AUTOCLAVED AERATED CONCRETE BLOCKS (ACC BLOCKS)

INTRODUCTION:

Autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC),also known as autoclaved cellular concrete (AAC), autoclaved lightweight concrete
(ALC), autoclaved concrete, cellular concrete, porous concrete, is a lightweight, precast, Foam concrete building material
invented in the mid-1920s that simultaneously provides structure, insulation, and fire- and mouldresistance. AAC products
include blocks, wall panels, floor and roof panels and lintels. AAC was perfected in the mid-1920s by the Swedish architect
and inventor Dr. Johan Axel Eriksson, working with Professor Henrik Kreuger at the Royal Institute of Technology. It went
into production in Sweden in 1929 in a factory in Hallabrottet and quickly became very popular. AAC is a highly thermally
insulating concrete-based material used for both internal and external construction. Besides AAC's insulating capability,
one of its advantages in construction is its quick and easy installation, because the material can be routed or cut to size on
site using standard carbon steel power tools. AAC is well suited for urban areas with high rise buildings and those with
high temperature variations. Due to its lower density, high rise buildings constructed using AAC require less steel and
concrete for structural members. The requirement of mortar for laying of AAC blocks is reduced due to the lower number
of joints. Similarly, the material required for rendering is also lower due to the dimensional accuracy of AAC. The increased
thermal efficiency of AAC makes it suitable for use in areas with extreme temperatures, as it eliminates the need for
separate materials for
METHODOLOGY:
Materials required:
1. Portland cement
2. Lime
3. Aluminum
powder
4. Sand
5. Fly ash
6. M-sand
7. Super plastizer.
8. Casting molds
and equipment.
Manufacturing Process
Best Thermal Insulation
Lowest Thermal Consumption
Fire Resistance
 Preparation of AAC blocks or panels:

AAC blocks are made from portland cement, silica rich material like fly ash or sand, lime, water and aluminum
powder as an air entraining agent. The materials are first mixed into slurry and then poured into large molds where
the air entraining agent reacts with the alkalis in the cement and lime to produce millions of small hydrogen gas
bubbles. The mix expands and rises considerably more than its initial volume under suitable conditions. The
hydrogen evaporates and the 'cake' sets up and hardens into a stable closed cell matrix which can then be precisely
wire-cut into blocks or panels. The green aerated concrete is then steam cured in a pressurized autoclave for about
12-14 hours where upon it undergoes a second chemical reaction and transforms into the mineral Tobermorite or
calcium silicate. After casting and required curing various tests are performed on the blocks and the result is noted.
Apart from casting and testing of blocks, comparative studies of estimation of cost of construction is also carried
out successfully results are discussed on the basis of quality of the blocks and their economic feasibility.
Available in Different Size and Shape
Compressive Strength
 FUTURE WORK:
1. Ratio of the contents can be varied and tested to further reduce the weight and cost of the AAC blocks.
2. Introduction of reinforcement can be done in AAC blocks to increase its strength.
3. Implementation of AAC in pre-casted beams and other components of the structure.
4. To improve the quality of the blocks by reducing the percentage of the water absorption .