May'20 Issue-compressed (1) Flipbook PDF

CONTENTS CE&CR MAY 2020 • VOL. 33 • NO. 05

CONSTRUCTION TRENDS

NEWSCAN News

International News

ENGINEERING MARVEL Bio Intelligent Quotient (BIQ) House, Germany

50 IoT: Building With Wireless Intelligence

DIGITAL PLATFORM FOR SCAFFOLDING 52 Layher Digital Scaffolding Planning -

Scaffolding Information Modelling

CONCRETE RECYCLING PLANT

FACE-TO-FACE Mr. Prashant Jha, Chief – Ready-Mix Concrete,

54 Environment Conscious Concrete Recycling Plant

Nuvoco Vistas Corp. Ltd. Mr K K Pahuja, President,

EXCAVATORS 64

56 Australian Company Selects Volvo ECR235CL For Retaining

Indian Stainless-steel Development Association Mr. Vijay Sharma, Director,

Wall Work

COVER STORY

58 Bituminous Road Construction Equipment

Jindal Stainless

SPECIAL REPORT-BIM SOLUTIONS FOR STEEL

CONCRETING GGBS: The Most Effective SCM For Concrete

70 Constructible BIM Solutions By Trimble

For Steel And Steel Structures

by Dr. NV Nayak Performance Assessment Of Concrete Made With Ternary

FEATURE - STEEL

Cementitious Blends Against Chloride Ingress And CO2 Attack

72 Structuring A Steely India!

by Mr. VV Arora, Mr. Puneet Kaura,

MODERN STEEL

Mr. Piyush Mittal, Mr. B N Mohapatra Concrete With Limestone Calcined Clay Cement

74 Wear Resistance: The Underlying Property In Modern Steels 38

by Mr. Sohom Sen Stamped Concrete

RECENT PANDEMIC - COVID-19 POST-LOCKDOWN STRATEGY IN CONSTRUCTION

JMC PROJECTS (INDIA) LTD. SUPPORTS THEIR DAILY WAGE WORKERS AMIDST THE CRISIS

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX

by Dr. KM Soni Special Concrete Using Bajaj Reinforcement Fibre Tuff

Innovative Product For The Sustainable Recovery Of

Returned Concrete From Mapei

CONCRETE MONITORING SENSORS Kryton Launches The First Truly Wireless

Concrete Monitoring Sensors

CE&CR May 2020

Ready-Mix Concrete

eady-mix concrete is manufactured in a batch plant, according to a set engineered mix design. Ready-mix concrete is normally delivered in two ways - barrel truck or transit mixers. This type of truck delivers concrete in a plastic state to the site. Second is the volumetric concrete mixer. This delivers the ready mix in a dry state and then mixes the concrete on site.

from the editor’s desk

Dr. R Kuberan

Batch plants combine a precise amount of gravel, sand, water and cement together by weight (as per mix design formulation for grade of concrete recommended by the structural consultant), allowing speciality concrete mixtures to be developed and implemented on construction sites. The first ready-mix factory was built in the 1930s, but the industry did not begin to expand significantly until the 1960s, and it has continued to grow since then. Ready-mix concrete is often used over other materials due to the cost and wide range of uses in building, particularly in large projects like high rise buildings and bridges. It has a long life span when compared to other products of a similar use, like road ways. It has an average life span of 30 years under high traffic areas compared to the 10 to 12 year life of asphalt concrete with the same traffic. For a small to medium project, the cost and time of hiring mixing equipment, labour, plus purchase and storage for the ingredients of concrete, added to environmental concerns (cement dust is a particular airborne health hazard and nuisance) may simply be not worth it when compared to the linear cost model of ready-mixed concrete, where the customer pays for what they use, and lets someone else do the work up to that point. For a large project, outsourcing concrete production to ready-mixed concrete suppliers means delegating the quality control and testing, material logistics and supply chain issues, and mix design, to specialists who are already set up for those tasks, trading off against introducing another contracted external supplier who needs to make a profit, and losing the control and immediacy of on-site mixing. Concrete has a limited lifespan between batching / mixing and curing. This means that ready-mixed concrete should be placed within 30 to 45 minutes of batching process. Modern admixtures and water reducers can modify that time span to some degree. Ready-mix concrete can be transported and placed at site using several methods. The most common, and simplest, is the chute fitted to the back of transit mixer trucks, which is suitable for placing concrete near locations where a truck can just reverse in.

8 CE&CR May 2020

nationalnews Piramal To Restructure Residential Projects

Steel Ministry Identifies Projects Worth Rs 8,000 Cr

he Ministry of Steel has identified four slurry pipeline projects totalling over Rs 8,000 crore to be implemented over financial years 2020-2025. The total capital expenditure for these identified projects is estimated at Rs 8,225 crore. A slurry pipeline is a specially engineered pipeline used to move ores such as coal, iron or mining waste over long distances. Out of the four, three projects worth Rs 5,441 crore are to be implemented through publicprivate partnership (PPP) route, while one slurry pipeline project of Rs 2,784 crore is to be implemented in Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) mode. The finance ministry said a government task force has projected total investment of Rs 111 lakh crore in infra projects over five years to augment infrastructure and create jobs in the country.

Oberoi-A&M Infra-Consortium To Develop Infrastructure

iramal Capital and Housing Finance is working on restructuring some of the

200-odd residential projects it has invested in. Piramal Capital and Housing Finance has invested in over 200 residential projects. Its wholesale residential realty disbursem*nt was around Rs 24,085 crore as of December 2019. The company has already started an exercise of evaluating these projects as it needs to understand the impact of the pandemic and come up with a solution to

urope-based leading infrastructure development company A&M Development Group will be establishing its office in India as Oberoi-A&M Infra-Consortium (under incorporation),

along with Polaris Energy Resources. The consortium will develop and construct mega projects in India, including low-cost housing and smart cities via the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) plus finance model. Oberoi-A&M Infra-Consortium will be looking towards infrastructural activities and contracts in the SAARC region for development/construction and finance via EPC plus finance business model in the priority infrastructural and development projects within India in low-cost housing, roads, bridges, metro networks, international and domestic airports, hydroelectric and irrigation dams as well as smart cities. The consortium will initially make an investment of USD 20 billion. The consortium has decided to establish its SAARC head office in New Delhi. The office will be focused on executing infrastructure development projects which are of priority to the government of India.

ensure their completion. “We are evaluating the projects because we need to understand the impact of delayed construction, sales and collection due to the lockdown. Each project will require a different set of solutions -- some could be restructuring under the DCCO, for some it could be a top-up from the unutilised credit lines, among others. We are almost close to completing this exercise for each project,” explained Khushru Jijina, Managing Director, Piramal Capital. “We are focused on project completion because unless they are completed other issues like whether interest rates will fall or prices should come down, are irrelevant.”

Godrej Properties To Acquire Land For Rs 1,359 Cr

odrej Properties will acquire 26.58 acre prime property in Delhi for Rs 1,359 crore. The acquisition value of Rs 1,359 crore will be paid in instalments over several years as stipulated in tender documents. The land parcel will be purchased from the Railway Land Development Authority. It is situated in the Ashok Vihar area. The land which is spread over 26.58 acre, will offer about three lakh sq. m (3.28 million sq. ft.) development potential and will be developed as a luxury group housing project. The site is surrounded by parks on three sides offering stunning greenery and city views. This is the company’s second project in Delhi after the launch of Godrej South Estate in Okhla in 2019.

CE&CR May 2020

nationalnews Odisha Clears Six Proposals Of Over Rs 9,000 Cr

he 22nd High Level Clearance Authority (HLCA) meeting held under the

Chairmanship of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has approved six investment proposals with

DMRC Invites Bid For Patna MRTS Phase-I

he Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has invited bids for works of Patna Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) Phase-I. The scope of work involves civil works for construction of new ISBT rail depot, including earth filling, boundary wall, depot buildings, workshop, inspection shed, plumbing, drainage, external development, architectural finishes, road works, design and construction of PEB works, etc. for Phase-I of Patna MRTS in Bihar.

The estimated value of the project is Rs 172.18 crore with completion period of 30 months.

BRO Completes Construction Of Bridge In AP

Four Wildlife Passes On NH-6 Gets Go-Ahead

an aggregate investment of Rs 9,100.29 crore. These projects will create an employment for more than 6,525 people. The CM approved two investment proposals worth Rs 8,850.19 crore with an employment potential of 5,250 people. This includes two investment proposals of Rungta Mines and Dhunseri Ventures totalling Rs 8,850.19 crore. The proposal of Dhunseri Ventures is for setting up Maleic Anhydride manufacturing unit and the proposal of Rungta Mines (RML) is for setting up an expansion of its integrated steel plant project.

he Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has completed the construction of a key

bridge in Arunachal Pradesh that will allow material towards the Line of Actual Control

Committee (REC) of the Ministry of Environment,

(LAC) with China. The bridge over the Daporijo River in Arunchal Pradesh, was constructed in less

Niren Kumar Anand, for setting up footwear

It was inaugurated by Chief Minister Pema

manufacturing unit of one million pieces

Khandu via video conferencing link on 20 April

capacity was approved.

2020. The bridge is a strategic link towards

beneficiation plant to its 0.6 million tpa iron ore pelletisation plant was also given nod.

between Sakoli in Maharashtra and Deori in Rajasthan with Regional Empowered

than a month while adhering to safety norms.

set up an additional 1.2 million tpa iron ore

ecks have been cleared for construction of four wildlife underpasses on NH-6

speedier movement of people and logistics

In the footwear sector, the proposal of

The proposal of Kashvi International to

LAC between India and China.

Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) finally giving a go ahead. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will spend about Rs 400 crore on these underpasses. The already widened NH-6 cuts through vital wildlife corridors. Over 50.68 ha of forest land will be diverted for the project that will enable animals to safely pass under the

All supplies, rations, construction material

highway. Fresh tenders have already been

and medicines pass over this bridge. The new

floated as the underpasses were not part of the

bridge can withstand 40 tonne of weight

works when the highway was widened.

allowing a safe passage for heavier vehicles

Another proposal was approved in the

The proposal includes three underpasses

catering not only for requirements of the

metal downstream sector. The Odisha Carriers

of 750 m and one underpass of 700 m length.

Indian Army but also future infrastructure

The REC had approved the proposal in January

and Trade also received an approval for setting

development requirements of Upper

2019 and accordingly Stage-I clearance was

up three logistics park-cum-fulfilment centres.

Subansiri district.

granted in March 2019.

CE&CR May 2020 11

nationalnews Work Begins On Widening Of Karur Road

L&T’s Construction Wins ‘Significant’ Contracts

ngineering and construction giant Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has said, its construction arm

has won ‘significant’ contracts for its Buildings and Factories Business. Though the value of the contracts is not specified, a significant contract as per its specification ranges between Rs 1,000 crore to Rs 2,500 crore. “The Buildings and Factories Business of L&T Construction has secured orders from prestigious clients in India. The business has won an order to design and construct an

The business has also secured an order to

integrated resort complex project at Goa,” the construct a Technology Park in Trivandrum over a total built up area of 2.3 million square feet. company said in a statement.

World Bank Undertakes Work On Upgrading Road

ork on widening the narrow Karur Road has commenced by the state highways

he World Bank has approved US$ 82 m (Rs 585 crore) for the State Roads Transformation Project (HPSRTP) for Himachal Pradesh.

department. The cost of the project is worth

The project envisages upgradation of major roads as well as modernisation of the

Rs 55 crore. The 11 km narrow stretch of Karur

department. Works of 45 km Barotiwala-Baddi-Sain-Ramshehar; 14.5 km Dadol-Ladraurr

Road serves as a crucial link connecting western districts with Trichy and other delta districts. The width of the road near Thiruchendurai will increase from 7 m to 10.5 m.

road; 28 km Mandi- Riwalsar-Kalkhar; and 3.5 km Raghunathpura-Mandi-Harpura-Bharari will be undertaken with first tranche of project funds. A target of construction of 900 km road length was fixed for the year 2019-20 but only 800 km was achieved as works were halted due to the COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent lockdown.

As part of the project, the highways

Also, construction of 4,960 km roads has been fixed under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak

department has commenced foundation work

Yojna (PMGSY) for the year 2020-21 for which financial allocation of Rs 1,666 crore had

on a retaining wall along a portion of the road

been made.

that borders the Cauvery to eliminate the black

NBCC Invites Bids For Dream Valley-Enchante

spots causing fatal accidents. The state government had sanctioned Rs 55 crore to widen the road in August 2019. The highways department has taken up

BCC (India) has invited bids for balance works of Dream Valley-Enchante in Uttar Pradesh.

The scope of work involves construction/rectification of balance works/left out works of

the work on a portion of the road that requires

Dream Valley-Enchante in Grater Noida of Gautam Budh Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh pertains

men and machinery to enter the riverbed. The

to Amrapali Group of Companies on engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) basis.

25 m long retaining wall will be completed in

The scope of work involves execution of balance works of civil, internal and external electrical,

two months. Gradually, the ground filling and

plumbing, sanitary, fire-fighting, HVAC, lifts, STP/ WTP, signages, ESS, DGs, transformers, check

road widening work will be taken up once

post, landscaping other left out works including rectification of defects on as is where is basis.

the lockdown is lifted.

The estimated cost of the work is Rs 251.1 crore with completion period of 36 months.

CE&CR May 2020

internationalnews USA

ITALY

MTA Finishes Repair Work On Train Tunnel

fa*gioli Installs Final Piece In Genoa

talian heavy lift and transport specialist fa*gioli installed the final section of the new Genoa road bridge in Genoa, Italy, on 28 April, 2020.

DENMARK

$8 Bn Tunnel To Begin Construction In January 2021

The new bridge, designed by famous architect Renzo Piano, replaces the Ponte Morandi built in the 1960s. Part of the Morandi Bridge (officially the Viadotto Polcevera) collapsed in October 2018.

he Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)’s truncated repair job on the East

River L train tunnel, Hurricane Sandy-damaged L train tunnel has wrapped, Gov. Cuomo has announced. Subway service through the tube, which was damaged in 2012 by flooding from Hurricane Sandy, had been reduced to 20-minute headways on nights and weekends since last April while the work was underway. Trains will be fully back up and running starting end of April.

fa*gioli has been involved throughout the replacement process, starting with the demolition. This involved the removal of the collapsed and damaged deck sections and piers. The first new bridge section was installed on 1 October 2019. The new bridge consists of a 1,067 metre continuous steel deck with 19 support spans made of steel and concrete. These are: 14 spans 50 metres long; three at 100 metres long; one at 40.9 metres; and one at 26.27 metres. Support for the bridge is 18 ellipticalsection reinforced concrete piers. The dimensions are 9.50 x 4.00 metres and they are the same for the 50 and 100 metre spans. This gave a uniformity to the design, helped speed up and simplify the construction and meant just one type of external formwork was needed.

onstruction of the world’s longest immersed tunnel connecting Denmark and Germany will begin in January next year, the Danish transport minister said. The Femern Belt link, which includes an 18 kilometre long rail and road tunnel with an electrified double-track railway and a four-lane motorway, will connect the Danish island of Lolland and Puttgarden in Northern Germany. Denmark’s government first announced plans for the project in 2015 with a completion date in 2024, but the tunnel is now expected to open for traffic in 2029. The entire project is estimated to cost 52.6 billion Danish crowns ($7.6 billion) in 2015-prices, according to the Femern Belt Development fund.

Crews over the past year covered stretches of saltwater-damaged concrete “bench walls” in the tunnel that house now-defunct cables with shells made of a special fiber polymer. New fireproof cables were strung across the walls of the tubes, and a new pumping system was installed to make the tunnel more hurricaneproof. A new set of tracks has been installed on each side of the crossing. MTA officials said the project will be finished for nearly $100 million less than the original budget. The MTA in June plans to complete a new electrical substation, which will allow for more frequent train service. A slate of projects to make more stations on the L line handicap-accessible is also ongoing.

USA

Mississippi DOT Begins Construction On New Highway

he Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) has begun construction on a new fourlane highway segment on State Route 76 in Itawamba County.

Worth $81 m, the project is partly financed by a $52.4 m Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant. Last month, the contract was awarded to Eutaw Construction Company of Aberdeen and the work is expected to be completed by the end of 2023. The project is a nine-mile extension of SR 76, staring from SR 23 to SR 25 and the working crew started clearing right-of-way on Martin Road, about half a mile north of Fairview Banner Road. The increased capacity is expected to help carry an anticipated increase in freight traffic, especially between Toyota in Blue Springs and the Toyota-Mazda site in Huntsville, Alabama. At present, the freight traffic on the Corridor V has to use a 13-mile section of two-lane SR 23 when travelling from Interstate 22 to Alabama. The new highway is expected to bring down four miles from the trip.

CE&CR May 2020 13

internationalnews AUSTRALIA

ITALY

EGYPT

Australia’s Tallest Building Hines To Invest €350m To Redevelop Racing Track Gets A Go-Ahead And Sports Complex

former racing track and sports complex, the 150,000 m 2 area has not hosted any sporting events since 2013. Hines has purchased the area from Italy’s gaming licensee Snaitech through the Invictus real estate fund, managed by Prelios SGR, following the signing of a preliminary agreement in 2019. Under the initial plan, the mixed-use scheme would comprise a park of more than 30,000 m2 and a residential unit. The preliminary urban regeneration project, which is planned to be submitted to the relevant authorities for approval in the near future, is expected to be completed over four years.

reen Spine, located on Melbourne’s Yarra River, designed by Dutch architect UN

Studio and Australia’s Cox Architecture, will be part of the US$1.3bn Southbank, which is being developed by local property company Beulah International. Green Spine will be a cantilevered structure composed of two towers. The taller of them

Hines Europe CEO Lars Huber said: “This is an important investment in the future of Milan. We will leverage our expertise in urban regeneration and residential development projects across Europe and around the world, working with local authorities and partners through our team in Italy to create a dynamic and sustainable new community.” The transaction is part of Hines’ plan to invest around €3 bn for redeveloping historic buildings in the city’s centre, student housing and large urban regeneration areas.

Fugro Wins Role On Cairo Megaproject

ugro has won a site investigation contract for the second phase of the Cairo Monorail ‘megaproject’. The geophysical and geotechnical investigation contract was awarded by the National Authority for Tunnels represented by Arab Contractors. The megaproject involves the construction of two monorail lines that will create the first public transport links from both Egypt’s as-yet unnamed new administrative capital (NAC) and 6th of October City to the Greater Cairo area. Fugro plans to deploy up to 15 geotechnical drilling rigs along the 43 km line that will connect 6th of October City to Giza via 12 new stations. The testing on the soil samples will take place in Fugro’s IASaccredited laboratory in Cairo. The Cairo Monorail contract is Fugro’s second major urban project in Egypt and the company said that it solidifies its commitment to strengthening capabilities in the country. “We are constantly striving to improve our service offering and deliver a comprehensive range of site investigation services that allow our clients to forge ahead with the design and construction of their strategic projects,” said Mohamed Mostafa, business line director for land site characterisation at Fugro.

will be a 356 m residential building, and will be crowned by a publicly accessible botanical garden. The second 252 m structure will

NETHERLANDS

accommodate offices and a hotel. The Victorian government said that the project would pump $1 bn into the state’s economy, which will help it recover from the economic fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic. Some 4,700 employees will work on the project throughout its seven-year construction period. Philip Cox, Cox Architecture founder, said “The architectural and cultural impact Southbank by Beulah will leave on Melbourne is an exciting prospect and will undoubtedly set a benchmark both locally and globally, now and well into the future.”

BAM Builds Fully Electric Road Roller

AM Infra Nederland has built what it claims is the world’s first fully electric 10- to 12-tonne road roller. It was created by BAM’s plant and equipment department, working on an old machine that was due for an overhaul. The emission-free road roller was put to work on its first project, in the city of Almere. The company said that electric alternatives are available for many types of lighter equipment but that the options in the heavier categories are few and far between. Thanks to its electric propulsion, the roller emits no carbon dioxide or nitrogen whatsoever. In addition, the

electric road roller is much quieter than conventional models. The electric conversion saves seven litres of fuel per hour compared to the roller’s original diesel engine. With the electric road roller, BAM is able to reduce its carbon emissions by approximately 236 kg per day. On an annual basis, with 180 days of operation, the roller could reduce CO2 emissions by more than 42,000 kilograms.

CE&CR May 2020

ENGINEERING MARVEL

Bio Intelligent Quotient (BIQ) House, Germany The first algae-powered building in the world

he world’s first algae-powered building in Hamburg, Germany, the 15-unit Bio Intelligent Quotient (BIQ) House, is a four-storey residential building, which was launched as

a part of the 2013 International Building Exhibition. It was launched with the aim to test the world’s first ‘bio-adaptive’ façade, which uses micro-algae to shade the building as well as generate energy.

Sunlight Tracking Around a Vertical Axis

The BIQ House is the first building in the world to have a bioreactor façade. Construction The structure, which features a bio-adaptive algae façade, was built by international design firm Arup in collaboration with Germany’s SSC Strategic Science Consultants and Austria-based Splitterwerk Architects. Arup is the design and engineering firm that brought the world the Centre Pompidou and the Sydney Opera House. The apartment building was conceived as part of a European movement to design carbon neutral, self-sustaining, and renewably powered structures. The BIQ was funded in large part by the German government to incentivize the development of new adaptive, smart construction materials. Algae was selected as of all the technologies on display, algae power is perhaps considered with the finest pedigree and greatest potential.

CE&CR May 2020

ENGINEERING MARVEL The greenness of the façade, called SolarLeaf, shows that the

are continuously supplied with liquid nutrients and carbon dioxide

algae are breaking down the carbon dioxide and processing it

via a separate water circuit running through the façade. With the aid

through photosynthesis. This renewable form of energy production

of sunlight, the algae can photosynthesise and grow. This process

is thus, visible from outside the building, and is an intentional part of

for generating sustainable, renewable energy creates a shimmering,

the architectural concept.

dynamic green facade for the building.

Second Green Skin

The panels can rotate along their vertical axis to track the

The sides of the building that face the sun have a second outer

position of the sun, and when fully closed, they form together a

shell that is set into the façade itself. The micro-algae used in the

continuous outer skin providing a thermal buffer. The two inner

facades are cultivated in these flat panel glass bioreactors that make

layers form an 18 mm wide cavity with a capacity of 24 litres

up its ‘bio skin’, measuring 2.5 m x 0.7 m. In total, 129 bioreactors

for the circulation of water and growth of algae. For safety and

have been installed on the south-west and south-east faces of the

thermal insulation, the photo bioreactor is clad on both sides

building. This bio-reactive panelling is filled with 200 m of algae.

with laminated safety glass. Compressed air is introduced to

The 200 m2 of integrated photo bioreactors algae façade comes

the bottom of each bioreactor at certain time intervals. The gas

with a net annual energy supply of about 4,500 kW/h of electricity

emerges as large air bubbles and generates an upstream water

more than an average household consumes in a year (3,500 kW/h

flow and turbulence to stimulate the intake of CO2 and light by

per year).

the algae. At the same time, the inner surfaces of the panels are

While the north-east and north-west facades of the building are

washed by the mixture of water and air that is visible to the people.

stylishly attention-commanding, the south-east and south-west façades feature panels of algae that produce heat and biomass to supply the building with energy from renewable sources. The algae

Glass Photo-bioreactors Create the Suitable Environment for Photosynthesis

AirLift-System Bubbles Rising in the SolarLeaf Louvers

CE&CR May 2020

Prototype of the Algae-filled Glass Louver

ENGINEERING MARVEL

Two Sides of the Building are Clad in Panels Containing Live Micro-algae

The Holistic Energy Concept

When the algae hits a certain rate of growth, some of the algae

The BIQ house captures all the energy needed to generate its

is harvested and taken into the building for processing, where the

electricity and heat from the sun, leaving fossil fuels untouched.

biomass is converted into biogas which can be burned to provide

The bioreactors not only produce biomass that can subsequently

heat in the winter and electricity. The carbon dioxide from burning

be harvested, but they also capture solar thermal heat - and both

the biogas is then used to feed the algae. This façade is the first of

energy sources can be used to power the building. This means that

its kind in the world and makes use of the very latest energy and

photosynthesis is driving a dynamic response to the amount of solar

environmental technology.

shading required, while the micro-algae growing in the glass louvres provide a clean source of renewable energy.

These innovative façades contribute to the reduction and removal of 2.5 tons of CO2 emissions from buildings each year.

The bioreactors help to insulate the building and keep out noise.

This remarkably sustainable energy concept is therefore capable

The heart of the system is the fully automated energy management

of creating a cycle of solar thermal energy, geothermal energy, a

centre, which controls each reactor. Here, solar thermal heat and

condensing boiler, local heat, and the capture of biomass using the

algae are harvested in a closed loop to be stored and the reactors

bio-reactor façade.

are turned towards the sun. Excess heat from the sun, unused by

The apartment provides the option of ‘living on demand’, where

the algae, is either used directly for solar hot water or stored in tanks

the individual functions of the apartment can be swapped about or

under the building for later use.

combined to form a ‘neutral zone. This innovative living concept is aimed at ensuring maximum design versatility for everyday life and gives us a glimpse into urban life in the future. With its innovative living concept, futuristic exterior, and “intelligent” algae façade, the BIQ is a highlight of ‘The Building Exhibition within the Building Exhibition’. The BIQ building shows that in the future façades will be able to serve a number of different functions and be much more than an aesthetic cladding to protect against rain and cold. References 1. https://pocacito.eu/sites/default/files/BIQhouse_Hamburg.pdf 2. https://www.arup.com/projects/solar-leaf

Amrita Batra Diagram of the Energy Flow and Operating System Image

Associate Editor Civil Engineering and Construction Review

CE&CR May 2020

FACE-TO-FACE

“Disruptive Specialised Products Have Emerged As Frontrunners In A Crowded Space” Nuvoco Vistas Corp. Ltd. has been a part of the Indian construction landscape since 1999, through its cement business. The company has an established presence across all major cities and towns in India, with its close to sixty-five ready mix concrete plants in India. Mr. Prashant Jha, the head of the RMX Business, talks about Nuvoco’s excellence in the concrete sector.

Mr. Prashant Jha Chief – Ready-Mix Concrete Nuvoco Vistas Corp. Ltd.

CE&CR: Nuvoco offers a range of Artiste Craft

Concrete. In this context, is India’s construction

Prashant Jha: To augment India’s infrastructure and create jobs, the

construction sector is more than ready for higher end

government in the Union Budget launched Rs. 103 trillion worth of infra projects

and more sophisticated ready-mix concrete products

in addition to providing about Rs. 1.70 trillion for transport infrastructure

and solutions. This has been evident from the nature

and accelerating highways construction. The high allocation as proposed

of projects that even Nuvoco has been working on

in the latest budget may meaningfully boost the demand for rural housing

over the years. Currently also, a significant number

and infrastructure. The government’s budgetary push for infrastructure,

of our projects come with very specific requirements

logistics and warehousing will also be a shot in the arm for the industry. The

that call for customising. The end-consumer, having

emphasis on highways and roads development is well-placed; it captures the

been exposed to global trends and developments, is

priorities of economic development and an aspirational India. The emphasis

more discerning and demanding. Nuvoco was one of the first to identify this progression, and we have been addressing it through our Construction Development and Innovation Centre (CDIC) based in Mumbai, which has emerged as our distinguishing feature. It is here where we research, analyse, experiment and address the gaps that we have identified in the market. The CDIC is also NABL accredited, which gives us access to over 55 internationally approved testing and analysis systems.

ivil Engineering & Construction Review: How do you think

sector ready for high-end RMC products having

the Union Budget for FY 2020-21, will impact the concrete

niche applications?

industry?

Prashant Jha: We keenly believe that India’s

on infrastructure development, 100 new airports and a focus on roads will go a long way to revive concrete demand. The budget aims at making growth more inclusive while retaining focus on the immediate priorities. Preference given to household, roads, railways, economic corridors, solar power, and an accelerated development of highways should help boost development and wealth creation. The sops provided in the affordable housing segment will further boost the concrete industry. As per the Prime Minister’s ambitious vision of ‘Housing for All by 2022’ relaxations offered in affordable housing to home buyers and developers alike will offer a large impetus. India is not just the second largest manufacturer of cement in the world; but it is also its second largest consumer. This certainly makes the sector crucial for the India growth

To illustrate, when Lodha started working on World One, the world’s tallest residential towers,

story; that is derived from the burgeoning of the housing sector, which also

we were the only ones in the country who could

indirectly benefits from the government public spending on infrastructure.

offer them concrete with M95 strength (which is

CE&CR May 2020

FACE-TO-FACE unheard of even today). Artiste has paved the entry walkway of the Khodaldham Temple in Rajkot, which saw over 300,000 footfalls on the inaugural day. In Eastern India, we have been associated with Nazrul Tirtha in Kolkata, where Agile (free-flowing concrete) was used to carry out the intricate stencil work, which wasn’t possible with any other form of concrete. InstaMix, our ready-touse bagged concrete, was chosen for the restoration of Elephanta Caves, a world heritage site off the coast of Mumbai. InstaMix, in a customised formula, was transported by sea saving considerable time, money and accompanying resources. The dome of the Amritsar Entry Gate (second largest after the Taj Mahal) has used Nuvoco’s XLite with Polibre to lighten the structure’s weight and control cracks. The Metro projects of Delhi, Mumbai, Noida, and

is a specialised, innovative product, which has widespread applicability

Jaipur have all benefitted from our expertise in offering customised

in the construction of complex buildings and infrastructure projects.

products and solutions based on a need-gap analysis. For instance,

Close behind is self-compacting, levelling and placing concrete

the underground tunnel section of the Mumbai Metro is created

that has helped simplify the construction process, besides reducing

using precast concrete segments that are guaranteed to be last for

the time and labour required. Owing to its potential for enhancing

125 years.

the aesthetics of structures, and the construction of both vertical

CE&CR: What factors affect the choice of concrete products?

and horizontal parts of buildings and edifices, it is getting rapidly

Please elaborate on the specific variants opted by different

adopted. Nuvoco’s Agile is one of the leading self-compacting,

sectors.

free-flowing concrete products, which is widely regarded by

Prashant Jha: Concrete is the second-most consumed product

builders, structural consultants, and architects.

after water, which makes it an innate part of our lives. With the

In the housing segment, repair and retrofitting of existing

rapidly evolving construction methods; disruptive specialised

structures forms an important part. The mixing of dry-mix micro-

products have emerged as frontrunners in a crowded space.

concrete at the construction site is a major challenge that plagues

Nuvoco is a preferred building materials partner in the country

repair contractors as well as clients, as it needs skilled labour

since it swears by the three parameters that play an important role

and close supervision during the mixing process. As a result, the

in selecting the ideal product/solution, i.e. offering assured quality,

execution of such projects is usually quite slow. Hence, a ready

right-on-time delivery and being innovative (as evinced from our

to pour, pre-mixed, non-shrink wet micro concrete provides the

repertoire of varied customised solutions).

perfect solution. Nuvoco’s InstaMix Microne has filled the niche

There are three main sectors which drive concrete requirement

in the growing market of repair and retrofitting of structures.

in India, namely, housing, industrial/commercial, and infrastructure;

For filling up sunken portions in a building/house or terrace

and Nuvoco offers solutions in each of them.

overlay XLite is yet another popular product offered by us, which

Housing: Housing is one of the most burgeoning sectors in

boasts of low density and thermal efficiency. Because of its

India today. With the government push towards ‘Housing for All by

short turnaround time and consistency in quality, it has become

2022’ there will be a surge in demand for concrete in housing sector.

an excellent alternative to Brickbat coba. With a density of

As far the choice of concrete is concerned it depends a lot on the

800-1800 kg/m3, it also helps reduce the structural weight of a

demography meaning a city like Mumbai where there is more of

building. Another innovative solution, which is fast catching up

vertical structure High Performance Concrete (HPC) has emerged

amongst IHB’s is Structural XLite. It offers high strength and a

as a frontrunner. Today, it not only offers huge compressive

density of 1000-1800 kg/m3, while being much lighter. The main

strengths, above 65 MPa (classified by Indian Standard Codes as

advantages of structural grade lightweight concrete structure are

High Strength Concrete), but also imbibes structures with higher

lower dead load; improved seismic structural response; improved

tensile strength, enhanced durability, and increased resistance

fire endurance, thermal and acoustic resistance. As a result,

to wear-and-tear. HPC is also designed to facilitate the efficient

structural grade lightweight concrete can be used extensively in

utilisation of resources, owing to which, columns built using HPC

top floors of high-rise construction and adding storey/floors to

are considerably smaller in size, but big on strength. Nuvoco’s HPC

existing buildings.

CE&CR May 2020

FACE-TO-FACE

Decorative concrete is another popular innovation, which helps builders (commercial and IHB) have the freedom to push the boundaries of design, which also requires reduced maintenance, and offers enhanced durability. Nuvoco’s Artiste is a popular solution as it looks much better than conventional alternatives like pavers, and comes in a variety of vivid colours, patterns, and textures. One of the biggest challenges faced by IHB’s is availability of quality concrete at their doorstep without having to run to multiple vendors for sand, cement, and aggregate. This problem is addressed by our InstaMix first ready-to-use wet concrete in 35 kg bags. This unique product guarantees quality assurance and sustainable construction in the space of affordable housing, job sites in congested areas where accessibility is a big challenge and big construction sites where low volumes of concrete are required for ease of construction. It is easy to use, ensures minimal wastage, and enables faster construction keeping the job site clean. Industrial/Commercial:

Industrial

flooring

has

specific

requirements, for example, it needs to be durable, cost effective; and if used for pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities, it is also bound by numerous constraints like safety and hygiene. Nuvoco’s Artiste Engrave and Artiste Hue belong to the family of decorative concrete that can be used for industrial flooring as they combine the freedom of design with low maintenance and high durability.

Nuvoco also offers Steelibre, which is concrete reinforced with steel fibres. This helps increase the ductility allowing for superior load-bearing capacity and safer floors; in addition to being economic. Infrastructure: under this category the first and foremost requirement is of concrete which gives the desired strength in minimum timeframe and have a long shelf life. Basis these requirements we have Robuste – a high grade, high performance concrete for 50 to 100 + MPa strength. Robuste provides economic benefits through thinner construction elements and reduced construction time. For the ongoing Mumbai Metro, we are supplying Robuste. Then we have Instante and Structural XLite which helps in early strength and faster removal of formwork without altering the quality and giving the same strength as compared to normal concrete without increasing dead load, respectively. For the piling work of Mumbai Metro, we have supplied Lente. CE&CR: In what way will using your RMC product help an enduser company? Prashant Jha: Nuvoco’s vision of building a safer, smarter and sustainable world means our offerings – be they conventional products or customised solutions – are designed to bring greater comfort and improve the quality of our customers’ everyday surroundings; while also minimising the negative impact on the environment. Our range of 14 ready-mix concrete products and their variants emphasise quality, reinforce innovation and build trust. They can be customised to suit any specific construction need and provide multiple benefits. Our concrete flagship brands encompass: − Agile, the self-compacting and self-consolidating concrete with a high-quality surface finish has been used for the Aquatics Gallery Ahmedabad. − Artiste, a range of decorative concrete that combines freedom of design with low maintenance and high durability, has been selected by Lemon Tree Hotel Udaipur as well as Magic Mountain (one of the biggest amusem*nt parks in India).

Available in an array of vibrant colours, patterns and textures,

− Xlite, the low-density concrete that reduces structural weight

Artiste is a stunning design material which also offers all the

and lowers thermal conductivity, was supplied to the Bengal

traditional advantages of concrete such as resilience and resistance

Rowing Club and the P&G Factory in Baddi (Himachal Pradesh),

to wear-and-tear, perfectly levelled and monolithic structure that lasts up to 20 years. We have also successfully used Agile, our free-flowing concrete for constructing oncology chambers in hospitals, which follow stringent rules laid down by Atomic Energy Regulatory Board

amongst others. InstaMix, our ready-to-use bagged concrete and mortar offerings are designed to deliver cost-effective, easy-to-use construction solution in any location. InstaMix was chosen for Antila (Mr. Mukesh Ambani’s residence in Mumbai) as

(AERB). Agile is an ideal solution for structures with complex

well as the INOX Theatre in Inorbit Mall, Malad (Mumbai).

configurations or requirements as it affords more floor space by impermeability.

CE&CR: What is trending in terms of concrete for infrastructure projects and how are these trends reflected in your recent launches?

CE&CR May 2020

reducing the thickness of the walls without compromising on

FACE-TO-FACE Prashant Jha: The concrete which is widely in demand for infrastructure projects are high-performance concrete with early setting from dedicated captive batching plants. As one of the leading and most trusted building materials manufacturers in the country, Nuvoco has had the privilege of being the primary supplier for four major Metro projects in India, namely in Delhi, Mumbai, Noida, and Jaipur. Nuvoco was entrusted the full scope of work, starting from the setting up batching plants to their operation, maintenance, and procurement of raw materials. For the Delhi Metro, Nuvoco executed a CC34 package comprising three underground metro stations, one launching shaft and one cross-over. Likewise. for the Jaipur Metro, Nuvoco supplied concrete solutions for the construction of the underground tunnel between Chandpole and Badi Chouper, as well as the metro stations of Choti Chouper and Badi Chouper on the East-West Corridor. We were also chosen to supply 243,700 m3 of concrete for the Noida Metro’s NC 01 - elevated viaduct and 8 elevated stations, and NC 02 - elevated viaduct and 7 elevated stations. Nuvoco set up three dedicated captive plants for the project to achieve concrete output of 250 m3/hr, with one plant being used as a precast yard for the casting of pre-stressed U girders for the elevated viaduct. Nuvoco used its high-performance early strength concrete, Robuste, of M55 Grade, for the project, ensuring the U Girders achieved a strength of 12 – 14 MPa at 12 hrs for early de-shuttering. As a result, it was successfully able to erect 200 U-shaped girders in May 2016, which earned the project a place in the Limca Book of Records, as it was the most number of girders erected in a month on a single metro line project. The Mumbai Metro Line – 3, an ongoing project, is the first underground metro line in Mumbai, connecting Cuffe Parade to SEEPZ, with 26 underground stations and one at-grade station. The concrete was required for package 4, which will comprise three underground stations of Siddhi Vinayak, Dadar, and sh*tladevi. Nuvoco set up a dedicated captive plant at the site, for the production and supply of 2,48,000 m3 of concrete, which include High Early Strength as well as standard concrete. The project required the construction of 6082 m twin bored tunnels with an internal finished diameter of 5.80 m. The underground tunnel sections needed to be 1.4 m long, 1 m wide, and 275 mm in height, with a volume of 1.4 m3, and required the use of precast concrete tunnel segments or rings, to provide a protective lining and reinforcement to the structure. The precast concrete segment has to be strong enough to take the heavy load, durable enough to last 125 years and plastic enough when casted to take proper shape and set properly. Nuvoco addressed all these issues with products Agile and Robuste, which ensured high early strength for enhanced productivity and provided ease in placement of concrete in the thin structural moulds, which ensured faster production cycle.

CE&CR May 2020

Robuste of M-50 grade is designed to set rapidly and gain 14 MPa strength in 16 Hours with a slump of 100 mm to 140 mm, as per the approved mix design is produced at the Nuvoco captive batching plant, and transported to the location by transit mixers. Instamix Mortare a fibre reinforced water resistance cement plaster available in 30 kg packaging ready to apply wet plaster was used for plastering and finishing the wall, and Robuste was used to reduce the amount of reinforcement. As a result, Nuvoco ended up completing the casting of the entire diaphragm wall without any glitches and with utmost customer satisfaction. CE&CR: Please tell us about your company’s offering to address waterproofing concerns in Indian construction project. Prashant Jha: With the need to build stronger, sturdier structures in various environmental conditions, construction chemicals have started playing a bigger role than before. Construction chemicals are specialty products that are crucial for sustainable infrastructure and energy conservation, for increasing the durability of buildings, and providing added fortification from environmental hazards. This growth in the market can be attributed to escalation in construction of residential houses and commercial complexes across the country. Nuvoco offers a range of products that address waterproofing concerns. We have an entire vertical, Modern Building Materials, which includes products like construction chemicals to save from seepage, peeling and cracks; wall fill solutions for architectural freedom; and cover blocks for strong, lightweight and stable frameworks under the Zero M and InstaMix brands. We recently launched InstaMix Plastosmart, which is a high-performance readymix dry cement plaster meant for exterior, interior and ceiling applications. Its PAF technology makes the plaster resistant to water and shrinkage cracks; thereby enhancing the durability of the structure. Similarly, our Duraguard Waterseal Cement is characterised by a Damp-Lock Formula, which blocks the micro pores in standard brick and mortar walls and helps guard the structure against dampness from the foundation to the roof. In addition to keeping kitchens and bathrooms dry and free from humidity; Duraguard Waterseal can also be used to protect TMT bars from corrosion.

CONCRETING

GGBS: The Most Effective SCM For Concrete Similarly, from Fig. 2, it can be noted that as w/b ratio decreases, Dr. Narayan V. Nayak Principal Advisor Gammon Engineers and Contractors Pvt. Ltd.

permeability decreases substantially and vice versa. For example, when w/b ratio changes from 0.35 to 0.65, the strength decreases by 63%, but permeability increases substantially by 950 times. Permeability is directly linked with durability; for making the concrete more durable, its permeability has to be kept low, rather the concrete

Introduction

has to be made ‘impermeable’.

The factors - durable, sustainable and economic are necessary for modern

Main Secondary Cementitious Materials

concrete. The basic requirements for producing such concrete are:

–– The SCMs presently available are Fly Ash (FA), Ground Granulated

–– Low water binder (w/b) ratio. Low w/b ratio is always desirable,

Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS), Metakaolin (MK), Micro-silica (MS)/Silica

rather essential for high strength and high performance

Fume (SF), Rice Husk Ash (RHA), Ultrafine Slag (UFS) and Ultrafine

(durable) concrete (Fig. 1 and Fig. 2).

Fly Ash (UFFA). All these SCMs are industrial waste products, except

–– Secondary cementitious materials (SCMs)

Metakaolin (MK); MK is a natural produce, which is heated to 700800°C to make it amorphous and reactive. –– Fly ash is a waste product from thermal power stations and is generated around 300 Mt per annum, thereby creating huge problem of its disposal. Government is providing incentive for using FA in embankment, etc; however, still there is substantial excess material. –– GGBS is a slag waste product from steel plants, which is subsequently processed. Around 11 Mt of GGBS is produced per annum and the entire quantity is fully utilized in the cement

Fig. 1: Generalized Relationship between Water Binder Ratio and Compressive Strength of Concrete - Lower the Ratio, Higher is the Strength

In Fig. 1, from all the three curves [BIS, ACI and Road Note No.4 (U.K.)], it can be noted that as w/b ratio decreases, strength increases.

industry (for manufacturing slag cement, PSC), or used at batching plant long with OPC. An increased quantity of GGBS is required for use in the cement industry as it is the ‘best’ SCM, as illustrated. Hence, efforts should be made to get raw materials and slag even by importing. –– MS/SF is a waste product from silicon industries. It is basically an imported product, which is imported from Norway, Bhutan and China. Its use in high strength concrete and high performance concrete is essential because of its characteristics of imparting early strength and early high impermeability to concrete. Fortunately, better local products are now available in India to replace SF/MS, such as UFS and UFFA. –– RHA is a product, considered as waste product, produced from rice husk. But in India, it is generally burnt in open air, thus polluting the environment. We are still in R & D stage to use RHA,

Fig. 2: The Effect of w/b Ratio on Permeability of Concrete

though it is marketed in USA under patented name ‘Agro Silica’.

CE&CR May 2020

CONCRETING –– UFS is produced from GGBS. The same is available under the patented name ‘Alccofine’, and is produced in Goa. It is found to be more effective than MS/SF in concrete. –– UFFA is a much finer product than FA. It is also considered that it can replace SF/MS in concrete, though adequate tests are yet to be conducted in recognized institutes. FA and GGBS are known as fine SCMs, whereas MK, MS/SF, RHA, UFS and UFFA are known as ultrafine SCMs. Basic Requirements Of SCMs And Codal Stipulations In general, finer varieties of SCMs are found to be more effective; for example, ultrafine fly ash (UFFA) is found to be more effective than fly ash (FA) and ultrafine slag (UFS) is found to be much more effective than GGBS. Also, it has been observed that along with fineness, particle size distribution (PSD) has profound influence on ‘rheology’ of concrete. Well graded PSD, particularly combined with other cementitious materials, gives better strength and durability

Fig.3: Generalized PSD Curves for Ultrafine Slag, Metakaolin, OPC-53, Fly Ash and Densified Micro Silica

curves including that of GGBS, which may explain majority of the effectiveness of ultrafine slag. The permissible upper limits of SCMs as per the National and International Codes/Standards are given in Table 1.

to concrete. Fig. 3 provides generalized PSD curves of some of fine

From Table 1, it can be noted that as per Indian Standards (except

and ultrafine SCMs, along with OPC-53 grade cement. Thus, it may

IRC), maximum permissible limit of replacement permitted with

be noted that PSD curve for ultrafine slag scores over other PSD

GGBS is practically 2 times as compared to with fly ash. Further,

Table 1: Permissible Limits of SCMs as per Various National/International Standards Upper Permissible Limits for Use in Concrete as per, SCMs in Concrete

Indian Standards IS 456 : 2000

IRC 112 : 2011

Generally 35% could be more as per the Amendment 4 to IS 456 : 2000

Max. 35%

GGBS

Generally 70% could be more as per the Amendment 4 to IS 456 : 2000

Max. 70%

Ultrafine SCMs

No limits specified (Usually 5-12% for SF, 3-12% for UFS & 6-20% for UFFA)

No limits specified (Usually 5-12% for SF, 2-20% for UFS & 6-20% for UFFA)

Composite Cement

As per Table 1 Clause 5.1 of IS 16415 : 2015, combined fly ash and GGBS content shall be max. 65% and min. OPC content shall be 35%.

Fly Ash

MoRTH : 2013 (5th Revision)

IRS : 2003

Max. 35%

British Standards BSEN 450-2012 and BS 4246-1996

55% (BSEN 450-2012)

35% for general concrete and can be higher for mass concrete (ACI 232.2R-18)

85% (BS 4246-1996)

50% (ACI 233R-17)

(Very Unfortunate Provision in IRS) Max. 70%

American Standards ACI 232.2R-18 and ACI 233R-17

Note:

Literature survey (Table 2) indicates that some of the countries and

1. MoRTH: Ministry of Road Transport and Highways

for certain types of concrete, permissible replacement of GGBS

2. IRC: Indian Roads Congress

(slag) is as much as 80 to 90%; it is 90% in Mexico and 80% (even

3. IIRS: Indian Railway Standards

exceeding 80%) in France.

26 CE&CR May 2020

CONCRETING

Table 2: Permissible Limits of Replacement of Slag in Blended Cement in Various Countries Country

National Symbol

Designation

Slag %

Table 3: pH Values of Mortar and Concrete with and without GGBS S. No.

Description of Material

pH Value Initial

After 7 days

After 28 days

After 56 days

After 90 days

Cement 100% + Water 0.4 w/b

12.8

12.4

12.3

12.2

12.0

GGBS 100% + water 0.4 w/b

9.7

Cement 30% + GGBS 70% + water

12.4

12.3

12.2

Cement 40% + GGBS 60% + water

12.7

12.4

12.3

12.1

Cement 50% + GGBS 50% + water

12.8

12.3

12.2

Cement 100%

12.3

12.4

Cement 30% + GGBS 70%

12.4

12.3

12.2

Cement 40% + GGBS 60%

12.4

12.3

mixed at the batching plant, where the plant is computerized 9.

Cement 50% + GGBS 50%

12.4

12.6

12.4

Argentina Canada China

France

Germany

Japan

South Korea Mexico

BLF

IRAM-1636

10-35

PSL

IRAM-1630

35-75

10 S

CAN/CSA

25-70

Mortar

BLF

GB1344-85

20-70

BLF-LH

GB200-89

20-60

CHF

NFP 15-301

40-75

CHF ES

P 15-319

60-75

CLK

NFP 15-301

>80

HOZ

DIN1164-1

36-80

HS (HOZ)

DIN1164-1

70-80

NW(HOZ)

DIN1164-1

36-80

BSC-B

JIS R 5211

30-60

BSC-C

JIS R 5211

60-70

BLF-S

KSL 5210

25-65

BLF-1

KSL 5210

25-65

SL Li

NOMC-184

65-90

After 6 months

After 12 months

12.1

12.2

12.3

12.2

12.1

12.5

12.3

12.2

Source: Bensted J., Barnes P. “Structure and Performance of Cements”, Concrete Mix Second Edition (2001), CRC Press Publication.

This paper strongly recommends use of at least 70% GGBS in 7. all concrete, including superstructures. The initial slow strength gain with high percentage of GGBS can be overcome by the use of ultrafine slag (SCM) in small percentage (say around 3%). It is to be noted that cement manufacturers generally do not exceed 50% GGBS in slag cement. In any case, GGBS should be using permissible Codal high percentages of GGBS. This gives economic advantage to the client/customer, as compared to the manufacturers.

Main Characteristics Of GGBS pH Value Of Concrete With GGBS pH value of GGBS and OPC is around 9.7 and 12.8, respectively. Hence, many are apprehensive that pH value of pore solution

Note: As per IRC 112-2011, B2-1-pH value of pore solution in concrete is generally in the region of 12-14. Steel will not be generally corroded until the pH drops below 10.

a period of 1 year had pH values higher than 12.1 (Table 3).

Permeability Of Concrete

particularly with high percentages of GGBS, may fall below 10.0,

The best way to make the concrete durable is to make it

thereby exposing the reinforcement to corrosion; fortunately, such

impermeable. GGBS has significant influence in reducing the

an apprehension is found to be untrue. One of the projects wherein

permeability of concrete. Literature survey indicates that concrete

the author was involved, laboratory experiments were conducted

made with slag/GGBS is more impermeable than PPC concrete

and it was observed that concrete even with 70% GGBS and after

(concrete with fly ash) or pure OPC concrete (Table 4). The table shows

CE&CR May 2020 27

CONCRETING

Table 4: Chloride Diffusion for Different Types of Concrete Type of Cement

Chloride Diffusion sq.cm/s x 10-8 with w/b = 0.5 at 25°C

Contribution Of GGBS To Sustainability It is a known fact that concrete adds to the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The cement produced adds roughly 0.9 t of carbon to the

OPC

4.47 (10.9)

atmosphere. However, replacing cement by waste products like Fly Ash,

Pozzolana Cement (70% OPC and 30% fly ash)

1.47 (3.6)

GGBS, and the emission of greenhouse gases can be reduced. From Table

Slag Cement (35% OPC and 65% fly ash)

0.41 (1.0)

Sulphate Resisting Cement

10.00 (24.4)

1, it can be noted that the various National and International Codes permit much higher replacement of cement by GGBS. Thus, GGBS contributes

that it is far more impermeable as compared to Sulphate Resisting

to producing sustainable concrete. At the same time, concrete becomes

Concrete (SRC).

more durable (because of reduction in permeability) and economical, as

Note: Values in () are multiples of that with respect to slag cement.

fly ash and GGBS are cheaper than cement. Also, their long term (say 1

Source: Nayak, N. V., & Jain, A. K. (2018). Concrete Sustainability. Anne

year) strength gain is higher than OPC concrete.

Books Pvt. Ltd. Our Codal (BIS and UK) stipulation recommends SRC concrete when sulphate content is high. Sea water in general has high sulphate as well as chloride content. Hence, if we use SRC in marine conditions, it will be harmful for durability of concrete because of high permeability. Hence, Tomlinson and the author strongly recommend not using SRC in marine works.

Quality Of GGBS Product In general, the quality of GGBS is very good and consistent unlike fly ash, ultrafine fly ash, silica fume, etc. FA, UFFA and SF vary widely in quality. Metakaolin could have been of good quality and consistency if temperature during processing could be maintained consistently between 700-800°C, which rarely Table 5: GGBS vs. Fly Ash- Merits and Demerits

Further, the author in one of their project, conducted Rapid Chloride Penetration Test (RCPT) on concrete, with slag (GGBS) and without it. The results are indicated in the Fig. 4. It can be observed that RCPT values after 56 days of concrete M40 have decreased from 1615 to 279 coulomb with 50% GGBS and to 213 coulomb with 70% GGBS, which is indeed a significant reduction. Some have reservation of RCPT results and would prefer rapid

GGBS Permissible Percentage Replacement

Higher (70-85%) (+)

Lower (35-55%) (-)

Quality of Product

Very Stringent and very consistent (+)

Not Stringent and not very consistent (-)

Cost of Product

Generally costly (40-50% of cost of cement) (But concrete may workout cheaper with higher percentage of GGBS) (+)

Generally cheap (≈20% of cost of cement) (+)

Hydration

Hydraulic (+)

Non-hydraulic (-)

Mass Concrete – Concrete Temperature

Lower mainly because of higher permissible replacement (+)

Relatively higher because of lower permissible replacement (-)

Production Facilities/ Availability

South India and Western India. Hence, more costly in Northern India. (+)

Practically, all over the country. Hence, cheaper. (+)

Long Term Strength (over 28 days)

Much higher than OPC (≈35-40% with 70-85% GGBS) (+)

Lower than high % GGBS but more than OPC (≈25-30% with 35-55% replacement) (-)

Creep – Initial and Total

Far less with permissible high percentage of GGBS and small percentage of UFS (Alcofine (3-6%) (+)

More than GGBS with high permissible percentage of fly ash and small percentage of UFFA (6-20%)

Segregation and Bleeding

Lower chances than OPC (+)

Sustainability

Very high with permissible high replacement (+)

Lower than GGBS (-)

chloride migration test (RCMT). The author would like to conduct these tests in the near future, but is confident that trend of the results would be same. Such a drastic reduction in coulomb cannot be expected from fly ash (Table 4).

Fig.4: RCPT Test Results at 7, 28 and 56 days for M40 Grade of Concrete

Fly Ash

CE&CR May 2020

CONCRETING happens in the present Indian conditions. Creep, segregation

Effect Of Ultrafine Slag On Concrete

and bleeding is also greatly reduced as noted in Table 5,

Micro silica because of its characteristics of yielding early high

wherein merits and demerits of fly ash and GGBS are highlighted.

strength and early high impermeability became part of high strength

GGBS: Most Effective Tool In Resisting Environmental Attacks On Concrete

and high performance concrete. Unfortunately, there are many other limitations of MS, such as shrinkage cracks, difficulty in pumping,

There are five environmental factors which affect the durability

decreasing strength on aging, etc. Fortunately, India has developed a new product, which has all

of concrete. These factors are:

the advantages of MS and no disadvantage of silica fume. Such a

–– Marine environment

product is patented and is known as ‘Alccofine 1203’. It is superior to

–– Carbonation in environment

micro silica, with reference to slump development, slump retention

–– Sulphate attack

and ease of pumping; while with micro silica, pumping of concrete

–– Alkali-silica reaction

was difficult, as the concrete would become sticky.

–– Industrial waste product environment

Another major advantage of Alccofine is that when it is added in

It is known that PSC concrete is ideal for marine environment

small quantities (say around 3%) to the concrete mix, the cost of the

subjected to chloride corrosion. Higher the GGBS content, better

concrete gets reduced, in addition to making concrete more durable

is the chloride corrosion resistance of concrete, mainly because of

and economic. The cost reduction is INR 200/- per cubic metre of

substantial reduction in permeability of concrete with increasing

concrete for M25 to M40 grades of concrete. Further, the reduction

GGBS, as illustrated in Fig. 4.

is more in higher grade of concrete. Also, cost reduction is apparently

Few years ago, PSC concrete or concrete with GGBS was considered weak against carbonation attack. The subsequent studies

more than when fly ash is added as SCM rather than GGBS.

Conclusion

have revealed that concrete with GGBS and low w/b ratio is more

For producing durable, sustainable and economic concrete,

impermeable, as can be noted from Table 4 and Fig. 4. Hence, PSC

it is necessary to use low w/b ratio in concrete mix and also use secondary cementitious

Table 6: Effectiveness of Various SCMs with respect to the Environment

S. No.

Type of SCM

% Addition with respect to Total Cementitious Materials

Resistance to alkali-silica reaction/ Expansion

On Carbonation Resistance

materials as part replacement

On Chloride Resistance

On Sulphate Resistance

On Resistance to Industrial Waste

Fly Ash

35-50%

Excellent

Moderate

Good

Slightly Better than OPC

GGBS

50-70%

Excellent

Moderate to Good with Low w/b Ratio

Excellent

Silica Fume

5-10%

Excellent

Moderate

Very Good

Moderate to poor

Metakaolin

10-20%

Excellent

Moderate

Very Good

Moderate to poor

SCMs, replacement of cement by GGBS is permitted to a maximum of 70%. Thus, it helps in producing sustainable

w/b ratio resists carbonation very well. Table 6 indicates effectiveness of various SCMs in resisting environmental hazards. From Table 6, it is evident that GGBS is the ‘best’ SCM. Out of the five environmental issues, it is ‘excellent’ in four cases, whereas the

c o n c r e t e . Fu r t h e r, i t i s observed that of the various

concrete with high percentages of slag and in particular with low

SCMs presently used in India, GGBS is the most effective in resisting environmental hazards on concrete. Also,

once permissible upper limit of replacement is much with GGBS, it helps in producing sustainable concrete. It was also observed that ultrafine GGBS, Alccofine is more effective than SF and it also reduces the cost of concrete. Hence, it can be said ‘GGBS: The Most Effective SCM for Concrete’.

other three SCMs have received ‘excellent’ only in one case. Even in

References

carbonation resistance, it is better than the three other SCMs.

CE&CR May 2020

to cement. Of the various

American Concrete Institute 232.2 R-03, Use of Fly Ash in Concrete.

CONCRETING 2. ASTM C 1240 – 15, Standard specification for use of Silica Fume as Mineral admixture in hydraulic cement concrete, mortar and grout. 3. ASTM C 618, Standard specification for coal fly ash and raw or natural calcined pozzolan for use in concrete. 4. Barnes, P., & Bensted, J. (2002). Structure and performance of cements. CRC Press. 5. British Standard 4246-1996 Specification for High Slag Blast Furnace Cement. 6. British Standard European Norm 450-2012, Fly Ash for Concrete. 7. Dinakar, P. (2010). “Effect of Ultrafine Slag on the Fresh and Hardened Properties of Ultra High Strength Concrete”, Proceedings of ICI-AECON 2010, 5-9 December 2010, IIT Madras, Chennai, India. 8. Indian Roads Congress, IRC:112-2011- Code of Practice for Concrete Road Bridges 9. IRC 112 – 2011 - Code of Practice for Concrete Road Bridges. 10. IRS – Code of Practice for Plain, Reinforced and Pre-stressed Concrete for General Bridge Construction (Concrete Bridge Code). 2nd Rev. 1997. Reprint 2014 (incorporating A & C 1 to 13). 11. IS 1489 (Part-1): 2015, Portland Pozzolana Cement – Specification, Bureau of Indian Standards. 12. IS 15388: 2003, Silica fume – Specification Bureau of Indian Standards. 13. IS 16415: 2015, Composite cement – Specification Bureau of Indian Standards.

14. IS 16714: 2018, Ground granulated blast furnace slag for use in cement, mortar and concrete – Specification, Bureau of Indian Standards. 15. IS 3812: 2013, Pulverised fuel ash – Specification (Part-1&2), Bureau of Indian Standards. 16. IS 455: 2015, Portland Slag Cement – Specification, Bureau of Indian Standards. 17. IS 456: 2000, Plain and Reinforced Concrete - Code of Practice, Bureau of Indian Standards 18. Ministry of Road Transport and Highways Specifications (MoRTH) Specification for Road and Bridge Works 2013 (5th Revision). 19. Nayak, N. V. & Yatin, J. (September, 2019). “Fine and Ultrafine Materials for Concrete Durability”, Civil Engineering & Construction Review, 32(09). 20. Nayak, N. V. (2015). Foundation Design manual (7th Edition). DhanpatRai Publications. 21. Nayak, N. V. (October, 2019). “Simple Guideline for Producing Sustainable, Durable and Economical Concrete”, New Buildings Materials & Construction World, 25(4). 22. Nayak, N. V., & Jain, A. K. (2018). Concrete Sustainability. Anne Books Pvt. Ltd. 23. Nayak, N. V., & Mokal, M. (2018). Handbook on “Quality and Productivity Improvement of Concrete”, Narosa Publishing House. 24. Test data from Gammon Engineers and Contractors Pvt. Ltd, Mumbai, India.

CE&CR May 2020

CONCRETING

Performance Assessment Of Concrete Made With Ternary Cementitious Blends Against Chloride Ingress And CO2 Attack V V Arora

environment like sulphate, acids, chloride ingress and improved

Joint Director,

resistance against alkali silica reaction. Use of fly ash and granulated

National Council for Cement and Building Materials

blast furnace slag in the production of blended cements, i.e., Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC) and Portland Slag Cement (PSC)

Puneet Kaura Deputy Manager, National Council for Cement and Building Materials

is also beneficial for conservation of natural resources. Such method indirectly also allows significant reduction in CO 2 emission by reducing the quantities of clinker used in the cement manufacturing through replacing it by mineral additives with hydraulic properties, such as blast furnace slag and fly ash from power plants. However,

Piyush Mittal Project Engineer, National Council for Cement and Building Materials

certain issues like carbonation and carbonation induced corrosion in blended cement has always been a matter of concern. Indeed, carbonation in blended cements is high in comparison to ordinary Portland cement, but subsequent corrosion rate may be on the lower side. This is mainly due to the development of dense cement-

B N Mohapatra Director General, National Council for Cement and Building Materials

aggregate matrix at later ages in case of blended cements. Nowadays, use of industrial by-product as a multi-cementitious component in the manufacturing of composite cement is a gaining momentum. However, end users are still apprehensive with the application of ternary blended system or composite cement in

structural use. n the Indian market, the share of blended cements regarding

It is a well-known fact that the production of cement is the third

the total quantity of cement manufactured in 2010 was 68% and

largest source of anthropogenic emission of carbon dioxide that

has increased to 73% of total cement production in 2017. This is

roughly contributes as much as 8% of the global CO2 emissions[1].

largely due to the market’s growing acceptance of blended cements,

To mitigate the CO2 emissions, alternative in terms of partial or full

emerging awareness of sustainability concepts, the availability of fly

replacement to cement is desirable, as manufacturing of one tonne

ash from thermal power plants and the use of advanced technology.

of OPC approximately requires 1.5 tonnes of raw materials, which

The production of Pozzolana Portland Cement (PPC, fly ash based)

approximately leads to the generation of 0.9 tonne of CO2 [2].

had grown from 61% in 2010 to 65% in 2017. However, the quantum

The worldwide use of fly ash and GGBS in concrete as a

of Portland Slag Cement (PSC) in total cement production remained

sustainable and durable constituent had been studied by various

saturated, i.e., at less than 10%, over the same period.

researchers over the last 30-40 years. Exhaustive research work done

Use of PPC and PSC for structural use has been pretty much

has been devoted to study the effect of fly ash and slag cement in

established by the concrete technologist. It has been seen that

concrete and its durability characteristics in laboratory and field

usage of blended cements in general imparts improved durability

environment. P. Van den heede et al. [3] had studied the effect of

characteristics to concrete in aggressive environment by reducing

chloride ion migration in concrete made with fly ash (15% and

its permeability. This leads to higher resistance against aggressive

50 %), and concrete made with slag (50% and 70 %) for service life

CE&CR May 2020

CONCRETING assessment in submerged marine environment. Their study indicates

of 20, 40 and 60 N/mm2. In TBC mixes, percentage replacement of

prolonged curing has beneficial effect on the chloride resistance of

PC with PFA (pulverized fly ash) has been varied from 15% to 35%,

concrete containing fly ash, whereas concrete mixes with 50% and

with GGBS has been varied from 25% to 65%, and silica fume being

70% slag shows decrease in migration coefficient with increase in

kept constant to 10%. The test results show that the carbonation

slag content irrespective of the curing age. Gengying Li et al. [4]

depths of TBC mixes were on average 2.5 times higher than those

carried out a study on concrete in-cooperating FA and GGBS together

of the PC/PFA control and degree of carbonation relates to the

(i.e. GGFAC), control made with ordinary Portland cement (PCC) and

amount of PC replaced. However, in terms of chloride resistance,

high-volume FA high strength concrete (HFAC). The assessment

TBC mixes on average had 80% lower chloride concentration at 16-

was made based on short-term and long-term performance test of

30 mm depth than the PC/PFA control. These results are in line with

the concrete under acidic environment simulated by using of 2%

the work done by Jose Caballero [10], where effect of fly ash, slag

H2SO4 solution. In their study, HFAC contains 40% FA and GGFAC

and their combinations have been studied for marine environment.

contains 25% FA and 15% GGBS. The test result indicates that GGFAC

VV Arora et al. [11,12,13,14,15] studied the effect of blended cements

concrete is superior to HFAC and PCC against the H2SO4 attack with

on the service life design of concrete structures exposed to coastal

lowest rate of decalcification while maintaining long term strength.

environment and semi-arid environment. Their study shows that

Michael D. A. Thomas et al. [5] investigated the long-term field and

w/c ratio has significant effect on durability behaviour of concrete.

laboratory performance of concrete made with 30% fly ash and 70%

Even the durability tests either conventional long term or short-term

slag as a partial replacement to Ordinary Portland cement exposed

tests are influenced by the w/c ratio and type of binder composition.

to chloride laden environment. The result indicates that diffusivity

Concrete made with blended cements shows higher resistance

of chloride ion in concrete containing fly ash or slag is considerably

against the chloride ingress when tested as per ISO 1920 part 11.

more sensitive to the aging than that of Plain Portland cement

Indeed, carbonation resistance of concrete made with blended

concrete. The reduction in the rate of diffusion was observed for

cement is lower than that of conventional concrete made with

the field conditions, i.e., marine environment in which blocks were

OPC but the rate of increase of carbonation in concrete made with

exposed and found to be like values obtained experimentally in

blended cement i.e. PPC and PSC was somewhat less in comparison

laboratory. Mukesh et al. [6] studied the suitability of CEMII (fly ash

to concrete made with OPC. This implies the carbonation model for

based as per EN 197) and CEM V cement (i.e. composite cement

concrete made with OPC cannot be used for concrete made with

containing fly ash and slag as per EN 197) to produce green concrete

blended cements. Their studies also suggest that non-destructive

through mechanical and durability tests. Mechanical properties have

tests like electrical resistivity and torrent air permeability can be

been studied in terms of compressive strength, flexural strength,

used for the service life assessment of RC structures provided that

drying shrinkage whereas carbonation and initial absorption test

concrete composition is known.

were used to determined durability behaviour of the concrete. The test results indicate that the performance of ternary blends in terms of compressive strength and flexural strength is comparable to control concrete, whereas drying shrinkage of ternary blends concrete is far lower to that of control concrete at later ages. In terms of durability performance, ternary and binary blends have shown superior permeation, property but lower resistance to carbonation. It was also seen that carbonation resistance in ternary cement concrete was more influenced by the amount of SCM’s and effect of water-cementitious materials ratio is insignificant. However, effect

Research Significance Recently, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has brought out standard specification IS: 16415-2015 for composite cement. The composite cements or ternary cementitious systems are blended cements that are manufactured using 35-65% Portland cement clinker/ordinary Portland cement along with 15-35% fly ash and 20-50% granulated blast furnace slag together as the blending component. Application of composite cement for the structural use in present form is not advisable because of some durability concerns.

of water cement ratio on carbonation resistance was found to be

To address this issue, NCB has taken up the study to investigate

more prominent in case of binary system concrete, which agrees

the effect of composite cement or ternary cementitious blends (fly

with the work done by Atis et al. [7] and Khunthong Keaw et al [8].

ash and GGBS) in concrete. This study conducted at NCB will also

M. R. Jones [9], examined the carbonation and chloride resistance of

support the cement industry, which is presently facing problems

concrete containing ternary blended concrete (TBC) and compared

due to depletion of natural resources like fuel and shortage of raw

the same with PC (Portland Cement) concrete and binary (PC/PFA:

materials (i.e. cement grade limestone) along with climate concerns

70%/30%) concrete of equivalent standard 28 day cube strengths

like CO2 emission, it will also be helpful for the construction industry,

CE&CR May 2020

CONCRETING which is still apprehensive while dealing with supplementary

The concrete mixes were designed with low OPC content and

cementitious materials. In the present work, ternary concrete mixes

high volume of supplementary cementitious materials like fly

as described below were designed at water-cementitious materials

ash and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS). By utilizing

ratio of 0.60.

combinations of these two - industrial products as a partial

Concrete Mix Proportion

replacement to OPC in concrete, the concrete can be made more

Sample Id

Cementitious system

Binary

CM1

CM2

CM3

CM4

Ternary or composite Ternary or composite Ternary or composite Ternary or composite

Total Cementitious (kg/m3)

sustainable and economical. OPC 43G (%)

Flyash (%)

GGBS (%)

Results And Discussion Compressive Strength

300

Compressive strength of concrete is the measure of resistance against compressive forces and mainly used at construction site for quality control purposes. Generally, compressive strength of the concrete is influenced by various factors, such as concrete mix proportioning, w/c or w/cm ratio, type of cement, curing regime, specimen geometry and many more.

Performance of the ternary concrete mixes or composite cement had been evaluated in terms of mechanical parameters and durability parameters as listed below, and comparison was done with binary concrete mix containing 35% fly ash (also known to be PPC with fly ash content 35%). List of mechanical and durability test conducted to measure the performance of the concrete mixes against chloride ingress and CO2

Fig. 1: Compressive Strength Development with Age

attack as follows:

The compressive cube strength of the various ternary concrete mixes

Mechanical Parameters

at water-cementitious ratio 0.60 made with combination of varying

–– Compressive strength –– Flexural strength –– Drying shrinkage and moisture movement

percentage of fly ash, GGBS and binary concrete mix are given in Fig. 1. Appreciable gain in compressive strength has been observed in ternary concrete mixes in comparison to binary concrete mix, S5. In most of the ternary concrete mixes, compressive strength at all the

Durability Parameters

test ages is higher to comparable concerning binary concrete mix S5.

–– Rapid chloride penetrability test (RCPT)

Ternary concrete mixes CM2 and CM3 performances better in respect

–– Electrical Resistivity

to other concrete mixes. Test results support that contribution of

–– Accelerated Carbonation induced corrosion study For each concrete mix, a number of concrete cubes (150 mm), concrete prism bars (75x75x300 mm), concrete beam specimens (100x100x500 mm), concrete cylinders (100 mm dia, 200 mm height), concrete slabs (300x300x100 mm) and reinforced concrete slabs (350x250x100 mm) were cast. After 24 hours, the concrete specimens

these supplementary cementitious materials at later ages, i.e., after 28 days due to the slow pozzolanic reactions. The role of fly and GBBS as cementitious constituents is to allow formation of extra calcium silicate hydrate (CSH) gel that is formed due to the reaction between fly ash and GGBS particle with the portlandite (CH), which further densify the pore matrix.

de-moulded and water cured for 28 days. After 28 days of water

Flexural Strength

curing, most of the concrete specimens, either beams, cylinders

The flexural strength or modulus of rupture of different ternary concrete mixes and binary mix are shown in Fig. 2. It was observed that the flexural strength of ternary concrete mixes at 28 days is

and slabs were shifted to controlled laboratory environment of RH = 65 ± 5% and temp = 27 ± 2°C till the age of testing.

CE&CR May 2020

CONCRETING slightly lower in comparison to binary concrete mix. However, at 90 days, flexural strength of almost all the ternary concrete mixes except CM 4 is at par to the binary concrete mix, S5. When tested at later age, i.e., 90 days, ternary concrete mix containing maximum amount of fly ash, i.e., 35%, CM1 had shown slightly higher flexural strength in comparison to binary concrete mix as well as other ternary concrete mixes. The test results indicate that as the percentage of fly ash in ternary mixes increases, flexural strength also enhances. On comparison gain in flexural strength at 90 days w.r.t 28 days flexural strength value, an average of 17% gain in flexural strength is observed in ternary concrete mixes in comparison to 10% gain in binary concrete mix.

mixes is slightly lower in comparison to binary concrete mix. It has been seen that each ternary cementitious blend has distinctive characteristics, each contributing to concrete shrinkage. Rapid Chloride Penetrability Test (RCPT) Various researchers have used RCPT test to evaluate the behaviour of SCM’s against chloride penetration. This test method has been used for the basic evaluation of different type of materials and is quite sensitive to the age of testing, curing regime, type of mineral additions, etc. In this test, charge passed after applying potential difference of 60 Volt dc for 6-hour duration measured, which provides a qualitative relationship with the chloride ion penetrability class. The testing had been carried out at two ages, i.e., 28 days and 56 days. From Fig. 4, it could be seen that ternary concrete mixes have shown significantly higher resistance in comparison to binary concrete mix. However, the effect of age is found to be insignificant in case of ternary concrete mixes, but in case of binary concrete mix, reduction in charge passed at 56 days can be observed.

Fig. 2: Flexural Strength Development with Age

Drying shrinkage And Moisture Movement Drying shrinkage mainly corresponds towards the loss of capillary water due to evaporation, resulting into formation of tensile

Fig. 4: Charge Passed with Age

stress cracks. Drying shrinkage is dependent upon various factors that include the properties of the concrete making constituents,

Electrical Resistivity

their proportioning, environmental conditions, curing technique and member size. The concrete mixes when tested at 28 days for

Surface electrical resistivity is a measure to determine the flow of ions in pore and can be related to the stages of the processes

drying shrinkage and moisture movement, it was seen from the

of reinforcement corrosion, i.e., initiation phase and propagation

Fig. 3, that the percentage expansion in case of ternary concrete

phase [14,15]. Electrical resistivity test can be served as a best tool

Fig. 3: Flexural Strength Development with Age

Fig. 5: Electrical Resistivity with Age

CE&CR May 2020

CONCRETING for durability assessment as it is rapid and non-invasive way of

and GGBS indicates that rate of corrosion depends upon the fly

evaluating concrete.

ash content. From Fig. 7, it was observed that as the percentage

The test results indicate that the addition of SCM’s significantly

of fly ash content increases, rate of corrosion decreases.

improves the electrical resistivity and provides better resisting property. From the Fig. 5, it is observed in case ternary concrete mixes, the rate of increase in electrical resistivity of concrete with age is high. The value of electrical resistivity for ternary concrete mixes is almost 2 times higher as compared to binary concrete mix. Accelerated Carbonation Test Carbonation is a complex physicochemical phenomenon that involves physical and chemical reactions, resulting into microstructure changes. Atmospheric carbon dioxide molecules dissolute into aqueous phase and react with calcium hydroxide, with

Test Specimen for carbonation: - RCC slabs

C-S-H gel and with the alkali and calcium ions in the pore solution. The consequence of these reactions is drastic and could be analysed by determining the pH of the system [16,17]. CSH + 3CO2 -> 3CaCO3 2SiO2 3H20 C3S + 3CO2 + vH20 -> SiO2 vH20 + 3CaC03 C2S + 2CO2 +v H20 -> SiO2 vH20 + 2CaC03 The carbonation study was conducted on RCC specimens (350x250x100 mm) as shown in Fig. 6. To study the effect of OPC content as well as synergistic effect of fly ash and GGBS as a whole, ternary concrete mixes as well as binary concrete mix have been

Carbonation chamber Fig. 6: Test specimen and Test chamber for Carbonation

exposed to CO 2(4±0.5% by volume) for an exposure period of 35 days in carbonation chamber. From the Fig. 6, ternary concrete mixes in which GGBS content remains constant, i.e., 25%, depth of carbonation was found to be the function of fly ash content and increases in proportion to the fly ash percentage. According to various literature [18,19], depth of carbonation is the function of amount of OPC content or SCM’s, i.e., as the percentage of SCM increases, depth of carbonation also follows the same trend. However, in our ternary concrete mix, i.e., CM4 that contains 50% GGBS and 15% fly ash along with lowest clinker percentage, i.e., 35%, the depth of carbonation was found to be less in comparison to ternary concrete mixes containing 40% and 50 % OPC content, i.e., CM1 and CM2, respectively. This may be due to the presence of slag in excessive amount in mix CM4 in comparison to CM1 and CM2, with 25% slag content. In general, all ternary concrete shows higher depth of carbonation in comparison to the binary concrete mix. Corrosion Study: Carbonation Induced Corrosion Study

Fig. 7: Corrosion Rate and Accelerated Carbonation Depth

Among all the ternar y concrete mixes, concrete mix CM1 made with highest fly ash content as 35%, i.e., has the lowest rate of carbonation induced corrosion, although the depth of

Corrosion rate has been measured through linear polarization

carbonation is highest. On comparison with binary concrete

resistance (LPR) technique. Test results of carbonation induced

mix S5, corrosion rate of CM1 is comparable, whereas in other

corrosion study of ternary concrete mixes made of fly ash,

ternary concrete mixes, rate of corrosion is on the higher side.

CE&CR May 2020

CONCRETING Conclusion –– In terms of mechanical properties, i.e., compressive strength and flexural strength, performance of ternary concrete mixes studied is better than binary concrete mix. –– Drying shrinkage and moisture movement of ternary concrete mixes studied is lower when compared with binary concrete mix. –– Test results of RCPT indicates that ternary concrete mixes have significantly higher resistance against the chloride ingress in comparison to binary concrete mix. –– Addition of SCM’s significantly improves the electrical resistivity and provides better corrosion resisting property. The value of electrical resistivity for ternary concrete mixes is almost two times higher as compared to binary concrete mix. –– Ternary concrete mixes had shown higher depth of carbonation in comparison to the binary concrete mix. Ternary concrete mixes consisting of 35% fly ash has the lowest rate of carbonation induced corrosion with respect to other concrete mixes but has higher carbonation rate. –– Ternary cementitious blends with OPC content 50-55 % and fly ash content of 25 % give adequate performance w.r.t carbonation resistance and corrosion rate when compared to binary blends, i.e., PPC (with 35 % fly ash). However, more research is needed to study the effect of cement and SCM’s properties on durability as the present work corresponds to only one given set of materials. Further research to study this aspect is under progress at NCB.

References 1. Robbie M Andrew, “Global CO2 Emissions from Cement Production, 19282017”. Earth System Science Data.

Use in Transportation Structures”. Construction and Building Materials 22 (2008) 1990-2000. 6. Mukesh Limbachiya, Sevket Can Bostanci , Hsein Kew, “Suitability of BS EN 197-1 CEM II and CEM V cement for production of low carbon concrete”, Construction and Building Materials 71 (2014) 397–405 7. Cengiz Duran Atis, “Accelerated carbonation and testing of concrete made with fly ash”. Construction and Building materials 17(2003)147-152. 8. Khunthongkeaw J, Tangtermsirikul S, Leelawat T, “A study on carbonation depth prediction for fly ash concrete”, Constr Build Mater 2006;20:744–53. 9. M.R. Jones, R.K. Dhir and B.J. Magee, “Concrete Containing Ternary Blended Binders: Resistance To Chloride Ingress And Carbonation”. Cement and Concrete Research, Vol. 27, No. 6, pp. 825-831, 1997 10. Jose Caballero, Rob B. Polder,A. L. A. Fraai, “Chloride penetration into cementitious mortar at early age ”. Material Science,2012. 11. V V Arora, and Puneet Kaura, “Durability test methods for service-life design of concrete structures-Exposed to coastal environment”. Proceeding of 14th NCB International Seminar. 12. V V Arora, and Puneet Kaura, “Durability test methods for service-life design of concrete structures-Exposed to semi-arid environment”, Proceeding of 14th NCB International Seminar. 13. V V Arora, and Puneet Kaura, “Service Life Prediction of RC Structures using Short term Durability Testing Methods/Technique”. Proceeding of 15th NCB International Seminar. 14. VV Arora, and Puneet Kaura, “Service life design of concrete structures subjected to carbonation”. One day symposium on Durability and service life design of concrete structures 2017, NCB Ballabgarh. 15. Puneet Kaura, V V Arora, Bikekananda Mohapatra, “Service life design of RC structures prone to carbonation using accelerated test methods” .15th International Congress on the Chemistry of Cement (ICCC 2019)

2. Ali Nabi and Jeong Gook Jang, “Recent Progress in Green Cement Technology

16. VV Arora, and Puneet Kaura, “Durability testing of blended cement-

Utilizing Low Carbon Emission Fuels and Raw Materials: A Review”.

Relationship between accelerated tests and long-term tests”, 2nd ICDC

Sustainability 2019, 11, 537, doi 10.3390/su11020537.

(2014), New Delhi

3. P.VAN den heede, “Full probabilistic service life prediction and life cycle assessment of concrete with fly ash and blast-furnace slag in a submerged marine environment: a parameter study”. International Journal of Environment and Sustainable Development, Vol11, No1, 2012. 4. Michael D.A. Thomas, Phil B Bamforth, “Modelling Chloride Diffusion in Concrete Effect of Flyash and Slag”. Cement and Concrete Research 29 (1999), 487-495. 5. W. Micah Hale, Seamus F. Freyne, Thomas D Bush Jr., Bruce W. Russell, Tittle “Properties of Concrete Mixtures Containing Slag Cement and Flyash for

CE&CR May 2020

17. Arnon Bentur, Neal Berke, Sidney Diamond. “Steel Corrosion in Concrete: Fundamentals and civil engineering practice”. 18. D o n g - h u i Ya n g, G u o - Pi n g l i , T i n g - H u a Yi , H o n g - N a n L i “ A performance-based service life design method for reinforced concrete structures under chloride environment”. Construction and Building Materials 2017, 124, 453-46. 19. M.Thiery, G.Villian, P.Dangla and G.Platret, “Investigation of the carbonation front shape on cementitious materials: Effects of the chemical kinetics”. Cement and Concrete Research 37 (2007), 1047-10.

CONCRETING

Concrete With Limestone Calcined Clay Cement cement. Having clinker content 50%, Limestone content 20% and Limestone content 30% makes a better New Generation cement. Sohom Sen, Executive Director, City Crafters Private Limited

Purpose Of Study In the construction sector today, people choose ReadyMix Concrete, because it is superior in all respects. The proper management of raw materials and saving of unnecessary waste

of resources make ready mix concrete acceptable to construction

infrastructure like heavy industries, skyscrapers and roadways. The

construction is important because of its good qualities, i.e., increased

backbone of the all the infrastructure and structures is concrete

production (50% Clinker and other Materials), less emission of GHGs,

and steel, which is the second most consumed product by people

and eco-friendliness.

fter the industrial revolution, as the whole world became

practitioners, supervisors and common people. In this paper, we

concerned about growing industries, the construction

will compare Limestone Calcined Clay Cement with other available

sector also focused on industrial boom. This also includes

cements and its effect. The importance of LC3 use in the sector of

after water. Steel is a product, which is produced in a controlled condition and has superior quality. But concrete is a composite and heterogeneous material, which consists of cement, fine aggregate/ sand, coarse aggregate/gravel, water and required chemicals for long term durability. Although cement is a key ingredient that gives the main purpose of making of this concrete, to produce cement, emission of carbon dioxide content around 14 to 16% is required, which will somehow partially affect the environment. To reduce this emission, researchers have found an innovative solution, which will cut down the emission by half. In this paper we discuss the New Generation cement called Limestone Calcined Clay Cement, also called LC3. Yes, there are existing cements and their technology, which are very progressive. But in the recently conducted forum on ‘Global Climate Change’, World Cement Association addressed the problem of carbon dioxide emission from cement manufacturing plants and estimated it to reduce by 24% by 2050[1]. Cement is normally made from Limestone, Silica, Alumina and Gypsum, but when all these ingredients are mixed at a temperature

The trials conducted using LC3 and other cement are tabulated below with proper Identification Mark (ID):

Cement and SCM content W/C Ratio Trial Group

A1P1

320 kg pure OPC

A2P2

320 kg pure LC3

A3P3

320 kg Pure PPC

B1C1

300 kg OPC+100 kg PFA

B2C2

300 kg LC3+100 kg PFA

C1H1

260 kg OPC+120 kg PFA

C2H2

260 kg LC3+ 120 kg PFA

0.51

Trial Group 1

0.41

Trial Group 2

0.42

Trial Group 3

Three groups of trials were conducted, and each group consists of sub-trials. The grade is not defined for any trial and designed as per the relevant Indian Standard 10262:2009 with varying water to cement ratio and projected slump value.

Method Of Study This whole study was conducted at Prism Johnson Limited

of 1500 C, it causes an emission of CO2 on environment. To

(RMC DIVISION), Lucknow. This Laboratory is QCI certified and

reduce this, the researchers found that the use of clinker should

equipped with all testing Instruments relevant to Indian Standards.

be reduced. And here the answer is Limestone Calcined clay

The raw materials were use in this study are listed as follows:

CE&CR May 2020

CONCRETING But in most of the cases it was found that LC3 mixes need some more chemical admixture/water, because of higher specific areas of the particles.

Raw Material

Brand/Source

OPC 43 Grade

Prism

PPC (29% of PFA content)

Birla Gold PPC

LC3

TARA, Development Alternatives

20 mm (C.A)

Kabrai

12.5 mm ( C.A)

Kabrai

CSS/M Sand

Kabrai

PFA

Rosa (Reliance), U.P.

Water

Borewell

Chemical Admixture

Mid PCE based

Casting And Curing 9 cubes are casted for every trial. 3 cubes are taken for 3 days, 7 days and 28 days, respectively. Curing is done on curing tank with maintained temperature of 27+/-2oC. For Trial Group 1, we can see the first 3 days result of A1P1, A2P2 and A3P3. The initial strength of A2P2 is lower than the other two, but at 7 and 28 days, A2P2 gains its strength; the gain is 10 MPa from 7 days to 28 days, whereas A1P1 gain 11 MPa, which is sharp. On the other hand, A3P3 gains only 8 MPa.

Design Consideration Trial Group 1 used pure cementitious content of 320 kg with water to cement ratio 0.51; 20 mm and 12.5 mm aggregates taken in 50:50 ratio, and CSS is taken as 42% with 2-hour retention time. Admixture dosage was taken as 0.5% of cementitious content. The Trial Group 2 consisted of cement and scm. PFA is replaced with 25% of total cementitious content. Water to cement ratio was 0.41; 20 mm and 12.5 mm aggregates in 50:50 ratio, and CSS is taken 38% with 2-hour retention. Admixture dosage was taken as 0.55% of cementitious content. The Trial group 3 was considered as a M30 grade. PFA is replaced by 32% of cementitious content. And rest of the considerations were same as above. The fresh properties with 2-hour retention is tabulated below:

Fig. 1: B2C2 Trial @ 120 Mins

Fig. 2: Freshly Cast Cubes B2C2

Result And Discussion

Slump @ 0’ Slump @ 60’ Slump @ 120’

Cubes were cast for testing after 3, 7 and 28 days. Cubes were tested at Digital Compression machine of 2000 kN capacity. The

A1P1

200 mm

170 mm

130 mm

results and graphs are shown below:

A2P2

180 mm

140 mm

100 mm

A3P3

200 mm

140 mm

110 mm

Trial Group 1 IDs

Trial Group 1

A1P1

A2P2

A3P3

3 Days

21.4

13.1

15.5

Slump @ 0’ Slump @ 60’ Slump @ 120’

7 Days

29.5

29.8

20.6

B1C1

210 mm

180 mm

150 mm

28 Days

40.67

38.06

28.67

B2C2

200 mm

160 mm

140 mm

Trial Group 2 IDs

Trial Group 3 IDs

Slump @ 0’ Slump @ 60’ Slump @ 120’

C1H1

200 mm

170 mm

135 mm

C2H2

200 mm

160 mm

120 mm

The Tables show retention time of all the mixes. So, it is found that for Trial Group 1, the slump value is less for the case of A2P2 mix, and the requirement of addition of water could increase the slump value. The slump value in the case of Trial Group 2 and the Slump value of B2C2 is almost same as B1C1 mix. The addition of Fly ash may turn the mix cohesive as well as soft. The Trial Group 3 was also found to be same. No such Slump Loss was found in the mix. The dosage varied with different mixes +/-0.05% of the total cementitious content.

CE&CR May 2020

CONCRETING

Trial Group 2

B1C1

B2C2

A3P3

3 Days

26.2

15.5

7 Days

38.6

41.7

20.6

28 Days

46.6

45.8

28.67

In Trial Group 2, it is surprising that the strength gain happens between 3 days and 7 days for both the cases. Trial B2C2 gains only 4.1 MPa, from 7 to 28 days, whereas B1C1 gained 8 MPa. The incorporation of fly ash may cause initial rapid gaining of strength for B2C2 mix. It has shown that OPC+LC3 mix characteristics is almost same as LC3+ PFA mix.

Conclusion

Trial Group 3

C1H1

C2H2

A3P3

3 days

20.9

17.7

15.5

7 days

25.5

23.9

20.6

28 days

38.6

36.4

28.67

This work concludes the following points: –– The water requirement of LC3 is high due to its specific surface area. –– The dosage required for mix other than standard mix also high (adding to the cost of concrete). –– Use and practice on LC3 could be useful for future by replacing OPC grade. –– LC3 can be used for precast applications. –– Incorporation of PFA in the mix could minimise the water requirement of the mix. Also, PFA can minimise the stickiness of the mix too. –– At RMC industry level, design should be done carefully because the LC3 mix is optimized with proper water content; higher water content may cause loss of strength. –– Limestone Calcined Clay Cement is a promising material to the construction industry.

References Trial Group 3 has shown that gain of strength is stable for both

1. Cement Producers Are Developing a Plan to Reduce, Chelsea Harvey, E&E News on July 9, 2018.

the cases. For Trial C1H1, there is 5.4 MPa and 13.1 MPa gain from 3

2. Indian Standard 10262:2009, 456:2004, 4926:2015.

to 7 days and 7 to 28 days, respectively, whereas for C2H2, 6.2 MPa

3. www.LC3.ch

and 12.5 MPa gains found.

4. DEVELOPMENT ALTERNATIVES, TARA.

CE&CR May 2020

CONCRETING

Stamped Concrete –– It is durable, long lasting and almost free from maintenance. –– Customised designs and patterns can be achieved. Dr K M Soni, Addl DG (Retd.), CPWD, New Delhi

tamped, textured or imprint concrete is a decorative concrete,

–– Since it can be laid over RCC, it has better resistance to water and uplift pressure due to water and may prove to be durable even in case of occasional submergence. –– It does not have joints like bricks, tiles and stones, hence is aesthetically better and durable compared to bricks, tiles or stones.

used in flooring. Large number of finishes can be achieved with

–– Laying of stamped concrete is easier than traditional materials like bricks, tiles and stones and provide better and consistent surface.

such concrete in desired colours with the surface resembling

–– Since it saves natural stone, it can be categorised as a green

bricks, stones, tiles or wood. The process includes preparation of subgrade, placing of forms, providing reinforcement for stability, placing the concrete, screeding and finishing the concrete, applying colour and lastly, stamping the concrete using desired moulds. Thus, stamped concrete can be used for functional and aesthetic requirements. This also saves natural stone and thus, can be categorised as a green material. Stamped concrete can be used in the landscaped area, entrances and pathways.

material.

Procedure Of Casting Stamped Concrete Laying stamped concrete includes the following steps: 1. Subgrade preparation: The subgrade is important for concrete roads and subsequently for stamped concrete. The subgrade must be well-compacted to stop settlement and cracks due to settlement. 2. Placing the formwork: Next step is to place the forms made of wood, metal or plastic as per specifications of the item. Formwork

Advantages Of Stamped Concrete

should be clean with enough stiffness and capable of retaining

Some of the advantages of stamped concrete are:

its shape during casting of concrete.

–– Different patterns can be achieved with stamped concrete, resembling from bricks to tiles to stones.

3. Placement of reinforcement: Nominal reinforcement is usually placed for structural function to provide structural integrity to avoid cracks and increase impact resistance.

–– It can be made available in many colours as per the architect’s choice.

4. Placing the concrete: In this step, concrete is placed, usually ready

–– It can be laid on any sub-grade over plain cement concrete base

mixed concrete (RMC) as per design requirement. The concrete

or RCC base as per the available sub grade characteristics.

should be placed as close as possible to the destination. To avoid

CE&CR May 2020

CONCRETING concrete and screeded to the finished grade, and floated to a uniform surface by using standard finishing techniques. The approved colour hardener @2.7 kg/sq. m shall be applied evenly to the surface of the fresh concrete using the dry shake method by sprinkling in two or more shakes, floated after each shake and trowel led only after the final floating. The approved release agent @0.113 kg/sq. m shall be applied evenly to the trowelled surface before stamping. While the concrete is still in plastic stage of setting, the stamping tools shall be applied to the surface. After stamping, the curing shall be done as per manufacturers specifications. After initial curing, the imprinted joints shall be grouted using cement slurry mixed with colour hardener as per the requirement. The surface shall be sealed by applying acrylic based sealer on finished surface. The construction joints shall be provided by groove cutting of size 4 mm x 20 mm in panel size concrete splatters, adjoining structures may be protected from

3 m x 3 m or lesser as per the site conditions and filling the same with

plastic sheets.

10 mm baker rod and providing and laying PU based joint sealer of

5. Screeding and finishing the concrete: Screed is basically a thin layer of cement and fine aggregates or cement, sand and aggregates of small size, laid on to a concrete floor base to act as a smooth flat levelling surface for taking on the final floor finish. The work done immediately following concrete placement is critical as imprinting is required after this step. The surface is levelled to prevent any undulations in a way that cement paste comes to the surface to permit a pre-defined imprint. 6. Applying colour: Desired colour is then added to the concrete for stamping. 7. The stamping: Before actual stamping, the stamp layout is diagrammed and enough workers are deployed as the window of time for stamping is generally short, especially in warm weather. Typically, the edges are pre-textured first so that when larger stamps are used later, they may not overlap the forms and get fully depressed into the concrete. The concrete is then stamped in the same sequence it was placed. Stamping alignment is checked regularly verifying the pattern to ensure desired outcome. 8. Curing: Curing is then carried out as per specifications.

approved make as per manufacturer’s specifications.

Specifications Of Stamped Concrete The following specifications are given for the guidance: –– Stamped finish concrete is inclusive of freshly laid concrete layer of specified thickness, UV resistant colour hardener, curing compound, release agent and acrylic sealer, special imprinting and texturing tools, sealer application tools, etc. –– All stamping works is to be executed by the approved specialized agency as per the manufacturer’s specifications and direction of Engineer-in-charge. Condition of preparation of mock-up sample of appropriate size can be included prior to taking up the stamping work. –– Concrete of the specified grade is to be used as base material for stamping over concrete. –– Regular grade UV resistant colour hardener of approved colours is to be used as per manufacturer’s specifications. –– The release agent of approved make as per manufacturer’s specification and colour(s) is to be used.

9. Installing joints: Joints are then cut as per the requirements at planned locations. 10. Sealing stamped concrete: In final step, sealer is applied to enrich the colour of concrete and to block penetration of stains from dirt, chemicals, leaves, etc.

Nomenclature Of The Item Nomenclature of the item is as follows for guidance: Applying stamping finish to the top surface of freshly laid plain/ reinforced concrete in pavements/paths, including placement of

CE&CR May 2020

CONCRETING

–– The pattern shown in architectural drawings and approved by

–– The UV resistant colour hardener of approved colours duly

the Engineer-in-charge is to be made by using imprinting tools.

approved by the Engineer-in-charge should be applied evenly to

–– The imprinted concrete slab is to be cured as per manufacturer’s

the surface of the freshly laid concrete by the dry shake method in

specifications. –– The acrylic sealer of approved make and as per manufacturer’s specifications is used. The consumption of sealer should not be less than 0.167 litres per sq. m. –– The formwork should be installed in accordance with the

two or more shakes, floated after each shake and trowelled only after the final floating. –– The release agent approved by the Engineer-in-charge should be applied evenly to the trowelled surface prior to imprinting. –– While the concrete is still in its plastic stage of set, the imprinting

drawings. The slab thickness should be specified in the drawings.

tools should be applied to the surface to get the desired pattern.

–– Construction joints and/or expansion joints should be provided

–– The concrete should be cured in accordance with the

in accordance with the drawings and as specified in the specifications or as decided by the Engineer-in-charge. –– The concrete should be placed and screeded to the finished grade and floated to uniform surface using standard finishing tools and techniques as per manufacturer’s specifications.

manufacturer’s recommendations. After initial curing period, the imprinted joints should be grouted, and surface be sealed as per manufacturer’s specifications.

Conclusion Stamped concrete though prepared from conventional concrete, is durable and aesthetically resembles the desired pattern of stone, bricks or tiles. Stamped concrete possesses many advantages over traditional materials and is almost maintenance free. Stamped finish concrete can also be used as a replacement of natural stones for flooring and as such qualifies to be a green material. The specifications used in the project of NISM, Mumbai have been given as a guideline, which can be modified as per the requirements at the site.

References 1. Sahay, Anant Shekhar, “Stamped Concrete: A new Concept in Outdoor Flooring in India”. New Building Materials & Construction World, Feb 2011 issue 2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stamped_concrete 3. http://www.stampedconcrete.org/step-by-step.html

CE&CR May 2020

CONCRETE

Special Concrete Using Bajaj Reinforcement Fibre Tuff

oncrete is a material, which is weak in

while non-metallic fibres offer their ability

have high tensile strength ranging from

tension and fails in a brittle behaviour

to delay the formation of micro cracks and

0.5 - 2.0 GPa with modulus of elasticity of

when subjected to flexure, tension

avoid terrible breaking, along with very low

200 GPa.

and impact forces. When fibres are added

density. The mixtures were prepared with

to concrete, the behavioural effectiveness

Polypropylene Fibre: Polypropylene

blended cement containing 23.13% of silicon

of this combined material is found to be

fibre, a synthetic carbon polymer, is produced

di oxide, 8.76% of Aluminium tri oxide, 4.62%

higher than natural concrete and many other

as continuous mono – filaments, with

of Ferrous tri oxide, 58.66% of Calcium oxide,

construction materials of equal cost. Due

circular cross section that can be chopped

0.90% of Magnesium oxide, 2.18% of Sulphur

to this advantage, use of fibre reinforced

to required length (or) tape of rectangular

tri oxide, and 1.69% of loss on ignition, which

cross section. Polypropylene fibres are tough

satisfies the requirements in the Indonesian

but with low tensile strength and modulus

Standards for Pozzolan Portland Cement.

of elasticity. They have plastic stress-strain

Research were conducted with different

characteristics. Furthermore, their ability to

types of concretes. The strength, workability

cause interference with the capillary forces by

and energy absorption characteristics of the

which water bleeds to the surface of concrete

composite were studied.

reduces the risk of plastic settlement due

concrete has increased largely in the recent years. Moreover, this finds its application in airdrome and highway pavements, earthquake-resistant and explosive-resistant structures, mine and tunnel linings, ridge deck overlay and dam structures. Several works have been conducted in discovering the relation between permeability and crack width; it has been described that using steel fibre has decreased the permeability of the samples with reduced crack width up to 100 microns. Steel fibre reinforced concrete containing up to 1.5% fibre by volume when tested for impact strength has considerably improved

Steel Fibre: Typically steel fibres have

to water evaporation. A blend of steel and

equivalent diameters of 0.15 mm to 2 mm

polypropylene fibres can combine structural

and length from 7 mm to 75 mm. Aspect

elements with plastic cracking in fresh

ratio generally ranges from 20 to 100 (Aspect

concrete and drying shrinkage cracking in

ratio is defined as the ratio between fibre

hardened concrete and to improve post-

length and its equivalent diameter, which is

cracking toughness. Micro synthetic fibres

the diameter of a circle with an area equal to

also increase resistance to spalling in fire

the cross section area of the fibre). Steel fibres

situation.

resistance to impact and greater energy absorption. The geometrical dimensions and young’s modulus of fibres are the main factors, which will disturb the performances of fibre reinforced concrete. Hybrid fibre reinforced concrete have become more popular in these recent years as they provide well physical and mechanical properties in concrete for structural purposes. The use of different types of fibres in a right combination may potentially improve the mechanical properties of concrete and result in synergic performance. Further, addition of steel fibre normally provides contribution to the energy absorbing mechanism (bridging action),

CE&CR May 2020

CONCRETE Conclusion In the fresh state addition of steel, polypropylene and hybrid fibre reinforced concrete caused lower workability. The experimental value of energy absorption of SFRC without reinforcement was higher by

The analytical value of results and observations, it could be concluded that the energy absorption of SFRC without reinforcement was higher by 5.88%, singly reinforced was 31.6% higher and doubly reinforcement was 60% higher than the

5.26%, singly reinforced was 32.8% higher

normal concrete. The corresponding value of

and doubly reinforcement was 48% higher

propylene fibre reinforced concrete without

than the normal concrete. The corresponding

reinforcement was higher by 176%, singly

value of poly propylene fibre reinforced

reinforced was 37.4 % higher and doubly

concrete without reinforcement was higher

reinforcement was 19.88% higher than the

by 155%, singly reinforced was 35.5% and

normal concrete. The investigational value

doubly reinforcement was 13% higher than

of hybrid fibre reinforced concrete without

the normal concrete. The investigational

reinforcement was lower by 23.5%, singly

value of hybrid fibre reinforced concrete

reinforced was 25% lower and doubly

without reinforcement was lower by 17%,

reinforcement was 187% higher than the

singly reinforced was 18% lower and doubly

normal concrete.

reinforcement was 155% higher than the conventional concrete.

CE&CR May 2020

The experimental values of the energy

hybrid fibre reinforced concrete beams are compared with that of the corresponding estimated values of the energy absorption of normal reinforced concrete beams. The analytical results were compared with the experimental results of energy absorption behaviour. It was observed that experimental and analytical values of energy absorption pertaining in the case of polypropylene fibre reinforced concrete beams were almost higher than steel and hybrid fibre. For further information, visit: www.bajajreinforcementsllp.com

Abhishek D. Khupsare Technical Officer, Bajaj Reinforcement LLP

absorption of steel, polypropylene and

CONCRETE

Innovative Product For The Sustainable Recovery Of Returned Concrete From Mapei Re-con Zero – Returned concrete with zero impact

he use of sustainable and durable

building process with guidelines to help

materials or aggregates containing clay),

materials is becoming an increasingly

potential bidders monitor the work, and by

Mapei has developed the RE-CON line, a

real need, since consumption of

giving clear indications of the environmental

series of products specifically developed

the natural resources available must be

characteristics required by those issuing

to mitigate the negative effects of using

reduced. Over the last few years, all those

tenders. In the case of concrete, recycled

recycled materials.

operating in the concrete sector have

material regards mainly recycled aggregates

become increasingly sensitive to the theme

from demolished buildings and aggregates

following:

of ‘sustainable building’, whereby a great

from excavated material, as well as from

-- This absorption-inhibiting liquid

deal of attention is paid to the life cycle

recovered waste concrete generated during

admixture, if used in combination with

of a ‘from cradle to grave’ structure. This

the actual production process.

a super-plasticising admixture from

The current RE-CON line includes the

approach is known as Life Cycle Analysis

SUSTAINABLE CONCRETE IS

the DYNAMON line, allows for better

(LCA) and adopts analysis processes, such

THE QUESTION...RE-CON LINE MAPEI

control of the increased amount of water

as LEED, Itaca or similar, so that a structure,

ADMIXTURES ARE THE ANSWER.

required when using recycled aggregates

material or type of concrete may be certified

Recycled materials are obtained by

and/or aggregates containing clay,

processing inorganic materials previously

bringing therefore, the water/cement

The main objective is to reduce the

used in construction work. For this

ratio back within the design limits.

impact that a structure or building has on

reason, their physical and performance

-- Super-plasticising and absorption-

the environment, from the design phase

characteristics are often inconsistent over

inhibiting admixture. Thanks to its

right up to the actual construction phase,

time and they may have an influence

combined action of reducing the amount

by providing all the stakeholders in the

on the performance characteristics of

of water required and controlling the

concrete. Often, the use of recycled

absorption rate, when using recycled

aggregates means considerably more

aggregates and/or aggregates containing

on a voluntary basis as sustainable.

water is required for the mix and it is difficult to maintain workability of the

clay, it brings the water/cement ratio back within the design limits.

concrete due to it being more porous,

-- Two-component powdered product to

and because of the higher amount

recover returned concrete. This system

of fines contained in the aggregates.

allows fresh concrete returned from

The presence of recycled aggregates

site, which would normally have to be

in a concrete mix must be taken into

scrapped, to be transformed into new

consideration when designing the mix,

material that can be used again without

and therefore, it is important to adopt

producing waste. The new aggregate

the most innovative solutions in order

may then be used to partially replace

to achieve the best results. To meet

normal aggregate or as material to form

the needs of concrete manufacturers

roadbeds or subgrade.

who encounter problems associated with the use of fine aggregates on an increasingly regular basis (recycled

For further information, visit: www.mapei.in

CE&CR May 2020

CONCRETE MONITORING SENSORS

Kryton Launches The First Truly Wireless Concrete Monitoring Sensors

ryton International Inc., a company

depths, are displayed to the user in real time.

to North America felt like a natural fit for

known for bringing innovative and

Additionally, by using Maturix’s patented

Kryton, whose main mission has been to

valuable concrete technologies to the

process, this data is converted to actual in-

provide contractors with reliable, advanced

world, chose World of Concrete 2020 in Las

place concrete strength. Temperature and

technologies so that they can build faster,

Vegas, Nevada, to launch their latest product,

strength readings are recorded and reported

achieve better performance, and save money

Maturix™ Smart Concrete® Sensors.

as required by the user. The ability to monitor

at the same time.

Real-time monitoring of structures is an

concrete strength and temperature in real

emerging field in the construction industry

time from remote locations helps expedite

made possible through the rapidly expanding

faster construction schedules, optimize

Internet of Things (IoT) — the interconnected

efficiencies, reduce costs, and improve safety.

digital network - allowing everyday objects

“What is really exciting about this

to be embedded with electronics collecting

technology is that the sensors are reusable,”

and sharing data. Maturix Smart Concrete

says Kevin Yuers, VP of Product Development.

technology runs on the Sigfox 0G network,

“Unlike single-use sensors that are cast into

the world’s largest IoT network covering over

concrete, Maturix Smart Concrete Sensors

1 billion people in more than 65 countries.

can be used over and over for multiple

Sigfox’s long-range and low-power-demand

castings and projects. Not only does this

network allows Maturix Sensor batteries

significantly reduce cost, but it’s also a

to last for years - a vast improvement over

much greener and more sustainable use of

current sensor products that last for just a few

materials.”

weeks. No other concrete sensor can claim

Developed by Sensohive Technologies

such a long life and be completely wireless.

ApS in Denmark, the Maturix devices and

The Sigfox network also means that

software platform have proven themselves

Maturix users are not required to physically

on countless projects for such companies

visit the worksite to take data readings. Fully

as PASCHAL-Werk G. Maier GmbH,

wireless, Maturix Sensors transmit data to a

VolkerWessels, HeidelbergCement, NCC,

user’s Internet-connected device anywhere in

Skanska, Kruse Smith, and many others.

the world. Concrete temperatures, at chosen

Bringing this industry-proven technology

“We are super excited to bring Maturix to North America,” proudly announces the sensors’ co-inventor Tobias Ejersbo. “We believe this solution is perfect for the market here. The combination of cloud computing and rugged sensor technology provides a reliable and easy, yet powerful tool for today’s contractor.” For further information, visit www.kryton.com

CE&CR May 2020 49

CONSTRUCTION TRENDS

IoT: Building With Wireless Intelligence • By Amrita Batra

onstruction is an essential component of the infrastructure and architecture development of all other industries. It is a determinant of how and where people live and work. It is only recently beginning to undergo a much-required modern transformation. With the growing digitalization of human interactions and exponential decrease of the timeframe at which people are embracing new technologies, the fourth Industrial Revolution is expected soon. The construction job site is now prepared for major changes that allow efficiency, safety, process upgrading and new tools. As Internet of Things (IoT) continues to become more pervasive, it is having a greater impact on the construction industry. IoT allows every stakeholder to understand the steps at every stage of the construction process in realtime, from planning to actual construction, post-construction and how the building is operated during service.

What is IoT? Internet of Things (IoT) refers to the concept of basically connecting any device with an on and off switch to the Internet (and/or to each other). The technologies behind the IoT have existed for several years in the construction market. Features like remote access, office-to-field data exchange, cloud computing and data storage are not new to the construction industry. Though it has been available for some time, not all construction contractors have invested in these new technologies; whereas in consumer markets, these technologies are still fresh and ground-breaking.

with real-time data about the site and the workforce. The IoT is allowing for the positioning of low power sensors that communicate costeffectively. The sensors lets the platform reproduce a digital detailed representation of the product itself. Consequently, experts based anywhere in the world can provide monitoring, troubleshooting, and/ or repairs without needing to be physically present at the worksite or contractor’s location. In addition, the data collected from IoT-enabled products and systems provide detailed information on their most useful and most ignore features. IoT-enabled construction equipment, through the historical data, can help shape patterns of information to better understand the requirements of the customer and contractors, the environment in which they operate, and ultimately, offer appropriate solutions as per their necessities. The IoT platform provides detailed information that can be selected according to the need at the time. Following are some of the tangible and vast applications of IoT in construction industry:

IoT And Construction The IoT Platform provides construction equipment manufacturers and the end-user contractors with analytics and reports about several facets of their tasks and assets. This helps to enhance the decisionmaking process and attain the best management of resources, fleets and workers. In the construction industry, the key to IoT is sensors. Sensors, installed with the capability of with the capability of sending and receiving data, allow capturing information required to improve results

Safety And Security Some of the biggest challenges encountered on a construction job site are theft and safety. As construction sites are vast, relying merely

CE&CR May 2020

CONSTRUCTION TRENDS

Augmented Reality in Construction

on manual security isn’t viable or practical. IoT security strategy for a construction site can work on averting invasion and quick discovery as well as recovery from undesirable happenings. Autonomous vehicles and UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) like drones are being favoured for site monitoring, which are suitable for monitoring and surveillance of vast spaces. These drones can gather accurate aerial images and survey maps of a site. Using IoT enabled tags, any material or theft of items is easily resolved as these sensors will notify the current location of the materials or item. Attaching IoT enabled tracker to such assets provides higher accuracy and convenience. The data collected from these trackers are easily actionable and dependable.

IoT Cycle

Augmented Reality (AR)

Several human-operated heavy machines are a part of construction work. This task can be simplified through IoT; with sensors, these machines can work more precisely and with minimal

With the use of AR, operational instructions, or navigational and driving information are witnessed over the IoT in real time and are overlaid onto the real-world view. Through IoT, inanimate objects such as smart glasses can be connected to the internet. Such devices include Google Glass and Microsoft HoloLens. These technologies are currently being applied to planning and modelling step of construction. Smart-glasses can be used to reproduce a suite floor with all the furnishings; this can be peeled back layer by layer, to study and plan the intricacies of the work behind the walls. Clients are also using the smart-glasses for sales so that residents get an immersive view of what their new facility feels and looks like. Employees are also empowered on and off the job site since through connected smartglasses they can view work instructions while performing specific tasks, potentially improving their performance.

human effort. Further, equipment condition and maintenance related

Building Information Modelling (BIM)

issues can also be supervised uninterruptedly through IoT sensors.

Building Information Modelling (BIM) can be optimized through generative design, prediction of cost overruns using appropriate features, risk mitigation through the identification of the biggest risk factors on a job site, application of reinforcement learning to project planning, autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicles, labour deployment optimization, off-site construction and post-construction. Computer models that have been used to direct real-life construction can, in turn, be updated by sensors placed in the buildings that have now been constructed. The sensors can send back information on the way that materials are affected by changing climates and the passage of time. They can supply information on possible changes in energy efficiency in roofing, how structures behave when there are earth tremors, or how a bridge bends under the weight of passing traffic.

Machine Control And Maintenance

With the availability of real-time information, it becomes possible to know the status of every asset, to schedule maintenance stops, or refuelling and turn-off idle equipment. Beyond this, sensors can be also used to monitor materials’ condition, like the suitability of the temperature, or humidity of the item/environment, handling issues, damage and expiration.

IoT is the Future of Construction Sites

CE&CR May 2020

Thus, IoT is here to stay. It is the future, and for many it is the present. In the construction sector, the success of technology that facilitates construction contractors to complete projects more accurately based on their own historic production data and get their jobs completed faster, more accurately, and more efficiently using intelligent interconnected technology, has raised customer expectations.

DIGITAL PLATFORM FOR SCAFFOLDING

Layher Digital Scaffolding Planning Scaffolding Information Modelling

igitalization is affecting every

modules of LayPLAN SUITE

industry now a days, including

can be found in this article.

scaffolding construction. Rightly

so, because nothing else optimizes project planning so effectively while opening enormous potential for both transparency

LayPLAN CAD LayPLAN CAD system is integrated solution

and cost savings. Layher therefore asked

for 3D model. The basic

itself the question of how the BIM (Building

planning can be handled in

Information Modelling) concept originating

automated form using the

in civil engineering could be adapted to

proven LayPLAN CLASSIC.

scaffolding in temporary structures; the

Project data can be quickly

proven Layher systems permit faster and

recorded using input masks,

safer upward access, yet are not part of the

ensuring a time saving for

actual structure. Furthermore, scaffolding

every order. The data is then

can also be used independently of civil

simply exported into the

engineering projects, for example as stand-

AutoCAD program, which offers further

export them as 3D model too; for instance,

possibilities for detailed 3D planning. A visual

for professional customer presentations or to

collision check is possible with the aid of

share 3D models. A transfer to visualisation or

volume rendering. Using a convenient search

animation software is also possible without

function with preview image, scaffolding

any problem. This allows projects not only

planners can find not only an extensive

to be planned economically and adapted

library of Layher individual parts, but also

precisely to actual requirements, but also to

assemblies already prefabricated for even

be presented professionally to customers.

faster design work. The detailed drawings

The LayPLAN CAD module is available

can then be printed out. It is possible to

in German, English, French and Spanish.

alone structures like temporary bridges. The result is SIM (Scaffolding Information Modelling). The future in scaffolding construction is Digital – and its name is “SIM” SIM is a process based on 3D models and designed by Layher to meet the specific requirements of scaffolding construction. SIM not only allows you to plan, assemble and manage temporary scaffolding structures more efficiently, but also affords access to BIM at the same time. With the integrated Layher software solution ‘LayPLAN SUITE’, you have a powerful tool for the SIM process: LayPLAN CLASSIC facilitates a start in digital planning by allowing automated planning of predefined scaffolding applications – and if required even with temporary roof structures. For complex scaffolding structures as part of large-scale engineering scaffolding, there is LayPLAN CAD. Detailed information on the

CE&CR May 2020

DIGITAL PLATFORM FOR SCAFFOLDING

Planning And Scheduling Certainty At

plan. A materials list can also be easily created

program, you can monitor inventory, ship

Sites

at the push of a button: scaffolding erectors

materials, generate invoices, set reminders,

Dependable 3D planning of scaffolding

benefit from more certainty when planning

manage re-rentals, and oversee all your jobs

structures without collisions is just one of

the commercial and technical details; from

– with web-based tools making information

many benefits. Added to that are the realistic

optimized use of their stocks; and from

and site operations available on-the-go.

visualization of scaffolding, allowing work

full cost transparency at every stage of the

-- Visualize, manage, and track your

to be coordinated with other trades or

project.

success with Quantify – trusted by

construction sequence simulation, transfer of

With the LayPLAN CLASSIC modules

the scaffolding planning to structural analysis

for Allround Scaffolding, individualized

programs, and output of material lists and

scaffolding solutions can be configured

for efficient and effective management

assembly plans. Transparency at every work

quickly and easily: whether they are for

at all levels of the scaffolding business.

step results in a reduction in costs, and an

circular or facade scaffolding, for birdcage

increase in safety and profitability.

scaffolding and free-standing towers made

LayPLAN CLASSIC For Allround Scaffolding

from Allround Scaffolding, or for structures

LayPLAN CLASSIC facilitates a start in

with temporary roofs. Once the dimensions

digital planning by allowing automated planning of predefined scaffolding applications, whether they are for circular or facade scaffolding made from Allround Scaffolding, for birdcage scaffolding and free-standing towers made from Allround Scaffolding, or for structures with temporary roofs. Once the key data has been entered, scaffolding manufacturers receive in seconds a scaffolding-proposal that includes anchoring, bracing and side protection. During the design phase, the overall length,

and the required assembly variant have been entered, LayPLAN CLASSIC delivers in seconds a scaffolding proposal, including anchoring, bracing and side protection. During the design phase, a materials list can also be created at the click of a button assembly sketch for the area to be enclosed in scaffolding plus the total weight. This

-- With workflows built for the industry – easier tracking for better outcomes. -- Comprehensive inventory control, and scaffold asset management – minimize losses and waste, maximize utilization and returns. -- Individual scaffold scheduling, tracking, and reporting, providing a clear picture of activities on a job site. For more information, visit: www.layher.co.in

also helps with the logistics – the required material is guaranteed to be there where it is needed. Layher LAYPLAN QUANTIFY® Quantify® makes managing scaffold

calculated and displayed to reflect the latest

business easy. From one user-friendly

-- The clear visual representation allows

and then printed out, together with an

standing heights and areas are continuously

CE&CR May 2020

industry leaders all over the world.

Mithilesh Kumar Director, Layher Scaffolding Systems Pvt Ltd

CONCRETE RECYCLING PLANT

Environment Conscious Concrete Recycling Plant

oncrete is the world’s second most

focussed through usage reduction of

Profiting from extensive experience gained

consumed material after water,

natural raw materials and consumption of

with sieve/cyclone separation systems,

and its widespread use is the basis

recycled goods.

Stetter had already developed and

for urban development. It is estimated

Recycling of slurry water is necessary

that 25 billion tonnes of concrete is

to avoid ground water contamination,

manufactured each year. Twice as much

which poses a great hazard in the ground

concrete is used in construction around

water table. The solution is recycling

the world when compared to the total

the concrete and the slurry water. The

of all other building materials combined.

benefits to it are that it reduces the

Construction and demolition waste

production of greenhouse gas emissions

generation has exceedingly increased

and other pollutants by decreasing the

around the world to about 40% annually,

need to extract raw materials and ship new

out of which, concrete constitutes about

materials to long distances.

implemented the concrete recycling plant by 1976. The use of recycled aggregates from construction and demolition wastes is showing great interest in construction because it is a huge money saver for every company and cuts down the cost on effort of transport and manpower. It conserves natural resources and reduces the space required for the landfill disposal.

Concrete And Its Ingredients

80% of the total waste. Therefore, it is

Conservation of natural resources and

Concrete is a mixture of cement, water,

necessary to recycle concrete waste to

a responsibility towards a greener future

and aggregate material. Cement is made

recycled aggregate and recycled aggregate

enabled Schwing Stetter to manufacture

by heating a mixture of limestone and clay

concrete. Sustainable development is

recycling plants of RA6, RA12 and RA20.

containing oxides of calcium, aluminium, silicon and other metals in a kiln and then pulverizing the resulting clinker. The fine aggregate particles are usually sand. Coarse aggregate is generally gravel or crushed stone. When cement is mixed with water, a chemical reaction called hydration occurs, which produces glue that binds the aggregates together to make concrete.

Concrete Washout After concrete is poured at a construction site, the chutes of ready mixed concrete trucks and hoppers of concrete pump trucks must be washed to remove the remaining concrete before it hardens. Equipment such as wheelbarrows and hand tools also need to be washed. At the end of each workday, the drums of concrete trucks must be washed. This Stetter Concrete Recycling Plant RA6

CE&CR May 2020

CONCRETE RECYCLING PLANT

RA-6

is customarily done at the ready mixed

Schwing Stetter’s RA6 can recycle the concrete at a washing capacity for normal

landfill space, recycled gravel reducing

concrete batching plants, which are usually off-site facilities, however large or rural

concrete at 6 m per hour. The major

recycled concrete as the base material for

construction projects may have on-site

benefits to RA6 are compact design, semi-

roadways, which reduces the pollution

batch plants.

circular feed hoppers with 1.9 m width,

involved in construction, satisfying legal

discharge height up to 2 m with optional

authorities guidelines of not allowing

extension, easy operation, fully automatic,

waste water containing cement slurry,

Wet Concrete Recycling

Builders often order more ready mixed

no wastage of aggregates or raw materials,

concrete than they need, so it is common

short vehicle downtimes during cleaning, no disposal costs, exceptionally resistant to wear, variable installation possibilities and low operating costs.

for concrete trucks to have wet concrete remaining in their drum after a delivery. This unused concrete can be returned to the ready mixed plant and either (1) used

because this can contribute to ground

Operation of Schwing Stetter’s RA6 is based on reverse flow principle. This provides quick intake of concrete. It separates aggregates in various sizes ranging from 63 mm to 0.2 mm. Vibrators are available for free concrete flow and aggregate flow. Drum rollers are provided with nylon ring for increased life, maintenance door provided for easy access to wash drum, drive protection cover provided for safety.

water and surface water contamination.

Schwing Stetter are the best in the next

Schwing Stetter recycling plants helps

generation - recycling plant. RA6 offers

in conserving the environment by not

easy to use, low noise equipment wherein

contaminating the ground water through

it separates aggregates and slurry from the

recycling of slurry water and reusing it in

concrete to be reused. The major benefits

making concrete. An explanation on one

of concrete recycling includes keeping

such product is:

concrete debris out of landfills saving

to pour precast concrete products (e.g., highway barriers, retaining wall blocks, riprap), (2) used to pave the ready mixed plant’s yard, (3) washed into a reclaimer, or (4) dumped on an impervious surface and allowed to harden, so it can be crushed and recycled as aggregate. Unused wet concrete should not be dumped on bare ground to harden at construction sites

CE&CR May 2020

the need for gravel mining and using the

which should be allowed to be flushed into municipal drains and minimum payback period of capital investments made on Stetter concrete recycling system. The other benefits of using Stetter concrete recycling plant are as below. -- Fresh aggregates and recycled sand and water. -- Minimum payback period of capital investments from Stetter RA6, RA12 & RA20. -- Low replacement part costs. -- According to site limited space condition, recycling plant can be positioned. -- Protection against overflow and automatic drum-feed cut off. -- Water conservation due to closed water circulation during washing operation. For more information, visit: www.schwingstetterindia.com

EXCAVATORS

Australian Company Selects Volvo ECR235CL For Retaining Wall Work

ustralian company United Crib Blocks Construction (UCBC) is using two ECR235CL crawler excavators from

Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) to support the growing demand for retaining walls in the country.

levelling, and delivering longer reach plus larger loading and load-moving capabilities. Volvo’s ECR235CL short-swing excavators offer increased safety and manoeuvrability, features that are crucial for working on congested worksites. The machine’s body

“Retaining walls are a demanding

is so compact that its rear swings less than

business in Australia, with both the

185 mm, only fractionally outside its own

domestic and commercial market segment

track width. This means that the excavator

booming,” said Nicholas Bouhoutsos, co-

can get extremely close to objects (walls,

owner of UCBC. “We chose Volvo’s ECR235CL

trees, etc.) without risk of collision with the

excavator because the crawler excavator has counterweights that allow for work near other buildings and the ability to load up a truck right next to the excavator.” In 2015, UCBC purchased its first ECR235CL and added a second one to meet growing demand for short-swing excavators, which have the ability to work in confined areas and still deliver best-in-class lifting capacity, stability, digging force and fine control. The ECR235CL has a bucket capacity of 1.09 m 3, a breakout force of 141.2 kN, maximum digging reach of 9.89 m and maximum digging depth of 6.75 m. On retaining wall job sites, the ECR235CL excavators assist UCBC with backfilling,

rear of the machine as it swings.

other uses – such as on highways, where the machines can safely operate within a typical single road lane width, minimizing disruption

The rounded shape of the cab is also

to traffic flow. Today these versatile machines

designed to stay within the rear swing

can be found in a variety of applications,

radius, yet it remains the roomiest and most comfortable in the market – as befits Volvo’s reputation for providing superior operator comfort. A sliding door allows the operator to access the machine easily – even when parked close to an obstruction and there is a brighter, colour LCD monitor plus selectable hydraulic control options. This monitor can also be used with an optional rear-view camera, further increasing machine operating safety. Even when not working close to obstructions, the short swing radius has

including utilities work, mining, and forestry, in addition to general construction. “One of the main reasons we selected Volvo’s ECR235CL is for the excavator’s spacious cab and the fact it has its own suspension,” Bouhoutsos said. Established in 1977, UCBC is a familyowned business based in Coogee, New South Wales, Australia. Bouhoutsos currently runs the business with his father George and continues to expand his grandfather’s legacy of delivering competitive and cost-effective solutions to customers. UCBC purchased the two Volvo ECR235CL crawler excavators from CJD, Volvo CE’s distribution partner in Australia. “CJD provides outstanding customer service,” Bouhoutsos said. “The Volvo dealer is always thinking of how UCBC can grow, remain cost-effective and continue to generate a profit.”

For more information, please visit: www.volvoce.com

CE&CR May 2020

COVER STORY

BITUMINOUS ROAD CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT

“India Is Poised To Become The Top Consumer Of Bitumen In The Next Five Years”

he road sector, a significant demand driver for Construction Equipment (CE), accounts for 21% of CE sales in India and is one of the fastest growing sectors. India has one of the world’s

largest road networks with over 5.8 million km, transporting almost 65% of the country’s goods and close to 90% of total passenger traffic, says Mr. Arvind K Garg, Executive Vice-President and Head – Construction & Mining Machinery and Rubber Processing Machinery, Larsen & Toubro.

The budget 2020 has been a great support for the road construction equipment sector, adds Vidyarthi. Mr. Ramesh Palagiri, MD & CEO, Wirtgen Group India, talking about the government’s shifting focus from concrete roads to bituminous roads adds, “the demand for Asphalt pavers has picked up and is likely to grow at faster pace. At present more than

Garg continues, “Globally, India is one of the top five bitumen

80% of the roads around the world are

consumers with flexible or bituminous pavements being the

surfaced with asphalt…augmenting the

favourites for big projects like the Golden Quadrilateral or the

need for asphalt pavers across the globe

Bharat Mala…With the envisioned ambitious highways and airports

especially in developing countries.” In

expansion plans, India is poised to become the top consumer of

confirmation, Garg says, “While Ministry

bitumen in the next five years.” Mr. Puneet Vidyarthi, Brand Leader,

of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH),

CASE India, in affirmation says, “This pace of execution over the next

over the past few years, has favoured the construction of concrete

5 years will help in increasing the market size and further demand

over asphalt roads…factors like a 30% higher cost, longer lead times

for CE.”

for imported concrete pavers, availability of water, etc. have impeded

Mr. Ramesh Palagiri MD & CEO, Wirtgen Group India

this initiative.”

“ T h e g o v e r n m e n t ’s f o c u s o n bituminous road tenders is high. Market

Demand/Supply Scenario

size of the bituminous road construction

layers of road, as per off highway research

Vidyarthi stating Off-Highway Research Indian Annual Review 2018 says, “Within Earthmoving, Backhoe Loader grew by 22% and Hydraulic Excavator by 24%.” He continues, “A BofA Merrill Lynch (BofAML) 2018-19 report had also given a positive outlook

report),” comments Mr. Dimitrov Krishnan,

for the highway sector with the government fixing

equipment segment is in the range of 6,000 units (compactors, pavers included, for all

Managing Director, Volvo CE India Pvt Ltd. As per his estimation, annual growth is expected to be 10~12% YOY, but this most likely will take a hit due to Covid-19.

Mr. Dimitrov Krishnan Managing Director, Volvo CE India Pvt.

the national highways project award target at 20,000 km for FY19 up 25% over the previous year.”

CE&CR May 2020

BITUMINOUS ROAD CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT

Developing countries such as China, India and Brazil have done huge investment in developing the paved road networks in their countries, which has significantly boosted the demand for asphalt paver equipment in these countries,” states Palagiri. In context of India, “the market size of Bituminous Road Equipment is estimated to be about Rs. 5,000 crores for FY19-20 and has been growing at a CAGR of over 16% for the last 3 years,” according to Garg. “To meet the increasing demand in the Indian market, leading Indian and multinational manufacturers offer the best of equipment in sync with the Government of India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative with adequate capacities.” In contrast, Krishnan suggests, “In the current scenario, although there are a lot of new road project opportunities, supply still seems to be higher compared to demand.” Speaking about the demand for graders and rollers in this segment, Mr. Adarsh Gautam- National Head- Sales & Product Support, Road Construction Equipment, Action Construction Equipment Ltd. says, “The demand for graders and rollers is totally dependent on amount of ongoing and to be awarded infra projects…in comparison to Backhoe loaders, which has become like a utility machine at every project site. Backhoe loader is a must machine to handle small to mid-size jobs at various construction sites. The demand of backhoe loaders is highest in the country among all the construction equipment because of its versatility.”

envisaged several mega projects to drive India’s road development.” He talks about several Government initiatives such as the Bharat Mala Pariyojana, the Sagarmala Programme, and the Setu Bharatam programme, which are working towards infrastructural development. “Sagarmala, Bharatmala, Pradhan Mantri gram Sadak Yojna and Trilateral Highway (India-MyanmarThailand highway) are few prestigious projects where CASE India’s machines are currently deployed.

COVER STORY

Mr. Arvind K Garg Executive Vice-President and Head – Construction & Mining Machinery and Rubber Processing Machinery, Larsen & Toubro

“More than 610 projects (Rs. 7.78 lac crore) have been identified for implementation under this programme that is seen as the second largest demand driver, during 2015-2033. As of 31-July-2019, a total of 542 projects (Rs. 4.75 lac crore) were under various stages of implementation,” points out Garg. He also includes the PMGSY and the Rashtriya Rajmarg Zila Sanjoyokta Pariyojna, “that entail the development of 6,600 km of highways at an estimated cost of about Rs 60,000 crore, and aims to connect 100 district headquarters across the country.”

Growth Drivers

Adding to the Government initiatives, Palagiri says, “MoRTH is also looking at ways to monetize the existing operational highways through the TOT (Toll Operate Transfer) model and also to rework on the BOT model to make it more attractive.” He contemplates, “Another driver of growth might be the reduction of costs in the construction industry in India by using innovative technologies. Use of locally available resources and materials can bring down the cost and use of prefabricated and innovative technologies can reduce the time for completion of the project.”

Increasing investments in infrastructure sector is a key driver to propel growth, accurately comments Palagiri. “Investments done by public as well as private sector in development of infrastructure in the emerging economies is boosting the growth of the Asphalt Finisher market.”

Garg adds, “Several policy decisions and external factors are also aiding the growth of this sector, such as accelerated public-private partnership projects in the road sector; relaxed FDI norms to boost construction deals; the decline in global oil prices supporting bitumen prices; advanced technology-driven fast-paced construction.”

Emphasizing on few projects towards growth of bituminous road construction equipment, Garg says, “The Government has

According to Krishnan, the major growth drivers for this segment include central government push for infrastructure development,

CE&CR May 2020

Mr. Adarsh Gautam National Head - Sales & Product Support, Action Construction Equipment Ltd.

COVER STORY

BITUMINOUS ROAD CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT

especially road projects; budget allocation in 2019-20 NHAI - US$11.51 Bn; pending projects which were awarded and currently in execution stages; with global drop in crude oil prices we expect more allocation for bituminous road project in the days to come. Significantly, Gautam points out, “The market scenario for earthmoving and road construction equipment is not that exciting w.r.t to FY 18-19. The compactor and grader industry were down by around 25% & 30%, respectively as compared to last fiscal. Backhoe loaders market has also witnessed negative growth of around 22% compared to last year.”

Budget 2020 “The Budget 2020, has outlined a roadmap for the development of the infrastructure and construction sector,” remarks Vidyarthi. Discussing the Budget 2020, Garg states, “Budget 2020 plans to spend Rs. 1.03 lakh crores on infrastructure development over the next few years with a sizable allocation for road construction…The budget envisages the development of 2,500 km access control highways, 9,000 km of economic corridors, 2,000 km of coastal and land port roads and 2,000 km of strategic highways.” Palagiri adds, “While the budgetary allocation in Budget 2020 increased by 10.6% for Road and Highway Sector, special push/ focus is given to some projects wherein approx. 15,000 km of road & highway construction is earmarked under Access controlled highways, economic corridors, coastal and land port roads and strategic highways.” Garg elucidates, “The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway and two other packages are expected to be completed by 2023. The Chennai-Bengaluru Expressway is expected to start this year and 12 lots of highway bundles of over 6,000 km will be monetized by NHAI before 2024.”

Mr. Puneet Vidyarthi Brand Leader CASE India

“The keen focus on highway projects and monetization of the highway bundles provides a lot of chances to the stakeholders to make the most of this year with the given opportunities. We expect these steps to create better opportunities in the segment in the coming time,” explains Vidyarthi.

Though Palagiri considers the current allocation of budget for road projects is definitely a positive sign, he suggests, “the NHAI has to relook for various other options for self-financing of new highway projects and the MORTH is looking at the TOT and the BOT projects, the funding for which could come from monetizing the existing highway projects which are already operational.” Garg suggests, “The government should also consider providing incentives to the industry to scale up operations and help manufacturers grow their exports for long term growth and development.”

Latest Technology/Product Trends Globally speaking, automation is taking the lead in supporting project completions well in time and maintaining high quality demands. Today, we see a fair share of technologically superior and advanced equipment’s for road and highway construction, speaks Vidyarthi. However in India, automation is still struggling to make a headway in compaction and paving operations, says Krishnan. Having said this, he envisions, “intelligent compaction system and paving system will be the guiding factor for all National Highway Projects, closely followed by technology like machine to machine communication mapping that will play a great role when contractors are operating on wafer thin margins.” With a similar idea, L&T has automated their machines like graders and excavators using 3D levelling systems. Their pavers are being upgraded with 3D Paving kits, comprising robotic stations and other associated optical and electronic accessories. Palagiri shares an insight on Wirtgen Group’s products that are equipped with latest technology and could pave the roads with highest accuracy and precision. Vogele has introduced several innovations like the high compaction screed with pressure bars and first electric heating of the screed; niveltronic plus operating concept; ergo plus operator features; Spray Jet paver, which does the tack coat and paving with the same paver; Mobile feeder, which are now being used for building of airport runways and expressways and also the in-line paving technology; Road Scan, which helps the operator of the paver to know the exact temperature of the mic as it is being paved. On the compaction side, HAMM offers HCM (HAMM Compaction Meter), HTM (HAMM Temperature Meter), HCQ (HAMM Compaction Quality), HAMMTRONIC, among others, which help to carry out several analyses, third party validation of compaction parameters, improve machine efficiency and productivity, etc. Revealing the technology used in ACE Motor graders, Gautam says, “The biggest USP of ACE motor graders is its drawbar pull & blade down forces which…gives best of the productivity under various types of site conditions.” He continues, “ACE has introduced centralized greasing system in its graders…This minimizes the maintenance time and labour effort which ensures higher availability and better productivity. Further, ACE’s rollers are designed in such a way that the weight distribution of front and rear module is perfectly balanced. This also helps in attaining max. travel speed of the roller,

60 CE&CR May 2020

BITUMINOUS ROAD CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT

COVER STORY

As per Palagiri, “The fuel efficiency of bituminous road construction equipment depends on many factors like material, site conditions, operator skills, etc.” Volvo CE offers high torque @ low rpm engines, which are fuel efficient when the machine utilization is less than 50% due to project constraints. With regards to Asphalt compaction, it is ideal to use the compactor for both forward and reverse directions. Automatic Reverse Eccentrics feature plays a critical role in productivity and is a key factor in compaction.

which is almost double as compared to other players.” In addition, ACE Backhoe loaders are also now coming with telematics system, which helps provide real time location, operating hours and health report of the machine by just sitting at home/office. “Apart from changes in materials and design methods, we see tremendous benefits in adopting automation by going digital...Other automation and digitalization options available off the shelf are: Use of telematics for real-time data monitoring, adoption of robotics, grade and slope control technology, RAP, Thermal Sensors, Autonomous Construction Vehicles, BIM, etc.” Speaking about L&T’s association with technology, Garg says, “Premium class equipment like those offered by L&T and Komatsu have sophisticated and advanced health monitoring systems that allow both manufacturers and users to track almost all vital performance parameters remotely, online.” Further, CASE’s compactors include technological features like a compaction meter technology which aims at providing easier and fast job completion; graders include a CRDI electronic engine for on-board diagnostics, with laptop connectivity to download the entire data log and analysis of operations and get to the root cause of any failure; all products comprise a ROPs & FOP cabin system, which ensures safety; Advanced Eagle Eye Telematics Solution is also available in their machines. Additionally, according to Garg, “Most manufacturers and distributors are also using CRM systems and setting up Toll-Free Call centres pan-India to streamline and improve their response times to customer needs and enhance user experience.”

Fuel Efficiency

ACE’s products are one of the most fuel efficient machines available in the industry. ACE Graders’ fuel consumption vary from 11-14 L/h. For normal application, the fuel consumption reported by some of the customers are even less than 11 L/h. For Rollers, fuel consumption vary from 8-10 L/h in soil application and 6-8 L/h in asphalt application. ACE backhoe loaders gives 4-5 L/h fuel consumption in backhoe application and 5-6 L/h in loader application. The combination of fuel economy and productivity for ACE products is best in the industry. CASE’s equipment is equipped with new-generation engine - developed by CNH Industrial subsidiary FPT Industrial, the worldleading manufacturer of engines, transmissions and powertrains – providing outstanding performance, fast response time and best-inclass fuel economy. CASE India focuses on the use of quality engines along with regular maintenance across their equipment, which helps deliver excellent fuel efficiency. The FPT Industrial engine not only increases the overall durability of the product but it also helps lifting the productivity of the machine. Komatsu and L&T have ushered in various cutting edge and value-adding technologies: the KOMTRAX on the KOMATSU machines helps the client optimise the fuel consumed by correctly selecting the working modes. A lot of research goes into the right engine setting and HP utilisation, so that the right power balance is achieved. The L&T range of compactors and wheel Loaders have also been tuned to give optimal balance between productivity and fuel consumed. The next technological realm will be hybrid machines, run on alternative fuels and electrically operated machines which can further improve cost efficiencies and reduce emissions. An eco-system to adopt such technologies, needs to be developed in our country to facilitate their introduction and adoption.

Emphasising the need for best-in-class technologies, operating

The Wirtgen Group consistently developing products that offer

the machine efficiently and delivering the desired output most

efficiency in terms of fuel consumption, which helps in sustainable

cost-effectively, Garg discusses, “The earlier practices of measuring

development and less carbon emissions, lower life cycle

fuel consumption against operating hours of the machine are being

cost and better productivity. The Wirtgen

challenged and replaced with the approach to measure output against every litre of fuel consumed as productivity per litre of diesel

Group equipment is designed for higher productivity and less operating cost.

burnt.”

VOGELE “Eco Plus Package” is

CE&CR May 2020

COVER STORY

BITUMINOUS ROAD CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT

combination of innovative and latest technology in Asphalt Paver’s and thus results in higher fuel efficiency. On compaction side, HAMM also of fers technologies like HAMMTRONIC which controls and regulate the power demand thereby keeping the engine under optimum load at all time and results in fuel efficiency.

Rental And Products/Launches In The Segment Krishnan states, “For contractors, or those leasing from us for the first time we offer a range of attractive financing options through our Volvo Financial Services arm in terms of attractive finance proposals, extended warranties.” As for CASE India, their financial arm CNHi Capital provides a comprehensive range of services, including wholesale and retail equipment financing support for their customers in the market place. Vidyarthi comments, “The service helps our customers and potential customers in their equipment’s purchases. One needs a lot of capital in order to purchase heavy duty equipment; rental/finance business is easy on pocket…CASE India also provides a financial advisor service called Capital Mitras to help the customers and educate them on various financing related issues such as ‘kind of finance’ 6 months instalments/quarter instalments, ‘best scheme ‘and help them in their journey. For on-road segment, CASE offers a range of compaction series equipped with best-in-class technologies. For asphalt application, CASE India offers 752EX Vibratory Tandem Compactor and 450DX Mini Tandem Compactor. In soil compactors, CASE has 1107EX available in three variants - Standard, Drum Drive and Pad Foot Drum. All compactors are equipped with compaction meter, where on screen operator can check amplitude, frequency and ICV (intelligence compaction value) which is related to density of soil compacted. CASE India also offers a range of Motor Graders and Crawler Dozers. Each Volvo compactor has many features which help them deliver more productivity and efficiency for road projects. For example, in addition to optimizing power and productivity, the Volvo SD110BA

is designed to achieve high quality compaction and a flawless mat finish. Similarly, the DD90B double drum asphalt compactor can handle varying conditions and widths to offer flexible pavement compaction in a variety of applications, including parking lots and airport runways. Volvo CE also has pavers — the P4370B ABG (6m), P5320ABG (7.5m), P6820C (9m), ABG7820B (10m), ABG8820B (13m), ABG9820B (16m). L&T provides a wide range of equipment for road making, to suit the size of the project right from PMGSY projects which prefer mini excavators and compactors to large expressways that require larger excavators and compactors. Their products are more versatile with variants for earthwork, long reach attachments, quarry variants and a host of attachments like rock breakers, quick couplers, pile drivers, piling drills, slope compactors and crusher buckets. The road construction equipment include KOMATSU products such as Komatsu – PC 71 - 7T Excavator, Komatsu – PC 130 - 13 T Excavator, Komatsu – PC 210-10 - 20 T Excavator, etc. and indigenous L&T products such as L&T – Soil Compactor – L&T 1190 - 11 T Compactor, L&T – Tandem Compactor – L&T 990 - 10 T Bitumen Compactor, L&T – Mini Compactor – L&T 491 – 3 T - Mini Compactor among others. ACE Motor graders comes with a powerful Cummins engine generating 173 hp. It is a robust machine with 15 ton operating weight and 12 feet blade width. It is equipped with air-conditioned cabin to increase the efficiency of the operators. In rollers, ACE offers two variants (10 Ton & 12 Ton operating weight class) for soil application and a 9 tonner variant for compaction of asphalt mix. ACE Backhoe loaders arm have a unique D-box type structural design which is very powerful…The bucket sizes are best in the industry with a capacity of 1.1 cum for loader & 0.24 cum for backhoe application, respectively. Garg remarks, “Total investment in the roads and highway sector has gone up by more than three times in the five-year period of 2014-15 to 2018-19 according to a recent economic survey. To derive maximum benefits from these investments, it is important that project cost and time-overruns are minimised; Land-acquisition needs to be streamlined and the pace of award of projects to successful bidders needs to be expedited. These steps will accelerate growth, although the current situation is a deterrent and the industry seeks the government to take the necessary steps to help tide over the adverse impact of the pandemic.”

CE&CR May 2020

FACE-TO-FACE

“The Domestic Stainlesssteel Industry Is Operating At A Mere 60-70% Of Its Total Installed Capacity” ISSDA, founded in 1999, is a not for profit organization committed to the growth and development of stainlesssteel industry in India. It was formed with the explicit objective of diversifying the applications of stainless-steel in India and increasing usage volumes in the country. Mr K K Pahuja, the head of the Association, details the trends of stainless-steel consumption and its applications.

Mr K K Pahuja President ISSDA (Indian Stainless-steel Development Association)

manufacturers as its members, ISSDA is emphasizing on the grass root level for skill development of fabricators

ivil Engineering & Construction Review: ISSDA has been working towards diversifying the applications of stainless-steel in India and increasing usage volumes in the country. What benchmarks has

the organisation established? What milestones has it achieved? K K Pahuja: Indian Stainless-steel Development Association’s (ISSDA) journey began with the goal of expanding the scope of stainless-steel applications in India; thereby, increasing its consumption. ISSDA recently celebrated its 30th foundation anniversary and chronicled a milestone moment as India achieved 2.5 kg per capita stainless-steel consumption in 2019 against 1.2 kg in 2010, registering an increase of over 100% in a period of just eight years. Today, India is the second largest producer and consumer of stainless-steel in the world with a total production of 3.92 MMT (for CY 2019). The exponential increase in stainless-steel consumption in the country was possible due to the extensive efforts of ISSDA and its members in fields of R&D and process development. Recently, ISSDA was recognized by the International Stainless-steel Forum (ISSF) for developing innovative product applications in stainless-steel like

and is also imparting hands-on training for selection of appropriate stainless-steel grades. In the last three decades, the Indian infrastructural landscape has witnessed a vast transformation with stainless-steel increasingly being adopted for modern public applications. This includes railway bridges, foot over-bridges, benches, water coolers, bus stands, sinks, elevators, hand rails, gates, roofing, facade cladding, street furniture and sculptures, public dustbins, etc. Apart from this, mass transit infrastructure like airports, railway stations, subway stations, gateways, and transportation; structural applications like flyovers and bridges; heavy machinery and process industries are all relying on stainless-steel for a sustainable and longer life. ISSDA has worked with the Indian government and has effectively advocated for the low life cycle cost of stainless-steel, which is now being mandated

bread moulds, e-rickshaws, fish cages, and a stainless-steel display van. This is

by the government across infrastructural projects.

also a testimony to the fact that stainless-steel applications in India have grown

Apart from this, stainless-steel stands the sustainability

beyond traditional applications like kitchenware and tableware. Today, Indian

test as it is ~100% recyclable and has minimal carbon

stainless-steel products mirror the benchmarks of world class products and

footprint. Moreover, a longer life and an impressive

are being exported to critical markets like United States and European Union.

end-of-life value are the two key parameters now

ISSDA, along with the government agencies like BIS, has been successful in

being considered by architects and engineers for new

standardizing stainless-steel products and their respective usage. With key

project execution.

CE&CR May 2020

FACE-TO-FACE CE&CR: India ranks among the top 15 countries in the world in

European Union. Additionally, the existing Countervailing Duty (CVD)

terms of per capita consumption of stainless-steel. Which sector

and Anti-Dumping Duty (ADD) enforced by the Indian government

has exhibited the maximum demand?

on imports have been ineffective, with imports being on a consistent

K K Pahuja: An increased per capita consumption of stainless-steel

rise (as seen in the table below).

is the result of increased acceptance of the metal across diversified

2018-19

applications like Automobiles, Railways and Transport (ART);

4,84,548 MT

2019-20 (April-Jan) Annualised

Architecture, Bridges, and Construction (ABC); process industry, pipes and tubes, and hollowware or white goods segments. However, hollowware segment continues to hold the lion’s share of stainlesssteel demand in India, ranging between 40-45%. This includes tableware, kitchenware, cutlery, sinks, stoves, utensils, and similar products. The expected growth rate in this segment is nearly 7%. The share of this segment a decade ago was nearly 70%. With a share of over 14% in the country’s stainless-steel demand,

8,13,831 MT Source: Department of Commerce

Moreover, the existing ADD and CVD have led to a trade diversion via Free Trade Agreement (FTA) countries, specifically from ASEAN countries as shown in the table: ASEAN

2017-18

2018-19

Countries

2019-20 (April-December)

Indonesia

8,601

76,132

2,53,794

Malaysia

6,474

30,998

36,529

major contributor in the per capita consumption of stainless-steel.

Singapore

6,418

7,726

5,982

Along with major projects like smart city development and highway

Thailand

3,371

2,628

5,282

construction, the sector also comprises applications like railings and

Vietnam SOC

2,795

9,683

8,253

gates, furniture (benches, chairs, tables, doors handles), decorative

REP

items (ornamental pipes & tubes, metal handicrafts), facades, etc.,

Total

ABC (Architecture, Building, and Construction) sector is another

which are increasingly gaining prominence. This segment is now expecting a thrust, given the government’s renewed focus on infrastructure under the new National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP), comprising projects like redevelopment of railway stations, metro projects, among other infrastructural developments. Stainless-steel reinforcement bars are also being explored in the construction sector. CE&CR: Though India’s stainless-steel consumption level has reached 2.5 kg/capita in a short span of time, the domestic stainless-steel industry faces several challenges. Kindly shed some light on them, along with the suggested government measures to boost domestic manufacturing.

3,09,840 Source: Department of Commerce (figures in MT)

Consequentially, the domestic stainless-steel industry is bearing the brunt of under-priced imports and is operating at a mere 60-70% of its total installed capacity. Apart from this, an import duty of 2.5% on key raw materials like Ferro-Nickel and stainless-steel scrap further pushes the input cost for the domestic players, distorting the model of a level-playing field with global peers. It is noteworthy that the Indian stainlesssteel producers are equipped to manufacture world-class products. Moreover, the currently installed production capacity is sufficient to meet the domestic demand of stainless-steel.

K K Pahuja: An international sentiment of trade protectionism has increased the dumping of stainless-steel products in India; be it United States’ section 232 or protectionist measures put up by the

Fish Rearing Cage in Stainless Steel

CE&CR May 2020

First Ever Stainless Steel e-Rickshaw Prototype

FACE-TO-FACE Therefore, the challenges faced by domestic players need to be addressed immediately by the government. We are providing all support to the government on behalf of the industry. We now expect a prompt action by the authorities. CE&CR: Please tell us about the increase in the use of stainlesssteel as a building material in the last decade. K K Pahuja: Stainless-steel is the new-age solution for a sustainable infrastructure. The Architecture, Building, and Construction (ABC) segment constitutes ~20% of the total Indian stainless-steel demand. Over the last decade, the demand for stainless-steel in India has grown at 8-9% per annum. The metal is a key raw material for modern day infrastructure projects like redevelopment of railway stations, new highways, and metro projects. Further, stainless-steel rebars and plates are essential components of modern-day foot overbridges (FOBs) and road-over-bridges (ROBs). Transit buildings such as airports and metro rapid mass transport systems have been extensively using this metal for various applications such as bollards, column claddings, ticketing counters, escalators, lifts, handrails, canopies, etc. Apart from this, stainless-steel is also a key ingredient for pipe and tube applications in railings, furniture, decorative items, facades, etc. In this background, the government’s continuous boost towards infrastructure and a lofty investment of nearly Rs. 35,000 crore for capacity expansion and modernization by the domestic industry have uplifted the stainless-steel demand prospects for infrastructural projects.

have recently identified several key focus areas for stainless-steel usage to expand. Moreover, the promising National Infrastructure Pipeline project of the government is expected to harvest immense demand for stainless-steel on various fronts. Some of these are listed below: − 65-70% requirement of energy infrastructure (including Thermal, Atomic, Renewable energy) in coastal areas will bank on stainless-steel for a sustainable and disaster-resilient setup. − Demand from automobile segment for stainless-steel exhaust systems now that the BS VI norms have come into force from April 1, 2020. − E-mobility market banks upon stainless-steel for effectively executing last mile connectivity transportation. − The stainless-steel decorative pipes and tubes segment, currently growing at ~12% per annum, finds major applications in railings, furniture, decorative items, facades, etc. − Stainless-steel is an effective and healthy alternative to the

CE&CR: Which segments do you see as growth drivers for the

hazardous plastic for water solutions, leading to a better quality

consumption of stainless-steel in the construction industry?

of life.

K K Pahuja: Cities in India are going through rapid urbanization with

CE&CR: What effort is ISSDA making to achieve sustainable

construction activities picking up. Stainless-steel demand is picking

construction with the use of stainless-steel?

pace across segments such as hollowware, ABC segment, and railway infrastructures (like road-over- bridges, foot overbridges, benches, station redevelopment, etc.). The domestic players, along with ISSDA,

K K Pahuja: Over the past two decades, infrastructural growth has aligned with the idea of sustainability. As recognition for sustainable infrastructure is on the rise, public infrastructure is gradually shifting from conventional metals to progressive ones like stainlesssteel which are suitable for modern construction. This includes applications like water storage and management, food storage, bridge construction, etc. ISSDA has effectively brought together various stakeholders like industry leaders, policy makers at all levels, small scale manufacturers and fabricators, etc. across various demographics, and advocated for adoption of stainless-steel. The association continues to be a knowledge centre for industry leaders and stakeholders and also ensures technical assistance to drive out value of every new application. Apart from this, being the bridge between industry and policy makers, ISSDA represents the domestic industry’s concerns and demands.

Stainless Steel for FOB Structures

CE&CR May 2020

FACE-TO-FACE

“The Domestic Industry Has Adequate Stainless-Steel Manufacturing Capacities Installed…” Founded in 1970, Jindal Stainless is one of the largest stainless-steel conglomerates in India and ranks amongst the top 10 stainless-steel conglomerates in the world. Mr. Vijay Sharma, the Director of the group, shares his insights on the stainless-steel market and the Indian construction industry.

ivil Engineering & Construction Review: How do you think the government’s big decision of slashing corporate tax will impact the stainless-steel sector in the near term?

Vijay Sharma: This incentive will not only contribute to ease of doing business in the nation but will also attract foreign investments in brown-field and greenfield projects, thus spurring economic growth. The step will ensure free cash flow, meanwhile enhancing employment. The domestic stainless-steel players need to capitalize on the increasing stainless-steel demand in India, currently growing at a CAGR of 8-9%. The domestic stainless-steel industry welcomes this affirmative policy initiative by the government and believes that this decision will give a fillip to plans of diversifying or adding capacities. CE&CR: What are the stainless-steel products offered by your company for construction? Vijay Sharma: As India’s largest fully integrated stainless-steel manufacturer, Jindal Stainless is currently producing for all major sectors including Architecture, Building & Construction (ABC); Automobile, Railways & Transport (ART); process industries and white goods. The company produces world-class stainless-steel coils in both hot-rolled and cold-rolled forms, sheets, coin blanks, and precision strips. The company is the world’s largest producer of stainless-steel strips for razor blades and India’s largest producer

Mr. Vijay Sharma Director Jindal Stainless

Jindal Stainless has been making dedicated efforts in stainless-steel ornamental pipes and tubes segment which are generally used in handrails, balcony railings and gates. We have recently launched co-branded stainless-steel pipes and tubes with domestic pipe and tube manufacturers with the aim of curbing substandard material in the market. The company is catering to an increasing demand for stainless-steel roofing, interior, architectural cladding, lifts, elevators, etc. is also witnessing an increased demand. We are also producing for prominent stainlesssteel structural applications like bridges, flyovers, and foot over-bridges in the urban civil infrastructure. This new age infrastructure like metro extensively uses stainless-steel as its basic material. Major economies across the globe use stainless-steel in construction sectors more aggressively than India. Therefore the potential for stainless-steel growth in this segment is immense. CE&CR: How do the cheaper stainless-steel imports impact the Indian industry?

strong and is an all-weather material. Ease of fabrication and range of surface

Vijay Sharma: India is the second largest consumer and producer of stainless-steel in the world. The metal has registered the highest growth rate in India as compared to rest of the world, with the per capita consumption of stainless-steel at ~2.5 kg. However, this is almost half of the world average. This underlines that India is a

finishes give stainless-steel an edge over other materials.

distant second (as compared to China) and thus, holds

of coin blanks, serving the needs of Indian and international mints. As market demand for more durable, aesthetic, maintenance-free, and sustainable materials is on the rise, stainless-steel products are now being widely used in civil construction and infrastructure. Moreover, stainless-steel is innately

CE&CR May 2020

FACE-TO-FACE immense potential for stainless-steel growth. This makes India an attractive market for stainless-steel producing nations across the globe. Moreover, nations like China and Indonesia have excess manufacturing capacities installed. This has resulted in high level of imports, which have been plaguing the domestic stainless-steel industry. Further, a surge of imports from FTA (Free Trade Agreement) countries like ASEAN, Japan, Korea, etc. have added to the plight, amounting to be ~60% of the total imports in India. This has not only affected the domestic industry but has also bruised the exchequer. We thank the government for its resolution of opting out of the RCEP pact and further request the authorities to terminate FTAs in the interest of the domestic manufacturing sector. It is pertinent to note here that the domestic industry has adequate stainless-steel manufacturing capacities installed to meet the domestic stainless-steel demand. Stainless-steel imports remain one of the biggest challenges for the domestic industry. As a result, capacity utilization of domestic industry is at around 55% of the total installed capacity. According to data from the Ministry of Commerce, the total stainless-steel imports during FY 2018-19 increased by ~7% as compared to FY 2017-18, with imports from Indonesia rising by ~1100% during this period. The Indonesian import continued to ramp up to nearly 3000% during H1 FY 19-20 as compared to FY 2017-18. Moreover, due to sub-standard low priced imports, the market pricing of goods in the domestic market is distorted. Over the years, the domestic industry has paired up with newer technologies to produce world-class quality stainless-steel products. Consequently, the Indian stainless-steel products today have a global acceptance.

period of just eight years. Henceforth, India ranks among top 15 countries in the world in terms of per capita consumption of stainlesssteel. An ascending stainless-steel demand in diversified applications such as ABC, ART, process industries and white goods, apart from conventional use in kitchenware and utensils, has led to this increase. It is noteworthy that the metal has consistently evolved over the past three decades across all parameters, including production, R&D, and consumption patterns. With a ~100% recyclability, impeccable corrosion resistance, and low life cycle cost, stainless-steel is an indispensable metal for diverse sectors including railways, metro projects, bridges, nuclear projects, transportation, heavy machinery, kitchenware etc. We look forward to working towards achieving an even better figure in the coming years. We are also actively working with the Ministry of Steel, Government of India, and Indian Stainless-steel Development Association (ISSDA) to promote stainless-steel usage where single-use plastic can be replaced with stainless-steel. We are committed to enhancing the per capita consumption of stainless-steel by developing stainlesssteel water tanks, water pipelines, and e-rickshaw body frames and

CE&CR: What are your views on increasing per capita stainless-

components along with relevant stakeholders.

steel consumption in the country?

CE&CR: Jindal Stainless recently conducted a fabrication

Vijay Sharma: India recently achieved a milestone of an enhanced

training program for Varanasi Central Jail inmates. What other

2.5 kg per capita consumption of stainless-steel in the country, against

initiatives are being taken to teach skills and ultimately, enhance

1.2 kg per capita in 2010, registering an increase of over 100% in a

employment? Vijay Sharma: In consonance with the Government’s rehabilitation program for prisoners, Jindal Stainless recently facilitated a stainlesssteel fabrication workshop for the jail inmates at Varanasi Central Jail in order to equip them with a skill and to ensure employment opportunities for them once they complete their prison term. Stainless-steel fabrication requires different expertise as compared to handling mild steel or aluminium. Therefore, Jindal Stainless is committed towards up-skilling the Indian youth and carries out training workshops across Indian cities. The workshops entail expert training on welding, cutting, and fabricating stainless-steel along with

68 CE&CR May 2020

FACE-TO-FACE equipping the masses with the correct knowledge and techniques of stainless-steel grade selection as per the application requirement. As of now, Jindal Stainless has trained ~10,000 fabricators. Also, through our specially designed stainless-steel showcase vans, we exhibit various stainless-steel applications in different cities. Jindal Stainless also works to uplift the weaker sections of the society. The company, under its CSR banner, works towards enhancing various skills among communities in order to sustain their financial independence. The courses include dress designing, fashion technology, beauty culture, stitching, and tailoring. CE&CR: In the beginning of 2019, Jindal Stainless expanded its stainless-steel footprint in the kitchenware segment to cater the demand from eastern India. Which other areas are you planning to look for expansion? Vijay Sharma: While we are already present in all the segments, Jindal Stainless has also aligned itself with the government’s initiative of ‘building the nation’. Recently, the company marked its advent in the stainless-steel structurals for railway infrastructure. The bridge infrastructure of the nation has been compromised with poor quality material for years. This has even resulted in severe accidents and casualties. Aligning its efforts with the mega modernization plans of the Indian Railways, Jindal Stainless recently signed an MoU with Braithwaite & Co Limited, a Government of India undertaking under the Ministry of Railways, to develop stainless-steel foot-over-bridges (FOBs), rail-over-bridges (ROBs), etc. across the nation. Apart from this, the company is also focusing on improving logistics including infrastructure and waterways with stainless-steel. CE&CR: Please share your views about the growth of the stainless-steel industry in the last decade. Vijay Sharma: Evolution of the Indian stainless-steel demand over the last decade has witnessed a significant change; from humble beginnings in the unorganized utensil segment to quintessential

economic fronts like nuclear, defence, ABC, ART, and energy generation applications. This translates into an indigenous cultivation of stainless-steel applications using indigenously produced metal. It is noteworthy that the developed nations, in the past, have followed a similar growth trend with stainless-steel applications. This justifies that Indian economy is on the right trajectory and is using the right means. Also, this unveils the adaptive nature of stainless-steel as per industry requirements. The exceptional nature of stainless-steel as a resource to be used in numerous applications boosts economic growth. Globally, India has marked its presence as one of the most quality-conscious stainless-steel producers. This is testified by the fact that Indian stainless-steel products are exported to quality conscious markets in Europe and US. CE&CR: What are your prospects and plans going forward? Vijay Sharma: Jindal Stainless recently increased its cold rolling capacities in its manufacturing units. The company is in the process of increasing the melting capacity at its Jajpur facility from 0.8 MT to 1.1 MT through de-bottlenecking, process balancing, and a capex of around Rs 40-50 crore, which will result in a production increase of 12-15%. We are also focusing on increasing the capacities of value-added products. With an estimated capex of about Rs 170 crore, the company is doubling its precision strips’ production capacity. This is expected to commission within FY21. We are also evaluating inorganic growth options. So, overall, Jindal Stainless has good options for both, brownfield expansions, and inorganic growth. We also plan on developing a stainless-steel downstream park in Jajpur, Odisha. We have proposed the state government to develop this park in an area of 300 acres. This project promises immense potential for downstream industries (pipes and tubes, re-rollers, rice mills, general fabrication, etc.). The park will accommodate more than 90 downstream units as well as one or more anchor investors for need-based re-rolling and service centre facilities.

CE&CR May 2020

SPECIAL REPORT - BIM SOLUTIONS FOR STEEL

Constructible BIM Solutions By Trimble For Steel And Steel Structures Mr Jayant Keswani Director Marketing, Trimble Buildings

firms. The answer to this problem lies in the application of advanced project management techniques, such as Constructible BIM that can make sure that construction happens with the help data rich drawings and thus, improved efficiency and minimum wastage in terms of material, time and money. Trimble flagship software, Tekla

Use Of Software In Construction

Structures, is a well-trusted Constructible 3D BIM solution across the

Any construction, regardless of the material, is a complex process,

globe that helps construction professionals to build with confidence.

which requires high level of expertise and precision throughout

The 3D modelling features of Tekla Structures help create an as-built

the workflow and involves multiple stakeholders. Even a small

model, which offers a high degree of accuracy and detail that assists

construction project entails a commitment of significant amount of

in a highly efficient construction process and helps minimize wastage

money, material, and manpower. Failing to manage the resources

and rework, reducing cost and time to complete the project.

optimally leads to wastage and rework, which in turn increases project costs and extends project timelines.

Using the constructible models, the building contractors can construct sustainably too. Sustainable construction requires greater

It has been estimated that construction industry generates

transparency throughout the entire lifecycle of a building: from

around 10-12 million tonnes of waste annually and only 50% of this

design and construction to operations and maintenance. Paper-

waste is recycled currently. Clearly, there is a dire need to reduce

based workflows are simply not equipped to deliver the required

the amount of waste as this impacts the profitability of construction

transparency and communication for sustainable construction. As all stakeholders involved in a project switch to advanced construction management software, they can communicate faster and seamlessly. Tekla Structures for example, helps every professional involved in a project get real-time updates and find possible problems before they show up on site. Effective communication is not just needed among different stakeholders, it is even more desirable for construction tools and machinery. The industry is moving to Open BIM software that generates interoperable BIM models, which can easily share and transfer data to different types of construction machinery. Tekla Structures provides an open interface and is designed to interact and exchange data with various software systems and technologies. An industry leader in steel fabrication, Tekla’s PowerFab, a highly advanced tool for steel fabricators also offers interoperability with several industry leading solutions.

Tekla PowerFab 2020 Trimble Connect web visualizations

CE&CR May 2020

SPECIAL REPORT - BIM SOLUTIONS FOR STEEL

Tekla Structural Designer 2020 Grasshopper Direct Link

In summary, the dominant growth drivers for adoption of sophisticated construction software tools are (a) the need to run sustainable and profitable businesses and (b) achieve higher customer satisfaction.

Steel Construction Related Software Steel structures have gained greater popularity in recent times as new urban infrastructure projects have come to the fore. The construction industry has now openly accepted and adopted steel as a favoured construction material, and this has spurred the demand for steel construction. Driven by important pre-requisites of steel construction, such as achieving higher accuracy and precision in project planning, proper field management and availability of off-site fabrication plants, the industry has welcomed custom built software for steel construction with open arms. Steel fabricators and detailers use Tekla Structures and Tekla PowerFab software that helps them manage steel construction better and offers unprecedented accuracy and detailing across the workflow. Constructing with steel is slightly more expensive than concrete and thus, project managers must ensure minimum errors, wastage, and rework in a project, along with proper timelines and budgets. The raison d’etre for the steel industry to adopt advanced software for truly constructible buildings, which can also enhance and streamline collaboration across project teams, is more pronounced than ever today. Complex steel structures necessitate use of software that seamlessly integrates the entire workflow, generates, and manages schedules and offers real-time visibility into the project. These factors

Tekla Structures 2020 Sloping slabs

picking with the focus on infrastructure build-out. Despite the challenges, India has continuously worked towards rapid urbanisation and infrastructural development, and its finished steel consumption is anticipated to increase by 230 MT by 2030. With this growing demand for steel and steel structures, the industry is forced to look within for developing a sharper competitive edge. This necessitates investing sufficiently in R&D to enhance their capabilities and of course, leverage innovation and technology. Trimble invests 14% of its revenues in R&D today. We provide the widest breadth of technology solutions for each phase of the building lifecycle. With the industry’s only truly constructible process, and full range of tools and content to streamline team collaboration, Trimble’s solutions help project stakeholders improve productivity and achieve operational excellence at all stages of the construction process. As a global leader in technology, our goal is to play a key role in the transformation of Indian construction industry as it evolves to compete more effectively and profitably with global players. For example, we are continuously working towards making constructability a practical, everyday issue-solver and to provide the construction industry with necessary tools to execute better throughout the construction lifecycle, irrespective of the stage of construction.

continue to drive ever increasing demand for steel construction software.

Trimble has increased its business potential in India exponentially in the past 4-5 years and has seen a growth of over 70% in its workforce, and the resultant investment in office space and machinery. Over the years, our local teams have contributed to the development of many cutting-edge, innovative solutions like Mixed Reality w/HoloLens (XR10), construction project management, collaboration, mobile platform, that have firmly positioned Trimble as a technology leader

Trimble’s Strategy In The Recent Past

and delighted customers in India and globally.

Construction industry has been oscillating in the last few years with residential real estate demand slowing but industrial construction

CE&CR May 2020

For more information, visit: www.trimble.com

FEATURE - STEEL

Structuring A Steely India!

population growth is slated to open a huge opportunity for the application of the vibrant variant. Structural pipes, available in varied shapes and sizes, will be a better and a

ny discourse on the world economy is incomplete today without any reference to China, because its

the quantity is far less than what it should

durable solution to PVC pipes used in homes

have been. However, it is only a matter of

and wood planks used in truck bodies. Door

time for the usage grows rapidly, as steel

frames, bridges and foot-overbridges can be

might in manufacturing makes the world

saves time and money. Its aesthetic property

erected using structural pipes/tubes. There

look up to its second largest economy for

and complete recyclability allow steel an

are many such areas, including in public

inspiration and innovation. China produces

improved environmental performance

utilities, where structural pipes/tubes can be

10 times more steel than India does. Its per-

across the lifecycle of the structure.

prudently used.

capita consumption is almost eight times

Globally, residential sector accounts for

higher than ours. The nation mostly uses

around 40% of the total structural steel

steel to feed its urbanization programme

consumption, followed by infrastructure,

that calls for rapid development of modern

commercial sectors and others including

buildings, infrastructure and housing,

public utility. Of the various types of steel

airports and metros, and many other

used in the infrastructure and construction

areas that warrant durable and speedier

sectors, growth potential is the highest for

construction.

structural steel in India. The usage is at its

Thanks to its unbridled population

nascent stage now – just 4.4% of the total

growth, India is within the striking distance

consumption, compared with the global

of dislodging China to become the world’s

average of 9% and 11% in Europe, and 8%

most populace nation. According to the

in Japan and the Middle East. The share

United Nations, India is expected to add

is projected to go up to 10% of the total

around 237 million between 2019 and 2050

consumption in 2023 and even higher in

to its current tally of 1.37 billion. In China,

2030.

58.55% people live in urban areas; in India,

Traditionally, India has been a supply-

this is just 34%. Yet, our cities are already

driven market for steel; however, the

over-crowded. Our land area is inadequate

consumption growth for structural steel

- only one-third that of China! This calls for

is most likely to be demand-driven. The

a rapid spate of urbanization, much quicker

demand for traditional and expensive

than the rest of the world and at an affordable

structural steel will make way for an improved

cost, not just to accommodate the growing

version – structural tubes! The future demand

population, but also for the meteoric rise in

for such cost-effective, lightweight and

people’s aspiration for a better and a cleaner

tailor-made structural tubes will only grow as

place to live in.

different studies have pointed out. Structural

Steel is at the centre of urbanization,

tubes can be a convenient and cost-effective

because it allows designers and architects to

substitute to each and every construction

have flexibility despite its inherent strength,

being built using structural steels. The usage

durability, flexibility and elasticity. India

of structural steel tubes will make the world

has started using steel to build durable,

a far better place to live in.

sustainable, fire-resistant, easy-to-repair

The market for hollow structural tubes/

houses, warehouses and skyscrapers; and

pipes has remained largely untapped in

spruce up its beleaguered infrastructure

India. However, coupled with the drastic

in areas like bridges, flyovers, highways,

improvement in the aspiration of its people

airports, sea ports and public utilities; but,

and their living standards, India’s exponential

The National Steel Policy, unveiled in 2017, pegged India’s steel demand to grow between 212 MT and 247 MT by 2030-31; and consumption by infrastructure and construction sectors to nearly quadruple to 135 MT from around 33 MT in 201516. Within the infrastructure space, the prospect of growth was estimated to be the highest, nearly 10-fold, to 90 MT in areas like oil refinery, highways & bridges, airports, seaports, urban infrastructure, water transportation and sanitation, industrial sheds and prefabricated buildings. Use of steel in the construction of real estate comprising residential, institutional, commercial and industrial was estimated to nearly double at 45 MT.

India has started using steel to build durable, sustainable, fireresistant, easy-to-repair houses, warehouses and skyscrapers Quality products will be of the utmost importance as India aims for strong and durable construction. The industry needs to gear up and come up with such products to meet the rising demand. World-class, cost-competitive and tailor-made products must be delivered at the doorstep of the customers. Capacity augmentation is also the need of the hour.

CE&CR May 2020

FEATURE - STEEL The government has been supportive

manufactured iron & steel products

Lastly, as the great French novelist

to the cause of the steel industry for

(DMI&SP) in government procurement

Victor Marie Hugo said, “Nothing is more

long and its recent decision to pull out of

has given enough cushions to domestic

powerful than an idea whose time has

the Regional Comprehensive Economic

manufactures to cash in on the unfolding

come”; India’s time to create a lasting and

infrastructure story of the country. The

indelible impression of a responsible nation

The National Steel Policy, unveiled in 2017, pegged India’s steel demand to grow between 212 MT and 247 MT by 2030-31

government has also omitted a massive

committed for the overall development of

Rs 100 lakh crore investment towards

the global world has come and we only

Partnership (RCEP) accord is enough

put in place to put a brake on rising non-

to assume the fact that the support

performing asset level of the banking

will continue. The government’s policy

system. Banks should awake from their

to provide preference to domestically

deep slumber.

CE&CR May 2020

development of country’s infrastructure over a period of five years till 2024-25. Time is ripe for banks to come forward and support the industry with funds for enhancing capacity. A robust insolvency

have to make sure that our beloved India does not miss the bus once again. Our future generations deserve a far better place to live in! For further information, visit: www.aplapollo.com

resolution mechanism has already been

Mr. Deepak Goyal CFO, APL Apollo

MODERN STEEL

Wear Resistance: The Underlying Property In Modern Steels

ecent research predicts that the mining automation market will be worth $3.29 bn by 2023 — a

grade of stainless steel. They are non-

compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of

of carbon — typically of around 1.2 per

6.7 per cent since 2017. While automation

cent. Austenitic steels are usually 12 per

greatly enhances productivity, it also places

cent manganese, a strong austeniser,

additional demands on steel components.

which means it helps to retain the steel’s

Ben Smye, Head of growth at materials

tough properties at room temperature.

search engine Matmatch, examines why wear resistant steels are vital to modern and enhanced production.

magnetic and contain high levels of chromium and nickel with low levels

They also have work-hardening capabilities. Pure metals are rarely used in

Automated Drilling Processes put Greater Demands on Steels (300 dpi)

manufacturing because they are too soft.

hardness and toughness, protect from hard

The research by markets and markets

Instead, wear resistant steels contain the

abrasives and better withstand compressive

found that the recent boom in automated

non-metallic elements carbon and nitrogen,

stresses. In such cases, it’s best to enlist

mining technology is going from strength-

the atoms of which fill the gaps between the

the services of a qualified surface solutions

to-strength. Atlas Copco, Rio Tinto and

steel’s iron atoms. This “distortion” makes it

expert, like Oerlikon Metco.

Caterpillar are presently among the big

more difficult for the layers of the metal — or

players in automated mining, and Asia-Pacific

Ultimately, the properties of wear resistant

the lattice — to slide over each other. Wear

(APAC) is set to becoming the largest market.

steels should link directly to customers’

resistant alloys are harder, less malleable and

needs. This applies to a steel’s compatibility

more ductile than pure metals, as a result.

to heat treatment facilities and melt shops,

However, the more intense rigours of automated drilling processes also put

This is advantageous in applications like

where wear resistant grades are through

greater demands on steels used in mining

in rock drilling, where the steel is repeatedly

hardened in a process known as quenching

equipment. Components like rock drills

pounded. The more pounding the drill takes,

and tempering (Q&T). The steel’s grain

are already subjected to factors that cause

the more the carbon and nitrogen deform the

structure is changed to increase toughness

considerable wear — like vibration and

steel’s surface and the stronger it becomes.

and improve formability, which makes the

the type of motion, temperature, load,

Another Layer Of Protection

material less brittle.

velocity, contact area, sliding distance and atmosphere. If the wrong steels are used for these components, then this can lead to equipment failures and downtime. That’s why choosing the best-performing wear resistant steels is crucial to getting the best performance from automated drilling technology. Wear resistant — or abrasion resistant steels — are relied upon in applications where resistance to abrasion, impact or sliding are essential. Their popular uses include in rock drills, wear plates for rock-processing machinery, crushers and power shovels.

Surface fatigue or micro-cracking are both mechanisms that affect ultra-hard materials and reduce the long-term performance of components. This is the case with Ground Engaging Tools (GETs) used in mining, construction or agriculture. GETs are often compromised because of wear caused by gouging, high-stress abrasion or impact, leading to loss of functionality or even failures. These consequences can be avoided with an optimised steel coating — applying a

As a growing number of mining projects strive for greater levels of productivity through automation, this knowledge will be vital to ensuring that wear resistant steels remain fundamental in withstanding the rigorous demands.

tougher material onto base materials through

Wear resistant steels are typically

nitriding, chromium depositing or welding.

austenitic grades, the most widely used

The coating can enhance a component’s

Today, it’s more possible than ever before to assess and choose the best wear resistant steels for any given application. Matmatch lists thousands of materials on its online materials platform, where design engineers can make better material choices for their end use or heat treatment requirements.

For further information, visit www.matmatch.com

CE&CR May 2020

POST - LOCKDOWN STRATEGY

Recent Pandemic - COVID-19 Post-Lockdown Strategy In Construction

he pandemic COVID-19 has closed human activities in terms of “social distancing”. The human civilization

is monitored by global rules, though we

was not at all ready to fight against this

anything to happen after a second. Nature

attack. In this connection, I tweeted on 20-

accommodates all the livings. Nature has its

04-2019 “…Many new viruses will affect us.

own method to discard any unwanted guest

We have no weapons against that.” I meant

which disturbs the ecosystem. We should

to say that we should have a rain coat. The

remember that nature is our host. It has the

tweet was an imagination only, which was

responsibility to balance its own structure.

put into few words.

Now I feel the situation is, “I could not expect the impact”. All sectors are just watching the daily counts. However, the impact of social distancing on relationship, culture, progress and health consciousness is likely to affect the whole system of human civilization. We will win this war and Charles Darwin’s ‘Survival of the fittest’ will be reestablished.

never feel the system of monitoring. It is impossible to understand and predict

Sun ray plays a major role in disinfecting

open sky. People work in and outside both.

any virus by its ultra-violet rays. The bio

Today, by the help of media, almost everyone

defence property is one of the control

knows the behaviour of COVID-19. So, it is

measures. UV radiation is called primary

not very complex to handle the situation.

germicide in nature. The nucleic acid within

The pre- and post-lockdown situation would

the virus particle plays a crucial role in the

be different. The impact will bring changes

absorption of UV radiation and in virus

in all aspects. A serious effort is reduction

inactivation. In most viruses, the other

of construction cost. Building specification

major constituents of the virus particles play

will appreciate low cost modified interior

relatively minor roles in inactivation by UV;

finishes, which will discourage virus or

this acts as the principal natural virucide in

bacterial growth. We know that organic

the environment. It is true that viruses pose

component enhances virus and bacterial

a lower potential threat for use in biological

(gram positive & gram negative) growth

warfare or bioterrorism than bacterial

and inorganic is safer than organic to reduce

threat, because they are expected to survive

virus potentiality and threat; therefore, the

for shorter times when released into the

inside finishing items and all others should

environment than bacteria. However, viral

As a result of the pandemic, we have

agents are hardier and reach further into the

realized value of nature. Nature has proved

environment than previously expected. For

that less human population on roads has

example, Tucker JB and Zilinskas RA in their

lesser effect on nature. But, no one can survive

research on ‘The 1971 smallpox outbreak

without the support of nature. Everything

in the Soviet city of Aralsk: implications

be virus unfriendly. Today, technology will be appreciated if our shelter does not allow virus growth. We should remember that COVID-19 can persist

for Variola virus as a bioterrorist threat’, presented how an information leak in 2002 from the former Soviet Union reported an accidental infection in 1971 of naval personnel 11 miles offshore from a smallpox testing site in the Soviet city of Aralsk. COVID-19 will speak itself its birth history. But, like other viruses, this also cannot persist in sunrays. Construction industry is under

CE&CR May 2020

POST - LOCKDOWN STRATEGY in cold, humid and confined

This includes protecting our work forces.

zone. That can sustain as aerosol

They should not be worried or confused.

in air. So, care should be taken for

Therefore, the method should be simple so

indoor climate in construction.

that our workmen and everyone get used

Also, we must remember that COVID-19 is not the only

to it: --

People carry the virus and it is transmitted to other by close contact.

Construction site is not its birth place.

Everyday check of general health simply by thermal screening using simple FDA approved INFRARED BODY THERMOMETER before and after work.

Workers should wear clean helmet and sanitized uniform before entering work zone.

virus; we must design our tools and concepts to protect ourselves from harmful effect of any new virus which we do not know. We will maintain safety rules to conduct construction activities. This has been learnt from various incidents. Accordingly, safety tools are prepared and strictly used in all construction sectors. Those tools help us to avoid any accident during construction

They should not spit here and there with or without pan masala.

Social distance is little difficult at construction site.

activities. Further, no one is allowed to move inside the project site without a helmet and safety shoes. Similarly, safety belt is mandatory to work on scaffolding. Also, safety glass and gloves are to be

used. Further, we are aware that during construction work, the clothes, shoes and hands get dirty. Thus, we have to follow the safety methods.

Now COVID-19 will add additional safety tools for all in construction industry. What is that? Perhaps we think of sanitization. We must select the object to sanitize. We

must appreciate our talent to overcome this problem, to challenge COVID -19.

Holes are not only in nose. So, this is difficult to close all holes in body including skin. But, musk will help to prevent droplet spread. Use a virus deactivating as well as sanitizing liquid to spray clothes and hands after an interval of two hours. The liquid must be non-hazardous and non-toxic. Drink fresh water and eat healthy normal food to immune.

fellow worker and wash hands before food. Life views of safety measures of a construction project by a reputed developer in India. Prevention is better than cure. We can protect us effectively from this viral wave by protective measures. For more information, please visit: www.aquacrete.co.in

Premankur Bhattacharya Technical Head, ANN WORLD

Do not eat anything offered by the

CE&CR May 2020

JMC DURING PANDEMIC

JMC Projects (India) Ltd. Supports Their Daily Wage Workers Amidst The Crisis

ndia, after staying relatively unscathed for a while, is witnessing the effect of the pandemic. Consequently, India is under a prolonged lockdown to protect the country’s

1.3 billion people from the new coronavirus. The situation has led to closing of certain industries and

When tragedy strikes, JMC Projects does not leave their workers helpless and hopeless; rather, they come together as one family. To support its 25,000 stranded workers across more than

suspension of construction activities. Under lockdown, well-off

75 construction sites in India, JMC projects provided a roof of

Indians isolated indoors, worked from home and got groceries

care and protection. This included:

delivered. However, millions of migrant daily wage workers,

-- Emotional support

living in abominable conditions in our cities, contributing to its economic growth, were forced to pick up their bundles

-- Medical attention

and leave when the pandemic struck, because the city is not

-- Conducting awareness sessions

their home.

-- Availability of food and supplies

The nationwide lockdown crumbled as workers risking their lives amidst COVID-19, began crowding at bus stops,

-- Engaging workers in physical activities to keep them motivated

attempting to leave for their villages. But, due to the closure

-- Taking care of hygiene and sanitation

of state borders, the workers were left on the streets.

-- Giving Financial Support

CE&CR May 2020

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX

Advertisers’ Index Aimil Limited ..........................................................Inside Back Cover

Speedcrafts Limited ......................................................................... 19

Amman India Pvt. Ltd. ........................................................................3

STP Limited .......................................................................................... 31

Ann World ............................................................. Inside Front Cover

Trimble Solutions India Pvt. Ltd........................................................ 7

Asian Laboratories (India) ...............................................................45

Vollert........................................................................................................9

Bajaj Reinforcement LLP ..................................................................25 BUILDTECH INDIA ..............................................................................41 Complete Dewatering Systems Pvt. Ltd. ....................................57 H & K Rolling Mill Engineers Pvt. Ltd. ............................................15 J.B. Engineering & Industrial Co. ...................................................73 Layher Scaffolding Systems Pvt. Ltd. ............................Back Cover Minitech...................................................................................................5

EXHIBITIONS/Seminar:

PRIMAX EQUIPMENT PVT. LTD. .....................................................30

bauma CONEXPO INDIA .................................................................. 79

Rotho .......................................................................................................7

Concrete Show India .........................................................................63

CE&CR May 2020

May&#39;20 Issue-compressed (1) Flipbook PDF | DOKUMENT.PUB (2024)

May'20 Issue-compressed (1) Flipbook PDF | DOKUMENT.PUB (2024)