The anti-seismic system that saves time, money and energy

Transcription

1 ISOLTECH 3C BLOCKS The anti-seismic system that saves time, money and energy (before and after construction) Isoltech Srl Via Berlino Verdellino (BG) ITALY Phone/Fax:

2 THE TECHNOLOGY Isoltech has created the most eco-friendly, versatile and cost-effective system to produce blocks. Energy saving starts in production. The production of Isoltech s blocks does not require expensive machines, ovens or autoclaves. Blocks are manufactured with the mixer IBS2008 and with formworks which are specifically designed for different sizes and structural requirements. For traditional blocks of conventional bricks, costs per ton depend much more on energy consumption than on labour. In Isoltech s 3C blocks the energy consumption includes the following: power for the engine of the mixer (5.5 kw for ca. 3 minutes); power for the pump sucking the foaming agent (1.1 kw for ca. 2 minutes); power for the foam-producing compressor (4.0 kw for ca. 2 minutes). It appears immediately evident that the absence of a drying oven, and therefore of the energy cost to operate it, plays a key role in favour of Isoltech s solution. Also, as the power required is rather small (10.6 kw), the possibility to use photovoltaic panels to produce energy is quite plausible, and therefore reduces to almost zero the production costs of the block as far as the energy payback is concerned. IBS 2008 One of the most dramatically important requirements of production is, of course, to produce with industrial cycles using as little energy as possible. This is one of the many features that make a difference between 3C blocks and all their competitors, and it defines the concept of Energy Return On Energy Investment, that is the most efficient use of energy. To produce building materials, it is extremely important to use as few natural resources as possible and especially to save fossil fuels. A comparison with similar products usually available on the market gives an outstanding result for Isoltech s 3C blocks and leaves no doubts about their superiority, both for the energy consumption to produce them and for the use of eco-friendly materials (cement, sand, water and protein hydrolysates). Sand Water Cement Protein foam Hollow concrete blocks Bricks Autoclaved cellular concrete Bloques 3C Isoltech Study Isoltech s cellular concrete block: an analysis of its structural and energy behaviour. Faculty of Engineering of the University of Bergamo. Scientific Director Prof. Ing. Giovanni Plizzari. January 2009 Material 2000 kg/m kg/m 3 Energy 1000 kwh/m kwh/m 3 The versatility of the production systems allows moving them easily. Thanks to their cost-effectiveness and compact size, the systems needed to produce Isoltech blocks can be installed anywhere near target markets (even in the right-sized construction sites), reducing to a minimum transport costs (compared to the significant costs for all traditional materials) kg/m kg/m 3 0 kg/m kwh/m kwh/m 3 0 kwh/m 3 The inert materials and the energy used to produce Isoltech s 3C blocks (see tables above) are completely natural, used in moderate quantities and without any kind of fuel for autoclaves or other systems. This is because the energy for the curing is provided by the heat from the hydration of cement, properly recycled with special technical devices.

3 THE MATERIAL Non-autoclaved cellular concrete: energy saving both before and after the construction. Excellent heat and sound insulation provides better comfort. Complying with European legislation on energy saving and environmental sustainability is an absolute must in construction. This requires the use of renewable energies and natural, eco-friendly materials with a higher thermal inertia. Another requirement is energy saving, both in the production of building materials and in their management, transport and further use. All this is aimed at building more comfortable and cost-effective constructions, thus giving a higher value to the property. Today 3C cellular concrete can be produced, depending on your needs, with the following densities: Density Cement Sand Water Isocem S/B (kg/m 3 ) (kg) (kg) (litres) (litres) Theoretical, approximate values 2. the transmittance values of the vertical, horizontal and tilted opaque components (all types of building) that surround the building shall not exceed by over 30% the values reported in the table mentioned in the points 2, 3, 4 of Annex C. If the radiation =>290 W/m2 on the horizontal plane (except Zone F and categories E6 and E8), the surface mass of the vertical, horizontal and tilted opaque walls must be higher than 230 kg/m2. The following table reports the energy classification in Italy, divided into 6 zones (for vertical opaque components) and the U values of 3C blocks with different thicknesses. With a density of 600 kg/m3, Isoltech s 3C solution already exceeds the requirements of the energy consumption regulation in force from U values (W/m 2 k) of Isoltech s 3C blocks Heat insulation The heat insulation properties, and therefore the reduction of heat losses, of 3C cellular concrete blocks are proven to be better than those of the main competitors in the market. Another advantage comes from the comparison of the production cycle and its energy cost between conventional bricks and Isoltech s blocks, with the latter proving much more profitable and eco-friendly. Density (kg/m³) Insulation values ( Kcal/m 2 /h/c ) Density Mechanical resistance Heat insulation (kg/m 3 ) N/mm 2 Kcal/m 2 /h/c Mechanical resistance Isoltech s 3C blocks, made of nonautoclaved cellular concrete, comply perfectly with these requirements and offer a further quality feature: they are one of the best anti-seismic systems in the modern European construction industry. The Italian legislative decree of 29/12/2006, transposition of the Directive 2002/91/EC on energy performance, introduces the concept of integrated calculation of the energy performances of buildings. In particular, the following requirements must be met: 1. the calculation of the energy performance index for winter conditioning (EP) and the testing of conformance with the values reported in Annex C, point Thickness U values A cm 0.50 B cm 0.35 C cm 0.34 D cm 0.34 E Cm F cm cm cm 0.22 The energy certification of buildings has a section for the heat insulation class and another for the quality of energy-efficient systems. Therefore it provides the buyer with information about the energy performance and the degree of efficiency of houses and other buildings, and it increases the market value of the property. Since July 1 st, 2009 every building must have a Certificate of energy efficiency and comply with the regulations for the area it belongs to. Sound insulation Cellular concrete offers extraordinary sound absorption. Buildings made with blocks of cellular concrete meet legal requirements regarding sound insulation. Blocks for partitioning or infilling (40x20x20) have particular sound insulation properties. With a much higher density (800/1200 kg/m3) when heat insulation is not needed their sound insulation improves. Density (kg/m³) Insulation ( Db ) Microclimate and environmental compatibility During maintenance, cellular concrete does not release toxic substances and its environmental compatibility is second only to that of wood. As a comparison, the coefficient of environmental compatibility of cellular concrete is 2; that of wood is 1, that of bricks is 10 and that of blocks of expanded clay is 20. Cellular concrete helps to create a microclimate (like in a wooden house). The resulting energy savings create a reduction of heating and air conditioning costs of up to 30%.

4 THE 3C SYSTEM Isoltech s 3C blocks: for a faster, cleaner and more precise assembly. Choose 3C Isoltech s 3C system. MF blocks 40x20x20 with continuous cylindrical cavity MF block 40x40x20 (highly insulating) U-block 40x20x20 with duct for horizontal rebar L-block 40x20x20 for slab spandrel beam Infillling/partitions 40x20x20 Once the first line of blocks is levelled, they can be mounted dry, with no need for any further system to keep the wall plumb: this job is done by the MF (male/female) joint of 3C blocks, offering many advantages: 1) lower use of glues (which are only needed on the vertical faces of blocks); 2) lower use of plaster, as blocks are perfectly aligned and no surface corrections are needed; 3) extraordinary savings on skilled labour and of course time; 4) no need for bearing pillars (in buildings up to 3 floors); 5) blocks can be easily cut with a conventional saw; 6) the male-female shape (of MF blocks) allows the mounting of dry walls. And after, a liquid mortar with sand and cement is poured into the columns made by the vertical holes of overlapping blocks. Inserting iron reinforcement bars (with U -blocks) allows the building of anti-seismic walls; also, slabs can be reinforced (with L -blocks) thanks to the special joint of these blocks for spandrel beams. 15 reasons to build a more comfortable house: 1. Excellent anti-seismic properties 2. Optimum heat insulation 3. Optimum sound insulation 4. Extremely fast and clean placing: lower labour costs 5. Extremely easy placing and laying out of construction sites 6. Extraordinary energy savings in the production 7. Excellent combination of light weight and bearing capacity 8. Energy savings on heating and air conditioning (higher living comfort) 9. Unparalleled quality-price ratio 10. If cast on site, lower transport costs and less pollution 11. High dimensional precision 12. Joints mean saving on glues, mortar and time 13. Fire resistance 14. Optimum dry surface finish and therefore saving on plaster 15. Extremely versatile system The different components of the Isoltech system and the housings for iron reinforcement bars, both vertical and horizontal

5 Isoltech s 3C system: the perfect anti-seismic solution. The whole of Italy lies on seismic areas with different risk levels. Therefore a more and more accurate building design is needed, with innovative, efficient materials offering a higher capacity to resist earthquakes. The tests performed at the universities of Bergamo and Brescia confirm the good antiseismic properties of the Isoltech system. 3C blocks have Continuous Cylindrical Cavities and this feature gives them particular anti-seismic properties. Thanks to these cavities (and to U-blocks with a duct for horizontal reinforcement bars, see pictures 2 and 3), the whole structure of the walls can be reinforced with iron both horizontally and vertically. Also, as the mechanical resistance of the reinforced wall relies on these cylindrical columns filled with iron and mortar, the density of blocks made of non-autoclaved cellular concrete can be very low, which gives a high heat insulation value and at the same time reduces the weight of the bearing structure. Seismic areas divided into 4 risk categories 1 st category 2 nd category 3 rd category 4 th category Position of instruments for anti-seismic test of the wall, University of Bergamo Preparation of an anti-seismic test in the laboratory of Dalmine, Univ. Bergamo Load cycles of wall with blocks (800 kg/m3) Some stages of the Study Isoltech s cellular concrete block: an analysis of its structural and energy behaviour. Faculty of Engineering, University of Bergamo. Scientific Director: Prof Ing. Giovanni Plizzari. January In the tests performed at the University of Bergamo, Isoltech blocks exceeded expectations. Just to give an example, in the test with a wall of blocks with a density of 800 kg/m3 and 1200 kg/m3, the drift was increased from 0.5 to 4, the target value of the earthquake intensity. Then it was further increased up to 12.5, a much higher value than the initial target. The anti-seismic behaviour of blocks in scientific tests proved excellent and was better than that of conventional materials. 80cm 40cm Detailed view of horizontal iron bars with 40x40x20 blocks Pic. 2 Position of iron bars in the wall in compliance with anti-seismic regulations Pic. 3 Detailed view of the horizontal reinforcement (U- and L-blocks) Reinforcement of an anti-seismic wall with 40x40x20 blocks. Pouring of the bearing mortar. An example of reinforced wall with 40x20x20 and 40x40x20 blocks

6 A highly versatile and easy to lay system. Internal walls/ partitions Heat insulation (40x20x20 blocks) Detail of anti-seismic reinforcement (MF and U blocks) Slab spandrel beam (40x20x20 L-block) Horizontal and vertical reinforcement Architrave windows (made on site with 40x20x20 U blocks) Columns and reinforcements made with MF blocks (male/female) Continuous Cylindrical Cavity Architraves of large dimension with U blocks and vertical reinforcement (MF blocks) The versatility of Isoltech s system: with the 5 basic types of blocks you can build architraves, reinforcements, window sills, columns for anti-seismic rebars and partitions. Benefits include high versatility, easy placing, properties of heat and sound insulation and a low production cost. Other features of Isoltech blocks include their high environmental compatibility and energy saving, both during production and later, during the use of the building. With 40x40x20cm blocks you can build eco-friendly houses with zero energy consumption..