The Masterbuilder - September 2012 - Flooring Special

Cover
Pidilite (Dr.Fixit)
Hess Concrete Machinery India (P) Ltd
Metecno India Pvt.Ltd
Garware Wall Ropes Ltd
Techny Chemy
Marini India Pvt Ltd (Fayat Group)
EDITOR'S COMMENT
Your feedbacks are welcome and should be sent to: The Editor, The Masterbuilder, 102/11 (New No. 46/11), Tripti Apartments, Marshalls Road, Egmore, Chennai, India. Phone: +91 44 28555248 Telefax: +91 44 28586703
Editor-in-Chief K.P . Pradeep editor@masterbuilder.co.in Vice-Chairman K G K Moorthy moorthykgk@yahoo.co.in Director Editorial, Construction Chemicals Dr. Y P Kapoor Editor-in-Charge Ravi Damodaran Editor Nigel Narayan Associate Editors M.J. Krishna, M.K. Prabhakar, Sonjay Deb Head - Content Development CE, Infrastructure & Environment Sadagopan Seshadri Contributors Bhavani Balakrishna, Priya, Chaitanya Raj Goyal Vice President Marketing H. Usha Devi Head-New Media Initiative Pradeep Nair News Desk B. Sathya Venkatesh Credit Controller G.B. Muralidharan Finance R. Prema Manager Digital Production K. Sravanthi Kiran Manager Digital Media Lakshmi Creative Head S. Nithiyanandam Production Manager Caroline D'sylva Digital Production Assistant R. Anand, Sudhir Kumar Singh Subscription & Circulation Team Sateesh Kuniyil, S. Sasi Corporate Office MB Publishers Pvt. Limited 102/11 (New No. 46/11), Tripti Apartments, Marshalls Road, Egmore, Chennai - 600 008. Ph: 044-28555248 Telefax: 28586703. Subscription & Circulation subscription@masterbuilder.in Website www.masterbuilder.co.in Karnataka No.40, 2nd Floor, 7th "C" Cross, Ashwini Layout, Koramangala, Bangalore - 560047. Phone: 080 - 25701079 / 25705888 Mobile: 09343833191 Owned and Published by K.P . Pradeep 102/11 (New No. 46/11), Tripti Apartments, Marshalls Road, Egmore, Chennai - 600 008. Printed By Ashok Natarajan Times Printers & Publishers, New No. 57 (29), Dr. Besant Road, Ice House, Chennai - 600 014. Disclaimer All rights reserved. Reproduction, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, in whole or part without prior written permission is prohibited. All views expressed in this magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher, neither do the publishers endorse any of the claims made in the advertisements.
A Friday to Remember
ndia's Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh earlier this month, stunned the nation by announcing a slew of economic reforms that might stand out in history as yet another of his nuclear moments, when he put his job on the line just to push through a controversial civilian nuclear deal with the United States back in 2007. With a slew announcement on Friday, September 14, 2012, Dr. Manmohan Singh has in one fell swoop removed the tag of being called an underachiever ever since UPA came to power in 2004. Dr. Singh's path breaking announcements all within a period of 48 hours that India was opening up her retail sector to foreign supermarket chains, removing the bar on foreign investment in both airlines and broadcasters, hiking the price of diesel, enforcing a cap on subsidised LPG cylinder and selling stake in four state-run industries; and all this comes exactly twenty years after he launched a transformative drive for economic liberalisation to once again regain his space as a true champion of reforms. The UPA alliance, already weakened by a string of corruption scandals, will inevitably face the heat of a political backlash over the reforms in the coming months. However, experts believe that mere public posturing by opposition parties will not be enough to prevent the government from going ahead with announcements that is much needed to tackle a gaping fiscal hole. In this difficult scenario, with its popularity down due to corruption scandals and the economy, the UPA may be hoping to win back the middle-class voters by acting now and hoping to have the spending power to win over rural voters in time for 2014 elections. The political roller-coaster over the next few months could well decide whether the brave decisions taken by Team Manmohan will go down in history as a defining moment written on rock, or simply fizzle out to be another missed opportunity. From politics to construction, the concrete flooring industry in India has been taking some rapid strides with the arrival of several new technologies in the industrial and commercial flooring sector. These two segments have been growing at a rate of 15 - 20 percent in recent times despite a recessionary trend that the industry has been witnessing over the last four to five quarters. However, the government's policy reforms in multi brand retail and initiatives like the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor and the announcements of a series of National Investment and Manufacturing Zones (NIMZs) should surely fuel the growth for the flooring sector. The size of the industrial and commercial flooring segments in the country is estimated to be around 4,000 crore and growing. Industry experts are of the opinion that if the economy turns around, then the sector could be in for a period of rapid growth ultimately leading to even doubling of the growth rate by the end of the 12th Five Year Plan period. The current edition carries some interesting research papers, articles and features on concrete flooring and sustainable solutions for modern day construction. We hope you enjoy the edition and send us your feedback and suggestions.
K.P . Pradeep, Editor-in-Chief

editor@masterbuilder.co.in
Gandhi Automations Pvt.Ltd
Contents
Editor's Comment........................8 Advertisers Index.......................18

Flooring: Industry Analysis
M.K. Prabhakar, Associate Editor
Flooring Industry: Growing on the Back of the Indian 'Industrial Revolution'
84
168 164 176
Classification Index....................20 News & Events............................22
44 48 56 66 74 94 106 118
Flooring: Vapor Transmission Solving Problems Caused by Moisture Vapor Transmission on Concrete Floors
Robert R. Cain, Founder, KRC Associate, Batavia, Ohio
Flooring Equipments: Analysis Concrete Flooring Equipment Industry: Growth Ahead
Floor Coatings Anti Slip An Insight into Slip Resistance Floor through Anti Slip Floor Coatings
Sonjoy Deb, B.Tech,'Civil', Associate Editor
Geosynthetics Overview of Standards for Testing of Essential Properties for Performance of Geogrid and Geotextiles Research Study: Silica Fume Effect of Silica Fume on Concrete at Different Curing Conditions
Floor Coating Concrete Floor Coatings: Selecting and Installing the Perfect Resurfacing System
Chaitanya Raj Goyal
Bisetti Sameer Charan1, Dr. Bulu Pradhan2 B.Tech Civil 4th Year, SRM University, Ramapuram 2 Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
1
Anti-Static Flooring Anti-Static ESD Safe Flooring-Be Ground Safe

Sonjoy Deb, B.Tech,'Civil' Associate Editor
114 122 126 130 132 136 142
Communication Feature A Revolutionary Polished Concrete System for Making Old Floors as Good as New A One-of-its's-kind Online Platform for Reinforcing Your Knowledge about SFRC Technology Durable, Affordable & Warranted AVCON Flooring Systems Top Notch Flooring Solution for the Food and Beverage Industry Diverse Range of Flooring Solutions Catering to Various Types of Industries Next Generation Concrete Reinforcing Fiber Breaking the Code of Stamped Concrete
Concrete Flooring: NDT Testing Interlayer Pull-off Adhesion in Concrete Floors by Means of Nondestructive Acoustic Method
Jerzy Hola1, Lukasz Sadowski1 1 Institute of Building Engineering, Wroclaw University of Technology
Flooring: Installation Industrial Flooring Installation Challenges

James C. Ziegler, ArmorSeal, Cincinnati, Ohio
Flooring: Surface Preparation Surface Preparation for Industrial Flooring: Key to Successful Flooring Systems
MB Bureau Report
Resin Flooring The Importance of Preparation When Installing a Resin Flooring System in the Food Industry
John L. Lord & Son Ltd., Lancashire
106 48
10 The Masterbuilder - September 2012 www.masterbuilder.co.in
168
56
Enviro Geosynthetics Pvt.Ltd
Contents
146
Pioneering Latest Concrete Flooring Techniques Together
Smart Building 182 Sustainability: Top Ten Trends in Smart Buildings

Bhavani Balakrishna
150 Making its Mark with Varied Flooring Solutions 154

Taking Rapid Strides in the Flooring Industry
190 Infrastructure High Performance in Infrastructure and Construction

Bhavani Balakrishna
158 Aiming Big on the Back of Specialized Flooring Expertise

Concrete Floor Topping, Joint Systems, 162 Redefining Decorative Concretes
Hotmix Asphalt 196 Roads: The Future of Hot Mix Asphalt Drywall Systems 200 Sustainability: A Breakthrough Construction Technology and its Impact on India's Growth
Ar. Harsh Bhutani
174 Bring Out the Beauty in Your Concrete Floor 204 207
Quality Secondary Waterproofing to Improve Life of Structures
Double Skin 214 Facade Double Skin Facades: Solution for Energy Efficient Building Operations
Bhavani Balakrishna
Waterproofing Solutions that Stand the Test of Time
Training 220 Workforce: Ray of Hope for Downtrodden Unemployed Youths
Deepak Mazumdar, Dy. Director, Construction Industry Development Council (CIDC), New Delhi
208 Enhancing Urban Hardscapes 210 Powerscreen Takes Control

Range of Concrete Batching Plants 211 Comprehensive from the Trendsetter
226 Polished Concrete - An Alternative to Traditional Stone Flooring

Liquid Densifiers 228 Flooring: Understanding Liquid Densifiers
212 ZENTRIVAL PL Waterproof Tile Adhesive

Automations Unveils Interchangeable Section 224 Gandhi High Speed Roll-up Door: SECTOR
Concrete: Award 232 ICI Honours Outstanding Contributors in Concrete Construction
Events 235 Concrete: Concrete Day Celebrations
190 182
200
214
H & K Rolling Mill Engineers Pvt.Ltd
Contents
Advertisers Index
A
Action Construction Equipment Ltd Ajax Fiori Engineering (I) Pvt.Ltd Apollo Hawkeye Pedershaab Concrete Technologies Pvt.Ltd Aquarius Technologies Pvt.Ltd Atul Fasteners Ltd Avcon Technics Pvt.Ltd BASF India Ltd BC India - Bauma Conexpo Show Bekeart (Dramix) Bharat Road Development Combines Pvt.Ltd BMTPC Expo' 2012 Buildmat 2013 Buildtech India Corporation Case New Holland Construction Equipments(India) Pvt.Ltd Caterpillar India Cera - Chem India Pvt.Ltd Cico Technologies Ltd Cipy Polyurethanes Pvt.Ltd Columbia Pakona Engineering Pvt.Ltd Conmat Systems Pvt.Ltd Cosmos Construction Machineries & Equipments Pvt.Ltd Cosmos Sales Corporation Emerging Technologies for Mass Housing Enviro Geosynthetics Pvt.Ltd Esquire - CMAC Pvt.Ltd Ficci (India Chem -2012) Floorkotes Pvt.Ltd Flowcrete Forensic Geotechnical Engineering Fosroc Chemicals India Pvt.Ltd Gandhi Automations Pvt.Ltd Garware Wall Ropes Ltd 171 133 135 127 175 51
H
H & K Rolling Mill Engineers Pvt.Ltd 17 Hercules Fibers 137 Hess Concrete Machinery India (P) Ltd 2nd wrapper Pidilite (Dr.Fixit) Poly Flex Powerscreen
P
Front inner -1 19 27
I
Igloo Tiles 153 Impact Floors India Pvt. Ltd. Back Inner Implementation Challenges & Way forward for Construction & Infrastructure Sector during 12th Five year plan (2012-17) 194 / 195 Industrial Corrosion Controllers 203 Instruct 217 International conference of Suppliers to Construction Chemical Industry of India (CCMA) 234 Ironite Co.of India Ltd 117
R
Rapid Transit India - 2012 RD Mining Equipments Pvt.Ltd Reliance Industries Ltd Relyon Facility Services Rocland Pvt.Ltd Roljack Industries ROTHO - Robert Thomas Metall- and Elektrowerke GmbH & Co. KG RSB Transmissions India Ltd Safari Construction Equipments Pvt.Ltd Schwing Stetter (India) Pvt. Ltd Sicoma Mixers India Pvt.Ltd Silicone Concepts Int.Pvt.Ltd STA Concrete Flooring Solutions Stewols India (P) Ltd STP Ltd Surie Polex 231 159 179 209 65 167 189 145
B
105 213 21 155 221 225 209
S
39 37 189 125 55/149 193 113 81
C
33 31 93 87 69 147 121 181 185
J
Jamshedji Constro Equip Pvt.Ltd JBA Concrete Solutions Kalyan Industries Kumkang Kind Co.Ltd Lamba Techno Flooring Solutions Lipi Polymers Pvt.Ltd 23 109
K
206 100 / 101
T
Tac System Formwork Sdn Bhd Tashi Reinforcements LLP (Tashi India Ltd) Techny Chemy The Masterbuilder Subscription Form Toshniwal Systems & Instruments Pvt.ltd Ultratech Cement Ltd Unisteel Engineering Works United Steel & Structurals Pvt. Ltd Universal Construction Machinery & Equipment Ltd 61 25 6 229 187
L
77 129
E
236 11 173
M
Maco Coporation India Pvt.Ltd 199 Marini India Pvt Ltd (Fayat Group) 7 MC Bauchemie India Pvt.Ltd 47 Meta Tuff Solutions LLP 91 Metecno India Pvt.Ltd Front inner -2 Meva Schalungs-Systeme GmbH 29 MM Castings (P) Ltd 161 MPR Technique 209
U
Back Cover 163 157 151
F
219 111 59 223 41
V
Venus Equipments & Tools Pvt.Ltd 193 / 199 / 203 / 206 V-tech Floors India Pvt.Ltd Wirtgen India Pvt.Ltd WISE India 73
N
Nawa Engineers & Consultants Pvt.Ltd Neocrete Technologies Pvt.Ltd Nina Concrete Systems Pvt.Ltd 141 97 53 / 115
G
9 5
W
35 227
18
The Masterbuilder - September 2012 www.masterbuilder.co.in
Poly Flex
Contents
Advertisers Index / Classification
Aerial Boom Lifts Maco Corporation (India) Pvt. Ltd. Cement UltraTech Cement Ltd.
199
Facility Services Relyon Facility Services Pvt Ltd.
209
Back Cover
Concrete Block Making Machine Columbia Pakona Engineering Pvt. Ltd. 147 Hess Concrete Machinery India Pvt Ltd. 2nd Wrapper Concrete Equipment Venus Equipment and Tools Pvt. Ltd. 193 / 199 / 203 / 206 Concrete Polishing Machine Surie Polex 81
Fibre Reinforced Concrete Bekaert 21 Hercules Fiber 137 Impact Floors India Pvt. Ltd. Back inner Nina Concrete Systems Pvt. Ltd. 53 / 115 Stewols India Pvt. Ltd. 193 Tashi Reinforcements LLP 25 Flooring Avcon Technics Pvt. Ltd. 51 CICO Technologies Limited 87 Cipy Polyurethanes Pvt. Ltd. 69 Floorkotes Pvt. Ltd. 111 Flowcrete 59 Fosroc Chemicals India Pvt. Ltd. 41 Impact Floors India Pvt. Ltd. Back inner Industrial Corrosion Controllers 203 Ironite Company of India Ltd. 117 JBA Concrete Solution 109 Kalyan Industries 206 Lamba Techno Flooring Solutions 77 MC - Bauchme (I) Pvt Ltd. 47 Meta Tuff Solution LLP 91 MPR Technique 209 Neocrete Technologies Pvt. Ltd. 97 Nina Concrete Systems Pvt. Ltd. 53 / 115 Rocland Pvt. Ltd. 65 STA Concrete Flooring Solutions 55 / 149 Tashi Reinforcements LLP 25 V-Tech Floors (India) Pvt. Ltd. 73 Flooring Equipment Aquarius Technologies Pvt. Ltd. 127
Mewa Tac System Formwork Sdn Bdh Geosynthetics Enviro Geosynthetics P. Ltd. OEM M M Casting (P) Ltd. OEM Suppliers RSB Transmission I Ltd. Precast Concrete Apollo Infratech Pvt. Ltd. Rotho - Robert Thomas Metall-und Elektrowerke GmbH & KG Repair & Rehabilation BASF India Limited Cera-Chem Pvt. Ltd. Pidilite Industries Ltd. ( Dr. Fixit) Poly Flex Reliance Industries Ltd. STP Ltd. Technychemy Scaffolding Cosmos Sales Corporation Tensile Membrane Garware Wall Ropes Ltd Tiles Igloo Tiles TMT-Technology Suppliers H & K Rolling Mills Engineering Pvt. Ltd. Waterproofing BASF India Limited Cera-Chem Pvt. Ltd. MC - Bauchme (I) Pvt Ltd. Pidilite Industries Ltd. ( Dr. Fixit) Poly Flex Reliance Industries Ltd. STP Ltd. Technychemy
29 61 11 161 145 135 189 105 93
Construction Machinery & Equipment Action Construction Equipment Ltd. 171 Ajax Fiori Engineering (I) Pvt. Ltd. 133 Bharat Road Development Combines Private Limited 155 Case New Holland Construction Equipments (India) Pvt. Ltd. 33 Caterpillar India 31 Conmat Systems Pvt. Ltd. 121 Cosmos Construction Machineries & Equipment (P) Ltd. 181 Esquire Cmac Pvt. Ltd. 173 Marini India 7 Safari Construction Equipments Pvt. Ltd. 39 Schwing Stetter India Pvt. Ltd. 37 Sicoma Mixers India Pvt. Ltd. 189 Toshaniwal System & Instrument Pvt. Ltd. 187 Unisteel Engineering Works 163 Universal Construction Machinery & Equipment Ltd. 151 Wirtgen India 35 Crushing Nawa Engineers & Consultants Pvt. Ltd.141 Powerscreen 27 RD Mining Equipments Pvt. Ltd. 159 Roljack Industries 167 Doors Automatic Gandhi Automation Pvt. Ltd.
20
Front inner -1 19 179 113 6 185 5 153
Flooring Machinery Jamshedji Construction Equipment Pvt. Ltd. 23 Silicone concepts Intl. Pvt. Ltd. 125 Venus Equipment and Tools Pvt. Ltd. 193 / 199 / 203 / 206 Flooring Products Buildtech India Corporation Formwork Kumkangkind India 209 100 / 101
17 105 93 47
Front inner -1 19 179 113 6
Bekeart (Dramix)
News & Events
CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT
First-ever conventional tailswing machine from JCB
The brand new JCB 8026 CTS mini excavator first-ever conventional tailswing machine in the current 2.53.5 tonne class produced by the company will be on display at the Intermat show. With a transport weight of 2.7 tonnes, it's one of the largest excavators that can be towed behind a 3.5 tonne vehicle. It's similar in many ways to 8025, but it's been uprated in key areas. This JCB mini digger's power is provided by the new Perkins 400 series Tier IIIa, a transverse 18.4 kW motor that delivers 96kN of torque at 1800 RPM. A tailswing of 470mm more than the 8025 ZTS, combined with a very low centre of gravity, provides a 19% greater lift capacity than the market leader.At the 8026 CTS compact excavator's dig end, our box-fabricated boom and dipper is capable of 2.74m dig depth, 4.77m reach and 3.22m dump height. Excellent bucket rotation and class-leading tear-out forces mean great productivity. Versatilitywise, you can easily attach hammers, compactor plates and more. A brand new undercarriage, meanwhile, uses 3 bottom rollers, 1 top roller, plus heavy duty track idler guides and grease tensioners. The JCB mini excavator range is designed with productivity to the fore. On the 8026 CTS, there are Nachi auto kickdown motors for smoother operation when
Ibau Hamburg road-mobile ship unloader for Mumbai cement terminal
spin turning and dozing. Tracking speed and single speed tractive effort are therefore class-leading, at 5 kph (11% improved over the 8025) and 25.02 kN respectively. For lifting power to match, we've fitted a Maxi-lift dozer ram to this JCB mini digger. The 8026 CTS compact excavator also features our new EV31 hydraulic valve block, which gives four major benefits. There's more leg room. You can actually lift the front of the machine on the dozer even at engine tickover, at maximum reach with a 770kg load. Not only tnew rubber cab mounts reduce vibration, and internal noise is just 77 dBa. The seating position is fully adjustable for maximum comfort and there's an efficient heating system. Longer spools mean smoother controllability. You can effortlessly store the gas-strutassisted upper front screen overhead and the lower front screen can also be removed. The whole cab structure is isolated from the slew frame for minimum vibration.
20 units of '435' backhoe loaders order awarded to Leyland Deere

The Tamil Nadu Earth Moving Equipment Owners Welfare Association has placed an order of 20 units of the '435' backhoe loaders with Leyland Deere, P . Ravishankar, CEO of the organisation said. Leyland Deere is the joint venture between Ashok Leyland and John Deere with its manufacturing facility located at Gummidipoondi near Chennai. The Tamil
Nadu Earth Moving Equipment Owners Welfare Association has over 700 members from the construction and earth moving equipmentindustry.
Ibau Hamburg has recently delivered a road-mobile ship unloader to Sanghi Industries Ltd. (SIL) for use at its Mumbai cement terminal. These roadmobile ship unloaders for mini bulk tankers are usually mounted on trailers for road transport, usually because the unloader needs to serve several terminals or because it is not possible to have stationary units in the harbour. Road-mobile, trailer-mounted ship unloaders have a self-supporting structure, weigh approximately 30 tonnes and have a high degree of manoeuvrability. It is a requirement of the unloaders that they can be made ready for operation in less than 30 minutes, starting from the transport position. During operation, the individual screws can be tilted or rotated within fixed angle ranges, so that all areas of the ships hold can be reached from the given position. The loading screw can either load material directly into trucks or transfer it to a downstream mechanical or pneumatic transport unit. For direct truck loading, the loading screw is equipped with a loading chute and an integrated filter unit. IBAUs road-mobile mechanical ship unloaders have low energy consumption rates and high degrees of operational flexibility. The ship unloader has a modular design, which allows for customised functions and features and specifically engineered downstream cement transport systems to final storage. Though this is a relatively small order, it follows the recent expansion of HAVER IBAU Indias Baroda headquarters.
22
Jamshedji Constro Equip Pvt.Ltd
News & Events
CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT
SANY advanced excavator factory to produce an excavator every five minutes
SANY, Peachtree City, Ga., claims to have the world's largest and most advanced excavator factory near Shanghai, China, that can produce an excavator every five minutes. The Lingang Industrial Park has 10.7 million sq. ft. of total space, with 5.9 million sq. ft. of manufacturing space. The facility cost $818.5 million to build. The factory uses a computerized production-management system for maximum efficiency, managing the entire process from raw steel plate and structural welding to components and final assembly. Excavator structures and components are transported automatically from underground tunnels to optimize production. The factory will primarily produce excavators in the 20-ton to 30-ton size range. The facility has
43,000 sq. ft. of gardens, reflection pools, bamboo stands and marble patios that flank the assembly lines inside the facility. In addition to excavators produced in Lingang for sae in China, SANY produces base excavator kits that are shipped to SANY America's assembly facility in Peachtree City. The kits are assembled there, adding the options and features preferred by North American customers, the company said.
United States at the new Victoria location will position Caterpillar to better serve North American excavator cus-tomers with a single, dedicated facility. In addition, the Caterpillar facility in Aurora will then focus on other products while the facility in Akashi will be more focused on serving customers in Asia.
Topcon acquires Geotop of Italy

Topcon Europe Positioning (TEP) has acquired controlling interest in GEOTOP of Ancona, Italy, one of Europe's largest dealers in precise positioning surveying, civil engineering, construction and agriculture equipment. This partnership is the next step to further solidify joint commitment to providing quality instruments, software and service to prospective customers. This is a winwin-win situation all the way around and the company looks forward to the next phase of working relationship with Topcon. In the past several years, Topcon has made a considerable investment in Europe, especially in Italy, Di Federico said. We have almost 150 employees in four companies in Italy. In addition to GEOTOP , Topcon Tierra has about 30 employees, Topcon Infomobility has about 30 employees and GeoPro has about 10 employees.The addition of GEOTOP not only adds to Topcon's presence in Italy, he said, but emphasizes the synergistic opportunities we have with all companies working closely together to provide products and services to customers and potential customers.
Volvo Rents acquires Sheffer Rents
Caterpillar inaugurates hydraulic excavator facility in Victoria, Texas

Caterpillar inaugurated its state-of-theart hydraulic excavator facility in Victoria, Texas. The new, 1.1 million-squarefoot operation represents a $200 million investment by Caterpillar to increase excavator capacity and production in the United States. The company has already hired about 225 new employees in Victoria, and plans to continue hiring based on demand for products made in Victoria and as it ramps up production with additional models to be produced at the new facility. The facility will help the company to server customers in North America. When operating at full capacity, the new Victoria facility will more than triple the current capacity of hydraulic excavators produced by the company in the United States. The excavators to be produced in Victoria are now made at a Caterpillar facility in Aurora, Illinois, and at a Caterpillar facility in Akashi, Japan. Expanding capacity in the
Volvo Rents, Asheville, N.C., has acquired Sheffer Rents of Central Pennsylvania, York, Pa., a single location construction equipment rental company. This transaction provides Volvo Rents an opportunity to use an already strong foundation and build a long-term bridge toward the company's continued success in Central Pennsylvania. The business was previously owned by Volvo Rents franchisees Clint Sheffer and Susan Renoll.
24
Tashi Reinforcements LLP (Tashi India Ltd)
News & Events
INFRASTRUCTURE
city fluctuates between 4,000 to 5,300 MW depending on weather. The city gets around 3,000 MW of power from a number of power generating stations in West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal, Uttarakhand and Haryana. Technical feasibilities are being worked out. If islanding facility is set up, then Delhi, in case of technical problem in the Northern grid, will continue to get power from its own generating stations by cutting its transmission network with the grid.
POWER
Five power sub-stations for uninterrupted supply during Mahakumbh
A total of five 33\11 KV power substations would be set up at Sangam campus for uninterrupted power supply during Mahakumbh and the Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology (MNNIT) has been entrusted the job to check quality of work in the construction of five power sub-stations. District Magistrate Rajshekhar inspected the construction of Bakshi Bandh 33\11 KV sub station being constructed at a cost of ` 5 crore and expected to be complete by October 31. Once it is ready, transformers would be set up. With the installation of transformer/power sub-station, uninterrupted power supply would be supplied to Daraganj, Allahapur and two STPs (Sewage Treatment Plants). Two independent feeders would be supplying power to the mela campus and a 3-km electricity line will connect the sub-station with Teliyarganj. All work related to civil and electrical must be checked before September
Two power corporations in Uttar Pradesh set for merger
20, he said. He also inspected the under-construction power substation at Ustapur (Jhunsi) and asked executive engineer of the Public Works Department to construct a 400-meter road for the sub-station being built at a cost of around ` 5.28 crore expected to be complete by November-end. Work to lay underground cable is expected to be complete by October 15. Another power sub-station is being constructed at Boat Club and this sub-station would supply electricity to Gaughat, Kumbh Mela, Kydganj, Baluaghat and adjoining areas. the Union Power Ministry for creation of the 'islanding facility' in Delhi on the lines of south Mumbai following collapse of the Northern grid in July that led to a blackout for several hours on two consecutive days. Delhi Government will set up the facility after getting a nod to the proposal from both the Power Ministry and the Planning Commission. The purpose of 'islanding facility' is to isolate Delhi generating stations so that supply of power does not affect even if the Northern grid collapse. Delhi generates around 1,200 MW of power which will increase to 2,700 MW once the 1,500 MW capacity Bawana power plant built at a cost of ` 4,500 crore, starts generating power at its optimum level, Delhi Power Secretary Shakti Sinha said. The power demand in the
Delhi government starts work on islanding facility
Delhi government has started work on setting up an 'islanding facility' to insulate essential services in the city from any power disruption in the event of collapse of the Northern grid. Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit had approached
To improve financial health of the UP Rajya Vidyut Udpadan Nigam Limited (UPRVUNL) which has to spend crores of rupees on purchasing water from the Uttar Pradesh Jal Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (UPJVUNL) to run its thermal plants the Uttar Pradesh government may consider merger of both the corporations. Both the boards of the corporation had given their nod for the merger for which the state government has to give its final consent.The UPJVUNL is left with little potential for generation of power after the creation of a separate state of Uttarakhand with all water reserves. At present UPJVUNL Corporation, operates with around 600 employees and has power projects with a total capacity of only 500MW. A separate corporation is not needed to handle very less capacity of power generation. The merger is expected to enable the management to make the optimum utilization of water resources in the state to produce electricity and also use water reservoirs for coal-fired power plants in a more efficient and economical manner.
26
Powerscreen
News & Events
INFRASTRUCTURE
Integration of South Indian States with central grid by 2014
RENEWABLE ENERGY
Solar power to illuminate Delhi monuments
Centre plans to achieve the target of 85000 MW of power through alternate energy in the 12th plan
Mr Pramod Dev, chairman of Central Regulatory Electricity Commission said South Indian States will be integrated with the central grid by 2014. If there is a major power shutdown the central grid will automatically supply power diverting the excess power produced by the neighbouring state to the state once it is integrated. The Commission intends to promote competition, efficiency and economy in bulk power markets, improve the quality of supply, promote investments and advise government on the removal of institutional barriers to bridge the demand supply gap and thus foster the interests of consumers.
Bangalore to get more power as Shanthigrama plant is operational
Energy Minister Ms Shobha Karandlaje said that with the commissioning of 400 KV line in Shanthigrama near Hassan, Bangalore and surrounding cities would get more power as it would pave way for transmission of 1,100 MW additional power, 600 MW from Udupi and 500 MW from Bellary Thermal power project-II. The solar panels installed at the roof top of the building have the capacity to generate 7.6 kilowatt power daily. It was installed at a cost of about ` 16-17 lakhs.
The 13th century Qutub Minar, the 17th century red sandstone Red Fort and the 16th century Humayun's Tomb - all declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites - are among the six sites where the Delhi government plans to install solar power plants to replace conventional sources of electricity. The government is planning to install solar photovoltaic (SPV) systems on the premises of heritage sites and historical monuments where footfalls are higher. The government had already illuminated two tourist spots Jantar Mantar and Safdarjung's Tomb by installing solar plants on their premises. Installed at a cost of ` 25 lakh, the plant at Jantar Mantar generates nine kilowatts of power while the plant at Safdarjung's Tomb produces 10.4 KW which can light up the site for more than four hours. The government is replicating it at other heritage sites too. The government has to take permission from sites like Humayun's Tomb, Red Fort and Qutub Minar that come under the Archaeological Survey of India before installing solar lights. The other sites the Delhi government is planning to light up through solar energy are Jama Masjid, the Old Fort and the Lotus temple. According to the official, the cost of installing a one-kilowatt plant, which requires an area of 10 sq m, is over `200,000. The ministry provides subsidy to any organisation or department for installing SPV systems. The Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Management Centre of the Delhi government will install these plants as it is the nodal agency for the programme
Minister of New and Renewable Energy, Dr. Farooq Abdullah said his ministry is making consistent efforts to popularise Solar Energy which is cheap and environment friendly. Various policies, regulatory and fiscal incentives have accelerated development of renewable energy generation and because of these initiatives, large capacity addition through renewable generation is envisaged in the 12th plan period, he said. Renewable energy has the inherent advantage of greater resource flexibility of a distributed energy system. Transmission plays a central role to facilitate seamless flow of electricity in a reliable and affordable manner. Renewable energy sector is coming into increasing focus in the context of climate change vis--vis concern on energy security. A range of policy initiatives have also emerged to address climate change concerns and other environmental issues. Dr. Farooq Abdullah said this while releasing a report on Green Energy Corridors at Delhi cantonment. Minister of Power, Dr. Veerappa Moily speaking on the occasion said Green Energy Corridors report is the first of its kind in the country which will provide an impetus to large scale integration of Renewable Energy and will pave the way for clean development. The government could achieve the target of 85 thousand MW of power in the 12th plan and it could definitely produce 25,000 MW by the end of this financial year provided that other things are tied up. There are also capacities
28
Meva Schalungs-Systeme GmbH
News & Events
INFRASTRUCTURE
which have not been utilised, it is available around us, only thing is that a decision has to be taken, Dr. Veerappa Moily said. The report on Green Energy Corridors which was released jointly by Dr. Farooq Abdullah and Dr. Veerappa Moily covers various studies on transmission infrastructure requirement and other related services for integration of large scale envisaged renewable capacity in 12th Plan. The report also covers Intra/Inter State transmission system strengthening, other facilities like flexible generation, establishment of Renewable Energy Management Centre (REMC), forecasting etc. to address intermittency and variability aspects as well as grid integration issues of large scale Renewable Energy generation. 4,000 people with over 1,000 people engaging in day-to-day operations. He added that ITC Grand Chola was the world's largest and highest LEED platinum green hotel that is 100 per cent powered by renewable energy. He said as part of expansion, ITC has planned to convert its facility in Sivakasi into a food-processing unit besides setting up of a logistics hub on a 30 acre land near Chennai.
Adani Power likely to expand generation capacity to 10,000 MW by next year

Adani Power is expected to earn ` 600 crore by trading carbon credits during the first 10 years of its operation. We are confident of expanding our generation capacity to nearly 10,000 MW by March 2013, Rajesh Adani, Managing Director, Adani Power said. The company had synchronized the first-ever super-critical technology based 660 MW Unit (Unit 5 of Phase III) in India at Mundra. This is not only the first super-critical turbine in the country but what makes it special is that this has been synchronized within 36 months from the inception, which is the fastest implementation ever by any power developer in the country. The entire project is scheduled to be fully operational within the XIth Five Year Plan (2007-2012). Further the project being at a coastal location shall use sea water with the implementation of a desalinization unit, making efficient use of the water resources of India. The Phase III of the Mundra Project, which is also based on supercritical technology, has received 'Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Project' certification from United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This is the world's first project based on super-critical technology to get registered as CDM Project under UNFCCC. This state-of-the-art supercritical technology is 25% more efficient than conventional sub-critical power plants and enables 20% reduction in carbon-di-oxide emission. The Mundra Thermal Power Project was conceived for the captive consumption of the Mundra Port & SEZ, thereafter the
ITC Grand Chola world's largest and highest LEED platinum green hotel inaugurated
vision and the capabilities of the promoters shall make the Mundra Power project on completion; the largest single location Coal based Thermal Power Station in India and one of the top five in the World. With the synchronization of Unit 1, Adani Power Limited proved its project execution skills by developing Greenfield coastal power project in a short span of 33 months from the date of NTP . At present all the four units of Phase I and Phase II based on subcritical technology have been commissioned and are Commercially Operational.
IIM-Ahmedabad goes green
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa inaugurated 'ITC Grand Chola' spread across 1.5 million sq ft at Guindy in Chennai. This is the eighth property in India for ITC group. 'ITC Grand Chola' is set up at a cost of ` 1,200 crore and considered as the group's largest hotel in the country. There are a total of 600 rooms. We have made an elegant hotel like ITC Grand Chola that pays rich tribute to the legacy of Chola dynasty. Inspired by the legacy of Chola dynasty, the hotel has conference halls and rooms in the name of Rajendra Cholan and Raja Cholan, ITC Group Chairman Y C Deveshwar said. He said the hotel consists 100,000 sq ft of banqueting and convention space, 30,000 square foot of pillar-less ballroom, besides 10 food and beverage outlets. ITC Grand Chola appointed workforce close to
The Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A) will soon become energy independent using solar energy and other energy-efficient products. Nessa Illumination Technologies floated by IIM-A alumnus Akshat Khare and his partnerDhaval Shah a Nirma University graduate is installing solar streetlights on the campus. The company has replaced IIM-A's 150-watt sodium streetlights with 60-watt LED streetlights. The initiative has helped the premier institution cut 66% on electricity bill in a year. As LED lights are three times more expensive than normal bulb, the firm has changed its business model for IIMA to pay from the savings on electricity bill instead of paying upfront for the lights in 12 equated instalments. In addi-
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tion the company also offered to take back IIM-A sodium streetlights and recycle them at their cost. The project at IIM-A has completed the second phase and is entering the third, where more sodium lights will be replaced with energy-efficient lights.
Integrated mobility zone for Phase III Metro stations approved

Delhi government in principle has given approval to a proposal to develop 2 km influence zone around all Phase III Metro stations. The stations which will have the 2 km integrated mobility zone include Yamuna Vihar, Welcome, Krishna Nagar, Anand Vihar, Vinod Nagar, Trilokpuri, Lajpat Nagar, South Extn, Ashram and Hazrat Nizamuddin beside others. Emphasis on women's safety on road as well as facilities for pedestrians and cyclists will be the focus of the plan. Unified Traffic and Transportation Infrastructure Planning and Engineering Centre (UTTIPEC)
RAILWAYS
Trial run of Rapid Metro Rail in Gurgaon on October 2
will plan, design and retrofit the 2 km zone. DMRC will take up detailed designing, planning and retrofitting work of "intense Metro station influence zone" of all Phase III metro stations from their own fund. newly sanctioned Metro line will run 25 km from Aluva to Petta. The Central Government will contribute ` 1,000 crore for the project out of the total project cost. He said Kochi is the commercial capital of Kerala and one of the fastest growing urban agglomerations in our country.
Prime Minister inaugurates Kochi Metro Rail Project
The Rapid Metro Rail that arrived from China is set for a trial run in a fortnight, Sanjiv Rai, Managing Director, Rapid Metro Rail Gurgaon. He claimed that the commercial operations would begin in March as scheduled. The trial run is scheduled on October 2. The remaining four trains are expected to arrive by midDecember. The work at Shankar Chowk station which is among the six stations on the network is in progress and will not be operational immediately. The Delhi Metro commuters will not have to purchase a separate token to travel by the Rapid Metro. They can use the same token or smart card to do so and the fare, even though yet to be finalized, is likely to be a flat rate for all the six stations. The authorities claim that the network will be used by at least one lakh commuters in the first year itself. The construction of the second phase of the project will begin in March, in which the network will be extended towards Sectors 55-56 and Udyog Vihar, he said.
Detailed Project Reports (DPR) had already been prepared for 12 cities and Metro rail projects were being implemented in seven cities covering a total network of length 476 km at a cost of over ` 1.15 lakh crore, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said laying the foundation stone for the ` 5,181-crore Kochi Metro rail project. He said Metro rail service is an efficient transport system important for orderly growth and development of cities. He appreciated the steps taken by the Urban Development Ministry to include Metro rail projects, Bus Rapid Transit Systems and sanction of city buses under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). Prime Minister said unless provisioning of services keeps pace with urbanization the country will face serious problems of haphazard urban growth, slums and crumbling city infrastructure. He said Kochi is the eighth city in the country to get the Metro. The
DMRC plans to skip trial run to fast track Jaipur Metro

Due to delay at least by four months in civil construction work of 9.25 km long Jaipur Metro corridor running between Mansarovar to Chandpole, DMRC is planning to bring the operational coaches from the Delhi Metro to skip the initial trial run and to ensure that the deadline for the final run of the Metro is met, Lalit Meghnani, project director, said. The coaches brought from Delhi Metro will run only for a short period and later will be replaced by the new coaches sourced from Bharat Earth Movers Limited. Later the inspection team from the Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) will conduct oscillation trials for new coaches in Jaipur. DMRC may spend have to spend four to six months on trial run that will delay the project. However, coaches customized for the Jaipur Metro have shorter radius due to sharp curves on the track. Still
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port trust wanted to go for a global tender to lease out the land for setting up the repair facility. However, the Shipping Ministry, which administers both the port and the shipyard, decided that the ship repair yard will be set up by CSL. For CSL, the repair yard will be a part of its expansion plan costing close to Rs 1500 crore. The Kochi based PSU will be going in for an initial public offer (IPO) to part-fund the expansion, he said. The proposed repair yard with ship-lift facility will handle small and medium vessels. With the commissioning of the Vallarpadam Container Terminal and new projects such as the LNG Terminal and expansion at the BPCL-Kochi Refinery, Kochi will see increased demand for a ship repair facility. The Minister said the Union ministry is actively considering the State Government's proposal to develop Azhikal Port in northern Kerala as a Major Port. Azhikal will be the second major port in the State after Kochi. CSL will also set up an offshore fabrication yard and an underwater repair facility.
the officials feel that operational coaches of Delhi Metro can be used with some speed restrictions in Jaipur.
Five feeder routes on Eastern Freight Corridor proposed
Emphasising that there is ample scope of development in Uttar Pradesh, the Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation (UPSIDC) is planning to set up five feeder routes measuring nearly 700 kilometres, out of 14 routes proposed under Eastern Freight Corridor. Of 1,890 kilometres of the Eastern Freight Corridor Project, nearly 1,100 kilometres passes through Uttar Pradesh. UPSIDC will have equity in the form of around 2,000 acre of land that is being acquired in Chola near Ghaziabad, Managing Director, UPSIDC, Manoj Singh said.
Navyug Engineering Limited. The initial port capacity is 25 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) with the project cost pegged at INR 7417 crore. The port capacity will be eventually scaled up to 70 mtpa. It may be noted that the state government had entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the company. A concession agreement was signed according to which the port developer will share 5% of its gross income during the first five years, 8% from fifth to the 10th year, 10% from 11th to 15th year and 12% from the 16th year to the end of the lease period. The state government has also given its nod for setting up of a captive port at Chudamani in Bhadrak district by Aditya Birla Group firm Essel Mining & Industries Limited. This port envisages an investment of INR 500 crore in the first phase and it will have an operational capacity of three mtpa.
Phase III Malpe Port Project in Udupi to be ready by 2014
New ship repair facility in Kochi at a cost of ` 750 crore
PORTS
Minor port at Astaranga in Puri district

Odisha government has approved the establishment of a minor port at Astaranga in Puri district by Hyderabad-based
The Cochin Shipyard Ltd will set up a new ship repair facility in Kochi at an estimated cost of ` 750 crore, the Union Shipping Minister G. K. Vasan said. The new facility will come up at the 45-acre land owned by the Cochin Port Trust, which had announced its plan to lease out the plot for a ship repair yard. The land, with an 800-metre waterfront, already has a small repair facility and is close to the Mattancherry Wharf. The
The third phase project of Malpe port built at the cost of ` 37.15 crores will be completed by 2014, the Minister for Port, Inland Water Transport and Muzrai Kota Srinivas Poojary said on his visit to Malpe to assess the progress in the construction of the third phase Maple port. The construction of jetty is under progress. Around ` 5.5 crores is released for dredging works. After the completion of the third phase construction at Malpe, the port will offer space for anchoring as many as 1,400 to 1,500 mechanised boats. He said around ` 57.6 crores have been allotted for the third phase construction works of
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Mangalore port. The minister said the jetty construction works at Hejamadi Kodi is taken up at the cost of ` 60 crores, of which state governments share is ` 29 crores. About ` 1.97 crores have been invested for dredging works at Hejamadi Kodi. However, there is a need for ` 3.40 crores to complete the entire dredging process, he said. All the works taken up in the harbours across the coastal districts will be completed by 2014-15, he added. The minister also paid visit to Kodi Kanyana, Kodi Bengre, Hangarukatte and Kodi. underpasses have already been completed and the work is in progress on another vehicular underpass. After excavation, the construction of a retaining wall and four additional lanes will be taken up. The work on the additional carriageway will be completed first to divert traffic and later work on the present carriageway will be undertaken. A temporary service road will be constructed for the easy movement of fisherfolk near the auctioning area without disturbing their daily routines. Chennai Port Trust after getting CRZ clearance will take up and complete the project within 45 days. The port will also take up dredging work within a month.
FIEO calls for integration of ports in Andhra Pradesh
Authority of India (NHAI) for converting the narrow stretch of 1.6 km road that is 10.5 metres wide leading to the main entrance of the Chennai Port into six lanes. The project is a part of the Ennore-Manali Road Improvement Project (EMRIP) is expected to be completed by March 2013. One vehicular underpass and two pedestrian
ROADS
Two lane bi-directional tunnel for all weather connectivity
The Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure today approved the implementation of the construction of the 6.50 kms long two lane bi-directional tunnel on a new alignment in between Gagangir and Sonamarg, along the exiting NH-1 at Z- Morh, approved by Public Private Partnership Appraisal Committee for all weather connectivity from Srinagar to Leh on NH-1 (old NH -1D) in Jammu and Kashmir on BOT (Annuity) basis. The length of the tunnel will be 6.5 kms and the length of approaches will be 6.05 kms. The total capital cost of the project will ` 2716.90 crore, out of which approximately, ` 36.48 crore will be for land acquisition, rehabilitation, resettlement and preconstruction. This project will expedite the improvement of infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir, and will also facilitate all weather connectivity between Srinagar and Leh. Besides enhancing the safety of road users, it will also increase the employment potential to local labourers for project activities and development of industry in the region. This will boost the industrial growth and local economic activities, with better
The Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) has demanded the Andhra Pradesh government to take steps for integration of ports. It said that major cargo is routed to the State through Chennai Port. FIEO pointed out that there has been a considerable improvement in container cargo movement after the establishment of the container terminal in Visakapatnam and with future plans for extension there will be an increase in container traffic and urged the government to take steps to inter connect Visakhapatnam, Gangavaram, Kakinada and Krishnapatnam ports. It is all the more important as Andhra Pradesh is planning to develop another major port in the State, FIEO said.
The 1.6 km stretch leading to the entrance of Chennai Port to be made six lanes
The land inside the Kasimedu fishing harbour where fishes are sold and dried is cleared by the National Highways
commuting facilities in villages, towns and urban/semi urban areas, falling in, or situated close to the project highway. The stretch between Srinagar and Leh would not only be important for the strategic interests of the Indian Army, but also for the survival of people of Laddakh and their socio-economic development. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is responsible for development and maintenance of Jammu Srinagar Zozila Kargil-Leh stretch of National Highway 1. The implementing agency for this NH is Border Roads Organisation. This project with a capital cost of ` 2716.90 crore has been granted final approval by the PPPAC in its 53rd Meeting held in July 2012.
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BRO to build roads in Uttarakhand
Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has taken up the re-development work for the much awaited 6.6 km Ring Road in phases at an estimated cost of Rs 20 crore. Surat Municipal Corporation closed the RTO circle on an experimental basis for one week to ease traffic congestion.
AIR PORTS
Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is entrusted to build a total 27 roads of total length of 1472.13 Km in Uttarakhand, Defence Minister Mr A K Antony said. This include eight roads of length 533.68 Km in Kumaon Sector, eleven roads of length 538.10 Km in Joshimath sector and eight roads of length 400.35 Km in Harsil sector, he said. Further roads that have been sanctioned with Central assistance in the Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, Yamunotri regions of Uttarakhand include Nelong Naga stretch, Nelong - Sonam stretch, Naga- Nilapani stretch, Naga- Jadhang stretch, DharasuGangotri stretch, Rishikesh - Dharasu stretch in Gangotri Region totalling 303.05 km. Joshimath-Malari, MalariGirdhidobla, Girthidobla-Sumna, Musapani-Ghastoli, Ghastol i-Ratakona, Sumna-Rimkhim and Rishikesh-JosimathMana in Badrinath region covering 426. 29km. Rudraprayag-Gaurikund stretch covering 804.69 km in Kedarnath region. The total km covered is 804.69 km out of which 263.02 km has been completed, he said.
Indian airspace to have full radar coverage
SMC takes up re-development of Ring Road in a phased manner
Indian Airspace will very soon have full Radar coverage above 30,000 feet with the completion of installation of 9 MonoPulse-Secondary-Surveillance-Radars with the existing Radar infrastructure. This was stated by the Civil Aviation Minister Mr Ajit Singh while addressing the 42nd General Assembly of International Federation of Air Traffic Safety Electronics Associations (IFATSEA) in New Delhi today. Mr Singh added that this will be complemented effectively by ATC Automation Systems being installed at 38 Airports. He informed that the networking of Radars has been accomplished for Chennai Flight Information Regions (FIRs) and is in the pipeline for other FIRs. Stating that the efficient and safe Air Navigation Services is no more a dream for Indian Civil Aviation Sector, Shri Singh said that Air Traffic Flow Management is another ambitious plan to reduce the traffic congestion over Indian Air-Space.
handle 10 million passengers at a cost of ` 600 crore has been approved by the director board of Cochin International Airport Limited (Cial) on Saturday. The terminal will also have a capacity to handle 4,000 passengers during peak hour and is equipped with the most modern facilities and will have 15 aerobridges. The airport has been recording 12-13% annual growth in passenger traffic and the design has been made with a view to meet projected passenger flow up to 2030. Earlier addressing the annual general meeting (AGM) chief minister Oommen Chandy, who is also the chairman of Cial, said efforts would be made to accommodate the demand of the minority shareholders on rights issue.
` 80 crore allocated to Rajahmundry airport for expansion
Proposed Design of International Terminal in Cochin approved

The design of the proposed two-level International terminal with a capacity to
Giving much importance to the Rajahmundry Airport project in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, N. Kiran Reddy has ordered an administrative sanction of an additional amount of ` 80 crore for land acquisition for development. The expansion will help to accomadate bigger flights. The project to be completed with full land acquisiton will require ` 60 crores more. The State Government has been working on a new policy that will include a new land policy for this sector and plans for Greenfield Airports Development Policy.
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POLICY
Policy on Foreign Investment in Power Trading Exchanges
no specific dispensation, under FDI policy, for power trading exchanges. The extant FDI policy permits foreign investment, up to 49 percent (FDI & FII) [FDI limit of 26 per cent and an FII limit of 23 per cent of the paid-up capital], in infrastructure companies in securities markets, namely, stock exchanges, depositories and clearing corporations, in compliance with SEBI Regulations.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the proposal of the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion for permitting foreign investment up to 49 percent, in Power Trading Exchanges. The CCEA has decided to permit foreign investment, up to 49 percent (FDI & FII) [FDI limit of 26 per cent and FII limit of 23 per cent of the paid-up capital], in Power Trading Exchanges, in compliance with SEBI Regulations; Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (Power Market) Regulations, 2010; and other applicable laws / regulations; security and other conditionalities. FII investments would be permitted under the automatic route and FDI would be permitted under the government approval route. This is subject to the conditions that FII purchases shall be restricted to secondary market only, and no nonresident investor/ entity, including persons acting in concert, holding more than 5 percent of the equity in these companies. The approval is expected to strengthen the power trading exchanges and to enhance the availability of power, as well as improve its distribution for inclusive development. Introduction of global best practices, concomitant with the induction of FDI, is expected to lead to higher service standards in power trading exchanges. As per extant policy, FDI, up to 100 percent, under the automatic route, is permitted in the power sector (except atomic energy). This includes generation, transmission and distribution of electricity as well as power trading, subject to the provisions of the Electricity Act, 2003. There is, however,
ECB norms relaxed to boost infrastructure sector

In order to boost infrastructure sector, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has relaxed the External Commercial Borrowings (ECB) to help infrastructure companies to raise more funds from overseas markets. The Infrastructure companies will be now eligible to raise bridge finance from overseas market under automatic route without getting the permission from RBI. The ECB facility will be up to a maximum period of 5 years for importing capital goods. The RBI has also relaxed the ECB norms for repayment of Rupee loans within the overall ceiling of 20 billion Dollars. Under the new norms, the trade credit should not be for a period of less than 15 months and also not in the nature of short-term rollover finance.
loans at five percent interest rate to the construction workers if they want to launch a new venture on their own, besides giving them a lump sum amount to meet the expenditure of their daughters' marriage ceremonies.
Two new districts in New Delhi
Construction workers in Tripura to get pension

All the 18,047 registered construction workers in Tripura would get ` 400 per month as pension when they attain 60 years of age, state Labour and Urban Development Minister Manik Dey said after a cabinet meeting. Women construction workers would get maternity benefit and all the construction labourers would also get financial aid from ` 2,000 to ` 30,000 for their medical treatment, he added. All construction workers registered with the construction workers' welfare board would be entitled to get the governmental sops, he said. The minister said that the government would also provide
Reorganisation of districts in New Delhi has given rise to two new districts, Shahdara and Southeast taking the total to 11. The long-term purpose of the move is to create 11 mini secretariats in all the revenue districts for better service delivery. All districts will have three subdivisional offices each, bringing revenue related functions closer to people. These include registration of property, grant of various statutory documents like income certificate, caste certificate etc, conduct of elections, relief and rehabilitation, land acquisition, magisterial matters, revenue courts etc. The strength of judicial officers, with a chief metropolitan magistrate and an additional chief metropolitan magistrate each in the courts of all districts will increase. Till date, Delhi had nine revenue districts South, Central, West, North, Northeast, Southwest, East, Northwest and New Delhi. Each district is headed by a deputy commissioner, who has under him an additional district magistrate, sub-divisional magistrates, tehsildars and a sub-registrar. These districts are meant only for revenue collection and administration. The state cabinet cleared the proposal on recommendation of uneven population in nine districts. The government may require ` 30 crore to set up the new districts.
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Flooring Vapor Transmission
Solving Problems Caused by Moisture Vapor Transmission on Concrete Floors

Robert R. Cain
Founder, KRC Associate, Batavia, Ohio
Understanding the cause of moisture related bond failures on concrete surfaces is important in finding a solution. Failures can be vastly reduced with proper testing, evaluation, and surface treatment.
Water, or more precisely water vapor, passing through a concrete slab on grade can cause the loss of adhesion, warping, peeling, unacceptable appearance of resilient floor coverings, and bubbles or efflorescence deposits beneath seamless flooring. While we are specifically discussing polymer type coatings and surfacings on concrete in this paper, any impermeable floor covering is detrimentally affected by moisture vapor transmission. Moisture Migration Excessive moisture in concrete slabs on grade usually originates from one or more sources:1 - Residual water in or below the slab remaining from the construction process - Naturally occurring ground water from a permanent or seasonal high water table - Water from irrigation systems, broken plumbing pipes, or other man-made sources A slab may appear dry, but actually have a deleterious level of moisture vapor passing through it. Moisture passing through the slab can carry alkaline salts from the ground or the concrete itself. According to authorities on the subject, the time required for slabs to dry out sufficiently so that floor coverings and finishes are not adversely affected ranges from four weeks to six months. Excess moisture in or below the concrete slab is the cause for a large percentage of coating failures on concrete. While moisture in concrete during the application of a floor surfacing is an important criterion, it is not the ultimate cause of failure months or years later. Many epoxy materials can tolerate and bond to a concrete slab with a relatively high moisture content. It is the flow of moisture or moisture vapor, better described as moisture vapor transmission, that causes most adhesion problems. There are also reported cases of bond failures on above grade slabs, but almost all are related to moisture vapor transmission rather than moisture content. A good example would be an above grade concrete slab poured on a metal deck with no vents. Excess water pools on the metal deck and slowly comes to the surface as
Vapor Pressure of Moisture in Air at Different Temperatures & Relative Humidities (RH) [from Concrete Construction/June 1996] Figure A: The driving force for moisture movement through a slab is the differential in vapor pressure between the above slab and below-slab environments. Use this graph to determine the vapor pressure of moisture in air at different temperatures and reletive humidity.
moisture vapor. The real area of greatest concern is slabson-grade and how to dry out and/or minimize the vapor transmission. Although the curing process of concrete consumes water, it is only the first step in the drying process. This process depends on the relative humidity and temperature environment inside the building, which in turn influences the rate of vapor transmission through and out of the concrete. Vapor transmission depends on the vapor pressure of air. The vapor pressure difference between air in voids of the concrete and the air above the slab will in part determine the vapor transmission rate. The vapor pressure of air can be determined from figure A if the relative humidity and temperature are known.2 To dry a slab, for example, the movement of moisture must be from the concrete to the air. If the environment at the bottom of the concrete has a relative humidity of 100 percent and temperature of 21C (70F), the vapor pressure of air within concrete will be about 2.48 kPa (0.36 psi). If the relative humidity and temperature inside the room are 60 percent and 27C (80F) respectively, air vapor pressure will be 2 kPa (0.29 psi). High pressure moves to low pressure, so the pressure difference of 0.48 kPa (0.07 psi) is the driving force of moist air moving from the concrete to the room. Moisture passing through the slab can carry alkaline salts from the ground or the concrete itself. These salts will precipitate at the surface causing an upward force at the bond line. To forcedry the concrete, it is more desirable to lower the relative humidity in the room than to just raise the temperature. If any of the above conditions exist after the floor covering is installed, then the moisture becomes trapped under the covering and condenses. Measuring Moisture Transmission There are a multitude of tests used to establish moisture content and moisture vapor transmission.3 These include the Plastic Sheet Test (ASTM D-4263), Calcium Chloride Test, Gravimetric Testing, Radio Frequency Test, Nuclear Density Test, and Electro-Conductive Testing (moisture meter). Most of these tests are designed to determine the moisture content or locate areas of excessive moisture. Only two, however, determine the transmission of moisture. The Plastic Sheet Test (ASTM D-4263) will give a qualitative, wet/not wet answer and the Calcium Chloride Test (ASTM F- 1869-98) will provide a quantitative value. The Calcium Chloride Test (ASTM F1869-98) uses a small dish of calcium chloride under an impermeable clear cover. By weighing the dish before and after a seventy-two hour exposure, you can quantify the amount of moisture flow in pounds per 1,000 ft per 24 hours (kg per 90 m per
24 hours). A value of 3 lbs. (1.4 kg) or less is believed to be acceptable to most flooring and coating manufacturers. Values on extremely wet floors have been recorded showing greater than 10 lbs. per 1,000 ft per 24 hours (4.5 kg per 90 m per 24 hours). It is important to understand the difference between moisture vapor transmission and moisture content. You may have low moisture content and have a bond failure at some point in the future due to moisture vapor transmission through the slab. High moisture content in the slab will usually not cause a problem unless conditions are right to cause movement of that moisture to the surface. So it is moisture transmission to the surface, whether it is from high moisture content in the slab or under the slab, that causes the problem. Water, more importantly, water vapor, will migrate to the surface when there is a higher vapor pressure in the concrete than in the air above the surface. In many cases, testing for moisture vapor transmission on new buildings is done prior to enclosing the building to allow the flooring contractor to proceed. Since the building is not enclosed, the conditions above the slab are similar to the slab itself and there is little moisture attraction to the surface and the test reads dry (less than 3 lbs. based on the calcium chloride test). When the building is enclosed, the air conditioning lowers the humidity and the temperature, which lowers the vapor pressure causing a gradient and creating a vapor drive. The original theory on bond failures was that loss of bond was due to hydrostatic pressure caused by the vapor drive. However, this pressure is not caused by hydrostatic pressure. This pressure is caused by the upward movement of metal salts that gather at the surface and form silicates such as calcium and potassium in a typical alkali-silica reaction. All ingredients of such a reaction are present: amorphous silica, calcium hydroxide (lime), and moisture. Such reactions can cause pressures up to 1,500 psi, more than enough to cause bond failures in floor surfacings. By changing this combination, the pressures (and failures) are less common. Controlling the moisture migration is the best choice. Controlling Moisture Transmission The best way to control moisture vapor transmission is right at the beginning, from the subsoil to the concrete placement. When installing slabs-on-grade that are to receive an impermeable (non-breathing) coating or surfacing, an efficient vapor barrier must be used beneath the concrete. The placement of a vapor barrier is also important. The American Concrete Institute (ACI) is vague about the ground moisture conditions requiring vapor barrier use.
www.masterbuilder.co.in The Masterbuilder - September 2012 45
Section 302.IR-96, subsection 3.2.3 discusses the use of vapor retarders (barriers) and recommends the vapor retarder be placed under a minimum of 4 in. (100 mm) of compactible, granular fill (Section 4.1.5).4 This is done to assist in the curing of the slab. If a vapor barrier is installed in this manner (under a granular fill), an extended period of time (much longer than thirty days and in some cases over a year) is required to dry adequately enough for an impermeable coating to be used on the surface. When using an efficient vapor barrier to control moisture vapor transmission, it should be placed directly under the slab and be more efficient than sixmil poly, which is easily punctured during concrete placement. ACI 302.IR-96 now recommends that a minimum of 10 mils (0.25mm) be used. Once the vapor barrier has been chosen and is in place, a good quality concrete and good placement techniques are important. A low water to cement ratio (0.45 max), designed for high compressive strength and low permeability, are important. A wellplaced and properly-cured concrete slab will provide a hard, dense concrete surface of low permeability. The following job site conditions will minimize the excessive moisture transmission of a slab-on-grade: - Place concrete directly over an efficient vapor barrier (greater than six-mil poly and puncture resistant). - Use low water to cement ratios in the concrete mix (0.45 max) and 4 in. maximum slump. - Adequately cure the slab for maximum surface strength and low permeability. - Perform moisture transmission tests using the Calcium Chloride Test (ASTM F-1869-98) to quantify the degree of moisture transmission. Simulate in-use conditions of the building when running these tests. Only under a controlled environment will this test be meaningful. Repairing Failures The problem of moisture vapor transmission in concrete slabs on or below grade has been a recognized condition for many years. Called by a variety of names, such as hydrostatic pressure, osmosis, and capillary action, the problem is finally being defined properly to focus on solutions short of removing the concrete slab and starting over. Several companies offer warranted treatments to the surface that are aimed at reducing or eliminating the problem. Floor coating manufacturers are also offering treatments to go under their systems for prevention of bond failure. Some treatments that have shown promise are: - A common remedy and repair is to use a breathable system, which allows the passage of moisture vapor
without interfering with the bond. These systems are typically some form of modified cementitious material. - The use of penetrating primers and hardeners, which reduce the rate of moisture transmission, are effective if the initial transmission rates are not excessively high. In these cases, as in all scenarios, testing along the way is important. The three-pound per one thousand square feet per twentyfour hour figure is the goal. - Semipermeable membranes are being used to reduce the moisture rate below three pounds. These systems are composed of a fiberglass mat or membrane impregnated with a resinous binder. The composition acts as a wick to diffuse moisture and prevent a buildup of salts. The membrane allows the moisture to be distributed laterally. Condensed moisture is also trapped and allowed to absorb back into the concrete as a liquid. - Multiple phase systems are also being designed to reduce moisture vapor transmission in concrete. These systems use multiple applications of material which gradually reduces porosity and increases density in the concrete surface. This is followed by successive layers of semipermeable slurries which reduces vapor transmission to an acceptable level. Conclusion The problem of moisture in and under a concrete slabon-grade is a problem of vapor transmission through the slab. The attraction or flow of moisture to the surface is the normal flow from a point of high vapor pressure to a point of low vapor pressure to create equilibrium. By controlling or lessening the rate of moisture transmission in slabs-ongrade, we can successfully use impermeable systems on these surfaces. Once a moisture transmission problem is identified, it requires considerable time and testing to work through the sequence of treatments. Todays technology, however, is slowly beginning to solve the problems associated with moisture vapor transmission. Reference
- Butt, Thomas K., Avoiding and Repairing Moisture Problems in Slabs-on Grade, The Construction Specifier, Dec. 1992, pp 107-122. Lidholm, Eric H., Slab Moisture Testing: Is it Always Reliable? Concrete Construction, June 1996, pp 480-486. Rode, Malcolm, and Wendler, Doug, Method for Measuring Moisture Control in Concrete, Concrete Repair Bulletin, March/April, 1996, pp 12-14. American Concrete Institute (ACI), Guide for Concrete Floor and Slab Construction, Section 302.IR-96 subsections 3.2.3 and 4.1.5.
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MC Bauchemie India Pvt. Ltd
Floor Coatings Anti Slip
An Insight into Slip Resistance Floor through Anti Slip Floor Coatings
Sonjoy Deb, B.Tech,Civil
Associate Editor
Slippery floors are a hazard to any business. Add wet conditions or potential spills and youve multiplied the risk to employees, equipment and customers. Non slip floor coating can help make flooring safer, regardless of what might get spilled. Slip resistant floor coatings can be used in a wide variety of places to offer more traction and stability.
lip resistance of floors and pavements is a measure of the ability of a surface to resist accidental slipping by pedestrians in dry or wet conditions. There is an expectation that surfaces will provide adequate slip resistance and this is increasingly being incorporated into regulations. Polished concrete floors is a generic term that describes a variety of exposed decorative concrete flooring
options often having a highly polished or gloss surface finish. With the increasing popularity of these types of finishes the issue of providing adequate slip resistance has become an important consideration. Various companies are doing extensive research in this area and have come up with wide range of anti-slip floor solutions. However all are not cost effective, like flooring option that involves anti-slip tiles
will prove to be very expensive. This made construction agencies to find out a cost effective and aesthetic anti-slip treatment for floors. The result of this is various types of anti-slip coating materials. The best part of such materials is it can use the base cement concrete floors and some products can even give very attractive looks. Several construction projects where mass movement of pedestrian is involved like malls, hospitals, airports, schools are now adopting this technique. Factors Influencing Slip Resistance Pedestrian slip resistance is a complex subject, where the likelihood of a slip is a function of a variety of factors such as the surface (type and texture), the environmental conditions, and the individual users (their physical condition and footwear). The reasons for accidental falls on concrete surfaces can be divided into four categories: (A) External factors: These are essentially hazards such as stepping (vertical displacement)at footpath cracks and other slab joints, slippery floor surfaces and slopes. These can be minimised through good design and installation practices, good cleaning and maintenance practices, safety audits, remedial policies, and mandatory legislation. Footwear may be considered an external factor, since inappropriate or excessively worn footwear maybe the prime cause of an accident. (B) Internal factors: These include voluntary and involuntary responses of people to environmental factors such as distractions. Responses may also be influenced by stress, fatigue, medicinal and recreational drugs, and also by the persons mood and the degree of preoccupation (which may be influenced by the nature of the activity being undertaken carrying, pushing, rushing), and whether it imposes a temporary functional limitation, e.g. obscured vision or impaired balance. (C) Environmental factors: These include lighting conditions, contamination of the surface (by water or other materials) and slopes. The risks can be minimised by good design practices (lower gradients, less glare) and staff training (response to spills, replacement of light bulbs). (D) Pathological factors: These include ageing, impaired vision, physical disabilities, instantaneous health conditions (eg stroke, heartattack), and diseases (eg Parkinsons disease). Measuring Slip Resistance While the surface roughness can be measured, the two common methods used to assess wet slip resistance are the wet pendulum test, which measures the frictional force offered by simulating a foot moving over a watercontaminated surface, and the ramp test, which determines the maximum gradient at which a person can just traverse
the surface, either barefoot (wet barefoot test) or in shoes (oil-wet test). 1. Wet Pendulum Test- This test (BS 7976: 1- 3 2002) is generally used in the laboratory for classifying the wet slip resistance of new flooring (pedestrian surface) materials. However, as the test instrument is portable Figure 1, it can also be used on site to assess the slip resistance of existing floors and pavements (BS 7976: 1- 3 2002).The instrument has a rubber slider attached to a spring-loaded foot at the end of a pendulum arm (leg). The pendulum arm is released from a horizontal position, allowing it to swing so that the slider contacts the wet pedestrian surface over a set distance of 126 mm. The extent to which the pendulum fails to reach its release height on the over swing is used as a measurement of the slip resistance. The reading on the scale is the Pendulum Test Value (PTV).BS 7976 has 3 parts, BS 7976-1 describes specification. BS 7976-2 describes preparation of sliders prior to testing, pre-test checks, testing procedure, temperature correction and essential information for reporting. BS 7976-3 describes the calibration method.
Figure 1: Wet pendulum test apparatus
PTV Range
0 to 24 25 to 35 36+
Slip Potential
High Moderate Low
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) classifies PTVs as Follows
2. Ramp Tests- These tests use human subjects to subjectively assess the slip resistance of pedestrian surfaces under closely controlled conditions. The subjects walk forwards and backwards on a ramp Figure 2 while the operator progressively increases the angle of inclination, until the subjects reach the zone of insecurity where they either experience slipping or sense that they will fall if the
surfaces, an optimization of appearance and required slip resistance needs to be made. For example, high gloss finishes may not achieve the required slip resistance for some applications. It is therefore important to consider the slip resistance offered by the combination of finish, texture and sealer (if present) so that the slip resistance and finish requirements can be realistically specified and achieved. The advice of a hard-flooring specialist may be sought regarding the appropriate combination of finish, texture and sealer for the slip resistance performance required. Concrete surface coating materials are playing a vital &cost effective role in this process. Refer Figure 3 for a slip resistance surface through Anti Slip coatings. Type of Anti Slip Coating materials Certain types of paint can lend a non slip function, they include an extra set of grit to be sprinkled as the paint dries, adding traction. There are two available types of anti-slip coating materials viz. Epoxy Resin Coatings and Polyurethane Coatings. Micro etching treatments is another way for achieving anti-slip characteristics in concrete floors. When applied, such treatment create millions of microscopic grooves and indents that provide slip resistance when the concrete is wet.
Figure 2: A ramp test being conducted
angle is further increased. The angles of inclination reached are used to assess the friction characteristics of the test surface. The test is not intended to provide guidance on the angle of ramps for which a particular classification is suitable. There are two principal test methods under ramp test viz. wet barefoot test and the oil-wet test. Achieving the desired Slip Resistance through Anti Slip Coatings When specifying the slip resistance of polished concrete
About Resin Coatings-A super hard non slip epoxy Resin coating that quickly cures to a slip resistant surface with a rough grit that is easy to use. It requires no tools for mixing of chemicals & provide a safe non-skid surface. This unique aerosol contains special synthetic grit with no sharp edges and it is available in several Non-Slip paint colors. Its needed to be spray painted on almost any hard surface and may need to be re-applied as needed. Aerosol paint leaves surface like a diving board surface. A slip-resistant, epoxy non slip coating that cures to a hard, flat, textured finish is designed for interior and exterior use on concrete and other surfaces where a slip-resistant finish is desired. About Polyurethane Coatings- The Anti-Slip Polyurethane Floor Paint is a hard wearing polyurethane single pack paint designed to seal and color concrete floors. The product uses a high quality resin system with a fine textured finish so providing anti-slip properties for pedestrian traffic areas. Petrol and oil resistant, this product is ideal for general walkways, factory and garage floors and has excellent durability. Surface Preparation Poor surface preparation is the major cause of floor coatings failures. Using correct surface preparation methods and equipment is essential to secure the cleanliness and surface profile necessary for the good adhesion and performance of floor coating systems. Concrete and primed concrete surfaces must be clean and dry and free of contaminants
Figure 3: Anti-Slip Coating on Concrete
Avcon Technics Pvt.Ltd
such as dust, dirt, grease, or oil. It is important that a suitable moisture barrier is in place for slabs on-grade. If a moisture barrier is not in place, seasonal variations in ground moisture can cause excessive hydrostatic pressure regardless of results measured prior to coating application. There are two types of surface, i. New/Bare concrete and ii. Previously painted concrete. Methodology Adopted in Anti-Slip Coating of Concrete The anti-slip aggregate can be applied in many different ways. There are two principal ways, however. Firstly, the aggregate can be added to the paint solution and it will then be an integral part of the paint when applied to the floor. The other option is to first apply paint to the floor and then spread the aggregate evenly over the paint in the quantity required. Depending on the situation, a second coat of paint is then normally applied over this aggregate finish to seal it and give color. Whichever methodology is used, this new anti-slip floor coating will enhance safety for pedestrians, and it is also useful where to give extra traction on slopes and ramps for forklift trucks etc. The best anti-slip characteristics are obtained when the product is rolled. It is recommended to use a smooth napless solvent resistant roller on smooth surfaces. For irregular surfaces it is advised to use an adhesive/bristle core roller or short nap roller. 1. Pour a strip of coat on the concrete surface. 2. Roll in one direction only by pulling material toward applicators direction in slow straight strokes. Use a modest amount of downward pressure. It is important that the rolled profile expose the maximum amount of nonslip aggregate. If aggregate is not properly exposed, the coating may become slippery when wet. Do not over-roll or press down too heavily. It is important to ensure that coating is even without any thick puddles. If applied too heavily the coating may not cure properly. Health and safety aspects These coating materials should not come into contact with skin and eyes or be swallowed. Ensure adequate ventilation and avoid inhalation of vapours. Some people are sensitive
Figure 4: Application of Anti-Slip coatings over various types of concrete floors.
Figure 5: Al GhanimGarrage in Kuwait
Figure 6: Tawaren Commercial Center, Riyadh, KSA
to resins, hardeners and solvents. Wear suitable protective clothing, gloves, and eye protection. If working in confined areas, suitable respiratory protective equipment must be used. The use of barrier creams provide additional skin protection. In case of contact with skin, rinse with plenty of clean water, then cleanse with soap and water. In case of contact with eyes, rinse immediately with plenty of clean water and seek medical advice. If swallowed, seek medical attention immediately do not induce vomiting.
Nina Concrete Systems Pvt.Ltd
Figure 7: Guangzhou International Finance Center, Guangzhou, China
Examples of some specific areas of Application Figure 4 shows application of Anti Slip coatings in Parking places and shopping complexes. Example 1: Al Ghanim Garage, Kuwait - The Worlds largest car repair garage, 31,000sq m of anti-slip coating application. Example 2: Tawaren Commercial Center, Riyadh, KSA. 7,000 sq m of anti-slip coating application. Example 3: Guangzhou International Finance Center, Guangzhou, China. 25,000 sq m of coating area in the parking place. Green Concept Putting back what we take out is a sense which every human being should have in his heart. In the anti-slip coating technology various companies are carrying out research to make it a more sustainable and green concept. In this a very recent research is invention of a coating material with 100% recycled glass added to the binder which is nontoxic, environmentally friendly and water based. This can be sprayed on in a single application to create a relatively smooth textured and stone like finish which gives anti-slip behavior to concrete floors. The product is of low maintenance and readily acceptable for all kinds of commercial, industrial or home building. It comes in avariety of colours and can be sprayed on new and old surfaces that need a decorative finish. Unlike paint or cement based renders and even epoxy that tends to fade, the crystals
Figure 9: Application stages of recycled glass based coating material on concrete floor.
are completely colour coated on all sides. Added to this, the crystals filter out the U/V to the underlying sides thus adding to the remarkable longevity of colour retention and even thermal property. Refer Figure 8 and 9 for the application of this coating material on concrete surface. Conclusion Anti-Slip floor coating is an emerging cost effective concept in construction industry. The concept will find a very wide spread application owing to its cost effectiveness and ability to provide aesthetic and colorful surfaces. The other major advantage of this product is that it uses the concrete floor as base. Implementation of green/sustainable concept on this material will make it more popular amongst other other products in this domain. Numerous researches is going on in its technological evolution. However specific standards needs to be put on place to have a stringent control on its production, application and lifespan. Reference
- - - - - - - - - http://ppgamercoatus.ppgpmc.com/products/pdf/SFT-600PDS_AI.pdf http://www.business.com/human-resources/non-slip-floorcoating/ http://www.interstateproducts.com/nonslipproducts.htm http://www.noskidding.com/ns_50378.htm http://www.newventureproducts.co.uk/documents/PU_Anti_ Slip_Floor_Paint.pdf http://ppgamercoatus.ppgpmc.com/products/pdf/SFT-600PDS_AI.pdf http://www.arconsupplies.co.uk/pdfs/protective_coatings/ nitoflor%20fc130.pdf http://www.robexfloorcoatings.co.uk/UserFiles/Technical%20 Data%20Sheets/Non-SlipConcreteFloorPaint.pdf http://www.vubasupplies.co.uk/paints-coatings/slip-resistant/ non-abrasive-anti-slip-paint.html http://www.nonslipcoating.com/concrete.htm http://www.wayout.com.au/downloads/Eco_Crystal.pdf
Figure 8: This 10,000 m2 unit Factory was sprayed with this recycled coating material.
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STA Concrete Flooring Solutions
Floor Coating
Concrete Floor Coatings:

Chaitanya Raj Goyal
oncrete flooring can truly result in an incredibly beautiful floor where unlimited self-expression can be reached. Limited in industries till now, it is growing in popularity as more homeowners realize the fantastic benefits concrete offers. Additionally, new processes and technologies have been developed to make concrete one of the most affordable and versatile flooring
Selecting and Installing the Perfect Resurfacing System
C
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materials. It won't be wrong to conclude it as 'just on the verge' of being an ecoproduct owing to its recyclable properties and the flexibility of using byproducts like fly ash and slag to form it. Keeping it tough: Justifying the use of concrete floor coats We must remember that no other surface in a building takes more abuse
than floors, regardless of the type of building, be it industrial or commercial. While a bare concrete floor can withstand tremendous weight and pressure, it is relatively porous and susceptible to significant damage when left untreated. If exposed to regular foot traffic or the demands of a commercial environment, concrete will readily absorb dirt, chemicals, oils and other debris.
Floor Coating
This often results in stains, cracks and abrasions that can make the floor impossible to clean and unattractive in appearance. It's for this reason that all concrete floors need some sort of protection regardless of where they are located. Over the last few decades, the protection of concrete floors has gone from essentially nothing to a fairly sophisticated process of some type of protective coating or surfacing. The main purpose, of course, is to provide protection to the slab from deterioration or contamination, or to provide some added benefit such as aesthetics, wear, nonskid, chemical resistance, ease of maintenance, and a variety of other properties. The problem, in the overall picture, is to determine what type of protective material to choose for the various conditions. Providing need based solutions: Making the right choice Whether you are constructing a new concrete floor or revamping an old one, there are several different coatings you can choose to finish the project. Resilient tile, ceramic tile, carpet, or wood, which are placed on top of concrete floors are not what we are talking about here. These do add a benefit, but are primarily used aesthetically for residential and commercial areas. We are focusing on coatings that are bonded directly to the surface and offer long term protection and may or may not have some aesthetic value. When one is unfamiliar with this process, it's not unusual to feel a bit confused by the various types of concrete coatings from which to select. A flooring specialist can guide the owner in proper material, application, and longterm performance, thereby reducing the long-term cost of floor maintenance. Typical coatings that are mostly used for concrete floors include acrylics, polyurethanes, epoxies or specialized elastomeric coatings etc. However, before applying any new coatings to your floor just make sure that the ingredients are free from any chemical
No other surface in a building takes more abuse than floors
Interior Decorative Concrete Flooring
www.masterbuilder.co.in The Masterbuilder - September 2012
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Floor Coating
face of the floor, mottling and patchiness will occur that create a varied and unique effect. The concrete will then be ground and sanded till smooth, then polished to a high shine. After this is done, the floor is practically maintenance free. There is a very complete selection process to narrow the search for the right product and application for floor coatings. Remember, you must not only select the material, but also a total system in terms of application, total thickness, and aesthetics. Evaluate the Surface The first step in the selection process is to evaluate the existing surface to determine what you are working with. The surface must be structurally sound, clean, and must not be contaminated with any foreign material that could interfere with the bond of a new coating system. This includes concrete curing compounds. Other critical things to consider are: Is the surface distressed in any way? Does it have cracks, spalls, or unevenness? Does the coating system require a level floor or one that slopes to a drain? What type of surface preparation is needed for the area in question? Surface preparation is the most important step in the installation process and
Floor Coatings must be able to resist Abrasion
reactions that can cause significant damage to the floors. Industrial epoxy floor coatings are beneficial in order to maintain a safe, durable concrete surface besides providing it with a new and improved look. Acrylic coatings/sealers are quite thick and applied 2 or 3 mm per coat. Generally these coatings are either water based or solvent based components. Solvent based acrylic sealers and materials are used in external applications whereas the water based acrylic sealers are mostly used in interior applications. Different types of epoxy coatings are used for coating concrete. Typical Epoxy paints, Epoxy resins etc are multi component materials having polyamide or amine curing compounds. Polyamide epoxies are best known for possessing better flexibility and irrigate resistance, whereas amine-cured epoxies provide better chemical resistance power. Epoxy systems are thoroughly applied in 2-3 coats at a thickness of several mm. Recently epoxy/urethane hybrids have given polymer materials good to excellent thermal and stress relieving properties and impact resistance.
In addition to painting, concrete floors can be stained, sanded, and sealed much like hardwood. Staining concrete is done using a special chemical pigment that reacts with the minerals in the concrete itself, permanently changing the concrete's color. Since the chemical reacts differently depending on the age of the concrete and the natural variations in mineral deposits on the sur-
1st coat of Epoxy Floor Coating being applied
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Flowcrete
Floor Coating
is critical to long-term performance of the total system. Unfortunately, there is no one "best way" to prepare the surface. The coating selection (thin film or thick) will have a bearing on the type of preparation. It is also important to remember that new concrete requires proper preparation just as does any old surface. Curing compounds must be removed, a proper profile or roughness achieved, and any surface laitance removed. Consider the Performance Conditions There are four major areas of abuse that will dictate what a flooring system needs: i) Chemical exposure - Severity of exposure and types of chemicals are both very important. Materials differ widely in chemical resistance, making identifying the exposure very important. Common splash and spills also are far less critical than constant immersion. ii) Abrasion - The amount of wear or traffic on a surface will make an important criterion. Whether there will be steel-wheeled traffic or rubber-wheeled traffic is critical. Any surface exposed to steel-wheeled traffic requires special treatment for long-term wear. iii) Impact & Thermal Shock - Heavy
A 35 year old concrete slab which was etched, acid stained with multiple colors of stain and coated with an epoxy floor coating
loads and direct impact require a heavier build or thicker floor system. Temperature fluctuation or thermal shock is an important condition that must be considered. Thermal shock, such as steam cleaning of the floor surface, will cause a loss of bond from thermal expansion if the floor system is not chosen properly. The coefficient of expansion of most coating systems is much higher than
for concrete and must be carefully considered when selecting a material. Once you have identified the degree of severity of the major areas of abuse, you must rank them in order of importance for the particular project. This will provide a major focus for what is needed in terms of material and applied thickness. The last of the material selection process is possibly the most important. It involves how the coating project is going to look aesthetically, how it's to be applied, and what the time frame for installing the system may be, and last, but certainly not least, what are the budget parameters. Other considerations: i) Aesthetics - The final appearance of the floor surface is more important than many people perceive it to be. How an owner thought the floor was going to look versus the final appearance is sometimes widely divergent. Today, the same performance characteristics can be obtained with a variety of decorative appearances and surface textures. ii) Installation parameters - In many cases, a flooring project has a very tight installation schedule. This lim-
Stained Concrete floor
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Floor Coating
its many systems in how long it takes to install a given material. In occupied areas, the odor of some solvent-based systems or the inherent odor of the material itself will limit its use. Temperature of the surface at the time of installation is critical in selecting a material. Some systems, such as epoxies, are very temperature-sensitive and can vary widely in cure time at lower temperatures. iii) Life expectancy - Owners want a flooring system that will last forever, and will be guaranteed. In actuality, a given system will require maintenance periodically. Maintenance procedures must be clearly outlined and understood for a realistic life expectancy. iv) Economics - Economy is the top requirement. At times, low-cost systems will prevail at the expense of more durable systems. Generally, when other parameters are exhausted, you get what you pay for. Another generally accepted maxim is that the thicker the applied system, the better the performance. Dip and Roll: Surface preparation, Installation and Inspection The idea of painting a concrete floor is very alluring, but it is not a decision to be taken lightly. The surface must be properly prepared. Common types of surfaces which may be prepared are: i) Thin film coatings, which typically describe thicknesses ranging from 5 - 20 mils (1 mil = 1/1000th of an inch) ii) Thick film coatings which typically describe coatings ranging from 20 120 mils iii) Aggregate filled toppings, which include thicknesses ranging from 120 250 mils iv) Micro toppings, which can vary widely and can benefit from every form of preparation After you've determined which type of or coating you are going to use, then it's time to make a decision as to what type of surface preparation you will use. 1. Diamond grinding - It is a machine
A smooth concrete surface being prepared by abrasive blasting
with a cup wheel flat to the surface being grinded. You can use any of a variety of handheld machines, or even ones large enough to walk behind. The process is slow, but environmentally friendly, and it leaves a very smooth surface. This process works best for thin and thick film concrete coatings and micro toppings. 2. Shot blasting - This is the process of using a gun to shoot a concrete surface with steel balls at a high velocity. This removes the softest, oldest concrete, preparing the underlying surface for a bond. Shot blasting works well for aggregate filled toppings and micro toppings. 3. Acid etching - Many people no longer look at this as a viable method of concrete surface preparation. But, if you do it right, it works well. Acid etching works best on thin film coatings and micro toppings. 4. Scarification - This process is probably the most violent of all four. They are most often used in the road construction business, but serve in many other practical situations as well. Steel or carbide star-shaped cutters are mounted in several rows around a rotating drum. Between 1/4" and 2" of
concrete can be removed in a single pass. This process works best for aggregate filled toppings and micro toppings. Once the surface has been leveled, the material must be applied and the job inspected and approved. The choice of an appropriate contractor to install the system is just as important as the material used. A contractor trained to install a particular system (thin film versus thick overlay) is critical. The job does not end with the application of material. A long-term review, maintenance, and repair program should be established for continued performance and satisfaction. Post application, even the most durable surface might show areas of distress in future that may require attention. A small amount of attention before installation will prolong the life of a flooring system. If you cover the floor improperly, you are in for ongoing nightmare of peeling paint battles. Since it is not a 'mix-together-some-leftoverpaint' project, the whole point to the project is to create a low-maintenance situation, so spending more money on the best materials and the extra time spent on preparation time is well worth it.
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Rocland Pvt.Ltd
Anti-Static Flooring
Anti-Static ESD Safe FlooringBe Ground Safe

Sonjoy Deb, B.Tech,Civil
Associate Editor
A person walking across a standard vinyl tile floor can generate in excess of 10,000 volts. An engineer works on a CAD system, completing an intricate design when suddenly the system goes down. The complete design is lost. The reason is an integrated circuit can suffer catastrophic damage from as little as 50 volts.
aking care of static generated on the floor is a key place to start any ESD control program. Static starts to build on people as they walk around. As more and more companies are relying on their employees to be mobile due to the changing work requirements and space issues, static control needs to start from the floor up. This increases the effectiveness of other static control devices, such as the wrist strap, by fighting static at the
source. Electronics assembly and manufacturing facilities must create and adhere to strict ESD Control programs to ensure low product scrap rates, limit failure rates and meet customer requirements. Now, more than ever, the need for a comprehensive ESD control program is imperative in providing a solid foundation for compliance as future ESD-related specifications and guidelines become more stringent. The facility floor plays a vital role in the success
of any robust ESD control program. With its comprehensive product line, technical and contracting support, Protective Industrial Polymers is dedicated to providing fully compliant, turnkey ESD safe flooring solutions that provide peace of mind both today and in the future. ESD-safe flooring, in conjunction with ESD footwear has become a reality for todays electronics industry. To meet this need, a variety of reportedly ESD-safe flooring materials have become commercially available which are intended to minimize the magnitude of charge generation.
Ideal Dissipative Resistivity Range Uncontrolled discharge of electrostatic potentials ESD is a major concern for manufacturers and assemblers of electronic products. Effective, reliable ESD control can generate significant cost savings and production efficiencies. Refer Figure 2 for the range.
Figure 1: Electrostatic Discharge generation through walking
ESD Basics Electrostatic charge is typically generated when two dissimilar materials are brought into contact and then pulled apart, such as rubbing. When separated, one object will exhibit a net positive charge, the other a net negative charge. The exact magnitude of the charge is a function of the materials and of parameters such as surface texture, relative humidity, contact force, etc. The accumulation of charge causes a static potential to develop. A common example of frictional charging is the potential developed on a person walking across vinyl flooring or rolling a char across carpet. The magnitude of the voltage build-up is a function of flooring material, shoe sole material, relative humidity, weight of the person, the capacitance with respect to ground, etc. If the charged person then touches a sensitive electronic part, or if one grounds the part in the presence of a charged source, and Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) transient occurs that may damage or degrade the sensitive part. Types of ESD Damage ESD damage is of two types as mentioned below1. catastrophic failure resulting in the immediate destruction of an item 2. latent defect resulting in a reduced life expectancy of an item Both types of damage can have serious financial impacts on businesses through increased quality-control failure rates for catastrophic events, and consumer product warranty claims for latent defects.
Figure 2: The categories of electric conductivity of any object in terms of resistivity
Commonly used ESD safe Flooring materials Anti-static grades of resin flooring are available in Types 3 to 8 (coatings, self-smoothing and trowel applied screeds). It is important for the specifier to understand that there is a wide range of products and properties available and to select the system that best meets the requirements for the working environment as a whole and to not treat the individual elements in isolation. Colour should be discussed with the flooring manufacturer, as there may be certain colour limitations on anti-static flooring due to the darkening effect of carbon. Some of the very commonly used ESD safe materials are as mentioned below. A Conductive Vinyl B Dissipative Vinyl C Dissipative Rubber D Conductive Epoxy E Dissipative. Epoxy F Dissipative Quartz G Dissipative Urethane H Dissipative Acrylic In addition to above various companies have come up with ESD safe tiles these days. Experimental Apparatus and Procedures for testing ESD safe Flooring Unfortunately, standardized test specifications and pro-
cedures available for characterization of ESD flooring materials have not been a topic of concern until recent years. Of those specifications available, many are illdefined or unrelated to ESD flooring, but adapted by the ESD industry while development of specific ESD flooring procedures are being formulated. Because of this, prototype test specifications were developed in cases where none currently exist, or modifications to traditionally accepted approaches of testing made when deemed appropriate. The critical aspect of this study was consistency. All floors were tested using identical test methodology, equipment & personnel. Test results should be considered on a comparative basis. The following tests were performed or criteria reviewed during the course of the study: Body Voltage Generation - There is no correlation between surface resistivity of a material and its ability to prevent charge generation. The abilities of a floor to inhibit charge generation and dissipate any accumulated charge are two properties that should always be considered during testing & evaluation. Charge generation caused by rubbing the sole of a shoe on various flooring had to be determined using a variety of shoes and personnel. Refer Figure 3 fir body voltage test configuration.
Figure 4: Surface resistivity test configuration
checked and each test site rated on a 1 10 scale with 1 being best. Odor For obvious reasons, the product was expected to have no offensive odor, as per ASTM D4078. Resistance to Ground Each of the floors were grounded and verified using a 100 volt source voltmeter and a five pound conductive rubber electrode, per NFPA 99 and EOS/ESD DS7.1. Refer Figure 5. The necessity of this particular test would depend upon the application. ESD flooring installed in an office area would not typically require grounding. However, in many manufacturing and assembly applications, the use of proper grounding would be essential if the operator were relying on the footwear and flooring as a source to ground.
Figure 3: Body voltage test configuration
Surface Resistivity As per ASTM D257, EOS/ESD-DS7.1 and NFPA 99, the point-to-point surface resistivity was checked using 5 pound conductive rubber electrodes connected to a voltmeter, spaced 3 feet apart using a 100 volt source. Refer Figure 4. Appearance The initial appearance, as well as weekly checks were performed. Color change, loss of finish, lifting, scuffing (see scuffing) bubbling, and dirt retention was
Figure 5: Resistance to Ground Test Configuration
Static Decay Static Decay tests were performed according to Fed Test Standard 101C, Method 4046, both with and without the addition of the human body. Current Federal test standards do not specify the introduction of a human body during testing. However, in order to properly
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analyze the floors ability to dissipate a charge on a human being, the introduction of an operator with and without ESD footwear was included in this study. Refer Figure 6.
conductive adhesive used during tile & rubber installations are considerably more expensive than standard adhesive. It must be applied, in most cases, such that the layer of adhesive is spread evenly & thick enough to allow for even resistance across the surface of the flooring material. Anti-Static Floor Finish Composition The application and maintenance procedures and equipment for applying anti-static floor finish is basically the same as for standard floor finishes. Anti-static a/k/a electro-static discharge control (ESDC) floor finishes, however, have a different chemical structure that requires that special attention be paid to certain details when they are being applied and maintained. To provide static dissipation, antistatic finishes contain a special active ingredient. This active ingredient is not readily compatible with standard floor finish polymer chemistry. Producing a quality ESD finish requires that a finely tuned balance be achieved between having a sufficient concentration of the active ingredient to provide effective ESDC properties, while avoiding an unacceptable level of the side effects inherent when incorporating antistatic compounds into finishes. These side effects can include increased water sensitivity, reduced gloss, extended drying times and slipperiness. The cause of these side effects is the active ingredients tendency to absorb humidity present in the environment into the finish film. These hydrophilic properties help anti-static floor finishes to dissipate static charges. The consideration is that factors that inhibit regular floor finishes from drying and curing, like cool floor temperatures, high air temperatures coupled with high humidity and heavy coat application, also effect anti-static floor finishes, but to a much greater extent. This means that additional care and time must be taken when applying antistatic floor finishes. Anti-Static Floor Finish Application Considerations In order to achieve effective static dissipative properties, a sufficient amount of active ingredient must be present in the floor finish film. To obtain static dissipation on antistatic vinyl composition tile or antistatic epoxy floors, a minimum of two coats of StaticWorx Coat is necessary. On regular vinyl composition or other non anti-static flooring, a minimum of three coats is required. In order to function correctly, both immediately after application and over time, the anti-static active ingredient must effectively bond to the polymer chain. Once a floor finish is applied, film formation occurs in two phases. 1. The first phase involves the evaporation of the water from the finish. Most floor finishes, ESD safe and regular, contain between 75% and 84% water, which must leave the finish film before the second curing phase can start.
Figure 6: Static decay test configuration
Scuff Resistance Black marking resistance, as described in ASTM D 3714, is the ability of a floor to resist black marks usually caused by the impact of heels and soles of footwear, along with various type of wheels rolled across the surface. Wear - AT&T, like most other companies, strives for flooring that requires very little maintenance or replacement. With the cost of flooring being particularly high, the necessity for replacement or recoating (in the case of poured and rolled-on flooring) was considered. Required Maintenance - Most manufacturers of ESD flooring report very little required maintenance, such as an occasional sweeping and wet buffing with a water-andcleaning mixture to get out ground-in dirt. Slip-Resistance For safety reasons, all floors must be UL certifiably slip resistant. This was accomplished using a portable Broom Grapper Machine, in lieu of laboratory testing, which entails the use of a James Machine or equivalent. Installation Requirements of ESD Safe Flooring All of the floors installed need to be connected to ground (typically using copper foil or wire). In addition, the tile & rubber flooring required to be installed using conductive adhesive. It should be noted that subfloor material may affect test results and hence care have to be taken for selecting different subfloor, such as concrete or wood. The epoxies & urethanes require more time & training to install than the tile or rubber floors. In addition, one of the epoxies & urethanes required evacuation of people in the immediate area due to strong odors. From a cost perspective, the
2. The second phase, sometimes referred to as the glass transition phase, occurs after the water has evaporated and the co-solvents/plasticizers have reached a high enough concentration to initiate cross-linking of the various polymers used to make up the finish. It is during this curing phase that the anti-static ingredient becomes bonded to the polymer chain. During both of these phases there are a number of environmental conditions and application factors that impact both evaporation rates and the curing of the polymer. - Air Circulation-moving air holds more moisture than stagnant air, so although positive air circulation is beneficial under any circumstance it becomes critical in higher humidity conditions. - Floor Temperature-the optimum floor temperatures for effective evaporation and curing of both regular and ESD safe finishes is 65-75o F. Floor temperatures at either extreme can have a significant negative impact. At less than 50o F many polymers will never achieve the glass. - Humidity-humidity conditions are an important factor in the drying and curing of any finish, but can have a critical impact on the performance of ESD safe finishes. The ideal application humidity level for ESD safe finishes is 40% relative humidity or lower. 40% relative humidity is also the level at which ESD safe finishes provide optimum static dissipative properties. - Drying Times-most standard vinyl composition tile finishes will generally dry and have cured sufficiently to allow additional coats to be applied within 20-60 minutes depending on humidity conditions. Because of their chemistry ESD safe finishes take substantially longer. Adverse drying conditions will require allowing even longer drying times between coats. - Coat Thickness-due to ESD safe finishs particular chemistry they should be applied as thinly as possible. Coverage rates should be approximately 2000 ft2 to 2500 ft2 per gallon. Heavy applications will take longer to dry and cure, and will increase the potential for experiencing short and longer term performance problems. Application Procedure of Anti-Static Flooring The application of anti-static flooring (including earthing and priming) is a specialised process. It is essential that the materials are mixed and applied according to the manufacturers instructions to the correct thickness onto suitable surfaces and properly tested for continuity and resistance at the various stages. Testing should always be carried out in conjunction with a qualified electrician to assess the quality of the connection to earth. In some cases, the
film thickness can affect the electrical properties therefore it is important to make suitable allowances for the profile (roughness) of the floor to ensure sufficient material is applied. The application should be made in a continuous process to ensure that continuity is achieved in each area and that electrical bridges are installed between areas. The applicator should provide evidence of the system meeting the specified requirements on completion. The following step to be followed:General- If the programme allows, it is often helpful to lay a trial area of the anti-static flooring, preferably 4 to 10 m2, at the beginning of the contract. This will enable parties involved to agree on the appearance and testing of the floor before the work progresses too far. Surface Preparation- It is recommended that abrasive blasting be undertaken to prepare the surface. Cutting of rebates and structural repairs such as making good of cracks, day joints and other defects should be undertaken prior to application of the primer. Where additional earthing is required, care should be taken to ensure that all sections of the floor are linked together i.e. expansion joints bridged with copper tape to provide electrical conductivity and that an earthing point is installed or available in a suitable location. The application of a surface damp proof membrane will render any floor insulative whether on ground floor concrete or not and additional earthing methods should then be employed. Earthing- Where an anti-static floor is laid directly onto ground floor concrete there is usually enough electrical dissipation to ground so that no additional earthing is required. However, if an anti-static floor is laid on an insulating sub-floor, whilst it would create an anti-static floor surface of equal potential, it is far better to include copper earth strips which are subsequently connected to the buildings earth point to provide an anti-static floor not at equal potential but at ground potential. These strips, most commonly selfadhesive copper foil tapes, are typically applied in a grid pattern of 4 to 8 metres a side or in a herringbone pattern before application of the anti-static primer. In some cases, application around edges or columns only may be required. The electrical continuity of the copper tape network should be verified before application of the primer. Copper tape is also used to bridge gaps such as expansion joints, beam joints, repairs or where any feature breaks up the continuity of the floor. Priming- In addition to the usual purpose of improving the bond between sub-floor and resin flooring, in some antistatic systems the primer forms the main conductive layer and is critical to the electrical performance of the floor. As such, the resistance of the primer layer should be verified prior to application of subsequent layers.
Figure 7: Various Industrial Application of Anti-Static Flooring
Conclusion Any industry where dust can present a problem or where stray electric currents are undesirable will have requirements for anti-static floors. The anti-static flooring has found tremendous application in the following industries (Refer some applications in Figure 7):Electronic assembly, Computers, TV tubes, Magnetic tape production, Semi-conductor production of integrated circuits, Micromechanics, Gyroscopes, Miniature bearings, CD or DVD players, Optical lenses, Photographic film, Lasers, Biotechnology, Antibiotic production, Genetic engineering, Pharmaceutical manufacture, Sterile disposables, Medical devices, Heart valves, Cardiac by-pass systems, - Food & drink production, - Hospitals, Immunodeficiency therapy, Operating theatres - Clean rooms - - - - - - - - - - -
Antistatic floors are more and more crucial to a production facility or storage facility today. Various available antistatic floor materials which can be installed on any sub base like asphalt, tiles, concrete, CBM etc. Different industries have varying requirements and standards vary from country to country. Many industries or organisations have their own internal standards for anti-static flooring. Requirements may relate to the antistatic or conductive nature of the flooring material to be used or to the anti-static characteristics of the finished floor. However specialized care needs to be taken as per the tests and standards mentioned here to any avoid mis-application. Reference
- - - - - www.staticworx.com http://www.contec-aps.com/business-areas/industrialflooring-roads-and-pavements/antistatic-flooring.html http://www.ecotileflooring.com/application-gallery.php?cat_ id=2 http://www.arts-ltd.co.uk/industrialfloorings/ucrete_antistatic_ flooring.asp www.ferfa.org.uk
V-tech Floors India Pvt. Ltd
Concrete Flooring NDT
Testing Interlayer Pull-off Adhesion in Concrete Floors by Means of Nondestructive Acoustic Method
Jerzy Hola1, Lukasz Sadowski1

Institute of Building Engineering, Wroclaw University of Technology
1
The durability of concrete floors is to a large extent depends on the pull-off adhesion of the topping to the base. When making or repairing concrete floors it is highly important to properly prepare the interlayer bonding surface. The measure of the interlayer bond is the pull-off adhesion value. The latter is determined by seminondestructive pull-off tests. In this research the nondestructive acoustic impulse response method and the seminondestructive pull-off method were employed to test the interlayer pull-off adhesion in concrete floor models. The surface of the base layer in the latter had been prepared in four ways. The aim of the investigations was to find out whether it is possible to determine reliable dependencies between the particular acoustic parameters obtained from impulse response tests and the pull-off adhesion obtained from seminondestructive pull-off tests for different ways of preparing the surface of the concrete base.
n concrete floors there may occur all kinds of construction defects and damage. No adhesion at the topping/base interface is one of such defects. The degree of bonding between the base and the topping depends on the proper preparation of the base surface. It is obvious that the durability of concrete floors greatly depends on this bond. Pull-off adhesion fb, in practice determined by the seminondestructive pull-off method, is a measure of the interlayer bond. It should be noted that the effectiveness of the pull-off method depends on the number of cores drilled. According to [1], one core per 3 m2 of floor should be drilled. Such a high density of cores drilled has a significant adverse effect on the condition of the tested floor surface. After the tests the areas of the floor damaged by drilling have to be repaired, which is a major drawback of the pull-off method. It has been demonstrated that the impulse response method is effective in locating noadhesion areas at the interlayer contact [2], but it is not known whether it is suitable for determining pull-off force fb. It could be applied for this purpose if the dependences between pull-off adhesion fb, determined by the seminondestructive pull-off method, and the values of the particular parameters registered using
the nondestructive impulse response method were reliably known. Then it would be possible to practically determine pull-off adhesion fb in any measuring point without harming the surface of the tested concrete floor. The present research was undertaken to determine the above dependencies. Brief description of test methods The nondestructive impulse response method consists in the generation of an elastic wave in the tested element by means of calibrated hammer tipped with rubber. The elastic wave frequency is in a range of 1-800 Hz. The tested element is hit with the hammer in selected measuring points. The signal of the elastic wave propagating in the element is registered by a geophone and simultaneously amplified by an amplifier. The registered signals are then processed using a dedicated software installed on a laptop (fig. 1a). Such parameters as: average mobility Nav , stiffness Kd, mobility slope Mp/N, mobility times mobility slope NavMp and voids index v are registered to locate no-adhesion areas in a concrete floor [2]. The impulse response method is described in detail in [3-5]. In the case of the seminondestructive pull-off method, interlayer adhesion is determined through the measurement
Fig. 1. a) impulse response method test set, b) pull-off method test set.
of the pulling off force by means of an actuator with a digital or dial pressure gauge. In order to test a concrete floor one must drill cores 50 mm in diameter and pull them off the base. The pulling off force value, displayed or indicated by the pressure gauge, is used to calculate pull-off adhesion fb [1]. Figure 1b shows the equipment used for testing by this method. Range of tests Tests were carried out on two 2500 2500 mm concrete floor models consisting of a 25 mm thick topping on a 125 mm thick base. The topping was made of C20/25 grade cement mortar. The base was made of grade C30/37 concrete and aggregate with a maximum grading of 8 mm. Prior to testing the elements had been stored at a temperature of 20 C 5 C in a laboratory. The base was laid on a 100 layer of sand. Impulse response and pull-off tests were carried out after the topping had cured for 90 days. The aim of the tests was to find out if reliable dependencies between the particular impulse response parameters and pull-off adhesion could be established. Four ways (denoted with Roman numerals from I to IV) of preparing the surface of the base were adopted (fig. 2). After the topping of the concrete floor model had been appropriately marked, 1500 1500 mm test areas were demarcated and a grid of points spaced at every 100 mm was marked on each of them, leaving a minimum margin of 500 mm from the edge. In total, 128 measuring points were marked. The columns and the rows were denoted with respectively letters from A to H and numbers from 1 to 16. The nondestructive impulse response tests consisted in exciting an elastic wave in each point of the measuring grid by means of the calibrated hammer (fig. 3a). As a result, the characteristic acoustic parameters Nav, Kd and Mp/N (defined in fig. 2) were determined in each of the points. The pull-off tests consisted in determining the adhesion of the topping to the base through the measurement of the pulling off force by means of the actuator with a digital pressure gauge. For this purpose cores 50 mm in diameter were drilled in the topping in the same points in which
Fig. 3. a) testing by nondestructive impulse response method, b) cores drilled in topping.
Fig. 2. Ways of preparing concrete base surface and nondestructive method and seminondestructive method with parameters used.
previously the impulse response tests had been carried out, and pulled off from the base (fig. 3 b). Test results and their analysis Selected statistical characteristics of the parameters determined by the nondestructive impulse response method and by the seminondestructive pull-off method are shown in table 1. The impulse response method yielded average mobility Nav ranging from 31.145 to 119.988 m/sN for surface I, from 57.211 to 783.872 m/sN for surface II, from 54.805 to 783.872 m/sN for surface III and from 39.467 to 99.218 m/sN for surface IV. The highest values of average mobility Nav were obtained for surface II and the lowest for surface I. Stiffness Kd ranged from 0.004 to 0.119 for surface I, from 0.002 to 0.116 for surface II, from 0.003 to 0.115 for surface III and from 0.001 to 0.075 for surface IV. The highest values of stiffness Kd were obtained for surface I and the lowest for surface IV.
Way of preparing surface of base Parameter name

Average Standard deviation Minimum Maximum Average Standard deviation Minimum Maximum Average Standard deviation Minimum Maximum Average Standard deviation Minimum Maximum
I
69.049 20.701 31.145 119.988 0.041 0.034 0.004 0.119 1.779 1.174 0.011 3.997 0.987 0.118 0.662 1.299
II Average mobility Nav

361.573 297.336 57.211 973.371
III
245.078 207.726 54.805 783.872 0.030 0.033 0.003 0.115 4.172 3.545 0.603 12.777 0.497 0.137 0.204 0.891
IV
72.807 14.481 39.467 99.218 0.026 0.020 0.001 0.075 1.169 0.696 0.098 3.217 0.658 0.204 0.306 1.274
Stiffness Kd
0.032 0.030 0.002 0.116
Mobility slope Mp/N

2.716 2.230 0.336 9.722
Pull-off adhesion fb
0.515 0.086 0.306 0.688
Table 1. Selected statistical characteristics of parameters determined by nondestructive impulse response method and seminondestructive pull-off method.
Mobility slope Mp/N ranged from 0.011 to 3.997 for surface I, from 0.0336 to 9.722 for surface II, from 0.603 to 12.777 for surface III and from 0.098 to 3.217 for surface IV. The highest values of mobility slope Mp/N were obtained for surface III and the lowest for surface IV. The seminondestructive pull-off method yielded pull-off adhesion fb ranging from 0.662 to 1.299 MPa for surface I, from 0.306 to 0.688 MPa for surface II, from 0.204 to 0.891
MPa for surface III and from 0.306 to 1.274 MPa for surface IV. The highest average values of pull-off adhesion fb were obtained for surface I and the lowest for surface II. The test results, in the form of dependencies between the values of parameters Nav, Kd and Mp/N and the value of pull-off adhesion fb, for the four ways of preparing the bonding surface are shown in figs 4-6. For each of the dependencies a regression line equation (derived by the
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Fig. 4. Dependence between pull-off adhesion fb and average mobility Nav: a) surface I, b) surface II, c) surface III, d) surface IV.
least squares method) and determination coefficient r2 were determined. Figure 4 shows the dependencies between pull-off adhesion fb and average mobility Nav. It appears that regardless of base surface preparation
Fig. 5. Dependence between pull-off adhesion fb and stiffness Kd: a) surface I, b) surface II, c) surface III, d) surface IV.
method, the dependencies are similar, i.e. as average mobility Nav increases, pull-off adhesion fb decreases. Determination coefficient r2 assumes values from 0.7115 for surface I to 0.3417 for surface III. Figure 5 shows the dependencies between pull-off adhesion fb and stiffness Kd. It appears that regardless of base surface preparation method, the dependencies are similar,
Fig. 6. Dependence between pull-off adhesion fb and mobility slope Mp/N: a) surface I, b) surface II, c) surface III, d) surface IV.
i.e. as stiffness Kd increases so does pull-off adhesion fb. Determination coefficient r2 assumes values from 0.5600 for surface I to 0.4091 for surface II. Figure 6 shows the dependencies between pull-off adhesion fb and mobility slope Mp/N. It appears that regardless of base surface preparation method the dependencies are similar, i.e. as stiffness Kd increases, mobility slope Mp/N. decreases. Determination coefficient r2 assumes values from 0.6957 for surface I to 0.3719 for surface II. Conclusions The interlayer pull-off adhesion in two concrete floor models was determined by respectively the nondestructive acoustic impulse response method and the seminondestructive pulloff method. The aim of the tests was to find out if reliable dependencies between the particular parameters registered using the impulse response method and the pull-off adhesion determined by the pull-off method could be established.
The results of the tests show that regardless of the way of preparing the surface of the base the dependencies between pull-off adhesion fb determined by the seminondestructive pull-off method and the particular acoustic parameters determined by the nondestructive impulse response method are similar and can be described by rectilinear mathematical functions. However, the values of determination coefficient r2, calculated for the determined dependencies are not too high and depend on the base surface preparation method. For example, the highest value (0.7115) of this coefficient was obtained for a ground surface covered with a bonding layer and parameter Nav and the lowest value (0.3417) was obtained for the raw postconcreting surface and parameter Nav. Considering that the values of determination coefficient r2 yielded by the impulse response tests are not too high, it seems that several parameters, including the ones describing the topography of the base surface, should be taken into account simultaneously in order to increase the reliability of the nondestructive evaluation of the interlayer
pull-off adhesion in concrete floors. The parameters can be nondestructively determined before the topping is laid. Research towards this aim is underway and artificial neural networks are to be used in order to interrelate a larger number of parameters. Acknowledgements The above research was carried out as part of research project no. 0926/B/T02/2011/40 New Nondestructive Way of Evaluating Interlayer Pull-off Adhesion in Concrete Floors by Means of Artificial Neural Networks funded by the National Centre of Science in Cracow. References
1. EN 12504-3:2006,Testing concrete in structures, Part 3:
Nondestructive tests, Determination of pull-off force (in Polish). 2. J Hola, L Sadowski and K Schabowicz, Nondestructive identification of delaminations in concrete floor toppings with acoustic methods, Automation in Construction, vol. 21, no. 7, 2011. 3. A Davis, The non-destructive impulse response test in North America: 19852001, NDT&E International, Vol. 36, p. 185193, 2003. 4. N Ottosen, M Ristinmmaa and A Davis, Theoretical interpretation of impulse response tests of embedded concrete structures, Journal of Engineering Mechanics, Vol. 130, p. 1062-1071, 2004. 5. A Davis, B Hertlein, K Lim and K Michols, Impulse response and impact-echo stress wave methods: advantages and limitations for the evaluation of highway pavement concrete overlays, Conference on Nondestructive Evaluation of Bridges and Highways, Scottsdale, 88, 1996.
Surie Polex
Flooring Industry Analysis
Flooring Industry:
Growing on the Back of the Indian 'Industrial Revolution'

pace of growth in the recent few years, with India emerging as a key market for newer technologies. The thrust being provided to the manufacturing sector is one of the major reasons for the growth rate of the industrial and commercial flooring segments. These two segments have been growing at a rate of 15 %-20% in recent times. Although the recent recessionary trends have impacted the growth rate, things are expected to pick up in the last quarter of this financial year. The government is expected to announce policy initiatives to rev up the manufacturing sector in the country, on the back of pressure from various quarters to revive the sagging economic growth rate. Initiatives like the DelhiMumbai Industrial Corridor and the announcements of a series of National Investment and Manufacturing Zones (NIMZs) are expected to fuel the growth for the flooring sector. The
looring is one area in the construction industry that has been witnessing rapid changes over the past two decades. The advent of several new technologies and the increasing use of specialized machinery have meant that the field has changed beyond recognition, especially with reference to the industrial and commercial flooring sectors. The industrial and commercial flooring segments have been maintaining a healthy
84
thrust towards manufacturing is aimed at increasing the contribution of the sector from the present 16 % to about 25% by 2025. While there have been recent hiccups in the path, the government has been pushing forward initiatives for rapid industrialization. The size of the industrial and commercial flooring segments in the country is estimated to be around ` 4,000 crore and growing. Industry experts are of the opinion that if the economy turns around, then the sector could be in for a period of rapid growth ultimately leading to even doubling of the growth rate by the end of the 12th Five Year Plan period (2012-17). The growth of the flooring market has also been fuelled by the increasing demands being placed by clients, with respect to quality and functional durability, the keys to the performance of industrial flooring, in recent times. For example, the use of specialized material handling equipment necessitates the need for specialized flooring solutions in industrial premises. Similarly, durable floors are also the need of the hour in the commercial sector. Players in the fray are now dealing with a more aware customer. Giving an insight into the changing psyche of the typical Indian customer, Mr.Ganesh Chaudhari, General Manager- Building Products, Bekaert, a global leader in the field with its Dramix steel fibres for reinforced concrete floors, pointed out that there are more opportunities than gaps today as the Bekaert team moves forward in the market, while adding, What we experience is a lot of customer awareness. Today's customer is more informed; he is ready to pay for quality premium products. What we need today, and which is one of the major focus points for Bekaert are, informed and technically oriented flooring contractors. Having expert flooring contractors, will not only improve the current status of flooring industry but also form an important part of transitional change that the Indian industry would go about in future. Winds of change are definitely blowing across the horizon with newer
Resin flooring is no longer reserved for manufacturing facilities in need of a low-cost concrete coating product but has developed over the past decade to provide an effective solution for a wide-range of industrial and commercial premises"
Vivekanandan Margasahayam
Director, Flowcrete India
opportunities emerging where none existed a decade ago. The typical Indian customer is not averse to experimenting with new products today. Going into the details of the emerging market trends that may dominate flooring industry in Indi , Mr.Vivekanandan Margasahayam, Director, Flowcrete India, which has carved a niche for itself with its flooring solutions, threw light on
the new avenues that need to be tapped, when he said, Resin flooring is no longer reserved for manufacturing facilities in need of a low-cost concrete coating product but has developed over the past decade to provide an effective solution for a wide-range of industrial and commercial premises. Added-value materials are performing well in the manufacturing sector where their ability to meet hygiene, speed-ofinstallation and performance requirements are considered an increasingly attractive prospect. Decorative resins, including quartz-based products, seamless terrazzo and resin-bound gravel systems have opened up a new channel into high-end commercial environments. He also added that these innovative flooring systems offer clients all of the traditional benefits associated with resin flooring, durability, ease-of cleaning and excellent wear-resistance while at the same time providing a colourful, unique and eye-catching platform to walk on. The growth in the retail sector for example, has bought in with it an entire new market segment for flooring companies. Then there is the demand from redevelopment projects, where old floors are being converted into new ones in several industrial and commer-
Gleaming prospects: The growth of the Indian industrial flooring market is closely tied to the thrust to the manufacturing sector
85
The logistics sector with its specialized requirements is a fast growing flooring market segment
cial premises. Going into the details of this emerging trend, Mr. Ajay Singam, Director, Avcon Technics Pvt Ltd, another leading name in the fray highlighted the fact that ,Almost 90% of the floors executed in India are not designed for usage. On many occasions end user is not aware of floor loadings and in the absence of IS codes for grade slab design, floors are specified on experience or past reference. According to
Almost 90% of the floors executed in India are not designed for usage. On many occasions end user is not aware of floor loadings and in the absence of IS codes for grade slab design, floors are specified on experience or past reference
him systems like VDF induce more defects like weaker top surface, warping of panels, etc. Continuing on the subject, Mr.Ajay Singam added, With our specialization and customized Avcrete product range, we are experiencing a huge demand for floor refurbishment, condition assessment, and strengthening. Upgradation of existing facility to meet modern day demands is also in demand, a factor that bodes well for the continued growth of the flooring industry, particularly in the short run, as the country grapples with a temporary economic slowdown. Smaller Cities to the Fore One of the heartening aspects of the growth story of the flooring industry in India has been the fact that commercial flooring has been maintaining a corresponding growth curve to that of the industrial flooring market. The growth is only expected to increase in the near future. There are several policy initiatives that have the potential to propel the growth of the commercial flooring market. The FDI in retail policy for example is a good case in point. It is an initiative that could revive the growth trends in several major metros and even smaller tier II and III cities for the flooring industry. Similarly, the logistics sector is another key market segment that
is expected to add to the demand. The growth of the food and beverage industry for example has meant that today the need for specialized storage and warehousing facilities has increased manifold. Adding to this demand would be ever increasing demand for worldclass office space. All these factors together have mean that India today is a potentially ` 1000 crore market as far as the commercial flooring segment is concerned. While there are concerns about the recent recessionary trends, industry analysts are hopeful of the economy turning around and the ability of the manufacturers to reinvent themselves constantly in order to explore newer market avenues. Sharing his views on the recent trends, Mr.B.M.Nagarajan, Director, Neocrete Technologies, a well-known entity in the industry remarked, The market potential in this industry, especially in India is definitely high, given the fact that the seamless epoxy & PU flooring market is less than 2% of the construction industry turnover. However converting the market potential into a viable opportunity is a different matter. The sluggish investment climate currently being felt in India has obvious fall-outs in all other associated sectors including our flooring market. As about 80% of flooring market is contributed by new projects
The market potential in this industry, especially in India is definitely high, given the fact that the seamless epoxy & PU flooring market is less than 2% of the construction industry turnover"
Ajay Singam
Director, Avcon Technics Pvt. Ltd.
B.M. Nagarajan
Director, Neocrete Technologies
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Cico Technologies Ltd
Emerging sectors: Infrastructure projects such as metro rail stations are expected to boost demand for the flooring industry
and the balance 20% from maintenance market, a healthy investment climate is of paramount importance in exploiting the market potential, a statement that almost everyone else in the industry would agree with. However, the emergence of newer market avenues such as smaller cities and varied application areas, and with the government expected to come out with a series of steps to pep up the economy, the industrial and commercial flooring industry could be in for a period of rapid growth in the near future. Focused Approach One of the signs of a rapidly evolving flooring market, particularly with respect to industrial and commercial flooring is the trend of increasing specialization. No longer is one type of floor or technology suited for all applications. Manufacturers are focusing on specialized products for different applications. A varied product portfolio seems to be the name of the game today for leading manufacturers. A good example of a company that offers a slew of services is Avcon Technics Pvt Ltd, which for example functions in the areas of industrial floorings and pavements with high performance concrete, abrasion resistant flooring, ultra thin white-topping, floor repairs, col-
ored floorings, and tremix floorings, among others. One more player that offers a wide range of products is Neocrete Technologies, which is a well-known manufac-
What we experience is a lot of customer awareness. Today's customer is more informed; he is ready to pay for quality premium products. What we need today, and which is one of the major focus points for Bekaert are, informed and technically oriented flooring contractors. Having expert flooring contractors, will not only improve the current status of flooring industry but also form an important part of transitional change that the Indian industry would go about in future
Ganesh Chaudhari
General Manager- Building Products, Bekaert
turer and supplier of in-situ flooring , offers a wide range which includes flooring solutions such as Decorative Epoxy Terrazzo, Decorative Stamped Concrete, PU parking deck flooring, Epoxy/PU industrial dust-free flooring, Epoxy ESD flooring, Polymer Fortified Cementitious self-leveling underlay for vinyl, carpet, epoxy and various other flooring and concrete colour toppings, among others. Another company that has been in the forefront with its innovative product portfolio is Flowcrete India. Its Flowfresh system for example, has become a popular choice in the food and beverage industry. Explaining about the company's Flowfresh polyurethane flooring range, Mr. Vivekanandan Margasahayam said, The range has been designed to consider all of the unique service conditions to which the final finish will be subjected and exposed to within the typical food and beverage manufacturing or preparation plant. According to him despite each system within the range offering a differing durability, anti-slip and chemical resistance profile to suit the individual application, each system within the range includes a natural thermosetting antimicrobial agent as standard, which has been independently tested and verified to destroy up to 99.9% of all surface
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The cellulose fiber controls ultra-cracking for floors (better hold for concrete flooring), enhances hydration which improves concrete floor strength ,improves bond strength between welded wire fiber and cement paste for flooring, Hercules D5 fiber allows you to shape and smooth fresh concrete into an attractive, long lasting surface for your flooring, eliminates fiber balling and surface floor fuzz and reduces blemishes rather than using monofilament or fibrillated polypropylene fiber and finally Hercules fibers D5 absorbs dyes and pigments to become ' invisible' in concrete
Company Spokesperson
Hercules Group, SA
bacteria. Not only is the range able to meet the stringent health and safety standards that come hand-in-hand with food production or preparation facilities, it also delivers on other critical factors including quality, cost and project completion time.
Companies are focusing their R & D efforts towards coming out with innovative flooring solutions. A good example is that of 'RetroPlate 99' from JBA Concrete Solutions Pvt Ltd. Retroplate 99 is a chemical reactive concrete stabilizer which enhances the concrete density and hardness. It does this by effectively penetrating the surface and solidifying the components of the concrete into one solid mass. The benefits of Retroplate include hard- shell surface finish, dustproof, significant reduction in tyre marks cures and eliminates high maintenance cost permanently with high gloss. Retroplate 99 is also used for restoration of old and worn-out floors. The growth of the flooring industry has meant good news for the construction chemicals industry too with a slew of chemicals being used for improving flooring. Reiterating the fact and focusing on the remarkable growth of the industry and the potential of the market, especially given the fact that a variety of construction chemicals are used in flooring solutions, Mr.Jagdeep Singh Bhalla, Managing Director of JBA Concrete Solutions quipped, Nowadays more than 1000 chemicals are used for various activities of construction and demand is high as they are essential for high quality concrete and for promoting the improvement of concrete performance. India is in fact fast
Nowadays more than 1000 chemicals are used for various activities of construction and demand is high as they are essential for high quality concrete and for promoting the improvement of concrete performance
Jagdeep Singh Bhalla

Managing Director, JBA Concrete Solutions
emerging as the key global market for construction chemicals, with a vast majority of players in this field focusing on flooring solutions. Leading players in the field are coming out with a range coatings, sealants, repair mortars, adhesives, etc for the flooring market. Cipy for example with its wide product portfolio together with divergent technologies of epoxy, EPU, MCU, PUD, acrylic, polysulphide and poly urea, is offering a range of flooring solutions and so are several other top players in the fray. Not Averse to Experimentation Demands of long-term durability coupled with reduced maintenance cost have meant that experimenting with groundbreaking technologies is now gradually becoming a norm rather than an exception here. One of the good examples for adaption of latest in the field is available in the form of steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC) floors, the demand for which has been growing at a steady pace. According to Mr.Ganesh Chaudhari, General Manager, Building Products, Bekaert, world leader in the technology, in terms of growth of SFRC, India has been the fastest growing country as compared to others. He further adds that since the company started its business in the
Resin Floor paints offer high mechanical and chemical resistance
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The flooring industry is waiting with bated breath for further reforms in the retail sector
country, within a period of 4 years, it has been able to complete approximately 400 projects covering 2 million square metres of area. Today Dramix SFRC is available in the market from 87 plants of Lafarge and 100 plus plants of Ultratech. Mr.Chaudhari feels that India will be the best example and a worldwide benchmark for usage of SFRC in the coming years. Globally manufacturers are developing and tailoring technologies, especially with respect to fibre reinforcement keeping in mind the rising demand and sustainability adherence standards. Hercules Group SA for example, offers the Hercules Fibers D5 cellulose fibers which provide an excellent preventive solution to plastic shrinkage cracking in concrete. The company spokesperson while listing down the advantages of product applied to flooring said, The cellulose fiber controls ultra-cracking for floors (better hold for concrete flooring), enhances hydration which improves concrete floor strength ,improves bond strength between welded wire fiber and cement paste for flooring, Hercules D5 fiber allows you to shape and smooth fresh concrete into an attractive, long lasting surface for your flooring, eliminates fiber balling and surface floor fuzz and reduces blemishes rather
than using monofilament or fibrillated polypropylene fiber and finally Hercules fibers D5 absorbs dyes and pigments to become 'Invisible' in concrete. With India emerging as a key market for industrial and commercial flooring a slew of new products and technologies are making an entry into the market. Closer home a good example for an innovative product offering is the macro synthetic polypropylene fibre from Tashi India Limited. Explaining the advantages of the fibre, Mr.Kush Bajaj, Managing Director of the company explained, The benefit of using Macro Synthetic Polypropylene Fibre over any other fibre in concrete flooring is that synthetic fibre has long-term durability it is corrosion free. Synthetic fibre is inert material and never rusts. The mixing and dispersion of synthetic fibres in concrete is homogeneous and do not have a balling effect in concrete unlike other fibres. He added that the specialty fibres significantly improve shrinkage and temperature crack control and are cost effective per joule than other fibres. No Longer Dull and drab Almost every leading player in the flooring industry is buoyant about the future prospects of the industry and excited about the journey ahead. The
rapid pace at which the industry is progressing is best expressed in the words of Mr.B.M.Nagarajan, Director of Neocrete Technologies, who feels that, Exciting times are ahead. The innovations in raw-material segment such as nano-materials, pigments, additives etc are the most exciting things happening around the world that would lead to innovative products being introduced world-wide. Self-cleaning coatings for high rise buildings, thermal insulating coatings for glass windows, photo-chromatic paints that change its colour between day and night, magnetic paints that can help create random designs are some of these developments that are taking place. Imagine a building that looks white in day-time turning to blue in the night. Another interesting trend that has been observed in recent times in the flooring industry is the strategy of global players who are on board to reduce costs. However, the views on the trend among domestic players seem to be varied. Welcoming such competition, Mr.Ajay Singam of Avcon
The benefit of using Macro Synthetic Polypropylene Fibre over any other fibre in concrete flooring is that synthetic fibre has long-term durability it is corrosion free. Synthetic fibre is inert material and never rusts. The mixing and dispersion of synthetic fibres in concrete is homogeneous and do not have a balling effect in concrete unlike other fibres
Kush Bajaj
Managing Director, Tashi India Limited
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Meta Tuff Solutions LLP
Technics, remarked, It is a bonanza for Indian Industry. Global players with vast experience and proven technology are optimizing products and processes to meet the demands of cost conscious Indians. We stand to benefit with quality products, wide options, lowered cost .This keeps the capital cost at lower levels while gaining in quality, higher output, etc. Sharing his perspective on the issue Mr.Jagdeep Singh Bhalla, Managing Director of JBA Concrete Solutions, said that according to whom this strategy of global players is correct as they need to enter the market place and the best way they can do this is to be cheap. Continuing on the subject and giving an example of his company's experience with overseas collaboration, he added that JBA Cure Crete USA has taken a more professional approach and that is to create a brand name that means quality, great value for money and performs as per what people pay for our products and services. Competition is everywhere and you just need to create a relation-
ship with people and good companies to see that price is not the real problem but understanding of what you are paying for is the most important, is his take on how to carve a niche in the market on the basis of excellence in quality and service. While there could be others who may argue against the trend, the entry of newer technologies, courtesy of overseas players is something that would at the end of the day benefit the Indian client. Mean Machines Giving further push to the flooring industry has been the influx of a variety of machinery. With the country gradually emerging as a globally important market for construction equipment, several types of new machinery have been making its entry in the flooring segment in recent times. Laser screeds are perhaps the best examples. These powerful laser guided machines can help lay sometimes even 50,000 square feet of concrete floor in a single day. Power trowels are another good exam-
ple for specialized machinery making an impact on the Indian flooring industry. A slew of leading names are now offering trowels in the country today. Similarly, concrete grinding and polishing machines are also playing their part in the revolution that is taking place in the Indian market today. On Terra Firma India has fast emerged as one of the key markets globally for flooring products. With the country's policy makers keen on providing continued thrust to the manufacturing sector, the industrial flooring market is all set to witness nothing less than a revolution, given the huge volumes that can be expected to be generated. However, there are challenges that need to be surmounted for the industry to progress on the right path. One major challenge according to leading players in the industry is the absence of a governing standard for products that are being manufactured in the country. This may sometimes leads to dilution of specifications in certain instances. Similarly, fillip needs to be provided for increasing mechanization in the flooring process, something that although growing, is still at a nascent stage in India. Lack of adequate amount of skilled labour both for implementing solutions and operating specialized flooring equipment is another challenge confronting the industry. While the flooring industry grapples with these problems, a push to the market growth rate depends on how the sluggish economic environment performs in the near future. Key infrastructure projects such as metro stations are expected to add to demand for specialized flooring. With economists pointing out to gradual revival of the economy by the last quarter of the financial year and a push to revive infrastructure development, the flooring industry looks set for a period of aggressive growth in the near future. Photo Courtesy:
www.businessreviewindia.in, www.archiexpo.com www.goindia.about.com, www.tascoli.com www.chasingthemetro.wordpress.com www.prodexcreativefloors.com
India has fast emerged as one of the key markets globally for flooring products
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Cera - Chem India Pvt.Ltd
Flooring Installation
Industrial Flooring Installation Challenges

James C. Ziegler
ArmorSeal, Cincinnati, Ohio
Specifiers and contractors not only need to properly evaluate the substrate, make proper system recommendations and pay attention to details during the installation, but they must also have an understanding of potential problems and their causes to aid in the successful installation of heavy duty floor coatings and systems. Understanding these issues minimizes problems and facilitates a successful installation.
eavy duty flooring systems and coatings can produce an aesthetically pleasing, chemical, wear resistant barrier that protects the concrete substrates. Concrete floors can be expensive to replace or maintain if proper care is not taken to protect them. Even though concrete can be a very strong, hard substrate, unprotected concrete is subject to deterioration. Concrete is very porous and can be subjected to chemical attack and physical abuse. Coatings and surfacings are used to protect concrete, improve appearance and provide ease of maintenance. Seamless floors are manufactured in place. The chemical reaction of the polymeric materials must be controlled for successful installation. Failures and challenges can occur prior to, during or after the installation. Many of these problems can be prevented. When applying coatings and heavy duty flooring systems, it is important that the contractor strictly adhere to the application requirements for each product. Deviations from the manufacturers instructions and job site specifications may result in less than anticipated results. Avoiding these issues and preventing problems is the basis of an expert flooring contractor. Substrate Evaluation The first critical step in avoiding flooring problems is the evaluation of the substrate. Concrete, the primary substrate on which seamless flooring systems are applied, is porous. It breathes and absorbs liquids when exposed to the environment. This can present a problem both during and after the installation of a non-permeable fluid applied flooring system. During the substrate evaluation process, responsible
parties must determine whether an effective vapor barrier exists below the slab, what potential contaminants are in the concrete and the overall soundness of the concrete, including joint and crack movement. The effects of moisture vapor emissions from the slab must be thoroughly evaluated. Remove contaminants from the substrate prior to the installation. Mechanical surface preparation may remove some of the surface contamination, but chemicals and oils that penetrate the concrete substrate also must be removed or neutralized. Weak concrete must be replaced and spalls must be repaired with an appropriate mortar or compatible material to speed the repair and recoat times. The foundation of any coating system is surface preparation. The purpose of surface preparation is to remove all contaminants such as concrete laitance, existing coatings, hardeners, sealers and curing compounds that can interfere with adhesion. Surface preparation also develops a surface profile to promote mechanical adhesion. Although there are many methods of surface preparation available, shot blasting is normally the preferred method. System Recommendation No two flooring projects are ever the same and never as simple as they may first appear. Many contractors are asked to make product and system recommendations. Representatives from the manufacture may assist in making these recommendations. Many factors need to be considered when making any recommendations: - Shut-down time - VOCs and odor tolerance
- - - - - - - -
Chemical resistance Wear and impact resistance Longevity of the system Thermal resistance Slip resistance Cleanabilty Light reflectivity Installation conditions such as temperature, humidity etc.
Cause
Prevention
-Use manufactures recommended equipment for mixing and application. When using 100% solids material, spread with a squeegee, back roll with a high quality, lint-free, medium nap roller and use a spike or spiney roller to improve air release. - Try to avoid elevated temperatures. Monitor the environmental conditions, air, substrate temperatures and humidity. Condition materials for several hours prior to application. - Cover windows and doorways to prevent direct sunlight exposure to the coatings prior to, during and through the cure period.
Remediation
-Air entrainment in the resins during mixing and or application
Problem Recognition, Causes, Prevention and Remediation Contractors come across challenges everyday when applying industrial coatings and industrial flooring systems. Recognizing problems, causes, prevention and remediation is crucial for successful application. Bubbles: Bubbles may appear as small as a pinhead or greater. They may appear throughout the entire coating or in clusters. (Figure 1)
-Excessive heat
Thoroughly abrade bubbled coating with sandpaper or a floor grinder, thoroughly vacuum area and solvent wipe with a strong, clean solvent recommended by manufacturer. Reprime and recoat.
-Direct sunlight
Bubbles: Air bubbles may appear as small as a pinhead or greater. They may appear throughout the entire coating or in clusters.
not apply coating. Wait to apply materials when the air temperature is falling. Double priming may also be helpful or using a water-based epoxy primer to seal off entrapped air in the concrete.
Figure 1, Bubbles
Remediation: Thoroughly abrade bubbled coating with sandpaper or a floor grinder, thoroughly vacuum area and solvent wipe with a strong, clean solvent recommended by the coatings manufacturer. Re-prime and recoat. Outgassing: Air pockets in porous concrete escaping during the curing process, trapped in the film, creating bubbles. These bubbles typically have a pinhole that penetrates directly to the substrate. (Figure 2). Cause: When the air temperature above the substrate is warmer than the substrate temperature and the humidity is lower, the air trapped in the pores of the concrete expands and the air moves out of the concrete creating bubbles. Prevention: Check temperature and humidity conditions of the air and substrate. If the temperature is rising, do
Remediation: Thoroughly abrade affected coating with
Figure 2, Outgassing
Cause
- When the air above the substrate is warmer than the substrate temperature and the humidity is lower, the air trapped in the pores of the concrete expands and the air moves out of the concrete creating bubbles.
Prevention
-Check temperature and humidity conditions of the air and substrate. If the temperature is rising do not apply coating. Wait to apply materials when temperature is falling. Double priming may also be helpful or use a water-based epoxy primer to seal off trapped air in the concrete.
Remediation
Thoroughly abrade bubbled coating with sandpaper or a floor grinder, thoroughly vacuum area and solvent wipe with a strong, clean solvent recommended by manufacturer. Reprime using a high build, fast cure primer. Large craters may be patched with quick set crack filler.
Cause
-Improperly prepared previous coating
Prevention
-Prior to applying multiple coats of material, the previous coating must be properly prepared and free from contaminants. These contaminants include dust, dirt, water or amine blush, which must be removed prior to coating. -Check manufactures product data sheet for recoat window times. Do not exceed recoat window. If the recoat window has been exceeded, consult manufactures recommended recoat procedure.
Remediation
Mechanically remove any poorly bonded coating. This may be achieved by shot blasting, grinding or sanding. Existing coating must have a dull surface from the mechanical preparation. Vacuum and solvent wipe existing coating to remove any dust, debris or other contaminants. Reprime and recoat according to manufactures instructions
Outgassing: Air pockets in porous concrete escaping during the curing process, trapped in the coating crating bubbles.
sandpaper or a floor grinder and thoroughly vacuum area and solvent wipe with a strong, clean solvent recommended by manufacturer. Reprime using a high build, fast cure primer. Large craters may be patched with a quick set crack filler. Poor Intercoat Adhesion: Poor intercoat adhesion occurs when one coating does not adhere to the previous cured coat. (Figure 3)
-Recoating outside of recoat window. Most coatings have a range of time when a subsequent coat can be applied without additional preparation.
Poor Intercoat Adhesion: Poor intercoat adhesion is when one coating application does not adhere to the previous cured coating.
Prevention: Check the manufacturers product data sheet for recoat window times. Do not exceed the recoat window. If the recoat window has been exceeded, consult manufactures recommended recoat procedure. Cause: When coatings are installed at temperatures less than 5oF above dew point, moisture may condense on the surface acting as a bond-breaker and could cause intercoat adhesion problems. Prevention: Check temperature and humidity of substrate and air to ensure the substrate temperatures are at least 5oF above the dew point. Remediation: Mechanically remove any poorly bonded coating. This may be achieved by shot blasting, grinding or sanding. Existing coating must have a dull surface from the mechanical preparation. Vacuum and solvent wipe existing coating to remove any dust, debris or other contaminants. Reprime and recoat according to the manufacturers instructions. Bond Failure at Substrate Bond failure at the substrate occurs when the coating or flooring system delaminates at the bond line. (Figure 4). Cause1: Inadequate surface preparation, preventing a good mechanical bond or leaving a surface contaminant, which acts as a bond breaker. Prevention: The foundation of any coating or flooring
Figure 3, Poor Intercoat Adhesion
Cause 1: Improper preparation of the previous coating. Prevention: Prior to applying multiple coats of material, the previous coating must be properly prepared and free from contaminants. These contaminants include dust, dirt, water or amine blush, and all contaminants must be removed prior to coating. Cause 2: Recoating outside of recoat window. Most coatings have a range of time or recoat window when a subsequent coat can be applied without additional preparation.
Neocrete Technologies Pvt.Ltd
system is the surface preparation. The purpose of surface preparation is to remove all contaminants such as concrete laitance, existing coatings, hardeners, sealers and curing compounds that can interfere with adhesion and develop a surface profile to promote mechanical adhesion. Disbonding from the substrate at the termination or at transitions is related to the installation detail. Traffic edges require a keyed termination.
Figure 5, Poor Hardness or Tackiness
Cause
-Applying coatings when temperatures are below recommended minimum range. When temperatures are below manufactures recommendation, materials may never reach complete cure.
Prevention
-Use proper equipment; accurately measure components and mixing procedures in accordance with manufactures installation instructions.
Remediation
Remove any soft spots, contamination or dirt from the surface. After excess material has been removed, solvent wipe to remove any residue. Once emoved, mechanically prepare surface and recoat.
Figure 4, Bond Failure at Substrate
Cause
-Inadequate surface preparation preventing a good mechanical bond or leaving a surface contaminant, which acts as a bond breaker.
Prevention
- Remove all contaminants such as the concrete laitance, existing coatings hardeners, sealers and curing compounds that can interfere with adhesion and develop a surface profile to promote mechanical adhesion.
Remediation
Mechanically remove coating or flooring system. Then the substrate must be prepared by following manufacturers recommend surface preparation guidelines.
Poor Hardness or Tackiness: After sufficient time, material has not developed proper hardness or be tacky on the surface.
conditions and select the correct products for the application. Cause: Improper mixing or measuring ratio. Prevention: Use proper equipment, accurately measure components and mixing procedures in accordance with the manufacturers installation instructions. Mixing time, equipment, and procedures are very crucial and should not be deviated. Do not mix partial units if using small kits or different chemistries. Remediation: Remove any soft spots, contamination or dirt from the surface. This may have to be scraped away using a floor scraper or hand tools. Once excess material has been removed, solvent wipe to remove any residue. Once removed, mechanically prepare surface and recoat. Amine Blush or Greasy Film on the Surface. Amine blush is a normal chemical reaction between aminecuring agents and carbon dioxide when in the presence of moisture forming a carbonate, which appears as a greasy film on the surface. This is especially true at low temperatures and high humidity. (Figure 6) Cause: Amines react with carbon dioxide and moisture to create a greasy, oily film on the surface.
Bond Failure at Substrate: Bond failure at the substrate occurs when the coating or flooring system delaminates at the bond line.
Remediation: Mechanically remove coating or flooring system. The substrate must then be prepared by following manufacturers recommend surface preparation guidelines. Poor Hardness or Tackiness After sufficient time, material has not developed proper hardness or may appear tacky on the surface. (Figure 5) Cause: Applying coatings when temperatures are below recommended minimum range. When temperatures are below the manufacturers recommendation, materials may never completely cure. Prevention: Strictly adhere to manufacturers recommended installation temperature guidelines. Monitor environmental
Prevention: Check environmental conditions and apply materials when the temperature is a minimum 5oF above dew point and rising. Do not use propane heat in closed environments because they emit CO2.
Figure 7, Fish-Eyes
Cause
-Contamination on the substrate or coated surface are frequently caused by blush, surface oils, animal fats, vegetable oil, grease, silicone and petroleum based products.
Prevention
-Prior to apply any coating the substrate must be inspected for any contaminants including dirt, debris, amine blush or residues.
Remediation
The surface must be thoroughly sanded or abraded to remove the contamination and to roughen the previous coat. Once the surface is mechanically prepared, a solvent wipe to remove any dust, dirt or residual contamination must be done prior to recoating.
Figure 6, Amine Blush
Cause
Amines react with carbon dioxide and moisture to create a greasy, oily film on the surface.
Prevention
-Check environmental conditions and apply materials when the temperature is a minimum 5F about dew point. Do not use propane heat in closed environments.
Remediation
Remove any soft spots, contamination or dirt from the surface. After excess material has been removed, solvent wipe to remove any residue. Once emoved, mechanically prepare surface and recoat.
Fish Eyes: Fish-eyes are areas where the coating pulls away from the surface or previous coating.
Amine Blush: Amine blush is a normal chemical reaction between aminecuring agents and carbon dioxide when in the presence of moisture form a carbonate, which appears as a greasy film on the surface.
or abraded to remove the contamination and to roughen the previous coat. Once the surface is mechanically prepared, solvent wipe to remove any dust, dirt or residual contamination, prior to recoating. Disbonding in Form of a Blister Moisture vapor transmission will cause loss of adhesion and blistering. The moisture in the pores of concrete will migrate toward the warm, dry air above the substrate. (Figure 8).
Remediation: The amine blush or greasy film must be removed. Solvent wiping prior to the application of the next coat is also utilized, but it can leave residual contaminants if not thoroughly cleaned. It is best removed by using a hot water detergent scrub and rinse. Fish-eyes Fish-eyes are areas where the coating pulls away from the surface or previous coating. (Figure 7). Cause: Contamination on the substrate or coated surface are frequently caused by blush, surface oils, animal fats, vegetable oil, grease, silicone or petroleum based products. Prevention: Prior to application of any coating, the substrate must be inspected for any contaminants including dirt, debris, amine blush or residues. Remediation: The surface must be thoroughly sanded
Figure 8, Disbonding from Moisture Vapor Transmission
Kumkang Kind Co.Ltd
Kumkang Kind Co.Ltd
Cause
-Moisture vapor transmission
Prevention
-After surface preparation, the substrate must be tested for moisture vapor transmission with a calcium chloride test kits at use conditions. The results must generally be less than 3 pounds of moisture per 1000 square feet per 24 hours period. The coatings or flooring systems must also be installed at use conditions.
Remediation
The flooring system must be removed. Raising the temperature and increasing the ventilation prior to retesting may help remove the excess moisture. Treating the surface with a penetrating silicate, siloxanes, or gel forming polymers may decrease the permeability and inhibit the path of moisture.
Remediation: Thoroughly abrade coating with sandpaper or a floor grinder. Thoroughly vacuum area and solvent wipe with a strong, clean solvent. Reprime and recoat.
Figure 9. Color shading
Disbonding in form of a blister: Moisture vapor transmission will cause loss of adhesion and blistering. The moisture in the pours of concrete will migrate toward the warm, dry air above the substrate.
Cause
-Using multiple lot numbers.
Prevention
-Check batches while staging the project. If there are multiple batch numbers, boxing batches together for uniform color. - Always use proper mixing equipment when mixing industrial coatings and floor surfacing products. Use a variable speed drill, Jiffy mixing blade, on low speed. Premix material prior to adding multiple components together. Once premixed, slowly pour omponents together and mix for 2 to 3 minutes and until uniform. Carefully follow manufactures instructions.
Remediation
Cause: Moisture vapor transmission. Prevention: After surface preparation, the substrate must be tested for moisture vapor transmission with a calcium chloride test kit at use conditions. The results must generally be less than 3 pounds of moisture per 1000 square feet per 24 hours period. The coatings or flooring systems must also be installed at use conditions. Remediation: The flooring system must be removed. Raising the temperature and increasing the ventilation prior to retesting may help remove the excess moisture. Treating the surface with a penetrating silicate, siloxanes, or gel forming polymers may decrease the permeability and inhibit the path of moisture. Color Shading Uniform color but different shades of color, sometimes dark or light streaks appear in the film. (Figure 9). Cause: Using multiple batch numbers. Prevention: Check batches while staging the project. If there are multiple batch numbers, boxing batches together for uniformly of color. Cause: Improper mixing. Prevention: Always use proper mixing equipment when mixing industrial coatings and floor surfacing products. Use a variable speed drill, Jiffy mixing blade, on low speed. Premix material prior to adding multiple components together. Once premixed, slowly pour components together and mix for 2 to 3 minutes and until uniform. Carefully follow manufacturers instructions.
-Improper mixing.
Thoroughly abrade coating with sandpaper or a floor grinder, thoroughly vacuum area and solvent wipe with a strong, clean solvent. Reprime and recoat.
Color shading: Difference in shades of color.
Summary Heavy duty flooring systems and industrial coatings require surface evaluation, accurate system selection and professional installation to prevent expensive problems. Taking the time and effort to understand the potential problems and implementing the correct measures to prevent them is the hallmark of a successful professional flooring installer. Bubbles: Air bubbles may appear as small as a pinhead or greater. They may appear throughout the entire coating or in clusters.
BASF India Ltd
Flooring Surface Preparation
Surface Preparation for Industrial Flooring:

Key to Successful Flooring Systems
MB Bureau Report
famous flooring consultancy owner once rightly said - "A finished floor is only as good as the surface it is laid on!" Had it not been for the numerous floor system failures witnessed over the decades, this statement might not have been received with such acclamation. It is thus now a commonly understood fact that the key to the success of any floor system starts with proper surface preparation,
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without which even the most expensive and technologically advanced coating system is destined to fail!
Why is preparing the surface so important?
Concrete surfaces are prepared before laying down a topcoat not only for superficial reasons but also for mechanical reasons. There are quite a few reasons that cause a floor system to fail. Some major causes are:
Hydrostatic Pressure Thermal Shock Un-qualified Applicators The incorrect system in the wrong environment 5. Most frequently, Improper Surface Preparation As high as 80% of all coating failures can be directly attributed to inadequate surface preparation that affects
1. 2. 3. 4.
coating adhesion. The purpose of surface preparation is to remove all contaminants that can interfere with adhesion, and to develop a surface roughness to promote a mechanical bond. This ensures that a coating has maximum adhesion. Understanding Surface Preparation: Give your floors a new lease on life Once coating or polymer flooring has been selected it is essential that the surface preparation of concrete is done correctly, otherwise optimum performance will not be obtained. Surface preparation is the process of removing preexisting coating(s), residue, organic matter, oxidation, or other contaminants from a surface, and it can range from a basic wipe-down or sanding to a total stripping, using tools and equipment designed specifically for the surface and coating at hand. It requires special planning and evaluation of potential hazards before work can begin. This preparation of a substrate is done by mechanical or chemical means to facilitate the proper bonding conditions for the floor system to be installed. There are many different flooring products and systems each with specific requirements for proper installation, optimum performance and lifespan, and warranty validation. Additionally, there are certain procedures that should always precede the commencement of surface preparation work. Since commencement of work constitutes acceptance of the previous trades' workmanship, it is important to exercise due diligence prior to beginning prep work. It should be verified that the concrete finish, flatness tolerance, structural integrity, and curing meet the project specifications and industry guidelines. Document any surface contamination, staining, or other conditions that could negatively impact the subsequent surface preparation process and flooring installation. Project Considerations Cleaning the floor can be the most woeful of chores and most of us wouldOil and Grease need to be removed prior to surface preparation
Proper floor preparation is the first step in creating beautiful concrete floors like this one
n't mind a small miracle to ease the agony. It's the same reason that seductive new floor cleaning products and systems are constantly introduced to entice us. The contractor must conduct an assessment of the concrete surface prior to preparation. The assessment should include a check on the top layer of the cement and whatever needs to be removed from the concrete surface. For a certain project, the means and
methods used will be determined by the flooring product requirements, the condition of the substrate, and the project logistics. It is therefore essential that due consideration of the preparation is based on the following information: 1) The compressive strength of the existing concrete substrate. 2) Moisture content or relative humidity within the concrete substrate.
cal agents to break down, remove, or profile a surface. Chemical methods can be quite useful but must be undertaken with extreme caution. Proper safety, disposal, and use are critical and best left to experienced, qualified personnel. In some instances, mechanical and chemical processes can be used in concert for maximum efficiency. Modes of Surface Preparation Each surface preparation method has specific processes and uses. The following are the most common processes that are involved: 1. Shot Blasting/Dust-Free or Captive Shot Blasting is employed to remove the top surface of concrete in a controlled manner. A shot blaster uses steel shot in differing sizes (270, 330, 390, etc.) to remove less or more of the surface as required. The larger the number, the more aggressive the surface removal will be. Among the many methods used, this one is the cheapest, most common, and the one which is most effective. This method also uses a dust extraction unit. Dust is prevented from moving around in the area in order to allow the work to continue smoothly. All dust and contaminants are collected by a vacuum system which permits the immediate application of the coating system. All deposits of oil or grease must be removed before shot blasting. It also eliminates drying time and costly disposal procedure associated with other surface preparation methods and produces the highest bonding character among all methods. 2. Scarification - The concrete's deteriorated surface is removed or scarified in this mechanical process. This method uses a machine which grinds, cuts, sands, or breaks away the top layer of the surface to expose a clean, fresh exterior. The purpose is to obtain a sound substrate for the installation of the flooring system. All deposits of oil or grease must be removed before scarifying. Variety of scarifying equipment that range from 8 inch, 12 inch, & 13 inch wide are available and
Shot Blasting in progress
3) Surface contamination i.e: Oil penetration, Grease, Swarf build up, Old coatings, Adhesive and thin based underlay's - these all require various methods of removal to produce a sound clean surface, prior to the installation of subsequent floor coatings and toppings. Surface preparation can be performed via mechanical or chemical
means. Mechanical preparation is the process of cleaning, profiling, or removing a surface from a substrate through physical means. Mechanical preparation is the preferred method for most poured in place floor systems. When mechanical preparation is not possible or required, a chemical process can be utilized. Chemical preparation is the process of using chemi-
Surface after Scarification
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JBA Concrete Solutions
Diamond grinding in action
may be powered by electric batteries or gasoline. All models can be used dry with dust collector or wet to control any airborne dust. 3. Diamond grinding is employed to remove or clean the concrete surface. It creates the perfect profile for thin to medium build flooring systems. This is a Dry Method of concrete surface preparation. Triple head machines are used to remove undulations & contamination on large area industrial flooring. Diamond grinders employ horizontal, rotating single or multiple disks to remove coatings, level uneven surfaces and polish concrete slabs. Disks possess varying aggressiveness based on the disk surface, which can be dense metals, carbide tips or diamond material. Smaller areas & edgework can be carried out with hand held grinders. Both grinders use diamond cup wheels as the abrasive and incorporate shrouds and dust collectors (vacuums) to keep the process as dust-free as possible. This produces a smooth and clean surface which is ready for stains and thin mil coating application. 4. Acid Etching - Acid Etching is employed for moderate profiling or cleaning of a concrete surface. Muriatic or phosphoric acid is typically diluted in water to achieve the desired effect. The acid solution is poured into
a 'sprinkling can' and then onto the surface. The 'sprinkling can' should be held close to the surface to avoid splashing the acid on adjoining areas. The acid solution is spread onto the surface and agitated into the concrete with an acid resistant deck brush. Once reacted, it is neutralized and rinsed. Acid is hosed in the area to be prepared and two persons operate in this process. Only experienced contractors should use this method. 5. Sanding - Sanding is used to
smoothen the surface between coats of a thin film system to provide a more uniform appearance or to abrade an existing coating. A floor machine with a sanding attachment incorporates differing grit sand paper (36, 80, 120) depending upon the objective. Lower grits are coarser and are for roughing; higher grits are finer and used for smoothing. This method is perfect for re-coating existing floors. This process can be done wet or dry and is quick and inexpensive. 6. Sand/ Hydro/ Air Blasting - Either wet or dry blasting can be used. Blasting of concrete requires removal of loose and powdery concrete along with laitance. Vacuuming or air blasting is required to remove all sand and dust. All deposits of oil or grease must be removed before blasting. Pressure washing is employed primarily on exterior projects for aggressive surface washing/cleaning. Hydro-Blasting is employed to aggressively remove a surface. Unlike pressure washing, hydro-blasting is often considered a demolition operation since it can exert extreme (over 20,000 psi) pressure capable of wholesale removal of surface materials. 7. Chemical treatments - Extraction (steam cleaning) is utilized when
Scraping of a water proofing membrane
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Floorkotes Pvt.Ltd
tions. Wet methods should only be employed where moisture is not a concern and adjacent areas will not be affected by water intrusion. Certain mechanical processes have very specific power requirements and use large equipment that can be difficult to maneuver in some project conditions. Chemical processes may not be suitable in occupied facilities or locations many a times. Proper surface preparation procedures will meet all of the flooring product's requirements as well as serve the best interest of the project's needs. The most critical factor in the selection of surface preparation methods is the recommendation of the floor coating manufacturer.
Hydro Blasting for surface preparation
Regular Maintenance: Vital for long term welfare is used to remove existing coatings or sealers from a concrete surface. The agent is applied to the coating and chemically attacks it, breaking down its composition. Benefits and Limitations Each procedure offers different benefits and possesses specific limitaThere is not a surface available that can be used without cleaning and maintenance and remain in optimum condition. Typically, the floor is subject to the most abuse in any normal business. Keeping the floor in good condition takes a little forethought and a consistent effort. The first step to maintaining floors is preventing as much soil, debris, and potential damaging agents from being introduced to the environment in the first place. Interior and exterior walk-off mats can minimize the amount of sand, water, and foreign matter that are tracked onto the floor. Limiting contaminants will simplify the maintenance process. Once prepared, care should be taken to prevent soil, staining, or contamination on the surface prior to the finished flooring installation. Since preparation is generally performed for the installation of a floor system, maintenance will be dictated by the finished flooring specified. Obviously, a properly selected coating system will outlast an improperly selected system under the same conditions. But with correct surface preparation, the properly selected coating system delivers maximum performance through an even longer service life, further reducing the annual cost of protective maintenance.
removing stains or fine contaminants from a surface. By firing steam through a vacuum system, contaminants are sucked out of the surface pores. Emulsification is the least harsh form of chemical treatment. It generally employs citrus based agents that are capable of dissolving curing compounds or film forming acrylic membranes. Stripping
Using a system of grinding, polishing and buffing for maintaining and restoring the floor
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STP Ltd
Communication Feature
A Revolutionary Polished Concrete System for Making Old Floors as Good as New
he flooring industry in India has been witnessing the rapid influx of several new technologies in the recent past. One concept that has been finding an increasing number of takers has been polished concrete. Polished Concrete has been fast gaining acceptance in rejuvenating existing and old concrete surfaces to a new and fresh look.
Among the various flooring solutions available, FGS Permashine System has carved a niche for itself. FGS Permashine System is a patented polished concrete system offered by M/s. L&M Construction Chemicals which gives the owner of the facilities and flexibility to have aesthetically pleasing concrete floors which requires zero maintenance. FGS Permashine System is the first concrete polishing system approved by International Floor Safety Institute, USA as a high traction floor system. Moreover, FGS Permashine treated floors comply with ADA & OSHA requirements. FGS Permashine System is also one of the first polished concrete systems to be GreenSpec listed and is a continuing member of the US Green Building Council. 6 Step Process The case Study shown herewith focuses on an existing facility which was constructed in late 19th century which was originally a cold storage unit and which was approximately 109 years old. The new owner wanted to rehabilitate the floor but did not want to break the old base and reconstruct the floor. Hence, after evaluating a variety of options, the client chose to go with the solution offered by L&M Construction Chemical's patented FGS Permashine Polished Concrete System. The floor was in a very bad condition which was badly damaged to surface deterioration and also the earlier owner had installed train car trackbeds as well as the floor was off level by as much as 7 to 8 inches from end to end. A substantial portion of the floor was covered with Asbestos floor tiles which also had large cavities along with embedded wood chips and blocks that may have been used by the previous
owner of the facility to try and maintain the floor level. The surface preparation system which was adopted of was removed the tiles in a systematic manner followed by the removal of the mastic layer which was also applied on the floor and finally exposed the bare concrete substrate. L&M's high performance patch and repair products were used to achieve the pre surface preparation stabilisation required for the surface. The joints were opened up of the floor and all the cracks, major as well as minor were filled up using crack repair products as well as poly urea based products. Thereafter the joints were filled with poly urea joint fillers for better joint protection. The final pre surface preparation was to protection all the edges in periphery of the facility where the wall and the floor of the facility building meet. This completed the 4 steps and initial surface preparation.
Step 1: Tile Removal
The Challenge: 109 yr. old concrete with badly damaged vinyl tile that was installed 25yrs. ago
Step 2: Mastic Removal
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Nina Concrete Systems Pvt.Ltd
Step 3: Joint & Crack Filling
Step 5b: Grinding - Transition phase
Step 3a: Joint & Cracks cleaned before polyurea
Step 5c: Grinding Polishing phase FGS/Permashine - Finished Flooring system
Step 4: Edge Detail
Step 6: FGS/Permashine Application & Buff
Key Step The fifth step included 3 stages of heavy duty grinding of the floor surface to achieve improved surface tolerance as well as rejuvenating the old concrete surfaces through the polished concrete system. The surface grinding was done by diamond polishing methods. Thereafter FGS Permashine System's Chemical Densification using FGS Hardener Plus
Step 5a: Grinding - Aggressive phase
andsurface enhancing chemical, FGS Concrete Conditioner was used for the floor densification and hardening the concrete surface. The floor was then finally polished to a level of semi gloss effect that ensured a good life reflectivity and lustre in the floor. The end result was a floor that was unusually resistant to chipping, flaking and marring while its shine had been enhanced. Needless to say the owner of the facility is now an extremely satisfied man and thankful to FGS Permashine Polished Concrete Floor System for making the floor bright and new. For more information on FGS Permashinepolished concrete system get in touch with the company at info@impactfloors.co.in
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Ironite Co.of India Ltd
Resin Flooring
The Importance of Preparation When Installing a Resin Flooring System in the Food Industry
John L. Lord & Son Ltd., Lancashire
ost clients in the Food Industry who order a performance resin flooring system are surprised at the thoroughness and complexity of the preparation work undertaken prior to installation. A number of clients question the cost and effect on programme that a comprehensive preparation of the subfloor can levy, but few realise the vital importance of this activity. All sub-floors are different, especially older floors with previous use. A thorough investigation of the sub-floor specification and the history of usage is essential. In addition, a detailed inspection of the surface for telltale signs
of structural issues is of equal importance. There is no doubt that all clients want super long term durable resin floors which will perform under their operating conditions. The main purpose of surface preparation is to provide a sub-floor surface which is structurally sound, clean and free of contaminants which could either affect the adhesion of a resin floor (oils, fats, greases, water dampness) or affect the chemical curing or the resin primer or screed (acids, alkalis and bleaches used in cleaning regimes). The other main purpose of surface preparation is to achieve a surface pro-
file which will provide a mechanical key and allow some surface penetration if possible. The mechanical key is a measure of the roughness, openness or texture of the sub-floor surface. A suitable mechanical key should be quite easily achievable through a variety of preparation procedures. The vast majority of sub-floors which are to be overlaid with a resin based flooring system are concrete. Other materials regularly have resin based floor finishes, such as steel decking and timber floors. But, for the purposes of this article we will concentrate on the correct approach to concrete sub-floors.
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Resin Flooring
If new concrete floors are part of a flooring project, correct specification of the concrete is of paramount importance. Thickness of slabs, effective D.P .M's, strength of concrete used, type and level of reinforcement as well as surface finish (powerfloat) and surface tolerance are all vital considerations. Experienced resin flooring manufacturers and installers can help with concrete sub-floor specifications to achieve overall success. Choosing the Correct Method of Preparation There are a number of preparation methods and a vast array of equipment at the contractors disposal. Most projects will utilise a combination of methods and equipment. Vacuum Assisted Shot Blasting For installation areas generally of 150m2 and over, the most speedy and efficient method of surface preparation is vacuum assisted shot blasting. This system is fully enclosed and propels a variety of (usually) steel shot at the concrete surface at high velocity. The shot blasting equipment is designed to recirculate the shot but to extract all the concrete dust and debris which is created by the surface impact, away to an industrial sized vacuum positioned closely to the main machine. Vacuum assisted shot blasting provides an excellent and uniform mechanical key whilst simultaneously removing surface contamination and any laitance from the concrete surface. As mentioned above, the size of the installation together with the accessibility will determine the practicality of using this preparation method. The equipment is normally brought to site on the back of a lorry which also houses a powerful diesel generator which in turn powers the shot blasting machine and industrial vacuum unit. The ability to offload the lorry or reverse on to a loading dock is essential as is the ability to drive or transport by forklift truck the equipment to the workface. Width and height of door openings
becomes a consideration when contemplating the use of this type of equipment. The benefits of using vacuum assisted shot blasting are speed (a concrete surface area of between 500 - 1000m2 can be prepared in one working day). The set cost of this operation and the possible traveling time involved by the operating crew will determine the cost effectiveness of using this type of preparation service. Obviously vacuum assisted shot blast treatment is very cost effective on larger areas but can work out to be expensive in small areas with less accessible geographic locations. Although various types and sizes of shot are available, this preparation procedure will leave a varying profile on the concrete surface which is of no relevance where trowel applied resin systems of 2mm thickness or greater are to be installed. However, thin resin coatings or sealers will show any shot blast profile or tram lining where machine passes overlap which may not be acceptable in terms of aesthetics. Diamond Grinding An alternative to vacuum assisted shot blasting is heavy duty diamond
grinding. Diamond grinding machines vary in size from small handheld units to small to large upright units. Diamond grinding therefore has greater flexibility in relation to size of installation. All diamond grinding equipment must also be attached to industrial vacuums and all equipment that is used for this purpose has attachment points for vacuum extraction. A variety of diamond head profiles are available to use with grinding machines which will have an effect on the finished surface profile and the speed of action. Diamond grinding can be used to create a finer textured profile on to a concrete surface which is more suitable for thinner resin coatings and sealers but may need additional profiling with other equipment to ensure the maximum mechanical bond when laying more heavy duty systems. Scarifying and Scabbling Scarifying equipment is generally smaller and more manoeuvrable than vacuum assisted shot blast equipment. Scarifying therefore will be the preferred choice of surface preparation on smaller or less accessible installation projects. A typical scarifying machine utilises tungsten tipped star shaped
Experienced resin flooring manufacturers and installers can help with concrete sub-floor specifications to achieve overall success
Resin Flooring
flails which are loosely fixed to a rotating drum, driven by the power source. The rotating drum allows the tungsten flails to impact on the floor surface causing an aggressive, multi-impact profile which is eminently suitable for thicker, trowel applied resin coatings and screeds but not suitable for thin coatings and sealers. Scabbling preparation equipment is a similar type of preparation procedure but even more aggressive because of the vertical impacting nature of the tungsten tipped pistons. This equipment is generally run by compressed air from diesel powered compressors sited at a nearby outdoor location. Scabbling is normally only undertaken where a significant thickness of the concrete surface has to be removed either due to deep seated contamination and/or structural surface weakness. Detergent Washing An effective method of removing certain types of surface contamination can be detergent washing. Specially formulated chemical detergents have been formulated to address specific surface contaminants such as oil and fat based materials but can also be used to help neutralise acid or alkalis based contamination. A wide variety of equipment can be used in conjunction
with cleaning detergents and chemicals. These include high pressure jet wash and rotating scrubbing machines. The additional option of using heat either in the form of hot detergent application or flash steam cleaning can also aid the decontamination process. It is usually essential that once decontamination washing has been carried out, a thorough rinsing regime is employed to remove all residue. Usually, the substrate must then be allowed to fully dry off prior to further activity. Detailed Preparation Procedures In addition to the main line sub-floor preparation procedures listed above, a wide variety of additional, detailed preparation procedures provide important enhancements to the long term success of any installation. Most of the larger and heavy duty preparation equipment will not access floor areas close to walls, corners, under staircases and around plinths and equipment. Handheld diamond grinders and other small pieces of preparation equipment are therefore essential to provide a continuous level of preparation throughout the surface area. In the case of more heavy duty resin based flooring systems of say 3mm thickness and greater, the introduction of toe in grooves is advisable at many loca-
tions. Toe in grooves are basically a Ushaped slot which is cut into the floor using a handheld, double diamond bladed cutting machine which will introduce a toe in groove of suitable dimensions to suit the resin flooring system to be installed. It is advisable that this detail is installed at all perimeter and division walls, around all day joints, expansion joints and other floor interruptions such as drainage units, plinths, equipment legs, stanchion bases and the like. Additional Issues and Side Effects When considering the method of preparation to a given floor installation, the flooring contractor must also consider the effect of noise, vibration and dust especially if the client's operatives continue to work in close proximity. Effective screening around the work areas can improve matters in relation to dust but noise level, impacting and vibration must be addressed by programming if unavoidable. Similarly, the removal of consequential concrete dust and/or contaminants from the workface must be considered, especially in land locked areas within a food factory. Also the disposal of said debris must be given consideration in relation to the correct health and safety disposal directives which are becoming ever more stringent. The Long Term Value of Correct Preparation Procedures The above information presents a daunting array of worrying possibilities to some potential clients. However, sufficient forethought and planning together with well organized execution will result in a timely and effective conclusion to the preparation issue. This work is unavoidable if a client requires piece of mind in relation to the success of a long term durable resin flooring installation. The consequences of premature failure in relation to loss of production and possibly removal of plant and equipment underline the fact that the correct level of sub- floor preparation should never be compromised.
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Conmat Systems Pvt.Ltd
A One-of-its's-kind Online Platform for Reinforcing Your Knowledge about SFRC Technology
he words Bekaert and Dramix are enough to immediately conjure up images of world-class flooring. Founded in 1880 by Leo Leander Bekaert, the company's growth story has been nothing short of phenomenal. As the world's largest independent manufacturer of drawn steel wire products, the company now serves customers in over a whopping 120 countries. The extent of the growth of the company can be gauged from the fact that it has generated combined sales of 4.6 billion Euros in 2011. The construction sector accounts for 18% of the total sales of the group, with a list of different applications in architectural, landscaping solutions, and concrete reinforcement, to mention only some. The growth and growth of the now world- renowned Dramix steel fibres makes for interesting reading. These steel fibres were developed way back in 1973. Designed especially for the reinforcement of concrete, they are made out of prime quality hard-drawn steel wire which ensures high tensile strength at extremely close tolerance along with hooked ends, while also delivering optimum anchorage. The Indian journey of the Bekaert started in 1985. Bekaert India started with introducing Dramix steel fibre reinforced shotcrete in the country. Since then the company has had a major presence in hydro segment for steel fibre reinforcing concrete (SFRC) shotcreting for tunnels. The company also successfully launched Dramix SFRC solution for slab-on-grade application way back in 2007. It is a testimonial to the high standards of quality and services set by the company that today; Bekaert India has crossed 400 projects only in slab-on-grade
application with the support of Lafarge, Ultratech & expert flooring contractors with these projects encompassing more than 2 million sq. mtr. area. Flooring Industry in India India has been emerging as a key market for flooring over the past two decades. The flooring industry though has been relatively unorganized in the country. Contractors, builders, and developers have been looking to cut down on 'under-construction' time by using latest construction technologies. This has in turn led to decrease in the overall operational expenditures and also improved the construction quality. Though such formulations have been limited for use in only large-scale infrastructure projects like up- market private constructions, it is expected that the usage will slowly pick up in all the other construction areas as well. When it comes to industrial flooring, typical conventional technologies such as Tremix have been ruling the roost in the past two-three decades in India. There was not much technological
advancement seen in the field as in the case of other components of a building such as walls or roofs. However, in the last 4-5 years there has been tremendous improvement in knowledge and usage of new techniques such as Laser Screed and Steel fibre reinforced concrete. Bekaert has always been in the forefront when it comes to increasing its own and its customer's knowledge levels. It is towards this process that the company has launched the popular Dramix Club. With Dramix Club, Bekaert wants to create, a knowledge bank, where the company wants to exchange its global experience, knowledge and find ways and means
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to facilitate the flooring industry in the country. Unique Online Knowledge- Sharing Platform Bekaert, the pioneer in steel fibre reinforced concrete market, is continuing its efforts for propagation of the technology in India through the launch of its first-of-its-kind online information platform Dramix Club. The setting up of the online professional extranet will help Bekart to deliver a wealth of support information, expert advice, tips, and ideas on a daily basis, thereby making working with steel fibres much easier. The extent of Bekaert's expertise in the field of SFRC can be gauged from the fact that as of today every year, 6 million m concrete is being reinforced with Dramix steel Fibres. Bekaert is targeting an exclusive group of building professionals with the launch of its unique online platform. Dramix Club is intended to increase the awareness levels of the different stakeholders of the Indian flooring industry, be it contractors, architects, flooring specialists, investors, ready-mix companies, precast companies, or tunneling specialists. The online platform has been hosted with the aim of providing any professional with valuable knowledge about the use of the SFRC technology and not just Dramix steel fibres. Some of the key points that Bekaert wants to meet with the launch of Dramix Club include: Dramix Drapro-Tool for slab-onground calculation Dramix Club includes a link to Dramix Drapro slab-on-ground calculation software for engineering offices. Dramix Drapro calculations for steel fiber concrete are based on yield line theory and ultimate limit states. Bekaert's calculation tool has been developed together with engineers worldwide, and has been used at testing laboratories and for thousands of steel fiber concrete projects worldwide during the last 30 years.
Dramix Club product library The Dramix Club product library includes a wide range of information that is free to use and always up to date in terms of worldwide certifications and quality assurance systems. The product library is maintained by dedicated Bekaert engineers who make sure that all content is up to academic standards. Dramix Club's Speakers' Corner The Dramix Club's Speakers' Corner's will offer text and video testimonials from building professionals putting their steel fiber technology to use. Access to Dramix Projects Dramix Club users also will be able to browse through an extensive reference database of steel fiber projects around the world. Lunch & Learn Bekaert welcomes the opportunity to present to you and your engineering/ architectural staff. The lunch and
learn program will cover from steel fiber basics to the latest news in the steel fiber industry. Launch Program Recently Bekaert's building products division had organized a special launch program on the occasion of the launch of the Dramix Club. The Dramix Club was launched by well-known industry specialists Mr. Anuj Maheshwari, Head Technical UltraTech Concrete & Mr. Sanjay Tekale, Managing Director, STA Concrete Flooring Solutions. During the launch Mr. Anuj Maheshwari, Head Technical UltraTech Concrete, stated This is a good initiative by Bekaert. It is one of the firsts, not only for the flooring industry but entire construction industry in India. With this platform available for the industry professionals it will increase the knowledge penetration of SFRC within the Indian flooring industry. This platform coming from Bekaert, offering detailed technical & practical information on the use of SFRC, is a prime example of how Bekaert aims and strives to benefit the industry for the propagation of SFRC in India. Mr. Sanjay Tekale, Managing Director, STA Concrete Flooring Solutions, while speaking on the
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Photo Left to Right: Mr. Ganesh Chaudhari, General Manager - Building Products, Mr. Sanjay Tekale, Managing Director, STA Concrete Flooring Solutions, Mr. Anuj Maheshwari, Head Technical - Ultratech Concrete
occasion said, Bekaert & STA association dates back to the starting years of Bekaert. In fact, STA Flooring was the first flooring contractor to execute SFRC floors in India with Dramix steel fibres . Mr.Sanjay Tekale added that Dramix Club is an excellent initiative by Bekaert to propagate the
knowledge of SFRC from its global resources, and is sure to add to the value Bekaert has already added to the Indian market. Mr.Arif A Siddiqui, Founder Director, Coign Consulting in his message stated This initiative of developing a Knowledge forum will bring about
How to register?
01 02 03 04
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Arif A Siddiqui
Founder Director, Coign Consulting
Visit http://dramixclub.bekaert.com
knowhow, education and intellectual and practical experience and will further strengthen the confidence of all the stakeholders from asset owners, to asset constructors to asset users, which in my view will lead to a Comprehensive & Collaborative ownership.
Click 'register'
For further details:

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Bekaert India
E-mail: building.india@bekaert.com Web:www.bekaert.com
After you completed your registration, Bekaert will process your subscription and send an answer within 2 business days.
Silicone Concepts Int.Pvt.Ltd
Durable, Affordable & Warranted AVCON Flooring Systems
Finished Grade & Deck Slab
vcon Technics Pvt Ltd is a leading name in the country offering a range of flooring solutions incorporating the latest technologies. The company is the first flooring company in India to have ISO9001:2000 Certification for flooring design and installation, besides manufacturing of specialty flooring products. The company has gained
A
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reputation for floorings having high end applications. Avcon's specification's and products have become a benchmark and a reference for many a large size projects demanding high quality floors. In its quest for continual improvement and offering durable floors to the industry at large at affordable prices, Avcon offers a basket of products and systems for new and old floors. According to the company new flooring
Ajay Singam
Director, Avcon Technics Pvt. Ltd.
Aquarius Technologies Pvt.Ltd
Oxford Work
system offers incomparable features vis--vis VDF floors. Some of the key features include: Optimized floor design. Concrete with low bleed and having uniform grading. Reduced shrinkage cracking. Higher output, minimized construction joints. Tougher joint edges and suitable sealing system. Volume stable concrete floor section eliminating curling, warping of panels, a common problem associated with VDF flooring process. Economical Floorings systems for suspended slabs, parking floors offering a savings upto 30%.
Avcon also offers a host of add-on services, which helps clients in their planning and cost optimization. Floor repairs, refurbishment and strengthening is a specialized branch of floorings. Avcon has close to 2 decades of experience on such projects across India. The company has developed products and systems with excellent track record of performance. Most of these projects were undertaken in operating industrial units, with minimum down time. Key aspects of these projects include: Improved load transfer mechanism across construction joints. Joint edge repairs. Crack sealing.
Patch repairs. Complete surface treatment with nominal level changes. Strengthening of total floor to meet the demands of higher floor loading or inadequate existing floor.
The company is also the name behind AVCRETE products, which are a requirement, based product range, conceived, conceptualized, formulated and tested to Indian working conditions and with a proven track record of almost a decade. Avcrete-LMC - ready-to-use cementitious floor repair and refurbishment product has been extensively used for almost a decade in various Industry segments. Many of VDF finished floors have a tendency of self generating dust due to weak top layer comprising of higher fines. Avcrete-LMC can be applied in minimum thickness of 10mm and offers high strength, abrasion resistant floors which do not generate dust. Avcon also offers floor grinding and hardening treatment to pitted, delaminated, and worn out old floors. Liquid based treatments are also offered on new floors to develop dust free and high gloss surface.

Avcon Technics Pvt. Ltd.
2, Vastychaya, 326, Navi Peth, Pune-411030 Ph: +91-20-24332066, 24321966 E-mail: info@avcontechnics.com Website: www.avcontechnics.com
Heavy Duty Floor
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Lipi Polymers Pvt.Ltd
Top Notch Flooring Solution for the Food and Beverage Industry
echnology has impacted every sphere of flooring and it is not any different in the case of the food industry. A food and beverage manufacturing environment has got its own specialized requirement when it comes to the floor. Flowcrete India Private Limited is a company that specializes in manufacturing highquality, resin-based floor and wall coating systems designed for use in the food and beverage sector. The company offers the well-known Flowfresh range which is ideally suited for the requirements of the food manufacturing and food preparation sectors. The unique challenges of the sector need flooring material that can deliver a clean, safe and sanitized environment that meets a wide range of critical
health and safety standards. It is not therefore surprising that clients in the food industry need to consider a number of factors when zeroing in on a new floor finish. The floors for example, must be able to be cleaned effectively and thoroughly, must not absorb grease, food substances or water, harbour pests or bacteria and not allow for pooling of water. It is imperative that all floors in food manufacturing and preparation zones, as well as staff breakout areas and amenities, have a non-slip surface, so as to prevent slips and trips. The trowel-applied seamless epoxy or polyurethane resin system such as the Flowfresh range from Flowcrete India, meets all these criteria making it the preferred choice in the food industry these days.
Not only does the Flowfresh polyurethane flooring range offer clients an enhanced hygiene performance resulting from a seamless installation combined with the material's excellent durability and resistance, but additionally Flowfresh offers a further innovation to make the completed floor finish more effective than ever before. Containing a powerful thermosetting amino compound, which is incorporated within the polyurethane resin matrix of the flooring material, the Flowfresh system has been designed to offer clients complete surface protection against harmful bacteria, mould and yeasts. The technology can positively inhibit the growth of both gram positive and gram negative bacteria including SARS, E-coli, MRSA, C.diificile and
Givaudan, India
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Eurostock Foods, UK
Salmonella typhi amongst others, with international studies showing a 99.9% reduction in the bacterial population of a typical floor. What is more this protection remains active for the lifetime of the floor, even if worn or damaged, offering clients' peace of mind in terms of hygiene. The flooring systems from Flowcrete are either rake or trowel applied in-situ,
resulting in a seamless finish that prevents dirt, dust and bacteria from building up in cracks and crevices an unavoidable problem when working with any tile-based product. The substrate of any food manufacturing or preparation facility should preferably be concrete, and graded to floor drainage outlets to prevent pooling of water. Drainage outlets
should be located adjacent to water supply points including sinks, basins and dishwashers. Special attention also needs to be given to the installation of floor finishes at drain outlets as well as floor and wall junctions to prevent the build-up of dirt and grease and maintain the integrity of the waterproofing. This is area where Flowfresh systems score high. Not only can all the systems be installed in conjunction with drainage components, but a coving option is available to clients looking to achieve the ultimate hygiene performance. The rising popularity of Flowfresh systems can be gauged from the fact that it has become a preferred choice among leading names with recent installations of the material for PepsiCo, Coca-cola, and Jubiliant Foodworks.

Flowcrete India Private Limited
Ph:+91-44-42029831, E-mail: india@flowcrete.com Web: www.flowcrete.in
Albany Bakeries, South Africa
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Diverse Range of Flooring Solutions Catering to Various Types of Industries

repair costs of the floor and the usually sensitive material handling equipment not being able to provide optimum productivity. This leads to loss in throughput which in turn leads to loss of precious revenue. Flooring is one aspect that as mentioned earlier is often not given the kind of importance it deserves. The trend in the industry is to combine the floor construction with the main civil package. Due importance on design and execution is not offered which leads to more callbacks by the client and a lot of dissatisfaction. The major aim at Impact Floors India Pvt Ltd is to prevent such happenings and make sure that the client is provided with world-class flooring solutions. Impact Floors India Pvt Ltd was established in the year 2009. The company is a focused, design and build company which offers turnkey solutions for concrete floors. Impact Floors is a part of the NINA Group of companies and are catering to the needs of the manufacturing, warehousing, and supply chain sectors, offering turnkey solutions for concrete floors, concrete hardstandings, and external road pavement areas. We offer custom solutions with floors designs to suit every application with our expertise being in jointless floor and high tolerance floors, which require to be constructed as per the industry benchmarks of TR 34, DIN standards and F- Numbers system. Impact Floors have created 3 distinct systems to suit client needs which are ,'Impact Free Floor', ' Impact High Perform', and 'Impact Strat Floor'. Let us take a look at these three systems one by one. Impact Free Floor Impact Free Floor offers design flexibility to users with joint-free slab designs which offer panel sizes ranging from 30 mtr x 30mtr to 50mtr x 50mtr without any sawn induced joints. This leads to improved performance with complete flexibility in floor usage. Design of this system includes use of steel fibres having undulated round shaped with aspect ratio ranging from 50 to 60. The use of steel fibres helps in improved performance of floor slabs related with improved fatigue resistance, better crack bridging properties, higher flexural load bearing capacity, improved moment values, and higher impact resistance in concrete thus making the concrete more ductile. The system incorporates proprietary ingredients and admixtures to offer the right performance of the concrete on a long term basis. Impact Floors have invested in the state of the art laser screed copperhead XD 2.0 machines to achieve higher output and offer floor tolerances which are simply unmatched with conventional vacuum dewatered floors which offer only a limited scope of value in the floor space. Impact High Perform Impact High Perform is a custom solution offering floor design and construction using techniques to achieve target floor flatness and floor levelness laid down by clients and consulting firms from the material handling and racking partners. This method of construction is best suited
Kaushal Parikh
Vice Chairman & CEO, Impact Floors India Pvt. Ltd.
he floors along with the roof are the most critical components of a facility, be it a manufacturing facility, a process area or the warehousing industry or a retail space. While being an important component, more often the key role performed by floors is overlooked. It has to be understood that floors are subject to a variety of load factors. This could vary based on the various types of usages of different clients. Manufacturing facilities generally have majority of uniformly distributed live loads with forklifts (material handling equipment) movement, handling all sorts of products and materials. Similarly, in the case of warehousing and distribution centres, the designs are dominated by rack post loads. This leads to point loads which can be very heavy and hence demand thicker concrete sections. Most designs are dominated with conventional steel reinforcement and have closely spaced joints and panels. Designs at times do not account for punching shear stresses due to back to back racking arrangements. Hence, floors tend to warp and curl leading to unequal load transfer which in turn leads to failure of joints, finally leading to increased maintenance, higher
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Ajax Fiori Engineering (I) Pvt.Ltd
capacity thus offering optimized concrete performance. Impact Strat Floors Impact Strat Floors are designed with blended fibre reinforcement system, correctly spaced jointed panels, plate dowels for load transfer at construction joints and optional use of plate basket assemblies at contraction joints. All floor systems offered by Impact Floors have final floor treatment with liquid surface hardening systems which are cost effective, durable and make the concrete dustproof, sealed and hardened. Seal Hard system is a liquid patented water based compound which penetrates into the concrete and seals the capillaries of the concrete making the top surface tough and resistant to seepage of water, oil etc. Impact Floors also offers 'FGS Permashine' polished concrete floor systems an alternative solution to
for VNA floors, flat floors, floors with high tolerance requirements. Design includes extensive performance by high performance rheology modifiers, strength enhancing admixtures, steel fibres and integrated usage of the state of the art plate dowels and leave in place formwork and load transfer systems for aisle, marshalling zones. Impact High Perform gives designers flexibility with a high safety factors in design with flexibility of optimum load
concrete surfaces that are worn out or for those clients who are on the lookout for alternatives to epoxy and polyurethane coatings due to their limited service life. FGS Permashine is a onetime system that eliminates the need for costly floor coverings such as epoxy and polyurethanes and offers a clean glossy concrete floor surface with excellent high traction floors. Finally, Impact Floors also offers a composite service for floor profiling and surveying existing and new floors to offer guidance on floor flatness and levelness and turnkey solution in floor rectification process.
Impact Floors India Pvt. Ltd.
Mani Bhuvan, 4th Floor, 54, Hughes Road, Chowpatty, Mumbai - 400007. Ph: +91-22-67166060 Fax: +91-22-67166001 E-mail: info@impactfloors.co.in Web: www.impactfloors.co.in
A Breakthrough in
Saving Buildings
from Earthquakes
Engineer William Parnell, a Senior Lecturer in Applied Mathematics in the School of Mathematics at the University of Mancheste in England has formulated a new theory to save buildings from earthquake damage. His idea is to hide them. He suggests wrapping a building's base or at least key components in specialized rubber that diverts certain temblor shock waves leaving the building virtually untouched by them. Parnell's 'elastodynamic' cloak is built on a familiar concept related to trajectory of light. Scientists make objects appear invisible by encasing them within substances that have been engineered to alter the trajectory of light. When light waves pass through the cloak, they are channeled like water flowing around a rock. According to Parnell's mathematical model, it's possible to channel seismic waves around an object by placing it at the precise center of an underground rubber cloak. Parnell calculates that if rubber is pre-stressedstretched in a specific mannerit can mimic the capabilities of light-cloaking materials. Earthquakes are generated when two sections of the earth's crust suddenly slip against each other along a fault line, releasing energy that ripples through the surrounding rock as seismic waves. Among the most destructive are Love waves (named after British mathematician A.E.H. Love), which move the ground side to side in a zigzagging fashion. Parnell's cloak should prevent the structure from feeling Love waves at all. And, additional calculations indicate the cloak could potentially lessen the impact of other types of seismic wavessuch as P waves, which alternately compress and stretch rock as they move through the ground. While it may not be practical to surround whole buildings with rubber rings, cloaks could be placed around pilings or important electrical components. Earthquake damage is not necessarily just caused by buildings falling down, but also by fires caused by electrical problems, Parnell says. The earthquake cloak will be put to the test by engineers Biswajit Banerjee and Emilio Calius at Industrial Research Limited in New Zealand. They plan to create a pre-stressed region around a hole in a circular slab of rubber-like silicon. Then they'll measure whether vibrations are diverted around the hole.
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Apollo Hawkeye Pedershaab Concrete Technologies Pvt.Ltd
Next Generation Concrete Reinforcing Fiber

he increased emphasis on sustainable building strategies has meant that researchers around the world are coming out with various types of path breaking products and solutions. One product that has been attracting the attention of the construction fraternity globally in recent times has been 'Hercules Fibers D5'. The cellulose reinforcement fiber for concrete has been described nothing less than a revolutionary cellulose fiber, by the Hercules Group, a member of the American Concrete Institute, which is behind its invention. According to the company, Hercules Fibers D5 supersedes the best qualities of other reinforcing fibers and it is the next generation of reinforcing fiber for concrete because it is capable of achieving excellent results. According to the company, Hercules Fibers D5 provides superior finishability and has no restrictions or barriers to normal finishing techniques, which include trowel, swirl, broom, exposed, decorative, coloured, and stained. Some other advantages of using Hercules D5 include: Alternate system to welded wire fabric when used for secondary reinforcement in concrete. Reduces plastic shrinkage and temperature crack formation in concrete. Provides enhanced hydration which improves concrete strength.
A portrait Hercules Fibers D5
Improves bond strength between rebar and cement paste. Reduces water permeability and water absorption in concrete. Improves concrete impact resistance. Improves concrete shatter resistance. Improves concrete durability. Improves concrete freeze/thaw durability.
Concrete overlay of highway surface, Oklahoma, USA
Ideally Suited for Colouring of Floors Hercules Fibers D5 is ideally suited for colouring of floors. Integral colors are supplied in liquid or powder form. Liquid coloring happens at the ready mix facility utilizing a color machine similar to those found at paint stores. When delivered to the job site, the concrete arrives colored to the chosen shade. However, care should be taken concerning water addition as the color will not remain at the chosen shade. Proper curing is required to ensure color uniformity. No additional techniques are required that are unique to decorative concrete during placement and finishing. Powder colors only allow for a 10% maximum addition by weight of cement. This addition can be done either at the plant or at the jobsite. According to the
company, if powder is added at the jobsite, then an additional 30 revolutions of the drum are required at full speed to ensure proper mixing. For optimal results, the company recommends using the same brand of cement, aggregates, and sand until the completion of the project, as well as the same cement to pigment ratio. Natural ingredients can and will affect the final color. As a note of caution the company states that calcium chloride should not be used as a set accelerator, since this has been known to cause undesired discoloration. Dye Coloring Dye coloring is mixed with cement at the jobsite for a topcoat color effect. This allows for a more vibrant color palette with flexibility on the job. All dyes should be proportioned according to manufacturer's dosage rates as they all vary considerably.
Fresh concrete with invisible Hercules Fibers D5
Perfect finish of concrete with Hercules Fibers D5
Smooth finish without any fiber clumping or balling
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Hercules Fibers
Acid Staining As part of the process, the first step involved is painting a layer of suitable acid on the concrete surface. The acid creates porosity and the stain penetrates. Acid stains are dosed based on coverage ratios provided by the manufacturer. Since stains are applied to hardened concrete, no additional finishing techniques are required for fiber reinforced concrete.
As part of its business strategy, Hercules Group is looking to partner with key distributors who are involved in the implementation of the infrastructure projects to stimulate social and economic growth.

Hercules Fibers
E-mail: appoint@herculesgroup.com Web: www.herculesfibers.com
Aesthetically perfect finish through acid staining with invisible Hercules Fibers D5
CIDC's New Training Centre Vishwakarma Ekadash in Bhubaneshwar

CIDC's new training centre Vishwakarma Ekadash has commenced its operation in Bhubaneswar, Odisha from June 2012 which is indeed an another milestone achieved by CIDC in the field of skill development training in construction sector. The Training programme is sponsored by Odisha State Employment Mission, Employment and Technical Education & Training Department, Govt. of Odisha. In this regard, Govt. of Odisha signed MoU with Construction Industry Development Council (CIDC), New Delhi on 20th June at Bhubaneswar with a view to provide gainful employment to the 5000 youth of Odisha through imparting skill development vocational training in a year. While attending the MoU signing ceremony held in Odisha Hon'ble Chief Minister Shri. Navin Patnaik said in a statement that they target to impart vocational training to over 1.7 lakh young boys and girls this year in order to make them self sufficient. He also further stated that the objective of imparting training to tribal youth was to discourage them from joining Maoist outfits. The training mix is a combination of both class room teaching and hands on sessions. The first batch of training has already been commenced in the centre. Besides, training is also being imparted in three more regional centres in Odisha namely Sonepur, Nayagarh, Mayurbhanj. Two more new centres will be opened in Ganjam & Angul districts of Odisha shortly. The training is being imparted in various construction trades such as General Work Supervisor, Land Surveyor, Site Accountant, Electrician etc. At present 500 trainees are enrolled for the training at these centres. The training focuses on raising productivity, quality and safety benchmarks of the work force in the Indian Construction Industry. Odisha Govt. has provided training infrastructure at the location to conduct classes. Beneficiaries are also entitled for free accommodation & fooding. Study & course materials, tools, machinery, equipments, IT infrastructure also are provided to the trainees for an enhanced learning experience. The training is of 3 months duration. The minimum age limit for the training is 18 years. Post completion & successful assessment of skills, all trainees will be awarded certificate. CIDC also provides placement facilitation services to the trainees by organizing Rozgar Melas and placement meets. The aim of the training is to generate suitable employment opportunities and promote livelihood generation for the youth of Odisha in the Construction Sector.
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Nawa Engineers & Consultants Pvt.Ltd
Breaking the Code of Stamped Concrete
B. M. Nagarajan
Director, Neocrete Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
tamped concrete is a term that is being increasingly heard across the construction industry these days. It is however a concept that was originally introduced in the developed world, as back as in the 1950s. It was only though from the 1970s that the concept began to gain popularity. In India though it is still taking baby steps and hopefully takes a giant leap in the near future. This article throws light on the various intricacies and implications of using stamped concrete in order to help customers and developers to make an informed decision and get best returns on their investment. What is stamped concrete? The Wikipedia gives a simple but comprehensive definition for stamped concrete which states, Stamped Concrete is concrete that is patterned and/or textured or embossed to resemble brick, slate, flagstone, stone, tile, wood, and various other patterns and textures. The ability of stamped concrete to resemble other building materials makes stamped concrete a less expensive alternative to using those other authentic materials such as stone, slate or brick.
One of the factors driving demand for stamped concrete is its ability to mimic the aesthetics of other natural building material, while at the same time being more durable. There are three procedures used in stamped concrete which separate it from other concrete procedures; the addition of a base color, the addition of an accent color, and stamping a pattern into the concrete. These three procedures provide stamped concrete with a color and shape similar to the natural building material. It also is longer lasting than paved stone, and still resembles the look. Now, let us dig deeper into this concept and obtain a complete understanding on this subject. Typically, stamped concrete is used as exterior flooring such as pathways, swimming pool decks, patios and sitouts, porticos, pergolas and alike. What are the alternate materials available for such exterior floorings? These include: Bare concrete. Cement tiles. Inter-locking tiles / Paver blocks. Coloured concrete resurfacer. Stamped concrete. Patterned concrete.
desired in various applications stated above. Special functional requirements such as anti-skid characteristics, impermeability, anti-fungal, antialgae properties etc are absent in bare concrete. Concrete is not impervious to variety of atmospheric effects such as carbonation, chloride-attack etc. The inherent porosity of concrete allows penetration of oil, grease etc.
Cement Tiles These are very popular in India for many of the outdoor applications due to their competitive cost, few varieties of colours, designs, and textures and ease of laying. A typical cement-tiled floor can look that shown in the picture. Disadvantages of cement tiles are as follows: The tiles are typically laid over sand bed or lean mix of cement and sand and thus can result in constant breakage arising out of absorption of water etc.
Bare concrete This is perhaps the easiest and most cost-effective way of providing an exterior floor and can virtually be done by any flooring contractor in the country. This also is the most preferred in India today basically because of the cost involved which is typically about ` 30 per sq.ft for about 75mm thick concrete. However, there are several disadvantages of bare concrete, which are as follows: - It does not provide aesthetic look
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Too many joints which can contribute to seepage of oil, grease etc. Availability of colours, designs and textures are limited to the individual manufacturer's production lines.
compacted sub-soil for stamped concrete The following are typical guidelines for achieving quality concrete which are as per standard operating processes. Subgrade: The subgrade must be properly compacted and drained in order to give the bearing support assumed in design. Without support, the slab has little chance of supporting design loads.
Lay the concrete over the area in which stamping has to be done. (Pl refer to detailed guidelines for laying concrete suitable for stamped concrete).
Inter-locking Paver Blocks The most popular method of exterior floorings is the use of paver blocks due to their low cost, ease of assembling as well as dis-assembling, wide availability, abrasion resistance etc. However they do not find favour with discerning clients looking for aesthetic flooring with wide array of choices of designs, patterns, and textures. Paver blocks get dismantled pretty easily leading to few problems of their own.
Contraction (Control) Joint Location: Contraction joints are normally located at specified intervals.. There are several factors to consider when designing the spacing of contraction joints including the thickness of the slab, location and type of reinforcement, potential for slab shrinkage, and many others. In un-reinforced slabs, contraction joints should be spaced in atleast every 3 to 4 metres (for 100 mm slab) or 2 metres for 50 mm slab. Often, structural fibers are used in these slabs to hold cracks tight. Thickness and Grade: Recommended thickness is a minimum of 75 mm and the grade of concrete shall not be less than M20. Typical slump requirement for floor concrete is around 40 to 50mm. Gradient: Non-porous surfaces should be laid to a gradient to assist the removal of surface water. The gradient should be across the width or lengthways depending upon site conditions and the fall must be in a single plane. The gradient is to be min. 1:120, max 1:100. 1:120 is the preferred gradient. Placing Sequence: In many cases, the most efficient way to place concrete in large areas is in long alternating strips. Strip placements allow superior access to the sections being placed. A checkerboard sequence of placement has been used in the past in an effort to permit earlier placements to shrink, and to obtain minimum joint width. However, experience has shown that shrinkage of the earlier placements occurs too slowly for this method to be effective. Access is more difficult and
Spread the coloured stamp powder on the green concrete after allowing the concrete for an hour or so.
Stamped Concrete The Ideal Choice Coloured concrete and stamped concrete go hand in hand and hence are dealt with together. Plain colouring of concrete surface was in vogue in India from early 50's to give generally red -coloured flooring surface. Due to the advent of technological innovations in raw-materials, pigments and additives, colouring of concrete has improved multi-fold in quality and durability. Especially pigments that has excellent UV resistance are available today that makes stamped concrete one of the most durable and beautiful exterior floors. The application of stamped concrete can be best explained pictorially by the following 4 simple steps: Guidelines for laying concrete over
Spread the accent release powder and then stamp the desired pattern using special stamping mats.
Allow the concrete to cure overnight, wash the accent release powder, and apply PU or acrylic sealer coat.
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expensive, and joints may not be as smooth. Bleeding: Excessive bleeding is a major deterrent to achieving quality slab surfaces. Proper concrete mix proportioning, the use of a water reducing admixture and/or high range water-reducing admixture (superplasticizer), controlled vibration and slump, the use of compactable fill as a blotter over vapor barriers and concrete temperature controls should alleviate this problem. Collected bleed water should be removed before the start of finishing operations. Evaporation: Rapid evaporation and moisture loss can result in plastic shrinkage cracking in the slab surface. This undesirable appearance can be minimized or prevented by dampening the concrete with gunny bags and keeping it wet over a minimum period of 14 days. Improper curing will result in surface cracking which will render floor topping ineffective or prone to cracking. Surface Tolerance (Floor leveling): It is highly recommended to minimize surface undulations to the minimum possible value. But at any point, it should not exceed +3mm in any 3m length (non-cumulative). Surface finishing: It is recommended to finish the concrete evenly and uniformly without allowing any blow-holes or loose concrete. Drain: It is necessary to provide a drain longitudinally at the sloppy-end of the floor so as to allow easy drainage of water in case of rain. Excessive accumulated water can affect the top coating. The aesthetics achieved by stamped concrete speaks for itself. The beauty of stamped concrete is unsurpassed, compared to other options, due to its innate ability to offer vast choices in terms of colour, pattern, designs, textures etc. Stamped concrete can be made to reflect the conceptualization of the creative mind of an architect in its purest form. A few typical examples of stamped concrete:
Wood Pattern Stone pattern
European Fan
Random Petit Stone
Slate pattern
Mr. B M Nagarajan is one of the three directors of Neocrete Technologies Pvt Ltd offering value-added flooring systems for both Industrial and c o m m e r c i a l s e c t o r. N e o c r e t e Technologies are the pioneers in offering epoxy terrazzo floors in India. He is a chemical engineer having over 36 years of work experience and can be contacted at: bmnagarajan@gmail.com

Neocrete Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
13-A, Satellite Tower, Film City road Goregaon (East), Mumbai - 400063 Ph:+91-22-32937981 E-mail: neocrete@gmail.com Web: www.neocrete.co.in, www.neocrete.in
Herringbone Brick pattern
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RSB Transmissions India Ltd
Pioneering Latest Concrete Flooring Techniques Together

here have been a few trendsetters behind the rapid growth of the concrete flooring market in India. The names of STA Concrete Flooring Solutions, and the man behind it, Mr.Sanjay Tekale would figure among the pioneers of advanced concrete flooring in the country. In fact, STA is the first flooring company in the country to have a team that has had complete training in concrete flooring from USA. Not only this, STA is the first in India to construct steel fibre reinforced concrete (SFRC) floors with Dramix fibres. In fact, the company boasts of a team of trained manpower, advanced machinery and of such expertise, that they can lay and finish more than 3000 square metres of concrete floor in a day. The company was established in 1989 and has over the period of time specialized in designing, laying and finishing of concrete floorings. Pioneers
in introducing laser screed concrete flooring technique in India STA flooring own and operate large size S240 and copperhead XD2.0 Laser screed. The company has experience of successfully completing 3,50,000 square metres of concrete flooring by using laser screed technique, all over India. Every year STA continues to complete more than 2,00,000 square metres of flooring jobs, using various concrete flooring techniques. SXP- The Progress Flooring is often the last activity that is completed before the commissioning of any industrial plant. The delays that happen during the other activities have their impact on the flooring schedules. With time constraints, there are chances that the quality of flooring may get affected. Solution to this issue though is
available in the form of SXP laser screed technique. STA Concrete Flooring is an expert in the field and with SXP; one can meet the stringent project completion time schedules. The technology comes with the capacity to lay up to 3000 square metres in a day with in built vibrating, leveling, and consolidating mechanism. Very low slump concrete is produced with ease and helps come out with unparalleled floor flatness compared with any concrete floor system, thanks to this technology. SXP is the best for all type of concrete flooring jobs, with the work being completed in 1/3 of the time in comparison with traditional systems. Top Combination T3he combination of SXP and Dramix steel fibres offers the best option for timely or early completion of flooring schedules. First of all, it does not need
STA Floor for Volkswagen
146
Columbia Pakona Engineering Pvt.Ltd
manpower requirement for fast completion. The quality of floor improves drastically as the latest computer controlled machines and techniques are used hence less manual work and assured quality floors. The company has successfully used this technique in projects like Volkswagen, Mahindra Motors, and many of Wal-Mart projects around the country. Floor Flatness Achieving high levels of floor flatness was always considered a process that needed highly skilled manual labour. Nowadays project sizes are getting bigger, with demand for higher output sometime amounting to even 2000 square metres a day. The only solution for tackling this situation is automated computer controlled machine like SXP laser screed as it gives freedom of laying floors in any size and shape. Without compromising quality and need of more man power. FM2/FM1 floors of size of 2000 to 3000 square metres can easily be casted in a day with combination of steel fibres. STA Flooring and Bekaert It is a matter of great pride for STA Flooring that it was the first flooring associate of Bekaert in India. The first project that the combination executed together was Bekaert's own factory
floor in 2008 in Pune. Since then STA and Bekaert have completed in excess of over 20 projects with more than 3 lakh+ square metres of area on a panIndia basis. Both the companies have worked together, trying to propagate the importance of quality flooring within the construction industry. This combination has worked together for projects for major players such as like Lupin Industries Ltd, Volkswagen India Pvt. Ltd, Mahindra & Mahindra, and Hansen Transmissions etc. What makes Bekaert Special? Bekaert is a world leader in steel fibres. Supplying of fibres is just one of the services Bekaert provides, in entirety Bekaert is a total solution provider ,Bekaert provides clients with in-depth technical knowledge, not only of Dramix but answering queries of SFRC in general or in specific .Bekaert also provides site- support, which is really helpful for flooring contractors like STA Concrete Floorings. Significant Projects While there are several projects that STA and Bekaert have done together, Mr.Sanjay Tekale would like to mention the following 3 major projects. Hansen Transmissions: In the case of Hansen Transmissions International, the project for the factory floor spanned
across an area of 87000 sq m and pavement area spread across an area of 40000 square metres. Bekaert & STA Flooring executed the project floor .The floor was casted in a record speed of 1800square metres area per day. Liebherr India: The construction equipment giant chose to build the first ever jointless SFRC floor constructed in India at their newproduction facility in Pune.The state of the art construction machinery manufacturer required flat floor with minimal joints. The solution offered by BEKAERT followed by flooring execution by STA Concrete Flooring Solutions. The slab was constructed by a highly skilled and experienced workforce who laidpanels of 25m x 25m. The selected design option was a Dramix SFRC Jointless floor slab 200mm thick. The floor was constructed using M30 grade concrete reinforced with Dramix 80/60 BN glued hooked end steel fibres at a dosage rate of 30kg per cubic meter and finished to a flatness tolerance of FM2 in accordance with 2003 edition of the TR34.This was Liebherr India's first project in India and the first experience of SFRC joint less slab for the flooring Industry in India. Volkswagen: The premier German auto - maker has decided to use SFRC flooring with Dramix 80/60 BN dosage of 15 kg per cubic metre. Dramix steel fibers were used and flooring executed by using SXP laser screed technique. Due to the use of new technological methods the project could be completed within schedule. The 18600 square metres project was completed in just 20 days with Category FM 2 floor .The results and efforts were highly acknowledged by visiting Volkswagen team from Germany as well.

233, Kakade Plaza, Opp. Kakade City, Karvenagar, Pune - 411 052 Ph:+91-20-25209053 E-mail: teksun@staflooring.com Web: www.staflooring.com
STA Floor for Volkswagen
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Making its Mark with Varied Flooring Solutions
V. Senthil Kumar
Executive Director, V-Tech Floors (India) Pvt. Ltd.
- Tech Floors is a name that has carved a niche of its own offering a range of quality concrete flooring solutions. Some of the services offered by the company include vacuum de-watering flooring, laser screed flooring, IPS flooring, concrete road works, industrial flooring, groove cutting, works, etc. The company has been making rapid progress under the dynamic leadership of Mr.V.Senthil Kumar, its Executive Director, who is a civil engineer with Masters in Construction Technology and Management from IIT-Madras. Widely travelled across the globe, Mr. Senthil Kumar has over 12 years of experience in construction industry handling various profiles
Truss Screed
including, Project Execution, Project Management, Sales & Marketing, Product development, Business development, and Operations. He had earlier stints with Larsen & Toubro Construction Group, EI DuPont India, and Bekaert Industries Pvt Ltd.Speaking exclusively to Editorial team of The Masterbuilder; Mr. Senthil Kumar gave detailed insights into the company's services, its future plans, and the Indian flooring industry in general. Here are excerpts from the interview. Give us an overview of your flooring solutions We offer four types of flooring solutions. They include:- Indian Patent System-IPS flooring or Granolithic flooring. - Vacuum Dewatering flooring. - Truss Screed or Flex Screed flooring. - Laser Screed flooring. Given the manifold advantages offered by Dramix steel fibre reinforced concrete floors, are you
satisfied with the present demand level in the Indian market for the technology? Till now around 500 projects have been executed using Dramix steel fibre by select Consultants and Architects. It needs to be marketed aggressively as Dramix steel fibre helps increase the load bearing capacity due to redistribution of stresses reinforcement throughout the full depth, offers excellent crack control, optimal resistance against impact and dynamic loads, phenomenal increase in post crack strength and enables faster construction by elimination of rebar and is less labour intensive. By adopting Dramix steel fibre there will be a saving of 5 to 15 % per sq.mtr (approx). we expect the market demand needs to be more than the current level. Tell us about the various types of machinery that are used during the vacuum dewatering process and their individual functions? The list of various types of machinery that we use includes:
Container Yard
150
Universal Construction Machinery & Equipment Ltd
Toyota Kirloskar, Bangalorecontainer yard and L&T Ship yard Kattupalli, Chennai are two good examples. A major trend that can be seen across the board is that global players coming into India are increasingly focused on lowering of costs! Your thoughts? Basically Indian market is price sensitive. With regard to flooring, VDF technology is being used which is 20 years old with lot of problems. The way floorings are being built in India is changing. Time and cost are the key factors now in the construction industry. People are now adopting latest technology in (1). Material, (2). Machine, and (3).Skilled labour. As a result there will be improvement in the quality standard. With the improvement in skill level, safety and quality standard the cost of flooring needs to be higher even for a domestic flooring companies. Our thought is with the foray of global players the level of flooring industry should go up. So the the focus shall of improving the standard rather than lower the cost. Optimisation could be possible. Industrial flooring is not any more a drab story that it used to be India. What according to you are the emerging new product trends that will dominate the Indian flooring market in the near future? Dramix Steel Fibre, Laser screed machines, Scarifiers with dust collectors, burnishing machines, Diamond tools are some of the technologies that will drive the market in the near future. Among chemicals, products like floor hardener, coating materials (lithium Nano sealers, Epoxy), etc will be in demand.
Laser Screed
Poker Vibrator: After leveling the concrete on the pre forms, poker vibrator is used to remove voids from the concrete. Surface Vibrator: After voids are removed, vibrator is being used to have a uniform vibrations and compactions of the concrete. Filter Pads: Filter Pads are being placed over the vibrated concrete. Suction Pads: Over the filter pad suction pad is being placed which is connected to vacuum pump by hose. Vacuum Pump: By operating the vacuum pump vacuum is created between concrete and filter pad which will enable the pump to remove excess water available in concrete.
Skim Floater (Disc): Floating disc should be used to have further compaction and have a rough of the concrete. Floor Hardener spreading carriage: Spreading carriage is being used to spread the floor hardener uniformly over the concrete. Power Trowelling (Blades): Power Trowelling will be done, when the concrete is cured up to 95% to have a finished floor. You have provided heavy-duty flooring solutions for container yards, railway platforms, and ports. Give us a few examples of your recent projects in these sectors?

V-Tech Floors (India) Pvt. Ltd.
Hyderabad: +91-40-40208801, Chennai: +91-44-22331186, E-mail: contact@vtechfloors.in Web: www.vtechfloors.in
Ship Yard
Skim Floater
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Igloo Tiles
Taking Rapid Strides in the Flooring Industry

Use of state of the Art technology for concrete laying and finishing by use of Laser Screed Technology by using Somero CopperHead XD 3.0 machine. Laser screed technology to ensure super flat concrete flooring, Laying and finishing the flat level floors with precision. This ensures higher productivity and reduces the concrete joints where ever possible. Turn key jobs acceptance to give single window concept for floorings.
Prashant Nagle
Designated Partner, Meta Tuff Solutions LLP
eta tuff Solutions has grown rapidly to become a wellknown name in the flooring industry. The company provides concrete flooring solutions to various segments and also provides precast product solutions catering to various industrial and commercial requirements. In an exclusive chat with The Masterbuilder recently, Mr. Prashant, Designated Partner of the company spoke about its product range, emphasis on quality and future plans. Here are excerpts from the interview. Tell us briefly about your flooring solutions? Meta Tuff is a solution provider for concrete flooring, catering to various segments like industrial, warehouse, container freight stations, parking lots, etc. Meta Tuff is supported by Bekaert, which is the world's largest independent manufacturer of drawn steel wire products. It serves customers in over 120 countries and generated 4.6 billion Euros of combined sales in 2011. Metatuff is one of the authorized flooring applicators for Dramix steel fibers. Some of our key advantages for clients working with Meta Tuff Solutions include: Work in an organised and professional manner.
Give us an insight into the process of how concrete is engineered to suit selected fiber geometry in the case of SFRC? It is important to align all the resources and materials to suit the available concrete at project sites. It is almost impossible to make a concrete mix design in an office and to take it to the site. The best approach is always to define and design concrete mix design as per local availability and practical
feasibilities. Every region/city has different aggregate or other characteristics. In such a scenario engineering concrete to suit selected fiber geometry is out of question. Rather we should use engineered steel fibers such as Dramix SFRC to suit the locally available concrete. According to you which are the key sectors that are driving the demand for Dramix reinforced concrete floors? Approximately how big would be the value of the market now? The Indian economy is one of the
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Bharat Road Development Combines Pvt.Ltd
relatively unorganized. It is indeed a difficult task to put a real number to present or Future value. Companies like Bekaert have completed more than 400 projects in a short span of 4 years. This is an explicit example of outstanding growth and acceptance level. In general following key Sectors will drive the growth of Dramix reinforced concrete floors. world's fastest growing economies, and with growth expected to continue at 7-7.5% despite the global downturn India is one of the favorite destinations for investments. Nearly all of the infrastructure sectors present excellent opportunities, Public private partnerships (PPPs) are gaining in importance, and are benefiting from government support targeted PPP participation. Construction is the second largest economic activity in India. The flooring industry in India is Industrial Road Pavement Residential Parking Lot Warehouse
What are your future plans? As we move ahead we see Metauff solutions taking larger strides in the market in India. Considering our first project has encompassed over an area of 50,000 sqm we are quite confident this itself is a clear demarcation. In future, Metatuff solutions will be a clear differentiator working as an expert flooring contractor viz-a-viz normal flooring contractors who are generally driven by bigger general contractors in India currently as of today.
Give us a few examples of your recent landmark projects? We have recently bagged one 50,000 sq.m industrial flooring job for one of the steel sector near to Nasik region and couple of small projects of 5000-8000 sq.m jobs are in the finalization stage in western part of India.

Meta Tuff Solutions LLP
B-wing 302, 3rd Floor, Sai Classic, Off. Gavan Pada, Mulund(E), Mumbai - 400081 Ph: +91-22-21637675, E-mail: prashant_nagle@yahoo.com
Most Powerful Dam in the World

The Three Gorges Dam is the world's largest power station in terms of installed capacity of 22,500 MW but is second to Itaipu Dam with regard to the generation of electricity annually. The Three Gorges Dam has plenty of issues too, though it generates enough watts to power Switzerland it has necessitated the relocation of over a million people, and its construction has come at a huge environmental cost. Continuous rains near the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, China's longest waterway, have caused water levels on the dam to surge, bringing a new round of flooding to the dam. Last month, the dam withstood the year's biggest flood, with 70,000 cubic meters of floodwaters gushing into its reservoir every second. The dam's reservoir stores floodwaters in the summer and releases the water in the dry season to ease droughts, particularly in downstream ricegrowing areas. Made of concrete and steel, the dam is 2,335 m (7,661 ft) long and the top of the dam is 185 metres (607 ft) above sea level. The project used 27.2 million cubic metres (35.6106 cu yd) of concrete (mainly for the dam wall), 463,000 tonnes of steel (enough to build 63 Eiffel Towers) and moved about 102.6 million cubic metres (134.2106 cu yd) of earth.[24] The concrete dam wall is 181 metres (594 ft) high above the rock basis. When the water level is at its maximum of 175 metres (574 ft) above sea level, which is 110 metres (361 ft) higher than the river level downstream, the dam reservoir is on average about 660 kilometres (410 mi) in length and 1.12 kilometres (3,700 ft) in width. It contains 39.3 km3 (31,900,000 acreft) of water and has a total surface area of 1,045 square kilometres (403 sq mi). On completion, the reservoir flooded a total area of 632 square kilometres (244 sq mi) of land.
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United Steel & Structurals Pvt. Ltd
Aiming Big on the Back of Specialized Flooring Expertise

Give us an overview of the services that you offer? We are one of the youngest specialist flooring companies in India. Within a few of years into our existence we have successfully executed more than 4 millions square feet of floor space, delivering high tolerances flat flooring (FM2 as per TR 34) with laser screed. These two years we have had a long list of satisfied customers. Lamba techno flooring solutions is one of the few of companies in India who have successfully executed Superflat floor projects. How do you ensure quality assurance at the job site, with respect to flooring done using Dramix steel fibers? Dramix steel fibers, which were developed in 1973 by Bekaert and are designed especially for the reinforcement of concrete, are made of prime quality hard-drawn steel wire to ensure high tensile strength at extremely close tolerance, along with hooked ends, due to which they deliver optimum anchorage. Bekaert is a global leader in steel fibers, providing a complete solution with Dramix steel fibers, offering excellent technical and on-site as well.
Milestone Warehouse, Dharuhera, Gurgaon
Pradeep Lamba, Director,

Lamba Techno Flooring Solutions (P) Limited
amba Techno Flooring Solutions (P) Limited is a popular concrete flooring company which provides complete concrete flooring solutions with traditional concrete flooring techniques, i.e., Tremix, as well with modern flooring techniques like Truss Screed and Laser Screed. The company has carved a niche for itself through its design and execution of floors reinforced with Dramix steel fibers and its turnkey flooring projects. In an exclusive interview to The Masterbuilder, Mr.Pradeep Lamba, Director of the company spoke about its services, specialties and the latest technologies it offers. Here are excerpts from the interview.
Along with this we at LTF have our own quality checks procedures, which are carried out and recorded by our Engineer In charge at project sites. We check quality of each and every raw material, especially in areas such as concrete workability & durability, subbase quality, hardener quality, steel fiber uniformity. Our range of services includes: Design of floor considering loads & other inputs from client. Design & specifications for Steel Fiber concrete. (Minor changes in existing design of RMC manufactured for achieving better results in flooring). Sub-Base Checking & Acceptance. Joint Layout (as per client's usage/ requirement of Floor). Auxiliary Reinforcement, Isolation details. Pour Sequence & planning (in agreement with RMC supplier & client). Flooring operation. Curing. Joint cutting. Joint Filling.
Give us an insight into the Tremix (Vacuum Dewatered) flooring process. What are the differences in application areas as compared to flooring done using Dramix steel fibers? Vacuum dewatering was an old concept which was successful for volumetric batched mix concrete. We prefer to use weight batched concrete
Rockman Industries Limited, Ludhiana
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RD Mining Equipments Pvt.Ltd
which is mix-designed by us. Steel fibers are reinforcement to floor. We prefer to use steel fibers due to their technical, practical superiority over conventional rebar reinforcement. We always choose our trusted brand 'Dramix steel fibers' from world leader in steel fibers, 'BEKAERT'. How do your flooring solutions contribute to sustainable building strategies? The general tendency in India is to give flooring the least importance. However, in general we have noticed in our experience that flooring may take up upto or less than 10% of construction budget. Badly executed industrial floors stand for more than 50% of all problems that can arise during or after further construction. By offering a world class floor, we not only help the client with a great solution for the present but by making such a durable floor, we also help reduce any investments in the future. Unlike the developed world, the general perception about the Indian market is that the flooring contractor here is more often than not considered just a sub-contractor of the main contractor, with limited communication access to the project investors and that this has been hindering the growth of the industrial flooring industry. Your views. Yes. It's true. But companies like us,
with strong technical & practical knowledge of flooring needs backed with associative support from Bekaert, have helped us in being able to show the investors the value we add to their project once we are a part of it. Compared to the global standards Indian flooring contractors are the least remunerated. There is a slow transitional change in the industry but things will surely change in the coming years. Even as we approach major infrastructural clients today we see a noticeable change in their previous perception of flooring contractor's vis-vis now. So, soon we hope to see flooring contractors in India also being considered a strong and important entity for the successful execution of any project. Tell us briefly about the various types of specialized flooring machinery that you use. We have a large no of specialized machinery which helps us to deliver flat, faster, and tougher floors to our customers. Our machines set up include:
Laser Screed SOMEROs Copper Head 3.0 2no Truss Screeds (AQUARIOUS make) 4Nos Ride On Trowels 8Nos Power Floaters 25 Nos Groove cutters 6Nos Trimix Machines 4Nos Trimix Hardener Spreader 5Nos Bump cutter, check rods, bull floaters& other tools for flat flooring.
Which are the key industrial sectors that according to you are driving the demand for steel fiber reinforced concrete floors in India? These include the automobile industry, other manufacturing units, retail stores, and warehouses, among others which are driving demand. We have jointly executed flooring projects for HONDA , SUZUKI, MAHINDRA, Volkswagon, Escort, Tractor India Limited, Rockman Industries Limited (HERO Group unit), FIEM Industries Limited, Saint- Gobian, Nerolac. Some of the warehouse projects we have executed successfully are Renaissance Infrastructure, Arshiya International, Manglum Warehouse (for Mercedes Benz), Milestone, Future Warehouse, SE Warehousing, IRC Warehouses. Similarly, we have also been successful retail store projects such as Carrefour Retail Cash & Carry Store. Tell us about your recent landmark projects? Renaissance Warehousing & Industrial Park warehouse floor, Mumbai would be one of our landmark projects. We worked with Bekaert for this project. For flooring in this project we had to ensure flatness and Levelness for smooth movement of material handling equipment. The floor had to be constructed to cater to wide aisle and narrow aisle racking arrangement. The flooring was laid by laser screed technology with an area of 28000 sq.m area. A strong Dramix reinforced, abrasion resistant floor was designed for Racking and Forklift movement loads.

Lamba Techno Flooring Solutions (P) Limited
25, The Palms, Plot No. 13B, Sector- 06, Dwarka, New Delhi-110075 Ph: +91-9717854400 E-mail: LTFSPL@gmail.com, info@ltfsolutions.in Web: www.ltfsolutions.in
Laser Screed in Operation
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MM Castings (P) Ltd
Redefining Concrete Floor Topping, Joint Systems, Decorative Concretes
Claude Torrente
Director, Rocland Pvt. Ltd.
OCLAND PRIVATE LTD a joint venture company of PLACEO, France, brings to India, a basket of performance enhancing Flooring Products range. ROCLAND is a part of RCR INDUSTRIAL FLOORING Group having presence in US, Asia, Europe & Africa with annual turnover of 160 MN Euros.
ROCLAND offers a wide range on Dry Shake Hardeners complying with international standards EN 13813 for properties and BS 8204-2:2003 for abrasion resistance. Leading brands QUALIDUR & QUALITOP comes in Metallic and Non-Metallic. Rocland are pioneers in DRY SHAKE & SLURRY based COLOURED HARDENER with unmatched uniformity in colour shades. Slurry based applications can be installed up to 12mm thickness giving an
unparalleled life cycle vis--vis epoxy systems. ROCLAND offers Joint Systems for Load Transfer Mechanism and Edge protection. Industrial floors are fraught with damaged construction joints, a bane to End User. PERMABAN LTD, UK a RCR Group company specializing in Metallic Joint Systems now represented in India by ROCLAND offers a host of dowel and Edge protection systems. Its product ALFA & BETA range of Armoured Joints are benchmark products in Joint edge protection. HARMONY BETON is a product range for Decorative Concrete Segment. It is mortar specially formulated to guarantee high resistance of thin application both Indoors and Outdoors. Its texture is smooth, glossy and hard wearing. A infinite range of colours and effects can be obtained to produce a unique and a original finish. A wide range Liquid Patine, Acid Stains & Stamped Concrete is offered in this range.

Rocland Pvt. Ltd.
Office No. 3, Ground Floor, Gulfishan Apt., YAC Nagar, Nr. Chunawala Compound Kondivita, Andheri (East), Mumbai-59 Mob: +91-9890633399 E-mail: info@rocland.co.in Website: www.rocland.co.in
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Unisteel Engineering Works
Geosynthetics
Overview of Standards for Testing of Essential Properties for Performance of Geogrid and Geotextiles
Som S. Sarkar, Chairman, ENVIROGEO Group, New Delhi, India Ranjana Majumder, Technical Director, Enviro Geosynthetics Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, India
eosynthetics are wide variety of synthetic materials developed and extensively used in civil engineering for geological or soil related stabilisation structures, where Geogrids and Geotextiles are two main materials used extensively, while drainage nets, composites and membranes are used less frequently. Use of Geogrids are mainly based on functional requirements of providing separation and reinforcements, while geotextile provide separation, filtration and drainage in soil associated structures. Naturally, these applications are extensively researched and developed backed by practical results, numerical design and evaluation designs and standards, and are based on strict quality standards these materials need
to demonstrate to be able to ensure the required performance. This paper illustrates the conformance requirement of Geogrid and Geotextiles testing and quality control for various applications. Geogrid/Geotextile properties based on application requirements as per International Standards: While use of these materials in referred structures demand exacting properties to be able to deliver the desired functional result, the international standards are very well developed and clear in perspective about the required properties for each main applications. In absence of specification and code of practice in India on Geosynthetics, practice of use of ISO standards, mostly
developed by European norm EN ISO standards, are used for evaluation of testing and quality conformance requirements. The intended use of these Geotextiles or geotextile-related products is to fulfil one or more of the following functions: filtration, separation, reinforcement and protection. The separation function is always used in conjunction with filtration or reinforcement, accordingly separation will never be specified alone. This standard provides for the evaluation of conformity of the product to this international Standard and for factory production control procedures. This standard defines requirements to be met by manufacturers and distributors with regard to the presentation of product properties.
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Geosynthetics
Geotextiles and geotextile-related products Characteristics required for use in the construction of roads and other trafficked areas Characteristics required for use in the construction of railways Characteristics required for use in earthworks, foundations and retaining structures Characteristics required for use in drainage systems Characteristics required for use in erosion control works (coastal protection, bank revetments) Characteristics required for use in the construction of reservoirs and dams Characteristics required for use in the construction canals Characteristics required for use in the construction of tunnels and underground structures Characteristics required for use in solid waste disposals Characteristics required for use in liquid waste containment projects
International Standards Organisation - European Norm - for Product Conformance
EN ISO standards 13249 13250 13251 13252 13253 13254 13255 13256 13257 13265
For example for Geogrid/ Geotextile or related materials following standards are used, where each application needs to be supported by following material conformance: From the above table one can effectively get guidance of exacting property evaluations that may be needed to address the user confidence for using a particular product on each application. Whereas for each type of product the testing procedure may vary, but broadly the tests are to be conducted to ascertain the mechanical and physical characteristics of the product, hydraulic properties, environ-
mental effect, long term durability, construction damages and in situ properties while being used in soil like frictional and shear characteristics, interaction coefficients etc. Testing of Geogrid/Geotextile properties based on international standards: Geogrid reinforced soil is formed as a composite material when compacted soil is stratified in layers with inclusion of high strength long lasting polymer Geogrid as soil reinforcement placed in between layers. The Geogrid by it's intrinsic property of interlocking of aggregates/soil particles within the net
aperture, provides confinement, tensile membrane effect and load transfer from the soil to the reinforcement. Therefore construction of soil slopes in layer entails stepped or counterscarp construction using special techniques carefully developed to allow compatibility of soil strain with reinforcement strain, to produce a homogenous composite modulus. There are several practical modes of use of Geogrid within the soil structure. In adopting various types of face modules these modes are adopted to make a Mechanically Stabilised Earth (MSE) structures. Geotechnical solutions for the Facia usually adopt Flexible
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Geosynthetics
fascia adopting fabric wraps or Geogrid wrapped fascia for a slope structure or use modular segmental fascia with precast fascia. Amongst above biotechnical solutions adopt Green face Wrap around Geogrid layers encompassing a soil wedge, seeded with vegetation. Therefore connection of the Geogrid with the fascia assumes importance along with ability to interlock soil. Long term performance of soil reinforced structure demand evaluation of creep properties, failure modes, environmental effect or installation damage assessment, besides physical and mechanical strength characteristics. Junction strength of the Geogrid structure plays an important part in determination of the failure modes. While integrally jointed HDPE or PP Geogrids having optimum junction strength fail by tearing/snapping at ultimate load due to interlocking of mesh with the soil particles, knitted Geogrids, having much poorer junction strength due to their typical knitted structure, fail due to friction failure when pull out forces are applied on them. For Erosion control and slope protection, stability of slope from downpour, retardation of water velocity and drainage must be addressed in slope stability and configuration design, where use of both Geogrid and geotextile may be required. For separation, reinforcement, filtration and drainage applications using
Typical Testing of Geotextile to Include Following:
Essential properties a product must demonstrate Determination of pH in natural soil ( 4<pH<9) Weathering test with UV-A & UV-B lamp Resistance to Microbial environment Accelerated weathering test Geosynthetics friction Direct shear Tensile creep and creep rupture Assessment of durability Frictional behaviour Tensile behaviour Damage during installation Strength of joints seams Tensile creep Dynamic perforation test Static puncture resistance Characteristic opening size Water permeability
Geotextiles, type of materials play an important role, be it high strength woven geotextile or Nonwoven geotextiles used for filtration and permeability (in plane or cross plane). For the basic properties, mechanical strength and physical characteristics need to be evaluated, including tensile strength and elongation at various stages, Opening/pore size, permeability etc to determine the products efficacy in using for these applications and functions. For use of Geotextiles in revetment applications additional properties apart from above need to be examined, such as abrasion resistance, impact
EN ISO 10390 EN ISO 13438. EN ISO 12225 EN ISO 12224 EN ISO 12957 EN ISO 13431 EN ISO 13434 EN ISO 12957-1 & 2 EN ISO 10319 EN ISO 10722 EN ISO 10321 EN ISO 13431 EN ISO 13433 EN ISO 12236 EN ISO 12956 EN ISO 11058
resistance, compressive creep, Tear resistance, Environmental degradation, oxidation, effect of saline water etc. Testing of individual products and availability of data in relevance to the application The relevant standards detail the specifc properties manufacturer's need to declare for each application. Conclusion The user therefore need to refer to relevant application standards shown in Table-A, to determine the property requirements of various products, to be demonstrated by the manufacturer. Based on design criterion of specific function the property index values may then be fixed to meet a particular application. The above requirements are also used to guarantee the quality conformance requirement for factory production control of a systematic manufacture and fixation of quality standards.
Typical Testing of Geogrid Includes Following:
Essential properties a product must demonstrate Determination of pH in natural soil ( 4<pH<9) Weathering test with UV-A & UV-B lamp Resistance to Microbial environment Accelerated weathering test Geosynthetics friction Direct shear Geotextiles - tensile creep and creep rupture Geosynthetics Dynamic perforation test Geosynthetics assessment of durability Geosynthetics Tensile behaviour Geosynthetics damage during installation Geosynthetics strength of joints seams Geosynthetics Tensile creep EN ISO 10390 EN ISO 13438. EN ISO 12225 EN ISO 12224 EN ISO 12957-1 & 2 EN ISO 13431 EN ISO 13433 EN ISO 13434, EN ISO 10319 EN ISO 10722 EN ISO 10321 EN ISO 13431

Enviro Geosynthetics Pvt. Ltd.
1401- 1410, DLF Galleria, DLF City Ph-IV, Gurgaon-122002. Ph: 0124-5050615-616, Fax: 0124-5050617 E-mail: admin@envirogeo.com Web: www.envirogeo.com
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Roljack Industries
Flooring Equipments Analysis
Hd560
The Worlds Largest and Most Powerful Riding Trowel
Tremix Vacuum De-Watering System
Skim Floater G900E
Manual Fixed Form Paver
Model - VRT 36H
Concrete Flooring Equipment Industry:
Growth Ahead
he last decade or so has seen the emergence of several niche segments in the Indian construction equipment industry. One of them has been the gradual growth of the concrete flooring equipment market. Machinery of various kinds for concrete floor surface preparation, finishing and polishing has been making a steady entry right into the hinterlands of the country. Various types of flooring equipment have
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come to the rescue of flooring contractors who are almost always under pressure to deliver projects under tight schedules, without compromising on the increasingly higher quality standards. Mechanization has also come as the answer to labour shortage, a problem that the construction industry in India is grappling with at present. Propelling the growth of the concrete flooring equipment has been
growth momentum of the manufacturing and real estate sectors. The numerous Special Economic Zones (SEZs), industrial corridor projects, industrial parks, etc have been spurring the growth story of industrial and commercial flooring. With the industrial flooring industry in the country pegged at ` 4,000 crore, industry analysts feel that only the tip of the iceberg has been tapped as far as the concrete flooring
equipment market potential is concerned. Manufacturers are also optimistic about a turnaround in the economy. Just as in the case with other types of construction equipment, concrete flooring equipment manufacturers too have been exploring various new market avenues to tide over the recent tough times. Giving an overview of the strategy that is being followed, Mr.Chetan Kanakia, Director, BRDC, a leading name in the field of concrete flooring equipment pointed out, All countries face a cycle of slowdown and is a must as the next logical event would and has always been an upswing. It is true that the current progress cannot be matched to what happened 3-4 years ago but nonetheless there are new avenues being explored in concrete like 'TWT' and 'Polymer Concrete Overlays' which would keep the industry busy and honing their skills when the revival comes across. Perhaps the best testimonial for the growth of the concrete flooring equipment industry could be gauged from the increasing entry of overseas manufacturers into the market in recent times. In fact, with the Indian economy continuing to do better than most other developed economies and maintaining a GDP growth of 6% or thereabouts, several manufacturers, particularly
Heavy-Duty Screeds for High-Tolerance Floors or Pavement
European companies are eyeing the rapidly growing Indian concrete flooring equipment market according to recent market intelligence reports. Power Trowels The last decade has seen mechanization pick up in the field of industrial and concrete flooring. Several types of equipment are now being employed by flooring contractors to adhere to tight project deadlines and adhere to increasingly tightening quality standards. One of the most popular among the machinery lot is the power trowel. Both walk-behind and ride-on models are now a common sight across industrial and commercial construction sites in the country. A good example is avail-
able in the range of power trowels offered by Venus Equipments and Tools, a leading name in the field. The company offers models such as the VTCR 36H and the VRT 36H, which come with a host of features such as two sets of non-overlapping blades, emergency kill switch and plastic treated for anti-rust, anti-corrosion and longer durability. BRDC is one more name which offers both ride-on, as well as walk-behind power trowel models. It offers walk-behind and Edger trowels for small and medium jobs and a range of ride-on trowels from Allen. Safari Construction Equipments is another company which offers a power trowel cum floater for the Tremix flooring process, for floating and toweling right
India is emerging as one of the fastest growing markets for laser screed machines
All countries face a cycle of slowdown and is a must as the next logical event would and has always been an upswing. It is true that the current progress cannot be matched to what happened 3-4 years ago but nonetheless there are new avenues being explored in concrete like 'TWT' and 'Polymer Concrete Overlays' which would keep the industry busy and honing their skills when the revival comes across
Variety of Machines The buoyant nature of the Indian market has meant that several types of concrete flooring equipment have been making an entry in recent times. The growing popularity of superflat floors for example has meant rise in demand for equipment especially for this particular flooring job, such as laser screeds. The latest models enable higher production rate, higher strength, reduced form work, wider panel width, and accurate levels, apart from being able to produce seamless superflat floors. It is not uncommon to find flooring contractors achieving targets such 20,000- 40,000 square feet of concrete floor in a day's time. One of the top brands that are used by several leading flooring contractors in the country is Somero. The company offers models that cut vibrate and level concrete in a single pass. Precision in laser screed machines is ensured through a system consisting of laser transmitters, which constantly relays information to a computer. Venus Equipments and Tools is another name which offers laser screed models such as M 2000, M3000E, and M 3000 for superflat floors. Apart from its power trowels BRDC also offers other types of concrete flooring equipment. In addition to its equipments and machines, it offers
The benefits of polishing and densification far outweigh the cost. It is in fact a no brainer. As the trend of polishing catches on, it would become essential for every flooring contractor to have a set of grinding and polishing machines
Aaloke Surie
Proprietor, Surie Polex
Chetan Kanakia
Director, BRDC
after dewatering. With concrete finishing assuming greater importance, several new players are expected to enter the fray with their models of power trowels in the near future in the Indian market.
Power trowels are now a familiar sight in Indian construction sites
rarely used, world-class hand tools from Bon Tools. The company also offers for concrete placement on industrial floors truss screeds with engine and pneumatic power driven having options of hand winched or hydraulic, with accessories like cradle frame, rollers, crowing and kerb attachments. Similarly, for those demanding more accuracy, the company will be soon launching laser screed with popular and proprietary features for the ever demanding parameters of concrete floors with highest Ff and F1 numbers. Some other products from the company include, hand held screeds and roller screeds. With the rising demand for industrial and commercial flooring it is not surprising that several types of concrete flooring equipment are now in demand. Concrete laying equipment that are specifically designed for large span industrial and commercial premises are a good case in point. These hydraulically or electric powered fixedform concrete laying machines are ideally suited for large industrial buildings. Venus Equipments and Tools offers models including VFFRP $HD, VFFMP AM and VFFRP 4ME, with the machines capable of making short work of even
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Action Construction Equipment Ltd
up to 10,000 square feet in the matter of an hour. Concrete Grinding and Polishing Specialized machinery for concrete grinding and polishing is another market segment that has grown rapidly in recent times. Diamond polished concrete floors, which ensures dust-free concrete, increased abrasion resistance and durability, apart from improving the aesthetics of industrial and commercial flooring, is gradually becoming the norm, rather than the exception. A good example for a manufacturer of these machines is Surie Polex, which offers both concrete grinding, as well as polishing machines. The company offers both dry as well as wet grinding and polishing systems. According to Mr.Aaloke Surie, Proprietor of the company, the new developments in the field of flat floors is driving the demand for concrete polishing and densifying floors. Further dwelling on the growth of the demand for specialized concrete grinding and polishing machinery, he pointed out, The benefits of polishing and densification far outweigh the cost. It is in fact a no brainer. As the trend of polishing catches on, it would become essential for every flooring contractor to have a set of grinding and polishing
machines. Mr.Surie further added that designer concrete floors, green-coloured concrete flooring to replace 'kotah stone', red-coloured concrete to replace 'red sand stone', as well as the growth of affordable housing, are some other factors that would add to the demand for these machines. Some of the prestigious projects executed by the company include, TCS project, Pune, Asian Paints Rohtak and Ambience Mall, Gurgaon. Rapid Growth Expected Three factors should cheer up suppliers of concrete flooring equipment, as far as the Indian market is concerned. The first good news is that the government is continuing with its thrust towards improving the lot of the manufacturing sector. While it may not have been all smooth going, given the recent recessionary trends, the indicators are positive and bode well for the industrial flooring market segment. Similarly, demand for commercial flooring is expected to pick up due to the growth of the logistics sector. Adding to these two factors is the real estate sector. The demand for office and mall space is expected to pick up in the last two quarters of this financial year, something that could get further push if the gov-
Surie Polex's HSG 500 concrete polishing machine
ernment were to somehow manage consensus on tweaking FDI in retail. While new flooring projects have been increasing, what must be also heartening for concrete flooring equipment manufacturers is the rise in demand for equipment for rehabilitating old industrial floors in recent times. This is another market segment where demand is expected to increase exponentially in the next few years. With the Indian economy maintaining a comparatively higher growth rate than several others, it is not surprising that several leading concrete flooring equipment manufacturers, especially from the European region are eyeing the fast growing Indian market. The next few months leading up to a few mega construction equipment trade shows could well hold the answer to the number of new players and models of concrete flooring equipment that make an entry into the rapidly growing Indian market. Photo Courtesy:
www.communitychurchofephrata.blogspot.com www.bmc-syria.com, www.vdconcrette.com
Horses for courses: Manufacturers are focusing on specialized industrial flooring equipment
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Esquire - CMAC Pvt.Ltd
Bring Out the Beauty in Your Concrete Floor

oncrete floors have for long been seen as dull and drab affairs. Not any longer though with the advent of latest specialized flooring solutions such as HTC Superfloor. With HTC Superfloor you are assured of a gleaming concrete floor that is not only aesthetically pleasing but also scores high when it comes to the durability part. One of the biggest advantages of HTC Superfloor is the variety of applications. For example, it is excellent for industrial flooring. Similarly, whether it is sprawling and spanking retail store floors, educational facilities or even a
Warehouse
Private Home
Air Force Museum
Production of HTC Superfloor
The tire mark is almost invisible on the polished part of the concrete
Praktiker Supermarket Private Home
stylish living room, HTC Superfloor makes for the right choice. Apart from the aesthetics, HTC Superfloor comes with the added advantages of being an economical and durable option. It is a cost-effective option as compared to some other traditional flooring options, apart from ensuring long term performance with minimal maintenance and repairs, thanks to the durability factor. HTC Superfloor complies with EU standards when it comes to friction wear, vehicle vibration and wear resistance, making it ideally suited for a variety of industrial flooring applications.

Authorised Indian Chanel Partner
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Atul Fasteners Ltd
Research Study Silica Fume
Effect of Silica Fume on Concrete at Different Curing Conditions

Bisetti Sameer Charan1, Dr. Bulu Pradhan2
1 2
B.Tech Civil 4th Year, SRM University, Ramapuram Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
Several types of industrial byproducts are generated. With increased environmental awareness and its potential hazardous effects, utilization of industrial byproducts has become an attractive alternative to disposal. One such by-product is silica fume (SF), which is a byproduct of the smelting process in the silicon and ferrosilicon industry. Silica fume is very effective in the design and development of high strength high performance concrete. This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation on the effect of different amounts of silica fume (SF) and water to binder ratios (w/b) on the residual compressive strength and ultrasonic pulse velocity (USPV) of concrete after exposure to different curing conditions i.e. hot water curing (Temperature at 700C) and normal moist water curing at 7 days and 14 days. Several mixes were prepared based on dosage of silica fume at 0%, 5%, 7.5% and 10% by mass at different w/b ratios of 0.45, 0.50, and 0.55. 5%, 7.5%, 10% SF by mass are named as mixes M1, M2, and M3 at w/b ratio 0.45 cured at 14days. 10% SF by mass are mixes M4 and M5 at w/b ratio 0.50, 0.55 respectively at 7days curing and 0%SF (100% OPC) by mass are mixes M6 and M7 at w/b ratio 0.50, 0.55 respectively at 7days curing. It is observed that M1 at normal water (NW) curing has showed highest compressive strength and M1 at hot water (HW) curing has showed least compressive strength at 14days. And M6HW has showed highest compressive strength and M7NW has showed least compressive strength at 7days. It is observed that M1NW curing has showed highest ultrasonic pulse velocity and M3HW curing has showed least ultrasonic pulse velocity at 14days. And M6HW has showed highest ultrasonic pulse velocity and M7HW has showed least ultrasonic pulse velocity at 7days.
oncrete is a composite construction material composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as silica fume, fly ash and slag cement, aggregate (generally a coarse aggregate made of gravels or crushed rocks such as limestone, or granite, plus a fine aggregate such as sand), water, and chemical admixtures. Silica fume (SF) is a byproduct of the silicon and ferrosilicon industry. Silica fume is a very reactive pozzolonic material because of its extreme fineness and very high amorphous silicon dioxide content. Mechanism of silica fume in concrete can be described basically under three roles: (i) pore-size refinement and matrix densification,(ii) reaction with freelime, and (iii) cement pasteaggregate interfacial refinement. The mechanical properties and durability are improved because of the enhancement in interfacial or bond strength [1]. Mechanism behind is not only connected to chemical formation of CSH (i.e. pozzolonic reaction) at interface, but also to the microstructure modification (i.e. CH) orientation, porosity and transition zone thickness) as well.
Experimental work General Experimental work includes the determination of preliminary properties of ingredients of concrete, mix design process for determination of quantities of ingredients, tests for compressive strength and ultrasonic pulse velocity (USPV). Materials Different tests carried out on the materials in the experimental work are presented below. Cement Cement used in the investigation is Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) of grade 53 - OPC confirming to Indian standards IS: 8112-1989 [2]. Coarse aggregates The coarse aggregates of size 20mm MSA (maximum size
of aggregate) and 12.5mm MSA are used in the proportion of 66% and 34% respectively by mass after many trial tests. Fine aggregates River sand was used as fine aggregates in the present study. The sieve analysis of sand was carried out as per the guidelines given in IS 383-1970. From the cumulative % passing values, it is observed that, the sand is confirming to grading zone-III at higher sieve size and zone-II at smaller sieve size as per IS 383-1970. Super plasticizer The super plasticizer used in the present study was Glenium 51 based on modified polycarboxylic ether (PCE) polymers. It gives the highest durability and performance for the concrete. In the present study 1% super plasticizer by mass of binder is used. Mix proportioning of concrete The mix proportioning of ingredients of concrete is done by using DOE (British method) with some modifications [3]. For the present investigation three different w/b ratios namely 0.45, 0.5, 0.55 have been selected. The mix proportioning method includes calculation of water content for the slump value (30-60 mm) followed by calculation of binder content and the wet density of the concrete corresponding to the specific gravity of combined aggregates. After that the fine aggregate (sand) and coarse aggregate contents are calculated. Mix proportions of concrete mixes The mix proportions for different concrete mixes are presented in Table 2.1. The water content used was 190 kg/m3 in all the mixes. Preparation of specimens for Compressive strength test and Ultrasonic pulse velocity The cubes of size 150mm x 150mm x 150mm were prepared
Mix type
M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6 M7
SF- Silica Fume Table 2.1 Mix proportions of concrete mixes for different w/b ratios
from ordinary Portland cement, 20mm and 10mm aggregates and different dosage of silica fume at 5%, 7.5% and 10% by mass of total binder and super plasticizer at 1% by mass of total binder at varying w/b ratios of 0.45, 0.50 and 0.55. After 24 hours of preparation, the cubes were demoulded and then subjected to hot water curing (Temperature at 700C) and normal water curing for concrete mixes M1, M2, M3 for 14days and concrete mixes M4, M5, M6, and M7 for 7days. After completion of curing, the cubes were tested for ultrasonic pulse velocity (USPV) and compressive strength. Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity Method This test is done to access the quality of concrete by ultrasonic pulse velocity method as per IS- 13311 (part 1) 1992 [4]. The underlying principle consists of measuring the time of travel of an ultrasonic pulse passing through the concrete being tested. The ultrasonic pulse velocity values were measured after placing the transmitting and receiving transducers on the two opposite faces of the cubes. Comparatively higher velocity is obtained when concrete quality is good in terms of density, uniformity, homogeneity etc. Compressive strength test The compressive strength of cubes was determined in the compression testing machine. For each mix six cubes were tested in which three replicate cubes for hot water curing
Fig. 2.4 Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity Test
Fig. 2.5 Compressive Strength test
Binder Type
OPC + 5%SF OPC + 7.5%SF OPC + 10%SF OPC + 10%SF OPC + 10%SF OPC OPC
w/b ratio
Binder content (kg/m3)
Mix proportion (by mass) (Water: cement: sand: coarse aggregates)

0.45 : 1 : 1.44 : 2.79 0.50 : 1 : 1.98 : 3.84 0.55 : 1 : 1.83 : 3.56 0.50 : 1 : 1.98 : 3.84 0.55 : 1 : 1.83 : 3.56
0.45 0.50 0.55 0.50 0.55
423 380 345.45 380 345.45
and three replicate cubes for normal water curing and the average values in MPa were reported. Results and Discussion Ultrasonic pulse velocity (USPV) The USPV test was conducted on the cube specimens at the age of 14 days for mixtures M1 to M3 and 7 days for mixtures M4 to M7. The USPV values for the various mixes are presented in Table 3.1 for 14days cubes and Table 3.2 for 7days cubes. The plots of ultrasonic pulse velocity for different mixes are shown in Fig.3.1 and Fig 3.2 for 14days & 7days of curing respectively. From the results it was observed that the cubes which were cured in normal water exhibited more USPV values than the cubes cured in hot water (Temperature 700C). The mix M1NW (5% MS with w/ b-0.45 at 14days normal moist water curing) has exhibited higher value of USPV whereas mix M7HW (OPC with w/b0.55 at 7days hot water curing) has shown lower value of USPV. Compressive strength When silica fume is added to concrete, it results in higher compressive strength of the mix. This is mainly due to the production of additional C-S-H gel in pozzolonic reaction that results in denser microstructure of concrete. As already mentioned, the compressive strength was determined for concrete mixes M1 to M3at the age of 14 days and at the age of 7 days for mixtures M4 to M7. The compressive strength values for the various mixes are presented in Table 3.3 for 14days curing and Table 3.4 for 7days curing. From the Fig.3.3 it is observed that the 14day compressive strength values of normal water cured concrete mixes with 5% SF & 7.5% SF were higher than that of the concrete mix cured with hot water. However the 14day compressive strength value of hot water cured concrete mix with 10% SF was higher than that of the concrete mix cured with normal water. From the Fig.3.4 it was observed that the 7day compressive strength values of all the hot water cured concrete mixes were higher than that of all the concrete mixes cured with normal water. And 7day compressive strength value of hot water cured concrete mix with 100% OPC was higher than that of the concrete mixes with silica fume. This is because
Mix Type
M1 M2 M3
Fig.3.1 USPV values of concrete mixes under hot water (Temperature at 700C) curing and normal water curing for 14days
Mix Type
M4 M5 M6 M7
Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity (m/sec) Hot Water Curing

4100 4080 4570 3860
Normal Water Curing

4390 4130 4420 3990
Table 3.2 USPV values of concrete mixes for 7days curing
Fig.3.2 USPV values of concrete mixes under hot water (Temperature at 700C) curing and normal water curing for 7days
of the reason that the pozzolonic reaction of silica fume achieves in the later stage when compared to Portland cement. Conclusions In the present investigation, the performance of silica fume in concrete exposed to hot water and normal moist water curing have been evaluated. For this purpose, concrete cubes with different dosage of micro silica at 5%, 7.5%, 10% by mass of binder with super plasticizer at 1% by mass of binder were prepared and subjected to ultrasonic pulse velocity and compressive strength testing. From this the compressive strength and ultrasonic pulse velocity values are noted at 7days and 14days.
Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity (m/sec) Hot Water Curing

4210 3920 4030
Normal Water Curing

4670 4650 4090
Table 3.1 USPV values of concrete mixes for 14days curing
Reliance Industries Ltd
Mix Type
M1 M2 M3
Compressive Strength (MPa) Hot Water Curing

31.5 32.7 37.6
Normal Water Curing

39 37.3 36
compressive strength and concrete with 5% silica fume by mass of binder in hot water curing has showed least compressive strength at 14days. 2. The concrete made with OPC at w/b ratio 0.50 in hot water curing has showed highest compressive strength and concrete with OPC at w/b ratio 0.55 in normal water curing has showed least compressive strength at 7days. 3. The concrete made with 5% silica fume by mass of binder in normal water curing has showed highest ultrasonic pulse velocity and concrete with 10% silica fume by mass in hot water curing has showed least ultrasonic pulse velocity at 14days. 4. The concrete made with OPC at w/b ratio 0.50 in hot water curing has showed highest ultrasonic pulse velocity and concrete with OPC at w/b ratio 0.55 in hot water curing has showed least ultrasonic pulse velocity at 7days. References
Table 3.3 Compressive Strength values of mixes for 14days curing
Fig.3.3 Compressive strength for various mixes in hot water (Temperature at 700C) curing and normal water curing at 14days
Mix Type
M4 M5 M6 M7
Compressive Strength (MPa) Hot Water Curing

29.9 24.6 31.4 25.0
1 Rafat Siddique (2011). Utilization of silica fume in concrete: Review of hardened properties. Resources, Conservation and Recycling 55 (2011) 923 932. 2 IS 8112-1989 (reaffirmed 2005). Specification for 43 grade ordinary Portland cement, Bureau of Indian standards, New Delhi. 3 Jakkula raju (2011), Chloride diffusion studies in concrete made with different types of binders, Master of Technology thesis, Indian institute of technology Guwahati. 4 Nagavijay kanulla (2012), Study on fresh and durability properties of self compacting concrete, Master of Technology thesis, Indian institute of technology Guwahati. 5 Khayat, K. H., and P . C. Aitcin (1993). Silica fume-A unique supplementary cementitious material. Mineral Admixtures in Cement and Concrete. In S.N. Ghosh (ed) ABI Books Private Limited Vol. 4: 227265. 6 Wong, Abdul Razak (2005), Efficiency of calcite kaolin and silica fume as cement replacement material for strength performance, Cement Concrete Research, Vol: 35. 7 Mazloom, M., A.A. Ramezanianpour and J.A. Brooks (2004). Effect of silica fume on mechanical properties of high-strength concrete, Cement Concrete Composites, 26: 347-357. 8 Bentur, Goldman, Cohen (1987). Contribution of transition zone to the strength of high quality silica fume concretes. Proc. Mater. Res. Soc. Symposium. 114, 97103.
Normal Water Curing

28.6 23.7 22.7 19.3
Table 3.4 Compressive Strength values for mixes at 7days water curing
Fig.3.4 Compressive strength for various mixes in hot water (Temperature at 700C) curing and normal water curing at 7days
The conclusions obtained from the present investigation are as follows, 1. The concrete made with 5% silica fume by mass of binder in normal water curing has showed highest
9 Behnood, Ziari (2008), Effects of silica fume addition and water to cement ratio on the Properties of high-strength concrete after exposure to high temperatures. Cement Concrete Composites. 30(2), 106112. 10 Almusallam, Beshr, Maslehuddin, Al-Amoudi (2004). Effect of silica fumes on the mechanical properties of low quality coarse aggregate concrete. Cement Concrete Composites 26(7), 891900.
Cosmos Construction Machineries & Equipments Pvt.Ltd
Sustainability Smart Building
Top Ten Trends in Smart Buildings

Bhavani Balakrishna
ccording to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), buildings consume approximately 40% of the world's energy. With the global emphasis on sustainability and unprecedented progress in Information Technology, a section of the community are now exploring different avenues for achieving significant energy and cost savings through the use of smart building solutions. Smart buildings aim at minimizing the long-term operational costs of any facility such as HVAC and lighting over its life-cycle through intelligent systems, technologies and tools. Emergence of
automation and analytical solutions such as Building Automation Systems (BAS), Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS) and Building Information Modeling (BIM) has already made the concept of smart buildings more concrete and viable. The Global e Sustainability Initiative (GeSI), a consortium of leading high-tech companies, estimates that smart building technology has the potential to reduce carbon emissions in the United States alone by 130-190 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent to the annual emissions of about 30 million passenger vehicles with related electricity cost savings of approximately USD 20-25 billion.
While a limited but growing number of building owners are adopting such technologies, the technology continues to evolve and is expected to become a pervasive fixture across buildings worldwide. In a recent Energy Efficiency Indicator study, 44 percent of facility executives in the U.S. selected smart building technology as one of the top three technologies expected to have the greatest price-performance improvement over the next 10 years. According to Pike Research, following are the top ten trends to watch for in the smart building market in 2012 and beyond.
182
Breakdown of the world's energy consumption
Buildings Mobility Industry 31% 41%
28%
Source: UK Energy Efficiency Action Plan, DEFRA, 2007, World Energy Outlook 2006, International Energy Agency, 2006
as to why the energy bills are high. There are several companies that are already offering such solutions such as Johnson Controls, Fujitsu, Green Koncepts and Novar from Honeywell. The biggest advantage of the cloud and software-as-a-service (SaaS) is the ability of the user to access data from anywhere on per-use pricing, thus making it easier for the building and real estate industry to adopt more software-based features for efficient energy management. According to Pike, the global BEMS market will grow from $1.9 billion in 2011 to $6.0 billion in 2020, including the associated hardware, software, and services components. Co-opetition in the Building Industry
Building energy management is reaching the cloud - Co-opetition is on the rise in the building industry - Targeted acquisitions will help key players deliver end-to-end monetized energy services - Demand for smart building products in Asia Pacific will soar, driven largely by China - U.S. energy service companies are turning to the federal sector - Building communication protocols are converging in more ways than one - Demand response (DR) is shifting into automatic - Submeters are finding new opportunities in smarter buildings - Building information modeling is
transforming the design process The interface between smart buildings and the smart grid is blurring
Building Energy Management (BEM) and the Cloud Cloud-based energy management solutions provide building owners with real-time access to data on energy use across several buildings and occupants from any web-enabled device. Most of these solutions aggregate energy and maintenance data from meters, building automation systems (BAS), and/or other data sources all into the cloud and use advanced algorithms to analyze the energy and building performance that enable building owners, operators and occupants to proactively manage energy usage and bills instead of late speculation
The construction industry has always been fragmented. While there are a few global organizations, the industry is largely dominated by local small and medium enterprises. And with the construction industry involving several stakeholders - architects, structural engineers, building services (HVAC) engineers, quantity surveyors, contractors, sub-contractors, material suppliers and so on collaboration becomes all the more difficult. However, with the advent of Building Information Modeling (BIM) systems and other software, these disciplines are gradually learning to capture and share knowledge during the design and construction of a building. It is expected that with the rising popularity of BEMS, vendors, contractors and other stakeholders in
Smart building market in Asia $ 1,036bn $ 427 bn
Smart building market is supported by Rapid speed of urbanisation Governments' direction in smart cities User demand in low carbon buildings Investors look for a higher asset value
China is building 36 smart cities. 2011 2020 Biggest smart building market China, 46% share Smart Building = Green + Intelligent
Songdo IDB and Fujisawa are two smart cities under development in South Korea and Japan. China has 36 smart cities underway. Singapore will become a smart nation by 2015 and Iskandar is the flagship smart city in Malaysia. Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor will be the smart city of the future India. China is building a RMB 250 billion low carbon model city in Tianjin. Federal Sector Holding Promise for U.S. Energy Service Companies
Japan, 19% share
g Intelli
India, 11% share
b en Gre ing uild
g uildin ent b
the construction industry will be forced to collaborate with each other and move away from proprietary products and protocols. Competition aside, Information Technology (IT) will form the 'glue' and effectively bind the various stakeholders in the construction. Acquisitions Will Enable Provision of End-to-End Monetized Energy Services The year 2011-12 in the smart building industry was witness to several strategic acquisitions acquisitions not intended to eliminate competition but directed at acquisition of other capabilities to meet market needs. This is a strong indication that the smart building industry is resorting to inorganic growth in order to ramp up its company's breadth. With increasing discussion around monetized energy services, the market leaders in
Country Revenue Annual growth rate Total energy consumption units: thousand tons of oil equivalent (ktoe)a Per capita energy consumption (ktoe)b Number of companies Largest customer sectors Notes a International Energy Agency. b. U.S. Census Bureau International Database.
ESCO Country Statistics
the smart building industry are looking at providing a wider range of services that can optimize energy costs and a large part of ramping up these capabilities is being done through acquisition of small, niche players. Market for Smart Building Products in Asia Pacific to Soar With China on Top It is expected that Asia alone will consume 45% of world energy by 2030 and with buildings being the big consumers, there is a huge potential for smart buildings. In a report published by BSRIA, the smart building market in Asia will grow from the current size of USD 427 billion to USD 1,036 billion in 2020, creating vast opportunities for advance building technologies and services.
United States USD 3.6 billion (2006) 22% ( 2004 to 2007) 2,320,696 (2006) 0.0076 46 Government China USD 121 million (2006) 53.1% (2003 to 2006) 1,878,744 (2006) 0.0014 212 Commercial/industrial
An Energy Service Company (ESCO) designs, implements and finances energy efficiency and energy conservation projects on behalf of its customers on a guaranteed performance basis. These customers could be any body such as the government, residential, commercial or municipalities, universities, schools, and hospitals (MUSH) markets. In the US, while the MUSH markets have provided steady streams of revenues for the ESCOs, announcement of the federal government's Better Buildings Initiative in which President Obama pledged $2 billion for energy efficiency projects over the next few years, has made this segment more attractive and promising. Compared to similar industries in US, Brazil and China, the Indian ESCO industry is relatively small, but has grown quickly over the past five years. According to WRI Indian ESCO survey, from 2003 to 2007, total revenue of ESCOs grew at a compounded annual
Brazil USD 280 million (2007) 27% (2007 to 2008) 224,129 (2006) 0.0012 58 Commercial/industrial India USD 17.7 million (2007) 95.6 % (2003 to 2007) 565,820 (2006) 0.0005 26 Industrial
184
Cosmos Sales Corporation
Percentage of Industry Revenues By Customer Segments (%)

other, 2.6% Government and Municipalities, 24.2% Schools/Colleges, 0.1% Hospitals, 0.5% Hotels/Hospitality, 1.2% Industrial/Factories 62.1%
Percentage of Industry Revenues By Technology Streams (%)
Modernization and upgradation, 13.90%
others, 1.69% Co-generation, 0.34%

Waste Heat Recovery, 0.00%
Energy saving Commercial Offices, 9.3% Lighting/Pumping 65.09%
Better cooling or heating trvhnologies, 18.99%
Source: WRI Indian ESCO Survey, 2008.
growth rate of 95.6 percent, from a low base of less than 500 lakhs (USD 1.02 million) and the average energy savings per implemented ESCO project was between 21 and 25 percent. Currently different building systems such as BAS (Building Automation System), security systems, facility management system, data and communication systems are loosely coupled within a building. The standards that are used today usch as BACnet or LonTalk focus mainly on one domain of building automation and do not necessarily provide enough information to enable convergence between different systems. Thus, new and extended standards are needed to support advanced integration of building systems. Echelon recently took a major step toward breaking these barriers down through the launch of a suite of tools and products aimed at
integrating systems based on LonWorks and BACnet. IP based automation systems are gaining momentum due to factors like Internet penetration, availability of cheaper computing devices and platform and the advent of the cloud. Auto-DR (Demand Response) Rising Steadily Demand response (DR) programs have been used by utilities since several years to reduce energy usage when demand exceeds available supply, or when market conditions unexpectedly change and electricity costs jump. However, this has required a lot of time and manual intervention. This long and laborious process prevents utilities and grid operators from realizing the full benefit of DR. With the rise of the smart grid, a new era of DR is emerging automated DR
technology which will greatly improve a consumer's capability to immediately shed load on command, and a utility's ability to automatically send the right load shedding signal when needed. In most cases, load shedding events will occur within seconds to minutes as opposed to minutes and hours. There has been an obvious increase in the number of strategic acquisitions being made by the major players with a particular focus on ADR and associated technologies. Auto DR systems have grown in popu-larity with the development of open standards such as Open ADR. Open ADR 1.0 was developed in 2002 as part of a joint effort by a group of utilities, companies and institutions including the Lawrence Berkeley N a t i o n a l Laboratory, Southern California Edison, EnerNOC, Pacific
Access Cameras Fire Alarm Lighting
Fans Environmental Vents Occupancy

controls Sensor
Rural Suburban Utility HQ Urban
Hybrid Battery Power
Power Demand
186
Good Mixing Technology for Construction Chemical Manufacturing

onstruction chemicals are specialty chemicals used in pre and post Construction stages. They are used as an additives to concrete/mortar Or as an application on masonry surfaces. These chemicals modify and enhance the properties of concrete in fresh and hardened states. Construction Chemicals can be classified based on end users Admixture. Water Proofing Compounds. Flooring Compounds. Repair and rehabilitiation. Miscellaneous (Grouts,tiles and adhesives and others etc).
Right Mixing Technology Toshniwal offers single shaft paddle mixer of A&J Mixing Technology, Canada. for manufacturing construction chemicals. The working principle of quick cycle single rotor to have all the particles moving in an organized transport system, the mixing action ensures to Mix ingredients quickly and overcome the segregation forces to achieve the perfect Mix. The mixer is ideally suitable for producing the coloured cement mixes, the Quick and accurate mixing with desired colour shade achievement features, will increase the process efficiency.
The advantage are - Low or No installation cost. - Reduced Mixing time. - Improved process efficiency. - Minimal maintenance. - Perfect colour dispersion.
Further details from: M/s. Toshniwal Systems & Instruments Pvt. Ltd., 267, Kilpauk Garden Road, Chennai - 600 010, India Phone No: 91-44-26445626 / 26448983 Email: mixer@toshniwal.net / Web : www.toshniwal.net
187
Gas and Electric, Constellation Energy, Hawaiian Electric Co. and Honeywell also known as the Open ADR alliance. Sub-meters Find New Opportunities in Smarter Buildings Sub-meters are essentially metering devices with monitoring capabilities, and they are installed after the master meter in a building or facility. Their purpose is to define the energy use of a specific location, user or circuit. The installation of a sub-metering device provides the customer with energy consumption data showing how slices of the "energy pie" are sub-distributed to the various departments, tenants or processes within the facility. From here, an energy savings plan can be devised, because submetering lets the consumer precisely define energy usage all the way down to a single branch circuit. Such precise metering happens from simply monitoring demand (kW) and usage (kWh) to provide aggregate data. With the appropriate software, the user can manipulate and display this raw information on a centralized or
and energy management system performance analysis. Building Information Modeling (BIM) Is Transforming the Design Process The emergence of BIM-related technologies is transforming the design and construction industry. One of the significant consequences of BIM is that it facilitates increased collaboration and exchange of timely information between different stakeholders in a building project - clients, architects, designers, material suppliers and contractors thus achieving the best possible solution. Apart from allowing alternatives to be visualized and evaluated in terms of cost and other project parameters, BIM can assess alternative energy strategies and systems in the earliest phases of design. Embedded energy analysis tools are currently being integrated into several of the BIM software environments. However, it incurs a cost for maintaining the energy software as new versions of the BIM software environments are released. The Green Building XML (gbXML) file format enables users to create BIM output in the gbXML format (including Autodesk, Graphisoft, Bentley Systems, Elite Software, ECOTECT and GeoPraxis). Despite being new to the Indian construction scenario, BIM has shown strong acceptance potential here. The Interface between Smart Buildings and the Smart Grid Is Blurring According to an IDC report, despite the significant market opportunity, smart Buildings and the Smart Grid have been developing independently. However, the two will yield to interdependence through the impact of technology infrastructure development and maturity, regulations, customer segmentation insights, and distributed energy resource availability. As grids and buildings get more closely interconnected, these intersections will offer new ways to get utilities and their customers in sync with their energy needs. Combining smart grid and smart building technologies improves reliability and security, while reducing energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
remote Windows-based PC. Automatic meter reading (AMR) capability allows the submetering system to be read from anywhere, anytime and in any weather from the convenience of a computer. Time-of-use graphs and charts gives the user the data necessary for real-time pricing, event analysis, demand side management programs
A Smart Grid Needs Smart Buildings
PHEV Parking Deck
Renewable Energy Internet
Power and Bi-directional Data Communication Dynamic Pricing Curtailment Signals Load Forecasts Capacity Bids Emission Reduction Info
Solar PV
HVAC
Power Distribution
Security
Combined heat and Power Plant
Lighting
Information Technology
Internet Thermal Storage Electrical Storage Smart Smart Grid Meter Building Manager
Institute for Building Efficiency
188
ROTHO - Robert Thomas Metall- and Elektrowerke GmbH & Co. KG
Sicoma Mixers India Pvt.Ltd
Infrastructure
High Performance in Infrastructure and Construction

Bhavani Balakrishna
he current economy presents a mixed bag for the Indian infrastructure and construction industry- investments to the tune of USD 1 trillion in infrastructure, volatile prices of raw materials and inputs, rising interest rates and costly finance schemes, the increasing emphasis on green and sustainable construction, shortage in labor and specific skills and delays in land acquisition. No longer able to rely on a consistent healthy
economy for continuing prosperity, organizations in this sector are rethinking their approach to business and considering how to survive the recession and maximize the opportunities in this new economic and political era. Accenture, in collaboration with the Construction Industry Development Council (CIDC), has prepared a report that attempts to understand the key priorities areas and critical roadblocks dominating the Indian construction
industry and areas which necessitate intervention from the government. The following themes emerged strongly as catalysts for high performance infrastructure and construction industry - Agility in responding to changes in the market and secure revenues - Operational excellence in current projects - Continued focus on performance enablers such as talent, organization and technology
190
Infrastructure
Top Priorities Areas for Business Performance in Infrastructure & Construction Building the Order Pipeline As per the study, a majority of the leadership in the construction industry believe that immediate priority for business performance should be on building the order pipeline. Despite the 1520% growth in order value in fiscal year 2011, the first half of fiscal 2011 lacked momentum. However, 70% of the respondents in the study were optimistic about revenues increasing by more than 15%. A large part of this growth is expected to be achieved through entry into prospective new markets such as Middle East, Africa and Turkey through joint ventures. Another mode of growth is expected through diversification into new sectors like ports, roads, power, plant construction and airports. Again, a section of the industry is cautious with excessive diversification and prefers to enter in new sectors where they already have the requisite expertise. Surprisingly, vis--vis its global counterparts, the Indian infrastructure and construction industry are not looking at forward or backward integration as a strategy to reduce revenue volatility. Operational Excellence The respondents representing the industry also believed that the combination of a right operating model and superior execution will enable them to emerge from slowdowns more quickly and successfully. Excellence in project management was identified as the most critical factor in achieving operation excellence followed by other factors like efficiency in procurement of raw materials & equipment and superior engineering and design leveraging concepts such as standardization and 3D modeling. Capital Efficiency With the secondary market volatility forcing companies to resort to highcost debt to fund their projects and with no signs of decrease in interest rates,
several highly leveraged organizations in the industry are concerned about servicing debts. The above factors have also led to delay in project executions and schedule and cost overruns due to delayed payment and working capital issues. Hence, there has also been an emphasis on capital efficiency. Talent, Knowledge Management and Technology Achieving growth and operational excellence is an arduous task but the respondents in the study acknowledge that talent, knowledge management and technology are the key enablers. While leadership programs, differentiated pay and stock options are some of the strategies that are used for retaining and attracting talent, at the junior levels, stock options are received tepidly due to the unpredictable performance of the stock market. A large majority also feel that harnessing and sharing industry best practices can help the capabilities of organizations. A few high-performance organizations have already launched in-house e-learning platforms and several feel that technology can be strategically used to create a virtual, collaborative environment in which all partnering entities can be integrated on one
platform. This can result in improved overall project delivery, efficiency, asset operability and cost control through enhanced data and information transparency. Roadblocks Lack of equitable and standardized bidding, unavailability of managerial and supervisory staff, lack of project management capabilities and lack of engineering and design capabilities were some of the reasons cited by the industry as hampering its growth. Some also felt that delays in land acquisition on account of factors like land undervaluation, dependence on state governments for actual land allotment and an ambiguous definition of the term unencumbered land has resulted in delayed or incomplete large projects. Government Initiatives and Reforms Following are some of the recommendations proposed by the industry representatives participating in the study. - With respect to land acquisition, the government should modify existing land acquisition and rehabilitation legislation to balance the needs of various stakeholders while not com-
The government should modify existing land acquisition and rehabilitation legislation to balance the needs of various stakeholders
Infrastructure
Fuelled by rapid urbanisation the Indian construction industry is expected to grow strongly over the next five years
Skill development institutions should be established in order to address the shortage of talent
promising on the quality and velocity of projects. The government should draft stringent qualification criteria during tendering and bidding. It should also draft model contracts aligned to global and local best practices, with the underlying principle of being equitable. The government needs to review and reengineer the approval process to minimize delays. The government should establish more monitoring cells on the lines of the investment tracking system planned by the finance ministry for
all major projects in the private sector, as well as for public-private projects with investments larger than a reasonable threshold. The government should look at rigorous implementation of guidelines from the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. The industry needs a robust mechanism for fast and efficient dispute resolution aligned with international best practices and institutional arbitration system. The government should aim at creating an environment to attract investments and structural reforms
to enable long-term financing. Institutional lending should be ramped up from the current 1.5% to at least 5% share of total lending. Sector-specific skill councils and skill development institutions should be established by the government in order address the shortage of talent in the industry.
The industry needs a robust mechanism for fast and efficient dispute resolution
While the industry has evolved over the past few years, the period of recession provides companies with an opportunity to retrospect. Fuelled by urbanization, globalization, infrastructure renewal and the burgeoning needs of developing megacities, the Indian construction industry is expected to grow strongly over the next five years. Analysts estimate the emerging opportunity for construction from infrastructure segments at USD 443billion during the 12th five year plan alone. Improved funding environment and regulatory environment will not only give the necessary fillip but also provide a conduce environment for the sector to operate. While this growth environment offers a wealth of opportunities for organizations in the infrastructure and construction industry, only those companies that are exceptionally agile, operationally efficient, customerfocused will compete successfully to achieve high performance in the local and global construction and infrastructure markets.
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Stewols India (P) Ltd
Venus Equipments & Tools Pvt.Ltd
Implementation Challenges & Way forward for Construction & Infrastructure Sector during 12th Five year plan (2012 - 17)
Implementation Challenges & Way forward for Construction & Infrastructure Sector during 12th Five year plan (2012 - 17)
Roads Hotmix Asphalt
The Future of Hot Mix Asphalt

ot mix asphalt has been used for ages to build roads and will continue to be the most ideal solution in terms of costs, energy savings and ease for building reliable and comfortable highways. Globally hot mix asphalt has seen a great change in its constitution and production and the trend continues, thanks to asphalt's inherent capacity to evolve. Marini's' contribution to the promotion of this technology has been phenomenal, especially since the second world war. The following is a brief excerpt of the technology and trend in the asphalt mixing business. Asphalt is closely associated with modern life, but not many are aware about its ancient roots and about it as a naturally occurring material with a rich history. Origins The English word asphalt comes from the Greek word "asphaltos," which means secure. Though the asphalt that we use today is mostly refined, asphalt can be found in its natural state in asphalt lakes and rock asphalt. The first known use of asphalt for anything was by the ancient Sumerians around 3000 B.C. as an adhesive for inlaying precious metals, stones, etc. Ancient people used it for art, embalming, waterproofing, caulking and mortar. History Asphalt pavement is the most known use today, of course. Its first recorded
Marini plant in late 30's
Marini plant in Argentina in the 60's
use was in 625 BC in Babylon, that's a long time ago. Christopher Columbus landed off the shores of La Trinidad in 1498 and discovered the famous Asphalt Lake. However, its use was rare for centuries, becoming a truly viable option in the late 1800s. In the 1800's Thomas Telford built more than 900 miles of roads in Scotland, perfecting the method of building roads with broken stones. His contemporary, John Loudon McAdam, used broken stone joined to form a hard surface to build a Scottish turnpike. Later, to reduce dust and maintenance, builders used hot tar to bond the broken stones together, producing "tarmacadam" pavements. With patents being issued in Europe and the U.S. in the late 1800s, the actual paving becoming prevalent in the early 1900s. As cars became more
available, the asphalt paving industry grew exponentially. Marini - Adding impetus to asphalt road buildingg In the 20's Marini had already started producing machineries for various roadbuilding applications. Marini added impetus to the construction activities by designing, developing & constantly raising the industry benchmarks in terms of productivity and performance. The comprehensive product portfolio of machines for asphalt road construction already then with Marini, speaks volumes about the focus of the company. In the 40's, during World War II, asphalt technology greatly improved, spurred by the need of military aircraft for surfaces that could stand up to heavier loads. After the terrible destruction inflicted
1929 the reale in Italy
Marini Plant in Brazil During 1958
Marini plant in 1960s
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Marini PTR in the 60's
by the Second world war, Italy went on to rebuild itself through the development of a mighty road and motor way network, using Marini machinery and asphalt plants. Asphalt Technology and Sustainability During the 50's Marini had become a leader in asphalt plants and had started exporting these machines & technologies worldwide. By 80's innovations kept pace with demand, refined asphalt had already become the most commonly used form, and asphalt recycling was developed. Marini by then had applied for patents for recycling of asphalt pavements. By 2002, EPA announced that asphalt manufacturing facilities were no longer on its list of industries considered major sources of hazardous air pollutants. These improvements kept coming, and various blends for durability, drainage, noise reduction, and regional
Marini plant in Saudi Arabia in 1970
concerns like heavy rainfall and ice further transformed the asphalt mixes. The ancient Babylonians would be pleasantly surprised if they could see what they started! Asphalt is one of the most recyclable materials on the earth and tops the list on this front. Green mixes today have made this fantastically natural product even more energy efficient and cleaner to work with. Today, asphalt mixes have evolved to become more than 30 % more energy saving and equally environment friendly compared to traditional asphalt mixes produced earlier this decade. Road Ahead The basic method to produce asphalt hot mixes hasn't changed drastically.
However, the change that we see today, has been implemented thanks to the techniques which are used to produce hot mix and hot-mix mix design perse. These changes have been implemented by researchers, hot mix plant manufacturers and end users. All of this has been possible only due to the inherent nature of asphalt evolution. Asphalt, no longer means the same thing in different parts of the world. It has evolved and adapted itself to meet the local challenges and needs for durability performance and environmental impact. India & Evolution The evolution of the asphalt plant technology from Volumetric mixing in a continuous mixing drum to the modern asphalt batch plant, where each ingredient is processed, weighed and mixed separately along with the advancement in technologies ranging from application equipment to pavement mixes themselves has brought this technology a long way in India. Although conformance to environmental aspects still have a long way to cover, compared to advanced countries. Constant research by Government Bodies and an open mindedness to incorporate beneficial technologies
1969- Italy
The first Marini plant in India installed in 1998, has produced around 2 Million tons.
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especially in the area of asphalt mixes has contributed to better skid resistance, riding quality, temperature & rainfall resistance and recycling of asphalt. It would not be long before we begin to implement mixes which deliver better visibility through reduced road spray, road noise mitigation and longer life. In a developing country like India, with huge needs for infrastructure development, the industry eagerly & rightly awaits greater impetus on greener mixes and technologies, which deliver economical benefits, environmental friendliness & longer life. Asphalt, Asphalt plants & You Just as change is the only constant in today's world, Asphalt mixes and the production methods are going to change and change very rapidly. Today, it is smarter to think in terms of evolution rather than innovation. Innovation is, of course, still essential, but major innovation is very rare. An asphalt plant is an investment that will stay for at least a decade and half. A plant installed in 2011 will operate in 2025, with what binder? or at what outlet temperature? Technical visibility is shorter, the weight of legislation and economic aspects are rapidly changing, and as a result decision makers must go for an HIGHLY ADAPTABLE solution. Marini implemented the THINK 5E
A 320 TPH Mobile Plant Installed Around 2005
philosophy around 6 years back, which works wonders for end users, For example, while some aspects like high content recycling, Higher fraction mixes, Low energy mixes, performance additives, etc are still at a nascent stage in India, Marini users however can face the future with confidence since each standard plant is supplied with these futuristic technologies enabled. With Simple add-ons customers can easily configure their plants to meet any of these technological demands. Even the most recent and highly complex systems like processing RAP up to 100% are available as simple add-ons, ensuring Marini clients lead all the way.
Asphalt is evolving and will continue to do so. In order not to be left behind, mix producers therefore must think beyond their present project and make decisions congruent to the nature of Asphalt.
Blesson Varghese
MD, Marini India
With environment change, economic turmoil's and absolute need to conserve natural resources, much impetus has been put in by asphalt producers world over to re-think asphalt. However, contrary to the expectation of shelving this highly performing product, asphalt has emerged once again as the best solution. This versatile feature of asphalt emerges thanks to its potential to evolve states Blesson Varghese MD Marini India.

Marini India
E-mail: info@marini.co.in Web:www.marini.co.in
A Recently commissioned State-of-the-art Marini Asphalt Plant
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Maco Coporation India Pvt.Ltd
Sustainability Drywall Systems
A Breakthrough Construction Technology and its Impact on India's Growth
Ar. Harsh Bhutani

t is estimated that delivery of 480,000 residential units across affordable, mid and luxury housing segments, scheduled for completion during 2011-13, will be delayed in the 11 cities. Therefore, there is an outcry for speed as the construction will need to be much faster now. The volumes and sizes have forced the industry to look into alternative technology to replace conventional construction.
Rapid urbanization, tremendous shortage of skilled labor and the need for having hassle free construction methods is a trigger to offer brickless technology (asbestos free) to build homes faster. Current Inflation Scenario/rapid urbanization India alone is facing housing crunch as 26 Million homes are required by
2012 to meet the existing demand. Also, affordable housing is expected to touch 265 lakh homes by 2012 from low income group in urban, Tier II and Tier III cities. There is a need to build structures that are stronger, more durable, leaks & cracks proof and far more weather resistant than traditional homes, at almost one-third the time taken to construct compared to the traditional methods. Therefore, interest in
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advanced technology is humongous. India is now one of the world's largest democracies and its continuous growth despite the global meltdown has put money into the hands of the middle class youth who are now living a lifestyle their parents had only dreamed of. A well planned, technologically advanced constructed space is now well within their grasp and its being reflected in the growing construction industry. New Generation Partition Wall Systems India is building itself and building itself fast. The growth in the Indian economy over the last 2 decades has led to an unprecedented growth in the real estate/infrastructure/ construction sector. The need for high quality buildings and high quality infrastructure continues to grow across all tier markets whether big or small. There is millions of sq ft of building spaces being constructed in every market in India. Over the past 2 decades, many new international building systems and technologies have been brought to India for making the construction faster and better and up to the global standards. These technologies have enabled us to make tall buildings, long span buildings, mega infrastructure projects like the Delhi Metro, Airports, and Dams etc. Nevertheless, most of our construction projects in India tend to get delayed beyond acceptable limits. One of the biggest problems for the project delays lies in the way we build partition walls. Due to advancements in construction technologies the building structures go up quite fast. But we still build our partition walls in the same low tech way that they were made 50-100 years ago. The partition wall technology has not changed much in India. Over 95% of the partition walls built in India are primarily brick walls with cement plaster and POP covering. This system is time consuming, dirty, cumbersome, heavy and labour intensive. Most of the countries across the devel-
oped world have graduated to better partition systems for over 50-70 years now. The partition wall system that is followed majorly across the world is called the Drywall system. Drywall system traditionally is a hollow wall system with some form of a framing member in the center (Timber, Light Gauge Steel, Mild Steel or Aluminum) and some kind of a rigid sheet/ board which is either screwed or nailed on to the framing member. The hollow cavity inside can be filled with many types of insulations to achieve the required performance criteria such as Sound Insulation, Fire Insulation, Thermal Insulation etc. The Drywall system traditionally has used the Gypsum board on both sides of the framing in countries like US, Europe, Australia etc. The gypsum system works well in countries like US, Europe but fails to find much acceptance in India and other developing regions like Brazil, South East Asia because of some of the inherent problems with Gypsum. Gypsum is a weak/fragile material and unable to take the hard beating/mishandling by labour at the construction sites in India and other developing countries due to its inherent properties.
So on the one hand we have the age old system of brick construction which is time consuming, dirty, cumbersome, heavy, labour intensive and expensive. And on the other hand we have an efficient, lightweight, superfast, flexible, clean drywall system with Gypsum which works in countries like US, Europe but is not suitable for Indian conditions. Both above systems have their benefits and dis- benefits. The new technology of the Next Generation Partition Wall systems from Smartboard provides the best of both the worlds. It provides the efficiency and all the benefits of a drywall system with the durability, strength and other technical properties like a brick wall. And, to top it all it costs about the same or lesser as the conventional brick wall. It is a specially formulated fiber cement sheet with cellulose fibre, cement, silica and other admixtures which are manufactured under a highly controlled environment. The advanced technology manufacturing techniques and the R&D provides Smartboard with superior technical characteristics that make it suitable for using in Wall Systems for both Indoors and Outdoors which renders to be water proof, termite proof and very strong and durable. It comes prefinished
New generation Dry Wall systems are increasingly becoming popular due to inherent properties
and can take any kind of surface finish like paint, wall paper, ceramic tiles etc. Superior Properties and Technologically advanced Material India, today is witnessing a paradigm shift - technology has positively affected our lives and has made a breadth taking change. Growth rate expected for prefab products in India over three to five years would be about 30%. Brickless formwork (Smartboard) is well integrated with pre-fabricated and pre-engineered concrete form system that works as an alternate to Plyboard and Gypsum. The biggest applications for this material are construction of partition walls as an alternate for Brick or Concrete Block walls. Taking into account price increase of the four key construction components steel, cement, labor and bricks - there is an 18 per cent gross rise in construction cost over the last 2 years (2011 over 2009). This escalation will corrode the profit margins significantly. By using brickless construction, developers enjoy savings of 70% to 80% on material costs compared to conventional internal walling systems. Additionally, since the Smartboard Wall sys-
tem is thinner than the conventional brick wall, the developers may also benefit with a higher efficiency and higher saleable area on their projects. By opting for pre-fabricated building solutions over traditionally constructed homes, one can achieve savings both in the short term and over the life of the structure. Usually, pre-engineered or prefabricated houses show better performance, as factory- or assembly-lineproduced homes are manufactured to stricter norms. Such building solutions use cutting edge technology and reduce the number of manufacturing defects given the strong quality checks that can be put in place It reduces in the dead load (1/6th the weight of a conventional 4.5 brick wall) of the building resulting in cost savings in steel /concrete/ foundation in the building structural system. Since the wall thickness is reduced (approx 3), it results in more saleable /usable area. Therefore, it will assist the developers to plan accurately and reduce the risk of fluctuation, enable them to forecast and plan cost, anticipate return on investment and evaluate the impact of increased delivery commitment on developer's reputation. These products possess spe-
cial properties such as low thermal conductivity and high fire resistance making it adaptable to virtually any climatic environment or seismic condition such as earthquakes and cyclones. They are also waterproof, termite proof and possess high strength Increased Delivery Commitment UN Habitat reveals that 3 billion people will require basic housing in the next 24 years. As a result, the demand for housing will be 96,150 houses per day or 4,006 houses per hour. Utilization of this unique wall system is 10-15 times faster than a conventional brick wall system in the basic erection. i.e.: A skilled mason team can erect upto 60 sft of brick masonry in 1 day whereas upto 800-1200 sft of Smartboard wall can be erected in one working day by a team of Smartboard Wall installers. Now you can imagine a house within six months to a year for high rise and around 45-60 days for a duplex villa. The clean building systems in brickless technology is the fastest concrete walling system in the market, ideal for both hot climates and for insulation in cold temperatures as well. Green India Brickless construction will boost the growth of India since it will fulfill the nation's needs for housing in future. The production process in brickless technology is incorporated under 'Green Policy' in the attempt of making India PURE.
Author's Bio An Architect by education and training, Harsh has wide experience in designing, & construction with a wide variety of large/medium commercial/residential/interiors projects in US, Europe and India. Being an architect who has worked at the forefront of the design, construction and marketing industry internationally, Harsh understands design, construction, building materials, project management well.
By using brickless construction, developers enjoy savings of 70% to 80% on material costs compared to conventional internal walling systems
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Industrial Corrosion Controllers
Quality Secondary Waterproofing to Improve Life of Structures

econdary waterproofing is an area that is more often than not, does not get its due importance in India. While primary waterproofing is always provided by an elastic coating/membrane, the general resistance to water penetration and the resultant improved durability of structures, which is often ignored, is something that can be achieved through secondary waterproofing. More than 85% of the concrete produced in the country is through the volume batching process. Generally, there is lack of control of W/C ratio at sites. Adding to this is the fact the control on quality of sand and aggregate is also very limited. The resultant concrete usually has high permeability. In the case of foundation concrete there is ingress of salts and water, which causes deterioration of concrete and also the ground water rises in the walls through the capillaries in mortar and bricks, which in turn leads to persistent dampness and peeling of paints in walls at the ground level. Pollutants such as CO2, along with the water enter into the concrete above the ground level leading to rebar corrosion and deterioration of concrete. Unlike in the case of developed countries, site-mixed mortar and plaster are commonly used in India. Site-mixed mortars lack adhesion and cohesive properties, which ultimately lead to cracks appearing in the mortar and plaster surfaces. With the result, the cracks and dampness in concrete and masonry bring down the actual life of the structures from the designed level. There is however a solution available in the form of 'Dr.Fixit Pidiproof LW+'. What is Dr.Fixit Pidiproof LW+? Dr.Fixit Pidiproof LW + is a unique cement additive having judicious combination of various selective polymers which work in different manner to give different properties such as - Improved dispersion mechanism leading to water reduction of 6%-8%. - Increase in compressive strength. - Micro structure refinement which reduces permeability. - Corrosion resistance. Comparison of normal concrete with Dr. Fixit Pidiproof LW+ concrete For the same set of cement, sand, aggregates and water, the effect of adding Dr. Fixit Pidiproof LW+ into the concrete has been compared below. The compressive strength of concrete specimen with
Mix Proportion
Components
Control mix kg/m3 380 926 452 552 190
Mix with Dr. Fixit Pidiproof LW+ kg/m 3 380 926 452 552 179 200 ml /50 kg bag of Cement
Cement (PPC) Fine aggregate CA - I CA-II Water Dr. Fixit LW+
Comparative Properties
Test Parameters Aging Control mix days 1481 Mix with Dr. Fixit LW+ 1079
Rapid Chloride Penetration 28 Test in Coulomb, (as per days ASTM-C-1202-2007) Water Permeability in mm, 28 (avg. of three samples) (as days per DIN-1048) at pressure 5 kg/cm Drying Shrinkage, %. 28 (average of three samples) days as per IS-2185 Part-1) Compressive (N/mm2) strength 3 days 7 days 28 days Water Soluble Chloride %,
18.00
11.00
0.278
0.193
14.20 21.76 36.28 0.0051
16.71 23.84 38.78 0.0042
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Dr. Fixit Pidiproof LW+ shows an increase of 7% in 28 days. The RCPT value (measure of chloride penetration), water permeability and drying shrinkage of the concrete specimen with Dr. Fixit Pidiproof LW+ shows 27%, 39% and 30% reduction which is quite significant. What is remarkable is that Dr. Fixit Pidiproof LW+ concrete has shown improved impermeability over PPC concrete, which by itself is more impermeable than OPC concrete. Comparison of Dr. Fixit Pidiproof LW+ with other usual Integral Waterproofing Compounds
Dr. Fixit Pidiproof LW+ Conforms IS 2645 and 9103 Usual Integral Waterproofing Compounds Usual Integral Waterproofing conforms only IS 2645 hence no improvement in strength Not observed
Mortar mixed with Dr. Fixit LW+
Mortar not mixed with Dr. Fixit LW+
Water does not rise Effect of Dr. Fixit LW+ in Brick Masonry
Water is rising
Concrete mixed with Dr. Fixit LW+
Concrete not mixed with Dr. Fixit LW+
Resists Corrosion
Acts against capillary water rising No evidence in simple types of dampness. Therefore, improve Integral waterproofing durability in foundations compounds
No other liquid integral waterproofing compound or admixture in the market offers all the features for concrete /mortar improvement like the unique Dr. Fixit Pidiproof LW+. The normal admixtures do not reduce water permeability; hence no secondary waterproofing is achieved. How does Dr. Fixit Pidiproof LW+ work? Narrow lanes called 'capillaries' are formed during hydration of cement. These voids become a route for ingress of chlorides, sulphates, etc. Dr.Fixit Pidiproof LW+ breaks these capillaries. Some hydrophobic polymeric molecules present in the product fill the pores and impart a hydrophobic environment, which repels water molecules and increases impermeability property of the mortar or concrete. The polymeric and cement particles have the same charge and hence particles disperse and release locked water. This in turn improves workability, hydration and increases the strength of the concrete or mortar. Some selective polymeric particles also get into the pores and the resultant impermeability gives the delaying corrosion property, apart from also acting against rising
Concrete mixed with Dr. Fixit LW+
Concrete not mixed with Dr. Fixit LW+
Water does not get permeated
Water gets permeated
Effect of Dr. Fixit LW+ on water permeation through concrete
The photograph shows improved cohesion of Dr. Fixit Pidiproof LW+ mortar sticking to the trowel whereas normal mortar slips down.
dampness. These particles are very fine micro-particles which reach all the rear points and throughout the mortar or concrete matrix. There is also improvement in cohesiveness, which in turn reduces the rebound loss in towelling, leading to higher mason productivity. Additionally, an overall effect of reduced cracking is observed due to the use of Dr.Fixit Pidiproof LW+.
Water does not rise
Water is rising

Dr. Fixit, The Waterproofing Expert. Pidilite Industries Ltd, Mumbai
Effect of Dr. Fixit LW+ in containing capillary rise in concrete
For Expert Advice, Call 1800-3002-5502
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Kalyan Industries
Waterproofing Solutions That Stand the Test of Time

aterproofing is something that continues to trouble various stakeholders in the construction industry, and especially the end customers, etc, even though many products are available in the market today. The industry has been very innovative to introduce new products and technology from time to time to keep up with the growing need and demand. A fine waterproofing system is one which has technocommercial advantages, as well as adds value to the project. Until now the following major types of waterproofing products/systems are used:
Waterproofing System
Various membranes, surface coatings, etc
reacts with the free lime in the concrete, and penetrates the concrete up to a depth of 20-30 mm. Features of Evercrete DPS Waterproofing: As Evercrete DPS penetrates the concrete, it fills the pores and the voids in the concrete, thereby waterproofing the concrete. Since Evercrete DPS penetrates the
20 30 mm
atmosphere enters the concrete and reacts with the Ca(OH)2 in the concrete. This reaction forms water inside the concrete, which reacts with the reinforcement, and leads to structural damage. The penetration of Evercrete DPS reduces the CO2 entering the concrete, and hence protects the concrete from structural damage. Conventionally we have been accustomed to use anti-carbonation paints, which are surface coating, and hence will have a limited life. Recoating will increase maintenance costs. Flexi-Crete
Penetration of Evercrete Deep Penetrating Sealer (DPS)
Problems
Membranes may crack when exposed to UV. Low service life. May have to be replaced periodically. Expensive and application may be hazardous. Prone to physical damage. May require to be mixed with water. Inconsistent water quality on site may lead to variable performance. May leave a residue on the surface. Hence bonding of paint/plaster is difficult. Depth of penetration may only be a few millimetres.
Flexi-Crete is a Modified Hybrid Polymer which is flexible in nature and has waterproofing properties. The flexible nature of Flexi-Crete bridges the cracks formed in concrete due to thermal expansion and contraction.
The flexible layer of 'Flexi-Crete' on surface The Bond between Evercrete DPS and Flexi-Crete is very strong Evercrete DPS penetrating the concrete surface Penetrating Flexible Waterproofing System
Crystalline products
To overcome these issues and to provide a long lasting waterproofing solution, we have developed a Penetrating Flexible Waterproofing System, using our products Evercrete Deep Penetrating Sealer (DPS) and FlexiCrete (FC) Evercrete Deep Penetrating Sealer (DPS) In todays day and age, where infrastructure plays an important role in everyday life, it is very important to think beyond waterproofing. Waterproofing alone is not sufficient for our buildings and other infrastructure. Evercrete DPS is water based, ready to use material that not only waterproofs concrete surfaces, but also preserves and enhance life of concrete structures. When applied on concrete surfaces, Evercrete DPS
concrete, it becomes a permanent part of the concrete, and hence unlike various membranes and coatings Evercrete DPS may not require future recoating. Consistent Curing: When Evercrete DPS is applied on new concrete surfaces after about 7 days further curing is not required. This is because as Evercrete DPS penetrates the concrete it entraps the moisture in the concrete, which helps in consistent curing of concrete. Hence cost can be saved by avoiding the use of curing compounds, curing membranes can be avoided. Seals Hairline Cracks: When applied on concrete surface, Evercrete DPS has the ability to seal hairline cracks up to 0.3 mm. Permanent Penetrating Type AntiCarbonation: Carbonation is the process in which the CO2 from the
Features of Flexi-Crete Flexi-Crete alone can be used for waterproofing of various surfaces such as china chips terraces, asbestos roofs, etc. The Penetrating Flexible Waterproofing System is a long lasting waterproofing solution and offers more than just waterproofing.

Poly Flex
A-229, Antophill Warehousing Complex, Vidyalankar College Marg, Wadala (E), Mumbai - 400037 Ph: +91-22-66059800 E-mail: polyflex@polyflex.co.in Web: www.polyflex.co.in
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Enhancing Urban Hardscapes
Shot Blasted Paver Blocks
Hollow Blocks
B Arjunan
Head - Operations, Buildtech India Corporation
uildtech India Corporation is the one-stop for all needs pertaining to paving blocks, concrete blocks and designer tiles. Not only does the company's portfolio include an innovative, diverse and high quality range of products, it also provides professional and skilled workmanship for laying them as per client needs. The organization has always made its priority to provide technically sound and customized solutions that match the requirements of its clients' needs and budgets. Buildtech Corp paver blocks are of stringent quality and can be used in Domestic and Commercial Pathways, Driveways, Industrial Floors, Factory Compounds and Warehouses. Concrete blocks are also available in different dimensions. The company's extensive range of kerb stones is designed for high performance and strength. The thickness of these kerb stones vary from 75mm to 150mm thickness and
Designer Paver Blocks
Solid Blocks
Kerb Stones
Designer Tiles
Cement Paver Blocks
are manufactured with M-10 to M-20 grade of concrete. The designer tiles by Buildtech Corp are available in various colors, shapes, textures and sizes and can enhance the aesthetics of homes, Restaurants, Hotels and Shopping complexes. These tiles are suitable for exterior applications only. As service providers, the company undertakes laying contracts for all kind of paving blocks. Buildtech Corp has an array of products suitable for various situations. They deal with Cement Paver blocks, Shot Blasted Pavers, Designer Pavers and Tiles, Concrete blocks - Hollow blocks & Solid blocks and Kerb stones. Cement Paver blocks are fast becoming a must in modern constructions owing
to their beauty, durability and economy. Buildtech Corp offers a variety of paver blocks addressing most requirements. They provide high quality, long lasting Designer pavers and Designer tiles for a host of situations, all adding great aesthetic beauty to the area. As part of the leaders in the manufacturing of concrete blocks, Buildtech Corp provides its users with environmentally friendly and sturdy construction solutions through Concrete blocks, Hollow and Solid blocks and Kerb stones.

Buildtech India Corporation
No. 8/16, 2nd floor, Round Building, Anna Nagar West Extension, Chennai - 600101. Ph: +91-44-26545550 Mobile: +91-9840084687 E-mail: info@buildtechcorp.in Web: www.buildtechcorp.in
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MPR Technique
Buildtech India Corporation
Relyon Facility Services
Powerscreen Takes Control
owerscreen, one of the world's leading providers of mobile crushing and screening equipment, announces a series of improvements to the plant controls used in its crushing and screening equipment. Powerscreen continuously looks for opportunities to integrate new technology within its new product development. The latest advancement within Powerscreen crushing and screening equipment is in automation and control systems, simplifying the interaction between operator and machine. Initially launched in 2011, Powerscreen began implementing a wide ranging upgrade to its plant control system to coincide with the redesign of its machines to be compliant with Tier 4i/Stage IIIB emissions legislation. The upgrade transformed the user interface into a more streamlined and integrated solution. In earlier iterations within the mobile cone crusher range, the system had a multiple controller setup with different interfaces for engine, cone setting, choke control and machine power. With the latest generation system, all engine and machine functions are controlled and operated on a single, intuitive and graphically driven Human Machine Interface (HMI) colour display. The menu interface and display are
designed to provide the operator with a balanced amount of process detail for any given task; from tracking the machine to crusher setting to full plant operation. An operator can access more detailed information through a secondary menu within the setup, diagnostics and alarm settings menu, which can help an operator or service technician identify and resolve faults. Within the screening range, the new colour HMI display provides improved diagnostic capabilities, such as fault log history, electronic engine information and fault code support, while retaining the industry-standard fault icons for shutdown and derate warnings. A small PLC (Programmable Logic Control) inside the display panel houses the main operational software. The aligned rollout of these systems with Tier 4i/Stage IIIB-compliant Powerscreen machines mean that the 1000 Maxtrak, 1000SR and 1300 Maxtrak cone crushers, as well as some Warrior and H-Range screens, that are already dispatched and in operation include the new plant control with HMI display. The same models with Tier 3/Stage IIIA engines are planned to be upgraded soon. In the USA, Ian Williamson represents a local distributor, Powerscreen MidAtlantic, and he is certain of the benefits of the system improvements. "The control system advancements have made life much easier for our customers and service department. Our team is able to promptly help customers by resolving any breakdowns in the quickest of times. This system on the newest models is operator-friendly and the screen is incredible, even in direct sunlight the graphics are really clear. Next year will see the release of
more new Powerscreen models. These machines will be launched with the next generation of our plant automation advances as standard. The system has already been developed and results of initial testing are promising, more information will be available in 2013. About Terex Powerscreen is part of the Terex Materials Processing segment of Terex Corporation. Terex Corporation is a diversified global manufacturer of a broad range of equipment that is focused on delivering reliable, customerdriven solutions for many applications, including the construction, infrastructure, quarrying, mining, shipping, transportation, refining, energy, utility and manufacturing industries. Terex reports in five business segments: Aerial Work Platforms; Construction; Cranes; Material Handling & Port Solutions and Materials Processing. Terex offers financial products and services to assist in the acquisition of equipment through Terex Financial Services. More information can be found at www.terex.com.

Powerscreen
Ph: +44 28 87 718 500 E-mail:michelle.murphy@powerscreen.com Web: www.powerscreen.com
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Comprehensive Range of Concrete Batching Plants from the Trendsetter

he very name Ajax Fiori has got synonymous with a quality range of concreting equipment in the Indian market. The company is always striving to bring to the market innovative, modern technology, superior quality, versatile, highly maneuverable, yet simple and cost effective solutions through its world-class construction equipment, to cater particularly to the concreting sector. Ajax Fiori is known for its pioneering products and concepts. Perhaps the best example of it is available in the form of its path breaking, 'self-loading mobile concrete mixer'. While it has strongly established the product in the market, it is now emerging as the leading player in concrete batching plants also, thanks to the company's comprehensive range of batching plants on offer. The company's range of concrete batching plants is setting the benchmark for the way in which major infrastructure projects are being executed today. The unique product offerings in Ajax Fiori concrete batching plant range include: Radius Lift Arm Batching Plants with reversible drum mixers capacities of 20 cu.m/hr and 30 cu.m/hr. Compact Batching Plants (Dragline type and Compartment Bin type) with planetary mixer capacity of 30 cu.m/hr. Inline Bin type Batching Plants with planetary mixers / twin shaft mixers capacities of 30 cu.m/hr to 180 cu.m/hr.
with minimum wastage thanks to the two radius lift arms, swinging almost 180 degrees. Eliminates the need for bins / partitions like traditional systems as the radius lift arms pick up material from the ground. Larger active larger stock piles of aggregates compared to bin or scraper type plants, thereby eliminating the need for a dedicated loader. Compact layout ensures minimum space requirement. Low energy consumption of less than one unit per cubic meter of concrete produced, less than half of the energy consumed by the traditional plants of similar capacities. Minimal concrete foundation required for erection. Modular design of the plant ensures ease in transportation and a fast dismantling & set-up time.
The top benefits of planetary mixers over conventional turbo mixers are: The planetary mixer mixing tools rotate in a synchronized manner and are able to turn the material distributing all of the material uniformly in the pan without favouring the different nature of the materials creating a homogeneous mix; each revolution changes the flow pattern. The intensity of the mixing action, appropriate speeds combined with design of the mixing tools provide a complete homogenization and an efficient flow pattern. The pan of the planetary mixer is completely empty thus allowing the material to cover the complete area in a minimum time. Planetary mixers have a single type of mixing tool with a geometry that together with a combination of movements distributes evenly the material.
The USP of Compact Batching Plants is that they are supplied standard with planetary mixers and customized PLC based control system. Moreover, these planetary mixers are manufactured inhouse under strict quality control procedures, in technical collaboration with Eurostar, Italy. World- over, planetary mixers have replaced the turbo mixers for most applications, owing to its capability of producing high quality concrete of different types.
The Inline Bin type Batching Plants are available with options of planetary mixers & twin shaft mixers, with capacities ranging from 30 cu.m/hr to 180 cu.m/hr. These plants are customised based on actual project / site requirements and are backed up by strong engineering, manufacturing and product support back-up of Ajax Fiori. With such an extensive range of batching plants, Ajax Fiori is geared p to address the specific requirements of infrastructure, RMC and precast industries.
Ajax Fiori Engineering (I) Pvt. Ltd. 148 / 25, Industrial Suburb, Yeshwanthpur, Bangalore - 560022. Ph: +91-80-39211000 Fax: +91-80-23471757, E-mail: info@ajax-fiori.com Web: www.ajax-fiori.com
The Radius Lift Arm Batching Plants from the company feature the unique 'Swinging Radius Lift Arm' technology, hitherto not seen in the Indian market. These plants come with a host of advantages over conventional batching plants. These include: Self-loading of aggregates and sand
Homogenous Mix of Planetary Mixers
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ZENTRIVAL PL Waterproof Tile Adhesive

entrival PL is a present generation tile adhesive specially formulated for fixing of ceramic, other tiles and insulation boards by thin bed method and spot bonding method. The average bed thickness can be as low as 1 mm and it replaces the conventional bed thickness of pat mortar of 15 to 20 mm. Zentrival PL should be added to water (not reverse) to obtain paste like consistency. This mixture should be allowed to stand for about 10 minutes to begin the reaction before applying the same by means of normal trowels. The surface should then be combed with notched trowels to achieve savings in the material. The tiles can then be placed in position by slight twisting motion. The insulating boards like polyurethane, polystyrene
boards etc. should be spot bonded. Tiles need not be pre wetted & no batting of tiles is required thereby avoiding the breakage. No pre roughening of plaster is necessary as tile adhesive adheres even to smooth
surfaces and there is no wastage. Economy is derived from the fact that output of tile layer is 2 to 3 times of that in the conventional tile fixing. The greatest advantage is higher bond strength and the surface is waterproof. The joints between the tiles can be grouted by using Zentrival FM, premixed, waterproof grout supplied in white colour and can be tinted to any matching shade by using universal stainers.

MC Bauchemie (India) Pvt. Ltd.
411, Arenja Corner, Sector 17, Vashi, Navi Mumbai - 400703, Ph:+91-22-27892856/27880803, Fax:+91-22-27893870, E-mail: Info.india@mc-bauchemie.com Web: www.mc-bauchemieindia.com
Prevention of Theft from Coal Mines

As per raids conducted by security personnel as well as joint raids with the law and order authorities of the State Government, concerned, the quantity of coal recovered and its approximate value during 2010-11 and 2011-12 are as under:
Company Eastern Coalfields Ltd.(ECL) Bharat Coking Coal Ltd. (BCCL) Central Coalfields Ltd. (CCL) Northern Coalfields Ltd. (NCL) Western Coalfields Ltd. (WCL) South Eastern Coalfields Ltd. (SECL) Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd. (MCL) North Eastern Coalfields (NEC) TOTAL 2011-12 2010-11 Qty. Reco- Approx. Vaule Qty. Reco- Approx. Vaule vered (Te) (Rs. Lakh) vered (Te) (Rs. Lakh) 5648.00 8539.32 488.73 9.00 109.81 64.11 59.60 0.00 14918.57 112.96 191.59 6.20 0.55 1.96 2.45 0.60 0.00 316.31 2300.00 9645.18 8477.85 0 169.63 8.50 36.50 22.38 20660.04 46.00 191.50 86.01 0 2.72 0.16 0.37 0.95 327.7
(i)
Check posts have been established at entry / exit points where all coal laden vehicles are physically checked.
(ii) Security at coal dumps are improved by wall fencing, proper illumination and round the clock guarding. (iii) Regular patrolling is conducted in and around the mine including overburden dumps. (iv) Armed Guards have been deployed at Railway sidings. (v) Joint patrolling with local police is also being carried out in some areas.
(vi) Surprise checks / raids are conducted by flying squads of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF)/security department. (vii) Security squads have been introduced to check transportation of coal enroute to Railway Siding. (viii) Surprise re-weighment of coal laden trucks is done, at weighbridges. (ix) Escorting of coal rakes in coordination with RPF up-to weighbridge, is arranged in pilferage prone areas. (x) Challans for coal transportation by trucks outside the district are issuedafter fixing hologram and putting signatures of authorized officials of CISF to check pilferage.
This was informed by Pratik Prakashbapu Patil, Minister of State in the Union Ministry of Coal while replying to a written question in the Rajya Sabha. Patil also said that the following measures have been taken up by the coal companies to prevent pilferage/theft of coal:
(xi) Regular FIRs are lodged by the management of the collieries and CISF with the local police against the pilferage/theft of coal. (xii) Inter-action and liaison with district officials at regular intervals. As such the state governments have a critical role in stopping/curbing such thefts.
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BC India - Bauma Conexpo Show
Facade Double Skin
Double Skin Facades:

Solution for Energy Efficient Building Operations
Bhavani Balakrishna
he building industry is one of the biggest consumers of energy across industries. Due to increasing concerns about depletion of fossil fuel reserves and natural resources, the industry is constantly in the lookout for innovative building materials that can reduce the consumption of energy. One such promising invention is the Double Skin Facade (DSF). While DSFs have been used to a large extent in Europe for aesthetics and acoustics, a growing section of the building industry also believe that using DSFs in large buildings can improve the overall energy efficiency of a building by passive solar heat gain in winter, reducing thermal losses in winter, reducing overall solar heat gain (in summer) and support of natural ventilation (with the stack effect).
Facade Double Skin
What are Double Skin Facades? Facades work as a building envelope apart from lending character to the entire building, smart and innovative facades can provide significant energy savings. Innovations in glazing have already made heat absorbing glass, reflective glass and double glazing commonplace, with an associated set of aesthetic features. In the last few years, the architect and building community have been looking at combining these aesthetic elements with natural elements such as wind and climate along with intelligent mechanical solutions to make these facades more responsive to outdoor and indoor climates. Improved shading and solar control systems, greater use of automated controls, and integration with other building systems are some instances of such experimentation. The Double Skin Faade (DSF) is one example that can provide improved acoustics, better solar control and enhanced ventilation. The double skin facade incorporates the passive design strategies of natural ventilation, daylighting and solar heat gain into the fabric of the high-rise building. A DSF typically has a pair of glass skins separated by an interstitial space an air corridor or cavity. The air cavity between the layers of glass acts as insulation against temperature extremes, winds, and sound. Sun-shading devices such as blinds (manual or automatic) are often located in the cavity between the two skins to prevent solar heat gains from entering the occupied space. On the external surface of glazing, vents are located top and bottom to prevent the void from overheating in the summer. In the winter, the vents are generally closed to trap heat in the void and reduce heat loss through the interior windows. In the mid-season condition, the inner curtain wall normally has operable windows for natural ventilation. An additional benefit is that modulating outer vents can be used to control the void temperature and thus extend the period suitable for natural ventilation.
Structure of a Double Skin Facade The Belgium Building Research Institute describes the structure/layers of a Double Skin Faade System as the following - An exterior glazing which is usually a hardened single glazing. This exterior faade can be fully glazed. - An insulating interior double glazing unit. This could be clear, low E coating or solar control glazing. Generally, this layer is not completely glazed. - The air cavity between the two panes - The width of the cavity can vary as a function of the applied concept between 200 mm to more than 2m. This width influences the way that the faade is maintained. - The air cavity between the two panes can be totally natural, fan supported or mechanically ventilated. The five common ventilation modes are outdoor air curtain, indoor air curtain, air supply, air exhaust and buffer zone - Automatically controlled solar shading is integrated inside the air cavity.The shading device is placed inside the cavity for protective reasons. In most cases, the airflow through the glazing cavity is driven by natural buoyancy (hot air rises) aided by wind pressure differences,although some systems use small fans (often driven by photovoltaics). In hybrid systems, HVAC supply or exhaust air flows are directed through a glazing cavity before connecting with outside.Ventilated cavities may extend the height of the building, several stories, or be limited to a single storey. DSFs can be categorized based on the type (geometry) of the cavity. In a box window type DSF, the horizontal and vertical partitioning divide the faade in smaller and independent boxes. In the shaft box type, a set of box window elements are placed inthe faade. These elements are connected
Facade Double Skin
energy consumption. With its increased glazing coverage, DSFs can improve the access to natural sunlight in the day which is far better than artificial lighting. Solar shading devices can minimize excessive glare and heat during peak heat periods. DSFs also assist in night-time ventilation. During the hot summer days, when the external temperature is high, there is a possibility that the interior spaces may be easily overheated. Moreover, during nights when the windows and doors are closed and the HVAC ceases to work, the heat trapped inside can cause discomfort the early morning hours. DSFs can pre-cool the offices during the night using natural ventilation by opening the interior skin. In this case, the indoor temperatures will be lower during the early morning hours providing thermal comfort and improved air quality for the people in the building. Also, the use of natural night time ventilation affects the heat storage of the surrounding materials such as furnishing, ceilings, walls,etc. Critical Parameters for an Efficient Double Skin Facade Theenergy performance of a DSF is dependent on several factors. Following are some of the elements that may affect the overall performance of a DSF system. - - - - - - - Natural vs. mechanically assisted ventilation Single story vs. multiple story module Glass layer properties and sequence Cavity size and depth Shading device location and properties Number and place of the inlets and outlets The direction of the faade
via vertical shafts situated inthe faade. These shafts ensure an increased stack effect. In the corridor faade, horizontal partitioning is realized for acoustical, fire security or ventilation reasons.In multi-storeyDSFs, no horizontal or vertical partitioning exists between the two skins. The air cavity ventilation is realized via large openings near the floor and the roof of the building. Double Skin Facades and Energy Efficiency While several studies have been conducted to prove the energy efficiency of DSFs, nothing conclusive has been stated. However, most believe that the DSF system can provide greater thermal insulation due to the outer skin both in winter and in summer. During summer, the air in the cavity does away with the heat through stackeffect keeping the temperature of the inner skin lower. Thus, the conduction,convection and radiation from the inner pane to the occupied space reduces and less heat is transferred from the outside to the inside. This results in less energy required to cool the space. Shading devices contained in the air cavity such as horizontal blinds can also be used to control of solar heat gain. These devices can be fixed or operable units that are controlled by the occupant or by sensors within the building.Venting is critical to prevent overheating during summer periods. During the winter season, in a naturally ventilated DSF, the closed cavity functions as a thermal buffer zone which reduces heat losses and enable spassive thermal gain from solar radiation. In a mechanically ventilated system, the air is preheated in the cavity and through the Air Handling Unit (AHU) supplied in the building. Thus using DSFs, buildings can capitalize on passive use of air currents over mechanical means of air-conditioning, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the building. Day lighting is another area where DSFs can minimize
While a combination of CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) and AFN (Air Flow Network) modeling have been used to calculate the efficiency of a DSF system, the complexity
Summer Scenario: Solar radiation intercepted by blindsin buffer space andvented directly tooutside
Winter Scenario: Vents can be closed to trap heat andact as thermal buffer
Instruct
Facade Double Skin
of different factors involved make it difficult to accurately predict the efficiency of a DSF. Integrating an HVAC system with Double Skin Facades There are now talks about how one can construct a smart and intelligent building that can integrate its HVAC/Building Management Systems (BMS) with the DSF to manipulate lighting, heating and ventilation requirements in the building. These could include windows and shading systems with optical and thermal properties that can dynamically change in response to climate and occupant preferences.These include motorized shades, switchable electrochromic or gasochromic window coatings.This combined with day lighting controls with 1-2 hour notification and pre-cooling of thermal mass using nighttime natural or mechanical ventilation through windows with 24-hour notification can significantly reduce cooling and lighting loads. Executing a DSF System Double-skin faades are significantly more expensive to install than conventional curtain wall systems considering only the cost of the installed faade.This is largely due to the engineering costs (mechanical and structural), the amount of special glass required, and the unfamiliarity of trades people with these systems thus leading to higher installation costs. If the design process fully integrates mechanical and architectural concerns from the beginning, these systems often require less mechanical (HVAC) systems and this also can compensate for the cost of the second faade.The design has also to take into account many different parameters connected both with the use of
building (building scheme and type, orientation, occupancy schedule, equipment etc.) and its location (climate, daylight availability, temperature, site & obstructions, latitude, atmospheric conditions etc.) before deciding on a DSF system Conclusion DSF was largely driven due to its aesthetics and acoustics. While there is a lot of speculation of about the performance of DSFs,based upon thermal performance analysis that have conducted so far,a double-skin faade perform better and provide some energy reduction, particularly on the heating side cycle, from a standard double glazed unit wall. However, nothing conclusive can be said as there are numerous parameters affecting the performance of a DSF. References
- Tombazis A. N., (1996) on double elements in bioclimatic design in proceedings of 4thEuropean ConferenceSolar Energy in Architecture and Urban Planning, Saelens (2002) and E. Lee et al. (2002) in High Performance CommercialBuilding Facades Arons, D. (2000). Properties and Applications of DoubleSkin BuildingFacades MSc thesis in Building Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA Harrison and Boake, (2003) in the Tectonics of the Environmental Skin Li, D. H. W., and Lam, J. C. (2001) Evaluation of lighting performance in office buildings with day lighting controls www.jeffvaglio.com
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Photo Courtesy
www.sydney-city.blogspot.in
Ficci (India Chem 2012)
Workforce Training
Ray of Hope for Downtrodden Unemployed Youths

Deepak Mazumdar, Dy. Director, Construction Industry Development Council (CIDC), New Delhi
ne of the major problems confronting the world particularly India is the problem of unemployment i.e. burning question. The underprivileged youths after finishing their schooling do not fulfill the admission norms. Further, they have to financially support the family so they cannot afford higher studies. They are in need for searching of the jobs for earning their livelihood and financially helping their families. But due to lack of practical knowledge, they are not absorbed in any industry or organization and become unemployed. In the Independence Day addressed by the Prime Minister of India,
Dr. Manmohan Singh, laid the emphasis on massive skill development across the country and also mentioned that CIDC has been mandated to train 20 million youth by 2020. According to our Director General, Dr. Swarup, the skilled manpower requirement will be doubled from 4 crore to 8 crore in the 12th Plan period. In order to fulfill the requirement of skilled manpower, Govt. of India and State Govts. have established many training Institutes for imparting technical education for the deprived youths and help them in gaining livelihood. One of the nodal agencies identified by the Govt. of India is Construction Industry Development Council (CIDC), an
apex body established by the Planning Commission to take up and promote activities for the development of the Indian construction industry. The main objective of the organization is to impart vocational training courses. Based on the student's aptitude and inclination, candidates are admitted to relevant construction trade to be taught at CIDC Training Hub Vishwakarma Pratham at Faridabad. CIDC conducts over 50 different types of courses and they are recognized as Job Vocational Training Courses. The fees for the training are nominal as compared to the other private institutes. After completion of their training, they are placed for employment in different organizations. The training methodology is based on our field tested model which is an amalgamation of 20% theoretical and 80%. practical. Their queries are answered and details of the scheme explained. The emphasis on hands on training prepares the trainees the under-standing of construction site dynamics. They are encouraged to participate in each step of the learning value chain starting from lifting of construction materials used, sand bags to preparing the right mixture, understanding the quality of a good brick and to differentiate between the quality of construction material and actually building the structure. Each trainee participates in all construction activities. As trainees have been imparted
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BMTPC Expo' 2012
Workforce Training
practical training, which has helped them to become employed. It is note worthy that CIDC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bihar, Chattisgarh and North Eastern Region for imparting such training in various construction trades. The trainees trained from our training centres employed with big construction companies and their salaries ranging from ten thousand to fifteen thousand per month. CIDC is running more than 28 Training Centres for imparting training throughout the country. In addition to these, Odisha established Five Training Centres. Recently, MoU signed between Construction Industry Development Council (CIDC) and and Govt. of Odisha with a view to imparting training 6000 Odia unemployed youth every year from CIDC Skill Development Centres. In order to run the Skill Development Centres (SDCs) smoothly and providing state-of-art facilities, CIDC established five SDCs centres in Odisha. Elaborating the selection of the candidates for such centres in the State, our Director General, Dr. P R Swarup wants to take the help of district and Employment Exchange to identify the prospective Odia young men and women of 18 to 35 years of age. The educational qualification for vocational and supervisory
training is 10+12 respectively. Talking to PBD Bureau in Bhubaneswar, Our Director General, Dr. Swarup, who is also a Convener of National Plan Chapter on Construction said that Prospective young men and women candidates would be brought to the skill centres which would make them employable after imparting training in the specific trades according to their qualification and ability. In Odisha, candidates having been imparted training from different centres established by CIDC are selected by the different construction companies
during the training period; details of which are given below: CIVTC: 22 Candidates, ERA GROUP: 49 Candidates, SMCC: 3 Candidates. Total: 52 Candidates Meanwhile, many organizations have joined hands to impart ON THE JOB TRAINING (OJT) to candidates who wish to chart their career in construction Industry. These organizations are: Bharitya Vidya Mandir (BVM), Simplex Infrastructure* Kunnel Engineers & Contractors (P) Ltd* Era Group* Ray Construction* Cherian Varkey Construction Co. (P) Ltd* Parsan Overseas* Shimizu Corporation* BG Shirke Construction Technology Pvt. Ltd* Billimore* Shapoorji Pallonji & Co. Ltd* PG Setty Construction* Punj Lloyd* ARSS Infrastructure* SMCC Construction India Ltd. In nutshell, CIDC is entrusted with the gigantic responsibility by Govt., State Govts, and other organizations to impart training in different fields. All the officials of CIDC are doing the relentless efforts for solving the problems of unemployed youths so that after imparting training, they are absorbed in different construction industries and become a asset of India. For more details about training and other portfolio of CIDC, please visit our website : www.cidc.in
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Forensic Geotechnical Engineering
Gandhi Automations Unveils Interchangeable Section High Speed Roll-up Door: SECTOR
ith improvements in technology and the need for minimizing dust and noise, entrance automation has become imperative for manufacturing plants and warehouses. Gandhi Automations, India's leading Entrance Automations & Loading Bay Equipment Company, supplies and installs highly sophisticated automatic warehouse and industrial doors that control temperature/dust/noise and maintain hygienic conditions while allowing seamless traffic of forklifts & pallet trucks. As part of its extensive portfolio of entrance automation systems which includes Aircraft Hangar Doors, Heavy Industrial Doors, High Speed Flexible Doors, Sectional Overhead Doors, Rolling Shutters, Cold Storage Doors, Hermetic Doors, Fire Doors, Sliding Doors, Swing Doors, Dock Leveler, Dock Shelters, Automatic gates, Boom barriers, Gandhi Automations now offers SECTOR Counterweight balanced
High Speed Door - Sector
and interchangeable section, highspeed roll-up door. Equipped with modular counterweight balancing system which enables a high standard of use and safety, SECTOR is the most rational and reliable version among interchangeable section high-speed roll-up doors. Rugged and Compact, also in Stainless Steel Version: Sector comes with a sturdy and compact, galvanized steel (T1 model) or satin-finish AISI 304 stainless steel (T1Y Model model) selfbearing metal structure, which integrates driving unit, fast wiring and safety photocells. Self-Bearing, Easy and Quick to Install: Its self bearing transom, positioned on the vertical uprights, enables easy and quick assembly thus resulting in a trouble-free installation. The transom incorporates and protects all transmission gears. Polarized fast wiring ensures correct connections and contributes to making installation quick and simple. Ideal Space Problems: Its compact size, both in terms of height and width, enables trouble-free installation even when there are space problems. Safe and Reliable: Its reliable modular counterweight balancing system, with its sturdy driving belt, allows the motor to work with minimum effort, thus extending the operational lifespan of the automation. Its threephase motor for heavy duty, is composed by gear motor with brake, limit switch and lock release, integrated in an exclusive module. Wide Range of Safeties: Sector
comes with a wide range of safety devices: Instant reverse safety edge with rubber border and aluminium extrusion anodized with ACS Anti-crash system in CPA (electroneumatic with self-controlled photocell) versions. It protects the curtain from accidental crash damage. Emergency reopening mechanism, available on both sides of the door, which by releasing the counterweight system, enables semiautomatic reopening of the curtain. Standard safety photocell couple and additional provision for another photocell couple. IP 55 external electronic control panel, with open-close push-button station, emergency stop; self-test function. Functional, Intelligent and multipurpose: Sector offers great structural flexibility thanks to its modular interchangeable systems; the curtain can be made up of blind sections, available in a wide choice of colors, and transparent sections, which increase visibility and result in higher safety. Modular sections make provision for various combinations to meet different operational requirements and enable easy and quick replacement in case of damage.

Gandhi Automations Pvt Ltd
2nd Floor, Chawda Commercial Centre Link Road, Malad (W,) Mumbai 400064 Ph: +91-22- 66720200 Fax: +91-22-66720201, E-mail: sales@geapl.co.in Web: www.geapl.co.in
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Buildmat 2013
Polished Concrete - An Alternative to Traditional Stone Flooring

olished Concrete is the process of taking an ordinary concrete floor, grinding and polishing it with special diamond tools and treating it with silicate based hardeners to convert it into a durable and aesthetic floor. Polished Concrete is becoming a buzz word in the flooring industry in India and there is a lot of curiosity about the concept and a lot of interest. However, in India it is currently limited to the industrial segment. So while it has started to happen in factories and warehouses none of the decorative applications of Polished Concrete are being explored. This article explores one specific Decorative Concrete idea Integrally Colored Concrete. Stone Flooring is very widely used for pavements. In particular, it is very common to see Kota Stone or Red Sandstone being used as paving material. But there are many practical problems when it comes to these materials. Kota and Red Sandstone are normally available in rough cut sizes. So when you typically buy a 24x24 piece you will only get a usable size of 22x22. And furthermore it will have to be blade cut on site before fitting leading to wastage of time and labour. And of course the sub base for fixing
the stone will be cement mortar. So instead of first doing a sub base and then cutting, fixing and grinding the stone, contractors can simply add some integral color to their concrete, pour it on site and then grind, harden and polish it. This gives a floor which is just as durable as a stone floor and leads to savings of up to 40%.
Green Colored Concrete: Replacement for Kota Stone
Red Colored Concrete: Replacement for Red Sandstone
HSG-500 Flooring Machine
This is just one idea to illustrate the diversity of Polished Concrete. It is also possible to grind more and expose the aggregate to create a mosaic like appearance but one that is far more durable. And when we start to consider the finishes and designs that can be achieved by using concrete dyes and acid stains the possibilities are infinite.

Surie Polex
4, LSC, Niraina, Ring Road, New Delhi - 28. Ph: +91-11-40776777 Fax: +91-11-40776768 E-mail: suriepolex@gmail.com Web: www.suriepolex.com
Diamond Finishing & Buffing Pads
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WISE India
Flooring Liquid Densifiers
Understanding Liquid Densifiers

To better understand densifiers is to understand the silicate component. The silicate is what does the work in the densifier; it is what reacts with the Calcium Hydroxide (free lime) and causes densification. The attached ion Lithium (Li+), Sodium (Na+), or Potassium (K+) has no reactive role and are not a defining factor or ingredient. The silicate reacts with the free lime available in hydrated concrete to create Calcium Silicate Hydrate (CSH). CSH is the crystalline formation that gives cement paste its strength, durability and abrasion resistance. The Li+, Na+ or K+ are needed in solution to balance the negative charge of the silicate and do not absorb moisture after the reaction has taken place. The positively charged ions do remain as a spectator in the matrix and add no effective benefit. Most silicate-based concrete hardeners use Li+, Na+ or K+ to balance the charge of the silicate ion in the densifier. Li is the smallest, Na is in the middle, and K is the largest of the three, but when they are in solution (watera b
Kaushal Parikh
Vice Chairman & CEO, Impact Floors India Pvt. Ltd.
s the popularity of choosing concrete surfaces grows, the use of liquid denisfiers and hardeners grow along with it. A densifier is a chemical treatment applied to the surface of concrete that mimics and supports good naturally occurring reactions in concrete. Densification is important to the preservation and lifespan of a concrete surface. This becomes especially important in decorative concrete to enhance the added steps taken to beautify concrete. But the use of concrete densifiers and hardeners comes with much debate about their formulations and their effect on concrete due to misinformation in the industry. In addressing and testing different types of formulas, the following are the facts and basic chemistry regarding densifiers.
H 1 U 3 No 11 K 19
based), the positive charge on the ion attracts water molecules depending on the relative strength of the charge. This means that each ion is followed by a group of water molecules. Even though the Li+ ion is the smallest, it has the largest effective charge and attracts the largest number of water molecules. This means that effectively it is the largest of the three ions when they are in water. The easiest number to understand is the approximate hydration number, which is basically the number of water molecules that each ion attracts. Therefore, in a water-based densifier, a Li+ is dragging around roughly 25 water molecules, while a Na+ is only dragging around roughly 17. This means that it is actually going to be a
Rb 37
Cs 55
Atomic Radil Increases Downwards in Each Group
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The Masterbuilder Subscription Form
Flooring Liquid Densifiers
bit harder for Li+ to get all of its water molecules into a small space than it will be for Na+. In short, even though Li+ is the smaller ion, once it's in solution, it is not as likely to penetrate as far as Na+ due to its tight bond with water. W. R. MEADOWS, INC. is one of the few manufacturers that offers both lithium and sodium silicate densifiers to meet specific specifications. Silicates are used in all types of products from welding rods, food preservatives, detergents, and many others. About three percent of silicate production is used in the concrete industry per silicate raw material producers. Though there is also debate about old vs. new technology of silicates, there actually is no old or new technology. Information as far as ratios has been marketed into the concrete industry. Ratios are the amount, by weight, of Li, Na or K to Silicate. Where ratios have a large impact on some industries, they are not interchangeable. Silicate technology has been around for many decades and a small ion change may have a small difference in effect, but will just be a different twist on the original technology. To get the best results from a densifier, application is the most important part. Densifiers can be sprayed or spread on the surface of the
concrete and should be applied till rejected. The concrete surface will only soak in as much as it can take and the excess product can be removed from the surface. If the densifier is not applied to the point of rejection, the surface will dry unevenly causing reactions to stop prematurely, causing some spots to not have the same hardness as others, defeating the main purpose of the treatment. Application becomes more important with decorative concrete. As any surface becomes more decorative, imperfections show more. It is extremely important to follow each manufacturer's
installation instructions completely. When using acid stains, it is crucial to properly neutralize the acid prior to densification treatment or subsequent covering. When a densifier is applied correctly, the effect will be a hardened, dustproofed, and improved chemical and abrasion resistant surface. Densification supports and aids in the good chemical reactions caused during hydration. This supporting action theoretically makes the entire wearing surface the same hardness, causing it to wear at the same rate and eliminating micro pitting, scaling and premature wear. While there are different types of densifiers on the market, it is important to remember that the silicate component is what does the work by reacting with free lime to cause densification. And densifiers, when applied properly, will have an important and positive effect on the longevity of decorative concrete.

Mani Bhuvan, 4th Floor, 54, Hughes Road, Chowpatty, Mumbai - 400007 Ph: +91-22-67166060, Fax: +91-22-67166001, E-mail: info@impactfloors.co.in, Web: www.impactfloors.co.in
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Rapid Transit India - 2012
Concrete Award
ICI Honours Outstanding Contributors in Concrete Construction

ndian Concrete Institute (ICI) award function was a grand gala evening attended by the elite of the construction industry at Hotel Green Park in Chennai on 22nd September, 2012. It was a memorable moment to cherish for those being honoured in recognition of outstanding concrete structure as well as those engineers who have done exceptional and long standing contribution in the field of concrete construction. The award ceremony is considered by many in the construction fraternity as the most prestigious event that puts concrete and the people associated with construction industry in the spotlight. Like no other construction industry award, the ICI's award is a tribute to the heroes of our time who have touched and inspired us with their creations, actions, talents and vision. The award is a symbol of the Indian construction fraternities' approval and a tribute to those whose abilities will not only inspire practicing civil engineers but also the future generation in India. All the nominees have one thing in common: they have achieved something extraordinary.
The award function started off with thought provoking Dr M Ramaiah Endowment lecture by Prof N Raghavan, INAE, Distinguished Professor, IIT Madras, Former Head, Hydel and Nuclear Sector, Larsen & Toubro Limited, ECC Division, sharing his veiws on Quality issues in Modern Infrastructure Construction. He said that investors should understand that spending a little more on future green designs by applying new techniques pays off immediately in a much better climate and lower energy usage. Dr T N Subba Rao Memorial Lecture given by
Er M Mahendra Raj, Managing Director, Mahendra Raj Consultants Pvt Ltd on Concrete Technology A Retrospect stressed on the wide variety of materials options and mix proportions possible in concrete that allows it to be customized for a wide range of applications and placement and service environments. Earlier resolutions were passed in the 28th AGM of ICI. Dr M Ramaiah, Founder President of Indian Concrete Institute was honoured by the organisation for his outstanding contribution to the Indian concrete institute and construction industry.
232
Concrete Award
Recipients of ICI National Awards 2012

Awards
Outstanding Concrete Technologist Award
Award Receiver's Particulars

Dr. Subrato Choudhury
Sponsor's / Representatives
M/s. Fosroc Chemicals (I) Ltd., General Manager Sales & Marketing: Mr Chandrasekhar Technical Manager: Mr G B Vamadev M/s. Larson and Toubro Ltd. Mr. KRR Chandran, JGM & Head, Chennai Cluster, L&T M/s. Jaiprakash Associates Mr. AA Kaamath, President, Jaiprakash Associates, Hyderabad M/s. Civil-Aid (Bureau Veritas) Group (India) Dr. CS Viswanatha BASF Construction Chemicals (India) Pvt. Ltd., Mr. Upen Patel M/s. MC-Bauchemie (India) Pvt. Ltd. Mr. Sunny Surlaker
Life Time Achievement Award-South Life Time Achievement Award-North Life Time Achievement Award-East Life Time Achievement Award-West Outstanding Concrete Structure Award
Er. R Sundaram
Dr. Bishwajit Bhattacharjee
Er. Satchidananda ER.L. K. Jain ITC Grand Chola Hotel, Chennai Mr. Jacob Verghese, Project Manager, ITC Limited Mr. KRR Chandran, JGM & Head, Chennai Cluster, L&T Mr M Gopinath, Project Manager, ITC Grand Chola Hotel Project, L&T D2S Infrastructures Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi Mr. DD Sharma, Chairman Approaches to Signature Bridge, Delhi Mr. SK Rustagi, Chief Project Manager Wazirabad Bridge Project Er. Pradeep Garg, Superintending Engineer, DTDC, New Delhi Jointly awarded to ICI-TN-Chennai Centre & ICI-Karnataka Bengaluru Centre Er. Shivram Bagade, BASF Construction Chemicals Asia Pacific Shanghai, China Dr. Sanjay Goel, Civil Engg. Department, Dr. BR Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar Global Academy of Technology, Bengaluru Ms. Bharathi Ganesh, Professor & Head, Global Academy of Technology, Bengaluru Mr. S Bhaskar, Mr. Ravindra Gettu & Mr. BH Bharatkumar Mr. Vineet Bajaj, Assistant Prof, SRM University, Uttar Pradesh
Outstanding Prestressed Concrete Structure Award Innovative Application of Special Concrete Award
M/s. BBR India M/s.UltraTech Cement Ltd. Dr. MR Kalgal
ICI-Best Centre Award Young Scientist Award Best Ph.D Thesis in Concrete Award Best Students Chapter Award
ICI-HQ Prof. V Ramakrishnan, USA The Masterbuilder, Editor-in-Chief, Mr. KP Pradeep BASF Construction Chemicals (India) Pvt. Ltd., Mr. Upen Patel
Best Paper Award
ICI-Maharashtra Mumbai Centre Mr. ND Patel (Chairman, ICI-Mah. Mumbai Centre) ICI-UP-Uttarkhand Centre Dr. AK Pande (Secretary, ICI-UP-Uttarkhand Centre)
Best paper on Construction Technique Award.
About ICI Indian Concrete Institute, founded in 1982, is the premier organisation for concrete technologists, with captains of industry, cement manufacturers, leading consultants, academicians, educational institutions and research scientists as active members. ICI has more than 10000 members attached to 30 centers spread all over the country. ICI encourages student participation and has 55 students' chapters with over
2000 members. The major objectives are: spread of good construction practices amongst engineers & trade organisations, conduct conferences, workshops, seminars and training programs periodically. ICI has international collaborations with Asian Concrete Federation, Singapore Concrete institute, Concrete Institute of Australia, etc. ICI publishes a quarterly journal containing peerreviewed technical papers, and gives awards for various achievements every year during its Annual Meetings.
International conference of Suppliers to Construction Chemical Industry of India (CCMA)
Concrete Events
Concrete Day Celebrations

ndian Concrete Institute (Tamil Nadu Chennai Centre) celebrated 'Concrete Day' the formation day of ICI on 6th September 2012 (Thursday) at Chennai. The concrete brethrens as usual patronized this celebration by turning up in full strength. The 'celebrations' got off the mark with clock like precision with Er. K. Jayasankar, Chairman of ICI (TNCC) welcoming gathering. Er. M. V. Satish, Executive Vice President and Head (Buildings & Factories), L & T Construction was the Chief Guest. Dr. Manamohan Kalgal, Former Vice President (South) and Dr. V. Ramachandra, Former GC member ,Mr. N. Balachandran Nair, Assistant Vice President (Marketing), UltraTech Cement Limited were the Guests of Honour.
Er. R. Radhakrishnan, Secretary General, ICI, ushered in lot of welcoming changes to take ICI to higher orbits, presented about ICI activities and the forthcoming events.
The List of Awardees of Concrete Day Celebration

ICI (TNCC) - UltraTech Award for Outstanding Concrete Engineer of Tamil Nadu - 2012 ICI (TNCC) - UltraTech Award for Outstanding Young Concrete Engineer of Tamil Nadu - 2012 ICI (TNCC) - UltraTech Award for Outstanding Young Concrete Engineer of Tamil Nadu - 2012 ICI (TNCC) - UltraTech Award for Outstanding Concrete Structure of Tamil Nadu - 2012 (Category Infrastructure) ICI (TNCC) - UltraTech Award for Outstanding Concrete Structure of Tamil Nadu - 2012 (Category Infrastructure) ICI (TNCC) - UltraTech Award for Outstanding Concrete Structure of Tamil Nadu - 2012 (Category Residential/ Commercial) ICI (TNCC) - UltraTech Award of Appreciation for Outstanding Concrete Structure of Tamil Nadu - 2012 (Category Residential/ Commercial) ICI (TNCC) - UltraTech Award for Outstanding Concrete Thesis of Tamil Nadu - 2012 (Category Doctoral) ICI (TNCC) - UltraTech Award for Outstanding Student Chapter of Tamil Nadu - 2012 ICI (TNCC) - UltraTech Award of Appreciation for Outstanding Student Chapter of Tamil Nadu - 2012 Er. Mohan Ramanathan, Managing Director, Advanced Construction Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Chennai Dr. (Ing). Saptarshi Sasmal, Senior Scientist, CSIR SERC, Chennai Er. Sudeesh Rajendran, Project Manager, Gammon India Limited, Chennai L & T Shipyard cum Port Project, Kattupalli Complex, Tiruvellore Dist. Chennai Airport Expansion and Modernisation Project, Chennai TCS' Techno Park Phase II Siruseri, Chennai ITC Grand Chola Hotel, Guindy, Chennai Dr. A. Ramachandra Murthy, Senior Scientist, CSIR SERC, Chennai Oxford Engineering College, Tiruchchirappalli SRM University, Kattankolathur, Annamalai University, Chidambaram Sona College of Technology, Salem Adhiparasakthi Engineering College, Melmaruvathur EBET's Group of Institution, Kangayam
Time is the Money. Chief Guest Er. M. V. Satish accompanied by his colleague, Er. R. Shankar Narayanan amply demonstrated this when they presented the 'Concrete Day' lecture on 'Construction Management of Mega Projects Airports'. They vividly presented how the Delhi International Airport T3 was developed in 3153 acres of land in a record completion time of just 3.5years with a constructed area of 5.5Lakh sq.m. Similar international airport in China constructed in 2007 took 5.5 years, thus demonstrating a clear time advantage of 2 years. This is a magnificent feat ever achieved by an Indian Construction and Contracting Company. Truly it is a moment of pride for Indian Construction fraternity and a solid testament to our technical competencies. Recognising talents and efforts in the field of concrete, through ICI (TNCC) UltraTech Awards is a part of 'Concrete Day' celebrations. This year categories of awards and the scope of appreciation awards were broadened to include all strata of the concrete industry and the engineering institutions. The list of awardees and awards bestowed on them are given below: Large section of the audience appreciated the efforts of ICI in recognising the engineers, research scholars, faculty, students who toil day in and out to serve the humanity and wished that the efforts should continue in the same direction in future too. Er. K. Venkataraman, an ICI member and Senior Manager (Technical Services), UltraTech Cement Limited gave the vote of thanks.
235
Emerging Technologies for Mass Housing
Ultratech Cement Ltd

The Masterbuilder - September 2012 - Flooring Special

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Cover

Hess Concrete Machinery India (P) Ltd

Metecno India Pvt.Ltd

Garware Wall Ropes Ltd

Marini India Pvt Ltd (Fayat Group)

K.P . Pradeep, Editor-in-Chief

Gandhi Automations Pvt.Ltd

Editor's Comment........................8 Advertisers Index.......................18

Flooring Industry: Growing on the Back of the Indian 'Industrial Revolution'

Classification Index....................20 News & Events............................22

M.K. Prabhakar, Associate Editor

Flooring Equipments: Analysis Concrete Flooring Equipment Industry: Growth Ahead

Anti-Static Flooring Anti-Static ESD Safe Flooring-Be Ground Safe

114 122 126 130 132 136 142

Flooring: Installation Industrial Flooring Installation Challenges

Enviro Geosynthetics Pvt.Ltd

Pioneering Latest Concrete Flooring Techniques Together

Smart Building 182 Sustainability: Top Ten Trends in Smart Buildings

150 Making its Mark with Varied Flooring Solutions 154

190 Infrastructure High Performance in Infrastructure and Construction

158 Aiming Big on the Back of Specialized Flooring Expertise

Waterproofing Solutions that Stand the Test of Time

Training 220 Workforce: Ray of Hope for Downtrodden Unemployed Youths

208 Enhancing Urban Hardscapes 210 Powerscreen Takes Control

226 Polished Concrete - An Alternative to Traditional Stone Flooring

212 ZENTRIVAL PL Waterproof Tile Adhesive

Concrete: Award 232 ICI Honours Outstanding Contributors in Concrete Construction

Events 235 Concrete: Concrete Day Celebrations

H & K Rolling Mill Engineers Pvt.Ltd

The Masterbuilder - September 2012 www.masterbuilder.co.in

Advertisers Index / Classification

Facility Services Relyon Facility Services Pvt Ltd.

29 61 11 161 145 135 189 105 93

Front inner -1 19 179 113 6 185 5 153

Front inner -1 19 179 113 6

The Masterbuilder - September 2012 www.masterbuilder.co.in

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