Aluminium and Its Alloys cry ee 204 INTRODUCTION Aluminium and its alloys are nowadays extensively used in building construction. For items like windows where wood was used earlier, we increasingly use aluminium products now. Since teak and other varieties of wood have become scarce and expensive, aluminium is a good alternative. Aluminium is also becoming popular as roofing sheets. The traditional method of laying wooden rafters and clay tiles is labour intensive and also difficult to maintain. ‘Aluminium is a relatively new material, and was at one time, costlier than platinum. Although the ore is abundantly available in the form of oxide, extraction of the metal became commercially possible only after the development of electrical power generation technology, since the process involves large scale electrolytic reduction. ‘The spectacular growth of aluminium consumption is the proof of the metal’s contribution to the modern industry and the building industry. It is second only to iron in annual consumption, and is the most important non-ferrous metal. It has good resistance to atmospheric corrosion, and is very light, with a density one-third that of steel. However, its strength-to-weight ratio is high enough to be a favourable alternative to steel in many constructions. Pure aluminium is very soft, ductile and malleable, easily rolled into sheets or drawn as wire. Tt can be cast, forged or extruded into complex profile shapes. Addition of alloying elements like magnesium, silicon, manganese, copper, and zinc can significantly improve its strength, hardness, and other properties, while retaining its lightness and durability. For example, about 1% addition of magnesium and silicon can lead to three-fold increase in strength. About 4% addition of copper and smaller amount of magnesium, silicon and manganese results in an alloy having strength comparable to steel, which is used in aircraft construction and for defence equipment. ‘One crovbect of aluminium in many applications is its low modulus of elasticity (only 68 kN/mm? compared to steel having 207 kN/mm?). This means that for a similar structure and loading, the elastic deflection will be about three times greaiet for aluminium compared to Steel, The low elastic modulus can also be an advantage, where greater shock-absorbing capacity is required. This aspect must be examined in any aluminium structure design. Aluminium loses its strength at about 225°C, compared to 450°C for steel; hence, it is much less suitable for higher temperature applications. _ Aluminium wire for power transm) its density is less than one-third. For can be a lighter and cheaper alternative. jssion has conductivity about 61% that of copper, while electric cables that have many applications, aluminium 173BKGS (BUILDING MATERIALS —) 20.2 MANUFACTURE The element aluminium in the form of oxide (alumina, Al,03) comprises 15% of the A crust and is second only to silica in abundance. The most important ore is bauxite, Ni ‘ contains over 50% alumina, Extraction of metallic aluminium from the ore is done if i basic steps, namely, mining, refining and reduction. ree The principles of aluminium extraction were developed in 1886 by Charles Martin Hal (USA) and Paul Heroult (France) but in 1888, Karl Bayer (Austria) established the roi, process, which is in use today. The manufacturing process is outlined in Figure 20.1, and can be described as follows. Hot NaOH ||+~ 4 solution | (NaOH) Sodium ' aluminate t Crushed bauxite ore solution Mixer Precipitator (~ 55-65% AI,0,) (NaAl0,) Step 1 Red mud residue (Fe,0, etc.) Al,0;3H,0 crystals Rotary kiln Step2 Alumina powder (ALO, DC electric + 199) Cryolite supply source -— Carbon electrode (Na-AL-Fl compound) []Elects Steel vessel lectrolyte \ step (cathode) Molten aluminium | ——————n, (Further processing: alloy additions, ingot or continuous casting, ~ Figure 20.1 Basic steps involved in the manufacture of aluminium. 20.2.1 Description of the Process Step 1—Mining Crushed bauxite ore is first treated with , isso ‘ a solution of hot i aOH) to disse oxides of iron and silicon is removed by filtration and decantati es 4 ih on Bauxite + Hot caustic soda = Sodium aluminate solutionfini te? dium aluminate solution is pumped into ni : 7 50 ina e Precipitators, where it gets crystallized to pe be 0. The precipitated crystals after size classification are filtered a fed fits a rotary 3H i : MP ere the heat and mechanical tumbling convert the hydrated crystals into fine white int powder. Reduction ’ sqrolytic process is used for converting the oxide into metallic aluminium as follows: ina is charged into steel vessels called smelting pots. Some quantity of cryolite, which neral compound of sodium, aluminium and fluorine, must also be present in the essels Dut it does not get consumed. Carbon electrodes, which are dipped into the vessel, form the anode of the DC supply. The vessel shell forms the negative electrode (cathode). On essing electric current, | the oxide gets reduced to molten aluminium, which forms a pool at the fatiom, from where it is siphoned off periodically for further processing. The carbon anodes consumed as the oxygen combines with carbon to form CO, gas. Suitable alloying elements wedded to the molten aluminium. anele ‘Alumina | js another mi 20.2.2 Processing of Aluminium Metal Before casting the metal as ingots, the molten aluminium is alloyed, if necessary, sgecified ingredients to impart special properties. with other 20.2.3 Conversion into Different Products ‘Aluminium slabs are rolled in rolling mills to get sheets and foils. The wire rods are drawn fovn to diferent sizes of wires. The billets are extruded to different shapes by forcing them to flow under suitable pressure and temperature through a die orifice, which is shaped to impart the required form of the product. As aluminium and many of its alloys are ductile, they can be extruded to exact and complicated sections with very tight tolerances. Many of the aluminium fuivicators have their own extruded sections for fabrication of theit items like windows, doors, facade for tall buildings, bus bodies, ladders, electrical appliances, etc. 20.3 IMPROVING SURFACE APPEARANCE buildings is that aluminium products can be One of the advantages of using aluminium in 1g two processes: tiven permanent attractive colours by the followin; 1. Anodizing 2. Powder coating hese are described below: 20.34 Anodizing of Aluminium a film of its oxide having a thickness of 0.005 jckness can be increased to 10 to 25 pm by a the item in dilute sulphuric acid and passing Improving Appearance by Rol o me extruded aluminium has a coating of pret (jum = 0.001 mm). This coating thi called anodizing. It consists of immersing‘BUILDING MATERIALS proves the corrosion resig electic current under controlled conditions. This coating improves ie COPUSION resistng, and prevents further attack from other atmospheric agencies. ingot be deposited in the anodized article by dipping the article in a suitable dy* Path immedi after anodizing. The pores in the anodized surface get filled by desire 1B Constituent IS 1868 deals with anodizing of aluminium. 20.3.2 Improving Appearance by Powder Coating of Aluminium aluminium products is powder coatin . eel earance of ‘ nother method used for improving the app‘ deposition of powder particles When This method is essentially a surface coating by pigment the colour is obtained. . lls The method applied to paint aluminium does not differ from those generally used for aj other metals. They include cleaning, brushing, spraying (manual or automatic). The more recent methods of powder coating are electrostatic processes. . : = For powder coating, a primary coat of zinc chromate is applied on aluminium to ensure good adhesion of the sprayed paint. A spray gun consists of a cup from which the paint is atomized and projected by means of a stream of compressed air in a spray booth. Then, it is taken to the furnaces and kept at suitable temperature for drying. Minimum thickness of 50 jum is essential for powder coating. A good finish of aluminium products can be obtained by either anodizing or by powder coating. 20.3.3 Comparison of Colouring Processes Table 20.1 shows the comparison of colouring processes. Table 20.1 Comparison between Electro Colouring and Powder Coating Electro colouring (Anodizing) Powder coating . Colours attained by metal in deposition in pores 1. Colour is obtained by pigment coating of anodized layer; hence, it is highly durable 2. There is uniformity in colour in all parts 2. Inaccessible portions are difficult to colour 3. There is restricted range of colours 3, There is wide range of colours to choose from 4. No fading of colour takes place 4, Shades change under extreme temperature and corrosive conditions 5. It is non-peeling 5. There is danger of peeling, if work is not properly done or protected 6. No chipping occurs at fabrication stage 6. Chipping may occur, while cutting, drilling ot when screw fastened 20.4 CHARACTERISTICS AND ADVANTAGES OF ALUMINIUM AS A CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL The following are its important characteristics as a construction material: 1. High strength-weight ratio. This makes it advantageous to use for transportation— bus bodies, trucks, trains, aeroplanes, etc. Fuel savings are enormous. Aluminium is also preferred for orthopaedic implements like crutches,C ALUMINIUM AND ITS ALLOYS igh corrosion resis : . etn is acca ee na rosin resistance to atmospheric agencies, and also for tall buildings. Aluminium ios eee - buildings co eee f E boats and ships. 3, Safety against attack from insects. Most of the woods can be de: it ants and borers, but aluminium is safe stroyed by white to wood for making door and oe them, So, aluminium is, often, preferred = . Economy in maintenance. It requires no painting and very litle maintenance. . Aesthetic appearance. It has a pleasin, } a 18 appearance. It i coated to give various shades to match ce eer ee 6. Capacity to stand with low temperature (cryogenics). Aluminium is highly suitable for sub-zero temperatures, where structural steel becomes brittle and gives way. Aluminium is preferred for Antarctica expeditions. Its coefficient of expansion is 1.9 times that of steel, but as its modulus of elasticity is less, thermal stresses in it are less than that in steel. Ease of fabrication and assembly. It can be cut, drilled or milled easily. It can be joined easily by bolting, riveting, welding, brazing or adhesive bonding. Extrusion technique provides unlimited opportunities of matching the design to specific requirements. It is easy to cut and assemble at site. Air tightness. Aluminium extrusions can be made with very little tolerances, so that they can be fabricated with great precision. This is important for windows of high rise buildings, air-conditioned buildings and for several other uses. Good noise control. Aluminium is good for noise control because of its excellent reflectivity of sound. It also reflects electromagnetic waves. 10, High scrap value. Unlike steel, the scrap value of aluminium is very high. When we rebuild a member it makes it cheaper in cost. 1. Ease of transport. Aluminium is easy to transport because of its light weight. 12. Hi ivity, Aluminium roofs absorb less radiant heat, as aluminium has good a eat oa ideal material for roofing and siding of workshop sheds. Aluminium paints and films are used for thermal insulation of roofs. ‘ 13. High conductivity of electricity. Aluminium wires are used for high voltage electric dicritution, However, aluminium tends to oxidize in joints Hence, joints need to be made carefully. It is preferable to weld wherever possible. Copper is a better material to be used in small sizes in house-wiring, 38 it is trouble-free. 7 - 2 AND THEIR USES ing forms: 205 AVAILABLE FORMS OF ALUMINIUM Aluminium products are generally available in the followi 5 like cylinder blocks, cylinder heads, valve bodies and ‘and marine fittings, storage tank fittings, pneumatic air base for office furniture, etc.) 1. Castings (Automobile parts fittings. Rail coach seat fittings tools, large fan blades, electric motor and frames, chiFELD (BUILDING MATERIALS : os ‘ets (Utensils, roofing sheets, aircraft ss 2. She icines, toiletries, etc.) king food, medicines, ' 3. Foil — = windows, ladder, transport vehicles, etc.) 4, Extrusion: . 5. Wires (For electric oe 6. Powder (For paints, pyrotechnics, etc. LLOYS 20.6 - ALUMINIUM Al : . fen ifferent uses, it is alloyed wi ie aluminium is soft for di yed With other wehar ete aid epee These aluminium alloys are used for different ee pall s developed by various manufacturers and institutions for cast Products ae wwrought (amade up) products. They can be divided into two groups. 1. Heat treatable alloys. These alloys give increased strength by thermal treatment 2. Non-heat treatable alloys. The strength of these alloys is increased by work hardening, i.e., cold working. The heat treatable alloys also respond to work hardening and are frequently cold worked after heat treatment to get higher strength. Annealing reduces the strength of all alloys, but enhances bending characteristics, ; . 7 In day-to-day, we use cooking utensils containing pure aluminium containing about 0.4% iron and 0.25% silicon. Moreover, for manufacturing roofing sheets, we use aluminium with 1% to 1.5% manganese added as alloying element, 20.6.1 Important Alloys for Industrial Use Three most important alloys of aluminium for industrial use, other than building construction, are duralumin, yalloy and aluminium bronze. 1; Duralumin. The chemical analysis of this high strength alloy (duralumin) is given below: Aluminium (AT) - 94% Copper (Cu) gay, Magnesium (Mg) - 0.5% Silicon (Si) - 05% Manganese (Mn) - 0.5% Iron (Fe) - 0.5% 2. Yalloy. It Contains 4% Copper, 20% manufact : I nickel and 1.5 ium. It is used for blades ‘ure of pistons, cylinder head '% magnesium. It is OF IC engines, connecting rods and propellerinium bronze. This alloy contains 78% to 90% i Juminium bro : 0 copper with only 10% 3. anni. Iris used as a substitute for brass (which is an alloy of copies cnet zine of other base metal). Because of its anticorrosive nature in sea water, it is very much useful for marine condition. It is also used for grill work in buildings, a 7 USES OF ALUMINIUM IN BUILDING CONSTRUCTION minium has many industrial uses as pointed out in Section 20.5. Use in buildings is a «mall part of its usage. In this section, we deal with the use of aluminium in building tion. The four popular uses of aluminium products in building construction are as llows: 1, Window frame 2, Built up curtain walls 3, Aluminium composite panels (ACP) or wall panels 4, Roofing sheets se are described below: 1, Window frames. As good wood is expensive and other woods do not last long in many modem houses, we use aluminium for window frames. A number of different slopes and colours can be made from aluminium alloys. 2. Built up curtain walls. Plain walls not supporting a roof are called curtain walls. In modem high rise buildings, brick, mortar and cement have been replaced by aluminium and aluminium composite panels, curtain walls. Nowadays, we get many types of glasses like float glass (toughened glass with high strength, which is shatterproof,) reflective glass (with attractive colour coating that reflects heat rays,) multilayered glass with attractive colour coating that reflects heat rays, multilayered glass with air gap to reduce heat conduction that saves electricity charges in air-conditioned rooms,’ete. Built up curtain walls can be made with aluminium frames to which glasses can be fitted in conventional way. Development of silicone adhesive sealants, which give very Strong bonds between aluminium and glass, has’ made “Structural Glazing” popular. Hence, the glass is pasted outside the aluminium frames, and as a result, very little of the aluminium frame is visible outside. Recently, “3M” Structural Glazing tapes are being introduced in place of sealants, which reduce the time of sealant application and the long curing time can be avoided. Aluminium composite panels (ACP). These laminates have emerged as a very Preferred material for facades, curtain walls. Face lifting of buildings for beauty can be i, tchieved by using these composite panels. It is used in exteriors as well as interiors of jy, buildings. The composite panel is'shown in Figure 20.2. It is usually made 4 mm thick. Tris composed of non-combustible low density polyethyline (LDPE) sheet laminated and sandwiched between two anodized aluminium sheets (0.3'mm) on each side and Painted with special techniques. The upper sheet is coated with polyvinylidene and woride (PVDF) and the lower with polymer paints. Between aluminium and LDPE Metts, adhesive film compounds are applied. The resulting ACP sheet is lightweightGp d_ weather regi : has high durability an = and has high peeling ae ‘and anti-scratch properties. 7 igh anti- resistant and has hig! a ‘and thermal insulation prop Outer aluminium sheet (typically with a synthetic polymer coating and protective film, to enhance appearance and durability) @ Inner aluminium sheet LDPE core sheet (low density polyethylene) (may have additional coatings) Total thickness ~3to5mm Adhesive layers Figure 20.2 Structure of aluminium composite panels (ACP). These sheets are used for facades of buildings to give attractive patterns. They can be easily bent to any shape to cover columns and pillars easily and it gives them very elegant look. . Aluminium roofing sheet. Roofing by rafters and clay tiles was very popular in olden days. It is becoming obsolete, as it involves a lot of labour. The tiles may also get broken in many ways. Nowadays, sheets made from high quality aluminium alloys, which do not rust, need little maintenance and look good for very long time, are available. These corrugated sheets are used : for all classes of buildings, for industries, warehouses and even for housing. These ‘corrugated aluminium sheeted building look attractive als These sheets are available in a variety of colours, “Hindalco Everlast” roofing shee’ are such sheets and are very popular nowadays, SUMMARY This chapter describes the manufacturing of alumini ing ao ae 8 of aluminium as a metal, the methods of alloying r it to improve j : ous uses of aluminium products in buildings Prove its appearance. It also describes the Vat