Abstract:
Aeroconcrete (or Aerated Concrete) are manufactured by adding
Aluminium powder or a foaming agent (hydrolyzed protein or a resin) which
reacts with the concrete forming air bubbles or gases that are entrapped in it.
These are responsible for remarkable properties of aeroconcrete. The aerated
concrete outperforms conventional concrete by the advantages of lightweight,
heat preservation, sound isolation, high strength to weight ratio etc. The strength
of the aeroconcrete can be altered by using foaming agents of different densities.
Aeroconcretes have become the important part of new-type construction
materials, and possess bright development future.
In this paper we shall discuss the extensive use of aeroconcretes
in constructing arrestor systems (EMAS). An Engineered Material Arresting
System provides enhanced runway overrun safety for commercial airports.
Aircraft can do overrun the ends of runways, sometimes with disastrous
consequences . Arrestor Beds provide a safety device for quickly arresting the
movement of vehicles such as airplanes and motor cars by forming a retarding
bed of crushable material made of aeroconcrete. The strength of the foamed
material used must be such that the wheels of the vehicle running off the track
and on to the bed will crush the foamed material, exerting a drag on the wheels
thereby slowing the vehicle down. Aerated concrete having a density between
240-961 kg/m3 and compressive strength of 40- 200 psi is quite suitable. The
decelerating effect may also be increased with depth of penetration into the
aerated bed by employing foams of different densities and compressive
strengths at different parts of the bed. Damage to aircraft during these
arrestments has been minimal.
EMAS technology is changing the standard for safety at airports.
It has proven to have both reliable and predictable performance capability
through live arrestments. EMAS has shown it can save lives.
Keywords: Aeroconcrete, Arrestor Bed, EMAS, Decelerate
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We are very thankful to the department of civil engineering, Andhra University
for giving us the opportunity to take part in symposium ACCESS 08.
We are grateful to Prof. P. Markandeya Raju of G.V.P.C.O.E. for his valuable
assistance.
Introduction:
Concrete is a construction material composed of cement (commonly Portland
cement) as well as other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement,
aggregate (generally a coarse aggregate such as gravel limestone or granite, plus
a fine aggregate such as sand), water, and chemical admixtures. The word
concrete comes from the Latin word "concretus", which means "hardened" or
"hard".
Conventional Concrete
Depending on the type of curing method used, there are twp types of aerated
concretes. They are:
1) Non-Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (NAC)
2) Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC)
NAC are air cured whereas AAC are cured at high temperatures and pressures in
an autoclave.
Aerated concrete has outperformed conventional or poured concrete in various
ways. The air bubbles entrapped in the concrete are responsible for its various
properties.
Autoclaving
of
aerated
concrete
and protect tillable field, but also create favourable social and economic benefits
to take fly ash as the raw material of AAC block and board. Aerated concrete
(i.e. aeroconcrete) is the perfect wall material to replace the traditional solid clay
brick. Aeroconcrete (AAC) block and board have become the important part of
new-type construction materials, and possess bright development future.
Since the cost of fire clay bricks are going up making alternatives acceptable.
Large companies like DLF are already using light weight aerated concrete
blocks in high rise buildings. Production units for aerated concrete blocks have
been set up in the country. There is good scope for setting up this unit in
proximity to cities like Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam.
Aerated Concrete
Conventional
Concrete
heavier than
entrapped in it.
2)they have a high R-
value thus
less than
Providing a higher
insulation level .
3)They have a lower
ones.
3)They have a higher
compressive strength
compressive
Almost 10% of
Strength.
conventional concrete.
4)Has a higher sound
absorbing characteristic
sound
Absorption capacity.
44.
5)Easy to use as they can
handle.
toxic,fire-resistant .They
less fire
can withstand
Resistance.
temperatures upto
30000C and
Absorb thermal shocks.
7)They are highly energy
efficient .
efficient.
8) Material
material consumption
Consumption is
comparatively more.
in between.
10)the conventional
concrete
Recycled.
waste cannot be
recycled and
Are not eco-friendly.
Manufacturing process:
Cellular (aerated) Light Weight Concrete (CLC) can be manufactured by a
process involving the mixing of fly ash, cement, coarse sand, fine sand and a
forming agent in a mixer to form a thin slurry. The slurry is then poured in
moulds and allowed to set. The blocks are then removed from the moulds and
are cured by spraying water on the stack. They can be cured by Autoclaving
with steam.
The bulk density of the product varies from 400 to 1800 kg/cum. The process is
carried out in the following steps.
1. Mixing fly ash and calcined gypsum
2. Mixing additives and cement
3. Mixing lime
4. Mixing blowing agent
5. Pouring into moulds
6. Cutting
7. Curing
8. Steam Autoclaving
Curing:
Since many of the properties of aerated lightweight concrete depend upon the
successful process of curing, outlined below are some of the methods whereby
its strength can be increased.
Air Curing:
This is probably the easiest and
most popular method of curing. It is
a slow, but acceptable system which
enables a turn around of moulds
every
24
depending
hours
on
on
the
average,
ambient
temperature.
Aerated Concrete Panels being Air
Cured
Steam Curing:
Authors: R.Krithika (9866236992) & P.HariTeja (9000010800)
Gayatri Vidya Parishad College Of Engineering
When precast aerated lightweight concrete panels and slabs are made under
factory conditions in order to obtain a relatively fast turn-around of moulds, it
may be economic to induce an early strength into the concrete by applying heat
from steam to the underside of the moulds. This causes a rise in temperature in
the concrete and a resulting increase in strength.
The reason for steaming from the underside is to avoid the increase in
temperature creating small cells of compressed air with sufficient pressure to
fracture the cement shell around the cell. Due to the weight of concrete above
the lower layers this does not take place and by the time the temperature
increases on the upper face, the cement has already acquired sufficient strength
to resist the cells exploding off and giving a rough surface to the slab or panel.
Depending upon the type of cement used in the mix, steam curing is not
begun until at least five hours after casting, and even then the increase in
temperature is well controlled and should not exceed 70C (160F). The extent
of steam curing depends upon the climate but as a general rule it can be
subdivided into 2 hours required for raising the temperature, 4 hours
maintaining the temperature and 2 hours lowering the temperature slowly to
avoid thermal shock.
Especially, it can not only make use of industrial waste residue, improve
environmental pollution, and protect tillable field, but also create favourable
social and economic benefits to take fly ash as the raw material of AAC block
and board. For many years, Aerated Concrete (AAC) has always accepted
strong supports from the policies about reforming of wall material, tax policies
and environment protection policies.
should be remembered that, if the amount of water added to cement and sand in
the first instance it too low, the necessary moisture to make a workable mix will
be extracted from the foam when it is added, thereby destroying some of the
foam which is naturally an expensive way of adding water to the mix.
Properties:
Lightweight
Energy Efficient
Whole wall coverage and low
air infiltration.
Fire Resistant
Acoustically Absorbent
Weather Resistant.
Long Lasting
Environmentally Sound.
Pest Resistant
Easy to use
Versatile
Lightweight
Aero Concrete can be carved into any intricate
design
Applications
The use of lightweight concrete in building is becoming increasingly extensive.
The following are some of the typical applications principally in use at present.
1)Aeroconcrete with Density 300-600 kg/m (19-38 lbs/ft) made with Cement
& Foam only in roof and floor as insulation against heat and sound and is
applied on rigid floors (i.e. in itself it is not a structural material). It is used for
tennis courts and interspaces filling between brickwork leaves in underground
walls, insulation in hollow blocks and any other filling situation where high
insulating properties are required.
2)Aeroconcrete with Density 600-900 kg/m (38-56 lbs/ft) Made with Sand,
Cement & Foam is used for the manufacture of precast blocks and panels for
curtain and partition walls, slabs for false ceilings, thermal insulation and
soundproofing screeds in multi-level residential and commercial buildings.
is used in precast
panels of any dimension for commercial and industrial use, insitu casting of
walls, garden ornaments and other uses where structural concrete of light weight
is an advantage.
5) Easy to use: It is use to cut and drill with any wood cutting tool. It actually
cuts faster than wood. So it is widely used in creating different architectural
shapes.
6)Pest Resistant: With solid wall construction and finishes that bond to the wall
there are fewer, if any ,rodents and insects to dwell in.AAC eliminates these
entry points .Moreover, termites and rodents do not eat or nest in them.
7) Environmentally Sound: The use of the AAC reduces the number of trees
being cut to build with. Unlike wood, AAC is not vulnerable to water damage
and provides less maintenance cost. Since AAC wrought or deteriorate and is
impervious to fire damage, it potentially even saves the costs of demolition and
reconstruction.
Since AAC consists of approximately 80% air the finished product is upto 5
times the volume of raw materials used, making it even more resource efficient.
Its manufacture requires little energy as compared to other materials and
produces no waste products.
8) Long Lasting: AAC has only been around since 1923 so there are hardly any
homes over 80 years old. The scientific aspects of the material performance till
now predict that homes made from AAC will last for hundreds of years.
Authors: R.Krithika (9866236992) & P.HariTeja (9000010800)
Gayatri Vidya Parishad College Of Engineering
9) Weather resistant: AAC is one of the most durable building materials known
to man. It has shown its strength against hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes &
floods.
10) Acoustically Absorbent: AAC provides excellent sound absorption with an
STC- sound transmission class (rating of 44). So widely used in concert halls
and constructions where sound insulation is required.
1200
Aerated Concrete
are resistant to
thermal change.
12) Energy Efficient: AAC has both high thermal mass and thermal inertia
causing it to maintain constant temperature, whole wall coverage and low air
infiltration. These combine and translate into energy savings which do not
degrade and continue to appreciate over time.
event that an aircraft overruns, undershoots, or veers off the side of the runway.
The most dangerous of these incidents are overruns, but since many airports
were built before the 1000-foot RSA length was adopted some 20 years ago, the
area beyond the end of the runway is where many airports cannot achieve the
full standard RSA. This is due to obstacles such as bodies of water, highways,
railroads and populated areas or severe drop-off of terrain.
The FAA has a high-priority program to enhance safety by upgrading the RSAs
at commercial airports and provide federal funding to support those upgrades.
However, it still may not be practical for some airports to achieve the standard
RSA. It is a known fact that it would be difficult to achieve a standard RSA at
every airport, so the development of a new technology to provide an added
form as an.
ARRESTOR BED.
Theory of Operation
Material Strength & Depth Varies to Provide Optimum Performance
1. As the aircraft traverses the bed, the wheels crush the EMAS material
creating a tire/material interface (refer to figure 1). Ff
Figure 1
2. It is the point of the tire/material interface that provides the resistive loads to
decelerate the aircraft.
3. The loads are placed on the aircraft landing gear and support structure
4. Level of performance depends primarily on landing gear strength and runway
safety area available.
Figure 2
The Calculations:
Initial kinetic energy of the vehicle rolling and crushing energy equals
final kinetic energy of the vehicle. The calculation looks like this: mv^2 mgd (area under the concrete stress strain curve)x(volume of crushed
material) = 0
M is mass of the vehicle;
V is velocity of the vehicle;
is the coefficient of rolling friction;
g, acceleration due to gravity;
d is the distance covered before the plane comes to rest;
As an aside, wind resistance and the change in potential energy due to the
vehicle dropping into the bed were neglected. It was assumed that the
accelerator was off once the vehicles entered the arrestor bed.
How is it produced?
The arrestor bed is produced as pre-cast blocks. A factory installed jet blast
resistant block protection system is applied to the raw blocks to enhance
durability and protect against the effects of aircraft jet blast. Blocks that pass the
stringent quality test limits established by the FAA are then transported to the
runway safety area to be installed.
After the site has been prepared, blocks are placed using forklifts with special
clamping attachments, then pushed tightly against the neighboring blocks in the
bed. Then a grid is marked to outline block locations. The block joints are then
caulked and additional coats of water-resistant paint are applied to seal the bed
and prevent weather damage.
*The EMAS is typically the full width of the runway and the arrestor bed is setback from the end of the runway.(Figure 3)
Figure 3
*The front of an EMAS includes a lead-in ramp to transition the aircraft into the
material. (Figure 4)
Figure 4
*Beyond the runway width the sides of an EMAS are stepped to provide
emergency vehicle access and passenger egress.(Figure 5)
Figure 5
* On short runway safety areas an EMAS typically extends the length of the
space available.
Duration of Installation
A typical program will vary considerably depending on the size of the arrestor
bed, and the amount of site preparation work required. Once the design is
completed, it
typically
would take
about three
to four
months to
produce and
install an
EMAS on
one overrun
safety area.
The actual
installation
would
typically take 4-6 weeks after site preparation is completed, depending on the
bed size.
Size of an EMAS
The arrestor bed is the width of the runway, plus 16 to 24 feet for the stepped
sides (to facilitate ARFF vehicle access and passenger egress), depending on the
maximum depth of bed material. EMAS includes a paved rigid ramp, usually 75
feet long, in front of the arrestor bed. If sufficient safety area is available, a
longer setback is normally used to provide the maximum performance possible.
Performance of an EMAS
* On long runway safety areas the arrestor bed set-back is increased and the
system is sized for 70-knot performance .The speed reduction performance of a
n arrestor bed is shown below. (Figure 6)
Figure 6
Cost of an EMAS
Costs for EMAS will vary greatly depending on the condition of the existing
overrun, mix of aircraft to be controlled and available run out distance, cost and
availability of support labor and on-site storage space available at the airport. In
particular, site preparation requirements can also have a large impact on price.
Normal Maintenance
Normal maintenance consists of maintaining the protective surface coatings.
This would include painting and caulking as needed, which can be performed by
there are some minor components that are not inherently inert, mainly the Jet
Blast Resistant (JBR) top. The top plastic trays are manufactured with a fire
retardant in order to not promote combustion or emit malodorous or toxic
fumes.
Latest enhancements
The EMAS system enhancements include:
*Plastic Bottom Tray with Integrated Forklift Slots that provides improved
moisture protection from below and permits easier handling and quicker
installation with standard equipment.
*Plastic Top Cover that provides superior
moisture and mechanical protection while
virtually eliminating the need to paint the
bed. The plastic material is flame retardant
and chemical/UV resistant.
*Butyl Rubber Seam Tape that provides superior, longer lasting sealing of block
joints and substantially reduces installation time and effort.
*Extruded Silicone Side Sealer that provides a higher quality seal on exposed
block sides and is quickly installed with standard equipment.
Case Study:
Airports with substandard runway over run areas are rethinking installing
EMAS in light of the availability of improved materials and a demonstration of
tragic consequences of failing to arrest an aircraft sliding off the end of runway.
The accident could have been worse akin to the Air France airbus A340 accident
where the aircraft touched down at approximately 3800 feet down the 9000-foot
runway. The aircraft was not able to stop on the remaining runway. It departed
the end of the runway at a groundspeed of approximately 80 knots and came to
Authors: R.Krithika (9866236992) & P.HariTeja (9000010800)
Gayatri Vidya Parishad College Of Engineering
rest in a ravine. The aircraft was substantially damaged during the overrun, and
was subsequently destroyed by the post-crash fire. Thirty-three persons were
taken to the hospital by ambulance. Of those, 21 were treated for minor injuries
and released, and 12 (2 crew members and 10 passengers) were admitted with
serious injuries. Nine persons who received serious injuries as a result of the
impact lost their lives.
These kind of accidents can be prevented using EMAS (arrestor beds made out
of
proved
runways.
In
May 2003,
In the
January 2005
overrun
on
Runway 4R at
Kennedy, a Polar Air Express cargo 747 with a weight of about 276,694 kg and
an exit speed greater than 70 knots was stopped safely by the arrestor bed.
Damage to aircraft during these arrestments has been minimal. Following the
arrestment of a Boeing 747, airworthiness inspections and replacement of nine
tires was performed and the 747 returned to normal flight operations within a
few days.
Conclusion:
"EMAS has shown it can save lives and it should be deployed at many more
than the 14 U.S. airports that currently have this proven safety system in place."
Joan Bauerlein
References:
*www.polymertech.com
*www.faa.gov.in
*www.discoverysmashlabs.in
*www.esco.emas.com