Autoclaved Aerated Concrete

Blocks A sustainable and

versatile material

Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Blocks

(AAC)

Introduction
Production Process of AAC blocks
Physical requirements of AAC blocks
Sampling and testing of AAC blocks
Benefits of using AAC blocks
Manufacturers

Introduction
Indian Construction industry is one of the largest in terms of
economic expenditure,
volume of raw materials/natural resources consumes,
volume of materials and products manufactures,
employment generation,
environmental impacts
Demand for construction materials is huge in India.
Material
Bricks ( Nos)

Year 2000

Year 2020

150x 109

246 x 109

Structural steel ( tonnes ) 11 x 106

30 x 106

Cement ( tonnes)

255 x 106

96 x 106

 Brick making activity to meet the present and

future demand can result in consuming the 300
mm depth fertile topsoil of arable land in about 90
years. (Assuming 2.5 % compounded growth rate)
Most of the building materials are energy intensive
materials and are transported over great distances.
Hence there is a need for optimum utilization of
available energy resources and raw materials to
produce simple, energy efficient, environmentally
friendly and sustainable building alternatives and
techniques to satisfy the increasing demand for
buildings.

 Some of the guiding principles in developing the

sustainable alternative building technologies can
be summarized as follows

Energy conservation
Minimize the use of high energy materials
Concern for the environment
Eco friendly materials and techniques
Minimum transportation
Maximise the use of local materials and resources
Utilization of industrial and mine wastes for the
production of building materials
Recycling of building waste
Use of renewable energy sources

 Autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC), also known as

Autoclave cellular concrete is a lightweight and
ecofriendly construction material.
Dr. Axel Eriksson, a Swedish Engineer in 1922,
invented this innovative material.
AAC is usually used as blocks and comes in variety of
forms ranging from blocks, lintels to wall, roof panels.
AAC blocks are used for load bearing structure walls,
partition walls, inner leaf of cavity walls or as backing
to brick masonry, external walls for RCC framed
structures when protected from weather by rendering or
by some other efficient treatment.
The requirements of AAC blocks having density up to
1000 kg/m3 are covered in BIS code IS 2185 (Part 3).

Production process
Materials used Cement/ Lime, Fly ash, Sand, Water, Admixtures

Cement complying with any of the following Indian Standards may use at the discretion of the
manufacturer
IS 269: 1976 Specification for 33 grade ordinary portland cement
IS 455: 1976 Specification for portland slag cement
IS 1489: 1976 Specification for portland-pozzolana cement
IS 6909: 1973 Specification for super sulphated cement
IS 8041: 1978 Specification for rapid hardening portland cement
IS 8042: 1978 Specification for white portland cement
IS 8043: 1978 Specification for hydrophobic portland cement
Use of fly ash conforming to IS 3812 1981 may be permitted to a limit of 20 % in cement
conforming to IS 269: 1976.
The lime shall satisfy the requirements for class C lime specified in IS 712- 1973.
The aggregates used for the manufacture of AAC blocks shall confirm to IS 383- 1970, except for the
grading which may be made to suit the product and the silica content shall not be less than 80 %.
The water used in the manufacture of AAC blocks shall be free from matter harmful to concrete or
reinforcement or matter likely to cause efflorescence in the units and shall meet the requirements of
IS 456- 1978.
Admixtures may be added either as additive to cement during manufacturing or as admixtures to the
concrete mix.

AAC blocks can be given a variety of surface textures ranging

from a very fine close texture to a coarse open texture by the
proper selection, grading and proportioning of the aggregates
at the time of manufacturing.
Textures may also be developed by treating the face of units
while till green by wire brushing or by slight eroding the
surface by playing fine spray of water upon it.

Physical requirements of AAC block

General
All block units shall be sound and free of cracks or other defects which interfere
with the proper placing of units or affect the strength or performance of structure.
Where units are to be used in exposed wall construction, the face or faces that are
to be exposed shall be free from chips, cracks or other imperfections except that if
not more than 5 % of consignment contains slight cracks or small chippings not
larger than 25 mm.

Dimensions
The concrete block shall be referred by its nominal dimensions. The term nominal
means that the dimension includes the thickness of mortar joints. Actual
dimensions shall be 10 mm or 6 mm less of nominal dimensions. The nominal
dimensions of the concrete blocks shall be as follows

Length 400, 500 or 600 mm

Height 200, 250 or 300 mm
Width 100, 150, 200 or 250 mm

The maximum variation in the length of units shall not be more than +/- 5 mm and
maximum variation in the height and width of unit, not more than +/- 3 mm.

 Block density
The block density shall conform to the requirements specified
in below table when tested as per the guidelines mentioned in IS
6441 (Part 1) 1972.

Compressive strength
The minimum compressive strength, being the average of
twelve units shall be as prescribed in above table when tested in
accordance with IS 6441 (Part 5) 1972.

Thermal Conductivity
The thermal conductivity shall not exceed values specified I
above table when tested in accordance with IS 3346 1980.

Drying Shrinkage
The drying shrinkage shall not be more than 0.05 % for Grade 1
blocks and 0.10 % for Grade 2 blocks when tested in the
manner described in IS 6441 (Part 2) 1972.

Compressive Strength min.

Sr. No.

Density in
Oven dry
Condition in
Kg/m3

Grade 1

Grade 2

in N/mm2

in N/mm2

Thermal
Conductivity
in Air Dry
Condition in
W/m0k

i)

451 to 550

2.0

1.5

0.21

ii)

551 to 650

4.0

3.0

0.24

iii)

651 to 750

5.0

4.0

0.30

iv)

751 to 850

6.0

5.0

0.37

v)

851 to 1000

7.0

6.0

0.42

Sampling and testing of AAC blocks

Sampling

In any consignment, all the blocks of the same size and from the same batch of
manufacture shall be grouped together into a minimum number of groups of 10000
blocks or less. Each group shall constitute a lot.
From each lot a sample of 24 blocks shall be selected at random. In order to ensure
randomness of selection, all the blocks in the lot may be arranged in a serial order.
Starting from any random block every r th block may be selected till the requisite
number is obtained, r being the integral part of N/24, where N is the lot size.
The required number of blocks shall be taken at regular Intervals during the loading of
the vehicle or the unloading of the vehicle depending on whether sample is to be taken
before delivery or after delivery. When this is not practicable, the sample shall be taken
from the stack in which case the required number of blocks shall be taken at random
from across the top of the stack, the sides accessible and from interior of the stacks by
opening trenches from the top.

Number of tests

All the 24 blocks checked for dimensions and inspected for visual defects. Out of the
24 blocks , 12 blocks shall be subjected to the test for compressive strength, 3 blocks
to the test for density .3 bocks to the test for thermal conductivity , and 3 blocks to the
test drying shrinkage. The remaining 3 blocks shall be reserved for re test for drying
shrinkage if a need arises

 Criteria for conformity - The numbers of blocks with

dimensions outside the tolerance limit and or with visual
defects, among those inspected, shall not be more than two.
For density, the mean value, shall be within the range specified
in Table 2
_
shall be
For compressive strength, the mean value, say X
determined. The test result shall be grouped into groups of 4 and
individual values of ranges shall be determined and the average
range calculated
R from these values and shall satisfy the
> minimum value specified in previous Table.

0.6 R
conductivity, the mean value shall be equal to or
ForXthermal
less than the value specified in Table 2.
For drying shrinkage, all the test specimens shall satisfy the
requirements of the test. If one or more specimens fail to satisfy
the requirements, the remaining 3 blocks shall be subjected to
these tests. All these blocks shall satisfy the requirements.

Benefits of using Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Blocks

Environment friendly-

Use of Fly ash, Alternative to clay bricks, Low energy

consumption, Less wastage on site

Durability- Good water resistance, With stand to harsh climate conditions, Does not rust,
corrode, decompose, Good termite resistance, any coatings can be possible, good earthquake
resistance

High Thermal insulation-

Average energy consumption of room made with

AAC blocks is less by 25% compared to the room made with clay bricks

Fire resistant

Inorganic and incombustible material, AAC blocks do not break

down until well over 30000c, 100 mm AAC block wall has a 4 hour of fire rating.

Sound Insulation-

Sound Transmission Class (STC) rating of a typical AAC wall

which is about 200 mm thick ranges from 40-55.

Easy workability -

can be easily cut, or shaped into desired dimensions, creative

design can be achieved, can be sawn, drilled, nailed and machined using off the shelf tools, can
also be plastered and be finished with tile or paint, can be used for all applications including
walls, roofs, floors and balconies, in both load bearing and non load bearing applications

Cost effective Construction

No floor space is increased

Floor space increases by 3 to 5%

Slow construction as compared to AAC

One solid AAC block is equivalent in area approx. 7

standard clay bricks yet less than 1/3 the weight leading to
fast construction. Installation of AAC block masonry is 2.5
times faster than clay brick masonry

Uneven sized blocks ensure slow layering

Even sized blocks ensure quicker layering

Required maximum labour

Less intensive labour work accelerates construction process

(labour cost 15-20 %saving)

Being heavy weight it does reduces dead weight of the Being light weight it reduces dead weight of the building
building so no reduction in steel & cement
resulting in to reduction in steel (Up to 27%) & cement (up
to 20%) structural cost savings

Wastage is more (15-20%)

Minimal wastage in transit, due to even sizes they are

stacked uniformly (15-20 % saving)

Sr.
No
A
B

Particulars Of Item

100 mm
masonry

brick

masonry

Supply of blocks

Qty.

Rate

Rate/m

Qty.

Rate

Rate/m

No of blocks / sq.m

6.41

65

416.65

54

324

Cement in bag

0.14

260

36.4

0.19

260

49.4

Crush sand in cu.m

0.03

900

27

0.028 900

25.2

Masonry

Sub total
C

thick AAC 115 mm thick

63.40

74.60

Plastering
Int. Neeru finish

15 mm on both sides

25 mm on both sides

Cement in bag

0.13

260

67.60

0.22

sand in cu.m

0.019

1550

58.90

0.032 1550

99.20

Neeru in bag

0.05

75

7.50

0.05

7.50

260
75

114.40

Sub total

134

221.10

Total rate in Rs / sq.m.

614.05

619.70

MATERIAL

SAVING/sq. meter (100 MM THK AAC

MASONRY)

Cement

59.80 /sq. meter

Sand in plaster

40.30 /sq. meter