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What is AAC? - Aerated Autoclaved Concrete
Woodstation Elementary School, Catoosa County, Georgia AAC is Aerated Autoclaved Concrete.Aerated Autoclaved Concrete (sometimes referred to as "AAC") is the Superhero of building materials. Build GREEN with a rigid, solid and strong material thats easily worked by hand. The lightweight cellular concrete is load bearing up to eight stories, will not burn and CONTROLS sound. Aerated Concrete serves as the muscle for the structure, the barrier to the elements, and the thermal mass storeroom for solar energy, as well as a conglomerate of other remarkable characteristics Because of the large format building blocks, erection is quick, and total construction time swift, thereby saving time and money and allowing occupancy sooner rather than later. The resulting structure is handsome, and sturdy with the vigor to force energy prices to its knees. Because of it's inherent properties, the miracle wall system acts as a stealth, but vigilant protector from the wrath of nature and the hungry wolves at the gas and electric power companies. Unlike traditional construction, one need not add sheathing, waterproofing, felt or weather barrier, nor termite or vermin treatment because AAC does it all. An AAC Building can be clad with either standard or sassy finishes inside and out. How is Aerated Autoclaved Concrete Made?Aerated autoclaved concrete is germinated by adding a touch of aluminum powder or paste to an otherwise benign cement slurry of finely ball milled sand, cement, lime and water. The magic of the aluminum causes the mix to retort and bubble like a green witch's brew, creating a truculent hydrogen release of millions of tiny bubbles, trapped in the slurry and forcing the mixture to rise like a loaf of fresh bread. The slurry is dumped in a mold where it continues to fizzle and foam, expanding and creating millions of tiny air bubbles and a cellular structure as it fully cures. The resulting "cake" is wire-cut into building block sizes, and then swallowed by a giant python like autoclave where it is further cured with heat and pressure. The autoclave treatment causes the silica and calcium to crystallize and bond before it's finally spit out in it's solid lightweight concrete form. It is then separated and bundled for shipment via truck or rail. Aerated Autoclaved Concrete is a GREEN building material, starting at manufacturing, to construction, through demolition and recycling. It is an inert material that does not off gas or release CFCs. All waste material during manufacturing, such as trimmings, quality rejected units etc. is recycled and re-processed, resulting in zero waste. Waste material on individual sites need not go to the sanitary landfill as it can be crushed and safely used as fill, or buried shallow underground. Spread AAC dust on the lawn, or finely crushed material it's great as a lime supplement. What is the History of Aerated Autoclaved Concrete?A Swedish Architect, searching for a material with the properties of wood, but without the disadvantages of wood, developed AAC. It was patented in 1924, and basically forgotten. Near the end of World War II, AAC was taken off the shelf and became widely used. Vast areas of cities and industries lay in waste. Tremendous rebuilding became necessary, particularly in Germany and England, where wood and steel were scarce. Since that time AAC's use has spread to 35 countries. The first plant in North America opened in 1996. Four major AAC plants now exist in the United States.
Talge Hall, Southern Adventist University, Collegedale, Tennessee |
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