STUDY ON VARIETY OF CONCRETE

BLOCKS USED BY SINDHU

RESETTLEMENT CORPORATION
By
Deepak Ramchandani (AMIE-Civil)
Executive Engineer, GWSSB
Alumni TFGP-Adipur
Bhai Pratap Dialdas
( Founder of Gandhidham township)
General
Bhai Pratap Dialdas visited San Francisco
which was damaged in earthquake in 1904.
He visited and got idea of row houses
constructed after earthquake
Kachchh also is earthquake zone, hence
design consideration was made for
earthquake
Planner of Gandhidham township were US
Engineers who would have suggested
concrete block
General
Concrete blocks are known as Besser
blocks or bricks in Australia.
Besser Concrete Systems
Ltd., (BCSL), manufacturers of Engineered
Concrete Masonry Blocks and Pavers. BCSL is
promoted by Besser Company, USA a 100
years old company with installation in over 70
countries world wide.
Sindhu Resettlement Corporation established
two Besser plants for manufacturing of blocks
Reason for Study
Sindhu Resettlement Corporation had used
variety of concrete blocks & such variety is
available no where in spite of lapse of many
year.
For every location there was specific type of
block with facility of insertion of
reinforcement which had prevented
casualties in 2001 earthquake.
Basic purpose of variety of
blocks
Ease in construction
No plaster was required which saved time and
money.
Slab were casted with blocks and cost and time
of keeping centering for long time was saved
Better exterior look due to variety of blocks.
Less labor required and damage was avoided by
manufacturing full and half size of block
The blocks were having facility to house
reinforcement to make the building earthquake
resistance.
Type of block and details
1) Regular
and open
end of size
6 x 8 x
8
2)Half and
open end
of slze 8 x
8 x 8
Type of block and details
3 ) Single
square end
of slze 6
x 8 x 8
4) Double
square end
of slze 6
x 8 x 8
Type of block and details
5 ) Half
Single
square end
of slze 8 x
8 x 8
6) Bull nose
one edge
of slze 6
x 8 x 8
Type of block and details
7 ) Half Bull
nose one
arrises of
slze 8 x 8
x 8
8) Double Bull
nose both
arrises at
one end of
slze 6 x 8
x 8
Type of block and details
9 ) Half Bull
nose both
arrises of size
8 x 8 x 8
10) Door
entrance
jamb one cell
solidification
of slze 6 x
8 x 8
Type of block and details
11 ) Half block
door
entrance
jamb of size
8 x 8 x 8
12) Moulding
block of size
6 x 8 x 8
Type of block and details
13 ) Partition
pillar block
of slze 8 x
8 x 8
14) Solid block
with square
ends block
of slze 6 x
8 x 8
Type of block and details
15 ) Partition
pillar block
two cell of
slze 6 x 8 x
8
16) Jamb block
with one cell
solid with
slot for steel
plate of size
6 x 8 x 8
Type of block and details
17 ) Solid
Partition
block
square end
of slze 6 x
8 x
18) Hollow
partition of
slze 6 x 8
x 4
Type of block and details
19 ) Partition
hollow
block of
slze 6 x
8 x
20) Pilaster
block of
slze 8 x
x ,
Type of block and details
21 ) Soffit
block large
block of size
z6 x 8 x
6
22) Soffit
block small
block of
slze z x 8
x 4
Type of block and details
23 ) Lintel
block block
large block
of slze 6 x
8 x 8
24) Lintel
block small
block of
slze 8 x 8
x 8
Type of block and details
25 ) Coping
block of
slze o x
8 x Lo
sloping
26) Window
sill block of
slze g x 8
x 8
Type of block and details
27 ) Half
jamb block
of slze 8 x
8 x 8
sloping
28) Floor tile
of slze 6
x 8 x
Circular edged block ( two
edges)
The picture shows the
terminal wall with end
circular. The blocks uses
are two edges circular.
Blocks of size 16x8x8 &
8x8x8 circular and
hollow were manufactured
for this specific purpose

Circular edged block ( one
edges)
The picture shows the
corner wall with end
circular. The blocks uses
are one edges circular.
Blocks of size 16x8x8 &
8x8x8 circular and
hollow were manufactured
for this specific purpose

Circular edged block ( one
longer side edges)
The picture shows the
ventilator opening with
blocks used one longer/
shorter circular edge with
the facility of housing the
wooden
Blocks of size 16x8x8 &
8x8x8 circular and
hollow were manufactured
for this specific purpose

Jointing pattern below opening
The picture suggested that
the joint just below the
opening at center was a
continuous joint, where as
remaining wall was
constructed with scattered
joint. The joint worked as
expansion joint with
metallic plate placed inside
for water proofing.

Special blocks for sills and
jambs
The picture of THX houses
shows the use of special
blocks used for sills and
jambs

RCC I-Beam and block slant slab
The picture of CBX houses
shows the use of special
casted RCC-I beam with
blocks used construction of
slant slab

Blocks uses as columns in
market area of Adipur
This picture is of market
area consisting of 64
shops, the blocks are used
as column as shown in
figure , hollow portion
reinforced and filled with
concrete. Use of centering
and shuttering is avoided
by this method

Use of hollow block
This picture is of SDB
bunglows and hollow
blocks are used in the
ventilation area of toilet
block, which function as
Jhali.

RCC prefab compound wall
RCC prefab compound was
manufactured with panels
having opening which were
supported by RCC pillars
suitable to house the ends
of panels.
At the bottom are lying the
pillars for construction of
wire fencing.

Hollow block with two opening
Normal hollow blocks were
consisting of three opening
where as this blocks is
having two opening only
with the edges rounded
with the facility to house
the wooden frame , still the
exact purpose is not
judged.

Partition block with opening on
the width of 8
Normal hollow partition
blocks were consisting of
three opening in width of
4 where as this blocks is
having three opening in the
width of 8 which is used in
ventilators . This picture is
of SBX row houses in
Adipur.

Columns made from blocks
The picture is of the board
placed on support of two
columns constructed by
blocks with top of column
with specially casted
square block.
This picture suggests the
place where the founder of
town use to rest, it is within
the premises of old SRC
complex.

Message
The founder company Sindhu Resettlement Corporation is
required to preserve the undamaged variety of blocks and shall
be placed in new Sindhu Bhuvan so that new generation can
get glimpses of the old technology which is required to be
preserved.
Some old building in original condition if dismantled , care shall
be taken to get the variety of block in undamaged condition
and arrangements of corner reinforcement , slab casted with
blocks, slab casted with RCC I-beams shall be videographer
and photographed for preservation.
Disclaimer: In many cases the utility is suggested based on the
experience and there are chances of some errors and SRC is
suggested to rectify the errors if found.
Acknowledgement : The support to access the blocks in SRC
old premises was provided by Shri Jai Hemnani , Engineer SRC.