Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC): A Sustainable Building Material for Construction

Since 1923, autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) blocks have become more popular with builders as a result of a need to shift to green building methods. AAC bricks manufacturers have made the material easily accessible and cost-effective to purchase, further adding to their popularity. AAC is a type of fly ash, which is combined with water, lime, cement, and an aerating material to create panels and blocks. It comes with several closed air pockets, and its composition makes it an energy efficient, lightweight, and sustainable, building material for construction.

AAC bricks manufacturers carefully formulate and create their products to make sure that the material weighs about 80 percent less than regular bricks. So, by using AAC blocks, you can considerably reduce the deadweight of your structure. Moreover, usage of cement and steel can be minimized, which means more savings on your part. Reputable manufacturers have developed their own mortar for use with their AAC blocks, too, which further improves the practicality of the building material as it reduces turnaround time and water consumption.

Autoclaved aerated concrete blocks are like clay bricks with their strength and superb insulation properties, but they are lighter and greener to produce. And with a lighter weight, the blocks can easily be transported by AAC brick manufacturers to your construction site at a more cost-effective rate. The material has impressive compressive strength in the 3.5-4N/m2 range, which is greater than 2.5-3N/m2 compressive strength of clay bricks. This way, it is a trusted material for constructing high-rise buildings and other structures such as schools, homes, government buildings, and hospitals.

High-quality AAC blocks from reputable AAC bricks manufacturers are resistant to fire and earthquake. They meet the stringent fire safety requirements, as they can withstand temperatures of up to 1200 degrees Celsius. Cellular air pockets in each brick provide thermal transmittance, which is around 60 percent of a clay brick. This way, AAC provides better thermal insulation to effectively withstand frost and heat conditions.

7 Benefits of Using Light Weight Bricks

Urban and semi-urban skylines are increasingly dotted with high rises and massive structures.  This is a testament to the rapid advances in building materials and processes. Lightweight construction materials have begun to be widely accepted for the benefits and advantages offered.  These advanced lightweight bricks have replaced conventional bricks meeting all structural and safety requirements. Explore seven of the numerous benefits that lightweight bricks bring to the structure and stakeholders.

Lesser deadweight of structure brings overall costs down

One of the biggest advantage has been the reining in of costs. Lightweight bricks weigh around 70 to 80% lesser than conventional bricks. This has a positive cascading effect on other costs towards construction. For instance, the amount of steel and cement that goes into a building is also determined by the amount of required support to the structural weight.

Construction without depletion of soil resources

The raw materials that go into the manufacture of light weight bricks is fly ash. This is in contrast with the raw materials that go into conventional bricks, which uses up top soil. The highlight of lightweight bricks manufacture is the use of industrial byproducts, a sign of responsible manufacturing.

Greater strength gives solid support to high rises and large structures

Lightweight bricks have greater strength than conventional bricks. This can be seen from the huge difference in the pressure units’ comparison between the two. Regardless of the size of the building, it is important that all construction materials are stronger so as to take greater load. Stronger buildings are more secure for inhabitation and businesses, to protect occupants from the fury of nature. 

Keeps pesky pests away

One of the biggest problems faced by buildings are invading pests that seem to find their way everywhere. The raw materials that go into lightweight bricks and the processes ensure that pests are uninvited. A building that is free from pests is always a better place to reside or work.

Swift completion of projects

One of the biggest issues faced by contractors is the amount of time that goes into the completion of projects. Conventional bricks require a huge logistics effort, in addition to the time required for laying them and the time required for masonry.  Lightweight bricks are bigger in size, measuring more than three times the size of conventional bricks.

Water resistant to keep water from seeping in

When nature unleashes its fury, distinctions are not made. The use of light weight bricks will help keep the waters from seeping into buildings. This is because of lesser water absorption as a consequence of the structure and materials used in the manufacture of light weight bricks.

Higher thermal insulation with greater benefits

Light weight bricks have greater thermal insulation. This means that HVAC bills can be kept at its minimum. Additionally, structures with greater thermal insulation offer greater safety when exposed to the risk of fire. For a fire retardant surface, lightweight bricks are an unrivalled choice when compared to conventional bricks.

Appropriate Guidelines to Select Best AAC Block Manufacturers in India

AAC blocks, or Autoclaved Aerated Concrete blocks, have become quite popular in the construction industry, providing a reliable alternative to environmentally unfriendly materials. These blocks have good thermal insulation properties, are eco-friendly and extremely lightweight - making them perfect for use in all kinds of buildings and structures. If you are in the need of such blocks for your construction project, here are a few guidelines to find out which manufacturers provide the best AAC blocks in India.

#1: Check the quality of raw materials

Before deciding on which manufacturer to settle for, look at the quality of raw materials they procure and use for their AAC blocks. The raw materials are critical for determining the quality of the end product. If the aggregates contain too many impurities, or if the binder is of sub-par quality, the end product is likely to fail all strength tests.

#2: Check for equipment operation

The next big factor which influences the quality of product is the equipment a manufacturer uses. Check that the equipment being used is state-of-the-art and well-calibrated. Also check whether all the manufacturing process benchmarks and guidelines set out by authorities are being adhered to. The equipment should be well maintained.

#3: Check process details in manufacturing

The third check to perform to ensure that you tie up with the best AAC blocks manufacturers in India is to see whether all the manufacturing processes are well-supervised. There should be an engineer performing regular checks of all equipment. Random tests should be carried out to ensure quality maintenance of manufactured blocks.

Use these guidelines to make sure that you get the highest quality AAC blocks available in the market from the best AAC block manufacturers.

Discover State of The Art AAC Block Manufacturing with Magicrete

AAC blocks have become widely accepted and used in the construction and infrastructure industry because they provide a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to red clay bricks. Reputable companies like Magicrete revolutionized AAC block manufacturing, too, resulting in the ability to produce several products faster and with minimal effort. Magicrete has state of the art AAC block manufacturing facilities that have pioneered the production of green building materials and the use of prefabricated construction technologies. The company has an 800,000 CBM per annum production capacity with two manufacturing units to cover the markets of West India and North India.

Magicrete introduced sustainable AAC block manufacturing to India, too, beginning with their aim to substitute clay bricks with prefabricated construction materials like autoclaved aerated concrete blocks and panels. Red clay bricks come from cultivable soil, which degrades as the material is harvested. AAC blocks recycle fly-ash, the waste that comes from steel manufacturing. Hence, natural resources are spared from being consumed and used in large quantities that may result in endangering forests and the environment.

AAC block manufacturing requires a minimum of 30 percent less energy compared to clay brick production. As a result, it produces less carbon. AAC blocks are lighter than red clay bricks, too, even when they are the same volume. Hence, transportation costs are lower, and the trucks that carry them can have better mileage and require less repairs and maintenance work, leading to further savings. Magicrete is not merely a leader in AAC block manufacturing. Its ISO certified production facilities manufacture environmentally friendly substitutes to cement joints and plasters, too. Very little water is required when building with AAC blocks, and curing time is faster, too. Hence, builders can save resources, time, and money.

Magicrete’s AAC block manufacturing facilities are strategically close to some of India’s thermal power plants to ensure a good supply of raw materials. The plants are far enough from urbanized regions like Delhi, Pune, Surat, and Mumbai for safety. Magicrete has in-house laboratories where raw materials and finished products are tested to ensure their quality, too.

Benefits of Finding High Quality Lightweight Concrete Blocks to Build Your Property

Lightweight blocks are manufactured using water, sand, lime and cement in different proportions. The production process involves the addition of a foaming agent to the mixture that increases the volume of the slurry. This mixture is then molded into lightweight concrete blocks. These lightweight concrete or foam concrete blocks have the strength of cement and yet are lighter than any other construction material.

In addition to being environment-friendly, these high-quality blocks make the construction process quite economical. Here are a few other benefits of these blocks:

·         Thermal Insulation: The blocks are great insulators and perfect for regions that see extreme weather changes. Insulation is an expensive affair and requires a sandwich coating of the whole structure to make it efficient and effective. Lightweight concrete blocks can be used in places where insulation is necessary due to drastic temperature variations and help in lowering construction costs. They also help in reducing the electricity consumption significantly once the building is finished and people start using it.

·         Sound Insulation: Lightweight concrete blocks are the best solution for acoustic problems. It acts as a capable sound barrier and can be used in places that need sound insulation like schools, hospitals, auditoriums, etc. The blocks can be used to make the floor, roof, walls, etc.

·         Water Resistance: The lightweight foam concrete has high resistant to water. This makes the building structure water resistant. These blocks are, thus, great for building foundations, water works, etc. They also work well in areas that see more rainfall.

·         Durability and Strength: The lightweight concrete blocks have been designed to endure heavy loads. Because of this property, they can be used in high-rise buildings, infrastructure projects, and commercial buildings, among others.

·         Environment-Friendly: The process of manufacturing these blocks is eco-friendly. The manufacture of these materials also saves the environment from the harmful impact of cement manufacturing companies that transmit greenhouse gases.

Economical: It is a product with all desirable qualities. Its application lowers the consumption of cement, steel and other expensive construction material. Moreover, the structure created is durable and helps the building owners save on the cost of future maintenance.