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Lightweight Concrete and Application in Construction Industry
Lightweight Concrete and Application in Construction Industry
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Concrete is one of the most popular construction materials used since hundred
years ago. Because of its flexibility in usage it becomes more important and is
preferred compared to timber or steel. The combination of cement, coarse
aggregate, fine aggregate and water makes up a concrete. It is an acceptable fact
now that not only the strength of concrete which plays a main role, in deciding the
quality of concrete but what matters most is the durability at services stage. This
technological advancement forms a challenge to mankind to look into various
ways and means to improve concrete.
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LIGHTWEIGHT CONCRETE AND APPLICATION IN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
reduction of dead load, faster construction time and lower haulage and handling
cost.
Some of the major project where LWC panels had been used and proved
beneficial areas follows:-
i. Taman Rasah Jaya Single-storey link houses, Seremban. In this project,
M-PANELS (LWC panel) is used as a wall element. The standard M-
PANELS is 100mm wide with length available from 150mm, in
100mm increments.
ii. Terrace houses of Taman Puteri, Kulai, Johor.
iii. Housing project Desa May, Pulau Pinang.
iv. Venice Hill’s Condomonium, Cheras, Selangor.
The LWC panels produced for the above mentioned projects are able to withstand
the industrial environment. This is evident of the capability of LWC in the
construction industry. It is of paramount importance that research on LWC be
extended and intensified to incorporate other durability test that normally done on
normal concrete. By so doing the effectiveness of LWC can be compared to
normal concrete.
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LIGHTWEIGHT CONCRETE AND APPLICATION IN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
LWC (Lightweight Concrete) has been adopted all around the world for the last 2
decades. But, in Malaysia the use of LWC is not very common; this may be due to
large amount of gravel aggregate still available in the market. Malaysia imports
lightweight aggregates from France and Germany, and in 1983, lightweight wall
panel factory was set up at Nilai, Negeri Sembilan.
Based on the statement, we know that the construction industry in Malaysia have
a problem about the LWC application. May be it is not popular relating expensive
cost, less knowledge and experience, not having enough the skill worker, the
machinery and appliance to constructed the LWC is not enough, or other reasons.
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LIGHTWEIGHT CONCRETE AND APPLICATION IN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
The main purpose of this research is to know what is the lightweight concrete and
used level in construction industry at Malaysia. Any factor will be included in this
research as a recommendation. This research methodology selected for this
research is interview and get information from developer or local authorities, get
information from oversea such as UK and other countries about the lightweight
concrete and also from reference books so that related the lightweight concrete
and application in construction industry at Malaysia.
Our study also using 3 sites to research about the lightweight concrete in Malaysia
and choice the site at around Selangor state, it is because the Selangor state is
develop state in Malaysia and attempt to develop the lightweight concrete in our
country. It also suitable with Rancangan Malaysia ke-9 when the Malaysia
government wants at each government project must use the lightweight
concrete although small amount.
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LIGHTWEIGHT CONCRETE AND APPLICATION IN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
This stage involves the procedure of collecting data in order to achieve the
objectives of this research. This stage can be divided into two categories: -
This is a process of obtaining main data for the research. The data
and information are obtained by conducting interviews and getting
information with the developer and local authorities on the
lightweight concrete in Malaysia. The data will be
collected through the appointment, ask questionnaire and comparison
to find if they could be classified in order to give the best result of
the research.
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LIGHTWEIGHT CONCRETE AND APPLICATION IN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
To achieve the objectives of this study, the research will perform the following:-
INITIAL START
ESTABLISH OBJECTIVES
LITERATURE REVIEW
AN OVERVIEW OF LWC
CASE STUDY
DATA ANALYSIS
FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATION
AND CONCLUSION
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LIGHTWEIGHT CONCRETE AND APPLICATION IN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY