AUTOCLAVED

AERATED CONCRETE

INTRODUCTION

 Autoclaved Aerated Concrete is an eco-friendly and certified

green building material which is lightweight, load-bearing, high-
insulating, durable building blocks and 3 times lighter when
compared to red bricks.
 AAC is produced using no aggregate larger than sand.
 Quartz sand, calcined gypsum, lime (mineral) and/or cement and
water are used as a binding agent. Aluminum powder is used at a
rate of 0.05%–0.08% by volume (depending on the pre-specified
density).
 The factory where it is made, the material is moulded and cut into
precisely dimensioned units.
 AAC was developed in 1924 by a Swedish architect, who was
looking for alternate building material with properties similar to
that of wood.
 Autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) is a lightweight, precast,
foam concrete building material suitable for producing concrete
masonry unit like blocks.
 AAC simultaneously provides structure, insulation, and fire- and
mould-resistance. Forms include blocks, wall panels, floor and
roof panels, cladding (façade) panels and lintels.
 AAC products may be used for both interior and exterior
construction, and may be painted or coated with a stucco or
plaster compound to guard against the elements, or covered with
siding materials such as veneer brick or vinyl siding.

PROPERTIES:-

 Eco-Friendly and Sustainable.

 Lightweight.
 Thermally Insulated & Energy Efficient.
 Fire Resistant.
 Acoustic Performance.
 Easy Workability and Design Flexibility.
 Seismic Resistant.
 Faster Construction.

ADVANTAGES:-

 Improved thermal efficiency reduces the heating and

cooling load in buildings.
 Porous structure gives superior fire resistance.
  Workability allows accurate cutting, which minimizes the
generation of solid waste during use.
 Resource efficiency gives it lower environmental impact in
all phases of its life cycle, from the processing of raw
materials to the disposal of waste.
 Lightweight saves cost and energy in transportation,
labour expenses, and increases chances of survival during
seismic activity.[13]
 Larger size blocks leads to faster masonry work.
 Reduces project cost for large constructions.
 Environmentally friendly: It produces at least 30% less
solid waste than traditional concrete. There is a decrease of
50% of greenhouse gas emissions.[citation needed]
 Due to less weight the blocks can be handled easily
 Fire resistant: As with regular concrete, AAC is fire
resistant.
 Great ventilation: This material is very airy and allows
diffusion of water. This reduces the humidity inside the
building.
 AAC will absorb moisture and release humidity. This
helps to prevent condensation and other problems that are
related to mildew.

DISADVANTAGES:-
 Installation during rainy weather: AAC is known to crack after
installation, which can be avoided by reducing the strength of
the mortar and ensuring the blocks are dry during and after
installation.
 Brittle nature: they need to be handled more carefully than clay
bricks to avoid breakage.
 Attachments: the brittle nature of the blocks requires longer,
thinner screws when fitting cabinets and wall hangings. Special,
large diameter wall plugs (anchors) are available at a higher cost
than common wall plugs.[14]
 Insulation requirements in newer building codes of northern
European countries would require very thick walls when using
AAC alone. Thus many builders choose to use traditional
building methods installing an extra layer of insulation around
the entire building.

APPLICATIONS:-

 ACC can be used for walls, floors and roofs.

 AAC elements are strong and fire resistant.
 AAC must be coated with some type of finish, such as polymer-
modified stucco, stone, or siding to gain Durability.
 AAC also offers sound and thermal insulation.
 AAC blocks are widely used in the construction of apartments
and other types of residential properties, industrial and
 commercial buildings, such as hotels, offices, hospitals and
schools.
 Owing to their excellent heat insulation capacity, AAC bricks
find application in interior and exterior construction.