I am going to focus on some less known alternatives to standard concrete methods. These will include LitraConä and Tradicalâ.
LitraConä is a fiber optic based concrete that is marketed as “see thru concrete” originating from recent discoveries by a young architect Áron Losonczi in Hungry in 2001.
My next specific item will be Tradicalâ Hemcrete, which is a lime based concrete alternative that is made from the fibers of hemp.
Stepping back to standard concrete methods, I will explore the technical information to create colored concrete.
Case Studies: Historically Significant Schindler House Current Chapel of St. Ignatius Architect Stephen Holl http://www.djc.com/special/concrete98/10039782.htm
For my material research I intend to examine the a variety of aspects pertinent to understanding of cast concrete as it is used in tilt-up concrete walls.
Adam Green Professor Boscanin Building Tectonics September 30, 2009
Research Proposal: Concrete Masonry Units
Concrete Masonry Units are a common and practical form of construction found in many areas around the world. Also known as CMU’s, they are a large rectangular brick made of cast concrete, typically with a hollow center designed to allow re-bar and reinforced concrete to considerably increase the strength of the wall. These blocks are used in a masonry style construction, requiring mortar to be applied between each brick in rows that together form walls and structures. CMU’s come in a very wide range of styles, shapes, colors, and sizes to allow for a more visually appealing look than a typical cinder block or brick masonry construction. The manufacturing and production process of creating CMU’s allows for a good deal of recycled material and stone to be re-used to make new units. In fact, many manufacturers offer CMU types that are acknowledged by LEED due to their high rate of recycled material. When the life of the CMU is complete, it may be recycled to create more units and further contribute to the sustainable manufacturing of construction materials. Due to the labor intensive nature of masonry construction, building a concrete block structure can often times be an expensive route due to the amount of time needed to complete the process of installation. However, finding local labor for a job using CMU’s is relatively easy. Nearly any contractor is capable of building with this style of construction, allowing for many options when hiring a contractor to perform a job using CMU’s. Masonry style construction has practically been around since the first known manmade structures. Through time and development of construction, the materials that we have used have developed from roughly shaped rocks to formed blocks that are a product of technology, knowledge, and progress. Today manufacturers are going a step beyond the typical concrete block and incorporating thermal insulation, sound proofing, seismic protection, and lightweight designs. A local company is Mutual Materials, a leading manufacturer and distributor of many CMU’s of all shapes, sizes, colors, and textures along with a wide variety of other stone and masonry supplies. A product of theirs that is a potential research item is their blended CMU, a product that offers many different options of color, texture, and shapes while maintaining the durable and economical qualities of a standard CMU. A potential case study that demonstrates a great application and use of this product is Roosevelt High School here in Portland Oregon. Roosevelt High School is a great example of how CMU’s can successfully act as an outdoor and indoor material while being featured in both the school’s gymnasium and auditorium. This is a great demonstration of the versatility, structural capability, and appealing aesthetics that Concrete Masonry Units have to offer.
An Aggregate is the component of a composite material used to resist compressive stress. The most widely used aggregates for concrete are sand, gravel, and crushed stone. Aggregates account for 60 - 80 percent of the volume of concrete which is why aggregates are considered as filler material. Functional aggregates must be workable, strong, durable, and economical. Abrasion resistance is an essential index of quality for aggregates since concrete thoroughfares can receive a lot of traffic. The particle shape of aggregate materials is very important since they must provide compressive strength, good surface texture and resistance to freezing and thawing. If an aggregate particle absorbs so much water that insufficient pore space is available to account for the water expansion that occurs during freezing, the concrete may be vulnerable to freezing (White, 1997). I intend to investigate traditional aggregates in comparison to artificial aggregates used in lightweight concrete construction.
Brian Vallario September 30, 2009 Arch 360 Nicola Boscanin
Concrete Aggregate Research Proposal
Concrete, by its nature, has infinite possibilities in its architectural uses. It is a material that inherently has no set form, no set appearance; a material made of variables. However, concrete possesses qualities which allow the creator to develop a concrete suitable for his means. The aggregates used in the concrete can determine its look, feel, form, and strength, making it an extremely valuable tool for the designer. Moreover, selection of aggregates can increase sustainability. Aggregates are commonly found locally, can be recycled materials, and in some cases can even be extracted from the site. Advances in technology are rapidly increasing the possessive qualities of aggregates in their poetic, pragmatic, and sustainable realms.
Bibliography:
Jean-Louis Cohen and G. Martin Moeller, Jr., Ed. Liquid Stone New Architecture in Concrete. New York: Princeton Architectural, 2007. Print.
Press., Technical. Building in visual concrete. London: Technical, 1971. Print.
Dhir, Ravindra K., and Kevin A. Paine. Role of Concrete in Sustainable Development. Nashville: Thomas Telford, Ltd, 2003. Print.
Within the last century, developments in reinforced concrete have shaped the built modern world. Monumental public works have been undertaken with the unique concrete engineering method of pre-stressing, developed by Eugene Freyssinet and the expert Gustave Magnel who widely propagated this method. I plan to look at early examples of pre-stressed constructions, which involved these two men, since they were at the forefront of much work that spanned the globe, during the mid 20th century. I will look mainly at bridges since this technology was seen mostly in bridge design. Many feats have been taken to construct pre-stressed bridges with a long enough span, making them and interesting case study.
The second part of my research will be more in depth, looking at examples of different pre-stressed constructions and how well they have stood the test of time. I plan to look at maintenance and reconstruction records to understand both the strong and weak points of pre-stressed concrete construction.
Krista Carpenter Precast Building components Non-Structural Focus on exterior applications, aesthetics & practical uses
Vendors & Products
Western Partition, Inc http://www.westernpartitions.com/locations-tigard.asp Test faculity for Product Demo: BMI 690 Tigard, OR Rep: Larry White Used on the exterior of the The Matisse in the South Water Front
Arcus Panels Application: The Casey (GE development)Exterior Vendor: TBD
Kat Enyeart Rammed Earth Construction Focus on DIY/non-industrial applications
Rammed earth is essentially manmade sedimentary rock. Rather than being compressed for thousands of years under deep layers of soil, it is formed in minutes by mechanically compacting properly prepared dirt. The compaction may be done manually with a hammer-like device, mechanically with a lever-operated brick-making press, or pneumatically with an air-driven tamping tool. Dynamic compaction using manual or power tampers not only compresses the soil, but it also vibrates the individual dirt particles, shifting them into the most tightly packed arrangement possible. When finished, rammed earth is about as strong as concrete.
Vendors/Products:
Me! And well, the earth.
Testing/Samples:
I intend to construct a reusable form for casting a series of test Compressed Earth Blocks (CEB's), I will then make
two control CEB's with the industry recommended quantity of portland concrete,
two with zero concrete
several with varying percentages of less than standard concrete
several with experiments with alternative binders instead of lyme (such as ANIMAL BLOOD!)
I will likely experiment with multiple colorings as I make these, and possibly finishing techniques.
I may also attempt to test the water degredation speed of the standard CEB vs. the no concrete CEB by placing them in moving water (somewhere in the area) and monitoring changes throughout the term.
Sources:
Easton, David. The Rammed Earth House. Chelsea Green Publishing Company, 1996.
McHenry, Paul Graham. Adobe and Rammed Earth Buildings: Design and Construction. University of Arizona Press, 1989.
How Earth building can be incorporated in building with new technology.
Earth building is a construction method for building that incorporates some combination of sand and clay. Cob building has been rediscovered as a building material in Oregon somewhat recently and utilizes a sand, clay, and straw mixture used to form structures. Adobe is a clay sand mixture that is typically formed into masonry. There are also alternative uses for sand and clay in building that I will investigate such as alternative insulation and sandbag building. I plan to investigate briefly the vast history of earth building with an emphasis on social situations surrounding the rejection of its use. Current building practices will also be covered with weight given to advancements in its use. I hope to bring to light the potential of earth building outside of the vernacular.
Sources:
Paul McHenry. Adobe and Rammed Earth Buildings: Design and Construction. The University of Arizona Press, 1984
Adam Weismann & Katy Bryce. Building with Cob: A Step By Step Guide. Green Books Ltd, 2006.
Jennifer Comer
ReplyDeleteArch 360 Boscanin
Concrete
I am going to focus on some less known alternatives to standard concrete methods. These will include LitraConä and Tradicalâ.
LitraConä is a fiber optic based concrete that is marketed as “see thru concrete” originating from recent discoveries by a young architect Áron Losonczi in Hungry in 2001.
My next specific item will be Tradicalâ Hemcrete, which is a lime based concrete alternative that is made from the fibers of hemp.
Stepping back to standard concrete methods, I will explore the technical information to create colored concrete.
Sources:
- American Lime Technologies
- Schott Fiber Optics
- LitraConä
- Tradicalâ
- Natural Living Magazine
- “Concrete Countertops” by Fu-Tung Cheng
- Davis Colors
- Pfitzer
- Jerry Hebert or Grace and Hebert Architects
- Various publications
- Further found companies
Student: Will Hutchings
ReplyDeleteArch 360 Building Tectonics– Nikola
Group: Concrete
Material Research Proposal: Tilt – Up Concrete
Research Resources:
Printed Published References
Local Experienced Tradesmen
(Recommendation from Office)
Internet:
http://saa-arch.com/learningcenter/tilt-up-info/
http://www.mbt-concrete.com/downloads/pdfs/32599.pdf
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0NSX/is_6_47/ai_91040213/
http://www.tilt-up.org/
http://www.architectmagazine.com/architecture/bulk-order.aspx
http://atelier29.blogspot.com/2008/06/planar-house-simple-stunning.html
Case Studies:
Historically Significant
Schindler House
Current
Chapel of St. Ignatius
Architect Stephen Holl
http://www.djc.com/special/concrete98/10039782.htm
For my material research I intend to examine the a variety of aspects pertinent to understanding of cast concrete as it is used in tilt-up concrete walls.
Adam Green
ReplyDeleteProfessor Boscanin
Building Tectonics
September 30, 2009
Research Proposal: Concrete Masonry Units
Concrete Masonry Units are a common and practical form of construction found in many areas around the world. Also known as CMU’s, they are a large rectangular brick made of cast concrete, typically with a hollow center designed to allow re-bar and reinforced concrete to considerably increase the strength of the wall. These blocks are used in a masonry style construction, requiring mortar to be applied between each brick in rows that together form walls and structures. CMU’s come in a very wide range of styles, shapes, colors, and sizes to allow for a more visually appealing look than a typical cinder block or brick masonry construction.
The manufacturing and production process of creating CMU’s allows for a good deal of recycled material and stone to be re-used to make new units. In fact, many manufacturers offer CMU types that are acknowledged by LEED due to their high rate of recycled material. When the life of the CMU is complete, it may be recycled to create more units and further contribute to the sustainable manufacturing of construction materials.
Due to the labor intensive nature of masonry construction, building a concrete block structure can often times be an expensive route due to the amount of time needed to complete the process of installation. However, finding local labor for a job using CMU’s is relatively easy. Nearly any contractor is capable of building with this style of construction, allowing for many options when hiring a contractor to perform a job using CMU’s.
Masonry style construction has practically been around since the first known manmade structures. Through time and development of construction, the materials that we have used have developed from roughly shaped rocks to formed blocks that are a product of technology, knowledge, and progress. Today manufacturers are going a step beyond the typical concrete block and incorporating thermal insulation, sound proofing, seismic protection, and lightweight designs.
A local company is Mutual Materials, a leading manufacturer and distributor of many CMU’s of all shapes, sizes, colors, and textures along with a wide variety of other stone and masonry supplies. A product of theirs that is a potential research item is their blended CMU, a product that offers many different options of color, texture, and shapes while maintaining the durable and economical qualities of a standard CMU. A potential case study that demonstrates a great application and use of this product is Roosevelt High School here in Portland Oregon. Roosevelt High School is a great example of how CMU’s can successfully act as an outdoor and indoor material while being featured in both the school’s gymnasium and auditorium. This is a great demonstration of the versatility, structural capability, and appealing aesthetics that Concrete Masonry Units have to offer.
CHRISTOPHER ROCKHILL
ReplyDeleteARCH: 360, Boscanin
Study Intent Fly Ash
1) Sourcing cement alternative: coal power plants exhaust, Fly Ash
2) Obtaining samples: of precast and raw materials for casting.
3) Material testing Portland cement vs. Fly Ash: pressure PSI, science 2 basement. Chemical and bio erosion, Heat and moisture.
4) Environmental and cultural impacts: what moves us use or even considering alternative material?
5) Practical and inventive application: how is it being used, is it an additive or replacement to conventional?
6) Volcanic, Fly, and Wood Ash how do other combustion products compare, structurally, aesthetically?
7) level of practicality: access to materials, transportation, economic
contacts:
www.heedwaters.com
Kent Balcom: Headwaters regional NW representative
www.flexcrete.com
www.flyash.com
book: CRAFTING A MODERN WORLD
Joshua Evans
ReplyDeleteBuilding Tectonics I
10/1/09
An Aggregate is the component of a composite material used to resist compressive stress. The most widely used aggregates for concrete are sand, gravel, and crushed stone. Aggregates account for 60 - 80 percent of the volume of concrete which is why aggregates are considered as filler material. Functional aggregates must be workable, strong, durable, and economical. Abrasion resistance is an essential index of quality for aggregates since concrete thoroughfares can receive a lot of traffic. The particle shape of aggregate materials is very important since they must provide compressive strength, good surface texture and resistance to freezing and thawing. If an aggregate particle absorbs so much water that insufficient pore space is available to account for the water expansion that occurs during freezing, the concrete may be vulnerable to freezing (White, 1997). I intend to investigate traditional aggregates in comparison to artificial aggregates used in lightweight concrete construction.
Sources for materials:
http://www.cement.org/basics/concretebasics_aggregate.asp
http://www.perlite.com/
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteBrian Vallario
ReplyDeleteSeptember 30, 2009
Arch 360
Nicola Boscanin
Concrete Aggregate Research Proposal
Concrete, by its nature, has infinite possibilities in its architectural uses. It is a material that inherently has no set form, no set appearance; a material made of variables. However, concrete possesses qualities which allow the creator to develop a concrete suitable for his means. The aggregates used in the concrete can determine its look, feel, form, and strength, making it an extremely valuable tool for the designer. Moreover, selection of aggregates can increase sustainability. Aggregates are commonly found locally, can be recycled materials, and in some cases can even be extracted from the site. Advances in technology are rapidly increasing the possessive qualities of aggregates in their poetic, pragmatic, and sustainable realms.
Bibliography:
Jean-Louis Cohen and G. Martin Moeller, Jr., Ed. Liquid Stone New Architecture in Concrete. New York: Princeton Architectural, 2007. Print.
Press., Technical. Building in visual concrete. London: Technical, 1971. Print.
Dhir, Ravindra K., and Kevin A. Paine. Role of Concrete in Sustainable Development. Nashville: Thomas Telford, Ltd, 2003. Print.
Buildings:
Awaji Yumebutai
Architect: Tadao Ando Architect & Associates
Structural Engineers: Wada Giken, Hokujou Kenchiku Kouzou Kenkyusyo
The Architectural Faculty Block, Technical University of the Middle East
Architects: Altug and Behruz Cinici
Jubilee Church
Architect: Richard Meier & Partners Architects
Engineers: Arup, Guy Nordenson and Associates
Products:
Buildex: Expanded Shale Lightweight Aggregate
LaFarge: Wide range of Aggregates
pre-stressed concrete
ReplyDeleteScott Flodin
Concrete Group
9/30/09
Within the last century, developments in reinforced concrete have shaped the built modern world. Monumental public works have been undertaken with the unique concrete engineering method of pre-stressing, developed by Eugene Freyssinet and the expert Gustave Magnel who widely propagated this method. I plan to look at early examples of pre-stressed constructions, which involved these two men, since they were at the forefront of much work that spanned the globe, during the mid 20th century. I will look mainly at bridges since this technology was seen mostly in bridge design. Many feats have been taken to construct pre-stressed bridges with a long enough span, making them and interesting case study.
The second part of my research will be more in depth, looking at examples of different pre-stressed constructions and how well they have stood the test of time. I plan to look at maintenance and reconstruction records to understand both the strong and weak points of pre-stressed concrete construction.
Krista Carpenter
ReplyDeletePrecast Building components Non-Structural
Focus on exterior applications, aesthetics & practical uses
Vendors & Products
Western Partition, Inc
http://www.westernpartitions.com/locations-tigard.asp
Test faculity for Product Demo: BMI 690
Tigard, OR
Rep: Larry White
Used on the exterior of the The Matisse in the South Water Front
Arcus Panels
Application: The Casey (GE development)Exterior
Vendor: TBD
Owen Corning Masonry Products, LLC
Cultured Stone
Dealer: Mutual Materials-Durham
18230 S.W. Boones Ferry Road
Portland, OR 97224
http://www.culturedstone.com
Applications: Exterior facade
Books referenced:
Principle of Quality Concrete
Portland Cement Association. 1980
Napoleon Gray Adaptable Marble
Phenix Marble Company
Tompkins-Keil Marble Company. 1926
Olin's Contruction, Principles, Materials, & Methods, 8th Edition
H. Leslie Simmons, RA CSI
Infrastructure, A Field Guide to the Industrial Landscape
Brian Hayes. 2005
Concrete Design
Sarah Gaventa. 2006
Sunset Decorative Concrete
Sunset Magazine. 2005
Concrete at Home
Fu-Tung Cheng. 2005
Kat Enyeart
ReplyDeleteRammed Earth Construction
Focus on DIY/non-industrial applications
Rammed earth is essentially manmade sedimentary rock. Rather than being compressed for thousands of years under deep layers of soil, it is formed in minutes by mechanically compacting properly prepared dirt. The compaction may be done manually with a hammer-like device, mechanically with a lever-operated brick-making press, or pneumatically with an air-driven tamping tool. Dynamic compaction using manual or power tampers not only compresses the soil, but it also vibrates the individual dirt particles, shifting them into the most tightly packed arrangement possible. When finished, rammed earth is about as strong as concrete.
Vendors/Products:
Me! And well, the earth.
Testing/Samples:
I intend to construct a reusable form for casting a series of test Compressed Earth Blocks (CEB's), I will then make
two control CEB's with the industry recommended quantity of portland concrete,
two with zero concrete
several with varying percentages of less than standard concrete
several with experiments with alternative binders instead of lyme (such as ANIMAL BLOOD!)
I will likely experiment with multiple colorings as I make these, and possibly finishing techniques.
I may also attempt to test the water degredation speed of the standard CEB vs. the no concrete CEB by placing them in moving water (somewhere in the area) and monitoring changes throughout the term.
Sources:
Easton, David. The Rammed Earth House. Chelsea Green Publishing Company, 1996.
McHenry, Paul Graham. Adobe and Rammed Earth Buildings: Design and Construction. University of Arizona Press, 1989.
http://www.cd3wd.com/cd3wd_40/vita/staberth/en/staberth.htm
Kelsy Colvin
ReplyDeleteAbobe/cob
How Earth building can be incorporated in building with new technology.
Earth building is a construction method for building that incorporates some combination of sand and clay. Cob building has been rediscovered as a building material in Oregon somewhat recently and utilizes a sand, clay, and straw mixture used to form structures. Adobe is a clay sand mixture that is typically formed into masonry. There are also alternative uses for sand and clay in building that I will investigate such as alternative insulation and sandbag building. I plan to investigate briefly the vast history of earth building with an emphasis on social situations surrounding the rejection of its use. Current building practices will also be covered with weight given to advancements in its use. I hope to bring to light the potential of earth building outside of the vernacular.
Sources:
Paul McHenry. Adobe and Rammed Earth Buildings: Design and Construction. The University of Arizona Press, 1984
Adam Weismann & Katy Bryce. Building with Cob: A Step By Step Guide. Green Books Ltd, 2006.
Local cob builders