutions (F) of the optimization problem are given by (2) A constrain solution function z is defined over the solution domain (R) and is given by
Figure 1. Finding of shortest path using pheromone based communication by ants
(3)
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The objective is to find the optimum constrain solution (S*) and is given by (4)
indicated that the refinement project duration is limited when the ACO parameters are assigned a value greater than the value given in Table 2. Hence, ACO parameters are assumed to take a value given in Table 2.
ACO parameter
Number of ants (m) Limiting number of iterations (n) Impact factor for trails ( ) ) ) Impact factor for attractiveness ( Pheromone evaporation rate (
An ant constructs partial solutions for the problem in the process of iterations. The solution is updated in every iteration. At each step, each ant computes a set of feasible solutions. The probability for ant k to go to state i to state j , while in its tth iteration is given by
Magnitude
20 800 0.5 0.9 0.4 10
(5) where is the trail level indicating the proficiency and ij is the attractiveness to make a particular movement selection in the path. and are the impact factor of trail and attractiveness. If is small, shortest activities are favored. Small values of may result in choosing nonoptimal paths. The tabuk is the tabu list of ant k. In each iteration t, trail is updated and is given by and
Pheromone reward factor (R)
Table 2. Magnitudes for the ACO parameters used in the proposed model
Working of ACO module integrated to planning and scheduling software based on CPM The project is scheduled and budgeted in commercially available software based on CPM. The reports are exported to the customized excel template, which is the input data file to the ACO module. The details such as activities, its duration and cost are saved in cash flow template of the ACO module. The details of constrains such as quantity and duration are recorded in resource template of the ACO module. The iterations simulating the ant movement in ACO module is started to identify the optimized solution of combinatorial problems. After performing the predefined number of iterations, the optimized duration of the activities and its cost are exported to the commercially available software based on CPM. The project is rescheduled accounting for the revised optimized duration of activities in the constrained environment. A case study A building construction project of total duration 545 days under limited resource condition is rescheduled using ACO module integrated with commercially available software based on critical path method (CPM). The project is rescheduled in unlimited resource condition using CPM based software. The cast flow is constrained to 80 percent of that required in unconstrained condition over period of 30 days during peak period of requirement in the project. The project is rescheduled using software based on CPM with early start distribution module and CPM with ACO module. The results are given in Table 3. Results and discussions The duration of the activities in the construction project is given in Table 3. The duration of the activities of the project incorporating constrain on cash flow is computed using critical path method (CPM) with ant colony optimization (ACO) approach and is given in Table 3. The total duration
(6) where represents sum of the contributions of all ants that used to move to construct their solutions. is the pheromone evaporation rate. is the trails laid on edge and is given by
(7) where R is the pheromone reward factor and the Lk is the fitness of ant k . Lk is computed by
(8)
where Zk is the total cost and Tk is the duration of tour. The attractiveness ij in Eq. (5) is computed by
(9) where dij is the computed duration of the project under constrained condition. A preliminary analysis is carried out for finding the suitable values of the ACO parameters. The results of the preliminary analysis of the various constrained construction projects
Activities
Scheduled duration of the activities in days Unlimited Resource state in CPM Constrained Resource state in CPM with early start distribution ACO
(4) 72 22 52 70 21 58 66 25 46 25 57 9 41 16 16 16 558 (5)=[(3)-(4)] (3) *100 -1.41 8.33 3.7 2.78 12.5 4.92 7.04 -4.17 -4.55 -4.17 6.56 -12.5 6.82 11.11 11.11 11.11 1.59 (3) 71 24 54 72 24 61 71 24 44 24 61 8 44 18 18 18 567
Deviation (%)
(1) Reinforcement work for beams & slab at floor 1 Column concrete at floor 1 Beam slab concrete at floor 1 Reinforcement work for beams & slab at floor 2 Column concrete at floor 2 Beam slab concrete at floor 2 Reinforcement work for beams & slab at floor 3 Column concrete work at floor 3 Solid block masonry for at G floor Lintel sunshade rack drop concrete at G floor Beam slab concrete at floor 3 P C C 1:4:8 for flooring at G floor Solid block masonry work at floor 1 M S grill work fixing for windows at G floor Chasing walls & pipe laying at G floor Chasing walls and electrical conduits at G floor Total Project Duration
(2) 60 18 48 60 18 54 60 18 32 15 54 6 32 16 16 16 545
Table 3. Comparison of duration of activities of resource constrained project scheduled using CPM and ACO approach
of the resource constrained construction project when analyzed using CPM method is found to be 4 percent higher when compared to corresponding results under unconstrained condition. The total duration of the project when analyzed using ACO module is found to be 2.3 percent when compared to the unconstrained condition. The results indicated that ACO approach is effective method for reducing the duration of resource constrained construction projects. The results of the present study corroborates with the findings of Dorigo and Blum [2]. The results of the present study indicate that the deviation of duration is positive for most of the activities in the constrained construction project. Hence it may be concluded that ACO approach is effective in scheduling the resource constrained projects when compared to conventional CPM. Parametric study Influence of ACO parameters, namely, limiting number of iterations (n), impact factor for trails ( ) impact factor for attractiveness ( ) and pheromone evaporation rate ( ) on the duration of the project is examined. The variation of the duration of the project from the optimum solution is given in Figure 2.
The influence of the number of iterations (n) is given in Figure 2(a). The deviation is minimum when the magnitude of n is equal to 800. The influence of impact factor for trial ( ) is given in Figure 2(b). The deviation is minimum when the magnitude of is equal to 0.9. The influence of impact factor for attractiveness ( ) is given in Figure 2(c). The deviation is found to be minimum when the magnitude of takes a value of 0.5. The influence of pheromone evaporation rate ( ) is given in Figure 2(d). The deviation is found to be minimum when the magnitude of is equal to 0.8. The results given in Figure 2 indicated that the variation of total duration of the project from optimum solution is random and does not follow a trend. The parameters have no direct linear or nonlinear relationship with the performance of algorithm. Conclusions Based on the present study, the following conclusions are derived. - The ant colony optimization (ACO) approach yields better solutions for scheduling of resource constrained projects when compared to the conventional approaches given in commercially software.
Figure 2. Influence of ACO parameters on the deviation of total duration of the project from optimum solution
- The comparison of the schedules indicated that duration of the project computed based on ant colony optimization (ACO) method is less than the corresponding results of critical path method (CPM). - Influence of the ACO parameters on total duration of the project is random. Hence trials are required to finalize the values for the ACO parameters References
1. A. Colorni, M. Dorigi, V. Maniezzo, Distributed optimization by ant colonies, Proceedings of European Conference on Artificial Life, Elsevier Publishing, Amsterdam, 1991. 2. M. Dorigo, C. Blum, Ant colony optimization theory: A survey. J. of Theo. Com. Sc., 344 (2005) 243-278 3. A. Mohamed, Resource constrained project scheduling problem by ant colony optimization. NICMAR- J. of Const. Man., 3 (2005) 232-240. 4. K. Thangavel, Ant Colony Algorithms in Diverse Combinational Optimization Problems -A Survey, ASCE J. of Const. Man., 6 (2006) 78-89. 5. Y. Xiong, Y. Kuang, Ant colony optimization algorithm for resource leveling problem of construction project. Adv. of Con. Man. and Re. Es. 1 (2006).212-226. 6. S. Liu, C. Wang, Optimization model for resource assignment problems of linear construction projects. J. of Auto. in Con. 16 (2007) 460-473. 7. Y. Jianxing, Y. Cang, Study of resource scheduling in project group
management of offshore engineering based on ACO. J. of Sys. Eng. Th. & Pra. 18 (2007) 204-215. 8. J. Goncalves, J. Menes, M. Resende, Genetic algorithm for the resource constrained multi-project scheduling problem. J. of Ope. Res. 189 ( 2008) 1171-1190. 9. M. Rogalska, W. Bozejko, Time/cost optimization using hybrid evolutionary algorithm in construction project scheduling. J. of Auto. in Con. 18 (2008) 24-31. 10. L. Drezet, J. Billaut, A project scheduling problem with labor constraints and time-dependent activities requirements. Int. J. of Pro. Eco. 112 (2008) 217-225. 11. C. Wang, S. Liu, Resource constrained construction project scheduling model for profit maximization considering cash flow. J. of Auto. in Con. 17 (2008) 966-974. 12. S. Christodoulou, G. Ellinas, P .Aslani, Entropy-based scheduling of resource- constrained construction projects. J. of Auto. in Con,.18 (2009) 919-928. 13. M. Hsie, C. Chang, T. Yang, C. Huang, Resource constrained scheduling for continuous repetitive projects with time- based production units. J. of Auto. in Con. 18 (2009) 942-949. 14. S. Kumar, C. Rao, Application of ant colony, genetic algorithm and data mining-based technologies for scheduling. J. of Rob. and Comp. Int. Man. 25 (2009) 901-908. 15. H. Abdalla, Hassan, Using Ant colony optimization algorithm for solving project management problems. J. of Exp. Sys. with App. 36 (2009)10004-10015. 16. V. Thiagarasu, T. Devi, Multi agent coordination in project scheduling: Priority rules based resource allocation. Int. J. of Rec. Tr. in Eng. 1 (2009) 314-326.
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Corrosion in Concrete
Critical Chloride Content in Reinforced Concrete

Sonjoy Deb, B.Tech,Civil
Associate Editor
The steel rebar inside reinforce concrete structures is susceptible to corrosion when permeation of chloride from deicing salts or seawater results in the chloride content at the surface of the steel exceeding a critical chloride threshold level (CTL). The CTL is an important influence on the service life of concrete structures exposed to chloride environments. The key factor on CTL was found to be a physical condition of the steelconcrete interface, in terms of entrapped air void content, which is more dominant in CTL rather than chloride binding, buffering capacity of cement matrix or binders.
fter it was recognised in the second half of the last century that chloride may induce steel corrosion in reinforced concrete structures, great research efforts have been made in this regard: over the last fifty years, a considerable amount of papers has been published presenting values for critical threshold chloride content (CTL) in reinforced concrete. Considering marine exposure conditions and the extensive use of de-icing salts in many countries, chloride induced corrosion is one of the most
common causes of degradation of reinforced concrete structures. Both for the design of new structures and for condition assessment of existing structures, knowledge of reliable CTL values is important as the remaining service life is often considered as the time required to reach the chloride threshold value at the depth of the reinforcement. In probabilistic service life modelling, CTL has been identified to be one of the most decisive input parameters. Despite the multitude of studies undertaken, many aspects
of chloride induced reinforcement corrosion in concrete are still incompletely understood and no general agreement on a CTL value has been achieved. Results reported in the literature scatter over a large range. This is not only the result of different definitions, measuring techniques and testing conditions, but also owing to the stochastic nature and complexity of initiation of pitting corrosion. Thus, often conservative values are now a days used as critical chloride content: In European countries as well as in North America it has become common practice to limit the tolerable chloride content to or around 0.4% by weight of cement. In probabilistic modelling the critical chloride content is a stochastic variable as e.g. in the fib model code for service life design, where CTL is defined by a beta distribution with a lower boundary of 0.2% chloride by weight of cement and a mean value of 0.6% by weight of cement. Although there is a strong need for reliable CTL values, an accepted or standardized test method to measure critical chloride does at present not exist. The present review summarises the state of the art regarding critical chloride content in reinforced concrete. It is not only aimed at collecting CTL values reported in the literature, but also all the relevant details about experimental procedures are collated.
chloride content associated with visible or acceptable deterioration of the reinforced concrete structure (Definition 2). It has to be emphasized that the two definitions are related to different phenomena: the de-passivation-criterion in Definition 1 only considers the initiation stage, whereas in the case of Definition 2 with visible or acceptable deterioration as a criterion, also the propagation stage is included. As a result, the two definitions lead to different CTL values. Figure 1 illustrates this by combining Tuuttis corrosion model with an assumed curve representing the chloride concentration at the steel reinforcement vs. time. The figure clearly shows that using the practical definition leads to higher CTL values. It is important to understand that this is only the result of a longer time passing until the chloride content is determined. The rate at which corrosion proceeds has a large influence on when this is done and thus greatly affects the chloride threshold value when applying this definition. Definition 1 is more precise, since it expresses the chloride content that is directly related to depassivation. In Definition 2, the chloride content associated with an acceptable degree of corrosion has no theoretical background: the amount of chloride that is measured at that time has nothing to do with the degree of corrosion or the corrosion rate. Also the term acceptable degree is imprecise and thus definition 2 results in a larger scatter of CTL values. In the literature, these two definitions are often mixed up. Care has thus to be taken when comparing and evaluating results reported by different researchers.
Initiation Propagation
Degree of corrosion
high corrosion rate
low corrosion rate acceptable deterioration
Concept of critical chloride content Reinforcement corrosion in non-carbonated, alkaline concrete can only start once the chloride content at the steel surface has reached a certain threshold value. In the literature, this value is often referred to as critical chloride content or chloride threshold value. In the present work CTL is used. Two different ways of defining CTL are common: From a scientific point of view, the critical chloride content can be defined as the chloride content required for depassivation of the steel (Definition 1),whereas from a practical engineering point of view CTL is usually the
Chloride concentration at reinforcement
Marine exposure and the extensive use of de-icing salts in many countries are the most common causes of degradation of reinforced concrete structures
Time
2 2 1
Time 1 2 Threshold according to scientific definition (depassivation) Threshold according to practical definition (visible or acceptable deterioration)
Figure 1: Definitions for chloride thresholds (based on Tuuttis model)
Expression of CTL - Free chloride content The representation of CTL reflects the aggressive ion content and inhibitive properties of the cement matrix. Chloride ions which are removed from the pore solution as the result of an interaction with the solid matrix (bound chloride) are relatively immobile and may not be transported to the steel surface. This should in theory favour the use of the free chloride content (water soluble chloride) to represent the CTL. Results by Petters on show a wide range of the CTL values in terms of free chloride concentration, ranging from 0.28 to 1.8 M in mortar specimens with water/cement ratios between 0.3 and0.75. More recent works by Alonso et al. reported CTL values in terms of free chloride content by weight of cement, ranging from 0.3% to 2.0%.Early works suggested that only the free chloride contributes to the corrosion process and hence the free chloride content was regarded as the best expression of
this. These proposals have been challenged by current thinking, when considering that (1) bound chlorides at the steel depth are released to form free chlorides when the pH drops due to depassivation, and (2) cement hydration products such as calcium hydroxide resist a fall in pH at a particular value of the pH. It should be noted that current guidelines and standards do not address the free chloride content in relation to corrosion risk, largely for the reasons mentioned above. The free chloride content is more often expressed as a function of hydroxyl ion concentration in the pore solution, or the mole ratio of chloride to hydroxylions. - [Cl-]:[OH+] This approach assumes that bound chlorides are not a risk to corrosion, and that the hydroxyl ion concentration reflects the inhibitor content of the environment by sustaining the high pH of the pore solution. In early works, the relation between free chloride and hydroxyl concentration was used to express the CTL in terms of the ratio of free chloride to
Table: Chloride threshold level reported by various authors with varying conditions Condition
Pore solution Specimen + internal C1 0.52.0 0.0790.19 0.321.9 0.780.93 0.45 (SRPC) 0.90 (15% PFA) 0.68 (30% PFA) 0.97 (30% GGBS) 0.351.00 Speciment + external C1 0.227 0.51.5 0.70 (OPC) 0.65 (15% PFA) 0.50 (30% PFA) 0.20 (50% PFA) 1.82.9 0.51.4 0.61.4 Structure 0.21.5 Polarisation Non mentioned Macrocell Mass loss [26] [25] [50] [3] 0.110.12 0.10 0.11 0.07 0.03 0.140.22 0.364 0.160.26 0.27 0.19 0.21 0.23 C1/OH = 0.3 1.5 [48] Polarisation Half-cell potential Mass loss [28] [11] [15]
Threshold Values
Total chloride (%, cem.) Free Chloride (%, cem.) [Cl ]/[OH ]

Detection method
0.6 0.3 863 Half-cell potential Polarisation Polarisation Macrocell current AC impedance Mass loss Half-cell potential
Reference
[2] [33] [34] [1] [81] [14] [12]
Note: SRPC: sulphate resistant Portland cement, PFA: pulverised fly ash, GGBS: ground granulated blast furnace slag, OPC: ordinary Portland cement.
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hydroxyl concentration. This expression of the CTL is still currently used. A threshold ratio varying from 0.3 to 40.0, as given in Table 1, was reported. - Total chloride The representation of the CTL by the total chloride level is the most widely used approach, and is the approach adopted in standards. Table 2 gives the limit of the total chloride content of concrete from each standard. The representation of the CTL as the total chloride content as a percentage by weight of cement, is favored because it is relatively easy to determine and because it involves the corrosion risk of bound chloride and the inhibitive effect of cement hydration products. At the stage of corrosion initiation, the pH in the vicinity of the steel falls locally as a result of an electro chemical reaction with chloride and ferrous ions during pit nucleation. Corrosion is initiated in the form of pitting where the local pH falls below 10. The drop in pH releases at least 90% of the total surrounding chloride ions to participate in the corrosion process with access to oxygen and water as well as chloride accelerating the rate of corrosion. This suggests that the total chloride content is a more accurate indicator of corrosion risk and the inhibitive nature of cement may thus be better reflected by the total cement content rather than the pore solution pH. Hence, the total chloride content to cement weight is the better representation of the CTL because (1) the inhibitive properties of cement matrix are reflected by its cement content and (2) the total aggressive potential of chloride ions is represented. - [Cl-]:[H+] In a recent work, it was suggested that a more appropriate representation of the inhibitive and aggressive properties of concrete is provided, respectively, by its acid neutralization capacity (ANC) and acid soluble chloride content. The acid neutralization capacity has been used to quantify the buffering capacity of concrete. The content of acid needed to reduce the pH of concrete and cement paste suspended in water, up to a particular value, has been reported by Sergi and Glass. The acid (moles H+/kg binder) required to reduce the pH to 10 was determined as 18.9, 17.5, 15.4 and 14.5 mol/kg for OPC, sulfate resisting Portland
cement (SRPC), 30% pulverized fly ash (PFA) and 65% ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS), respectively. Thomas determined the CTL of OPC and 30% PFA content as 0.7% and 0.5% by weight of cement, respectively. Based on these data, the CTL for OPC and 30% PFA equate to the same mole ratio of 0.01[Cl-]:[H+]. A mole ratio of 0.01 also approximates to 0.65% and 0.5% chloride by weight of cement in SRPC and 65% GGBS concretes, respectively. The ratio of total chloride to ANC is probably the best representation of the CTL, since it considers all potentially important inhibitive (cement hydration products) and aggressive (total chloride) factors. Influencing parameters From an electrochemical point of view, it is the potential of the steel, Ecorr, relative to the pitting potential, Epit, that determines whether corrosion will start or not. The pitting potential depends on both environmental influences (chloride content) and on properties of the metal such as the degree of alloying (e.g. stainless steel). The open circuit potential of the passive steel, on the other hand, only depends on the environment (pH and oxygen content). Where as parts of the steel electrode are in contact with the concrete pore liquid, others might be covered with hydration products and thus to a certain extent be shielded from aggressive species in solution. The critical chloride content in concrete is thus not only a matter of pure electro chemistry, but also of physical protection of the steel electrode. Numerous parameters affect the value of CTL and many of them are interrelated: - Steelconcrete interface - Concentration of hydroxide ions in the pore solution (pH) - Electrochemical potential of the steel - Binder type - Surface condition of the steel - Moisture content of the concrete - Oxygen availability at the steel surface - w/b ratio - Electrical resistivity of the concrete - Degree of hydration
Table 2: Maximum chloride content values set by various ACI and BS documents Type BS 8110
Prestressed concrete Reinforced concrete exposed to chloride in service Reinforced concrete that will be dry or protected from moisture in service Other reinforced concrete 0.10 0.20 0.40 0.15 0.10
Maximum chloride content (%, cem.) ACI 201 ACI 357

0.06 0.10
ACI 222
0.08 0.20
- Chemical composition of the steel - Temperature - Chloride source (mixed-in initially or penetrated into hardened concrete) - Type of cation accompanying the chloride ion - Presence of other species, e.g. inhibiting substances. It has been suggested to consider the condition of the steelconcrete interface as the most dominating influencing factor, together with the pH of the concrete pore solution and the steel potential. The variety of factors involved indicates that the concept of critical chloride content faces some difficulties regarding a unique chloride threshold value applicable to a wide range of structures. Raising threshold values - Corrosion inhibitors The advantage of using corrosion inhibitors to provide corrosion protection is that the inhibitor is well distributed throughout the concrete, which means that it protects all the steel. A corrosion inhibitor modifies the surface chemistry of steel to mitigate or prevent the corrosion process. While numerous corrosion inhibitors have been suggested, the detrimental effects of many of them in concrete limit their commercial use. Calcium nitrite has been widely used as a corrosion inhibitor in concrete since the middle of the 1970s, because of its inhibiting effect as well as its compatibility with concrete. It enhances the compressive strength at an early age, and accelerates the setting time within the range recommended by standards. - Coating of reinforcing steel Galvanisation A galvanised (zinc) coating acts both as a sacrificial coating in protecting steel. It is reported in laboratory and field studies that galvanising increases the CTL. Treadaway et al. showed that galvanised steel in a concrete structure exposed to corrosive conditions delayed the initiation of corrosion and resulted in a CTL of 0.9% by weight of cement. The results of the monitoring of concrete structures in seaside environments over an 823 year period suggested a CTL of 0.64% when using galvanised steel, while untreated steel showed a CTL of 0.2%. Bautista and Gonzalez found that the corrosion rate for galvanised steels was much lower than that for bare steel; the corrosion rate for galvanised steel ranged from 0.2 to 1.2 lA/cm2, while for bare steel it ranged from 0.4 to 10 lA/cm2 after 12 months exposure to a chloride solution. The inhibiting effect of galvanizing appears to be enhanced in high-performance concrete, with the time to corrosion considerably delayed.
Barrier coating The corrosion of reinforcement in concrete can be prevented by coating the steel with epoxy, which stops aggressive ions reaching the steel surface. Care is required in the handling, transporting, storing and placing of epoxycoated steel since damage can impair its corrosion pro-
Hot dipped galvanized steel coil
tection performance. Erdogdu et al. showed that the corrosion rate of coated steel bars was below 0.01 mA/m2 after 25 months exposure, compared to 2100 mA/m2 for uncoated steel bars after 5 months exposure. Al-Amoudiet al. showed the effect on CTL of epoxy-coated steel with various degrees of coating damage. With 1% damage to the coating, the CTL was about 2% by weight of cement, while at 2% damage, the CTL was below 0.4%. Recent studies have shown that epoxy-coated steel can give good, long term performance even on severe exposure to chloride conditions and considering the effects of bond loss when properly coated and handled. Cement-based coatings rather than resin coatings have been suggested because they perform better due to the higher bond strength as well as corrosion protection.
Liquid Epoxy Coatings for steel
Conclusion The present study revealed the following conclusions, with respect to CTL representation, influencing factors, and methods to raise the CTL. - The CTL value depends on how it is expressed, such as the mole ratio of [Cl-]:[OH+],free chloride, or total chloride. The CTL has been expressed as free chloride or [Cl-]:[OH+] in many previous studies, as being very widely ranged. The free chloride content or [Cl-]:[OH+] has the disadvantage of poor accuracy and repeatability. It fails to consider the participation of bound chloride in sustained corrosion and the buffering capacity of the cement matrix. The representation most widely used for the CTL is total chloride content relative to the cement weight, as it takes into account the inhibiting effect of cement and the aggressive nature of chloride and is convenient. CTL values in total chloride content are within a relatively narrow range, compared to values expressed in free chloride or [Cl-]:[OH+].The mole ratio of total chloride to the acid neutralisation capacity of cement (expressed as the mole concentration of H+) has been proposed as a better method of capturing the inhibiting effect. - The corrosion of steel is initiated at defects at the steelconcrete interface, commonly at entrapped air voids where there is an absence of cement hydration products. Hence, an increase in the air voids content at the interface leads to a greater probability of a lower CTL. The majority of previous studies of CTL have investigated the influence of binder type, in particular C3A content. This has not resulted in a more precise definition because bound chloride is freed when there is a local fall in pH. The influence of replacement materials, in particular pulverised fly ash and ground granulated blast furnace slag on the CTL is subject to debate. The CTL for concrete containing pozzolanic materials depends on whether the chlorides are introduced from an external environment or from the concrete constituents, and/or detecting on the method of corrosion initiation. - Calcium-nitrite based corrosion inhibitors have been successfully applied to concrete structures for enhancing the resistance to chloride-induced corrosion. Calcium nitrite in general, remarkably raised the CTL, and thus a much longer time to corrosion is expected. However, nitriteions present in concrete allow external chlorides to more easily penetrate concrete, thereby off setting the effect of increased CTL in prolonging the service life of structures. Galvanisation and barrier coating have been used to protect the embedded steel in concrete from chloride or carbonation attack. However, their defect
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at the steelconcrete interfaces (i.e. a reduction of bond), which may be attributed to hydrogen evolutionor smooth surface of coating, restricts the use in concrete structures. Reference
K. Tuutti, Corrosion of Steel in Concrete, Swedish Cement and Concrete Research Institute, 1982. D.A. Hausmann, Steel corrosion in concrete; How does it occur? Materials and Protection 6 (1967) 1923. British Standard 8110: Part 1, Structural use of concrete code of practice for design and construction, British Standards Institute, London UK, 1985. M. Thomas, Chloride thresholds in marine concrete, Cement and Concrete Research 26 (1996) 513519. C. Arya, J.B. Newman, An assessment of four methods of determining the free chloride content of concrete, Materials and Structures 23 (1990) 319330. K. Tuutti, Effect of cement type and different additions on service life, in: R.K. Dhir, M.R. Jones (Eds.),Concrete 2000, vol. 2, E& FN Spon, London UK, 1993, pp. 12851296. K. Pettersson, Chloride threshold value and corrosion rate in reinforcement concrete, in: R.K. Dhir, M.R.Jones (Eds.), Concrete 2000, vol. 1, E& FN Spon, London UK, 1993, pp. 461471. C. Alonso, C. Andrade, M. Catellote, P . Castro, Chloride threshold values to depassivate reinforcing barsin a standardized OPC mortar, Cement and Concrete Research 30 (2000) 10471055. C. Alonso, M. Castellote, C. Andrade, Chloride threshold dependence of pitting potential of reinforcements, Electrochemica Act a 47 (2002) 34693481. B.B. Hope, J.A. Page, J.S. Poland, The determination of chloride content of concrete, Cement and Concrete Research 15 (1985) 863870. G.K. Glass, B. Reddy, N.R. Buenfeld, The participation of bound chloride in passive film breakdown onsteel in concrete, Corrosion Science 42 (2000) 20132021. G.K. Glass, B. Reddy, N.R. Buenfeld, Corrosion inhibition in concrete arising from its acid neutralization capacity, Corrosion Science 42 (2000) 15871598. G.K. Glass, N.R. Buenfeld, The presentation of the chloride threshold level for corrosion of steel in concrete, Corrosion Science 39 (1997) 10011013. V.K. Gouda, Corrosion and corrosion inhibition of reinforcing steel; 1 Immersion in alkaline solution, British Corrosion Journal 5 (1970) 198203. T. Yonesawa, V. Ashworth, R.P .M. Procter, Pore solution composition and chloride effects on the corrosion of steel in concrete, Corrosion 44 (1988) 489499. O.A. Kayyali, M.N. Haque, The Cl-/OH-ratio in chloridecontaminated concrete a most important criterion, Magazine of Concrete Research 47 (1995) 235242. A.K. Suryavanshi, J.D. Scantlebury, S.B. Lyon, Corrosion of reinforcement steel embedded in high water-cement ratio concrete contaminated with chloride, Cement and Concrete Composites 20 (1998) 263281.
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20 Microns
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M. Castellote, C. Andrade, C. Alonso, Accelerated simultaneous determination of the chloride depassivation threshold and of the non-stationary diffusion coefficient values, Corrosion Science 44(2002) 24092424. C.L. Page, K.W.J. Treadaway, Aspects of the electrochemistry of steel in concrete, Nature 297 (1982) 109115. J. Tritthart, Chloride binding: II. The influence of the hydroxide concentration in the pore solution of hardened cement paste on chloride binding, Cement and Concrete Research 19 (1989) 683691. G.K. Glass, N.M. Hassanein, N.R. Buenfeld, Neural network modelling of chloride binding, Magazine of Concrete Research 49 (1997) 323335. ACI Committee 201, Guide to Durable Concrete, Manual of Concrete Practice, Part 1, American Concrete Institute, Detroit USA, 1994. ACI Committee 357, Guide for design and construction of fixed off-shore concrete structures, Manual of Concrete Practice, Part 4, American Concrete Institute, Detroit USA, 1994. ACI Committee 222, Corrosion of metals in concrete, Manual of Concrete Practice, Part 3, American Concrete Institute, Detroit USA, 1994. B. Reddy, Influence of the steelconcrete interface on the chloride threshold level, PhD Thesis, University of London, 2001. G. Sergi, G.K. Glass, A method of ranking the aggressive nature of chloride contaminated concrete, Corrosion Science 42 (2000) 20432049. R. Cigna, C. Andrade, U. Nrnberger, R. Polder, R. Weydert, E. Seitz (Eds.), COST 521:Final Report Corrosion of Steel in Reinforced Concrete Structures, Luxembourg, 2002. L. Bertolini, B. Elsener, P . Pedeferri, R. Polder, Corrosion of Steel in Concrete, WILEY VCH, 2004. R.J. Craig, L.E. Wood, Effectiveness of corrosion inhibitors and their influence on the physical properties of Portland cement mortars, Highway Research Record 328 (1970) 7788. A.M. Rosenberg, J.M. Galdis, T.G. Kossivas, R.W. Previte, Corrosion inhibitor formulated with calciumnitrite for use in reinforced concrete, in: D.E. Tonini, S.W. Dean (Eds.), Chloride Corrosion of Steel in Concrete, ASTM STP 629, 1976, pp. 89 99. A.M. Rosenberg, J.M. Gaidis, Methods of determining corrosion susceptibility of steel in concrete, Transportation Research Record 692 (1978) 28. D. Chin, A calcium nitrite-based, non-corrosive, non-chloride accelerator, in: F.W. Gibson (Eds.),Corrosion, Concrete and Chloride, ACI SP 102, 1987, pp. 4977. K.Y. Ann, H.S. Jung, H.S. Kim, S.S. Kim, H.Y. Moon, Effect of calcium nitrite-based corrosion inhibitorin preventing corrosion of embedded steel in concrete, Cement and Concrete Research 36 (2006) 520525. A.U. Malik, I. Andijani, F. Al-Moaili, G. Ozair, Studies on the performance of migratory corrosion inhibitors in protection of rebar concrete in Gulf seawater environment, Cement and Concrete Composites26 (2004) 235242. N.S. Berke, M.C. Hicks, Predicting long-term durability of steel reinforced concrete with calcium nitritecorrosion inhibitor, Cement and Concrete Composites 25 (2004) 439449.
P . Montes, T.W. Bremner, D.H. Lister, Influence of calcium nitrite inhibitor and crack width on corrosion of steel in high performance concrete subjected to a simulated marine environment, Cement and Concrete Composites 26 (2004) 243253. B.B. Hope, A.K.C. Ip, Corrosion inhibitors for use in concrete, ACI Material Journal 86 (1989) 602608. J.T. Lundquist, A.M. Rosenberg, J.M. Gaidis, A Corrosion Inhibitor Formulated with Calcium Nitrite for Chloride Containing Concrete Improved Electrochemical Test Procedure, The International Corrosion Forum, San Francisco USA, 1977. B. El-Jazairi, N.S. Berke, The use of calcium nitrite corrosion inhibitors in concrete, in: C.L. Page, P .B.Bamforth, J.W. Figg (Eds.), Corrosion of Reinforcement in Concrete Construction, Cambridge UK, 1990,pp. 571587. A. Bentur, S. Diamond, N.S. Berke, Steel Corrosion in Concrete, first ed., E& FN SPON, 1997. D. Stark, Measurement techniques and evaluation of galvanized reinforcing steel in concrete structures in Bermuda, in: D.E. Tonini, J.M. Gaidis (Eds.), Corrosion of Reinforcing Steel in Concrete, ASTM STP 713,1978, pp. 132141. A. Bautista, J.A. Gonzalez, Analysis of the protective efficiency of galvanizing against corrosion of reinforcements embedded in chloride contaminated concrete, Cement and Concrete Research 26 (1996)215224. N. Gowripalan, H.M. Mohamed, Chloride-ion induced corrosion of galvanized and ordinary steel reinforcement in high-performance concrete, Cement and Concrete Research 28 (1998) 11191131. L.H. Everett, T.W.J. Treadaway, The use of galvanized steel reinforcement in building, Building Research Station Current Paper CP3/70, Garston UK, 1970. O.A. Kayyali, S.R. Yeomans, Bond of ribbed galvanized reinforcing steel in concrete, Cement and Concrete Composites 22 (2000) 459467. S. Erdogdu, T.W. Bremner, I.L. Kondratova, Accelerated testing of plain and epoxy-coated reinforcement in simulated seawater and chloride solutions, Cement and Concrete Research 31 (2001) 861867. O.S.B. Al-Amoudi, M. Maslehuddin, M. Ibrahin, Long-term performance of fusion-bonded epoxy-coatedsteel bars in chloride-contaminated concrete, ACI Material Journal 101 (2004) 303309. R.E. Weyer, W. Pyc, M.M. Sprinkel, Estimating the service life of epoxy-coated reinforcing steel, ACI Material Journal 95 (1998) 546557. A.B. Darwin, J.D. Scantlebury, Retarding of corrosion processes on reinforcement bar in concrete with an FBE coating, Cement and Concrete Composites 24 (2002) 7378. R. Vedalakshmi, K. Kumar, V. Raju, N.S. Rengaswamy, Effect of prior damage on the performance of cement based coatings on rebar: macro cell corrosion studies, Cement and Concrete Composites 22 (2000)417421.
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High Performance Concrete
An Approach towards High Performance Concrete

Associate Editor
ong-term performance of structures has become vital to the economies of all nations. Concrete has been the major instrument for providing a stable and reliable infrastructure since the days of the Greek and Roman civilization. At the turn of the 20th century, concrete compressive strength was in the range of 13.8 MPa, by the1960s it was in the range of 27.6 - 41.4 MPa. Deterioration, long term poor performance, and inadequate resistance to hostile environment, coupled with greater demands for more sophisticated architectural form, led to the accelerated research into the microstructure of cements and concretes and more elaborate codes and standards. As a result, new materials and composites have been developed and improved cements evolved. Today concrete structures with a compressive strength exceeding138 MPa are being built world over. In research laboratories, concrete strengths even as high as 800 MPa are being produced.
One major remarkable quality in the making of High performance concrete (HPC) is the virtual elimination of voids in the concrete matrix, which are mainly the cause of most of the ills that generate deterioration. ACI defines HPC 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. Such concretes can be either normal strength or high strength. Normal strength concrete by ACI definition is a concrete that has a cylinder compressive strengths not exceeding 42 MPa. All other concretes are considered High Strength Concretes (HSC).HPCs with 140 MPa are currently being used in high rise structures in USA and Europe. Important governing factors for HPCs are strength, long term durability, serviceability as determined by crack and deflection
control, as well as response to long term environmental effects. High performance concretes(HPC) are concretes with properties or attributes which satisfy the performance criteria. Generally, concretes with higher strengths and attributes superior to conventional concretes are desirable in the construction industry. HPC is defined in terms of Strength and Durability. Therefore HPC can be considered as a logical development of cement concretes in which the ingredients are pro-portioned and selected to contribute efficiently to the various properties of cement concrete in fresh as well as in hardened states. Salient Features of HPC[2] - High Strength 42 100 MPa, Very High Strength 100 150 MPa, Ultra High Strength > 150 MPa. - Water-binder ratio =0.25-0.35 ,therefore very little free water - Reduced flocculation of cement grains - Wide range of grain sizes - Densified cement paste - No bleeding homogeneous mix - Less capillary porosity - Discontinuous pores - Stronger transition zone at the interface between cement paste and aggregate - Low free lime content - Endogenous shrinkage - Powerful confinement of aggregates - Little micro-cracking until about 65-70% of characteristic strength - Smooth fracture surface Advantages of using HPC The advantages of using high strength high performance concretes often balance the increase in material cost. The following are the major advantages that can be accomplished.[1]
- Reduction in member size, resulting in increase in plinth area / useable area and direct savings in the concrete volume saved. - Reduction in the self-weight and super-imposed DL with the accompanying saving due to smaller foundations. - Reduction in form-work area and cost with the accompanying reduction in shoring and stripping time due to high early-age gain in strength. - Construction of High rise buildings with the accompanying savings in real- estate costs in congested areas. - Longer spans and fewer beams for the same magnitude of loading. - Reduced axial shortening of compression supporting members. - Reduction in the number of supports and the supporting foundations due to the increase in spans. - Reduction in the thickness of floor slabs and supporting beam sections- which are a major component of the weight and cost of the majority of structures. - Superior long term service performance under static, dynamic and fatigue loading. - Low creep and shrinkage. - Greater stiffness as a result of a higher modulus, Ec - Higher resistance to freezing and thawing, chemical attacks, and significant improvement in long-term durability and crack propagation. - Reduced maintenance and repairs. - Smaller depreciation as a fixed cost. Composition of HPC The ingredients of HPCs are almost same as those of normal strength concretes (NSC). But, because of lower water cement ratio, presence of pozzolans and chemical admixtures etc., the HPCs usually have many features which distinguish them from NSCs. From practical con-siderations, in concrete constructions, apart from the final strength, the rate of development of strength
High performance concrete allows for longer spans with fewer beams
High performance concrete requires lesser maintenance and repairs.
is also very important. The high performance concrete usually contains both pozzolanic and chemical admixtures. Hence, the rate of hydration of cement and the rate of strength development in HPC is quite different from that of normal strength concretes (NSC). The proportioning(or mix design) of normal strength concretes is based primarily on the w/c ratio law first proposed by Abrams in 1918.For high strength concretes, however, all the components of the concrete mixture are pushed to their limits. Therefore, it is necessary to pay careful attention to all aspects of concrete production, i.e., selection of materials, mix design, handling and placing.[1][2] In essence, the proportioning of HPC concrete mixtures consists of three interrelated steps: - Selection of suitable ingredients - cement, supplementary cementitious materials (SCM), aggregates, water and chemical admixtures - Determination of the relative quantities of these materials in order to produce, as economically as possible, a concrete that has the rheological properties, strength and durability, - Careful quality control of every phase of the concrete making process. Types of Supplementary Cementitious Materials The most commonly used supplementing cementitious materials / mineral admixtures for achieving HPC are [1][2][3] - - - - Silica Fume Fly Ash GGBFS(Ground granulated blast furnace slag) High Reactivity Metakaolin (HRM)
use of this type for attaining the optimum benefits like good workability and minimum w/binder ratio. Around 2% by weight of cementitious materials is normally used for achieving required workability. Chemical and physical propertiesof the SCMs and flow chart for typical design mix The following table gives the chemical properties of the above SCMs. However, the values given here are only to appreciate the range and percentage of each of the elements contained in them.The cited values vary between products obtained from various sources for the same SCM. [1][2][3][6] Curing of HPC -The most intricate part[1][3][5] HPC has very low w / binder ratio and better particle distribution due to the use of mineral admixtures, which result in significantly less pore per unit volume of cementitious materials in the mixture than the NSC. Filling of the voids by hydration product in HPC is much faster than that of NSC as smaller pores needs less hydration products to fill. Therefore, moisture loss due to capillary action stops earlier in case of HPC compared to NSC under the same curing conditions. The moisture loss from HPC has been found predominant up to the first 24 hours. Owing to very low w / binder ration and use of super plasticizer, the early stage hydration rate of HPC is higher than NSC leaving less long term hydration potential. Curing duration after the initial moisture protection has been found to have little effect on long term chloride permeability of HPC containing micro-silica or fly-ash. All these indicate that the requirement of curing duration for HPC is less compared to NSC. Duration of wet curing has significance on the shrinkage of HPC, which is not the case with NSC. Method of curing has similar effect on HPC both for creep and shrinkage of concrete, which are again influenced by the type and duration of curing. Curing is the most intricate part of construction of the structures with HPC. For a given level of workability, HPC has Chemical composition (%)
SiO2 Al2O3 Fe2O3 MgO SO3 Na2O+K2O P2O5 CaO
Mix proportions for HPC Only a few formal mix design methods have been developed for HPC / HSC to date. Most commonly, purely empirical procedures based on trial mixtures are used. Therefore, it calls for extensive field trials for designing desired strength of concrete using various mix proportions of SCMs, admixtures and water / binder ratio. Use of Super-plasticizers Use of super-plasticizers becomes essential for designing mixtures to achieve HPC.A scan be seen, the water / binder ratio has an important bearing on achieving the strength parameters. In order to achieve dense concrete with reduced permeability, super-plasticizers of following types are in general use[1][3] 1. SNF Sulphonated Napthalene based 2. Melamine sulphonate based 3. Lignosulphonate based 4. Polycarboxylic type. Of the above types, the latest and the most effective superplasticizer is SNF based. ASTM also has recommended
OPC (%)
Fly Ash (%)

35.8 - 42.83 18.0 - 26.9 6.5 - 8.2 3.5 - 4.1 2.2 - 3.5
GGBFS (%)
32.6 12.8 1.3 7.2 0.03 0.05 41.0
Silica Fume (%)

90.11 1.63 1.98 0.78 1.97 1.18 -
17.0-25.0 3.0-8.0 0.5-6.0 0.1-4.0 1.3-3.0 0.4-1.3 60.0-67.0
18.8-19.8
Table 1: Percentage composition of chemical constituents in OPC and various SCMs Comparison of Physical and Chemical Characteristics -- Silica Fume, Fly Ash and Cement
JBA Concrete Solutions
lesser quantity of water compared to the conventional cement concrete, sometimes being lower than the minimum necessary for complete hydration and self-desiccation. Therefore, loss of moisture from the concrete at an early stage leads to detrimental effects on the soundness and long term properties of the concrete. Therefore, protection against moisture loss from fresh HPC is crucial for the development of strength, prevention of plastic shrinkage cracks as well as for durability. Again, wet curing of HPC cannot be done at an early stage because this will increase the water-binder material ratio adjacent to the exposed surface causing deterioration of the concrete quality. In one of the studies, it was found that the Silica Fume SiO2 Content
Surface Area (m /kg)
2
moisture loss from HPC is maximum during the first 24 hours after placement. Fresh concrete mix of HPC is more cohesive and bleeding is very less compared to that of NSC. Evaporation of bleed water takes place rapidly which makes HPC more prone to plastic shrinkage cracks. Critical time to start forming of plastic shrinkage cracks is around the initial setting time. Therefore, plastic shrinkage cracks can be very serious problem under curing condition of elevated temperature, low humidity and high winds, which accelerate the evaporation of water from fresh concrete. Therefore, to overcome this problem, curing process should start immediately after the placement of fresh HPC. Wet curing, if applied immediately, after the placement of concrete to combat plastic shrinkage cracks, as in the case of NSC, would also have harmful effects on the quality of surface layer of the hardened concrete. In case, wet curing is applied before final setting of the concrete, the curing water will dilute the cement paste near surface thereby increasing w/c ratio. As a result, strength and impermeability properties of concrete will be seriously hampered. Therefore, HPC should be cured at an early stage without applying water directly on the exposed surface of fresh concrete. This calls for entire curing procedure for HPC to be divided into two stages. Therefore, curing of HPC is generally done in two stages- initial curing and wet curing. Water is not used directly during the initial curing. Time of commencement of both stages of curing and their duration depends on the initial and final setting time of concrete. It is difficult to make a general specification for curing, applicable for all weather conditions as well as for all types of structural elements. Loss of moisture from fresh HPC depends on the ambient conditions, wind velocity, temperature and humidity and also exposed surface area to volume ratio(s/ v).Structural geometry, reinforcement layout and construction methods have bearing on the initial curing procedure. Curing Duration for HPC The initial curing of HPC should be started immediately after the placement of fresh concrete and continued till the final setting of the concrete. A better proposition may be to extend it about an hour after the final setting time. The initial curing is followed by wet curing. Total curing duration of HPC is the sum of the initial curing duration and wet curing duration out of which the second part is the longer one. Method of curing has similar effect on HPC both for creep and shrinkage of concrete, which is again influenced by the type and duration of curing. Overall, considering the above, a curing duration of 7 to 10 days seems to be necessary for HPC though curing duration of about 1-2 days could be sufficient from strength gaining. Fresh Properties of High Strength Concrete High-strength concrete can be made easier to place by substituting proportions of ultrafine particles for cement. In
Fly Ash
35 - 48 400 - 700 85 - 110
Cement
20 - 25 300 - 500 n/a
85 - 97 17,000 - 30,000 120 - 210
Pozzolanic Activity (with cement, % ) Pozzolanic Activity (with lime, psi) Grain Size
1,200 - 1,660
800 - 1,000
(0.1-0.12) micro Mtr.
(10-12) micro Mtr
Pozollanic activity Nil, Grain Size is (15-20) micro Mtr
Table 2: Comparison of physical and chemical properties of SCMs with cement
Fig. 1 HPC design mix flow chart
the presence of super plasticizers, finer the micro filler, lower is the flow resistance and torque viscosity of the mixture. Up to 20% ground silica or limestone did not increase the super plasticizer requirement to achieve a constant workability, even though one of these fillers had a surface area as high as 10,000 m2/kg. Silica fume, however, while being the most effective filler from a rheological point of view, increased the super plasticizer demand at a constant workability. This may suggest that a high surface area is not the sole parameter influencing the super plasticizer demand of silica fume mixtures, and that silica fume may have a strong affinity for multi-layer adsorption of super plasticizer molecules. Micro fillers did not seem to reduce significantly the slump loss of fresh HSC, and were advantageous in some instances in maintaining better workability over time. Micro fillers were also successful in inhibiting the induced bleeding of fresh concrete. Therefore, it is possible to design triple-blended composite cements including different fillers to achieve improved rheological characteristics. Mechanical Properties of High Strength Concrete
[4]
Splitting Tensile Strength The splitting tension of HPC increases after aging. The splitting tension mentioned above is about 5% to 10% of the compressive strength and tends to decline as the strength increases. Splitting Tensile strength of control group is higher than ACI-318, because the HPC uses more pozzolanic materials which have not yet fully developed pozzolanic reactions at the age of 28 days splitting tension of HPC has a close relation with the square root of compressive strength, and its related equation may be expressed as follows:
Wherein (a, b) the mean values of the control group, the slag group, and the silica fumes group are (0.51, 0.03), (0.48, 0.08), and (0.49, 0.08) respectively. Flexure Strength Flexure strength is about 7.5% to 13% of the compressive strength. The ratio of flexure strength to compressive strength of the control group declines in response to the increment of compressive strength. The ratio of flexure strength to compressive strength gets higher in response to higher ratios of slag and silica fumes.[8][9] Compressive Strength Efficiency of Cement According to the strength development of various mixture proportions, every kilogram of cement in HPC offers about 0.24 to0.32MPa of strength. Normal high strength concrete, owing to more cement, has quicker strength development in the early stage. But, as far as compressive strength efficiency of cement is concerned, it is not so good as that of HPC. The reason is that HPC, based on the densified mix proportion algorithm, lowers water content and enhances the packing effect of aggregates, and the contribution of pozzolanic reactions becomes significant in developing better strength efficiency.[8][9] Enhancing Ductility of High Strength Concrete members[1] Ductility is an essential property in structures that have to respond to inelasticity in severe earthquakes, it is defined as a measure of the ability to undergo large deformations without failure (important in seismic zones). Experiments have shown that very high strength concrete are brittle as compared to normal strength concrete. The falling branch of the stress -strain diagram is much steeper and develops at a faster rate as the compressive strength is increased. For making use of high strength concrete in seismic zones special confining reinforcements are provided through use of spirals or rectangular ties to enclose the longitudinal reinforcement so as to form with the enclosed core a con-fined concrete area subjected to tri axial stress. Hence confinement is a technique to achieve high performance in high strength concrete (which is otherwise a brittle material) structural elements through the design of the required steel confining ties or spirals.
The Pozzolanic material provides not only chemical strength affects but also physical packing effects. The following are the effects on the mechanical strengths. Compressive Strength The compressive stress curves may keep growing as the concrete ages. Compressive strength, in the beginning stage, is in inverse proportion to W/B due to the use of lower amount of cement and higher amount of pozzolanic materials. Therefore, the strength in the beginning stage is much influenced by the amount of cement in the sample. In other words, it is closely related to W/C and the ultimate strength is controlled by W/B. The strength of HPC with silica fumes is higher than HPC with slag to partially replace cement. However, one year later, the HPC strength of slag partially replacing cement is superior to samples with silica fumes to partially replacing cement, and it is superior to the control group strength as well. The reason might lie in the efficiency of the slag reaction which gets stronger as time passes or in the heterogeneous mix of silica fumes.
Timing and duration of curing is extremely important as it could alter and effect the results of the final product.
Durability of HPC[1] Strength and Durability are the USPs of High Performance Concrete. The strength aspects have been addressed else where in the paper. In this section durability aspects are discussed. High performance is characterized by the special attributes which are achieved both long term and short term wise. This is attained through use of non-conventional ingredients such as mineral admixtures (fly ash, blast furnace slag, silica fume), chemical admixtures (high range water reducing admixtures). The durability of HPC can be achieved through the following parameters. - - - - - - - - - Low Permeability to resist Chemical attack (chlorides & Sulphates) Reinforcement corrosion Salt penetration Freeze and thaw attack Abrasion resistance (more relevant for bridge decks) Fire Resistance Resistance to alkali aggregate reaction Resistance to Creep & Shrinkage
(Karnataka) executed by M/s L&T and RAPP (Rajasthan) executed by M/s HCC, both during the year 1998. Silica fume has been used to get the desired strength. - M 75 grade HPC is presently being used in fly-overs being constructed by M/s AFCONS at PUNE. High strength is being achieved due to addition of Silica fume and flyash as supplementary binders. And because of this, it has been possible to design slender piers and post-tensioned segmental superstructure over longer spans. - M 60 grade HPC is presently being used in the construction of Delhi Metro Rail. - M 75 grade HPC has been used for the first time in India in 2002 in JJ Hospital Fly Over Project by Gammon India Ltd. Conclusion High Strength and durable concrete will dominate the new and rehabilitated infrastructure of the new millennium. Mixing procedures and equipment would have to be modified considerably using high speed mixers instead of truck mixing and robotic technology to place concrete in forms. Instrumentation of the infrastructure, both newly constructed and existing, will be a standard procedure to monitor per-formance. Engineering education will have to adapt to this highly sophisticated materials technology by the inclusion of adequate instruction to equip engineers with knowledge of the behaviour of these constituents. By adapting this technology safety would be enhanced and impending failure could be prevented. The inherent nature of major infrastructure projects will place increasing demands on the new millenniums engineer. In short as stated by Mather[1] Concrete is International and as we have air to breath, water to drink, earth to grow plant in, it is the foundation of civilization. References
1. Nawy, Edward G, Fundamentals of High Performance Concrete. 2. Nevellie, A. M., Brookes, J. J., Concrete Technology. 3. Sai Prasad, P . V., and Jha, Kamlesh, High Performance Concrete, Project Work for Course No.624-Sr.Professional Course (Bridges & General) 4. Journal of the Chinese Institute of Engineers, Vol. 27, No. 7, pp. 1081-1085 (2004) 5. The Indian Concrete Journal,Vol-80, June 2006 6. Shetty, M. S., Concrete Technology. 7. Basu, P .C., and Mittal, Amit, High Performance Concrete for Indian Nuclear Power Plants, Transactions of the 15th International Conference on Structural Mechanics in Reactor Technology (SMiRT-15), Seoul, Korea, August 15-20, 1999. 8. ACI 318 9. ACI 363
Economics of High Performance Concrete[1] The high strength concrete being of higher quality and with inclusion of mineral admixtures (e.g. fly ash, GGBS, silica fumes etc.) and chemical admixtures (e.g. HRWR etc.) obviously costs more than normal strength concrete per unit quantity. But the increased per unit cost is offset by the reduction in the volume of concrete required to construct the structure (As characteristic compressive strength fck is increased for concrete & member size gets reduced). The most substantial savings in the use of High Strength Concrete comes from the reduction in nonmaterial costs associated with structures. For example in case of a bridge with I-Girders the use of high strength concrete reduces the number of girders, reduces the labour cost in the production of girders, reduces the transportation costs, reduces the erection cost, reduces the overhead expenses. Use of HPC ensures lesser cost of maintenance owing to enhanced durability and serviceability. In addition to the monetary savings, use of HPC substantially reduces construction time and thus the structures can be put into use much earlier than normal strength concrete structures. Therefore in totality the overall cost is reduced substantially with the inclusion of high strength concrete. Since cost is the major factor in the choice of material and the level of high strength concrete to be used for the facility to be constructed charts on cost-benefit data should be obtained from the reputed ready mix suppliers in order to make a studied judgment. Applications of HPC in India and some real time design mixes[3] - M 60 grade HPC used for nuclear power plants at Kaiga
Nina Concrete Systems Pvt.Ltd
Communication Feature
MT 3000-2 Offset: The Versatile VGELE Feeder with Pivoting Conveyor

he ultra-modern VGELE PowerFeeder MT 3000-2 Offset can do a great deal more than previous feeders. The pivoting conveyor opens up a wide range of applications that greatly improve machine utilization. Innovative pivoting conveyor The innovative pivoting conveyor lies at the heart of the Offset Technology. The 1.1m wide conveyor can be pivoted to the left or right by 55 and inclined upwards by 23, opening up a whole variety of potential uses. As a result, the mix at the end of the conveyor can be discharged up to 3.5m left or right of the feeder at a height of 0.8m to 3.7m. The feeder is ideally suited for supplying pavers with mix from the side, backfilling trenches or filling the spaces between safety barriers during motorway construction. It is also recommended for roadworks on hard shoulders.
And not only asphalt can be precisely fed to the desired place. Numerous other materials, such as gravel, waterbound base course mix, recycled material or topsoil can also be conveyed. The trough-shaped design (30) of the conveyor belt prevents any segregation of material. The belt itself is particularly long-lasting, as it is an industrially manufactured endless belt. The smart automatic belt tensioning system also contributes substantially to the longevity of the belt. The belt is only tensioned to the maximum extent when absolutely necessary. The belt tension increases until 100% of the drive power is transmitted, and the tension decreases if a lower conveying capacity is sufficient. This means that the belt is only tightly tensioned for short periods, extending its service life considerably.
Maximum conveying capacity for uninterrupted paving The uninterrupted and non-contacting supply of mix to pavers, achieved by the feeder, is a decisive factor for a perfect paving quality. Not only, but above all, on large-scale projects when large quantities of material need to be transferred to one or more pavers as quickly as possible. With the MT 3000-2 Offset, the highest possible conveying capacity is guaranteed at all times. The highperformance VGELE PowerFeeder can empty a 25t feed lorry in a breathtaking 60 seconds thanks to various features installed in the machine. The feeder's material hopper can hold up to 8 tonnes of mix. The worm conveyors, for which proportional control is provided, come with large worm blades (400mm) ensuring a
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homogeneous conveyance of mix without residues. And last but not least, the conveyor is capable of transferring up to 1,200 tonnes of mix per hour. This high conveying capacity speeds up job site logistics considerably and leaves the drivers of feed lorries more time to manoeuvre. The overall machine concept ensures that paving can proceed without interruption, thus avoiding humps which often appear in the pavement when resuming paving after a stop. Wide range of applications Feeders are most commonly used for the construction of large roads, such as motorways or trunk roads. The new VGELE PowerFeeder MT 3000-2 Offset is perfectly tailored for use when paving hot to hot with two pavers. The Offset technology is ideal, too, for filling the spaces between safety barriers on motorways or long-distance roads quickly and economically. As a further example, the feeder can display its full capabilities when it comes to surfacing footpaths or cycle
paths. Thanks to its pivoting conveyor, it can travel on the main road and conveniently transfer mix to a small or compact paver on the cycle path. The new VGELE PowerFeeder MT 3000-2 Offset is also ideal for use in an Line Pave train, where its pivoting conveyor alternately supplies mix to the paver for binder course and the paver for surface course by way of a transfer module. Sophisticated yet simple-to-use operating concept Like all machines of the dash 2 generation of VGELE machines, the MT 3000-2 Offset comes with the intuitive ErgoPlus operating system. Fitted with two seats as standard, the feeder can be operated by one or two persons. On complex job sites, this allows one operator to focus exclusively on the conveying process transferring mix from the feed lorry to the paver, while the other one operates the conveyor. The conveyor is controlled with high sensitivity via a newly designed joystick integrated in the
armrest of the driver's seat. To raise or lower the pivoting conveyor, the operator pulls the joystick back or pushes it forwards. The joystick is turned to execute a lateral movement. A safety switch prevents displacement of the conveyor due to accidentally touching the joystick. The conveying capacity is controlled by two push-buttons on the joystick. The yellow button sets the standard conveying speed. This speed can be briefly overridden by pressing the white button if a particularly high conveying capacity is required. The conveyor speed is infinitely variable. Of course, all functions related to the conveying process can also be controlled from the operator's console.
For further details:

Wirtgen India Pvt Ltd.
Gat No 301 & 302, Bhandgaon Khor Road, Bhandgaon, Taluka-Daund, Pune-412214. Ph: +91-2117-302600 E-mail: sales@wirtgenindia.com Web: www.wirtgenindia.com
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Kumkang Kind India
Kumkang Kind India
Focus Batching Plants
Things to Consider Before Buying

Special Correspondent
Buying Your First Concrete Batching Plant:
he Indian construction equipment industry has set a scorching pace for itself over the last two decades. At the turn of the new century, several global players entered the Indian market either by setting up their own manufacturing units or through tie-ups with domestic players for a variety of building construction machinery. One of the most prominent among them is the concrete batching plant. In fact, today no major
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infrastructure or real estate project is imaginable without these hardworking processors of concrete. The last decade has seen an entry of several new players in the fray offering a wide range of concrete batching plants. While the bewildering array offers a wider choice to the customer, it has been also often the cause for the creation of more confusion. With the market showing signs of maturity, India is also a huge
market for used construction equipment, a market segment where again concrete batching plants form a significant chunk. In this scenario, let us take a look at some of the key factors that need to be taken into consideration while making the all important purchase decision. Budget Planning While there is no denying the evolution of the Indian market from being a one
you also have the option of going in for a used concrete batching plant too. When it comes to price, it is important that every possible 'type' of pricing is looked at. Remember, India is a country where different states follow different tax structures. If you are transporting your plant, then this could again add to your costs. Similarly, disassembly, site preparation and the erection are the other key cost factors you need to look at. Every aspect, however minute it could seem, should be looked at. For example, plumbing and electrical hookups are the other areas that could add to the budget. Size Does Matter Buyers should also be very clear about the basic type of plant that they are looking for. This would again depend on the market. For example, if the project is at an urban location, then a plant with central mix is the norm. Similarly, if you are looking for a plant that could be moved easily across locations, then a portable or mobile concrete batching plant that can be erected on concrete slabs without piers is the ideal choice. For larger projects stationary plants are the norm these days. Semi-mobile plants that can be moved across locations after the completion of a project is another choice available to buyers. The purchase decision would also depend on whether you need a plant with a central mixer or the mixing process would be done in
trucks. It is therefore of crucial importance that buyers identify their market correctly in the first place before making the buying decision. Buyers also need to take into consideration the site characteristics before making the purchase decision. This factor could also impact the decision to go in for mixer trucks too. This is especially true of urban areas in India where space is at a premium, where sometimes erection of a large plant is not possible, or in certain instances maneuverability of truck mixers could be an issue. In certain instances, a special requirement, such as a central dust collection system, needs to be factored. Every one of these key aspects needs to be ascertained before making the purchase decision. Aggregates More often than not buyers are known to take decisions in a hurry forgetting about one crucial aspect aggregates. Remember the purchase decision would also depend on the type of cement that is available in your area or the one that you will be using for the project. The aggregates will decide on the total aggregate bins that you want the plant to have. The choice of the type of cement
that was predominantly price-driven to one that is now takes a look at the whole 'package' including value additions such as after sales technical support services, there is also no denying the fact that for a majority of buyers, price is often the clinching factor for zeroing in on a particular model. It is therefore important that you add up your budget items. Remember, the choice available to a customer is now vast. As a customer
Doing proper homework is important before making a purchase decision
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time of six or even eight months is ideal since it would also give the project team enough time to get ready too. For example, they could always learn about the safety features and their operation from the manufacturer or the dealer during this time. Site Preparation Buyers will also need to spend a good amount of time scouting for the right location for setting up the plant in most of the instances. This is where zoning and permitting aspects come into picture. Perhaps the dealer would be the best person to talk to and get things ascertained in the particular region. Remember, aspects such as height restrictions are best dealt with by the dealer, since they would be well versed with the local laws. In today's age of increased emphasis on environmental issues, it is also preferable that you also have a legal expert as part of your team since no matter how clean your plant it, there are chances that someone in the neighbourhood could be raising an alarm. It is always preferable to do your homework properly. For example, water could be an issue in some locations in India. The lead time that you get before the plant is erected should be utilized for preparing the site ready for the plant. Post Delivery Assembly Just imagine a scenario where your site has been prepared and the 'D' day comes and you are left with a team of inexperienced erectors, leaving you in the lurch. In order to avoid such a scenario, it is always preferable that you get a few references from your dealer before you make your choice. Talk to other customers of the dealers and find out about their capabilities, vis--vis, post delivery assembly. It is also preferable that you opt for a dealer who offers complete turnkey solutions including site preparation, disassembly, erection, and installation. Training
Remember concrete batching plants work in some of the harshest environs
Site preparation is an important part of the buying process
will also dictate your choice of the cement batcher. It is therefore important that the entire team, sits downs and thrashes out the requirements out of the concrete batching plant. Get the Timing Right Many a project is known to have got delayed in India due to the late arrival of
the needed equipment. This is especially true in the case of concrete batching plants. Remember, they are not like earthmoving equipment like excavators or backhoe loaders that can be just driven in to a site. It is important that the buyer identifies a reputable dealer first and anticipates the date on which the plant should be up and running. A lead
Remember to look for a vendor who offers value added services and not
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Ajax Fiori Engineering India (P) Ltd
just equipment. The vendor should offer training on the safe and efficient operation of the plant. The supplier's team should also train your personnel on the regular upkeep and maintenance of the plant. This is a crucial aspect, particularly in a country like India where dearth of trained operators is a major issue. Make sure that the supplier completes this minimum obligation so that you are not left with a situation where you have brand new equipment but no one to operate it at the end of the day. Buying Used Plant India has gradually emerged as a huge market for used construction equipment too in recent times. The
concept of construction equipment auctions too is gradually finding an increasing number of takers. It therefore does not come as a surprise to find that deals in used concrete batching plants have now become commonplace. There are certain important factors that need to be taken into consideration, whenever a buyer opts for used concrete batching plants. Firstly, it is always advisable to take a look at the plant in person. Secondly, it is important that you ask the seller, the right questions. When was the plant manufactured? Does it have a service agreement with a vendor or manufacturer? How many yards has it produced? Has the plant been in operation off late? , etc, are some questions which need to be asked.
The buyer has also got to take a close and detailed look at the plant. It is preferable that an expert in the field is taken along for the inspection process. Remember a concrete batching plant works among some of the harshest environs and it is but natural that parts do undergo wear and tear. The overall condition of parts including the paint, cement batchers and aggregate bins, etc would give you an idea about wear and tear of the plant. Similarly, dust collectors, belt conveyors, and cement silos are other areas that need to be inspected very closely. Photo Courtesy:
www.gpegroup.com, www.umeshandong.en.china www.electronicbatchweighingsystem.com www.tawridqatar.com
Engineering Highlights from the London Olympics
The Olympic Stadium

Home to the stirring opening ceremonies, the Olympic Stadium seats 80,000, but it is designed to transform as needed down to a smaller capacity venue after the Games, thanks to 55,000 lightweight, removable steel seats. On the list for the Royal Institute of British Architects' 2012 RIBA Stirling Prize for its architecture, the stadium contains more than 9,000 metric tons of steel, which is still lighter than other stadiums of the same size. Its 14 lighting towers provide the necessary illumination for the first Olympics broadcast in HD
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Universal Construction Machinery & Equipment Ltd
Road Engineering Rural Infrastructure
Innovative Construction Technology for Quality Construction of Rural Road
Dr. S.K. Chaudhary
Assistant Engineer, Road Construction Department, Bihar
Rural Connectivity becomes a critical component in the socio-economic development of rural people by providing access to amenities like education, health, marketing etc. It has been established that investments in rural roads lifts rural people above the poverty line. The evidence also indicates that as the rural connectivity improves, the rural poverty levels come down. While building rural roads, the provisions based on the parameters that affect the sustainability are to be made, but at minimum cost. The conventional methods and specifications tend to recommend technology and materials, however difficult and distance away they may be, which normally result in higher cost of construction. Quality Construction of rural road has been a major challenge for engineering fraternity all over the world. This call for introduction of innovative and environment friendly approaches in rural roads building for achieving cost-effectiveness. Though such methods and technologies were tried world over, they could not become popular in India, due to procedural constraints and lack of awareness/exposure. In this paper author has made an attempt to present innovative, cost effective and environment friendly technology for quality construction of road. National scenario presents an interesting picture. Economic and environmental aspects were also discussed.
ural development has become a matter of growing urgency for considerations of social justice, national integration, and economic upliftment and inclusive growth. For rural development, the provision of rural road network is a key component to enable the rural people to have access to schools, health centers and markets. Rural roads serve as an entry point for poverty alleviation since lack of access is accepted universally as a fundamental factor in continuation of poverty. As India launched the era of planned development in 1951, she had a reasonably good railway system, a few ports and around 400,000 kms of serviceable road network. Accessibility to villages was poor as only about 20 percent of them had all-weather road links. The Government laid down a framework for accelerated growth through investments in irrigation, power, heavy industry and transport. Side by side, stress was laid on provision of social infrastructure (education and health) and integrated rural development including agriculture. Rural roads act as a facilitator to promote and sustain agricultural growth, improve basic health, provide access to schools and economic opportunities and thus holds the key to accelerated poverty reduction, achievements of Millennium Development Goals (MDG),
socio-economic transformation, national integration and breaking the isolation of village communities and holistic and inclusive rural development. A major thrust to the development of rural roads was accorded at the beginning of the Fifth Five Year Plan in 1974 when it was made a part of the Minimum Needs Programme. In 1996, this was merged with the Basic Minimum Services (BMS) programmes. The works of village tracks were also taken up under several employment creation and poverty alleviation programmes of the Central and State Governments. There is growing empirical evidence that links transport investment to the improved well being of the poor. A study (Fan, Hazel and Throat, 1999) carried out by the International Food Policy Research Institute on linkages between government expenditure and poverty in rural India has revealed that an investment of ` 10 crore (at 2009-10 prices) in roads lifts 16,500 persons above the poverty line. States having low connectivity had higher poverty levels. Provision of good roads in rural areas also changes the characteristics of rural transport. With people tend to travel more, the ownership of vehicles increases. There is a shift from non-motorized vehicles to motorized ones and the cost and time of travel get reduced.
Presently about 740 million people of India live in rural area. Rural connectivity is being focused for the growth of economy, agricultural development and employment generation to rural people. India is having about 2.65 million km of road under rural road category out of total road network of 3.3 million km according to a statistic of Indian road network of National Highways Authority of India. Efforts are going on by central government and state government through different program like Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) to improve road access to rural people. Still about 40 percent of village people of the country are not connected by all weather roads. The rural connectivity is expected to have many positive impacts on economy, agricultural, employment and social services to rural masses. India is distinguished for its geographical diversities with mountains, hills, rivers terrains, forest, wet lands, deserts and scattered habitations in remote areas. Also, there exists a wide range in the sub-grade soil types, rainfall, traffic pattern and availability of construction materials. These natural barriers create problems for developing a standard uniform technique to serve the requirements at all the sites. This requires adoption of different technologies based on site specific conditions. For the construction of Rural Roads, Indian Roads Congress has brought out Rural Road Manual IRC SP:20-2002 for design and construction. The design is based on the CBR value of the soil sub-grade and the 10 years projected cumulative traffic with an assumed 6% traffic growth per year. Based on this concept, normally two layers of WBM with 75 mm thickness is laid over the granular sub-base with suitable material having minimum 15% CBR. However, there are situations in many states where the prescribed standards are not available at normal leads resulting in longer haulage and higher costs. If the locally available materials, including marginal and industrial waste materials are utilized, it could be possible to reduce the cost of road construction. Several types of new materials are tried to establish the efficacy of new materials in road construction. However,the use of new materials and technologies is not becoming popular owing to certain procedural constraints as well as lack of awareness and therefore appropriate steps may have to be taken for popularizing the new technologies for building better rural roads with less cost. Adoption of such technique may also result in the conservation of natural resources, energy and environment. Ground Improvement Techniques One of the proven technologies for the use of local soil and marginal aggregates is stabilization. The stabilization can
be mechanical or chemical and several types of stabilizing agents have proved to be suitable under different conditions of soil and environment. The soil stabilization techniques include: - Stabilization with lime. - Stabilization with cement. - Stabilization with a combination of lime and cement Even though specifications for soil stabilization are included in both MoRT&H and MoRD book of specifications their adoption is not getting popular, due to problems associated in attaining homogeneity of soil-stabilizer mix in the field and achieving the desired results. The only constraint in the use of the above techniques lies on the procedures adopted in the field. It is possible to popularize the use of stabilization techniques through appropriate training and capacity building of the field engineers. Further, development of low end technology equipment, for use in the rural roads also facilitates wider use of these methods. In addition to the above, several methods are being tried with the use of industrial waste by products in road building. The following are some of the important materials which have proved good. - Fly Ash for the construction of the embankments and stabilization of sub-base and base-courses. - Steel and copper slags for the construction of sub-base and base-courses. - Marble dust in sub-grade and sub base. Though the construction of different elements of the road with Fly Ash has been successfully implemented, the use of other materials is not so widely adopted except for inplant roads. However, construction technologies with the use of such materials can also be successfully adopted, if the field engineers are properly trained. Studies were carried out on the use of waste materials like rice husk ash and lime sludge. These materials, if left unused, may affect the surroundings and also create problem for their disposal. Use of those waste materials in road construction can alleviate the problem of their disposal to great extent. In India, studies were conducted at CRRI, IIT Roorkee and several other places for their use in stabilizing the soil. The results indicated that heir usage has great impact on the improvement of soil properties. The studies suggested that they are very useful for stabilizing clayey soils. The summary of the results indicate the following: - Improve Atterberg limits to make soil suitable for road building. - Increase the unconfined compressive strength of soil as well as CBR.
Innovations in Ground Improvement Recently several environmental friendly enzymes have come into the market such Fujibeton,Terrazyme and Renolith etc. Use of these products indicates minimization, elimination of the use of aggregates and is referred to as Aggregate-Free Pavement Technology. Such materials can also be tried in the rural roads construction after proving their efficacy in the Indian conditions, through series of trial projects. 1. Fujibeton as a Soil Stabilizing Agent The Fujibeton material, developed in Japan, is climatically stable material and suitable for stabilization of all types of soils. Basically, the product is an inorganic polymer that chemically binds with all compounds, where blended with ordinary Portland cement in 1 to 3% by weight of OPC. The blended mix is called Fujibeton Mix, which is used for stabilization of soil that improves the engineering properties of soil. The design concept is based on the optimization of Fujibeton mix for stabilization based on unconfined compressive strength results determined on the given soil for different proportions of soil-Fujibeton mix and calculation of the thickness of the stabilization layer (Beton-Subbase) based on design CBR, wheel load and volume of traffic. The top layer of the pavement should be covered with 3 to 5 cm asphalt concrete. The technology is advantageous not only for locations where aggregates are not available at economical rates but also for all types of soil conditions. With the use of new soil hardening agent, the material available at the construction site may be used as it is, eliminating the need for transporting of borrow soil from long distances, thus economizing and simplifying the work process. Fujibeton improves CBR of the sub-grade and does not create shrinkage cracks and is therefore highly effective for clayey/soils. With Fujibeton, a high dry density is obtained with only minor compaction. Therefore, small and simple equipments like tractor mounted equipment are sufficient. Also, this technology does not require skilled manpower for road construction. This technology is efficient and economical for construction of embankment and sub-grade & sub-base course. 2. Terrazyme as a Soil Stabilizing Agent Terrazyme is a natural, non-toxic; environmentally safe, bio-enzyme product that improves engineering qualities of soil reduces ruts and potholes resulting in more durable and longer lasting roads. The function of Terrazyme is to minimize absorbed water in the soil for maximum compaction, which decreases the swelling capacity of the soil particles and reduces permeability. The application of
Terrazyme enhances weather resistance and increases loadbearing capacity of soils especially in clayey/soils. This will provide cost effectiveness both in the initial construction cost and maintenance cost. Advantages of Terrazyme Technology - Considerable improvement in soil CBR. - Minimum loss of gravel due to erosion or abrasion by the traffic preserving original transverse section of slopes. - Impediment of widespread occurrence of dust from loose fine material on the road surface. Terrazyme is used world wide in strengthening of layers of un-surfaced roads, in base layers and sub-base layers covered with asphalt material. Among the soil materials stabilized by Terrazyme are sandy clay, silty clay, sandy silt, plastic and non-plastic clay, sandy loam,fine loam, loam mixed with clay. 3. Soil Cement Renolith Stabilization Technique Renolith is polymer based chemical, which is environmentally friendly and which facilitates the bonding of soil particles (a phenomenon which is known a micro-rubber bonds).Soilcement with Renolith has a high modulus of elasticity and can disperse the wheel loads very effectively. It is a semirigid material. A noteworthy feature of this technology is that it require very little amount of aggregate, which is useful at places where the material haulage is more. The use of Renolith, when used in soil stabilization with cement, gives strong and durable base. This type of construction does not require surfacing for low volume roads, since the base course is stabilized. It is expected to give good performance with longevity and reduces maintenance costs in almost dust free environment. Limited research was carried out abroad, with soil cement Renolith Stabilization, but similar studies are yet to be carried out in India. Alternate Technologies in Rural Roads Construction There are several other techniques that can be adopted in conditions of low bearing capacity soils, marshy lands and location with drainage problems such as the use of geotextiles.Several types of geo-textiles including synthetic, jute coir etc. are proved to give good results and provide cost effectiveness for rural roads. 1. Use of Jute Geo-textile Jute Geo-textile (JGT) is a kind of natural technical textile laid in or on soil to improve its engineering properties. It is made out of yarns obtained form the jute plant. Jute Geo Textiles have high moisture absorption, excellent drapability, high initial tensile strength, biodegradable and improved soil structure on degradation. The basic functions of JGT
Apollo Infratech Pvt.Ltd
are separation, filtration, drainage and initial reinforcement. It is environment friendly. Jute Geotextiles can be more effective, eco-friendly and economical if used judiciously and jointly with other measures. 2. Flexible-Concrete Pavement Technology IIT Kharagpur has developed a new technology for low cost cement concrete road construction, which has proved to be suitable in place of conventional CC roads for low volume traffic. Even though the initial cost of flexible-concrete road is high compared to cost of conventional flexible pavement, the life cycle cost with maintenance costs over a period of 10-20 years is less compared to the conventional one. The technology consists of placing a form work of plastic cells 150 x 150mm and 100mm deep over the prepared foundation of road and placing zero slump concrete in the cells and compacting with road roller/ plate compactor / earth rammer. On curing, a flexible-concrete pavement is obtained which will not wear even under iron tyred carts if aggregates of good quality are used. 3. Use of Waster Plastic Blended Bitumen It is possible to improve the performance of bituminous mixed used in the surfacing course of roads. Studies reported in the used of re-cycled plastic, mainly polyethylene, in the manufacture of blended indicated reduced permanent deformation in the form of rutting and reduced low temperature cracking of the pavement surfacing. Laboratory studies were carried out at the Centre for Transportation Engineering of Bangalore University, in which the plastic was used as an additive with heated bitumen n different proportions (ranging from zero to 12% by weight of bitumen) The results of the laboratory investigations indicated that, the addition of processed plastic of about 8.8% by weight of bitumen, helps in substantially improving the stability, strength, fatigue life and other desirable properties of bituminous concrete mix, even under adverse water-logging conditions. The additions of 8.0% by weight of processed plastic for the preparation of modified bitumen results in a saving of 0.4% bitumen by weight of the mix or about 9.6% bitumen per cubic meter of BC mix. 4. Cold Mix Technology Cold mix is a mixture of unheated aggregate and emulsion or cutback and filler. The main difference between cold mix and HMA is that aggregates and emulsion or cutbacks are mixed at ambient temperature (10C-30C) in case of cold mix and aggregates and binder are mixed at high temperature (138C-160C) in case of HMA. Dense graded cold mixtures have far lower permeability and good resistance to deformation. Open graded mixtures are storable and semi dense mixtures have good adhesion
and lower permeability. Cold mix when used as paving mix can offer following advantages. - It eliminates heating of aggregate and binder. - It is environmental friendly and conserves energy. Cold mix pavement can provide energy savings of over 50% compared with hot mix. So it can be considered as green bituminous mix for rural road construction. - It can be easily prepared using small set up on site. It can be produced manually for small scale job. Laying of HMA for rural road construction sometimes is not economical because setting up of a hot mix plant for small scale job increases the project cost. - This paving mix is particularly suited for construction of roads in remote and isolated areas of a country where plant produced hot mix may have set before reaching site. - Cold mix can be laid during wet or humid condition also. - It is versatile also as a large number of grades of emulsion and cutbacks are available. - It is economical and high production is possible with low investment In India majority of road network is occupied by bituminous pavement only in which Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) is used predominantly as a paving mix from many decades. However this bituminous mix is associated with some limitations. These include excessive emission of greenhouse gases (e.g. sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxides and volatile organic compounds) from HMA plant, shut down of hot mix plant during rainy season and the laying of HMA is difficult in hilly areas and rural areas having long hauling distances, cost of putting up HMA plant is high and comparative budgets of small sections of rural road is very less, etc. As, Indian rural road network is developing continuously, paving mix like cold mix asphalt or Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA) should be tried. This mix is started to lay on pavement to reduce the problems associated with HMA. Warm mix asphalt is a very new technology compared to cold mix asphalt. Construction of rural road using conventional paving mix is sometimes not feasible in high rainfall area because it is difficult to produce and lay HMA. In case of high altitude or snow bound area, lower temperature of environment makes difficult to heat aggregate and binder at high temperature. In case of hilly roads, HMA is supplied from remote HMA plant; it is difficult to maintain mix temperature for long hauling distance. Cold mix can be produced on
site. Simple concrete mixture, motor pavers or specialized mixing plant can be used to produce cold mix on site. Cold mix can be lay down by hand for small scale job and compaction is carried out by vibrating roller. Hence Cold mix asphalt should be tried in India for construction of rural roads in hilly areas having high rainfall and difficult terrain. National Scenario 1. Fujibeton as a Soil Stabilizing Agent: To evaluate the performance of this technology, using Fujibeton as soil stabilizer, small road stretch has been constructed within the campus of NCCBMs in Ballabhgarh. With this study,it is revealed that because of faster setting and improved CBR of stabilized soil, the rural road can be opened to traffic within a day. Due to speedier construction practices, the Fujibeton stabilized rural roads will not only be economical but also prove to be effective under constraints of traffic diversion. 2. Terrazyme as a Soil Stabilizing Agent :Trial roads were built in India with Terrazyme stabilized road structure in the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The soil used in these studies are mainly gravelly clay, silty clay,clayey sand, medium to fine sand-clay mixtures, silt and clay mix. It is proved that there is an increase in CBR value of more than 100% and relative compaction by more than 100%.Case study of the two roads built by PWD of Maharashtra revealed that the use of Terrazyme resulted in overall cost savings in the range of 18-26%. 3. Use of Jute Geo-textile: Based on the experiences of the use of Jute Geo Textiles, MoRD in collaboration with JMDC is implementing a pilot project in five states covering a length of about 48 Km under different soil and environmental conditions. This project is taken up with different types of Jute Geo-textile and placement at different levels. The post construction performance monitoring is expected to give valuable data for arriving at standards and specifications of this technique which helps for wider application. The project is in progress and the results are expected shortly.
Plastic Tar Road, and found that, the performance of all the road stretches are satisfactory. - The performance of the road stretches constructed using waster plastic in Karnataka is also found to be satisfactory. The construction of roads using waste plastic in the above states is based on the guidelines developed by Bangalore University. CRRI and College of Engineering, Madurai. However, standard specifications are not available on the use of waste plastic in bituminous road construction.
5. Cold Mix Technology: North eastern states of India belong to hilly area and sometimes roads go through forest zone. Due to its topographical constraints and environmental rule and regulation, use of cold mix may be a promising mix under different site conditions. Field trials have been carried out by CRRI at some location in North eastern states of India. Cold mix is gaining considerable popularity in rural road construction. Economic and Environmental Aspect - The stabilization of soil with Enzyme based stabilizers like Fujibeton, Terrazyme and Renolith, can eliminate the need for the use of aggregate material in base course resulting in conservation of material. This results in reduction in the cost of construction. A typical analysis for saving of cost in terms of material, machinery and labour for two layers of WBM (75 mm each) and 3.75 m carriageway indicate a saving of about Rs. 5.0 lakhs with medium lead. - Using Jute Geo-textile in the pilot project taken up under PMGSY, it is found that there is cost saving of about 12% in road construction. - MoRD in collaboration with JMDC is implementing a pilot project in five States covering a length of about 48 Km under different soil and environmental conditions, the cost analysis of which is given below: - Even though the initial cost of flexible-concrete road is high compared to cost of conventional flexible pavement, the life cycle cost with maintenance costs over a period of 10-20 years is less compared to the conventional one.The IITGP_ROAD technology need to be studied further because even through,the initial cost of Cement Concrete Pavement is at par with the conventional pavement, it is lower than the conventional flexible pavement if maintenance cost is also considered whose bitumen top is to be renewed every 5 years at a cost of over ` 5 lakhs. - The additions of 8.0% by weight of processed plastic for the preparation of modified bitumen results in a
4. Flexible-Concrete Pavement Technology :A model rode has already been constructed in a village close to IIT Kharagpur using the technology IITGP_ROAD. Experimentation through pilot project for the IITGP_ ROAD technology is being tried I the construction of the rural rods under PMGSY, so as to enable standardization and popularization of this cost effective solution. 5. Use of Waster Plastic Blended Bitumen: - In Tamil Nadu, length of roads around 1000 m in various stretches were constructed using waste plastic as an additive in bituminous mix under the scheme 1000 km
saving of 0.4% bitumen by weight of the mix or about 9.6% bitumen per cubic meter of BC mix. - It Is not only the reduction of cost, but the real interesting part of this is the conservation of natural resources and energy along with preservation of the environment, which gives long way, if such aggregate free construction of rural roads are encouraged and popularized.
States Total length of Roads (Km) (Cost in lakh)
Conventional Design With Jute Geo Textile
using conventional plant or by hand. So it can be laid as surface course or bituminous base course for rural road construction. - Cold mix can be tried for paving mix in north east region of India. - Large scale laboratory and field trials studies should be carried out to develop better understanding on the performance of cold mixes in rural road construction for different traffic, climate and terrain conditions. - The use of new materials and technologies is not becoming popular in our country mainly due to lack of awareness. Failure to instill confidence in the field engineers by addressing their problems can be another reasons, the third being non-availability of suitable standard equipments. References
- - IRC:SP:20-2002. Rural Roads Manual, Indian Roads Congress. Dr Satish Chandra, Shiv Kumar & Rajesh Kumar Anand, Soil Stabilization with Rice Husk Ash and line Sludge, India Highways, Indian Roads Congress, vol33 No. 5, May 2005, pp.87-98. Raju, G.V.R.P ., Chandrasekhar B. P ., Kumar R.R.P . and Mariyanna G. Strength Characteristics of Expansive Soils Stabilized with Lime and Rice Husk Ash, Proceeding of the National Seminar on Road Transportation; Issues & Strategies, Patiala, India (1998), pp-20-29. Report on Demonstration Project for Aggregate-Free Pavement Technology using Fujibeton for Rural Road Construction, NCCBM, New Delhi, India. Gianni A.K. Modi, A.J., Bio Enzymatic Soil Stabilizers fro Construction of Rural Roads,International Seminar on Sustainable Development in Road Transport, New Delhi-India 8-10 November 2001. Report on Demonstration Project using Soil-Cement RENOLITH stabilization technique by PWD Rajasthan, India. Use of Jute Geo-textile as a separator-cum Reinforcement for Rural Roads under PMGSY on an Experimental basis TECHFAB India, Mumbai. Teiborland L. Rynathiang, M. Mazumdar and B.B. Pandey, IIT Kharagpur, Structural Behaviour of Cast n Situ Concrete Block Pavement, Journal of Transportation Engineering,vol.131, Issue 9, pp.662-668 (September 2005). Punith, V.S. and Veeraraghavan, A., Laboratory Fatigue Studies on Bituminous concrete Mixed Utilizing Waster Sherdded Plastic Modifier, Proceedings of 21st ARRB Transport Research (ARRB) and 11th Road Engineering Association and Australia (REAAA) Conference,Caims, Australia, May 19-23, 2003
Savings in ` lakh
Assam, Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, West Bengal
47.84
2022.95
1790.06
232.89
Conclusion - Fujibeton improves CBR of the sub-grade and does not create shrinkage cracks and is therefore highly effective for clayey/soils. - Terrazyme increases CBR of soil sub-grade by more than 100%. Impedes widespread occurrence of dust from loose fine material in the surface of the soil roadways and reduces cost of construction by 15-20%. - The noteworthy feature of soil-Cement-Renolith Stabilization that it requires very little amount of aggregate, performs with increased life and reduced maintenance cost provide a good base for the field Engineers to experiment the construction of unsealed roads in rural areas and also in localities where aggregate are not available in normal leads. - The Jute Geo-textile strengthens the soil sub-grade by preventing intermixing of sub-grade and sub-base by acting as a separation layer and further it prevents migration of fines of a sub-grade by acting as a filtration materials. - The use of modified bitumen with the addition of processed waste plastic of about 8.0% by weight of bitumen helps in substantially improving the stability, strength, fatigue life and other desirable properties of bituminous concrete mix, resulting which improves the longevity and pavement performance with marginal saving in bitumen usage. - Cold mix can be laid on low to medium volume road as a green paving mix. Mixture can be produced by
- -
STP Ltd
Industry Interaction
JCB - Buoyant About the Future

and reliability. At JCB, we always ensure that we deliver highest quality products to our customers coupled with excellent after sales product support. Moreover, our strong distribution network has played a key role in making JCB a pioneer in the industry. Over the years, we have established the most extensive distribution network in the industry with over 450 outlets to ensure that we are always closely connected with our customers. We will continue to increase our outlets in the critical areas as this will help us to minimize machine downtime and will also provide our customers with easy access to genuine parts and world class JCB service. With the best team in construction equipment space, JCB is sure to maintain its brand position and create the best value propositions for the customers. What is the present growth pattern in the developed markets like the US and Europe? The global ECE industry has followed a trend over the past 10-15 years. While this has been a growing trend there have been some years of de-growth as well because of economic uncertainties. The emerging economies like China and India have demonstrated robust growth aiding the growing trend of global ECE while developed markets like US and Europe have demonstrated stagnancy. The slowdown in construction activity, coupled with fiscal constraints in the erstwhile high-growth markets such as US, Japan, and Europe, is likely to result in reduced infrastructure spending by governments as well as the private sector. Your products are so well engineered. What have your R&D investments resulted in lately? JCB machines are the finest products available in the construction equipment sector. This is the result of our continuous efforts to strengthen our R&D centers across India. JCB has established dedicated R&D centers in Pune and Ballabgarh which cater to India centric requirements. Continuous hours of India centric designing by the brightest young minds goes on in these R&D centers. We have also set-up a dedicated India Design Center in Pune which caters to the JCB Group global design requirements.
Amit Gossain
onstruction equipment major JCB continues to focus on expanding its footprint in India. The company has always prided itself on the technological superiority of its product range, a belief that saw it recently launch its new 3DX backhoe loader model, surprising many industry pundits who were talking about going slow in these times of recessionary trends. It has also achieved the remarkable distinction of having sold over 100,000 machines in the Indian construction marketplace. In a freewheeling interview with The Masterbuilder its Vice President Marketing & Business Development, Mr. Amit Gossain tells us what makes JCB Indias products tick in the increasingly competitive Indian CE industry. Here are excerpts from the interview. JCB is today an iconic brand. Ask any adult to imagine a 'digger' and they will without doubt recall an image of a bright yellow piece of JCB earthmover. How have you been able to exploit this global persona in the Indian Marketplace? Actually we have our share of young fans as well! So it's not only adults who generalize JCB with diggers. JCB is known to be the leader when it comes to performance, innovation
VP Marketing & Business Development, JCB India Ltd.
VM115 Compactor
96
Unisteel Engineering Works
Industry Interaction
How does independent rental fit into JCB's plans? At present, the rental channel is largely unorganized and dominated by plant/ equipment hirers and small contractors in India. We are currently not involved in the business of equipment rentals. We supply machines to our hirers who in turn are in business of hiring and renting. In what way do the issues like taxation, problematic inter-state movement of goods and lack of adequate transit infrastructure affect your activities and plans? What hopes do you have from the govt. in future? Issues like these have been a cause of concern for some time but we have been witnessing a change now as our government is taking all the necessary steps to create business-friendly environment for companies. In addition to the ongoing policy reforms, the government needs to clear important national infrastructure projects without delay by addressing issues of land acquisition, dispute resolution and awarding contracts under clear PPP framework. The ecoMax engines have been a huge success. Will the percentage of your own machines that use JCB engines continue to increase? The company made an entry into engine manufacturing not only to make the products cost competitive, but to ensure that our customers can get the machine and engines serviced at our dealerships hence making us a one stop solution. The new engine plant has been set up with an intention to indigenize the JCB's engines featuring our own standards that would go into
our backhoe loaders, wheeled loaders, and other models from India's largest range of earthmoving and material handling equipment. At present the ecoMAX engine powers our range of backhoe loaders, wheeled loaders, compaction equipment and part of our excavator range. We will plan to launch more products with JCB engines in the future. Accenture study had estimated that the industry is slated to grow at 1617% CAGR from $3.3billion in 2010 to $20-25 billion by 2020 or from 60,000 to 3, 30,000 units. How realistic do you find this estimate and how ready is JCB to exploit this opportunity? The Infrastructure sector in India is passing through one of its exciting phases today, the immediate concerns notwithstanding. The Indian construction equipment market is a booming market and has a lot of potential for growth to reach the desired world class level. Moreover the recent report released by CII in consultation with Accenture says that with the increased participation of the private sector we expect the industry to increase from ~ 25 percent to ~ 38 percent over the next decade. Public sector has and will continue to play an important role in the overall growth trajectory of the infrastructure sector in India. JCB India is all set to leverage this opportunity. We have recently invested in upgrading our facilities at Pune and Ballabgarh and our dealerships continue to invest in their facilities to gear up for the future. JCB has doubled the number of parts and outlets in the past five years from 200 to 450, though appreciable, are such strategies instigated from the threat posed by rapidly growing contenders like CNH? At present, JCB has 57 dealers and over 450 outlets in the country. We have the strongest and the largest distribution network in the country and the main objective of establishing such a huge network is to provide unparallel service to our customers. Our distribution
network is one of our major pillars of success, and we will continue to expand it and our dealers will continue to expand as they have the volumes to support it. The objective is to go deeper and deeper into India, which means going as close to our customers as possible. We have over 5500 people who are employees of our dealers, but who are trained by us for selling and servicing these machines. We want to be always available for the customer to provide immediate assistance whenever and wherever required. According to you what are the main factors that will drive the Indian construction equipment industry's growth in the next decade? To ensure smooth growth of the construction equipment industry, the government will have to take few steps such as simplification of tax regime, increased engagement of industry associations etc. to encourage growth. However, the main growth pillars for this industry are: India's expanding economy the reason for such radical economic growth is because of the increasing demand for commercial, industrial, institutional and residential infrastructure projects, a trend which is expected to continue in the coming years Mechanization - Though India is adopting the mechanized processes but still there is a long way to go before we become fully mechanized. For e.g. for material handling applications the use of Pelletization greatly increases efficiency, safety and output. There is a lot of scope here... Using machines instead of manual means also ensures that the job is completed in a safer manner. It is also imperative to educate the machine operators about the safety features.

JCB India Ltd.
23/7, Mathura Road, Ballabgarh 121004 Haryana, India. E-mail: delhi.marketing@jcb.com Web: www.jcb.com
All New 3DX
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United Steel & Structurals Pvt. Ltd
Ground Engineering
Geogrid Reinforced Basal Foundation for Soft Soil Stabilisation

Som S. Sarkar
Chairman, ENVIROGEO Group New Delhi, India
Ranjana Majumder
Technical Director, Enviro Geosynthetics P . Ltd., New Delhi, India
eogrid reinforcement has become a specialized field nowadays; thanks to the rapid advancements in technology. The stability of foundation under an embankment or superstructure soil mass is governed mostly by the shearing resistance provided by the foundation soil. Therefore based on imposed contact pressure, the founding layer poses a problem of bearing capacity. This is where Geogrid reinforcement comes into picture. Geogrid reinforcement thus, may be placed at the interface to prevent a shear failure for both in embankment fill as well as in foundation soil, wherein reduction of settlement comes as next consideration. The aspect of permeability plays the most important role during loading i.e., during the period of construction. The gain in shearing resistance during the process of consolidation adds to the process of stability. Geogrid reinforcement is used in the foundation substructure to enhance the resistance of the founding layer to avoid failure through excessive deformation or shear in founding layers. Basal reinforcement stabilises an embankment over soft ground by preventing lateral spreading of the contained fill, extrusion of founding layers of soil beneath and overall rotational and local shear failure. Stabilisation is achieved by generating resistive force in Geogrid reinforcement by shear stresses transmitted from foundation fill, through integrally jointed junction of the Geogrid, which places the reinforcement in tension.
Both 'Ultimate' and 'Serviceability' limit states being considered during design. The following aspects are considered in ultimate limit state design: Local stability of the embankment fill. Rotational stability of the embankment fill. Lateral stability of the embankment. Foundation extrusion stability. Overall stability.
checked allowing a partial load factor of safety. Ground improvement is required where imposed contact pressure from super structure is in excess of available safe bearing capacity. A few typical cases are discussed in this paper, wherein such treatment is required using geosynthetic structures, such as: Under Road embankments. Under access roads or loaded area over soft soil. Reinforced soil retaining walls.
The serviceability limit state considers the following: Excessive strain in reinforcement. Settlement of foundation.
Illustration of failure mechanism of road embankments under dynamic loading In the case of highway infrastructure, construction of highways through
The other aspect that Geogrid reinforcement caters to in the construction of embankment is the role of a tensioned membrane effect over soft soil cavities, or voids, where subsidence and settlement is taken care off by the effect of reinforcement. In such cases maximum reinforcement strain is determined to be limited, restricting the surface deformation of the embankment to 1% for principle roads. Reinforcement tensile properties are
Slip within embankment fill Embankment Embankment Reinforcement Lateral extrusion of Reinforcement foundation Soft clay foundation d) Foundation extrusion Embankment Soft clay foundation b) Rotational stability Horizontal Embankment movement Reinforcement of fill Soft clay foundation c) Lateral sliding Soft clay foundation Deep-seated rotation e) overall stability Reinforcement
Soft clay foundation a) Local stability Embankment Reinforcement
Ultimate limit state stability
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Ground Engineering
SUBGRADE STRESS BELOW TRANSIENT LOAD
PAVEMENT
CYCLIC WAVE BASED DEFORMATION
SLAB BEFORE BENDING LATERAL STRAIN AT BOTTOM LAYER GEOGRID AS TENSILE INCLUSION
SLAB AFTER BENDING
PARTICLE MOVEMENT DUE TO WHEEL LOAD
various terrains, such as, through soft compressible strata e.g. marshy land or through backwaters is a common practice. Construction of highways on such strata by conventional methods results in huge dumping of expensive granular fill sinking progressively till a working platform emerges. Even after the process it gives rise to unacceptable settlements leading to damages to the road surface resulting in poor riding quality and requires frequent maintenance. Use of methods such as stone columns, sand a drain etc, are time
Interlocking of Soil Particles With Grid
Integraaly Jointed Biaxial PP Geogrid
consuming and uneconomical. Methods of stabilization of soil by addition of stabilizers are usually not adopted due to its inherent uncertainty to control moisture and difficulty in designing them. Normally unbound aggregate layers sink rapidly with application of wheel load, since the sub-grade accepts the load distribution without being able to provide sub-grade reaction. The result is sinking and mixing of sub-grade inducing heavy surface deformation and rutting. The main reason for the cracking and large settlement in pavements, particularly over soft soil foundation, is high stress concentration below the wheel load as shown in the figure above. Differential settlement caused by pavement failure is caused by the action of wheel load and creates an oscillatory pulse of sway at the bottom of pavement inducing tensile forces and tension cracks. High
transient cyclic stress develops below the wheel load, which forces the particles in bottom layers move away from each other. This lateral sway allows pumping of fines from the compressible clayey sub-grade upward, and loose aggregates slowly sink into the void created by the migration of fines. The pavement thickness reduces slowly and deformation increases heterogeneously depending on sub-grade strength and loading conditions. Consequently, ruts and potholes appear on surface apart from cracks etc. The solution in such a situation is to provide a tensile inclusion of an integrally jointed HDPE Biaxial Geogrid placed as reinforcement cum separator. Inclusion of Geogrid reinforcement distributes the load uniformly over a larger area resulting in development of low stress at sub grade level hence induces far less settlement. Additionally, the Geogrid acts as a separator and prevents sinking of pavement by interlocking the particles within its aperture. With enhanced stiffness the Geogrid provides effective confinement to the pavement particle sway, which has direct influence reducing vertical permanent strain. This happens since the Geogrid is able to confine the aggregate surrounding it in interlocking. Relevance of Essential Requirements of Geogrid to Function as Soil Reinforcement In order to perform the function of soil reinforcement Geogrid must have integral joint, stiffness and dimensional stability. A Geogrid is a planar structure formed by a regular network of tensile elements with apertures of sufficient size to allow interlocking with surrounding soil, rock earth. They are also characterized by high dimensional stability, high strength and high tensile modulus at very low elongation (achieved by patented processes of orientation of polymer molecules). They are of two varieties, viz., uni-axially oriented and bi-axially oriented with enhanced strength in one or both the directions. They are primarily used for soil
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Ground Engineering
reinforcement. Biaxial Geogrids are used under pavement as stresses are biaxial in nature in Bousine type load distribution. The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH), in India, specification for Geosynthetics in Cl:701.2.2 (4th Edition), defines Geogrid properties as: Geogrid shall be made from integrally jointed mono or bi-directionally orientated or stretched mesh made from Polyethylene or Polypropylene or Polyester or similar polymer, with high secant modulus, is square, rectangular, hexagonal or oval mesh form. Their junction strength shall be high with high creep resistance, and dimensional stability. Their open structure shall permit effective interlocking with soil, aggregates, rock etc., they shall be used as a tensile member or reinforcement Therefore just any other grid shaped look alike product is unlikely to function as Geogrid, (such as geonets, coated or uncoated woven or knitted fibrillated mesh/fabrics/textiles, fused tape-form mesh elements etc), unless they have these three essential characteristics mentioned above. Use of such look alikes can lead to serious consequences since they don't conform to soil Geogrid interaction requirements defined in BS 8006-1995. These are disqualified for use as Geogrid, as they lack integral joint, and have poor junction strength to ensure interlocking of the soil, which provides confinement to soil particles leading to load transfer from soil to Geogrids. HDPE/PP Geogrids which made their appearance first in the early 70's have a long development history. Current technology is extremely advanced with decades of research and evaluation, building user confidence. They are used as long term soil reinforcement in innumerable structures for last 40 years and standardized all over the world, including ASTM, BS 8006-1995 & FHWA. HDPE/PP extruded punched sheet, integrally jointed Geogrids conform to the true definition of
% of Design AggregatebThickness
120 100 80 60 40 20 0 0.00 0.50 1.00 2.50 3.00
1.50 CBR
2.00
MODEL OF SOIL CONFINEMENT
Geogrids, providing ideal junction strength, dimensional stability, oval aperture for optimum interlocking, connection strength for Geogrid continuity and load transfer from soil to grid, long term design strength and service life of 120 yrs. The design of reinforced soil walls for highways require to meet MoRTH specification in India, meeting provisions of BS 8006:1995 and FHWA, with seismic load considerations. Ground Improvement using Integrally jointed Geogrids The soil stratum comes under high bearing pressure when construction of highways takes place over poor soil. Such construction requires improvement of foundation soil strata and bearing capacity. Improvement of soil strata using Geosynthetics is done by use of layers of Bi-oriented Geogrids. Use of polymer Geosynthetics for ground stabilization provides long term and durable solution. The oriented Geogrids are inert to chemical and biological agents. Their use allows for both economy and rapid construction. The volume of earth to be filled in these cases is directly dependent on the strength of sub-grade. Enormous volume of earth fill is required if the usual marshy terrain needs to be developed as a working platform for a proposed expressway. The typical conventional increase in requirement of aggregate sub-layer due to changing CBR is shown below. It may be noted that for CBR approximating below 0.25, the requirement can be limitless (very high), depending upon available boundary condition of fill. The foundation soil is improved by using layers of Bi-
oriented Geogrid to the required depth and compacting soil over it in layers. This result in additional confinement of the base soil while taking shear stresses developed in the soil, thereby increasing the bearing capacity. Use of Geogrid reduces requirement of subbase thickness by 40-50% and is a proven and accepted practice in highway construction worldwide. Integrally jointed biaxial oriented Geogrids are high strength planar polymer materials which impart strength to soil mass with its interlocking action with the soil particles. Installation of layers of Geogrids within the bearing soil mass or Geocell mattress improves soil load bearing capacity. The treatment can even be used to improve the bearing capacity of soft compressible soils such as marshy land or soft compressible clay (Black Cotton soils). The soil interlocking mechanism is demonstrated in integrally jointed oriented Geogrid due to 95% junction strength, providing unique pseudocohesive confinement of soil composite, allowing full load transfer. Integrally jointed bi-axially oriented Geogrids when laid in the layers is proven to improve the performance of the of foundation soil through three mechanisms: Interlocking & Confinement of soil composite (imparts pseudo-cohesive load transfer) Wider load distribution through reinforced aggregate basal layer Tensioned Membrane Effect (which absorbs tensile stresses)
The phenomenon of interlocking of the soil particles into the apertures of
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Igloo Tiles
Ground Engineering
Stabilization over soft soil involves creating a stable platform
the Geogrid also reduces degradation of the mechanical properties of the aggregate and prevents lateral displacement of the soil particles, thereby increasing the overall stiffness of the foundation layer. When a proposed embankment is to be built over soft soil (say, CBR<5), which passes through marshy waterlogged terrain, swamps mudflats or overlying compressible substratum with poor ground conditions, for construction of access roads, highways or hardstand for large loading area, the following problems are encountered: 1. Marshy soft ground condition, accumulation of water-logging causes difficulty in initiation of construction of embankment and access road. Unavailability of initial sub-grade strength initiates rapid deterioration of embankment bed materials, large scale deformation and sinking of valuable fill materials transported from far away sources. 2. Embankment fails due to flexural deformation of base and tension crack on embankment formation, sinking and loss of bed materials 3. To ensure adequate stiffness, conventional embankment needs higher embankment thickness to ensure adequate modulus for controlled overlying pavement deformation, which is counterproductive since higher the overburden, the embankment becomes more unstable. The deformation increases with time. 4. Available soil for filling in embankment give rise to poor drainage characteristics. With use of poor charac-
teristic fill soil the embankment becomes uneven, prone to differential settlement and heaving. Construction of toe wall becomes essential for stability of embankment. The key here lies in the property of interlocking. Though other forms of knitted or woven mesh form provide frictional interaction between soil and reinforcement, lack of interlocking (due to poor junction strength) does not enable these materials to impart soil confinement condition. In the light of above it is easily explained why knitted mesh without junction strength cannot provide lateral confinement of soil and therefore does not perform as biaxial soil reinforcement. The property of interlocking is the key to eminent load transfer of soil directly to lateral strands, leading to soil confinement. Though other forms of knitted or woven mesh form provide frictional interaction between soil and reinforcement, lack of interlocking (due to poor junction strength) does not enable these materials to impart soil confinement at k0 condition. In the light of above it easily explains why knitted mesh without junction strength cannot
provide lateral confinement of soil and therefore does not perform as biaxial soil reinforcement. Stabilization over soft soil involves creating a stable platform There are some effective methods available to improve the bearing capacity of soft soil. One of the early methods consists of reinforcing the soil through lateral confinement of the soil particles and improved resistance to tensile stresses. Traditionally these effects were obtained by using basal support using soling of stones. Present day Geosynthetic technology, instead, uses engineered plastics to obtain the same effects of lateral confinement and tensile resistance using bi-oriented Geogrid and Geocell. Laying a layer of Geogrids quite literally allows walking on marsh. Another method involves providing a separation medium between the soft soil and the structure placed on it, and to provide a positive drainage medium to avoid stagnation of water and pore pressure buildup. Modern Geotextiles are used for separation to prevent migration of fines (mud-pumping) and Geonets for drainage, or Geocomposites for fulfilling both functions. An engineered structure such as a road, a bridge, or a railway, needs a design life well in excess of 100 years.
Natural materials used in the process may have limitations. Geosynthetics: like Geogrids, Geocells, Geotextiles and drainage Geonets are produced with constant factory controlled characteristics which allow incorporating their properties into an engineering design. Moreover their expected lifetime is far
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Ground Engineering
Uniaxial Geogrid
high ground water table, availability of suitable soil etc. Cellular Geocell Mattress for Basal platform under embankment Geocells are stone filled cellular mattresses formed using extruded and oriented Geogrids. They are used extensively to reduce differential settlement for high embankment, where underlying soft compressible stratum is deficient in strength and plastic extrusion of sub-grade soil is major construction impediment. For higher height retaining wall over soft deep compressible sub-grade Geocell foundation mattress are provided for improvement of foundation bearing capacity. Geocell mattress can be made using both uniaxial and Biaxial Geogrid. Generally 1-2 meter depth Geocell are made with Bi-oriented Geogrid as derived from detail design. The Georaft system/Geocell Mattress is designed to allow the building of structures with rigid foundations on very soft and yielding soils. This is accomplished by using biaxial- Geogrid placed at the base, and a uniaxial- Geogrid capable of giving high tensile strength, which are laid vertically and joined to each other by a proprietary loop joint. Different configurations such as a chevron or box shaped structure, can also be achieved. This confined system is then filled in with granular material. The design procedure follows the 15 flow-net diagram for plastic failure analysis of a soft compressible material between two rough, rigid, parallel platens, when the platen width exceeds (more than four times) the soft material thickness). The Geocell foundation mattress provided over weak foundation soil alters the direction of normal slip circle failure planes by forcing it to pass vertically through the mattress. This in turn deepens the failure surfaces and takes them into the stiff underlying base layer. Before the base material shears, the plastic failure condition is assumed to occur in the soft soil sandwiched between Geocell mattress
Bi-axial Geogrid
in excess of 120 years, if properly handled and installed. Geogrids are usually placed within a layer of granular material, thus producing a reinforced soil mattress to support the overburden embankment weight. Geogrids are also used to form a cellular soil mattress called Geocells. Such system also acts as a drainage medium, thereby protecting the embankment soil from saturation and facilitates the dissipation of pore water pressures from beneath the embankment, allowing the consolidation, increasing the shear strength of the foundation, and an increase in the factor of safety against bearing capacity failure. The bearing capacity of shallow foundations can be increased by placing one or several layers of bi-oriented Geogrids in the foundation soil. With the installation of bi-oriented Geogrids in the subsoil, the shallow foundations become more stable, and the factor of safety against bearing capacity failure is increased. The Geogrids also allow an even settlement of the foundation, thus minimizing the risk of differential settlement. Basal foundation mattress for ground improvement in soft soil A Geogrid reinforced granular soil
filled foundation mattress is a very stiff foundation platform designed to support an imposed loading either due to live loads (highways & railways, stockyards for stacking, cargo berths, large loaded area etc.) on to embankments on very soft ground. It is generally installed at existing soft virgin ground level with a geotextile added separation layer to arrest mud pumping. Geogrid reinforced soil mattress is formed from high strength Geogrid to form a layered or cellular construction. The Geogrid foundation mattress is found to rotate/alter the direction of initiation of normal slip circle failure plane by forcing it to pass vertically through the mattress. This in turn deepens the failure surface and takes it into the stiff underlying base. Before the base material shears, the plastic failure is assumed to occur in the soft layer beneath the loaded area. The plastic condition is considered for the design. Conventional low cost ground improvement technique uses replacement of foundation soil with better quality granular compacted backfill. However the question of unregulated settlement still remain unless the granular soil is deep enough (say 5-6m), which is expensive and difficult to implement due to presence of
Embankment Geocell Mattress
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Ground Engineering
and stiff under layer. In the process of such plastic failure mechanism, a rigid block of soil extruded at both the ends of the mattress and the stiff underlying strata and two regions of plastic material between them develops, separated by two ostensibly rigid blocks effectively adhere to the platens and do not slide or shear outward relative to them. For design purposes plastic failure condition is considered. These properties enable the Geocell mattress to influence the deformation of the soft foundation and hence mobilize its maximum shear strength and bearing capacity. The design principle follows the plastic failure of material between two rough, rigid, parallel platens, when the platen width exceeds the material thick-ness. The method of analysis relies on the following characteristics of the foundation mattress: a) A high tensile stiffness of the mattress to ensure that the full shear strength of the soft soil is mobilised on the base. b) Rigidity of the mattress to ensure an even distribution of the load onto the foundation material. This is achieved by providing high tensile strength oriented Geogrids and adoption of cellular construction filled with suitable graded granular fill.
Deformation in normal unreinforced pavement due to low sub-grade capacity demands higher pavement thickness
Deformation in reinforced due to low sub-grade capacity is stabilized using Geogrid tensile inclusion
c) High friction on the base of the mattress. The geogrid base of the mattress allows the granular infill material to partially penetrate through the apertures, creating a rough underside to the mattress. Layered Geocell mattress Layered Geocell mattress is commonly used under RE wall foundation, where ground improvement is required within finite boundary constraints. Generally granular soil is compacted with layers of biaxial - Geogrids, with a toe extended beyond the RE
wall face. Geogrid foundation mattress is a three dimensional honeycombed structure formed from a series interlocking cells of orientated Geogrids. The mattress provides a very stiff foundation platform designed to support an imposed loading due to live loads on to embankments on very soft ground. It is generally installed at existing ground level with graded granular in-fill material, e.g., crusher run stone, rubble etc. The mattress is formed from high strength orientated Geogrids to form a stiff cellular construction.
Base aggregate Wheel load support
Subgrade confinement
Geosynthetic tension
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MM Castings (P) Ltd
Ground Engineering
Foundation under unpaved road Cyclic load on pavement induces lateral movement of aggregates at the interface of base layer and a saturated sub-grade, inducing pumping of soil fines (mud pumping) within the crevices of moved particle. Sinking of base aggregates follows in pockets with pumped fines of poor sub-soil, leading to settlement and loss of base materials sinking into the sub grade. Formation of rut on pavement demonstrates failure and rapid deterioration of pavement, which may be arrested by providing (i) interlocking reinforcement layer of Geogrid to prevent lateral movement and sinking of base layer and (ii) separator layer of NW Geotextile fabric to stop mud pumping. A foundation structure generally needs to be thicker initially to take on major dynamic stresses transmitted from the structure above. This phenomenon occurs, for example, when a car passes quickly over them. The foundation structure, under the stresses of dynamic loads for short periods, is subject to ruptures until it collapses. Bi-oriented Geogrids without or with Geotextile (when mud pumping is anticipated) used in combination for the construction of paved and unpaved roads, is used where the soil is soft or loose and waterlogged and the base needs to be separated and confronted for improvement of foundation shear strength. The design of unpaved road for reduced pavement thickness (h) can be seen from following expressions derived from presentation by Jiroud & Han, modified later by several researchers. Presence of an intermediate Geogrid provides a stiffer stable base for construction. Bi-oriented Geogrid is as an open grid structure, which allows interlocking with surrounding materials mobilization of its inherent high tensile strength even at low deformation. For deformation correction, Geogrid provides reinforcing action in the subbase/base slab. Pavement foundation stiffness improves substantially by interlocking the lower strata with
Base layer Subgrade (a)
reinforcing action with a tensile inclusion, dispersing the load over a wider area and thereby reducing differential settlement. The effective way to resist deformation is to ensure sufficiency in: spread of load over wider area by providing a stiffer interlayer. Improving the tensile resistance in the pavement.
(b) 2r (c)
1 P=40 kN P=550 kpa CBRbc=15 Unreinforced N =10 0.6

h(m)
0.8
S=75 mm S=50 mm
In case of unbound granular base material reinforcement, the mechanism of confinement of Geogrids can be divided into three distinct modes (refer Jewell, et al. 1984): i) Shearing over plane grid areas. ii) Bearing over grid bearing surfaces. iii) Shearing of inter-locked material layer with adjoining surfaces. Geogrid with integral joints provide effective confinement and tensile inclusion to address all the three phenomenon Conclusion Construction of embankment over soft compressible soil depends on the depth of effective removal of soft stratum, wherever possible, using stone columns or pile foundations or by using pre-consolidation techniques with wick drains made with sand filled natural fabric wicks. Wherever the compressible strata exceed a depth of 2m, generally removal becomes expensive. Use of integrally jointed Geogrids, along with use of debris, Fly ash, etc, provides an ideal low cost solution to effectively provide ground improvement by distribution of imposed load over an increased area. While using this method, the ground is mostly untreated, but the overlying structure is suspended due to increased load incidence angle. The integral junction strength of HDPE/PP Geogrid plays the most important part in this process. The use of biaxial integrally jointed Geogrid helps in saving time and money in highway construction projects. The method also provides for much needed access platform over cross country alignment on weak soil.
N =100 N =1,000 N =10,000 N =10 N =100
0.4
0.2
N =1,000 N =10,000
0 0 0.5 1 1.5 CBRsg (a) Unreinforced

1
2.5
0.8
P=40 kN P=550 kpa CBRbc=15 Geogrid J=0.3 m-N/deg. N =10,000 N =1,000 N =100 N =10 N =10 N =100
S=75 mm S=50 mm
0.6
h(m)
0.4
0.2
0 0
N =1,000
0.5 1
N =10,000
1.5 CBRsg (b) J=0.3 m-N/0 2 2.5 3
1 0.8
0.6
h(m)
P=40 kN P=550 kpa CBRbc=15 Geogrid J=0.6 m-N/deg. N =10,000 N =1,000
S=75 mm S=50 mm
0.4
N =100 N =10 N =10 N =100 N =1,000 N =10,000

0 0.5 1 2 1.5 CBRsg (c) J=0.6 m-N/0 2.5 3
0.2
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Maco Corporation India Pvt.Ltd
CE Aerial Work Platforms
'
BOOM Time Ahead:

'
Lifting Aerial Work Platforms to New Heights!
Chaitanya Raj Goyal
he epoch when stacks of ladders and scaffoldings were required for construction, repair and maintenance activities to be done at heights, has long gone. Today, as this highly automated era rightly deserves, the construction industry has switched over to the easy to use, quick, efficient & safe Aerial Work Platforms which have been catering to the lifting needs of the booming Indian economy for quite some time now!
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Today, many different types of industries have come to use the aerial platforms and have grown to count on them in order to get specific projects done in a safe and timely manner. These platforms are usually associated with the construction industry but over the time other trades such as window cleaners, sign installers, mining surveyors, painters, railway maintenance workers and even mechanics have benefited from the use of these machines. Depending on the nature of the business, one can find just about any aerial lift that can perform specific functions for specific requirements. Aerial Boom Lifts: What are they? An aerial boom lift is the most suitable equipment present in the industry currently, if you need to lift personnel or material to certain heights. These lifts have working platforms or buckets attached to their ends as per the application requirements. They are being used widely in construction and maintenance work today. A boom lift device may be designed with its own base moving platform or may be mounted on a truck. The basket or work platform varies in surface area and maximum weight capacity, allowing for a limited number of construction and maintenance workers to perform tasks at varying heights. Straight and articulated booms are boom lift devices designed to meet a wide range of access situations, including avoiding obstacles and negotiating narrow spaces. Where would you use a boom Lift? There are broadly three main market segments in aerial access equipment. One is in the construction industry (elevated road/rail, airport terminal buildings, aerial pipeline, stations etc). The second is in maintenance/facilities management (hotels, shopping malls, theatres, etc) and the third is in industry (shipbuilding, warehouse, granary, large and tall fabrications, etc). Anywhere you need to reach high up and you would traditionally use a ladder, small scaffolding or tower, you
Articulated lift being demonstrated
can use a lift for access instead. This could be to carry out maintenance inside a shop, changing lights or advertising boards, accessing high stock shelves in a stock room or warehouse, inventory storage, fixing roll-over doors or other industrial equipment that are mounted high up, painting, insulation panels installation, electrical installations, piping installations, sand blasting operations, window cleaning, inspecting roofs, trimming trees and bushes and so on. Conventional approach vs. Boom Lifts The advantages of an Aerial Boom Lift over ladders or scaffolding are safety
and speed. With a ladder, there is always going to be a worry that you can fall off it easily whilst concentrating on your work, or if the ladder feet slip you can have a nasty accident. With a boom lift, you have four wheels and potentially outriggers to plant in to the ground to make it extra secure. That has a very low chance of moving unless you want it to; as many new models let you move the lift while the platform is raised up. Within the platform, you wear a harness which is connected to the railings so even if the worst happens and you fall out, the harness will save you. If you use a tower or scaffolding,
Electric powered Boom lifts with zero emissions & 60-foot working height
F1 site in Greater Noida
these have to be set up. Using a Lift, you just drive up, climb on board and you can be in the air in seconds. No messing about and straight on with the job! Though a costly equipment to purchase, it's not that buying is the only option available. If you're only going to use one occasionally, you can hire an Aerial Boom Lift rather than buying it. Providing need based solutions: Type of Boom Lifts available Today, there are different types of boom lifts that can be used with separate mechanisms as well as fuel sources. These are classified primarily on the basis of their movement mechanism, the height they can access and the type/ arrangement of boom(s) attached. Using a combination of these tools/ attachments one can choose the aerial lift perfect for a specific job, as desired. Boom Lifts, by their nature, are designed for temporary works and therefore frequently require transportation between sites, or simply around a single site (often as part of the same job). For this reason, they are almost all designed for easy movement. Unpowered or towable boom lifts are usually small units which have no motive drive and require external force to move them. Dependent on size and
whether they are wheeled or otherwise supported, this may be possible by hand, or may require a vehicle for towing or transport. Small non-powered lifts can be light enough to be transported in a pickup truck bed, and can usually be moved through a standard doorway. Self-propelled units are able to drive themselves (on wheels or tracks) around a site (they usually require to be transported to a site, for reasons of safety and economy). In some instances, these units will be able to move whilst the job is in progress, although this is not possible on units which require secure outriggers. The power can be almost any form of standard mechanical drive system, including electric or gasoline powered, or in some cases, a
Safety in Boom lift
hybrid (especially where it may be used both inside and outside). Vehicle-mounted units are mounted on a vehicle, usually a truck or it can be mounted on a flat back pick up van known as a self drive), though other vehicles are possible, such as railway cars. This vehicle provides mobility, and may also help stabilize the unit - though outrigger stabilizers are still typical, especially as vehicle-mounted AWPs are amongst the largest of their kind. The vehicle may also increase functionality by serving as mobile workshop or store. Wheels vs. Tracks is another important consideration to be made. Track mounted booms owing to their ability to travel across soft rough terrain have becoming increasingly sought after by a wide variety of users particularly in the utilities and energy sectors. All the market leaders are working to launch versatile crawler boom lifts, wanting of course to capitalize on this small but growing niche market. These track mounted booms with a combination of sturdy tracked undercarriage, multiple section booms and a long basket with a high capacity have aroused the interest of many. Development work continues on customizing the machine for specific tasks (including an operator cab).
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Action Construction Equipment
as that of the crane, which is made up of individual jointed sections that allows elevation. The trend for this type of platform has become more popular in specific industries. Available platform heights for articulating boom lifts commonly range from 30 to 60 feet on electric models and 34 to 150 feet on fuelpowered units. Outreach averages around 22 feet on electric models and 34 feet on engine-driven ones. Telescopic boom lift is a type of aerial work platform also known as a stick boom because its platform travels straight from its base. The ability to raise the boom to a vertical position, as well as lower it to a below horizontal A 135' Articulated Boom Lift in use at F1 Race Budh Circuit position, makes this aerial work platform unique. Some telescopic boom Track mounted boom lifts are genThey are however not so well suited to lifts come with articulating extensions erally very stable thanks to their heavy hard surface particularly the larger mod- for added outreach. Platform heights undercarriages and they can of course els with steel tracks. can reach above 125 feet and horizonArticulating boom lift which is also tal reach can equal 80 feet. cope with the very worst of ground conreferred to as cherry picker, up-andditions, while rubber tracked versions Mast lift is a slender vertical or nearly over lift or Z-lift is used when you need vertical structure that supports the work can be more gentle where low ground to not only go up, but also out for scal- platform. However, a possible optional bearing pressures are needed. Quad ing over immovable obstacles. This feature can allow outreach. Some of Track systems are the most preferred if specific platform has similar features these aerial work platforms have a sina track undercarriage is being chosen.
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Garware Wall Ropes Ltd (Synthesis)
Articulated Boom Lifts are ideal for erecting PEB Structures
gle mast to support one worker, while others have dual masts to support two workers. They come in manual-push or self-propelled models. Some mast-type aerial work platforms can be folded to transport them easily, even through
standard doorways. These lifts can be powered by gas or diesel engines. Ease of Control The lift functions of an AWP are controlled by an operator, who can be situ-
ated either on the work platform itself, or at a control panel at the base of the unit. Some models are fitted with a panel at both locations or with a remote control, giving operator a choice of position. A control panel at the base can also function as a safety feature if for any reason the operator is at height and becomes unable to operate his controls. Even models not fitted with a control panel at the base are usually fitted with an emergency switch of some sort, which allows manual lowering of the lift (usually by the release of hydraulic or pneumatic pressure) in the event of an emergency or power failure. Controls vary by model, but are frequently either buttons or a joystick. The type and complexity of these will depend on the functions the platform is able to perform. The controls can direct features such as Vertical movement, Lateral movement, Rotational movement (cardinal direction), Platform movement & Ground movement (in self propelled models). Up, Up, and away: Analyzing the future of AWPs
Lift with an articulated boom, rubber-track undercarriage and 4 outriggers
Telescopic Boom Lifts provides outstanding horizantal reach
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Asons Enterprises
Rough Terrain Scissor lifts provides more room to work
In India, large construction companies that deliver jobs on time have begun to use aerial access equipment. One such example is the use of these equipments in the construction of Terminal 3 at IGIA, New Delhi. Facilities management companies though have still to discover the advantages in the use of aerial access equipment. Small business owners also tend to shy away from purchasing these platforms due to the assumption that they
are very expensive. Research has proved that buying pre-used platforms can be just as efficient as purchasing a new one. There are plenty of dealers that can offer high quality products and well maintained machines at affordable prices. They can also be rented on a temporary basis based on the length of a project. Times, of course, have changed, and with it, construction practices, too. With the opening up of the Indian econ-
omy and expansion of infrastructure, international architects and contractors have made their way into the country. They have brought with them new techniques, reflecting international trends. The complete outlook of handling a building at a height has changed, making it imperative that installation of access equipment at the time of construction and also for the subsequent use and maintenance is a must, and more economical, from the long- term perspective. The Planning Commission has projected that investment in infrastructure would almost double at USD 1,025 billion in the Twelfth Five Year Plan (201217), compared to USD 514 billion in the Eleventh Plan. Of the USD 1,025 billion, 50 per cent is expected to come from private sector, whose investment has been 36 per cent in the Eleventh Plan. The scenario when it was hard to find a worker at height with PFAS (Personal fall arrest system) is now pass. The safety rules & regulations are becoming more & more stringent in India and companies have to follow International Standards of Safety and Project completion. Safety councils have also now regulated that using a ladder is dangerous and has mandated the use of elevating platforms to ensure a safer work environment. This has ignited a huge demand of new & innovative technology to cater to such huge projects under progress across the nation. It is thus apparent that there is great potential in the market, but it depends how different stakeholders perceive the scenario, especially in terms of not only productivity, but more importantly, the safety of workers. How difficult can it be to realize the profit & goodwill that can be achieved by hiring aerial equipment for few bucks per month against bearing the blame and paying 10-15 times the amount to compensate for a labor accident due to unsafe working? Evidently, they don't say it for no reason - Work well, work safe! Photo Courtesy:
www.macocorporation.com www.thomasnet.com
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Atul Fasteners Ltd
Fabric Architecture Analysis
Tensile Fabric Structures:

Demand Rides on the Back of Design & Application Versatility
he advent of several new technologies in the recent past in the field of construction has meant that architects and engineers can quite literally let their imagination run riot. One such field which has caught the fancy of the fraternity is that of tensile fabric structures. They have made a dynamic contribution to the architecture scene. They offer an unbeatable combination of function and aesthetics. With economic uncertainties elsewhere, leading players in the field have been focusing on the emerging Indian
market in the recent past. It is not surprising that tensile fabric structures have caught on big time in India. One particular application area where tensile fabrics have been playing a prominent role is in sports stadiums around the country. A good example for tensile fabric structures being used in sports arena is available in the form of the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, which was decked up for the Commonwealth Games 2010 using the technology. Another application area where tensile fabric structures have made a
mark is in airport projects. Good examples for it are available in the form of the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad and the Sahar International Airport in Mumbai. Another key application area has been the numerous shopping malls where tensile fabric roofing has been used around the country. With India being a predominantly sunny country, it is not surprising that the use of tensile fabric structures is on the rise. The Indian market for tensile fabric structures is estimated to be in the range of ` 150 - ` 200 crore and growing.
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Endless Design Possibilities The advent of tensile fabric structures has come as a boon to architects looking to create truly outstanding structures. The widespread acceptance of tensile fabric structures is in itself a testimony to the high esteem in which they are held by contemporary architects. Creation of signature designs is now a relatively easier possibility for architects, thanks to the entry of tensile fabric structures and the availability of expertise to erect them with the necessary support system. Virtually unlimited designs are now possible with tensile fabrics. Not only are tensile fabrics ideally suited for creation of landmark buildings, they also offer the flexibility of being blended along with conventional construction methods. Sustainability Factor Another important factor that has contributed to the growth of tensile fabric structures in the country has been sustainability. The semi-translucent nature of the fabric which allows for the entry of plenty of daylight is a good example of the sustainability factor. The semitranslucent nature of the fabric element makes them ideally suited as shading systems to cover large areas, such as sports stadia or airport terminals. Not
only do tensile fabric roofs allow for the entry of daylight, they also help in cutting down on heat at the same time, an important consideration which makes them a favorite with developers of airports, stadiums and shopping malls. They score over poly-carbonate and glass, which can sometimes cause heat gain. The unique properties of light reflectance and transmission also offer exciting possibilities for lighting after dark. Directing lights under the canopy to reflect off the underside is one good strategy to use uplighters. Even more lighting can be achieved under the fabric by shining lights down on the fabric from above. Cost-Effective Solution Project developers have realized that when it comes to spanning large areas, as in the case of airport terminals, sports arenas and shopping malls, the cost per square meter area covered by using tensile fabrics works out to be least expensive when compared with other materials. Tensile fabrics can span from one boundary to another in an unbroken sweep, requiring minimal rigid intermediate support, which further adds to their cost-effectiveness. Another key factor that adds to the reduction of cost is the relative ease of
As an ISO 9001 accredited manufacturing operation, we take full control of our raw materials; we produce our own monofilament and tape filament yarns in house, we then knit stenter finish, inspect, and pack the fabrics for shipment around the world. Our Product Quality supervisors monitor each stage of fabric production. We routinely test production fabrics. This allows us to confidently provide a 10 year UV Degradation warranty for our tensile fabrics
Glenn Renshaw
International Business Development, Gale Pacific Limited, Australia
installation, as compared to methods. Even large fabricated membrane panels can be installed in quick time with short installation schedules. Fabric maintenance and removal is also an easy process. The latest advantages in fabric technology with the incorporation of self-cleaning properties have added to their popularity. Serious Competition With the buzz around tensile fabric structures growing, it is not surprising to find competition getting more intense by the day. For manufacturers the mantra for success in recent times has been introduction of newer technologies along with providing value added services. Just as important the tensile fabrics are suppliers have realized the importance of providing an entire gamut of value added services, such as detailed structural analysis, design of support structures and periodic re-tensioning, to mention only a few.
Among infrastructure projects, airports offer a huge market for tensile fabric manufacturers
Sports facilities and tensile fabrics seem to be made for each other
Tensile fabrics offer an unbeatable combination of aesthetics and sustainability
Garware Wall Ropes is a good example of a market leader, offering a world-class range of tensile fabrics. The company offers the famed 'Synthesis' range of textile fabrics from global leader Gale Pacific in India. Gale Pacific is considered the inventor of warp knitted shade cloth fabric more than 35 years ago. Going into details of the company's product range, Mr.Glenn Renshaw, International Business Development, Gale Pacific said, As an ISO 9001 accredited manufacturing operation, we take full control of our raw materials; we produce our own monofilament and tape filament yarns in house, we then knit stenter finish, inspect, and pack the fabrics for shipment around the world. Our product quality supervisors monitor each stage of fabric production. We routinely test production fabrics. This allows us to confidently provide a 10 year UV degradation warranty for our tensile fabrics. The Synthesis Commercial 95 shade cloth installations of the company have been in place for nearly 20 years in some of the harshest environs in the world, a testimonial to the stringent standards of quality adhered to by the company. Everest Tent Technologies is one more active player offering a wide range of solutions. The company's range includes, tensile structures (indoor and outdoor), tents & canopies (using PVC coated polyester fabrics) with a range of models like Hi-Top, dome shaped, pyramid shaped, tent houses, restau-
rant umbrellas, marquee tents, apart from aluminium fabric structures with stretched fabric covers, pre-engineered mild steel and stainless structures. Specialized software packages are used by the company during the tensile structure design process. Explaining the process Mr.S.Jayaprakash, Managing Director of the company said, We have an exclusive design studio where technically qualified engineers provide consultancy for architects starting from sketch board to cost estimation. We undertake a thorough study of aspects
We have an exclusive design studio where technically qualified engineers provide consultancy for architects starting from sketch board to cost estimation. We undertake a thorough study of aspects such as form finding, membrane analysis, support structure analysis, and patterning
S. Jayaprakash
Managing Director, Everest Tent Technologies
such as form finding, membrane analysis, support structure analysis, and patterning. Speaking about some of the recent projects successfully executed by the company, Mr..Jayaprakash, gave the example of a Reliance Fresh super market project with Marquee shaped tents with side covering area around 10,000 sq ft. Similarly, the company has also successfully completed a challenging project to cover a biogas plant with air packed balloons using fabrics with a minimum structure. The company has also been involved with a project to cover a reactor at a nuclear power plant using tensile structure. Manufacturers are focused on offering a wide range of products catering to the varied applications that tensile fabrics are being put to these days. Ancon Enterprises is a good example of a company offering a wide array of products. The company's offerings include tensile structures, awnings, canopies, roller blind, pool side furniture, outdoor furniture, polycarbonate covering domes, atriums, walkways, etc. The company with its strict adherence to quality standards has been catering to a wide range of clientele, fast becoming a preferred choice when it comes to executing tensile structures, domes, skylights, atriums in architecture membranes and polycarbonate structures. The company which has expertise in offering customized solutions has been involved with several prestigious projects, with its clientele including lead-
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Ancon Enterprises
ing names such as Sun City, Ansal Housing, Delhi Golf Club, Jindal Group, NBCC Delhi, Vatika Hospital, etc, to mention only some. Specialized software packages are being used by manufacturers for form finding and analysis of membrane structures. Western Outdoor, another leading name in the field, for example has a dedicated team of design engineers and draughtsman who workout all the details and drawings before the fabrication process using proprietary software in the process. Some of the key projects that the company has successfully completed include the Usha Raje Cricket Stadium , Indore, 10 Acres City Mall, Ahmedabad, Mahindra World City, Chennai, Dream Mall, Mumbai, Science City, Ahmedabad , Evershine Millenium Paradise, Mumbai, etc, among others. Growth to Continue The Indian tensile fabric market growth story has just begun. What has been tapped is just the tip of the iceberg. While there are no accurate data available, so far as the growth rate of the market is concerned, industry analysts peg it at around 25%-30%, the recent economic slowdown notwithstanding. Leading the spurt in their numbers has been their increased usage in sports arenas and shopping
Designers are letting their imagination run riot with tensile fabric structures. The Khan Shatyr, the world's largest tensile structure is seen in the picture
malls. The IT sector has also embraced tensile fabric structures in a big way. The challenge before manufacturers today is to respond to demands of a wide range of tensile fabric products that are able to withstanding the different weather conditions prevalent in the country, while also being durable and easy to maintain. Quality assurance is another area where a lot of improvements are expected to take place in the near future as the industry grows in size. One more key challenge that the industry faces
today is the lack of skilled manpower, a factor that has been in fact hindering the growth rate in recent times. Industry analysts feel that it is time that authorities step in and make efforts towards incorporation of the study of tensile fabric structures as part of engineering curriculum and in technical trade institutions. The availability of a pool of technically qualified manpower in the line is definite to give much needed boost to the industry. This would in turn also lead to solving of the issue of quality assurance at the job site to a large extent. India is fast emerging as a crucial market for tensile fabric structures. Given the value for money proposition that tensile fabrics offer it is not surprising that they are gaining in popularity in India. Another demand driver for tensile fabric structures is the fact that they are flexible enough to offer myriad design ideas for architects. The seemingly endless architectural possibilities offered by tensile fabric structures are one aspect that will stand the industry in good stead in the near future. Tensile fabric structures are in for a period of rapid growth in India. Photo Courtesy:
The 'Synthesis' product range from Gale Pacific in action
www.color-coat.online.com, www.basestructures.com www.fsle.blogspot.com, www.basestructures.com www.fabritecstructures.blogspot.com
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Everest Tent Technologies
Fabric Architecture ETFE
An Insight into ETFE - History, Application & Future

MB Bureau Report
Ethylene Tetra Fluoro Ethylene (ETFE) - not the best of names; however, ETFE foil is fast becoming one of the most exciting materials in todays design industry and has set the construction world alight with the potential it offers.
riginally invented by DuPont as an insulation material for the aeronautics industry, ETFE was not initially considered as a mainstream building material. Its principal use was as an upgrade for the polythene sheet commonly used for greenhouse poly-tunnels. The advantages of its extraordinary tear resistance, long life, and transparency to ultraviolet light offset the higher initial costs, and 20 years later, it is still working well. It wasnt until the early 1980s, when German mechanical engineering student Stefan Lehnert investigated ETFE in his quest for new and exciting sail materials, that its use was reconsidered. Although discounted for Lehnerts original purpose, he
saw its strength, high light transmission, and structural properties as advantages to the construction industry and started to develop the systems we see today. Over the past 20 years, Lehnert has increased awareness of the material and its uses, and it is rapidly bursting into the consciousness of architects and designers worldwide. Most recently, the Eden Projectin the UK (Refer Figure 1) and the Beijing Olympic Aquatics Centre, nicknamed the Watercube, have brought the material into public discussion. ETFE is increasingly being specified on a wide range of projects from schools and offices, to government buildings and sports facilities. ETFE is under the architectural spotlight and intends to shine.
used as cladding ETFE sheets are usually assembled into cushions, which are inflated for structural reasons. ETFE cushions can provide thermal insulation with reduced initial costs and less structural supports as compared with a conventional glazed roof. The benefits of this material are extensive and have yet to be put to use in many areas.
Figure 1 Eden Project Biomes, Cornwall, UK
The Principles of ETFE ETFE foil is essentially a plastic polymer related to Teflon and is created by taking the polymer resin and extruding it into a thin film. It is largely used as a replacement for glazing, due to its high light transmission properties. Transparent windows are created either by inflating two or more layers of foil to form cushions or tensioning into a singleskin membrane. Weighing approximately 1% the weight of glass, single-ply ETFE membranes and ETFE cushions are both extremely lightweight. This enables a reduction of structural framework and imposes significantly less dead load on the supporting structure (Figure 2). The reduced requirement for steelwork provides a large cost benefit for clients and is a key advantage when replacing glazing in old structures to meet current building codes (e.g., railway station roofs). A major benefit of ETFE is its high translucency (Figure 3). Transmitting up to 95% of light. When high levels of light and UV transmission are not required, ETFE also has the ability to be printed or fritted with a range of patterns. This fritting can be used to reduce solar gain while retaining transparency; or alternatively, it can incorporatea white body tint to render the foil translucent. ETFE cushions can be lit internally with LED lighting to make them glow or may be projected onto externally like a giant cinema screen, creating dramatic results. Unaffected by UV light, atmospheric pollution, and other forms of environmental weathering, ETFE foil is an extremely durable material. While no ETFE structure has been in place for longer than 25 years, extensive laboratory and field research have suggested that the material has a lifespan in excess of 40 years. ETFE scores well on the eco-friendly front as well. Being 100% recyclable and requiring minimal energy for transportation and installation means that it makes a significant contribution to green construction and sustainability. It has gained popularity mainly due to its daylight transmittance and the potential for energy savings. When
Figure 2: Aluminum framing connects all panels together and carries the weight of the fabric cushions
Figure 3: In Wiltshire, England, the SwindonDome covers an atrium with an ETFE dome large enough to house the entire college and allows maximum light to be transmitted to the space below
Properties Various types of ETFE films is shown in Figure 4 below.
Figure 4: Types of ETFE membrane
A comparison of physical properties of ETFE with Glass is shown in Figure 5.
A Couple of Case Studies Single-Ply ETFE on the Radclyffe School The use of ETFE has been particularly popular in the construction of new schools. Hailed as environmentally friendly, architecturally aesthetic, and cost effective, it is not surprising that it has been included in both single-ply and cushion form. The covered street at Radclyffe School is a good example of the use of single-ply ETFE (Figures 8 and 9). The atrium area, which forms the intersection of five school buildings, needed to be covered for one simple reason: to provide an open but dry space for students and staff to gather, socialize, and learn. Without a requirement for insulation, with a need to keep costs down, and with a desire to maintain natural light, single-ply ETFE provided a good solution. A cable net accommodates the larger ETFE spans. The cables are inserted through pockets on the underside of the fabric. The intertwining of the lateral and longitudinal cable mesh helps the fabric resist snow loads and wind uplift. Additionally, a study was carried out on the support cable locations, which found that additional cables were needed in certain locations to avoid issues of ponding. The perimeter of the ETFE is fixed to the steelwork using aluminum and silicon rubber extrusions attached with stainless-steel fasteners. Single-ply ETFE has massive and somewhat untapped potential for creating interesting and dynamic structures in a range of settings and with a variety of effects. The installed structure at Radclyffe School is proof that it is possible to create an ETFE roof using the simplest of shapes, even with minimal curvature, but without losing any of the architectural impact.
Figure 5: Comparison of Properties of ETFE membrane and Glass
Thermal insulation properties of ETFE as against that of Glass is shown below (Refer Figure 6). It indicates that ETFE fils are as effective as glass from thermal insulation view point.
Figure 6: Thermal Insulation Properties of ETFE
The various physical properties of ETFE is shown in the below mentioned Figure 7.
Figure 8 ETFE side panels join the roof and walls at the Radclyffe School Figure 7: Various Properties of ETFE Membrane
The Areas of Application of ETFE Owing to its transparency property, ETFE found its use on projects such as botanical gardens, zoological gardens, swimming pools, and exhibitions spaces. However, ETFE is increasingly finding its place in more traditional buildings as roofing for courtyards, shopping malls, atria and stores. The ETFE material has been used on prominent architectural projects such as the Eden Centre and the Water Cube and it is currently considered for a number of high profile international sports venues.
Figure 9 ETFE roofing helps to create an inside/outside space, which is very popular for schools
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ETFE Cushion System on the NW Bus Interchange At the new Westfield White City shopping de velopment in East London, it was important to the client to achieve eye-catching design as well as practicality. The North West Bus Interchange forms one of the main entrances to the shopping complex and is a valuable location for boosting general(Figures 10 and 11).The two-layer ETFE cushions form the main canopy and span approximately 60 my 18 m (197 ft x 59 ft), and the two layers are continually inflated using a high-techinflation system to create the bubble-like cushion form. The translucency of the membrane proves the feeling of a traditional bus shelter is a long way from this reality; however, the practicalities of weather protection are not lost (Figure 12).The double-skinned cushions include drainage to a central gutter and are supported by safety cables in case the power. supply fails during a storm (Figure 13). Each individual cushion was specifically designed in order to be easily removable for replacement, if necessary. The cushions also in clude wires fitted to the perimeter of all ETFE panels to deter perching birds. ETFE cushion structures such as the North West Bus Interchange are being designed more frequently as the principles of ETFE are becoming more widely understood. As ETFE becomes more mainstream, the demands made on design, inflation systems, and control will become more ambitious.
Figure 12 Translucency of the ETFE gives travellers maximum view of their surroundings
Figure 13 The cushions are supported by safety cables in case of power failure
Advantage of ETFE Film Structures The major advantage of ETFE can be summarized in Figure 8.
Figure 10 NW Bus Interchange will be one of the busiest areas of the Westfield site and will see millions of visitors each year
Figure 8: Advantages of ETFE membrane structures
The Future Much has happened very quickly in the development of ETFE. In 30 years, it has gone from creation to one of the industrys most sought-after building materials. But there is plenty more advancement to come. The makings of ETFE as a long-term construction material will lie in the development of various high-tech coatings and methods
Figure 11 Over 60 m (almost 200 ft) long, the canopy shelters commuters from the rain
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of printing, which will modify not just the translucency, but also the thermal and acoustic properties of the fabric itself. By increasing the number of layers and by incorporating nanogels, it is possible to increase the thermal properties of ETFE foil. Its use in an internal setting has yet to be fully discovered, partly due to its current lack of acoustic absorption properties. The latter is a major selling point for foil for traditionally noisy areas such as indoor sports halls and swimming pools; the echoing noise now simply escapes through the roof. Still, when noise exclusion is required (e.g. external traffic noise and heavy rain and hail in airports), ETFE currently struggles. However, noise and rain suppression systems are now being incorporated into external structures with successful results, and there is much potential for this to be developed further to improve acoustics. ArchitenLandrell, A renowned architect is running an active test program to develop IR reflective coatings that will allow multilayer ETFE systems to transmit visible light yet block (insulate) infrared transmission. Current systems have insulation levels similar to conventional glazing products, so the search is on for products that will dramatically improve on these values. All of these developments will move ETFE into a wider product arena. Some of the Applications of ETFE Foil
Figure : Sahara Star Hotel, Mumbai (Mumbai, India) Figure : Shenzhen Ocean Park, Indoor Water Park (Shenzhen, China)
Conclusion What is clear is that the world is not short of architects, designers, and contractors who want to specify ETFE foil in their projects. Demand is high, and with demand comes increasingly adventurous design briefs, which constantly push the boundaries of what can be achieved. ETFE is still in its infancy, but these are exciting times and there is much more potential to tap into. ETFE continues to open new horizons for architects and designers, and it is sure to remain in the architectural sphere for the foreseeable future. Reference
- - www.makmax.com Robinson A.L. 2005. Structural Oportunities of ETFE (ethylene tetra fluoro ethylene), Masters thesis at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA Robinson-Gayle S., Kolokotroni M., Cripps A., Tannob S., 2001. ETFE foil cushions in roofs and atria, Journal of Construction and Building Materials 15, p 323-327 Salz C., Schepers H., 2006. Arups ETFE Material note www.konstruct-ag.com www.photovoltaics.dupont.com ETFE, The New Fabric Roof, Amy Wilson
Figure : Shenyang Yuanda, Entrance Gate (Liaoning, Shenyang, China)
Figure : Aoyama Great Brits 2005, Air Cabin (Tokyo, Japan)
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Fabric Architecture
Example of Tension Fabric Structure Analysis

Andrzej Ambroziak, PawelKlosowski
Department of Structural Mechanics and Bridge Structures, Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Gdansk University of Technology, Poland.
The aim of this work is to examine two variants of non-linear strain-stress relations accepted for a description of the architectural fabric. A discussion on the fundamental equations of the dense net model used in the description of the coated woven fabric behaviour is presented. An analysis of tensile fabric structures subjected to dead load and initial pretension is described.
he principal material used for constructing tension fabric structures (TFS) is a coated woven fabric called architectural fabric. The fabric is made of woven fibres (warp and weft) covered by a coating material, see Figure 1. Most of the technical woven fabrics are made of nylon, polyester, glass or aramid fibre nets covered by coating materials such as PVC, PTFE, or silicone. Additionally, it is possible to use architectural fabrics with some special features, e.g. high light transmission, surface coating with a selfcleaning photocatalyst or superhydrophobic material, etc. The description of coated woven fabric deformation is the most important problem concerning materials modelling. Developing a realistic constitutive model to describe the materials behaviour has been the main objective of research for the last decades. Great progress in the computational tools gives new perspectives to the evolution of constitutive models, however, the practical engineering applications of some models are limited due to difficulties with identification procedures (e.g. large number of parameters of a material). A brief characterization of the constitutive models which have been proposed for the last decades for material modeling of a coated woven fabric is given.
Figure 1. Visualisation of coated woven fabric
Stubbs and Fluss [1] have described a coated fabric element by a stable geometrically nonlinear space truss. The solution is determined by solving the systems equations using the secant method. Experimental results are presented to demonstrate the predictive capability of the model. Stubbs and Thomas [2] have developed a nonlinear elastic constitutive model for coated fabrics. The model which accounts for the basic mechanisms of yarn rotation, yarn extension and coating extension is obtained by expressing the equations of equilibrium for a unit cell of the material. Argyris et al. [3, 4] have presented constitutive viscoelastic modelling including experimental testing procedures, and identification of rheological parameters for a PVC-coated fabric. Kato et al. [5] have proposed the formulation of continuum constitutive equations for fabric membranes. The formulation is based on a fabric lattice model where the structure of fabric membranes is replaced by an equivalent structure composed of truss bars representing yarns and coating material. Kuwazuru and Yoshikawa [6] have described a pseudo-continuum model. This model transforms deformations of a fabric into the axial tensile strain and transverse compressive strain, separately for warp and weft. Xue et al. [7] have presented a non-orthogonal constitutive model for characterizing woven composites. The relationships between the stresses and strains are obtained on the basis of a stress and strain analysis in orthogonal and nonorthogonal coordinates and rigid body rotation matrices. King et al. [8] have proposed a continuum model. The fabric structural configuration is related to macroscopic deformation through an energy minimization method, and is used to calculate the internal forces carried by the yarn families. Pargana et al. [9] have proposed a unit cell approach. The base fabric model consists of a series of nonlinear elastic and frictional elements and rigid links to represent the yarns. The fabric coating is modelled as an
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isotropic plate. Galliot and Luchsinger [10] have proposed a simple model based on experimental observations of the yarn-parallel biaxial extension of a PVC-coated polyester fabric. A linear relationship is experimentally found between elastic modules and normalized load ratios. The material behaviour is assumed to be plane stress orthotropic for a particular load ratio, while the elastic properties can vary with the load ratio in order to represent the complex interaction between warp and fill yarns. Among these approaches, the dense net model used in this paper can also be mentioned.
and [14]. On the other hand, in paper [15], the authors have proposed nonlinear viscoelastic behaviour to describe the fabric material. The relation between components of the membrane forces in the plane stress state in the local coordinates (x, y) can be calculated from the equation ([11, 12]):
(3) Following, it is possible to write:
where [D] defines the elasticity matrix and is expressed by the formula:
Figure 2. Thread forces in dense net model
Constitutive architectural fabric model To describe the behaviour of a coated woven fabric the authors applied the dense net model (see [11, 12]). In this model, stresses T1 and T2 (stresses in warp and weft thread families, see Figure 2) depend on the strains in the same family only:
It should be noted that the angle _ (see Figure 2) between warp and weft thread families changes during the deformation and may be calculated from the following equation: (6) It should be noted that the initial angle = 0 must be specified. This angle is equal to 90o for most coated woven fabrics. This parameter is dependent on the kind of woven and initial stresses. Typical biaxial weave pattern styles for 0 =90o, woven fabrics, are shown in Figure 3.
(1) where F1(1) kN/m and F2(2) kN/m specify the tensile stiffness of the warp and weft threads, 1 and 2 define the strains along thread families (along warp and weft threads) and are defined by components of strains in the plane stress state:
(2) The parameters, F1(1) and F2(2), are experimentally determined from uniaxial tensile tests in the warp and weft direction, respectively. In this approach it is possible to use different types of thread behaviour: nonlinear elastic, viscoplastic and viscoelastic. In the present paper two variants of the non-linear elastic approach are used to describe the behaviour of an architectural fabric. The identification process is presented in detail in papers [13]
Fabric Architecture
coordinate system XY directions (warp X and weft Y direction) in plane. A steel edge rope, 12 mm in diameter, was taken. The initial ropes force of 50 kN were used. The numerical analysis was performed in two variants of the non-linear elastic strain-stress relation: - NLS P the non-linear elastic of the piecewise stressstrain relation. The tensile stiffnesses of the warp and weft threads are taken directly from Table 2. - NLS M the non-linear elastic Murnaghan model relation. In this case, the tensile stiffnesses of the warp and weft threads are determined as derivations of potential energy:
Figure 3. Typical biaxial weave pattern styles [16]
Structure Description Geometrically non-linear calculations of a hyperbolic paraboloid TFS with edge ropes (see Figure 4), with nonlinear strain-stress relations applied for a coated woven fabric, were performed. This structure of a doubly ruled surface, shaped like a saddle, is more and more often used nowadays, due to its structural properties merit, see, e.g. [17, 18]. The vertical roof surface coordinates of the initial configuration can be computed from the following equation:
(8) The potential energy is accepted in the form [19]:
(9) (7) where H1 is the height at the centre point, H2 is the height at the maximum height point, 2A is the diagonal horizontal span, X, Y , Z are the global coordinate system axes. Edge cables in the initial configuration are assumed as a secondorder parabolic shape, see Figure 4. where: , are the Lame constants; l, m, n are the Murnaghan constants, and IE, IIE, IIIE are the invariants of the Lagrange-Green strain tensor. The mean values of the Murnaghan model coefficients are shown in Table 3.
[kN/m] F1( 1)=904 Warp F1( 1)=176 F1( 1)=471 F2( 2)=187 Weft F2( 2)=146 F2( 2)=340 [-] 1 (00.0119) 1 (0.01190.093) 1 (0.0930.180) 2 (00.039) 2 (0.0390.1495) 2 (0.14950.24)
Table 2. Non-linear elastic properties of coated fabric Panama [14]
[kN/m]
Warp Weft
Figure 4. Roof geometry
[kN/m]
146.2 24.4
i [kN/m]
313.3 453.6
m [kN/m]
6366.0 1781.2
n [kN/m]
634.4 43.1
188.9 48.2
Table 3. Murnaghan coefficients for PVC-coated Panama fabric [13]
Value and unit UTSwarp UTSweft weight

Table 1. Panama fabric properties
Pre-analysis of structure One of the most important problems is to choose a proper value of the structure initial pretension forces. It is necessary to select a proper value of the initial pretension forces applied in the warp and weft directions, and also in cables. Wrong assumptions of pretension forces in the fabric can cause membrane wrinkling and also change the assumed shape of the structure, see e.g. [20]. The choice of force for this structure type is discussed in [12]. The initial pretension forces in the hyperbolic paraboloid tension structure must fulfil the following equation:
75 [kN/m] 60 [kN/m] 870 [g/m2]
The geometrical data for the example are: A=20 m; H1 =2 m; H2 =4 m and B =2 m (see Figure 4). The coated woven Panama fabric, assumed for these calculations, is made as a polyester base fabric coated with PVC. The weight and ultimate tension strength values are given in Table 1. The warp and weft threads of the fabric have the global
P S
Perfect Tensile Structure
Fabric Architecture
Numerical analysis (10) where T1,T2 are horizontal components of pretension forces in the warp and weft directions, Z(X,Y) are the vertical coordinates of the roof surface defined by Equation (7). Consequently, the relation between pretension forces can be rewritten as: A self-made FEM code for a textile membrane analysis was used in the numerical calculations. An exact theoretical description, the FEM coding details and the application limits of this code are discussed in [21]. Comparisons of the vertical displacement in Figure 7 are made. In the next figures (see Figures 8 and 9) the stress isolines for the membrane roof subjected to the dead load Figure 6. FE mesh and initial pretension forces are shown. The displacement profiles and membrane stress isolines obtained for the piecewise stress-strain and Murnaghan model relations are comparable.
(11) For the analysed structure we can assume that (shallow structure): (12) Therefore, the values of pretension forces for the geometric parameters used in the calculations can be determined as:
(13) It is assumed that the value of T2 = 6.0 kN/m, therefore, T1 = 6.0 kN/m from Equation (13) is accepted for the analysed structure pretension forces in the initial configuration in the warp direction. Due to the symmetry of the geometry and loadings, it is sufficient to analyse only a quarter of the roof with proper symmetry boundary conditions at X = 0 and Y = 0 coordinates. At the beginning of the numerical analysis, a convergence analysis of the FE mesh was performed. Basing on this calculations, the mesh of 1212 elements (see Figures 5 and 6) was accepted. The length parameter in Figure 5 is taken first along the Y axis to the middle point of the roof. The length parameter is calculated as a polyline with two nodes: (0;0), (20;0).
Figure 7. Vertical displacement along X axis
Figure 8. Distribution of stresses (left T1 kN/m, right T2 kN/m) NLS P
Conclusions and general remarks A geometrically non-linear analysis of a hyperbolic paraboloid TFS with non-linear elastic physical equations for a dense net model was successfully carried out. Calculations for a typical polyester base fabric coated by PVC were preformed. Both the piecewise and Murnaghan
Figure 5. Convergence analysis of FE mesh vertical displacement along X axis
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Fabric Architecture
Appl. Mech. and Engng 88 135 4 Argyris J, Doltsinis J St and Silva V D 1992 Comput. Meth. in Appl. Mech. and Engng 98 159 5 Kato S, Yoshino T and Minami H 1999 Engineering Structures 21 691 6 Kuwazuru O and Yoshikawa N 2002 The 5 th World Congress on Computational Mechanics, Vienna, Austria, pp. 110 7 Xue P , Peng X and Cao J 2003 Composities Part A 34 183 8 King M J, Jearanaisilawong P and Socrate S 2005 Int. J. Solids and Structures 42 (13) 3867
Figure 9. Distribution of stresses (left T1 kN/m, right T2 kN/m) NLS M
9 Pargana J B, Lloyd-Smith D and Izzuddin B A 2007 Engineering Structures 29 (7) 1323 10 Galliot C and Luchsinger R H 2009 Composite Structures 90 438 11 Branicki Cz and Kosowski P 1983 Archives of Civil Engineering 29 189 (in Polish) 12 Branicki Cz 1969 Some Static Problems of Hanging Nets, PhD Thesis, Gdansk University of Technology, Poland (in Polish) 13 Ambroziak A 2006 TASK Quart. 10 (3) 253 14 Ambroziak A 2005 TASK Quart. 9 (2) 167 15 Kosowski P , Komar W and Woznica K 2009 Construction and Building Materials 23 (2) 1133 16 Bejan L and Poterasu V F 1999 Comput. Meth. in Appl. Mech. and Engng 179 53 17 Armijos S J 2008 Fabric Architecture: Creative Resources for Shade, Signage, and Shelter, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. 18 Otto F 2001 Tensile Structures, MIT Press, New York 19 Jiyple A II 1970 TeorIIa yIIpyroctII, Nauka, Moscow, Russia (in Russian) 20 Stanuszek M 2003 Finite Elements in Analysis and Design 39 599 21 Kosowski P 1983 Statics and Dynamics of Cable-Membrane Hanging Roofs in Materially and Geometrically Non-linear Approach, PhD Thesis, Gdansk University of Technology, Poland (in Polish)
model gave almost the same response in the calculated FE variants. The numerical results showed that the simplified piecewise model gave comparable results with a more advanced Murnaghan model. The obtained results require revision for more complex roof shapes, analysis types and load kinds. The difference between material models is expected to grow when operational static loading or dynamic wind loads are applied. The authors are aware that many other material models exist, but their engineering applications are limited due to the difficulties with identification of a large number of material parameters. Acknowledgements The calculations presented in the paper were made at the Academic Computer Centre in Gdansk (TASK). References
1 Stubbs N and Fluss H 1980 Applied Mathematical Modelling 4 (1) 51 2 Stubbs N and Thomas S 1984 Mechanics of Materials 3 (2) 157 3 Argyris J, Doltsinis J St and Silva V D 1991 Comput. Meth. in
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Fabric Architecture London Olympics 2012
Leading the Medal Tally in London Olympics 2012

Bhavani Balakrishna
As per the Olympic Development Authority (ODA) approximately 142,538 square meters of PVC was used to create the London Olympic sports venue out of which 31.22 percent was phthalate free.
TENSILE FABRIC:
hile the Olympics is one of the most watched sporting event across the globe, the event also presents the architect and building community a smorgasbord of different architectural styles and innovative use of different building materials. This year the one building material that stood out in the London Olympics 2012 is PVC or Polyvinyl chloride. PVC fabric was prominently used in several
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of the London Olympic venues as membrane wraps or roofing. As per the Olympic Development Authority (ODA) approximately 142,538 square meters of PVC was used to create the London Olympic sports venue out of which 31.22 percent was phthalate free. PVC is generally plasticized with phthalates (lead based chemicals) containing carcinogenic dioxins, which are ultimately released into the atmosphere when the
material is junked by incineration. While recognizing the potential scale of PVC required by London Olympics 2012 from membrane wraps to flooring, cabling and pipework the London 2012 Sustainability Group published its policy in early 2009.The main purpose of the policy was to challenge the use of PVC on the Olympic Park and encourage other materials to be adopted. Despite the debate surround-
the use of PVC using non-phthalate plasticizers. While initially it seemed difficult to find phthalate free PVC, the ODA, together with the manufacturers developed an ecological, non-toxic PVC that is plasticized without phthalates.
Olympic Stadium
Architect: Populous Fabric Manufacturer: Dow Chemicals The Olympic Stadium, designed in the form of an elliptical seating bowl, has a total seating capacity of 80000 seats - 25000 permanent seats in a lower tier and 55000 seats in a demountable upper tier. A thorough analysis of wind performance levels against a number of parameters indicated that a partial roof covering, covering twothirds of the seating spectators, would attenuate wind speeds at track level elements, thus providing the most favorable conditions for athletes to break world records. The team decided on a lightweight cable-net roof resembling the rim and spoke configuration of a bicycle wheel with a tension ring running around the roof's internal circumference. The wrap panels are made of a lightweight polyester fabric with a polyolefin elastomer-based coating. The fabric was cut into 306 pre-shaped panels, each approximately 25meters high and 2.5 meters wide and clipped
Phthalate free M2 The Royal Artillery Barracks internal 14,540 The Royal Artillery Barracks external 9,200 The Royal Artillery Barracks 26,250 ballistic screen Water Polo Arena internal 17,500 Water Polo Arena external 2,500 Eton Manor 7,200 Aquatics Centre 19,000 Velodrome 1,848 Total 98,038 Phthalate containing Olympic Stadium 24,500 Basketball Arena 20,000 Total 44,500 Total both types 142,538 Phthalate per cent of total 31.22 Or Non-Phthalate per cent of total 68.78
to the cable net and tensioned into the final anticlastic 3-D form. Dow Chemical Co, the manufacturers of the fabric, estimates that the LDPE-coated fabric requires fewer materials to manufacture than the heavier fabrics more traditionally used as building wraps, and has a lower carbon footprint compared to conventional building enclosure materials. The designers meticulously planned the placement of a series of 14 triangular lighting rigs on top of the inner ten-
ing PVC, when cost and intended use were analyzed, it was found to be the best material in several areas, due to its strength, malleability and light weight. In these circumstances the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) challenged its contractors to show that the product met certain mitigation requirements such as PVC with a recycled content of at least 30 per cent unless precluded by the performance requirements and
Olympic Stadium
Water Polo Arena sion ring at the edge of the fabric roof to prevent glare and lens flare for both the spectators and player sand any lens flare for TV cameras. uniquely sloped roof (from 25 meters down to 6 meters), has a seating capacity of 5000 persons and holds a 37meter pool. The external faade of the structure is complete made out of tensile fabric while the roof of the structure is made out of tensile fabric cushions, a single layer of PVC coated polyester is used for the sides of the building. Since the structure was designed to
Water Polo Arena

Architect: David Morely Fabric: PVC fabric from Serge Ferrari The Water Polo arena, a demountable and reusable structure with a
be demountable after the games, it was necessary that the building envelope be a lightweight solution Phthalatefree PVC was chosen due to its versatile features reusability, ability to fold without creasing and ability to be shaped and transported in the form of panels. Since phthalate-free PVC is a comparatively new fabric, independent structural and fire testing was conducted to gauge the fabric's performance. Architen Landrell was the company behind the design, manufacture and installation of the tensile fabric shell that forms the building envelope of the Water Polo Arena. One of the fears during the design phase was that condensation could form on the underside of the roof, thus leading to water dripping onto the pool or the spectators. The team overcame this problem by using an air-inflated dual membrane to form huge 54m-long by 10m-wide cushions. Each cushion simply spans between 2meter wide structural lighting gantries which are spaced at 12meter centers along the length of the building. The lighting combined with the white translucent fabric outside the competition bowl gives the venue a distinctive appearance in the Olympic Park. However, in the competition bowl, the fabric was made opaque to provide consistent lighting for high definition television. In order to control solar heat, the PVC fabric was coated with reflective silver that added to the visual appeal of the structure. In the competition
Aquatic Center
Architect: ZahaHadid Fabric Manufacturer: Architen Landrell The design for the Aquatic Center required a structure that could be both temporary and permanent, the latter being reusable. Zaha Hadid's design of a permanent curved and wave-like central body with a seating capacity of 2500 persons and two temporary angular wings made out of tensile fabric that extended the seating capacity to hold more than 17500 spectators proved most ideal. Reaching 50meters above ground level, the two temporary stands form
Aquatic Center
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Ironite Co. of India Ltd
angular wings to the curved central body and are wrapped in a complete fabric cladding jacket. The cladding was created out of eco-friendly phtha-lates free specially coated PVC polyester. The complex design required PVC coated polyester mesh to clad some of the sides to the seating and a solid fabric for the rest. Overall the structure works really well incorporating the temporary use of fabric and utilizing the benefits of mesh and solid fabric. The Aquatics Centre with its wavelike roof uses approximately 20,000 square meters of PVC to wrap its interior stands. Following the Olympics, two temporary wings using PVC will be removed and recycled, and the facility will be open to the local community, clubs, and schools.
Shooting Arena
Architects: Magma Architecture Membrane Manufacturer: Serge Ferrari Approximately 18000 square meters of phthalate-free PVC membrane was used as building envelope for the three halls of the Shooting Arena of London Olympics 2012.The 100% recyclable PVC was selected on the grounds of its tensile strength, thermal properties and transparency. A total of 3,800 seats are provided for a completely enclosed range for the finals, and two partially enclosed ranges for the qualifying rounds. The building is completely covered in the white membrane with vibrantly colored pink, red and blue perforated openings on the white faade to help create tension and provide natural ventilation and light. The brightly colored, perforated membranes fitted between the steel rings allow air infiltration and ventilation, as well as serving as doorways at ground level. Natural ventilation of the halls is facilitated by a second inner membrane. The two meter wide space created acts as an insulation layer and conducts an air current permitting cool fresh air to come in and warm used air to exit in the upper area. The translucent membrane allows a reduction in the amount of artificial
Shooting Arena
Basketball Arena
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Reliance Industries Ltd
Eton Manor lighting required thanks to some natural daylight illumination. Since the membrane is stretched using steel rings, the cladding does not flap in the wind. Also, the unevenness of the surface prevents accumulation of water. The hall for the finals is covered by a light-impermeable membrane composed of three layers to satisfy transmission media requirements. Paralympic shooting and archery events will be held there after the Olympics, and after the event all materials including membranes, tension rings and connections will be packed and reused for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. The standard trusses will be returned to the construction company after final disassembly. a dramatic backdrop for innovative lighting design projections. PVC containing phthalate plasticizers were used on the Basketball Arena, as the material was procured before issuing the PVC Policy.
Basketball Arena
Architects: Wilkinson Eyre Membrane Manufacturer: Verseidag The 12,000 seat basketball arenais wrapped with 20,000 square meters of recyclable PVC Type 2 membrane from Verseidag. The structure itself is 1000 metric ton steel-frame system shrinkwrapped with a white PVC skin, the curved steel stretchers forming a pattern of alternating diagonal projections on the outside. Tension is created by stretching the fabric over three different variations of arched panels. During the Games, the membrane will be used as
Velodrome
Architect: Hopkins Architects Fabric: PVC fabric from Serge Ferrari Also nicknamed as The Pringle because of its resemblance to the snack chip, the Velodromeuses a PVC coated polyester mesh screen that is stretched on a slope from the back edge of the upper tier seating right up to the structural steel ring beam that supports the roof. The PVC fabric is visually continuous around the whole bowl, varying in height and gradient as it fills the void between the seating and the curved roof. Once the event is complete, the venue will be given to the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority after the Olympics for use by the community.
Eton Manor
Architect: Stanton Williams Eton Manor was used for housing training pools for participants in aquatic events, including water polo and synchronized swimming. The temporary Aquatics training pools was a lightweight structure with a steel & aluminum frame, a single layer of PVC covering and a double layer roof system. Approximately, 7200 square meters of PVC was used in this venue.
Eton Manor
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Spartan Engineering industries Pvt. Ltd
Fabric Architecture Connection Assemblies
Tensile Fabric Structures:

Factors to be Considered for Arriving at the Right Type of Connection Assemblies
he advent of tensile fabric structures has meant that today's architects can quite literally let their imagination run riot. A large number of awe inspiring buildings in recent times have become a reality thanks to tensile fabrics. If one were to take a closer look at some of these structures it would be clear about the amount of hard work and detailing that goes behind
them. Tensile fabric structures because of their unique support requirements are special creations and their construction is therefore uniquely challenging. Tensile fabric connections are the key to the success of the project, since this is where all the forces act and which could make or mar the overall design. It is therefore of paramount importance that tensile fabric structure
connections adhere to certain standards. Tensile fabric structures are but a combination of different systems that have been put together to offer flawless performance over the years. While the tensile fabric membrane is a key component, there is no denying the importance of the support structures too. Then come the cables that are used for tying the tensile membranes to the sup-
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port structure. Now, within all these components there are several connections present, which can make the difference between the success or failure of a project. Designers have to take into consideration several key factors when dealing with connection assemblies. Aesthetics for example is something that should not be ruined because of the choice of the wrong type of connection assemblies. Functionality and performance is another important aspect that needs to be kept in mind. Perhaps the most important criteria is cost, since the contractor has to take care in fulfilling the other two criteria while ensuring that the project doesn't overshoot the budget. Functional Requirements One of the key factors that everyone involved in the project needs to consider is that of functional requirement. For example, the need for a project where the connection will need to be often assembled and then disassembled, as in the case with temporary structures, will be totally different from another project where the structure would be set up permanently. Similarly, the requirement in an area which has extremely cold climate would be differ-
ent from that of a humid location and so on and so forth. Computerized Analysis One of the key factors that have contributed to the rising popularity of tensile fabric structures has been the availability of several specialized software packages that help in analyzing almost every minute detail of a structure. Simulation of various conditions and the factors that would be dealt by the structure during its lifetime is now a possibility, aiding in the design process. It is now possible to calculate the loads and stresses that a particular structure's connection need to be designed for prior to the actual construction process. Detailing of Connection Assemblies Another crucial aspect that is to be taken into consideration is that the design of the tensile fabric structure needs to be developed while keeping an eye on the fabrication and installation of the connection and the assemblies. Without proper planning many a times project costs shoot up when unanticipated requirements arise for connections or assemblies. The engineering analysis process therefore needs to take care of this crucial aspect, which
may ultimately add to the overall project cost. This is where the detailing of connections comes into picture. The engineering of the structure should be such that the connections are designed to ensure proper flexibility in order to accommodate anticipated movements. In certain instances they need to be isolated from the fabric or designed in such a way to avoid damage to the former. Adequate care also needs to be taken in order to ensure weather tightness of connection assemblies in certain points. Durability Factor Since most of the connections will be exposed to the vagaries of weather, care needs to be taken to select connection assemblies made out of the right type of material. Using stainless steel or aluminium elements is one way of ensuring corrosion protection. Galvanizing or painting steel is another option available to contractors. Cost is perhaps the most important factor when the project discussion veers towards connection assemblies.
It is always preferable to not compromise on the quality front, since connection assemblies are also of importance from the point of view of safety. The engineering analysis of the project should focus on coming out with a comprehensive connection design, that will in the long run ensure easier maintenance and longevity of the structure. Blend of Aesthetics and Performance People may often end up praising the aesthetics of a tensile fabric structure without giving a thought to the fact whether the structure is satisfying the functional requirement criteria or not. It needs to be remembered that no amount of aesthetic value is going to save a structure with a flawed design. While aesthetics are important, designers need to remember that equally important are the connection assemblies. Since tensioned structures are subjected to external loads and react in a different way than other conventional systems, designers need to study the unique requirements before arriving at the right type of connections. There should be provision for allowing for rotation or displacement for example, in the case of certain connection assemblies. Another important aspect that needs to be considered is the 'expressiveness' of exposed connections. This is important because they could mar the visual elegance of a fabric structure. The collaboration between architectural and structural design is therefore of importance when designers are looking for all round visual impact. The best way to arrive at the right design is by using a combination that fulfils the criteria of aesthetics, as well as functional requirements. While computer simulated study is always useful, full scale mock-ups offer another additional way in which the design of the structure can be analyzed, before zeroing in on the different components of the system. Photo Courtesy:
www.armips.wordpress.com www.archinect.com, www.tensileworld.com www.specialtyfabricsreview.com
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Cosmos Construction Machineries & Equipments Pvt.Ltd
ETFE: The Preferred Choice for Roofing Solutions

he field of tensile fabric structures has been witnessing rapid developments in recent times. One of them has been the advent of ETFE structures, which is a roofing structure with ETFE (Ethylene-tetra-fluoricethylene) film cushions, which are equipped with photovoltaic modules, generating and supplying power to the adjoining facility. Everest Tent Technologies, one of the leading companies in the field of tensile fabric structures since 1992, with widespread presence in India and Malaysia, has been pioneering the new technology of ETFE. ETFE roofing was first used in Germany. Due to high light transmission and excellent weather-resistant qualities, ETFE film cushions are ideally suited for certain kind of structures, where clients have made specific requires for optimum natural lighting and ventilation. ETFE scores high over glass, since it is
1 % of the weight, costs 24% to 70% lesser to install and at the same time transmitting more light. ETFE cushions are also resilient, able to bear 400 times their own weight. They also show remarkable self-cleaning properties due to their non-stick surface and are recyclable. In the sheet form as they are commonly employed for architectural purposes, the material can be stretched three times its length without loss of elasticity. Since they are prone to punctures, they are mostly used for roofs. However,
by using heat welding, tears can be repaired with a patch or multiple sheets assembled into larger panels. The durability of ETFE makes it ideally suited for a variety of applications. For example, ETFE roofing is fast becoming a popular solution for schools which want to have bright, well-lit common areas for students, without exposing them to exteriors to potentially inclement weather conditions. The unique ability of ETFE to keep costs down, while allowing for optimum utilization of daylight and providing a natural level of insulation, is behind its rapidly rising popularity.

Everest Tent Technologies
No 33/5, 7th Cross, Pipdic Industrial Estate, Sederapet, Pondicherry-605111, INDIA Ph:+91-413-2677769, E-mail: info@everesttent.com Web: www.everesttent.com
BAU 2013, Munich

AU 2013, the World's Leading Trade Fair for Architecture, Materials, Systems, takes place from January 14 to 19, 2013 at Messe Mnchen exhibition center. Once again the event is expected to attract around 2,000 exhibitors from more than 40 countries and approximately 240,000 visitors from all over the world. On show at BAU on 180,000 square meters of exhibition space will be architectural solutions, materials and systems for commercial and residential construction and for interior fit-out, for both new-build and renovation and modernization purposes. Every two
years this event brings together market leaders from the sector to participate in a unique international display of competence spanning all the construction trades. BAU is also the worlds largest trade fair for architects and construction engineers, attracting around 50,000 design professionals. The exhibits at the fair are organized according to building material and also product and theme areas. Key topics for the future of the industry, such as sustainability and building for life, play an important role in all sections of the exhibition. The many attractive events in the supporting program, including high-caliber forums
with experts from all over the world, round off this industry showcase. For a complete list of all exhibitors at BAU 2013, the product groups and product presentations, go to the online catalog, at: www.bau-muenchen.com
BAU 2013 World's Leading Trade Fair for Architecture, Materials, Systems
Contact:
Johannes Manger and Benjamin Bttner Ph:+49 89/9 49-21482, Fax:+49 89/9 49-9721482
E-mail: Johannes.Manger@messe-muenchen.de Benjamin.Buettner@messe-muenchen.de
Web: www.messe-muenchen.de
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Cosmos Sales Corporation
Metal Buildings
Pre-Engineered Metal Buildings

MB Bureau Report
uildings & houses are one of the oldest construction activities of human beings. The construction technology has advanced since the beginning from primitive consturction technology to the present concept of modern house buildings. The present construction methodology for buildings calls for the best aesthetic look, high quality & fast construction, cost effective & innovative touch. In developing countries massive house building construction is taking place in various parts. Since majority of population lives in towns and cities hence construction is more in the urban places. The requirement of housing is tremendous but there will always be a shortage of house availability as the present masonary construction technology cannot meet
the rising demand every year. Hence one has to think for alternative construction system like pre-engineered steel buildings. Pre Engineered Building (PEB) offers a solution to these problems with ease. In pre-engineered building concept the complete designing is done at the factory and the building components are brought to the site in knock down condition. These components are then fixed / jointed at the site and raised with the help of cranes. The pre-engineered building calls for very fast construction of buildings and with good aesthetic looks and quality construction. Pre-engineered Buildings can be used extensively for construction of industrial and residential buildings. The buildings can be multi storeyed (4-6 floors). These buildings are suitable to various environmental hazards.
Metal Buildings
PEB concept has been very successful and well established in North America, Australia and is presently expanding in U.K and European countries. PEB construction is 30 to 40% faster than masonary construction. PEB buildings provides good insulation effect and would be highly suitable for a tropical countries. PEB is ideal for construction in remote & hilly areas. Refer Figure 1 for some photographs of Pre Engineered Steel Buildings.
Figure 1: Pre Engineered Buildings (Source Internet)
Technology of Pre Engineering Building with its Various Components Pre-Engineered Steel Buildings use a combination of builtup sections, hot rolled sections and cold formed elements which provide the basic steel frame work with a choice of single skin sheeting with added insulation or insulated sandwich panels for roofing and wall cladding. The concept is designed to provide a complete building envelope system which is air tight, energy efficient, optimum in weight and cost and, above all, designed to fit user requirement like a well fitted glove. These Pre-Engineered Steel Buildings can be fitted with different structural accessories including mezzanine floors, canopies, fascias, interior partitions, crane systems etc. The building is made water-tight by use of special mastic beads, filler strips and trims. This is a very versatile building system and can be finished internally to serve any required function and accessorized externally to achieve attractive and distinctive architectural styles. It is most suitable for any low-rise building and offers numerous benefits over conventional buildings. Pre-engineered buildings are generally low rise buildings, however the maximum eave heights can go upto 25 to 30 metres. Low rise buildings are ideal for offices, houses, showrooms, shop fronts etc. The application of pre-
Metal Buildings
engineered concept to low rise buildings is very economical and speedy. Buildings can be constructed in less than half the normal time especially when complimented with other engineered sub-systems. The most common and economical type of low-rise building is a building with ground floor and two intermediate floors plus roof. The roof of a low rise building may be flat or sloped. Intermediate floors of low rise buildings are made of mezzanine systems. Single storeyed houses for living take minimum time for construction and can be built in any type of geographic location like extreme cold hilly areas, high rain prone areas, plain land, extreme hot climatic zones etc. There are basically nine major components in a preengineered building such as : - - - - - - - - - Main framing or vertical columns End wall framing Purlins, girts and eave struts Sheeting and insulation or prefab panels Crane system Mezzanine system Bracing system Paints and finishes Miscellaneous services
the transverse wind force acting on the small tributary area of the end wall. For single storeyed normal houses end wall framing is same as main framing. Purlins, girts and eave struts Purlins, girts and eave struts are also known as secondary cold-formed members. There is no welding involved in their preparation. They are prepared by just bending the steel coil giving it the desired shape (Z-shape for purlins and girts, and C-shape for eave struts). Sheeting and insulation or prefab panels (Panels and insulation) Single skin profile steel sheets are used as roof and wall sheeting, roof and wall liners, partition and soffit sheeting. The steel sheets are generally made from steel coils and aluminium coils. Minimum thickness of steel coils used is 0.5mm high tensile steel. The profiles depends upon the stiffness required, the governing loads (dead/live/wind) etc. The strength of the sheets depends on its profile, and the depth and number of ribs. The steel sheets are normally zincalume or galvanized profiled sheets permanently colour coated either plain or the sheets can be coated with special paints like PVF2, if required, for better anticorrosion properties. These buildings can be properly insulated by providing fibrous insulation slabs / rolls of noncombustible Rockwool, Aluminium foil laminated, placed over a metal mesh bed created between the purlins, and then the roofing steel sheet fixed over it. The siding walls can also be insulated by providing a double skin profile steel sheet wall cladding having Rockwool Insulation slab sandwiched in between and held in position with the help of Z spacers in between the two profile steel sheets. In similar pattern a double skin insulated roofing system can also be erected. Crane system Crane in industrial buildings are used to improve material handling productivity and to allow more efficient utilization of space by reducing or eliminating traffic due to forklifts etc. The crane runway beams are simply supported builtup sections with cap channels. Also, since its a built-up member, it can be tapered saving the beam costs for large spans. Mezzanine system Generally, the mezzanine framing is connected to the main rigid frame columns for lateral, stability. Mezzanine beams and joists are analyzed and designed as simple span members. Standard mezzanine structure consists of built-
Main Framing Main framing basically includes the rigid steel frames of the building. The PEB rigid frame comprises of tapered columns and tapered rafters (the fabricated tapered sections are referred to as built-up members). The tapered sections are fabricated using the state of art technology wherein the flanges are welded to the web. Splice plates are welded to the ends of the tapered sections. The frame is erected by bolting the splice plates of connecting sections together. For normal housing the main framing columns are of ISMC category. End wall framing The endwall frame of a pre-engineered building may be designed as a main rigid frame (i.e. similar to the interior frame) or as a post and beam frame. The decision depends on the customers requirement (mainly as to whether he wants to go in for future expansion or not)and / or buildings requirements (is the endwall open for access). The post and beam end wall system of framing consists of columns (posts) with pinned ends, supporting horizontal beams known as endwall rafters. Girts are flush framed between posts to provide lateral stability and a neat appearance. Post and beam endwalls are assumed to be laterally stiff due to the diaphragm effect of the wall sheeting. The diaphragm action is proven to be sufficient enough to resist
Mixer for Dry Mortar Manufacturing

he new approach for the Ready mix Mortar producer is look out for the mixing process of dry mortar manufacturing are often more advanced technology, cost effectiveness, since it is highly competitive mass market ,advancing the products standards are growing increasingly, making the investment in optimized mixing technology vital for competitiveness. The formulae for manufacturing variety of mortar such as brick mortar rendering mortar, joint sealing- mortar, tile cement and thin bed mortar are getting more and more complicated which led to the emerging of the New generation Mixing technology of Toshniwal Twin Shaft mixer Invented by Mr. Forberg- Norway.
The Advantages of the Mixer in use are: High Degree Quality Mix achievement. Reduced Mixing Time. Improved Process efficiency. Minimal Maintenance. The design and the operation of mixer where the ingredients of dry mortar compound of varied particles size with additives less than 100ppm randomly falls on top in a fluidized zone to achieve homogeneous blend of Rich Mix in a short duration, with this operation ,the material causes less wear on the mixers paddles, hence the life span of the mixer beyond our expectations. Further details from: M/s. Toshniwal Systems & Instruments Pvt. Ltd., 267, Kilpauk Garden Road, Chennai - 600 010, India Phone No: 91-44-26445626 / 26448983 Email: mixer@toshniwal.net / Web : www.toshniwal.net
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Metal Buildings
up beams (that may be tapered for large spans or heavy loads) that support built-up, hot-rolled or cold-formed mezzanine joists which in-turn support a metal deck. A reinforced concrete slab is cast on the metal deck as a finished surface. The metal deck is not designed to carry the floor live loads, it is intended only to carry the reinforced concrete slab during pouring. The reinforced concrete slab must be designed to carry the floor loads. Interior mezzanine stub columns are hot rolled tube sections or built-up sections. Sometimes, in place of concrete flooring, checkered plates or grating may be used. Sometimes, a structural framing system is mounted on top of the roof and is designed to support heavy roof accessories, such as HVAC units, water tanks and other miscellaneous roof equipment. These we call as roof platforms. Also, a narrow walkway, used primarily for maintenance crews to provide access to mechanical equipment supported on roof platforms, called as catwalk is provided at times. Catwalk are usually mounted alongside crane beams, suspended under rigid frame rafters or elevated above the top of the building roof. Bracing system Longitudinal cross bracing, used to provide lateral stability to the structure against wind, seismic or other forces, comprises of 7-strand twisted galvanized cables with an eye bolt and an adjusting nut at both ends, located near the outer flange of columns or rafters and attached at the web of the rigid frame. In buildings supporting cranes, crane longitudinal loads will be transferred to the foundation using smooth round bars or hot rolled angles in lieu of cables. Also, when the sidewall has to be open for access etc., portal bracing is provided. For narrow width buildings with low eave heights, the fixed base column can be designed in the minor axis direction to resist the lateral forces applied along the length of the building, thus saving the additional bracings. Bracings are usually provided in large roof area industrial sheds. This is not required for houses. Paints and Finishes Normally the primary and secondary steel are coated with one coat (35 microns) of redoxide paint without any special treatment to steel. However, if some special paint has to be applied to steel in order to give better anti-corrosion properties etc. then the steel members have to be shotblasted and then coated with the special paints. Also, the other option is for going in for galvanized secondary steel and hot-dip galvanize the primary steel for better steel properties. For houses inside painting on walls & ceiling is to be provided.
Miscellaneous Services a. Doors and Windows Steel or aluminium framed doors and windows are fixed to the purlins either by welding or bolted to the flanges already fixed to the purlins. Proper flashings are applied wherever necessary. b. False Ceiling This is usually required for residential building or offices. A metal frame work is hung from the ceiling and false ceiling of rigid boards are either bolted or placed over the frame work. c. Partition Walls This is usually required for residential building or offices. Partition wall comprises of two rigid boards having insulation sandwiched in between and fixed to the steel columns and purlins. Alternatively prefab sandwich panels can also be fixed to the columns and purlins. d. Flooring Flooring is usually of conventional nature consisting of cement concrete. Design Codes Referred Design codes that govern the design procedures and calculations are as follows :- Frame members (hot rolled or built-up) are in accordance with AISC (American Institute of Steel Construction) Specifications for the design, fabrication and erection of structural steel. - Light gauge cold-formed members are designed in accordance with AISI (American Iron and Steel Institute) Specification for the design of light gauge cold formed steel structural members. - IS : 8750 - 1987 : Code of practice for design loads of buildings & structures. - IS : 800 -1984: Code of practice for general construction in steel. - IS : 801- 1975 : Code of practice for use of Cold formed light gauge Steel Structural Members in general building Construction Benefits of Pre-engineered building - Optimised design of steel reducing weight - Easy future expansion/modification - Voluminous space (up to 60M clear spans, 30 M eave heights) - Weather proof
Kaushalpati Infra Equipments Pvt.Ltd
Skyshade Technologies
Metal Buildings
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
No fire hazards International Quality Standards Seismic & Wind pressure resistant Quality design, manufacturing and erection Quick delivery and Quick turn-key construction Architectural versatility Energy efficient roof and wall system using Rockwool & PUF insulation Water-tight roofs & wall coverings Pre-painted and has low maintenance requirement Easy integration of all construction materials Erection of the building is fast The building can be dismantled and relocated easily Future extensions can be easily accommodated without much hassle.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Aircraft Hangers Supermarkets Workshops Distribution Centres Commercial Showrooms Restaurants Office Buildings Labor Camps Petrol Pumps/Service Buildings Schools Community Centres Railway Stations Equipment housing/shelters Telecommunication shelters Almost any low-rise building
Applications Applications of pre-engineered steel buildings include (but are not limited to) the following : - - - - Houses & Living Shelters Factories Warehouses Sport Halls
Figure 4: Demand from building segment (Research carried out by Deloitte)
However in a research carried by Deloitte for Indian market, Industry dominates the application of tell structures and buildings are the least (Refer Figure 2). Structural steel usage in building segment in India is presently driven by exception rather than practice. Penetration of structural steel in overall buildings segment is currently at <2%. However, this trend has seen a change over the past 2-3 years as developers are realizing the advantages of using structural steel in building segment. As seen below in Figure 3, the benefits of using structural steel in building segment outweighs the challenges over the next 10 years. Conclusion
Figure 2: Application of Steel structures in end-use segments (Research carried out by Deloitte)
All the developed countries have shifted to PEB structures as it is fast and easy to build at low cost. This can be easily seen from the Figure 4. For increased use of PEB structures, s shift in mindset that concrete is the only default construction material in the buildings segment needs to be changed. There is a recent trend of using metal buildings as an option for affordable housing in various developing countries including India. These are typically small metal buildings, complete with civil foundations, electrical, plumbing and drainage solutions. To join the growth story as developed countries, the time has come to understand and start using PEB structures in all types of constructions.
Figure 3: Benefits and challenges of using structural steel in building segment (Research carried out by Deloitte)
A1 Decors
FIAB
High Performance Qik Boom Barrier's from Gandhi Automations

he high performance Qik boom barrier with its improved aesthetics such as soft edges and rounded corners, is suitable for any type of installation environment. Technically advanced and improved designs make the Qik boom barrier an ideal solution for ensuring safe and controlled access of medium to high transit environments such as hotels, banks, shopping malls, toll collection, industrial entrance and apartments , complexes, companies and camp sites, where it is critical to limit/control access to car parking areas to authorized people only. Designed to withstand rugged
environmental and operating conditions, the new Qik barriers are available in grey and red or in stainless steel, the latter an ideal solution for harsher environments such as areas near the sea. The wide range of lengths and DITEC accessories available ensure that all installation requirements are met. Distinctive features and main functions: Available for boom length up to 8.4m. Opening up to 16.8m can be covered with two barriers operating as master/slave. Simple to install, the system ensures a very easy access to the control unit. Sturdy steel structure with scratch-
proof coating resistant to harsh weather conditions. Extremely reliable and maintenance free. Manual release in case of power failure, Battery backup facility in select models. Gear motor mounted at right angle with the barrier exit in order to avoid the use of a lever system and to leave more space available for the control unit. The 24 V version with encoder and limit switch allows slowdowns and speed control. Possibility of using batteries and operating intermittency. In the Qik 80, the MD1 display module can be used for the diagnostics and enhanced control of panel adjustments, updatable by means of DMCS software.
Accessories Provision for photocell installation on fixed mounting. Red reflective strips. Fixed mounting / Moving mounting. Vandal proof electrically operated lock. Aluminum skirting. Arm pivot pin kit at 90. Batteries / Light kit. Display module for diagnostics and enhanced control.

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
Boom Barrier
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Bauma China 2012
Thermoshield
Metal Building Condensation
Condensation Phenomena in Metal Buildings

MB Bureau Report
Condensation in steel buildings is a drawback that is often mistaken for leakage from roofing failure. Excess condensation in metal buildings can lead to odors, mold and mildew growth which can further result into deterioration of building material. It can also decrease the effectiveness of insulation and encourage insect infestations.
ondensation occurs at cold surface areas. Cold transfers through metal that is exposed to outside temperatures and forms on the warm air side. An example of this is a water glass with ice(Refer Figure 1). The outside of the glass can become wet as the condensation forms on the warm air side. Visible condensation can be controlled by reducing the cold surface areas. Water is the most common cause of rot and corrosion within buildings. Moisture inside a building can also contribute to the formation of mold. Any evidence of liquid
water within the building commonly is misunderstood by engineers and property owners as leakage or failure of roof covering materials. But condensation is frequently the cause. The principle thermodynamic properties responsible for condensation in buildings are identical for all building envelope materials. Moisture condensation is not unique to metal roofing systems but frequently is the cause of rotting of timbers or corrosion of metal decking, metal roof panels and metal fasteners. The control of condensation in steep slope metal roofing systems is important to maintain the effectiveness of the insulation and to protect the roof
material from degradation. Increasing condensation in steel buildings can also lead to corrosion of metal roofing, metal decking and metal fasteners. Condensation problem in steel buildings can be solved by keeping the relative humidity in your building between 30 to 50 percent. With the help of a dehumidifier with a hygrometer, you can set a humidity level for your building. Increased air circulation and ventilation also help to solve the issue of condensation in a metal building. Sources of Moisture Moisture is given off in many different processes. Human beings give off a significant amount of water through respiration and perspiration. There are other common sources. Gas, oil-fired and propane space heaters give off a significant amount of moisture through the process of combustion. The moisture introduced through combustion is sometimes very difficult to detect because at the point of combustion, the gases are very hot and can hold large quantities of moisture. When this hot gas is mixed with cooler air, the temperature drops. As the temperature drops, the amount of moisture that the gas can hold will decrease and at some point away from the combustion device, the water will condense on anything that it comes in contact with that is below the dew point of that mixture. Flue gases should be vented outside to prevent this from happening. Even before a building is fully completed, there can be significant amounts of moisture introduced into the building. Excavated earth contains a significant amount of moisture. As the soil is exposed to surrounding air, the moisture will be given off. If the building is closed, this moisture will stay within the building. As soon as the temperature drops below the dew point of that air/water mixture, condensation will form. Fresh concrete is another source of large amounts of moisture. If the building is closed and concrete is poured, a way must be provided for moisture to be vented to the atmosphere. Ventilation should always be considered as a preventive measure during the construction schedule. Effects of Condensation Knowing the process by which condensation is formed, one can look at the effects of condensation on normal building materials. For the metal building industry, the most commonly used materials are steel sheathing and fiberglass insulation. Most of the metal in metal building is treated against corrosion and rust. Rust is a result of an interaction between the metal and salts, acids or alkalines. Another metal employed is aluminum which does not rust, but does oxidize. In both instances, the metal itself becomes weaker. In time, both materials will deteriorate and shorten life expectancy. While many surface treatments are applied
to ferrous and non-ferrous metals to prevent oxidation, the best protection is to eliminate a principal cause of oxidation--in other words, eliminating condensation. The insulating material most commonly used in metal buildings is fiberglass blanket. Water in its liquid form is a good conductor of heat. The presence of water vapor or condensed water in fiberglass insulations will increase its thermal conductivity because of the higher conductivity of water. However, glass fibers do not absorb water. Only surface wetting occurs. Once all the moisture is removed from the wet fiberglass surface, it will revert back to its original insulating value. The same cannot be said for other materials. Here again, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Eliminating and preventing condensation in the fiberglass will help retain the insulating values of the fiberglass. Condensation in Existing Buildings Condensation in existing metal buildings happens because there is no insulation, not enough insulation, or the existing fiberglass or facing is old and torn, creating air leaks. Fortunately, there are ways to help prevent or reduce any of these problems. With high energy costs there is a growing trend to seal air leaks as well as add insulation to existing metal buildings. This is referred to as an insulation retrofit. Retrofitting insulation between purlins or wall girts not only saves on energy bills, but it also addresses any existing condensation issues. Typically, structural members (roof purlins or wall girts) are 8 deep. It is recommended in retro fit jobs that the entire 8 cavity is filled with insulation to avoid creating an air space between the roof panel and insulation. This is important because air spaces can cause condensation to frequently form on the inside of the cold surface of the exterior panel. In most cases, metal building insulation was installed upon construction between the roof or wall panels and steel roof purlins or steel wall girts. This type of install causes there to be a substantial heat loss at the area where the insulation blankets were compressed between the purlins and wall girts. The positive factors with this type of install is that the vapor barrier is continuous, and the compressed insulation gives some thermal break between the outside panels and structural members. This thermal break is important in an insulation retro fit to help avoid condensation in the inside where the structural members are exposed. Adding faced fiberglass blankets to fill the entire cavity, in addition to the existing thermal break will help prevent any further condensation from forming against the exterior panels or the exposed steel members. Condensation issues are more difficult to address in cases where there is no insulation previously installed
between the outside panels and structural members. This is because there is no thermal break between structural members and the outside panels making it easy for cold to transfer from one metal to another, eventually making it into the building. Once the cavities between the purlins are filled with faced fiberglass and heat is introduced into the building, condensation or frost can still form at the bottom of the structural members. To help avoid this, a thermal break tape or strips of rigid board insulation can be installed at the bottom of the purlin or girt. Refer Figure 2 and 3 for condensation process in steel buildings. Condensation Control In a typical residential roofing assemblyseveral components are recommended to minimize condensation in the attic space. They are: - A vapor retarder located on the attic side of a ceiling board - Insulation located above the air barrier on the warm side of the surface - Vented air space above the ceiling
- A moisture barrier or underlayment located between the roof covering materialand the roof deck - A roof covering on top of the underlayment Vapor Retarders Vapor retarders are an important and effective component in a roofing system in areas where the mean daily temperature reaches 40o F or lower, and the indoor relativehumidity is 45% or greater. Vapor retarders physically block the flow of moisture-ladenair, which prevents it from contacting a cold surface. Vapor retarders are generally thin flexible membranes, with a perm rating of 0.50 or less. The perm rating is a measure ofthe resistance of a material to the passage of water vapor through it under specifiedtime rate, temperature, and humidity conditions. A rating higher than 0.50 perms is generally considered to have a diffusion too great to adequately serve as a vaporretarder. Perm ratings are established by standard ASTM E96. Insulation In commercial roofing applications, the insulation material may be loose-laid over the purlin or truss structure, with the panel attachment securing the insulation. A composite insulation board wood panel (wood panel laminated to a rigid insulation) is also acommon substrate used under architectural metal panel roof systems.Care must be taken not to compress and deform the insulation. A metal or woodbatten, counter-batten system can also be used to create ventilation space below themetal panels where needed. Ventilation Venting air and water vapor out of a building can be an effective way to minimizecondensation but ventilation alone does not cure the problem. Proper ventilationreplaces the warm moist air with air that contains less water vapor. Ventilation isrelatively easy to accomplish in conventional attic spaces. However it is morecomplicated when used in cathedral ceilings and with structural insulated panels. Positive ventilation and air flow is necessary to maintain consistent temperature between the vented area and the outside conditions. This condition will cause moistureto escape rather than to condense on cold surfaces. Ventilation is generally expressed by the number of times per hour the building air is replaced with outside air. This is referred to as air changes per hour. The number of air changes required per hour varies per application. For commercial building construction, general guidelines for whole building air exchanges, (i.e. in building types that do not have an attic space) are 3-5 air changes per hour for warehouses, 5-10 air changes per hour for light manufacturing facilities and 10-20 air changes per hour for heavy manufacturing.
Figure 2: Condensation formed on underside of exterior panel shown above because the entire cavity was not filled with fiberglass insulation.
Figure 3: Cold transferred through the Figure 4: Condensation in Building metal and formed condensation on the Structural Elements warm air side of the metal above.
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Underlayments or Moisture Barriers On roof applications over solid decking, an underlayment (with slip sheet as needed) isrecommended as a secondary barrier against water penetration through a roof system. The underlayment should breathe wherever possible, allowing air to pass through while shedding moisture. Moisture Balance If a balance between wetting and drying is maintained, moisture will not accumulate and condensation related problems in roofing are unlikely. The extent and duration of wetting, storage and drying must be considered when assessing the risk of moisture damage. The concept of using materials with greater drying potential and storage capacity has begun to receive more attention. A quick reference guide using this Moisture Balance approach is shown below:
Strategy
Control of moisture access Control moisture accumulation
Recommendations for New Buildings Long term cost of ownership should be the governing element in determining a new buildings insulation needs. For any climate controlled building, we recommend a good quality vapor retarder facing as well as an insulation thickness that gives you the lowest cost of ownership. Local codes may govern the insulation minimums that are required. It is important that these codes are verified by the owner or contractor prior to making an insulation order. Metal building insulation offers several different options. Care should be taken to seal the vapor retarder facings and or provide a continuous covering such as polypropylene to help prevent the passage of vapor into the fiberglass blankets. A continuous vapor barrier will help prevent moisture from working its way into the fiberglass. It is also important to provide a thermal break at each roof purlin or wall girt to prevent heat or cold transfer. Thermal breaks are achieved by either laying insulation over the top of the girts and or purlins before the panels are screwed down; with Thermal Break Tape; or with or 1 Thermal Blocks. Conclusion Careful design of roof systems can prevent or at least minimize condensation in building assemblies. The proper use of vapor retarders, insulation, ventilation, and moisture barriers can reduce the presence of moisture in a building and control the formation of condensation. Building codes and ASTM offer some guidance in the selection of these building components. However, it is always recommended that a moisture control or roof design professional be consulted for specific information on how to design metal roof systems to minimize condensation problems. Reference
- - - - - - - - - http://www.designandbuildwithmetal.com/Columnists/ Writers/danny_wirth_7_13_09.aspx http://www.rimainternational.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/ condensation-faq.pdf http://sheds-support.leisurebuildings.com/threads/173Condensation-on-metal-and-steel-sheds-and-buildings NRCA Metal Roofing Manual. MBMA Metal Roofing Systems Design Manual. ARMA Technical Bulletin Ventilation and Moisture Control for Residential Roofing,1997. J.F. Straube, Moisture, Materials & Buildings, HPAC Engineering. J.F. Straube, Moisture in Buildings, ASHRAE Journal, January 2002. H. Hens and F. Vaes, Laboratory of Building Physics, Katholiek eUnversiteit,Leuven, Belgium, The Influence of Air Leakage on the Condensation Behavior ofLightweight Roofs, Air Infiltration Review, Volume 6, No. 1, November 1984.
Objective
Eliminate air leakage Restrict vapor diffusion Raise temperature of condensing surface Allow harmless accumulation
Measure
Air barrier system Vapor retarder Insulation outside condensing surface High moisture storage capacity at condensing surface Vapor permeable layers Capillary ventilation Cavity ventilation
Removal of moisture
Promote drying
Remove condensation Reduce moisture load Limit construction moisture
Drainage Initially dry materials
Condensation Control Materials A benefit of metal roofing is that it does not absorb condensed water like some other roofing materials. Certain condensation-control fleece materials are available to absorb liquid condensate into capillary pores and release it back by evaporation or drainage at a later point when conditions favor evaporation. The water vapor then gets transported out of the system by convection and diffusion. These types of self-adhesive fleece materials are typically laminated to the underside of metal roof panels during manufacturing but before forming. The adhesive layer acts as a barrier to prevent the moisture from contacting the surface of the metal roof underside. In many cases, these materials can replace anti-condensation blankets and vapor retarders.
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Tall Buildings Sustainability
t won't be a misnomer to say that India is in the midst of a tall building revolution. While earlier whenever someone mentioned the word tall building the mind would instantly conjure up images of high-rises in Mumbai, or in the other metros, these days it is no longer so. Even a relatively small city like Trissur, down south in Kerala has today got a skyline dominated by 25 storied buildings. Scarcity of land is a fact that no longer can be denied and equally true is also the fact that going vertical is the only solution in a rapidly
Myth or Reality? I
urbanizing India. In almost every city the trend is evident, whether it is the IT hubs of Bengaluru or Hyderabad or the rapidly growing suburbs of Kolkata or the new high rise hubs of Noida or Gurgaon in the National Capital Region (NCR) or even in several tier II and III cities such as Pune, Ahmedabad, Kochi, Coimbatore and Vishakapatnam, to mention only a few, tall buildings are here to stay. With the trend towards taller buildings firmly entrenched, the question arises as to how sustainable are these
Tall Buildings and Sustainability:
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buildings? The paradox behind the term 'sustainable tall building' is hard to miss. While on one hand developers are talking about buildings that need more elevators, more HVAC systems, electricity, etc to operate, there is also talk about these very buildings being sustainable also at the same time. The question arises as to whether a combination of sustainability and high-rise building is possible at all? The commercial considerations apart, there are various aspects that need to be looked into when discussing about the sustainability quotient of tall buildings. Technology Advancements The rapid advancements in the field of engineering have meant that the concept of a sustainable tall building is not a mirage either. The availability of sophisticated HVAC systems and electric elevators for example, have meant that both engineers and architects could quite literally let their imagination run riot when it comes to designing a tall building and also incorporating energy efficient features in the same. Tall buildings with unusual configurations featuring innovative structural sys-
tems, built using high performance materials , apart from the incorporation of latest techniques including building management systems, has meant that the perception of high-rise buildings being monstrous energy guzzlers has changed nowadays. Tall in the Indian Context In the Indian context, another key aspect needs to be looked into in the discussion on tall buildings and that is how 'tall' a typical tall building in this country is. While generally speaking any building which has more than 20 storey's is regarded as a tall building, in the Indian context, this broad based definition does not hold good. The height of the surrounding buildings also need to be taken into consideration for defining a tall building, in most of the smaller Indian cities at least. For example, in a typical tier III city, consisting of a majority of buildings which are about 4-5 storied, a building that has 10 or more floors could be considered a tall building. In order to understand the technique behind making tall buildings more energy efficient, first of all one need to take a look what exactly consti-
tutes a sustainable building. Generally speaking, a sustainable building refers to a structure and using a process that is environmentally responsible and resource efficient throughout a building's life cycle, from design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition. This requires close cooperation of the design team, architects, engineers and the client at all project stages. The sustainable building practice expands and complements the classical building design concerns of economy, utility, durability, and comfort. It is therefore a challenge for project developers to adhere to all these aspects while at the same time going vertical. There is one key aspect though in which taller buildings are readily more sustainable than the shorter ones- in the utility of land. This is one key aspect that needs to be taken into account when calculating their sustainability quotient, especially in densely populated urban areas, so typical of Indian cities. Then there are areas where taller buildings are bound to score less. A good example is the use of vertical transport systems. The challenge before engineers is therefore to come out with
Like the US in the 1930s, this is the 'age' of tall buildings in India
Impact on Local 'Economy'- A Neglected Aspect One of the neglected aspects in any discussion on tall buildings and sustainability is the 'benefit to the economy' factor. While a lot of thought goes into the technology that will be used in order to make a building more sustainable, there is more often than not, not much thought is given in India on how a particular building will contribute to the economy in the vicinity of the location. Tall buildings invariably have the knack of becoming landmarks, particularly in tier II and tier III cities and their importance in attracting prestigious clientele themselves and also influence the economic development in their vicinity should therefore be never discounted. The connection between sustainability and the location cannot be overemphasized. Apart from impacting the overall project cost, the location will also dictate the logistics involved in the construction process. The access to raw materials and human resources is the particular area needs to be considered. Similarly, another factor that can add to the sustainability of a tall building is when the structure arises as part of a reconstruction or redevelopment project, a trend that is fast picking up in Indian cities, thanks to skyrocketing property prices. A Brownfield high-rise building that comes up and that too utilizing some of the recycled material from the earlier structure (which is more often than not likely to be a low-rise structure) is bound to score high on the sustainability stakes. Purchase Green Energy The amount of electricity consumed by a tall building is one factor that is often held against it being a sustainable option as compared to a low-rise one. However, things are changing for the better in these days of renewable energy sources. Engineers elsewhere have gone a step further and come out with structures which have renewable energy devices incorporated in the tall building design itself. A good example is available in the form of 'Strata', the 43
The definition of 'tall' in the Indian context varies from city to city
a design that minimizes the disadvantages, while at the same time maximizing the inherent advantages of tall buildings. Minimizing Pollution- A Challenge Pollution of different kinds caused during the construction process of tall buildings is an issue in India. Tall buildings typically come up in densely populated urban areas in the Indian context, causing pollution in the locality. Water run-off from sites is a good example of the problem. Solid waste materials are
other major irritants from a tall building project site. Similarly, noise pollution and glare are some other issues that impact the sustainability score of a tall building. The solution lies in proper planning. Project developers should ensure that any pollution whether it is emission to air, land or water should be taken care of and got rid off in the most environment-friendly manner. The methods and technology for the same, treatment of waste water run-off for example, are already available in the country.
Tall buildings have the knack of attracting investment and improving 'local' economy
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Mixed-use townships are on the rise
storied architectural wonder in London. Designed by architect firm BFLS, the building has wind turbines incorporated in its structure. While India is still some distance away from designing skyscrapers with wind turbines incorporated as part of the building's design, the alternative is available in the form of drawing electricity drawn from renewable energy sources. Solar energy devices are also making an increasing number of appearances, particularly in residential tall buildings. In fact, in cities like Bengaluru, which is considered the solar geyser capital of the country, the skyline is often dotted with rows of apartment and even commercial buildings having rooftop solar power installations, a trend that is fast picking up elsewhere in the country too. A Case for Mixed-Use Buildings and Townships One of the recent trends that have been seen in Indian cities is the development of mixed-use townships. The advent of these townships with several tall buildings, having provision for both residential and commercial use is a wel-
come development from the sustainability point of view. For one, the concept of mixed-use development helps in reducing pollution caused due to transport. The reduction in transport is also true to a large extent even during the construction phase of the project, since in large scale mixed-use projects, economies of scale is maintained, with haulage trucks running to full capacity. Tall buildings located in the heart of congested cities too score high on the sustainability quotient when looked at from the point of view of optimum utilization of the available land, as compared to their low-rise counterparts. In such locations the buildings sustainability value can be further increased by the addition of space specifically meant for social gatherings or recreation. The presence of an exclusive shopping wing, or a restaurant or a multiplex as part of a tall building cluster adds to its value, apart from creating a social avenue for the local inhabitants. Working Backwards While there could be debates about
the sustainability of tall buildings, what is to be accepted is that no two buildings are the same. Every building could be 'made' more sustainable, if proper care is ensured towards the goal right from the conceptualization stage. Location would invariably play a huge role in deciding its final sustainability score. The key for project developers is to work backwards after deciding on the various components and systems that would form part of the building. In the Indian context, the typical make-up of our urban agglomerations and conditions are such that blindly aping the designs and technologies incorporated in tall buildings in the developed world are not going to help. The design should be such that it should be able to meet the specific requirements of the project, along with keeping an eye on the sustainability factor. Every aspect, right from the economic impact to the visual impact that the tall building would have on the particular location needs to be taken into consideration in order to make it a truly sustainable building. Photo Courtesy:
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INSTRUCT
High Rise Building Technology
Building Big: Civil Engineering Behind Skyscrapers

MB Bureau Report
Skyscrapers are gigantic projects demanding incredible logistics, management and strong nerves among all concerned in their planning and construction. As long ago as 1928, the American Colonel WilliamA. Starrett wrote that no peacetime activity bore greater resemblance to a military strategy than the construction of a skyscraper.
lanning a high-rise building would be in conceivable today without the help of experts and technical consultants. Extensive soil analyses are required to determine the strength of the subsoil before deciding on the location for a high-rise building. In the majority of cases, cores are drilled into the load-bearing subsoil to obtain soil samples. The drilling profile of the geological strata making up the subsoil and laboratory analyses of the soil samples provide the basic data for the soil report which is in turn used as the basis for planning the supporting structures and choosing a suitable foundation structure with due regard for the
loads exerted by the high-rise building. The forces acting on the high-rise structure in the event of an earthquake must be taken into account when erecting high-rise buildings in areas prone to seismic activity. The same applies to wind loads and particularly to the dynamic effects of windstorm or earthquake loads. The additional vibration loads can result in overall loads of the same order of magnitude as the load exerted by the deadweight of the structure. The situation is particularly critical if the vibrations reach the resonant frequency of the building: in such a case, the vibrations can intensify until the entire building collapses.
Technologies Used Many technologies are adopted in high-rise building construction to overcome problems. The following are most commonly used:Top-down construction method In centre business area (CBA), the buildings general have a basement and connect other building and mass transit railway (MTR). During construction state, top-down and bottom-up method were adopted in construction. Top-down construction method become more popular because it shorter the construction period. Excavation will carry out without the need for strutting to support the excavation because the slabs act as the horizontal support. Therefore, it is another advantage for top-down construction method. The difficulties are the limited headroom for excavation. Therefore, a special machine maybe need during construction state. Prestressed Concrete As the height of building increase, the material and construction will be change to fit the actual need. For example, the reinforced concrete beam will change to prestressed reinforced concrete beam in order to decrease the depth of beam and/ or slab. Prestressing means the intentional creation of permanent internal forces and stress in a structure or assembly, for improving its behaviour and strength under service conditions. Since concrete is strong in compression and weak in tension, prestreeing the steel against the concrete would put the concrete under compressive stress that could be utilized to counterbalance tensile stresses produced by external loads.
Pre-tensioning High-tensile tendons are tensioned before the concrete casting. When the strength of concrete reaches the designed level, the wires are released to produce compressive stress. Suitable curing can accelerate the strength establishment process of concrete. For example, steam curing. Post-tensioning Prestress tendons are checked before concrete casting. The prestressing steel can be introduced after concrete has set by casting in duct-tubes at the appropriate positions that are extracted before the steel is inserted. The tendons are anchored at one end of concrete unit and stressed by jacking against the other end. The steel is subsequently grouted under pressure through holes at the ends of the unit to protect it from corrosion and to provide bond as an additional safeguard. Advantages of Prestressed Concrete - - - - - Better appearance and durability More efficiently than RC Allow for shrinkage creep at the design stage Longer span Greater rigidity under working loads than RC
Disadvantages of Prestressed Concrete - Higher construction cost due to material and supervision - Maintenance is need after superstructure completed - Broken tendon may kill the worker during prestressing.
Figure 2: Concreting works for Pile Cap
Figure 1: Prestress tendon is post-tensioning slab, Condition of tendon before concreting
Figure 3: Classification of Foundation
Figure 4: Driven H-pile works in Progress
Figure 5: Drilling rig is used in drilling works
Figure 6: Mini-pile was used because of headroom limit
Transfer Structure In order to have a large space for shopping mall, transfer structure will be adopted to transfer the loading to column. Pile caps also a transfer structure in Hong Kong. Pile Caps transfer the loading from column to pile (e.g. H-pile, bored pile, mini-pile, etc. Refer Figure 2 for a typical transfer structure construction. Deep Foundation Sometime, the soil condition is not suitable for high-rise building. A deep foundation (e.g. large diameter bored pile (LDBP), driven H-pile) will be developed to solve this problem. Ground Investigation (G.I.) Before foundation works, designer use the G.I. to found out the data for foundation design. Before actual foundation works (mini-pile, bored pile) commenced, second G.I. (pre-drill)is needed to check the design assumption After all foundation works (mini-pile, bored pile) completed, third G.I. (post-drill) is need to check the design. Interface coring and proof-drill are needed to check the quality.
Mini-pile Sometime, the location is not suitable for large machine for foundation works. Other construction method will be produced, such as, mini-pile. Odex method is used in minipile construction works. Refer Figure 6 for the mini piling process. Large Diameter Bored Pile (Refer Figure 7 to 12 for bored piling process) Advantages of large diameter bored pile a) length can readily be varied to suit the level of bearing stratum b) Soil or rock removed during boring c) Less noise and vibration is produced compare with driven H-pile Disadvantages of large diameter bored pile f) expensive compare with footing g) soil erosion may be occur if the intersection of soil and rock is not horizontal h) Large machine is needed compare with mini-pile.
Figure 7: Steel casting is used in bored pile works
Figure 8: Equipment is used to ensure the drilling rig vertical
Figure 9: Vibro hammer is used to insert the steel casting
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Figure 10: Machine used to construct the bell out
Figure 11: Reinforcement fixing for bored pile in progress
Figure 12: Excavation works for pile cap and cut-off
Driven H-pile (Refer Figure 13 and 14 for H-Piling process) The construction sequence of H-pile 1. set out the location of H-pile 2. engineer check the setting out, dimension of pile and etc 3. Driven the steel pile 4. Check the verticality 5. Connect the steel H-pile by welding 6. Painting the pile in order to rust-proofing 7. Final-set test is adopted to check the design assumption Advantages of large diameter bored pile a) length can readily be varied to suit the level of bearing stratum b) Compare with bored pile, H-pile is cheaper c) No soil or rock were excavated; therefore, transportation of debris is not needed. d) Settlement of adjacent is usually small compare with large diameter bored pile. Disadvantages of large diameter bored pile a) No Soil or rock removed during driving b) expensive compare with footing c) Large machine is need compare with mini-pile d) Large noise and vibration is produced
e) Longer construction time is needed because only 3 hours per day for divining works f) Adjacent buildings may be affected due to large vibration Shoring Shoring is the means to provide temporary support to structures that are in an unsafe condition till such time as they have been made more stable. Sheet Piling and Slope stabilization (Geotechnical Works) Normally in urban areas, the buildings are mainly surrounded by other building and slope. Therefore, a lot of technology was used to solve such problem. For example, sheet piling, grout column, grout curtain and pipe pile wall for excavation and lateral support. Soil nail and rock dowel for slope stabilization works. Pre-cast facade Pre-cast faade is very common in high-rise building. It is because government encourage the developer to use such construction method. Sometime, contractor will use precast concrete to reduce the amount of construction waste generated on construction sites, reduce adverse environmental impact on sites, enhance quality control of concreting work and reduce the amount of site labour. Refer Figure 19 and 20 for precast faade installation process.
Figure 13: H-piling works in progress
Figure 14: Verticality was checked during H-piling works
Figure 15: Shoring was provided to support adjacent building
- a careful design and - install a water-stop during concreting on site Different Structural Types used in High-Rise Buildings Construction Throughout time, there are many structural systems developed. It started for building the structure as a rigid frame to building as a long cantilever. Moment resistant frames can be effective options for buildings upto 20 to 30 stpries; tubular frames and trusses can reach a lot higher. Other systems have characteristics taken from both. There are many factors determining a structural type for a building, this include the general economic considerations, soil conditions, fabrication and erection considerations, mechanical systems considerations, fire rating considerations, community factors, legal factors and availability and cost of main structural materials. Bearing Wall System This is the traditional structural system in the erection of tall buildings. The vertical structural elements carry the loads directly to the foundations. The common building materials would be stone, brick and reinforced concrete. The height of the structure is limited by the strength of the bearing materials. Buildings in this type are not going to be too high because of the accumulated weight of the walls plus the other dead and live loads. Too high a structure will result in wall becoming so thick that lower floors can no longer function. Bearing Walls with Core In this system, one or more cores are added to the parallel alignment of the bearing walls in order to create a lateral load resistance in a direction perpendicular to the bearing walls. The core is formed by grouping two or four walls perpendicular to each other to create a closed geometry. Typical shape would be tube, round or square that is stiff and can resist torsion. The core is often placed in a central location for the convenience of distributing building services and for an increase in structural integrity. If placing the core off center, it can create additional torsion and rotation, which might require extra resistance mechanisms. This structural system allows a greater free floor area and this is a common system in Hong Kong for building 20 to 30 storeys reinforced concrete office building. Self Supporting Boxes In 1970s, this system was developed when the prefabrication of reinforced concrete structures was at the peak popularity. Prefabricated concrete floor are place on top of each other in a way that each later oriented perpendicular to the one directly below it.
Figure 16: Sheet piling was installing by vibrating hammer
Advantage of pre-cast faade is below - Better quality control: Better quality control is achieved because the precast faade was produced in a factory, where all procedure were closely monitoring - Less debris produced: It is because all form formwork was the same. It can be recycled. However, in construction site, the formwork may be placed in a wrong position. - Less noise produced: All the sequences were conduct in factory; therefore, less noise will be produced. For example, hammer hit the formwork. - Faster construction period: The strength of the pre-cast faade can reach the design strength earlier because steam curing can be used. Disadvantages of Pre-cast facade - Damaged during transportation, lifting operation- It can be solve by careful design to ensure the pre-cest faced suitable for lifting up by tower crane. - Water leakage- Water leakage between the construction joints is the major problem in high-rise buildings. However, it can be solved by the following:
Figure 17: Sheet piling were installed to protect the existing road in drainage improve works
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Figure 18: Pipe Pile Wall is used to support existing buildings in shaft excavation
Core with Cantilevers In this system, floor slabs are cantilevered out from the solid core supports in the middle. The advantage will be the absence of interior columns and freeing the faade of the structure. The disadvantage is the additional thickness needed for larger cantilever. Rigid Frame Rigid frame system is developed by structural designers from the bearing wall system. However, it is not very efficient. Each member in the system must help in the transfer of lateral loads to the foundations through rigid connections. Buildings in this type are often very regular and not very tall. In order to reduce the lateral sway of the structure, a stiffening core would be added to the standard rigid frame. Tube in Tube The development of this system is very important in modern skyscraper of great height. The exterior and interior columns of the structure are placed so close together that they almost form a solid surface. The entire building acts as a huge hollow tube with a smaller tube in the middle. This resists a
Figure 20: Pre-cast facade before installation
great amount of torsional loading and the lateral loads are supported between the inner and outer tubes. A number of tallest buildings in Asian countries used this system. Some Special construction methods BMW Headquarters, Munich The headquarters of BMW A.G. differs from conventional buildings to create an impressive corporate symbol in the form of a 100-m-high four-cylinder structure. The requirements for appropriate office organization yielded a basicout line in the shape of a clover leaf. Stairways, elevators and sanitary areas are accommodated in the central core. In this way, all the offices can be reached by the shortest possible route. Trendsetting methods were also used for the construction work. A reinforced concrete version was chosen as the most economical solution. According to the design concept, the entire building with 18 office floors and a technical floor was to be suspended from a girder cross at the top of the roughly 100-m-high core via four central king posts. This is a modification of the outrigger truss. The entire load of the building is transmitted to the foundations via the core as the central element; it also absorbs all wind forces. A mighty girder cross with a projection of16 m is mounted at the top of the core. The four king posts are secured to this central girder cross, each king post comprising 105 threaded steel bars with a load-bearing capacity equal to a suspended weight of 4,600 Mp. Small
Figure 19: Pre-cast facade installation works in progress
outer columns are additionally located between the floors. These outer columns are designed as compression columns above the technical floor (12thfloor) and as king posts below. Time and costs were the decisive reasons for choosing this innovative construction method. All 19 floors were successively produced at the foot of the shell and core; the first floors were even produced complete with facade and glazing during construction of the supporting cross. The finished floors were then connected to the supporting cross via the king posts and raised one floor at a time every week with the aid of hoisting gear so that another floor could be produced in the space vacated at the foot of the core and then connected to the floor above (lift-slab method). Completion of the facade, glazing, installation and interior finishing proceeded on the suspended floors, unimpeded by the structural works and lifting operations. In addition to reducing the construction time required, this method also eliminated the need for expensive tooling and assembly work. LA Grande Arche, Paris This building, which has already been mentioned, takes the form of a giant cube open on two sides with edge lengths of 110 m. It was completed at the end of 1989 on the 200th anniversary of the French Revolution and took 5 years to
build (Refer Figure 21).The building has a weight of more than 300,000 Mp and is mounted on neoprene bearings, the loads being transmitted 30 m into the subsoil via twelve concrete pillars. The cubes main support is in the form of four prestressed upright reinforced concrete frames 21 m apart. They are complemented by horizontal members measuring roughly70 m at ground and roof level. Each of these members is 9 m high, the equivalent of a 3-storey building. Since the two vertical sides of the cube would be without roof-level transverse bracing during construction, the required stability for that phase of the work was produced by means of horizontal steel truss reinforcements. A total of 37 office floors are accommodated in the two 18-m-wide wings of the cube (each with an area of 42,000 m2). Conclusion High-rise buildings are still the essential form of building structure constructed extensively in urban are as, in particular, in the hearth of the commercial zones of metropolitan cities. On the other hand scarcity of land supply encourages the construction of high-rise buildings. For the construction of high-rise buildings, site planning including activity scheduling and site production layout has to be reviewed and re-plan from time to time in practice as site conditions and resources are dynamic and uncertain. Every building is special of its kind and has to be given special consideration. Because every building has its own surrounding condition which is different from the other. The techniques mentioned above are more general, it need to be applied with modifications to suit for every individual case. Reference
- - - - - - - - CHEW (2001), Construction Technology for Tall Buildings, Singapore University Press, Singapore R.C. Smith and C.K. Andres (1986), Principles and Practices of Heavy Construction, Prentice-Hall C.W. Griffin(1986), Manual of Low-Slope Roof Systems, 3rd Edition, McGrawHill, New York W. McElroy (1993), Roof Builders Handbook, PTR Prentice Hall, New Jersey C.K. Andres (1998), Principles and Practices of Heavy Construction, 5th Edition, Prentice Hall, New York D. T. Coates (1993), Roofs and Roofing Design and Specification Handbook, Whittles, UK S. Hardy (1997), Time-Saver Details for Roof Design, McGrawHill, New York H.W. Harrision (1998), Roofs and Roofing: Performance, Diagnosis, Maintenance, Repair and the Avoidance of Defects, Building Research Establishment, Watford, Hert W. Schuller (1990), The Vertical Building Structure, Van Nostrand Reinhold High-rise buildings in the course of history, Technology of highrise buildings, Risk potential & Insurance by Munich Re Group.
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Figure 21: LA Grande Arche, Paris
Indiachem -2012 (FICCI)
High Rise Building Super Fibers
Use of Super Fibers in Sky Scrapers

Associate Editor
kyscrapers of the future in some sense are a kind of cosmic space elevators. Their height continues to grow and the design becomes more and more original. In doing so these buildings wont only be more seismically and winds resistant, but the most important thing they will be absolutely safe for its inhabitants. One of the tools that allow achieving these effects are incorporating structural materials called super fibers. Super Fiber Super fiber shows extremely high strength compared to common fibers for clothes such as nylon or polyester and steel. It is mainly used as reinforcement for structural material these days, so that it is usually classified in hightech industrial material other than fiber. The applications are aerospace, military, automobile, bicycle, sports, electronics, telecommunication, civil, construction and so on. Super fibers are classified according to raw material and can be divided into two groups of organic and inorganic matters. There are 5 types of super fiber and the famous super fibers are aramid fiber for armor jacket and carbon fiber in composite materials for golf shaft and airplane body. The inorganic carbon fiber and organic aramid fiber account for more than 90% of world production. The remainders are UHMWPE, Polyarylate and PBO which are organic. PBO is most recently developed and shows notable features but the production is not enough to be used widely. Polyarylate rates somewhat superior to aramid in chemical and abrasion resistance and the applications are almost the same. UHMWPE is made up of extremely long chains of polyethylene in the same direction and its molecular weight
Classification
Aramid UHMWPE Super fiber Polyarylate PBO Carbon fiber Others Steel Polyester
numbers in usually between 2 and 6 million, which is the origin of the name. It is widely used for mooring lines, tug rope, etc. because it floats and does not absorb water. The ratio of strength to weight is the best among super fibers so that it was selected as material replacement for steel. And also it shows several merits of high shock resistance, high abrasion resistance, high anticorrosion and low friction but the melting point is lower than other super fibers.
Figure 1: First prototype of ultra lightweight hoist rope using smart fibers
As can be seen from Table 1, the various properties of super fibers can be compared with various properties of steel and polyester fibers. The striking difference is in density, Super fibers comes with much lower density than steel fibers at considerably higher strength. Which gives an option to select it as a construction material in place of steel for controlling the weight of the skyscrapers. The process can allow for going into more high skyscrapers without adding
Elongation (%)
2.4~4.4 3.5 3.8 2.5~3.5 0.2~2.4 1.4 25
Strength (GPa)
2.8 3.5 3.2 5.8 3.5 2.5~2.8 1.1
Elasticity (GPa)
109 110 75 280 230 160~200 15
Density (g/cm3)
1.45 0.97 1.41 1.56 2.4~3.1 7.8 1.38
Melting Point (0C)

500~560 150 400 650 300~1500 1150~1500 260
Table 1: Comparison of properties between the super fibers
any more weight on the founding ground. Additives like whisker-thin steel fibers are enhancing concretes strength and rigidity, says John Fernandez, a professor at MITs interdisciplinary building-technology program. Were also seeing research into smart fibers and carbon nanotubes that, when added to concrete, will increase compression strength beyond 200 MPa. Fernandezs work on smart fibers is also contributing to advances in so-called highperformance concrete, which is strong but optimized for other characteristics such as fire and blast resistance, vibration damping, and durability. A view of ultra lightweight hoist rope using smart fibers. Some Proposed Projects with Super Fibers Sky City 1000, Tokyo, Japan, Projected Height-3281 ft The Takenake Corporation proposed Sky City 1000 back in 1989 to tackle Tokyo population-density problems. Tokyo-like congestion prompts a demand for green space and office space that vastly exceeds supply, and also introduces a host of environmental and social issues, from pollution to uncomfortably packed commuter trains. Takenakes solution: Build up, way up, and place green spaces in the sky. The feature of the proposal was making artificial land in the air, said Masato Ujigawa, manager of the engineering department at Takenaka. To achieve this, Takenake will first start with a base that is 1300 feet per side, a footprint that equates to several city blocks (Burj Khalifas triangular footprint is just 300 feet or so). Then, in accordance with its name, Sky City 1000 will rise a full thousand meters (3281 feet), consisting of 14 levels stacked on top of one another. Each level will act as its own town, with a park-like plaza area in its center ringed by residences, schools and businesses. The structure would hold 10,000 homes and be used in some capacity by 130,000 people. Construction has not begun on Sky City 1000 since Japans population has begun shrinking as of 2005, Ujigawa says. Nevertheless, Ujigawa says that ideas originally espoused by the Sky City 1000 project have since been used in more conventional
construction. These include concrete reinforced with carbon fibers instead of iron to cut down on weight, and selfcontained water-service systems in buildings that treat sewage and reclaim water. Architect Peter Testas Carbon Tower, 40 story high
The project is a prototype 40-story skyscraper made entirely of composite materials, mostly carbon fiber. Such man-made composites, which also include better-known materials like fiberglass and Kevlar, are increasingly used in industry and for consumer goodsin everything from airplane fuselages to tennis racketsbecause they are strong, lightweight, and easily molded into an almost endless variety of shapes. Although the materials seem well suited for architecturein tension, carbon fiber is five times stronger than steeltheir use in buildings has been rare. Testa, though, is convinced that composites will radically transform architecture during the next decade or two. His carbon skyscraper, which he likes to describe as a woven building, is designed to be not just less muscle-bound than the skyscrapers in which Americans work today but also more beautiful, environmentally friendly, and cheap to build. The basic form of the carbon tower is not especially complex. Imagine, first of all, a cylindrical building 40 stories high. Then picture that cylinder strung together by 40 carbon-fiber strands, about 1 inch wide and nearly 650 feet long, that are arrayed in a helicoidal, or crosshatch, pattern. Filling in the structure between floors is an advanced glass substitute. A pair of ramps on the exterior of the building offers circulation and further stabilizes the structure. That, in simplified form, is the carbon tower. Perhaps the most striking thing about
Figure 1: Sky City 1000, Tokyo, Japan
it is that every major element in the building, including the floors and the exterior ramps, is made of some kind of composite materialthere is no steel, concrete (apart from the foundations), or conventional glass. The important point is the structural use of continuous carbon strands, which are woven to form a structure that distributes its loads over its entire surface. (Most contemporary skyscrapers use steel or concrete, or both, in compression.) Taken together, the buildings innovations open up the potential for what Testa calls a new organic minimalist aesthetica building whose surface and structure are one and the same. The 24 strands will be fixed into shape by something called a robotic pultrusion machine, which Testa envisions climbing up the structure like a spider and weaving the strands on the side of the tower as its built. You just bring a bundle of fibers and some plastic to the site, and then you manufacture the building right there, he says. Each of the strands will have its own machine. The method would offer obvious energy-saving advantages over traditional construction techniques, but there is another dramatic benefit as well. As Testa envisions it, this 40-story skyscraper wont need any vertical structural elements: no columns between floors, no central core. Air circulation would be handled through a pair of continuous open cylinders, or virtual ducts, that run from the top of the building to the bottom and operate on the kind of displacement ventilation system that is already appearing in some European buildings. Three groups of elevators are distributed throughout the floor plan, instead of being crowded together at the core. The tower aims to reconfigure all three central elements of contemporary skyscraper design: structure, circulation, and heating-and-cooling systems. Its time people faced the fact that skyscrapers dont work well from almost any vantage point, Testa says. They dont work well from the standpoint of the organization of the workplace, urbanistically, or environmentally. Testa is adamant that his tower can be built within five to ten years. In his push toward real-world feasibility, hes relying heavily on an association with his two institutional collaborators. Arup is a giant firm whose status in the design world is evident by the fact that it is working with four of the six teams of finalists on the redesign of Ground Zero. CTEK, which Testa describes as a heterogeneous workshop, is best known for building a custom futuristic Lexus for Steven Spielbergs film Minority Report and the curving glass panels of Frank Gehrys Cond Nast cafeteria, in New York. At Arup, Testas carbon tower has caught the eye of structural engineer Markus Schulte. In addition to his work for clients including Richard Meier and David Childs, Schulte spends about one day a week, as he puts it, trying to be a facilitator in making architectural dreams a reality.
Schulte says hes impressed with the prospects for the carbon tower so far. Tests run at Arup have suggested, among other findings, that the building would use about 50 percent less energy for heating and cooling than most skyscrapers of its size. And Schulte is impatient with any suggestion that this is a pie-in-the-sky project. I dont like the idea of it as a sort of experiment that Peter works on for a while and then puts on his shelf, he says. For me as an engineer thats not good enough. He is connected to the project, he stresses, primarily because he thinks it is buildable. Even if the tower cant be built, or if it evolves into some less radical form, it holds the potential to be an important step in twenty-first-century architecture. Testa, who for a while held a rather inflexible attitude about the towers development, has a new way of thinking after his experience in Cambridge. First of all, hes realized that he may have to make changes in the design even if theyre not necessary structurally. Ive now come to feel, okay, well change the design, well build some redundancies in. Well put some stairs on the inside, even if I dont think we need them, to help peoples psychological well-being. Theres no reason to be absolutist about it. Conclusion A lot of things would have to happen for even a single example of the tower to be built in the next decade. The biggest hurdle is the cost of carbon fiber or other super fibers and its resin coating, which continues to be prohibitively high compared to steel or concrete. Then theres the issue of building codes for skyscrapers, which are tightening around the country after the World Trade Center collapse. Theres also the question of whether using carbon fiber/ super fibers at this scale will be safe for the people who use the building every day. (In the past materials that were heralded as breakthroughslike asbestoshave sometimes turned out to be dangerous to our health.) And even if all of those barriers are somehow cleared, there is need to find a risk-taking first client. The question is how these materials will behave in the long run at this scale, and there one has every reason to worry. Even a force as seemingly innocent as sunshine can have a deleterious effect on some of the plastics that are used in composites and cause them to wear down over time. Reference
- - - - http://www.metropolismag.com/story/20030201/carbon-fiberfuture http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/engineering/ architecture/4343115 http://spectrum.ieee.org/energy/environment/how-to-build-amilehigh-skyscraper http://www.iaarc.org/publications/fulltext/S25-5.pdf
Cat 120K2 Boosts Transstroy's Business Goals

he Cat120K2 motor grader delivers exceptional value to match a wide range of customer requirements pertaining to heavy construction, mining, road building and governmental applications. Vouching for its high performance and efficiency is Transstroy (India) Ltd. one of India's fastest growing engineering and construction companies. The company's key areas of interest lie in construction, infrastructure development, irrigation, road sectors and has recently diversified into hydropower and metro and rail projects. Mr. Mani Chidambareshwar, General Manager - Mechanical, Transstroy (India) Ltd. was quoted saying, Transstroy India Ltd. is currently handling 10 road construction projects at Bhopal, Tirupati, Kareemnagar, Dindigul, Tuticorin to Tirunelveli, Tindivanam to Krishnagiri and has been awarded one project each in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Four Cat 120K2 motor graders and 1 Cat dozer have been deployed for the smooth execution of the project. The Cat 120K2 graders are being used for sub-base and base
coarse grading and leveling, bringing about excellent results within the desired time frame. Currently executing the ` 400 crore 120 km stretch, national highway NH210 project from Tiruchirapalli to Karaikudi, which includes the Trichy bypass, Transstroy is playing a key role in providing mechanical support for superior and timely execution of the project. Mr. Mani also said that The performance of the motor graders has been very smooth and meets all our technical expectations of the graders. This is very critical as our projects are very much time bound and it calls for very high levels of availability and high quality job. With an assortment of brands available in the market, companies go through elaborate selection procedures to choose a machine that suits their requirements. Productivity versus cost is the key criteria for selecting a machine." He further adds, The Cat 120K2 is definitely a return on investment. The calculations of productivity versus fuel consumption economics have been good. Non-fuel related owning and
Cat 120K2 Motor
Grader
operating costs are dependent on maintenance and life of machine. Longer maintenance intervals definitely help as it means less downtime. Life expectancy of machine is also reasonably good at 14,000 to 15,000 hours. The Cat 120K2 motor grader was developed to specifically meet the unique needs of emerging markets while maintaining the standard of quality, reliability and value established by Cat Motor Graders. Integrating numerous technological advances, the new models deliver innovative features, increased productivity, improved serviceability and compliance with Stage III emissions requirements. Features such as the Cat ACERT engines; AccuGradeTM Ready Option which offers automated machine control and guidance; improved power management strategy and advanced monitoring capability enable the customer to increase production and directly impact the bottom line. The 7.2L displacement of the Cat ACERT engine has significantly improved productivity and emission. A more complete fuel burn and reduced emissions to meet Tier III requirements in India along with enhanced engine performance is noticeable. The Cat 120K2 grader has lived up to our expectations. Performance of the machine when moving more material at lower speeds is excellent in comparison to other machines available in the market, said Mr. Mani. The machine moves faster, producing fine quality grading and leveling. The increased load capacity has led to a marked increase in productivity. The Cat 120K2 operator station was designed with comfort, convenience and visibility in mind. Low effort on the pedals, hydraulic controls and transmission shifter, reduce operator strain and fatigue and increase machine
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DFI India 2012
Motor Grader - MG 8089
productivity. Excellent visibility to the moldboard and rear wheels allows operators to work with greater confidence and efficiency. Our operator feedback has been positive. The comfort levels have been greatly increased, enabling them to put in 12-14 hours' work, thus improving productivity phenomenally. Additionally, the machine offers an
improved dash cluster, diagnostic warning lights, conveniently located controls and switches and an available speedometer and tachometer, which all help to make the Cat 120K2 an operator-friendly machine. Mr. Mani elaborated that Durability of the machine is good, which means more uptime. High productivity coupled with excellent quality is providing the
desired results. We are satisfied with the Cat 120K2 as GMMCO provides good coverage and product support. The local Cat Dealer provides excellent support, be it in the form of accessibility; prompt service response; availability of spares and technicians who are experts in diagnosing and rectifying problems. Training for our operators and workshop staff is provided through workshops whenever we put in a request. Enhanced productivity, durability, fuel efficiency, high quality performance and reduced owning and operating costs along with world class operator comfort, indeed make the Cat 120K2 an ideal machine suited for achieving Transstroy's business goals. I convey my hearty congratulation to the entire Caterpillar Team for developing such a wonderful motor grader, which is giving us a sense of pride as users.

Caterpillar India Private Ltd
E-mail: sathya_p@cat.com Web:www.india.cat.com
Motor Grader - MG 8061
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World Class Safety Standards In Spartan Tower Cranes

stability to the entire structure. Additionally, the mast to mast connection of Spartan Cranes is through Galvinized Pins instead of conventional bolting systems, which tends to get loose, if not tightened regularly, posing a real safety hazard. The company's tower cranes are also provided with 'Overload/ Movement Limiter', which cuts off power supply automatically when the crane is overloaded beyond the specified load limit. Operators of the tower cranes can view wind speed using the 'Anenometer', using which informed decisions can be taken to stop the crane. The company also has the expertise to provide TPS display device (Total Protection System) which displays the exact load carried at a particular radius and distance. The company's strong R & D focus has been one of the key reasons behind the ever-increasing popularity of its tower cranes. Every crane dispatched from the Spartan factory is erected and load tested by its quality control team as per international standards prior to dispatch. In addition to its customer care team, Spartan also has an exclusive 'Customer Delight Team', comprising of some of the most experienced and knowledgeable engineers in the industry, for thorough inspection of tower crane post installation, taking care of the handing over ceremony to the customers and providing commissioning and inspection reports, scheduling and conducting Preventive Maintenance Clinic (PMC) at regular intervals, enrolling customers for AMC, taking care of enrolling customers for AMCs, spare parts and rate contracts to ensure that customers use genuine spares and utilize the company's services for erection, height extension and dismantling, and assist in getting Third Party Inspection done for the company's tower cranes. No value addition comes without an added cost. We know it, but at Spartan, safety and quality standards are placed at the prime position with a commitment to provide the best to the customers. Though cost is deterrent for the sale of advanced machines with in-built safety features,
Tower Crane
Vikram Mehta, MD,

Spartan Engineering Industries Pvt. Ltd.
partan Engineering Industries is a leading manufacturer of a wide variety of construction equipment. The ISO 9001: 2008 certified company has carved a niche of its own, by being one of the early entrants in providing world-class flat top tower cranes in India. Tower cranes from the company could be sighted at construction sites across various parts of the country. With stringent commitment to quality and safety standards, tower cranes from Spartan have been setting the standards for the industry. The company's state-of-the-art specialized tower crane manufacturing facility is located in China. The manufacturing facility features latest special purpose machines such as jigs & fixture, which enables pinpoint precision and accuracy, enclosed temperature controlled paint booth and an in house control panel manufacturing facility, to highlight only a few. At Spartan only the best and the safest electrical components like VFD (Variable Frequency Drive), circuit breakers, contractors, relays, limit switches and transformers from global leaders such as Schneider-Telemechanique, are used. The latest European technology is used in the flat top design of the cranes, which makes them safe and sturdy. The company provides tower cranes with single piece 'Base Mast', which is fully welded with additional support to give more
Spartan has been able to build a brand only due to the same reason amongst many other policies and ethics which Spartan follows. And we are quite sure, these characteristics are the only ones which would take Spartan to places on a long run. Those, who consider safety as a deterrent due to its cost, do not survive for long. And we are quite different from others on this view-point. Safety in Tower Cranes are the foremost point of consideration for any Manufacturer as well as various construction companies. With recent development and the stringent policies regarding the safety norms, it has more gained more importance and seriousness on it. Not only the manufacturers are under pressure to provide the safest possible Tower Cranes, but also the customers while they operate and erect the tower Cranes. Customer should not only prefer Spartan for Tower Cranes but also utilize Spartans strength in erection, commissioning, height extension, dismantling & shifting of the tower cranes through trained & experienced service engineers and skilled labour. Spartans AMC (Annual Maintenance Contracts) & PMC (Preventive Maintenance Contracts) have played wonders with the Customers in maintaining hazard free Tower Cranes.

Spartan Engineering Industries Pvt. Ltd.
"Spartan House", 1, 111, New Tejpal Ind Estate, Andheri-Kurla Road, Sakinaka, Mumbai-400072. Ph: +91-22-40550000, E-mail: construction@spartanindia.com Web: www.spartanindia.com
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Shriram Automall (SAMIL): Deals Anything On Wheels

is now looking at leveraging its experience and expertise and tapping such a huge market potential. Launched its 1st Automall in Feb 2011, Shriram Automall, a distinctive and unprecedented concept in the country, serves as an ideal one-stop destination for exchange of pre owned vehicles and commercial equipment in a hassle free manner. Equipped with secure stockyards and parking facilities, documentation and valuation services, and full-fledged service centres to refurbish old vehicles, Shriram Automall has a pan-India presence. Full fledged facilities are operational in 10 locations and intend to expand to 50 other locations by the next year. It recently inaugurated an Automall in Vishakhapatnam - spread over 16 acres of land, this is one of the largest facilities across India for Shriram Automall. The Masterbuilder caught up with Mr. Sameer Malhotra, CEO of Shriram Automall to learn more about the business and its plans ahead. What was the inspiration behind Shriram Automall? What set the ball rolling? Being India's largest finance company of equipment and commercial vehicles, Shriram Transport Finance (STFC) realized that much of its clientele faced several challenges while buying or disposing pre-owned assets such as commercial vehicles, agricultural and construction equipment. These hassles are largely due to the fact that the preowned equipment market is highly unorganized most transactions are handled through brokers or intermediaries. There is a lack of transparency with respect to market
Sameer Malhotra
CEO, Shriram Automall India Ltd.
he country is witnessing the addition of millions of commercial vehicles, agricultural equipment and construction equipment annually. India surpassed every other country in 2011, including China, in sales of commercial vehicles, repeating its feat as the world's fastest growing truck and bus market for the second successive year in a row. Indian agricultural machinery market had total revenue of USD 3.9 billion in 2011 and the Confederation of Indian Industry has projected India's construction equipment industry to grow to a size of USD 6.5 billion by 2014, as strong demand drives the country's infrastructure segment. While several of these equipment may age and change ownership during its lifetime, the country has not had any organized platform available for exchange of such used vehicles and equipment in the country, despite industry experts estimating the value of such used vehicle and equipment business (commercial vehicles, agriculture and construction equipment) at ` 75,000 Crores annually. Shriram Group, with its concept of Shriram Automall (SAMIL),
Typical Automall Plan
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Forensic Geotechnical
Online Platform
prices. Another challenge is ambiguous title and registration documents. There felt a strong need for an organized platform that could facilitate and support the interaction of such buyers and sellers and that is how the concept of Automall was conceived. It seemed all the more appropriate for Shriram to enter the business as the Shriram Group has already been in the business of financing used trucks and equipment for the past 30 years through STFC. Moreover, the concept was entirely not new to the company as STFC has been organizing truck bazaars for the past 7 years. However, this was limited to buyers and sellers interacting and STFC financing the deals. With Shriram Automall, we have gone several steps ahead and introduced a unique exchange platform for helping our customers in buying and disposal of vehicles & equipment. We have also backed the platform with strong infrastructure such as secure stockyards
One Stop to Buy/Sell Vehicles
and parking facilities and other valueadded services like documentation, insurance, valuation and Newlook our refurbishment services. Could you elaborate more about the infrastructure available in a Shriram Automall? Most Shriram Automalls are spread over a minimum of 2-3 acres of land and some of them can even go up to 20 acres based on factors like local market volume. For instance, our Automall in Vizag is over 16 acres. We currently have around 100 stockyards across the country and we are now in the process
Buyer's Inspecting Vehicles
of converting them into larger facilities over the year. All our Automalls are strategically located on National Highways and outskirts of the cities. The Automalls are equipped with secure stockyards, convenient parking facilities and full-fledged service centre's to refurbish old vehicles. They also offer finance and insurance facilities to their customers. Parking facilities provided to our clients could range from ` 50 - ` 150 as daily charges based on the segment and size of the equipment/vehicle. Parking services are also available on daily / weekly / monthly rent. Shriram Newlook is our refurbishing facility wherein vehicles will be inspected and re-furbished or re-conditioned. Such services not only increase the life of the vehicle/equipment but also help in increasing the price realization of the vehicle / equipment. Since many of the pre-owned equipment in India do not have proper title or registered documents, it becomes an impediment for exchange /disposal of such equipment. For vehicles/ equipment sold through Shriram Automall, we have a dedicated team that liaises with the local RTO for arranging such documentation. Right valuation assists the buyers and sellers in exchanging the vehicles/ equipment on time at the right price.
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Vehicle Mela
However currently, in the unorganized used/pre-owned market, there is lack of sufficient data on market prices of such vehicles/equipment. Due to our expertise in financing & regular exchange of such vehicles/equipment, we also have a team dedicated to valuation of such vehicles/equipment. Going through the locations, several of them seem to be predominantly in the South, especially Andhra Pradesh. Any specific reason? While Shriram is ensuring a panIndian presence, it is certainly a fact that the Shriram Group is a well-known and reputable brand in the South. We have been serving the South for a long time and have several loyal and established clientele in this region. Hence the predominance in the South! However, we have made our presence in other parts of India as well. What is the range of equipment and vehicles handled by a typical Shriram Automall? The biggest advantage of our Automall is that anyone can exchange anything on wheels at the Automall. We do not have restrictions related to the segment or size of equipment. Our customers range from small individual
operators to people owing large fleets. Apart from end-users, we also target other segments such as manufacturers/ dealers with trade-in stocks that are not disposed, brokers and dealers and finance & banking companies. Currently, we assist in exchange of a wide range of used and unused equipment for the construction, transportation, agricultural and other industries at our events. For instance, in a normal exchange event, we tend to see a lot of transactions related to construction equipment like backhoe loaders, normal tippers used in construction, excavators up to 20-30 tons and pick and carry cranes. We also intend to include passenger vehicles such as cars & two wheelers in the scope in the coming years. With such a wide range, what is the volume of business handled by you? About 100 exchange events are conducted in our yards per month, which attract visitors up to 800-900 based on the location. For the convenience of our clients, we operate in three business models -Yard events, Online Platform (Internet) and One Stop (Intranet based kiosks). In a month we handle close to 20000 customers. In yard events, the customers can not only take a look at a wide array of
equipment and vehicles but also test, inspect and place prices for the same. The customer offering the best price takes away the vehicle. Every vehicle showcased in the event has a reserve price provided by the sellers / owners of the vehicles. We believe that this will provide the seller the confidence in getting the minimum fixed price. For the convenience of buyers who may be unable to make the distance, we also take proxy prices. Shriram One Stop is a facility wherein we have installed computerized touch screen kiosks in over 500 locations across India. These kiosks provide our clients real-time information about used commercial vehicles & equipment available for sale across India and also allow registration of individual buyer's requirements. This becomes the virtual match making place for our customers and especially for whom who do not know the use of internet technology. Additionally, the online platform allows customers who cannot make it to the yard events or Onestop Kiosks to avail our services through our portal www.samil.in/bids. The total monthly exchanges with all these different modes are approximately 8000 machines/ vehicles. 800-900 visitors and 8000 transactions is a big number. What goes behind the scene in such a busy schedule? True, every event is a leap forward for us! We have a team of around 700 plus people who work hard to make each such event a success. While the land on which the Automall is located is generally leased, we hire a separate team during peak time when more than average footfall is expected. We also enlist the help of our sub-contractors.

Shriram Automall India Ltd.
709, Best Sky Tower, F-5, Netaji Subhash Place, Pitampura, Delhi -110034 Ph: +91-11-41414444 Fax: +91-11-42414444, E-mail: contact@samil.in Web: www.samil.in
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MC-Floor Level
C-Bauchemie (India) Private Limited manufacturers building chemical products in technical and financial collaboration with MCBauchemie, Germany. MC-Floor Level is a self leveling resurfacer and underlayment for uneven surfaces available in ready to use powder form. MC-Floor Level is self leveling with high bonding and adhesion properties to the substrate. Rapid installation and labour saving makes MC-Floor Level economical. It has good adhesion to cement and cement based substrates. It levels out to smooth and even surface. Chloride free and non-shrink MC-Floor Level can be worked with thin bed application. MC-Floor Level can be used as an underlayment for carpets, vinyl floorings, tiles wood floorings etc. It can be used for leveling out the uneven horizontal surfaces of concrete and screeds. MCFloor Level is used for repairing and
patching of screeds, concrete and cementatious surfaces. Smooth level floors are of primary importance in any building project. MC-Floor Level is a premixed, self leveling compound in a powder form comprising of specially selected binders, well graded sand, synthetic polymers, plasticizing agents and other ingredients requiring only addition of water at job site. Old existing concrete can be
resurfaced with MC-Floor Level providing saving in time and labour costs. MCFloor Level is ideal underlayment for leveling of cement screeds prior to installation of floorings like ceramic tiles, carpets, resilient floorings, vinyl tiles, paraquet, etc. Add MC-Floor Level to water and not vice versa and mix vigorously to achieve homogenous mix. For self leveling properties add approximately 5 to 5.5 litres if water to a 25 kg of MC-Floor Level. The approximate consumption of MC-Floor Level is 1.5 kg/m2/mm thickness.

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
Trainees for Placement Sl. No. Centre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Sidhauli Amethi Ghaziabad VKP , Faridabad Rajasthan Patna Odisha GWS* 2 6 29 10 84 4 34 45 86 85 133 120 37 216 BMLT** Site Accountant Diesel Mechanic Electrical Wireman L S*** Drafts Man Safety Inspector Mason
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For Further Enquiries Contact:

Shri Deepak Mazumdar, Dy. Director, Construction Industry Development Council
801, 8th Floor, Hemkunt Chambers, 89, Nehru Place, New Delhi - 110019. Ph: 011 2623 4770, 2648 9992, 4161 7971 Fax: 011 2645 1604, Mob: +91 98116 44761 Email: iqaccidc@gmail.com, Web: www.cidc.in
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Buildmat 2013
The Truth behind Sustainable Development and Materials

portation, manufacturing, re-transport to the site and using these materials, which damages the environment and community as a whole. A sustainable building material is that which the minimal possible environment has cost. An overall evaluation of the total energy and environmental impact of the material and its creation process, as well as the long-term efficiency of the material (maintenance and replacement costs) is needed to determine the sustainability of a material. Materials that are more sustainable generally have a lower initial and lifetime environmental impact. A material can be made more sustainable in various ways, including reducing the travel time of transport, reusing materials, selecting materials that have a manufacturing process with a low energy requirement, using recyclable products and so on. Innovation plays a big role in the development of sustainable building materials. While there is no denying that there are products available, one also needs to be aware of those jumping onto the 'green bandwagon', offering products that are basically low quality duplicates and infringing on patent rights.
Rajpal Udaykumar Navalkar,

CEO and Exe. DIR. THERMOSHIELD INDIA.
ne topic that is being hotly debated and discussed globally these days is 'Sustainable Development'. In broad based terms sustainable development is development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Similarly, sustainable building materials are those which are made out of resources which are fast generating and the raw material or habitat is not depleted or damaged permanently. A good example for sustainable material is bamboo. Other excellent examples of sustainable materials that have made their entry over the past decade include fly ash, pondash, quarydust, pulverized concrete waste, agricultural husk, waste sludge, sugarcane fibre after processing, etc, to mention only a few. The construction industry is considered one of the biggest energy guzzlers, given that it consumes enormous amounts of materials and resources, apart from the manpower rand efforts that are required to manufacture building materials. Building materials contribute to carbon dioxide emissions thereby increasing the carbon footprint of a building. Adding to the problem are factors like mining, production, trans-
204
Beware friends; a lot of 'green washing' is happening today. Tiles for example, were never considered green but today you have people claiming to have tiles which reduce heat ingress! Recently I came across this company in one of the major events, who claim to have a thermal mosaic tile. On subjecting the same to practical onsite tests these so called tiles failed miserably. Two eminent scientists well known to everyone in the green building movement were shocked!!! While they had a hearty laugh on the issue, the sad part is that the company continues to do major projects, with the patronage of so called 'tests' which are not validated in practice. This is however, not a case in isolation. The sad part of going green in India is compromise, neglect and no action from some of the authorities. Many architects, in fact do not want to know what happens to their structures after design. There are many architects, whom I know, who have turned 'green',
just because it sells. There have also been several instances, where we have ended up welcoming and honouring them, just to bolster their egos. The situation has gone to such an extent that today people just want the certification placard from a green rating agency, more as a 'show-off', rather than genuinely adhering to stringent green building norms. Renewable energy usage should be increased by adopting, solar water heaters, day lighting using LED-solar combination, LED street lighting, solar air-conditioning, solar-wind hybrid systems, solar cooking systems, biogas plant sand micro-hydel system for treating effluent discharge. Energy gain is a major issue today. The question is where are the sustainable resources? Where have all the subsidies for the renewable energy sector gone to? What are the authorities doing about the past records of the various dubious companies that are producing so called green building materials? In fact, if investigated, the sustainability scam would emerge as the mother of all scams. Make sure that you do a thorough research before you buy any sustainable building material. Use materials with low embodied energy. These are materials that contained recycled content and/or are recyclable, materials that are natural or in harmony with the environment, materials that use minimum water and energy in manufacture, which do not pollute water sources during production or use, materials that last longer and non-toxic. The benefits of green buildings are manifold. They help in reducing energy consumption without sacrificing comfort levels. Similarly, they lead to reduced destruction of natural areas, habitats, and biodiversity and also help to reduce air and water pollution. It is time stricter stipulations are brought in by the concerned authorities for following green construction practices, use of energy efficient materials and processes, conservation of energy wherever possible, use renewable, re-
use, recycle, energy processes wherever possible and minimize use of fossil fuel. For instance, measures for base materials for RCC and steel systems, mandatory 25% blending of Pozzolona Blended Portland Cement (BPC) should be strictly implemented. Similarly, in the case of mortar, mandatory 25% blending of BPC or use of alternate mortars like 'Green Build', 'Build Fast', and 'Eco Render' needs to be implemented. Alternative materials to lead/AC pipes should be used for water supply, sanitary and plumbing systems. Use of renewable timber or phenol bonded plywood and use of water based chemicals for waterproofing are some of the steps that need to be taken by contractors in order to adhere to sustainable building standards in the true word and spirit. The next time you deal with a sustainable building material, do through research. Use the internet. Test the material by doing a laboratory test on your own. Don't go green, just for the sake of going green. I write this article from the bottom of my heart, to make people realize that it is time that sustainability and sustainable materials in our building industry are not bandied about, but practiced.

Thermoshield India
#173, 7th Cross, 5th C Main, R.P .C. Layout, Vijayanagar 2nd Stage, Bangalore - 560040 Ph: 080-23207957, Fax: 080-23207958 E-mail: sales@thermoshieldindia.com Web:www.thermoshieldindia.com
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A Comparison of Various Waterproofing Materials

ne of the most common problems at any construction site or in any building is that of water leakage. Leaking water not only damages the structures but it also damages the aesthetic look of the structure. Water leakage causes growth of fungus and algae; it also causes dampness and leads to the peeling of paint. Over a period of time water leads to structural damage. Even though there are many waterproofing products available in the market today, the problem of water leakage still exists, and the various stakeholders such as the real estate developers, the contractors, the end customers, are always looking out for a product that would solve the problem effectively and still be affordable. Evercrete Deep Penetrating Sealer (DPS) is a water based material which chemically reacts with the concrete and waterproofs the concrete surfaces. It is a onetime solution to the problem of leaking water. It is very important to evaluate the techno-commercial aspects of any product before using it. Traditionally the following types of waterproofing materials are available: Various types of membranes and surface coatings like PU, Epoxy and other coatings. Crystallization type waterproofing materials. Penetrating type waterproofing materials.
membranes do not last long and are prone for physical damage. Most of the membranes crack when exposed to UV light. They have a very high life cycle cost and may have to be replaced periodically. These membranes are generally expensive and also the application of these membranes is difficult and hazardous at times. The application requires skilled labour, which is often expensive. The surface coatings are expensive and have a very short service life. As they are on the surface, they are highly prone to physical damage and have to be re-coated periodically. This increases the maintenance costs. Crystallization type waterproofing materials The use of crystallization type waterproofing materials is increasing in the recent times. These materials are generally in the powder form and have to be mixed in the prescribed proportion with water. The quality of water obtained at the construction sites is not consistent, and the material can have varied performance. Once mixed with water, these materials also have a short shelf life. When this mixture is sprayed on the concrete surface, it penetrates the concrete up to a few millimeters and waterproofs the concrete. This material only fills the surface pores in the concrete and can be easily leached out. The other major problem with such materials is that the areas treated with such material cannot be painted, and they have a de-bonding issue. The use of a primer is necessary in order to paint the treated areas. Most of these materials need to be applied in a dry condition and hence cannot be used for waterproofing on the negative sides and in basements. The cost of such
treatments is on the higher side, and considering that the use of primer is essential to paint the treated surfaces, the cost becomes even more. Penetrating type waterproofing materials The penetrating type waterproofing materials such as Evercrete DPS is a onetime permanent solution to all waterproofing problems for concrete surfaces. Evercrete DPS is non-toxic water based, ready to use (no mixing or dilution required), material which is applied on concrete surfaces using a low pressure garden spray. Once applied on the concrete surfaces, Evercrete DPS penetrates the concrete up to a depth of 20 to 30 mm, not by pressure but by chemically reacting with the free lime in the concrete and becomes an integral part of the concrete. Since Evercrete DPS penetrates the concrete, and becomes a permanent part of the concrete future recoating may not be required. Evercrete DPS can be used on the positive side, negative side and in basements for waterproofing. The material has a long shelf life and it is ready to use. The application procedure of the material is easy and does not require expensive skilled labour. Since Evercrete DPS completely penetrates the surface, treated surface can be painted without the use of a primer. On the contrary it enhances the bonding of paint with the treated surfaces. If Evercrete DPS is used, all other expensive waterproofing items such as membranes, waterproofing chemicals, Brick Bat Coba, etc can be avoided. Evercrete DPS can be used on various areas such as slabs, podiums, car parks, swimming pools, water tanks, retaining walls, terraces, etc, Apart from waterproofing Evercrete DPS
Various types of membranes and coatings like PU, Epoxy and other coatings Various types of membranes such as bitumen/APP modified, HDPE, PVC, etc and surface coatings like acrylic coatings, other surface coatings, etc are used for waterproofing. Most of the
206
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confused with crystallization products. While crystallization products generally have only waterproofing properties, Evercrete DPS has many properties other than waterproofing. Some of the other advantages of Evercrete DPS include: Curing Enhancer: The layer of Evercrete DPS formed inside the concrete structure entraps the water in the concrete which helps the concrete to cure consistently. Consistent curing helps minimize formation of shrinkage cracks. The lesser the shrinkage cracks, lesser the possibility of water leakages. This material also seals all hairline cracks (up to 0.3mm). Increase in Compressive Strength Up To 30%: As Evercrete DPS penetrates in to the concrete surfaces, it fills the pores and the voids in the concrete up to a depth of 2 to 3 cms. As the pores and voids are filled, the micro porosity reduces,
Evercrete DPS was used to waterproof and strengthen an area of 113,200 sq ft, at the multi-level car park of the recently inaugurated Terminal 3 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi
2-3 cm
Penetration of DPS
and the micro density increases. This increases the compressive strength of the treated surface. This increase in strength acts as an added advantage. Permanent Anti-Carbonation Treatment: Evercrete DPS is a onetime permanent anti-carbonation treatment and protects the concrete structures from the carbonation process. The other carbonation coatings available are all surface coating, and require re-coating every few years. Evercrete DPS is onetime, permanent, penetrating anti-carbonation treatment. The anti-carbonation treatment is very essential to make sure that the concrete structures last long, with minimum maintenance.
have many other advantages which contribute towards building better structures. Evercrete DPS should not be

Poly Flex
E-mail: polyflex@polyflex.co.in Web: www.polyflex.co.in
analysis of demand drivers and economics, technology issues, and key industry players. The report provides detailed profiles of 53 companies in the sector and offers a review of current government policies and financial incentives. It states that things look promising for BIPV, which is surprising considering that until recently, aesthetic and performance concerns limited the ability of architects to incorporate the technology into their building designs. However there has been a recent boon in energy-efficient, flexible, and transparent solar materials on the market, making BIPV more feasible. The study concludes that this increase in new technology and interest in BIPV could drive the worldwide BIPV market to reach $3.7 billion by 2017. While BIPV products will expand around the world, Western Europe will be the largest market for the products. Notable new markets for BIPV that are likely to emerge through 2017 include Eastern Europe (Lithuania, Serbia, Slovenia, Poland, and Ukraine), Asia Pacific (especially Australia, China, India, Japan, Malaysia, and Thailand), Latin America (Brazil and Chile), and South Africa.
BIPV Market Projected to Reach $2.4 billion By 2017

The solar energy sector has had some ups and downs lately, but it looks like the future is bright for building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). According to a new report from Pike Research, the worldwide market for BIPV and building-applied photovoltaics (BAPV) will quadruple over the next five years, growing from $606 million in 2012 to more than $2.4 billion in 2017. The report, entitled Building Integrated Photovoltaics, examines the expanding global markets for BIPV and BAPV, including a comprehensive
208
Training & Placement
Skilled Manpower for Construction: Is it Really Alarming

Rajeev.Jain, Senior Additional Director, CIDC
he views expressed in this article are the outcome of efforts invested for more than a decade in the area of skill development for construction sector while working with Construction Industry Development Council (CIDC). Skill development has become a Buzz word in recent times. At almost every forum speakers talk and discuss about the shortage, sorry acute shortage of skilled manpower for construction industry. As a matter of fact this sector is the backbone of Indian economy and has been witnessing steady growth for last couple of years and as per 12th Plan it is going to be robust for the next five years as well. $ 1 Trillion is expected to be invested during these 5 years. This is essential if we are to meet our aspirations of becoming a developed nation. Yes, there is an acute shortage of skilled and unskilled manpower. The reasons could be identified by looking at these two parameters attrition and high growth rate of identified infrastructure sector. At present Construction sector employs close to 45 million people, it is growing at a steady pace of 9-10 %. 15% of the workforce leaves the sector due to natural attrition and for other reasons. On account of these two parameters approximately 7-8 million unskilled and skilled people are required by this sector on annual basis. There are other vital factors such as new technology, new building materials, new construction equipment, rising quality and safety concerns for which there is substantial requirement of developing special skills/multi-skills besides the above specified numbers. It seems that the situation is really alarming. Let us examine the efforts made by Government of India and Construction sector towards meeting the shortage of skilled manpower. Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, is the leading Ministry
for focusing on skill development program for all the sectors including Construction. However, for various reasons, there are no significant numbers covered in construction sector through the support of MoRD. Though CIDC has been one of the prominent players for skill development for construction sector but even they could train & recruit only a few thousand persons in the sector. The same is the case with other training providers. Ministry of Urban Development also took up the cause of skill development through SJSRY scheme; however they also could not make an impact. Ministry of Labour had launched an interesting Modular Employable skills scheme and skill development initiative. However the scheme had many glitches in first phase of its implementation and it requires to be reviewed for the expected results to be achieved. As on date there are limited numbers of training providers who are training persons in construction trades and the numbers are in the range
of 15-25 per batch per trade. As on date, total numbers framed, would not exceed a few thousands per year, only across the country. If we look at the SDI scheme which is mainly to assess the skills and award the certificates, the numbers for construction sector would not cross 20,000, negligible as compared to the total persons engaged in this sector. National Skill Development Corporation is established by the GOI for promoting the skill development initiative in holistic manner. However so far to the best of our knowledge they could give special grant to one agency that is CREDAI, Pune and the numbers they have trained are in hundreds only. As regards their loan assistance there are no takers due to unviable preposition of availing the loan for training of construction workers. Policy making for propagating the skill development mission is in nascent stage and would take some more time to mature and produce results. State level skill development missions have been consti-
Training & Placement
tuted and some of them have started functioning and able to push the skill development activities in considerable manner, however put together in all the schemes and initiatives taken by the Government the total numbers trained, tested and certify would not exceed a lakh for the year 2012. The contribution of Construction industry is also far from satisfactory, a few large construction companies like SEW Infrastructure Limited, L&T Limited, Soma Enterprises, Simplex Infrastructures Limited, ERA Infrastructure, Punj Lloyd Limited and a few more have established dedicated training centres for meeting their captive requirements and the numbers churned out by any and every of them would seldom exceed 500 in year's time. These figures refer to development of the fresh skilled manpower. CIDC, CII, FICCI, BAI, CREADI, NAREDCO and other professional bodies are participating in the National skill development programs. Needless to mention that there is a scope for large investment through channelising the CSR funds which most of the PSU's are willing to spend. CIDC has made an attempt to utilise the CSR funds to train the skilled manpower for construction. The organisations CIDC has been able to convince are NTPC, HMEL, SJVNL, EPIL, REC, GMR, SIMPLEX, etc. However the kind of requirements this sector has, it seems it is going to be very difficult to achieve the targets, if the efforts are made the way these are made at present. After reviewing urgent requirements and the efforts made by the Government and the Industry, let us also review the reasons hampering the efforts made so far to achieve the desired results. Ailments There are several skill development schemes initiated by central and state governments and each one of them has different parameters for implementation, there is hardly any synchronisation with respect to the requirements. Implementation of NREGA has created lot of local opportunities for rural people resulting in low migration outside the state and less inclination to acquire any other skill. Image of Construction sector is not perceived as good due to hardships;
work from place to place, low wages, untimely payments, exploitation by middle man, long working hours, tough weather conditions, high risk, uncertainty, poor living conditions, no career path etc. No large construction company directly employs the skilled workers and they have to come through petty contractors and they have no match to the functioning of the main contractor and it results in lower satisfaction of working in construction. Their social security benefit is seldom passed on to them. Construction industry has to seriously involve in skill development activities directly or indirectly, at present there involvement is close to negligible. None of the construction companies in India are in a position to project their mid term and long term manpower requirements. On the contrary every company has urgent and immediate requirement which can not be fulfilled by any training provider. The freshly trained people need handholding for some time before they start delivering the services for which they are hired. At present every employer expects that since they have agreed to pay wages they must get quality and productivity at par with best of their existing workers. Many a times the expected outcome is comparable to that of site engineers.
Every construction worker must have some career/growth path Construction companies must project their requirements in advance to enable the training providers to impart the desired skills accordingly. Construction companies must welcome on job Training for skilled workers and supervisors at every construction site. They must support lodging, boarding and reasonable out of pocket allowance to all the trainees till such time they are on job training. Construction companies must accommodate small training centres at each work site and train the local unemployed youth. Financial aspects of such youth must also be looked after by them. Construction companies must encourage supervisors with more than 5 years of experience to go for further study sponsored by them to enable the supervisors to acquire diploma and degree and move up in life. There have to be monthly performance rewards and annual incentives for better retention. Construction companies must depute their supervisors and engineers to deliver lectures and have mid course review of training imparted by training providers. This would help in developing quality manpower. Construction Companies have to decide that without skill certificates no one would be employed at their work place directly or indirectly. SDI scheme of Ministry of labour, GOI has on its anvil, schemes for assessment of present skills of skilled workers engaged at each site. Those who are found unfit must be sent for training.
Solutions Construction Industry has to makeover its daunting image and project it and ensures every site as a safe, remunerative and decent work place, comparable to other industries. Construction Industry has to ensure the following: Living conditions (shelter, water, electricity, medical, crche, toilet for man/women) are reasonably good. Wages are paid full and in due time irrespective of who pays. Extra working hours must be duly compensated. Safety of worker must be the top priority. Fresh entrants must be given handholding and support to adapt to the working conditions.
Conclusion This review establishes that there is an urgent, emergent and acute shortage of skilled manpower. Without the active physical and financial involvement of Indian construction industry this task would be never accomplished. It is the will and desire of Indian construction houses which needs to rise and together all of them have to empower a nation with the largest base of skilled manpower in the world.
210
WISE INDIA
Infrastructure Power
States Agree to Avoid Future Power Grid Crises

M J Krishna
Associate Editor
States also overdraw as they find it convenient not to pay immediately, said Union Power Minister Veerappa Moily in the national capital, when he held a meeting with the Chief Ministers and Power Ministers of the northern Indian states of Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan that were affected by the power grid collapse on 30th and 31st of July. At the end of the deliberations, the Centre and the states agreed to abide by a 12- Point Resolution which would
ensure that such breakdowns in the Power Grid do not recur. Earlier in the day, Power Secretary P Uma Shankar held detailed discussions with Chief Secretaries and Power Secretaries of the states on a 12-Point Resolution to ensure future compliance by the states. Veerappa Moily strongly emphasized the need to prevent future power crises. Power is a crucial core and infrastructure sector, he said, that was required to catalyze the economic growth of the
country. Various policy initiatives have been taken up by the government to set up large capacity addition in generation and transmission. During the 11th Plan a record capacity addition of about 55000 MW was achieved along with about 70000 Circuit kilometers of transmission lines and over 1,53,000 MVA of transformation capacity. For the 12th Plan the targeting capacity addition of over 85000 MW of and about 1,00,000 circuit kilometers of transmission lines along with over 2,70,000 MVA of transformation capacity.
212
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Other policy initiatives being taken by the government concern addressing the much required reform process, restructuring of the power sector and introduction of competition with the objective of bringing about an efficient as well as financially sustainable power infrastructure in the country, encouraging both the public and the private sectors. However, there are a number of issues which need to be addressed in an integrated manner. These relate to managing load demand and sustaining the available transmission and dis-
tribution infrastructure till such time adequate surplus power and related infrastructure capacity is set up. The two incidents of grid failure on 30th and 31st of July have brought this concern to the fore. To facilitate transfer of power from the generation to the load centers, the National Grid is being continuously strengthened to enable an integrated operation of the National and Regional grids so as to enhance the operational reliability and efficiency of the country's entire electric transmission network While a committee comprising independent experts under a chairperson of the Central Electricity Authority has been appointed to look into the causes of the incidents and recommend measures to be taken to prevent such incidents in future, it is important that one deliberates upon the future strategy needed to adopt and actions needed to take to prevent such failures. Key areas like proper grid defence planning, load planning, management and appropriate strengthening of state load dispatch centres are needed to be looked at closely. Grid defence planning is a crucial part of grid operations and the states need to prioritise this. In spite of all precautions taken, there can be tripping of generators, loads & the transmission elements and suitable defense mechanisms must be in place to prevent any kind of cascading effect and to restrict & localize the impact of such tripping incidents. Implementation of effective islanding schemes, operation of the under frequency relays and df/dt relays, demand disconnection and system protection schemes are critical for maintaining grid security in case of contingency scenario. Load planning is essential to be able to meet the consumer demand in a secure and reliable manner. Planning of power procurement is essential for each utility to serve the estimated load. Procurement of power could be done either through long term, medium term or short term contracts. The total portfolio includes estimates of own genera-
"There is no way to run a national grid if the State Load Dispatch Centres (SLDCs) do not subject themselves to strict adherence to the Grid Code"
Veerappa Moily
Indian Power Minister
tion, allocation from central sector generating stations and purchases from outside the state. A major part of the portfolio must be procured through the long term contracts and seasonal demand could be handled through short term contracts. Despite the availability of long & short term contracts in the market, some states persistently overdraw and endanger the transmission system's stability. Some states overdraw as they also find it convenient not to pay immediately. Unscheduled interchange (UI) should not be used as a reliable source; it is at best a balancing mechanism that can work within a limited boundary. The overdrawal is irresponsible as it not only violates the grid code, it overlooks the interest of the other constituents. This is to be reviewed to ensure appropriate demand planning and management for a reliable and secure operative system. Grid Code provides the rules for operating the grid. The Electricity Act envisages SLDCs as apex bodies to ensure integrated operation of the power system in the respective areas of jurisdiction. The functions are to be discharged in a manner so as to ensure independent, neutral, fair, effective and efficient operation of the SLDCs with transparency and fairness. All users are required to abide by the principles and procedures defined in the Grid Code in order to maintain the integrated, secure and reliable operation of the grid.
The phenomenon of persistently overdrawing from the grid despite full knowledge of SLDC is a breach of confidence in the grid management structure. Surely SLDCs do not work in isolation. SLDCs also know the risks. Yet, despite repeated information and instructions from RLDCs, the overdrawal was resorted to. One should appreciate that SLDC is the brick on which the structure of national grid is based. There is no way to run a national grid if SLDCs do not subject themselves to strict adherence to the grid-code. SLDCs need to be controlled to ensure maintenance of national grid structure and prevent grid disturbance. Empowerment of the Load Dispatch Centers which are at the nerve center of power system operation in India is extremely essential. The primary functions of system operators working in the SLDCs/RLDCs/NLDC include maintaining secure and reliable operation of the power system, operational planning, protection coordination, and such related activities for ensuring reliability of the power system. They are also responsible for market operation functions which involve generation resource scheduling, managing renewable energy sources, providing common and equal information access to all market players, facilitating open access, and other related activities. Capacity building at SLDCs must be carried out in all areas covering human capacity building by way of training and certification, automation and equipping them with proper tools to facilitate the discharge of their functions. Power system operators working in the SLDCs must be trained and retrained for capacity building. In addition to this, proper system for documentation and record keeping should be in place. The highly specialized and technical nature of LDC function necessitates a suitable compensation and incentive structure to attract, recruit and retain the best talent in the field. A restoration system is required to quickly restore the power system in case of any contingency. Security of
the grid is of paramount importance. In an integrated power system, disturbances of major / minor nature can occur under various contingencies. Such disturbances can result in the collapse of a part of the system or sometimes the entire system, requiring restoration of the affected system in the minimum possible time. It is therefore necessary to have a well laid down restoration procedure under various conditions of partial black out and /or total black out of the system. Essential loads such as traction, mines, nuclear units etc need to be restored on priority. Communication with generating units / SLDCs/ substations is essential for speedy restoration. All the operating personnel of state load dispatch centres and the officials involved in grid operation should be thoroughly conversant with the restoration procedure. 12-Point Resolution: 1. Adequate defence plans and protection system shall be put in place to ensure integrated operation of the National/ Regional Grids in adherence with the Indian Electricity Grid Code (IEGC). All the states shall ascertain preparedness of power system defense plans and cooperate at the Regional level for coordinating their protection systems. 2. Defense plans of the states must include islanding schemes, under frequency relays, rate of change of frequency relays, special protection schemes and automatic demand management schemes. The defense plans shall also include restoration procedures that shall be updated and reviewed regularly. 3. States will prepare their islanding schemes in consultation with PGCIL, CEA and NRPC within the next three months and ensure their implementation within the next six months. 4. Independent third party audit of the protection systems shall be carried out within one month and the Regional Power Committees (RPCs)
shall monitor the same. PGCIL would fund and carry out the audit in the first instance. 5. All the utilities shall also adopt good operation and maintenance practices and random checks of these shall be carried out by the Regional Power Committees. 6. States shall prepare plans in long term, medium term and short term horizons for procurement of power, network and demand management in accordance with the Indian Electricity Grid Code (IEGC), which shall be reviewed by the RPCs. 7. States shall periodically do power system studies for operation planning and transfer capability determination. PGCIL would assist the states in this regard. 8. States shall take all necessary steps for strengthening and upgrading the state load dispatch centres and training of system operators. There should be manpower capacity building by way of training and certification. 9. The personnel manning the LDC control rooms should be equipped with proper tools to facilitate the discharge of the functions. Appropriate compensation structure, including Certification linked incentive scheme must be designed to attract and retain best talent in the field of system operations. 10. The states requested that the Union Government may draw up a scheme for supporting them in strengthening their SLDCs and for capacity building. 11. POSOCO would evolve a contingency load shedding protocol, especially when non frequency related load shedding is required. 12. All states resolved to adhere to the Indian Electricity Grid Code (IEGC) and take all requisite measures for its effective enforcement. It was agreed that all instructions of NLDC / NRLDC will be implemented immediately by SLDCs without waiting for further instructions from any other authority.
214
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194 Cat 197

120K2 Boosts Transstroy's Business Goals

World Class Safety Standards in Spartan Tower Cranes

198 Shriram Automall (SAMIL): Deals Anything On Wheels

180 158 174 212

The Masterbuilder - August 2012 www.masterbuilder.co.in

H & K Rolling Mill Engineers Pvt.Ltd

Universal Construction Machinery & Equipment Ltd 87

The Masterbuilder - August 2012 www.masterbuilder.co.in

Advertisers Index / Classification

The Masterbuilder - August 2012 www.masterbuilder.co.in

News & Events

Caterpillar Grader Series Meets European Norms

Revival of Loss Making CPSEs

Central Excise Issues Notice To L&T

The Masterbuilder - August 2012 www.masterbuilder.co.in

Tashi India Ltd

News & Events

Indigenous manufacturing facilities for mining Equipments limited

OEC to tie up with Talboom to produce geothermal energy

The Masterbuilder - August 2012 www.masterbuilder.co.in

News & Events

BHEL looking for acquisition opportunities in Europe and USA

Government focus on gas pipelines to meet growing demand

Fluoride Mitigation Centre to be set up in Gujarat

The Masterbuilder - August 2012 www.masterbuilder.co.in

Wirtgen India Pvt.Ltd

News & Events

Central government has identified eight RRTS corridors

DMIC project to link all industrial cities, in progress

The Masterbuilder - August 2012 www.masterbuilder.co.in

Case New Holland Construction Equipment (India) Pvt.Ltd

News & Events

Infrastructure development of North Eastern Region on cards

State Mineral Policy framed by Meghalaya government

The Masterbuilder - August 2012 www.masterbuilder.co.in

Larsen & Toubro Ltd

News & Events

Delay In NH Projects Due To Land Acquisition And Environmental Clearances