Undercon had the pleasure of hosting an Aerocreate low density concrete presentation with Merv, Marlene and Marcus from Afford a Home Group, a premier portable housing specialists located in Queensland, Australia.
Research Analysis
The purpose of the presentation was to display the functionality of Aerocreate in mixing and pumping equipment. It was also an opportunity to showcase our foam generator outputs and dry-cast density specimens. The outcomes of the testing was to accumulate data on mix design specifications for Afford a Home Group. Working closely with their certifying engineers, Aerocreate’s goal was to assess the performance of low density Aerocreate in the Dincel Wall System that is unique to Afford a Home Group.
To increase the structural integrity of their unique Aerocreate low density concrete mix, BarChip Engineer, Ted Bennett proposed the addition of 2.5kg of Barchip Fibre Reinforcement per 1m3 of Aerocreate. The addition of Macro Synthetic Fibres for concrete reinforcement are essential, especially in a project like AHG’s Dincel Wall Project.
During tests alongside the Aerocreate team, we evaluated the key reason for reinforcement in low density concrete is to control the shrinkage stresses of crystallisation and prevent surface cracks. A secondary requirement for reinforcement is to increase the flexural capacity of the concrete which is essential for longevity.
The behaviour of fibres within Aerocreate is undergoing R&D as it’s evident that low density concrete is sensitive to imbalances. Because of the sensitivity to low-density concrete, any mistakes in the mix matrix directly affect the final product. Therfore, low density concrete requires industry specialists such as Aerocreate to design specified mixes which remain consistent across applications.
A risk of adding BarChip Fibre to low density concrete is the possibility of fibre migrating unevenly throughout the mix. Taking this into account, our Kibbles continuously mix, ensuring an even distribution of fibres, even during the pumping process.
Afford a Home Group are leaders in portable housing and Undercon highly recommend their products.