MB August2013 PDF

EDITOR'S COMMENT
Bidding Adieu to a Scholar and a

Gentleman, Dr. A Ramakrishna
The Indian construction industry mourns the loss of a
scholar and a gentleman, a leader and innovator,
Dr. Anumolu Ramakrishna who lived dedicated to various
things throughout his life, including the civil engineering
industry and the community. His passing away marks the
end of an era. India has lost a doyen, and I personally have
lost a friend, mentor and guide.
As someone who had the privilege of interacting with him
over long years, one of the things about Dr. Ramakrishna
that struck me the most was his modesty and utter
simplicity. While he has the credit of being the force
behind the creation of several civil engineering landmarks
in this country, yet his ability to maintain a low-profile with
no compromise on his leadership delivery; astounds me
till date. An organized thinker and astute planner, his
approach to articulating complicated concepts in simple
easy-to-understand terms could make even the most
difficult project look like a walk in the park.
He always shunned limelight. For someone who had provided leadership for the construction of several
landmarks in the country, he preferred staying away from the headlines. It is this trait, in this day and age
where self-promotion is considered a virtue to have in order to get ahead in the cut-throat corporate
business world competition, which rather made him all the more famous as well as approachable for one
and all. He was the very epitome of the core philosophy preached in the Bhagawad Gita, that of equanimity.
The trappings of fame used to sit very light on him. Untiring, self-less service to his chosen profession is
something that everyone can learn from Dr. Ramakrishna's life.
While many of us in the civil engineering fraternity know about his engineering prowess, not much has been
written about his business acumen. After all, he was the man who natured L&T-ECC to be the global player
that it is today. His untiring toil has also been responsible for founding several industry associations such as
the Construction Industry Development Council (CIDC), the Indian Concrete Institute (ICI), National
Academy of Construction and Construction Federation of India, among others. He was also actively
associated with many prestigious international and national bodies such as the American Society of Civil
Engineers, International Federation for Structural Concrete, Institutions of Engineers (India) and the
American Society for Concrete Contractors, to name a few.
He was also associated with FICCI and CII as Chairman / Member of various committees and top academic
institutions such as IIT, SERC and NICMAR. He was also the President of the Indian Academy of
Engineering (INAE), a peer group of over 500 of the country's distinguished engineers, scientists and
technologists. This apart, he was also on the board of several corporate entities.
Dr. Ramakrishna was a pioneer in introducing new technologies in the Indian construction industry. It was
under him that system formwork was introduced in the country. Similarly, his path-breaking work in the field
of pre-cast and pre-stressed techniques stands testimony to his passion to introduce latest technologies
for the betterment of the construction industry. He was actively serving the industry until his last days.
Dr. Ramakrishna was heading a committee that was in process of bringing out a first-of-its-kind handbook
on precast technology for ICI and was giving it the finishing touches before his unfortunate demise. Little
did we know that the handbook would be his parting gift to the civil engineering fraternity.
Dr. Ramakrishna was inspirational to me personally, in many ways, through his approach to his work and
his outlook on life and his approach to those around him. Dr. Ramakrishna always had a welcoming spirit,
his warm handshake, bright eyes and simplicity had almost everybody in the industry look up to him. He
has left a void that is too big to fill.
Although you are not there in flesh and blood, your legacy will continue to guide us; thank you for the fond
memories Dr. Ramakrishna!
K.P. Pradeep, Editor-in-Chief

editor@masterbuilder.co.in
Your feedbacks are welcome and

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Contents
120
Editor's Comment.........................10
Advertisers Index..............................16
Fabric Structures: Industry Report
Classification Index..........................18
Tensile Fabric Structures: Airport, Retail and Sports

Infrastructure Projects Sustain Growth Trend
News & Events..................................22
MB Bureau Report
46
Foundation: Helical Piles

Helical Screw Piles: Sustainable Foundation Solutions
92
Foucs: Special Economic Zones

SEZs: Poised for a Giant Leap Forward
100
Events
India's Growing Construction Market Receiving Global Attention
106
Fabric Structures
Analysis, Design and Construction of Fabric Structures
Bhavani Balakrishna
52
Ground Engineering: Equipments

Foundation Equipment: Steadily Piling on the Numbers
60
Machinery: Fly Ash Brick
MB Bureau Report
Fly Ash Brick Making Machinery: Sustainability Buzz Drives

Growth Momentum
Sonjoy Deb, B.Tech, Civil Associtate Editor
M.K. Prabhakar, Associate Editor
68
Fiber Fly Ash Bricks

Use of Human Hair as Natural Fiber for Fly Ash Bricks
Darsh Belani1, Prof. Jayeshkumar Pitroda2, Dr. F S Umrigar3

Student of First Year M.E (C.E & M), B.V.M Engineering College, Vallabh Vidyanagar
2
Assistant Professor and Research Scholar, Civil Engineering Department,
B.V.M. Engineering College, Vallabh Vidyanagar-Gujarat-India
3
Principal, B.V.M. Engineering College, Vallabh Vidyanagar
Sadagopan Seshadri, Chief - Content Development,

CE - Infrastructure - Environment
114
Fabric Architecture
The Future of Fabric Architecture
128
Fabric Structures: Bionics

Bionics in Membrane Architecture
Special Correspondent
72
Recycling
Construction & Demolition Waste Recycling: Need of the Hour
Bhavani Balakrishna
78
Access Equipment: Industry Analysis

Access Equipment: A Niche Market Segment
with Immense Growth Potential
86
146
Power: Solar
Sun Power: Energy Forever
Sadagopan Seshadri, Chief - Content Development,

160
Construction Equipments: Soil Compactors

Soil Compactors: On Solid Ground
Access Equipment: Rental

Access Equipment Rental Scenario: On the Verge of a
Rapid Growth Phase
166
Metal Roofing
Metal Roofing Systems: The Preferred Choice
146
46
12
Sameer S. Malvankar, Dy. Manager - Engineering, Gammon India Ltd.
The Masterbuilder - August 2013 www.masterbuilder.co.in
52
MB Bureau Report
Sonjoy Deb, B.Tech, Civil Associtate Editor
166
Contents
178
Roofing: Shingles
Roof Shingles: The Durable Alternative
MB Bureau Report
136
Trendsetting Tensile Fabric Range Now in India
186
Roofing: Solar Shingles

Solar Shingles: The Sun is Shining on the
Solar Shingles Market
137
Tensonite: A Leader in the Making
138
A Frontrunner Makes Further Inroads
Communication Feature
MB Bureau Report
202
204
Roads: Report
Policy Initiatives to the Aid of Ailing Road Sector
206
CE: International
SDLG: Taking Aim at Leadership
210
140 Raising the Bar in Tensile Fabric Architecture
Events: C3R
CCMA'S Maiden Regional Conference C3R:
A Resounding Success
MB Bureau Report, With inputs from ICRA
MB Bureau Report
Interaction
Bekaert: Opening the Door to a Whole
New World of Possibilities with Concrete
142
MC-Special Plus Integral Waterproofing of Concrete Using

Hydrophobic Pore Blocking Technology
174
Perfect Combination of Aesthetics and Durability
176
High-Speed Fold-Up Doors for Industrial and

Commercial Buildings
190
Saint-Gobain: A World Leader in the

Habitat and Construction Market Designs
192
Pre-Engineered Construction in India: A Way Forward!
222
In conversation with: Surya Prakash, President-elect of ACCE (I)
196
Surya Thermex Rebars Launchee Amidst Much Fanfare
228
Training
CIDC, Vijay Nirman Join Hands to Make History
8000 Construction Personnel's to be Trained Across the Country
199
'Monsoon Magic' - Special Discounts on the

Entire Range at Liugong India
232
200
Universal Launches Engineering Consultant Course
Demolition
Hydrodemolition - An Overview
214
Advanced Floor Coatings/Surfacing
Basil Manoj
204
178
206
186
Corrigendum
This has reference to a paper published in page 108 of 'The Masterbuilder' July, 2013 edition (Volume.15 No.7). We sincerely regret that the Author's designation was
mentioned as General Manager Concrete, Elkem South Asia in lieu of Deputy General Manager. We regret this inadvertent error.
14
Contents
Advertisers Index
A
Relyon Facility Services
209
S
Action Construction Equipment Ltd
153
H&K Rolling Mills Pvt. Ltd
15
Ajax Fiori Engg. India Pvt. Ltd
131
Hem Infra Services Pvt. Ltd
49
Safari Constrution Equipments Pvt. Ltd
193
Hess Concrete Machinery India Pvt. Ltd
63
Sagittarius Profiles Pvt. Ltd
173
Amman Apollo India Pvt. Ltd
58 / 59
Ancon Enterprises
103
Apollo HawkeyePedershaab Concrete

Technologies Pvt. Ltd
51
Asons Enterprises
75
Atul Fasteners
157
Avians Innovations Technology Pvt. Ltd
201
B
Balaji AE Industries
Gatefold
Beardsell Ltd
41
Bekeart (Dramix)
55
C
Case New Halland Construction Equipment

India Pvt. Ltd
33
Caterpillar India Pvt. Ltd
27
Cera chem India Pvt. Ltd
99
Chembond Chemicals
Back Inner Cover
Ciment Fondu (Kerneos)
13
Columbia Pakona Engineering Pvt. Ltd
67
Conrete Show -2014 (UBM Media)
225
D
Dow Corning India Pvt. Ltd
57
E
Encon India
119
Esquire CMAC Pvt. Ltd
159
EXCON -2013
213
F
Fayat India
83
Ferro Build
209
Hindalco Everlast
Hitech Concrete Solutions Chennai Pvt. Ltd 201

I
ICI-IWC (2013)
Gandhi Automations Pvt. Ltd

Grindwell Nortan Ltd (CertainTeed)
16
109
11
177
220 / 221
Igloo Tiles
95
Interarch Building Systems
7
J
J B Associates
197
JLG Industries INC.,
77
K
Kirby Building Systems
National (Kolar Metal)
171
L
Larsen & Toubro Ltd
39
Leister Technologies India Pvt. Ltd
117
Liugong India Pvt. Ltd
37
Loya Pre-engineered Buildings Pvt. Ltd
19
School of Construction Management

Excellence (ANP)
71
Schwing Stetter India Pvt. Ltd
35
SEWC - 2013
231
Sharp Engineers
141
Shibam Ventures & Building

Materials Pvt. Ltd
181
Smart Buildings 2013 (NISPANA)
217
Speedcrafts Ltd
139
Suntech Tensile Structures
127
Surie Polex
195
T
Technospan Structures Pvt. Ltd
123
Techny Chemy
Tensonite Pvt. Ltd
113
The Big 5 Construct India (DMG Events)
223
The Masterbuilder Susbcription Form
211
The Structural Waterproofing

Co. Pvt. Ltd (Chryso)
91
Maco Corporation India Pvt. Ltd
81
The Supreme Industries Ltd
43
MC Bauchemie India Pvt. Ltd
89
Toshniwal Systems & Instruments Pvt. Ltd
205
TRG International
189
Metecno India Pvt. Ltd
Front inner -2
MNF Metals & Foaming Pvt. Ltd

Multichem Group
183
2nd Wrapper
Multicolour Steels India Pvt. Ltd
169
P
Penetron India
Pidilite Industries Ltd
143
Ultratech Cement Ltd

Universal Construction Machinery
& Equipment Ltd
R K Technologies
209
R.N. Raiker Memorial Seminar
227
Reliance Industries Ltd
149
Back cover
101 / 135
V
Volvo India Pvt. Ltd
29
W
Front Inner -1
R
17
Pennar Engineered Building Systems Ltd
G
Gale Pacific Ltd (Garware Wall Ropes Ltd)
20 / 21
Wirtgen India
World of Concrete -2013
31
219
Z
Zamil Steel Buildings India Pvt. Ltd
163
Contents
Advertisers Index / Classification

Access Equipment & Aerial Boom Lift
JLG Industries INC.,
Maco Corporation India Pvt. Ltd.
Adhesive and Sealents
Dow Corning India Pvt. Ltd.
Cement
UltraTech Cement Ltd.

Dry Mix Mortor
Kerneos India
13
57
EPC
Larsen & Toubro Ltd
39
Back Cover
CLC Block Making Machines

RK Technologies
209
Concrete Polishing Machine

Surie Polex
195
Concrete solutions
Hitech Concrete Solutions Chennai Pvt. Ltd.
201
Facility Services
Relyon Facility Services Pvt Ltd.
Ferro Cement Construction
Ferro Build
Flooring
J B Associates
Reliance Industries Ltd.
Surie Polex
Construction Chemicals
Cera-Chem Pvt. Ltd.
99
MC - Bauchmie (I) Pvt Ltd.
89
Multichem Group
Cover Page
The Structural Waterproofing Company Pvt. Ltd. 91
Fly ash Brick making Machinery

Columbia Pakona Engineering Pvt. Ltd.
Hess Concrete Machinery India Pvt Ltd.
Construction Machinery & Equipment

Action Construction Equipment Ltd.
153
Ajax Fiori Engg (I)Pvt.Ltd
131
Ammann Apollo India Private Limited
58 / 59
Apollo HawkeyePedershaab Concrete
Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
51
Case New Holland Construction
Equipments (India) Pvt.Ltd.
33
Caterpillar India Pvt.ltd
27
ConMechAuto Consultants India Pvt Ltd.
159
Liugong India Pvt.Ltd
37
Marini (Fayat Group)
83
Safari Construction Equipments Pvt. Ltd.
193
Schwing Stetter India Pvt. Ltd.
35
Speedcrafts Limited
139
Toshniwal Systems & Instruments Pvt. Ltd.
205
Universal Construction Machinery &
Equipment Ltd.
101 / 135
Volvo India Pvt. Ltd.
29
Wirtgen India
31
Conferences & Exhibitions
Conrete Show -2014 (UBM Media)
225
EXCON -2013
213
ICI-IWC (2013)
220 / 221
The Big 5 Construct India (DMG Events)
223
SEWC - 2013
231
World of Concrete -2013
219
R.N. Raiker Memorial Seminar
227
Foundation Equipments
Heminfra Services Pvt Ltd
Doors Automatic
Avians Innovations Technology Pvt. Ltd.
Rolling Shutters
18
11
77
81
201
Formwork
Sharp Engineers
Geo Membrane
Leister Technologies India Pvt Ltd
Mass Housing Products
Beadrsell Limited
PEB
Loya Pre Engineered Buildings Pvt. Ltd
Multicolor Steels India Pvt. Ltd.
Pennar Engineered Building Systems Ltd
Zamil Steel Buildings India Pvt Ltd
Precast Waterproofing
Penetron India Pvt. Ltd.
Project Management Consultants
A. N. Prakash Construction
Project Management Consultants Pvt. Ltd.
209
209
197
149
195
67
63
141
20 / 21
9
183
169
163
Roofing Fastners
Asons Enterprises
Atul Fastners Ltd.
75
157
Roofing Sheets
National Steel & Agro Industries Ltd.
Sagittarius Profiles Pvt.Ltd
171
173
Roofing Shingles
Grindwell Nortan Ltd (CertainTeed)
Shibam Ventures & Building
Materials (P) Ltd
TRG International
Sandwich Panels
Metecno India Pvt. Ltd.
177
181
189
2nd Front inner cover
49
Steel Fiber Reinforcement concrete

Bekeart (Dramix)
55
117
Tensile Fabric Manufacturers

Gale Pacific Ltd (Garware Wall Ropes Ltd)
109
41
9
19
169
143
163
17
71
Repair & Rehabilation

Chembond Chemicals Limited
Back inner cover
Cera-Chem Pvt. Ltd.
99
MC - Bauchme (I) Pvt Ltd.
89
Multichem Group
Cover page
17
Pidilite Industries Ltd.
Front inner cover
The Structural Waterproofing Company Pvt. Ltd. 91
43
Roofing
Everlast Hindalco
MNF Metals and Forming Pvt. Ltd.
Zamil Steel Buildings India Pvt Ltd
11
Tensile Membrane Structures

Ancon Enterprises
Encon India
Technospan Structures Pvt. Ltd.
Tensonite Pvt. Ltd.
103
Gatefold
119
127
123
113
Tensile welding Machine

Leister Technologies India Pvt Ltd
117
Thermal Insulation Tiles

Igloo Tiles
Technychemy
95
8
TMT-Technology Suppliers
H & K Rolling Mills Engineering Pvt. Ltd.
15
Waterproofing
Technychemy
Cera-Chem Pvt. Ltd.
MC - Bauchme (I) Pvt Ltd.
Multichem Group
Pidilite Industries Ltd.
The Structural Waterproofing
Company Pvt. Ltd.
91
43
8
99
89
Cover Page
17
Front inner Cover
News & Events
CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT
An Upward Trend in Heavy Construction Equipment Market

Boom in construction sectors such as
airports, dams, renewable energy
projects etc. in the Ais Pacific region
have attracted many international
players like Caterpillar (US), Komatsu
Limited (Japan), JCB (UK), Hitachi
Construction Machinery (Japan), Volvo
Construction Equipment (Sweden) and
John Deere (US) to invest and start
their manufacturing facilities and
logistics in the area. As per a recent
report heavy construction equipment
market will grow from $131.1bn

approx in 2013 to $195bn by 2018.
Largest Single order for

JCB in it's history
Bangladesh. Mr. Jha will be responsible

for promoting capital equipment, molds,
parts and curing systems for all concrete
industries. A trained Mechanical Engineer, with over 12 years of industry sales
and business development experience,
he is well versed in the design and operation of complete systems for the production of concrete products.
Speaking on his appointments Mr. Jha
said I am looking forward to learning
about the opportunities and challenges
facing industry members and would be
delighted to share my knowledge with
producers currently in the industry as
well as with those exploring opportunities available for new plants.
Rajesh is based in Delhi and can be
reached at +91 9971021480 and via email, rjha@besser.com
Atlas Copco To Acquire

Edwards Group
JCB received 53 million contract to

supply 900 telehandlers to UK plant
hirer Fork Rent. The machines to be
manufactured at JCB in Rocester,
Staffordshire and delivery is likely to
take place during 2013. The deal makes
Fork Rent to become the first major plant
hire company to buy the new JCB 540200 Loadall, Europe's highest-reach rigid
frame telescopic handler, capable of
reaching a height of 20 metres. Fork Rent
and JCB working together since 1987.
play a key role in the production of nextgeneration LNG tankers and container
ships, for which the new Goliath Crane
will be used. GE's technology enables
Dalian's two existing 600 tonne cranes
to work simultaneously, enabling the
handling of higher loads required for
building larger vessels in addition to
significant savings of energy.
Besser adds Rajesh Jha

to its sales team
Swedish industrial company Atlas Copco

AB will acquire British industrial company
Edwards Group for an amount US$1.2
billion. Atlas Copco will add the British
companys range of vacuums used for
industrial processes to its existing offerings of construction and mining equipment.
Besser a leading concrete product

equipment manufacturer with presence
in 120 countries has appointment Rajesh
Jha as its Sales Manager for India and
The deal for Edwards, whose investors

include PE firms Unitas Capital and CCMP
Capital Advisors, is a bright spot in
Europes sluggish mergers and acquisitions market. The takeover is expected
to close during the first quarter of 2014.
Edwards will be part of Atlas Copcos
new Vacuum Solutions division within the
Compressor Technique business area.
General Electric to deliver

a drive and automation
system for a new Goliath Crane
Atlanta-based General Electric (GE) has
been chosen by Dalian shipyard in China
to deliver a drive & automation system
for Goliath Crane. This will enable GE to
22
News & Events
INFRASTRUCTURE
RAILWAYS
Indian railway drops fixation for broad gauge

track to woo investors
To attract international bidders for the
63-km Churchgate-Virar suburban
railway project Indian Railways has
dropped its strict requirement for broad
gauge track and has decided to go
with standard gauge track. The project
is estimated to cost ` 22500 crore.
This is one of the projects that the Prime
Minister's Office (PMO) wants to award
in next six months. Indian Railways is
ready to put viability gap funding (VGF)
upto 20% to make public private partnership more attractive for the project.
Railways in talks with NPC for

setting up captive nuclear
power plants
Indian railway is in talks with Nuclear

Power Corporation (NPC) for setting up
dedicated captive nuclear plants. The
power plants will cater to the growing
demand of power for running increased
number of trains. Current spending of
Indian railways for electricity and diesel
bill is ` 8000 crore and ` 15000 crore
respectively. Railways will benefit from
its captive power plants as consumption rate will go down from ` 5.4 a unit to
less than ` 4.
28
L&T, IL&FS, Gammon, Reliance Infra,

GMR, CAF are the firms interested in
the project.
Mumbai's busiest route

to get a metro line
In an effort to reduce the load on

Mumbai's suburban railway, the Maharashtra government is planning a new
metro line with an estimated investment
of ` 2091 crore connecting southern
Mumbai with neighbouring Thane district.
A detailed project report has been prepared and is to be discussed in the next
MMRDA's meeting. The state, centre and
urban local body will fund 50% while the
balance would be raised through loans.
Chennai Monorail on fast track

An empowered committee on monorail,
under the Tamil Nadu government,
discussed the proposed ` 8,500 crore

monorail project in Chennai recently.
The project is important from the point
of view of rising traffic problems in the
city. Government has earmarked three
corridors, Vandalur to Velachery (23
km), Poonamallee to Kathipara junction
( 1 6 k m ) a n d Po o n a m a l l e e t o
Vadapalani (18 km), where 450 rails
would crisscross the stretches with a
frequency of one every four minutes in
both directions.
Country's First Monorail

Project gearing up for Debut
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the nodal

agency for Mumbai monorail project is
putting down its full effort to meet the
scheduled deadline for starting the
monorail operation. Most of the construction works are complete. Larsen &
Toubro and Scomi Engineering Malaysia
are gearing up for electrical function
testing of the monorail. Conductor rails
fitted on the monorail concrete beams
were energised earlier and other tests for
signalling, communication, rolling stocks
and auto fare collection are also being
carried out. To comply the safety
requirement, MMRDA has appointed a
foreign company to certify longer monorail routes.
News & Events
INFRASTRUCTURE
Haryana Govt. to Finance

` 2515 Crore for
new railway project
India plans rail network to

boost infrastructure in
border towns
ROADS
Road Ministry to complete
` 33,688 Cr road projects
in NE by 2016
Three new railway projects in Haryana

viz.Delhi-Sohna-Nuh-FerozpurJhirkaAlwar, Hisar-Agroha-Fatehabad-Sirsa and
Yamunanagar-Sadhora-NaraingarhChandigarh received an accelerator with
the Haryana CM announcing that the
state government will fund 50% of the
project cost amounting approximately `
2515 Crore. The length of these rail lines
would be 104km, 93km and 91km respectively.
The Government of India has completed

the survey of ten proposed railway
projects in key border towns. The planned
expenditure is ` 80000 crore, and it will
be funded by the railways. Indian Railways and Military working together have
zeroed down on some projects, which
should be given priority for construction.
Some of the key lines are Srinagar-KargilLeh (400Km), Pathankot-Leh (278Km),
Dhemaji Tawang (320Km) along with
some lines in Uttarkhand and Rajasthan.
Green signal for Jaipur

Metro Rail Project
Hindrance to Udhampur-Katra
rail link project
Unrest in J&K has slowed down the

pace of work on the 25-km-long stretch
of the Udhampur-Katra rail link project.
The Katra line was expected to be operational towards the end of August, 2013
as work was going on a throttle, all
tunnelling and bridge works were
completed. However, now it is further
delayed and likely to be commissioned
only in October. The ballast-less track is
being laid on the Udhampur-Katra section
which involves about 11 km of tunnelling, nine major bridges, 29 minor bridges
and 10 rail overbids / rail under-bridges.
30
The Urban Development Ministry and

Railway Ministry has given its approval
for the functional system i.e. in signal,
telecom and electricity expansion system
at the Jaipur Metro second phase. The
approval has paved way for the timely
commencement of work for the ambitious ` 12,000 crore project aimed at
plying of metro train in the Pink City by
later this year. The centre had already
given approval for the first phase of the
project and the initial ground work for
the same had also been commenced.
The Phase-I of JMRC would face 12.6
km from Mansarovar to BadiChaupar in
Jaipur.
The government has set a target to

complete ` 33,688 crore projects
under Special Accelerated Road
Development Programme (SARDP)
by June 2016 to improve infrastructure in the country's North Eastern
region. Phase A of SARDP-NE
including Arunachal Package covers
6,418 km at an estimated cost of
` 33,688 crore. The project is expected to be completed by June,
2016, according to the Road Transport and Highways (RTH) Ministry.
The projects are being executed by
the States Public Work Departments,
Border Roads Organisation (BRO),
National Highways Authority of India
(NHAI) and the Ministry of Road
Transport and Highways. So far,
about 1,180 km have been completed, as per the Ministry, which
said it targets to award projects in a
total length of about 2,000 km and
achieve completion in 550 km length
during 2013-14.
The Phase B of the SARDP is at
currently at a conceptual stage, as
per the Ministry. The programme
envisages providing road connectivity to all the district headquarters
in the north eastern region by
minimum 2-lane highway standards
apart from providing road connectivity to backward and remote areas,
areas of strategic importance and
neighbouring countries.
News & Events
INFRASTRUCTURE
Govt clears infrastructure projects worth ` 1.1 lakh crore.

Government of India have given its
green signal for 28 big-ticket infrastructure projects that were awaiting
clearance for many years now. Eighteen power projects that got the nod
will together generate 15,500 MW. `
4400 crore worth four highway projects,
three railway lines in Mizoram, Assam
and Chhattisgarh costing ` 7100 crore
and ` 1200 crore steel plant in Odisha
with Coal Ministry agreeing to ensure
supply for these projects. Bharat
Petroleum's ` 1419 crore distillation
plant is one of the cleared projects.
Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth, who has
led the drive, has managed to secure

these clearances after intensive projectwise discussions with ministries through
a special project monitoring group set
up by the prime minister in June. The
coal ministry has agreed to sign fuel
supply agreements for the power
projects by August end.
Karnataka to get JICA aid for

` 4,300 cr road project
Karnataka government is set to receive

financial assistance from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for
the construction of 65 kilometre-long
Peripheral Ring Road project (PRR
Phase-1) from Tumkur to Hosur. The
project would cost roughly ` 4300 Cr.
Currently land acquisition process in
progress, and construction work is
scheduled to begin after getting the
sanction from JICA and on completion
of the land acquisition process.
Reliance Infra commences toll

on Jaipur-Reengus highway
Reliance Infrastructure Limited (RInfra)
announced the commencement of its
ninth road project from Jaipur to Reengus
in Rajasthan. The four laning of the 52
km Jaipur -Reengus highway has re-
32
cently been completed, and toll collection has started. The ` 556-crore project
has been executed on DBFOT (Design,
Build, Operate, Finance and Transfer)
pattern under the aegis of NHAI. RInfra
was awarded the contract for a concession period of 18 years. JR road connects
Jaipur and Sikar in Rajasthan and is a
section of NH-11.
NHAI plans to rework model

concession agreement
After road developers sought changes
to the model agreement amid a slowing
economy the National Highways
Authority of India (NHAI) is planning to
rework the model concession agreement (MCA) for highway projects. The
MCA was redrafted just three years back.
NHAI had asked developers, lenders,
consultants and industry bodies to give
their feedback on the current model
concession agreement in the context of
the changed economic scenario.
Tamil Nadu seeks Japanese

aid for Mamallapuram-Ennore
5 lane road project
The Tamil Nadu government has sought

funds from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for construction of
the 162 km long Chennai peripheral road
from Mamallapuram to Ennore Port. The
planned 5-lane road will attach
Singaperumalkoil, Sriperumbudur,
T i r u v a l l u r, T h a m a r a i p a k k a m ,
Periyapalayam and Puduvayal. TN Govt
has approached JICA for funding of `
4260 Crore, which covers major part of
the project. The land acquisition process
is expected to commence next year in
some stretches following approval from
the government and thereafter, the
project scheduled to be implemented in
18 months.
URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE
A booster from ADB for North
Karnataka Urban Sector
Investment Program (NKUSIP)
The Government of India signed an
agreement with Asian Development
Bank (ADB) today for a $60 million loan
for improving urban services and
strengthen municipal and project
management capacity in several towns
in north Karnataka.
The agreement is for the third project
under the overall facility of $270 million
for the North Karnataka Urban Sector
Investment Program (NKUSIP). The
third tranche loan under the North
Karnataka Urban Sector Investment
Program will develop sewerage
News & Events
INFRASTRUCTURE
urban development during 2012 2017.

Gujarat's budgetary provision for urban
development has shot up to ` 5,600
crore from ` 127 crores during 2000 to
2013. Modi also added that people saw
rapid urbanization as a challenge instead
it should be viewed as a huge opportunity that can be encashed if planned
properly.
networks in six towns, and help the rehabilitation and expansion of potable
water systems in two more towns. More
than 100,000 households will benefit
from the improvements.
Nilaya Mitash, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of
Finance signed the agreement on
behalf of Government of India and Hun
Kim, Country Director of ADB's India
Resident Mission, signed the agreement on behalf of ADB.
The project agreement was signed by P.
N. Sreenivasachary, Principal Secretary, Urban Development Department,
Government of Karnataka, on behalf of
Government of Karnataka and Darpan
Jain, Managing Director, Karnataka
Urban Infrastructure Development and
Finance Corporation Limited (KUIDFC)
on behalf of KUIDFC.
` 75000 Crore for driving

Urban Development in
Gujarat - Narendra Modi
Speaking at a workshop on urban development in Gandhinagar, Gujarat Chief

Minister Narendra Modi announced that
state would spend `75000 crore on
34
Revised Affordable Housing in

Partnership (AHP) scheme to be
launched soon
With the aim to provide half a million

houses to the Economically Weaker
Sections (EWS) and Lower Income
Groups (LIG), the government of India
will soon roll out the revised Affordable
Housing in Partnership (AHP) scheme.
Announcing this, the Union Minister of
Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation,
Dr Girija Vyas, said that, "The AHP scheme
will be launched very soon to encourage
state concessions and creation of
affordable housing stock for construction." Dr Vyas was addressing the
'REALTY 2013', Confederation of Indian
Industry's (CII's) flagship conference on
real estate, in New Delhi. "Through this
scheme, the government aims to encourage partnerships between various
agencies - central and state governments/housing boards and development authorities and Urban Local Bodies
(ULBs) and industry, for creation of
affordable housing. The scheme offers
several supply and demand side incentives. Some of the key incentives are, bring
concessions on development charges;
service tax and direct tax exemptions;
encouraging Foreign Direct Investment
(FDI) in affordable housing; reduced
stamp duties; increasing Floor Space
Indexes (FSIs) in affordable housing

projects and encouraging Transfer of
Development Rights (TDRs). While further
explaining about this upcoming scheme,
she highlighted that, "Besides the Rajiv
Awas Yojana (RAY) launched recently,
she envisages a 'slum free India' with
inclusive, equitable cities and where
every citizen has access to basic social
and civic services, strong livelihood linkages and decent shelter. It encourages
states to tackle the problem of slums
holistically, by bringing existing slums
under the formal system, giving them
access to the same level of services as
available in the rest of the town and also
tackle the shortage of urban land and
housing." Dr Vyas also called on the
industry to support the government in its
aim to meet the shortfall of 18.7 million
units.
Foundation Stone laid for

`1800 crore Delhi Police
Housing Project
Lieutenant Governor Tejinder Khanna

laid the foundation stone of India's
largest Public-Private Partnership
(PPP) housing project in North
Delhi's Deerpur. The project with a
total 5202 flats and costing ` 1800
crore will provide a contemporary
and a modern way of life to the Delhi
police personnel with all facilities
and infrastructures. Punj Lloyd will
construct the quarters and maintain it for 25 years. The scheduled
construction time is 885 Days.
INFRASTRUCTURE
PORTS
Mega state-of-the-art container terminal

to be constructed by Kandla Port
Kandla Port is likely to set up a mega
container terminal at Tuna-Tekra, 10
Kms south of Tuna Port. The proposed
container terminal will cater to the
vessels upto 18000 TEUs with handling
capacity of 4.185 million TEUs per
annum (61 million tonnes per annum).
The project is planned to be carried
out on BOT basis under PPP Mode at
an estimated cost of ` 5992 crore.
The project will be carried out in three
phases with first phase to be completed
be achieved by allowing port operators

to tweak cargo handling tariff for new
public- private partnerships (PPP)
projects in the 12 government-owned
ports. This will give a level-playing field
for port operators, will enhance competition and bring in investments.
in three years and remaining two
phases in two years for each phase.
Gail to sign MoU with

Paradip Port for LNG Terminal
Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL)

and Paradip Port Trust will shortly sign a
MoU to construct an LNG terminal at
Paradip Port. GAIL reportedly plans to
set up the LNG terminal with initial
capacity of around 4 million tone in the
first phase, and this may be doubled in
the second phase. Work on gas 1550
km long pipeline project between Surat
and Paradip is already in progress.
APM Terminal inches close to

securing US$ 240 million
Container Terminal Contract
Netherland based APM Terminals has
been shortlisted as one of the five
36
AIRPORT
MoEF gives Green Signal for
Navi Mumbai Airport
companies to compete and secure US$

240 million order to build and operate a
new container terminal at Kolkata. The
project will have jetty facilities of 900
meters and a 37-hectare container
handling area with an annual capacity
of 1.2 million twenty-foot containers
(TEU). APM Terminals have its presence
in Mumbai and Pipavav port in India.
Govt plans to increase

investment in Port Projects
In a statement Shipping Minister Mr. GK
Vasan said his Ministry plans to award
`58, 000-crore worth of port projects by
the end of the 12th Five-Year Plan, out of
which projects worth ` 25,000 crore to
be launched in this fiscal alone. This will
The construction of the Navi Mumbai

International, a multi-billion rupee project
has finally received the green signal
from a panel of the Union Ministry of
Environment and Forests (MoEF). The
much awaited project had been delayed
mainly over the issues of land acquisition and disagreement over reimbursement. City and Industrial Development
Corporation (Cidco), was facing obstruction from the local residents who
were not permitting the organization to
conduct any type of survey or assessment of the land.
News & Events
SUSTAINABILITY
Could harvesting electricity from CO2 be a game changer?

A novel method for generating electricity from carbon dioxide might just
be the beginning of a classic trash-totreasure story for the troublesome
greenhouse gas, scientists are reporting. As per the paper published
in ACS' newly launched journal Environmental Science & Technology
Letters, the process makes use of the
CO2 emitted from electric power plant
and other smokestacks as the raw
material for generating electricity.
Bert Hamelers, Ph.D., and team explain
that electric power-generating stations
worldwide release about 12 billion
tons of CO2 annually from combustion of coal, oil and natural gas. Home
and commercial heating produces
another 11 billion tons. Smokestack
gas from a typical coal-fired plant
contains about 10 percent CO2, which
not only goes to waste, but is a key
contributor to global warming.
Hamelers' team sought a way to change
that trash into a treasure.
India, Switzerland team up

for energy-efficient buildings
With an objective to promote sustainable architecture throughout the country, India has entered into an MOU with
Switzerland to utilize Swiss expertise for
designing energy-efficient in the country. After extensive consultations and pilot
projects, our two governments have
signed a five-year MoU to facilitate the
adoption of Swiss expertise to the Indian
context, Swiss Ambassador Linus Von
Castelmur said.
38
They describe technology that would

react the CO2 with water or other liquids
and, with further processing, produce
a flow of electrons that make up electric current. It could produce about
1,570 billion kilowatts of additional
electricity annually if used to harvest
CO2 from power plants, industry and
residences. That's about 400 times
the annual electrical output of the
Hoover Dam. Like that dam and other
hydroelectric power facilities, that
massive additional amount of electricity would be produced without
adding more CO2 to the atmosphere,
Hamelers pointed out.
CII inks MOU with NHB to

Promote Green Housing
Indian Green Building Council (IGBC)

inked a memorandum of understanding
(MoU) with National Housing Bank
(NHB) to promote adoption of energy
efficient green homes in the country.
The purpose of this MoU is to jointly
enhance and promote the adoption of

energy efficient and green homes
concept in India, CII said in a statement. As many as 750 homes project
ina the country are already going green
with IGBC accounting to more than
450,000 dwelling units with a building
footprint of over 680 million square feet.
With this MOU IGBC and NHB will offer
fund to financing companies on green
building grounds.
SICI 2013:
Heralding Change
The 4th annual sustainability in Design
& Construction India Summit 2013
under the theme Envisioning a Sustainable Future based on Best Practices,
Which Would Emphasize on Long Term
Affordability, Quality and Efficiency was
held on 1st & 2nd of August, 2013 at
Matthan hotel, Bangalore India. Dr.
Rajendra K. Pachauri, Director GeneralTERI and Chairperson of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) graced the summit and enlightened the audience about the implications for climate change as far as the
building sector is concerned. He
emphasized the need for stringent focus
on sustainability and conservation of
resources.
The event was duly endorsed &
supported by Ministry of Urban Development Department, Govt. of Karnataka,
BWSSB, FKCCI, TERI and leading associations such as ISHRAE, Builders Association of India, Glazing Society of India,
SESI and ICCTAS. The conference had
an average attendance of 170 high level
delegates on both days, comprising of
leading architects, developers, consultants, contractors, corporate houses,
relevant government entities and research
agencies. Solution providing expertise
such as MFE Formwork, Wienerberger,
GE Lighting, Zamil AC, SCG Trading, RAK
Ceramics, Versa Drives & Phifer also
participated in this event.
News & Events
CORPORATE
L&T looks to raise upto ` 2500 crore from IDPL's road portfolio
Engineering major Larsen & Toubro
(L&T) is reportedly mulling a plan to
raise ` 2500 crore by combining operational road projects of its infrastructure development arm L&T IDPL into
a separate entity, which later could be
listed overseas through a business
trust model. This proposal, which was
separately mooted by a European as
well as a Japanese bank to the company, is based on the increasing
popularity of the model amongst global
financial investors who are exploring
for high quality operating yield assets
in infrastructure, real estate and renewable energy.
Recently, the company announced
Tata Steel eyes to acquire

Stemcors Indian assets
disappointing first quarter results,

with a total debt of about ` 10,939
crore as on June, 2013, while its gross
debt to equity ratio was at 0.37. Between
April and June, debt levels of L&T have
risen by nearly 24% or by about
` 2,100 crore.
Ultratech Reports fall

in YoY Net profit
Industrial S.p.A. has appointed Abhijit

Gupta as Head of its Indian operations.
Commenting on his new role, Mr. Gupta
said Asia Pacific will continue to be one
of the main drivers of growth for CASE
and I am honoured to take over the
responsibility for this important subregion that is India. CASE runs wholly
owned manufacturing operations in
Pithampur, near Indore, Madhya
Pradesh. CASE is recognized by Indian
customers for its proven product reliability, as well as for its extensive parts
and service support network available
nationwide.
Parliament approves
new company law
Tata Steel is eyeing to acquire the Indian

iron ore assets of one amongst Britains
independent steel trading major, Stemcor
to feed its Indian steel mills. Owing to a
financial crunch and de-faulting loans
worth more than $1billion, Stemcor has
decided to sell its iron mine in Orssia.
The selling could potentially raise upto
$800 million to Stemcor. This could be a
fruitful opportunity in sustaining the
market pressure for Tata Steel who is
facing immense competition from Jindal
Steel and Power.
40
India's biggest cement producer,

UltraTech Cement part of the diversified
Aditya Birla group has reported a 13.5
per cent year-on-year fall in net profit for
the quarter ended June 30. The reason
may be due to a slowdown in home
building and infrastructure projects in
India. However surpassing the market
estimates of ` 619 crore, the company
reported a standalone profit of ` 673
crore for April to June quarter. The
company has planned a capital expenditure of ` 13700 crore for capacity
expansion by 10 million tons by 2015.
Abhijit Gupta to head Indian

operations of CASE Equipments
CASE a division of CNH Global N.V a
majority-owned subsidiary of Fiat
Indian Parliament approved a longawaited overhaul of the legislation that

governs India's companies that's aimed
at easing the process of doing business
in the country and improving governance
by making firms more accountable. The
new Companies Bill will make acquisitions, mergers and restructuring easier
for companies, empower private equity
investors to enforce various agreements and check misuse by pro-moters
by increasing transparency.
The new law will be formally promulgated
as the Companies Act, 2013, replacing
the Companies Act of 1956, once it is
approved by the president Pranab
Mukherjee.
News & Events
INTERNATIONAL
L&T bags ` 8,250 cr Saudi metro project

Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has bagged
an overseas civil construction order
worth ` 8,250 crore ($1.4 billion) from
ArRiyadh Development Authority in
Saudi Arabia for the design,
construction and commissioning of
the metro project in Riyadh, Saudi
Arabia. L&T Construction won the
major contract as part of a consortium that includes Ansaldo STS,
Bombardier Transportation Ltd,
Impregilo S.P.A and Nesma & Partners of Saudi Arabia. The total value
of order is $5.94 billion (approximately ` 35,000 crore), of which the
intended to make Colombo a deliberate

shipping centre along the world's most
beneficial trade operating route.
job to be done by L&T is worth $1.4

billion. This order is a part of a `
35,000 crore (USD 5,941.93 million)
project, which is to be implemented
in four years.
World's second tallest

building nearing completion
in Shanghai
Chinese-built Colombo International

Container Terminal (CICT) is a major
breakthrough for China, which has been
trying to enter the east-west way through
Sri Lanka in command to lessen its reliance on the overcrowded and hazardous
Malacca Straits near Malaysia. It is
designed to handle mega ships with a
capacity of over 18,000 container ships.
The port's capacity will in due course be
improved from the present 5 million
containers to 12.5 million containers per
year.
China plans three dam

projects on the Brahmaputra
River
China's commercial hub of Shanghai is

coming up with World's second tallest
building and a topping-out ceremony
was recently held. Worldwide it is second
to the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which stands
at 830 meters. The Shanghai tower, which
costs an estimated $2.4 billion, will reach
over 630 meters when it is finally done.
World's second tallest skyscraper will
also be the second tallest tower in Asia.
in Saudi Arabia. Known as BACS, the

consortium received a letter of award
from the High Commission for the
development of ArRiyadh. The team will
be responsible for the $10 billion development of Lines 1 and 2, which will be
part of the six-line metro system that will
form the backbone of the city's public
transportation network.
BACS consortium bags $10bn

Riyadh Metro contract
Chinese-built Colombo
International Container
Terminal commissioned
A consortium comprising of Bechtel,

Almabani, Consolidated Contractors
Company (CCC) and Siemens have been
awarded a contract to design and build
two rail lines for the Riyadh Metro network
42
Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapakse

formally commissioned a $500 million
Chinese-built mega container terminal
which, will be the islands biggest and is
The 'Outline of the 12th Five Year Plan

for National Economic and Social
Development of the People's Republic
of China' which has been recently released
points out that three dam projects on
the main stream of the Brahmaputra
River in Tibet Autonomous Region have
been officially permitted for execution
by the Chinese Authorities. As a lower
riparian state with substantial recognized user rights to the waters of the
river, India has expressed its views and
concerns to the Chinese authorities. India
has urged China to ensure that the interests of downstream states are not harmed
by any activities in upstream areas.
Helical Screw Piles:
Sustainable Foundation Solutions

Bhavani Balakrishna
hile helical screw piles have

their foundations in the construction industry since the
1800s, they have not been widely used
in modern-day construction until recently.
However, the engineering community
is increasingly realizing the benefits of
the screw pile system.
Screw piles, also known as helical
piles or screw anchors, are structural,
deep foundation elements used to provide stability against forces exerted by
46
axial compression, tension, and/or lateral loading. They consist of one or more
circular, helical plates affixed to a central shaft of smaller diameter. For screw
piles with multiple helices, the helices
may be of equal diameters or have diameters tapered towards the pile tip.
The helices are generally attached to the
shaft by welding, but may also be bolted
to, riveted to, or monolithically made with
the shaft.
Screw piles are embedded into the
soil by applying a turning moment to

the head of the central shaft, which
causes the helix or helices to penetrate
the ground in a screwing motion. A
downward force may also be applied to
the screw pile during installation to
facilitate the helices in biting into the
soil and advancing the downward
movement of the pile. Powerful hydraulic motors are used to apply the large
torques required to screw a screw pile
into the ground. The motors are fas-
tened onto handling machines that

range in size from T Bobcats, 20T
Excavators, or up to 100T mast mounted
crane rigs.
Screw piles are installed in segments of length corresponding to the
height of the torque head above the
ground surface. If more than one length
is required, additional shaft lengths are
simply welded or threaded onto the pile
as installation progresses. Screw piles
are typically installed to depths of less
than 10 meters, and installation usually
requires only two people on a crew and
approximately 30 minutes per pile.
The diameter of the helical plates is
governed by the pre-determined loading and soil condition. Helical anchors /
piles derive their load carrying capacity
through both end bearing on the helix
plates and skin friction on the shaft. The
overall number and spacing of the
plates are designed to maximize the
allowable load capacity of the soils.
The size and spacing of the plates is
determined at the design stage. The
number and sizes of the helixes used is
a function of the soil profile, with deep
firm clay profiles requiring large plates
and 2 to 3 helixes. This reduces the
depth the pile would have to go, with
conventional piles having to penetrate
deeper into the profile. This "gearing"
principle gives the screw pile considerable design flexibility. Shallower soil
profiles over rock would require a small
single helix plate.In general they are
supplied in 2 metre sections and are
bolted together as they are screwed
into the ground by the use of a torque
drive unit which can be attached to a
modern excavator. The piles are screwed into the ground until design depth
and torque is achieved. The torque is
measured from a reading taken on the
calibrated torque drive unit. The axial
capacity of the pile is directly related to
the torque achieved throughout the last
3 to 4 ft. of installation (i.e. three times
the diameter of the largest helix). This
torque vs. capacity relationship for low
displacement piles (i.e. <= 3.50 shaft
dia.) provides for an excellent on-site
quality control method.
2.875 to 10.75 diameter hollow round.

The sizes of helices typically range
from 6 to 14 diameter. Maximum ultimate pile capacities (not including skin
friction) range from 34 to 150 kips. To
provide higher capacities, larger helical pile shafts and helices will be required.
Methods of connecting the pile to
the structure depend on the type of
structure to be supported. Connections can range from complex welded
brackets to holes drilled into the top of
the pile. The major consideration for
this connection is to assure that there is
a clean transfer of load from the structure to the pile.
Central
Steel
Shaft
H2
Helix
Diameter
Pitch
H1
Helix
Diameter
Advantages of Screw Pile Foundations

Pitch
Pilot
Point
Helix
Thickness
Screw piles are be fabricated in a

wide variety of sizes and configurations, depending on the proposed
application and the likely soil conditions to be encountered. At present,
most helical pile shafts range in sizes
from 1.25 to 2.00 square, and from
Helical piles offer unique advantages over other foundation types. The
main advantages associated with the
use of screw piles are that they can be
loaded to their full capacity immediately after installation, they may be installed rapidly with very little noise or
vibration, and may be installed using
various sizes of lightweight equipment
which makes them especially suited for
use on soft or marshy terrain or on sites
with restricted access, including inside
Screw piles are be fabricated in a wide variety of sizes and configurations, depending on the proposed
application and the likely soil conditions to be encountered
www.masterbuilder.co.in The Masterbuilder - August 2013
47
of existing buildings. Screw piles can

be particularly cost-effective in cases
of high groundwater tables, as dewatering is not required, and may also be
removed after installation and re-used,
which can create significant economic
and environmental advantages in the
construction of temporary structures.
Can be used in a Range of Soil Conditions
Easy Installation
The installation equipment for screw
pile foundations is generally smaller,
lighter, and less specialized than that
required for other types of foundations
such as drilled piers, driven piles, and
auger cast piles. Installation of a new
foundation system consisting of 20 helical piles is conducted in typically less
than a few hours. Installation can even
be done with portable, hand-operated
equipment in limited access areas such
as inside crawl spaces of existing
buildings.
Bearing Capacity
With traditional forms of piled foundations, the load-carrying capacity is
generated from a combination of end
bearing at the pile tip, and skin friction of the vertical sides of the pile shaft
with the surrounding soil. Screw piles
Installation of a new foundation system consisting

of 20 helical piles is conducted in typically less
than a few hours
generate their load capacity solely from

the flat contact area of the projecting
helical plates with the surrounding soil
mass. As a result, screw piles have a
higher bearing capacity than conventional piles of the same length. The necessary load-bearing capacity is achieved by bolting more sections of pile
together and screwing them in.
Screw piles hold several distinct

advantages over conventional piles for
applications in soil conditions which
permit their installation. Helical screw
piles can be installed in almost all soils
except for competent bedrock. Screw
piles provide effective in-ground performance in a range of soils, including
earthquake zones with liquefaction potential. Helical pile installation is unaffected by caving soils and groundwater. One of the unique features of the
helical pile is its resistance to frost
heave and expansive soils. The slender
central shaft limits the upward stresses
due to soil heave, while the helical bearing plates resist uplift. Entire subdivisions with hundreds of homes and
decks have been founded on helical
piles in areas of frost-susceptible or
expansive soils. Screw piles are not particularly well-suited for use in very hard
or gravelly soils, and may sustain damage to the helical plates during installation under such conditions.
Minimized Vibration
There is virtually no vibration created when installing helical screw piles,
which is important if pile locations are
near existing structures or sensitive utilities. Each helical plate on any single
pile will be of the exact same pitch as
one another. This minimizes soil disturbance during installation compared
with conventional piling techniques,
such as CFA or rotary bored.
Eliminates the Use of Concrete
Helical screw piles can be installed in almost all soils except for competent bedrock
48
Like traditional piles, helical piles

can be incorporated into a concrete
pile-cap or slab. This can either be
cast-in-situ or dependent on size, precast, again reducing the delay in curing
time onsite. A preferred method of 'capping' the piles is the use of a steel grillage which is bolted directly on to the
piles. This eliminates the use of any concrete and provides the client with an
instant foundation on which to build.
Using helical piles and anchors can
reduce the amount of concrete re-
Uses for helical piles include foundations for houses, commercial buildings, light poles, pedestrian
bridges, and sound walls to name a few
quired and result in cost savings especially in remote sites.

Corrosion Protection
Helical pile material is typically hotdipped galvanized to extend the life of
the pile in aggressive environments.
Where special circumstances require a
higher level of protection, special coatings can be utilized to improve corrosion resistance.
Environment Friendly
Helical pile foundations are an environmentally conscientious and sustainable construction practice. The construction of helical piles requires on the
order of 65 percent less raw materials
by weight to construct compared to
driven steel piles and 95 percent less
raw material by weight compared to
drilled shafts or augercast piles. It
takes fewer truck trips, to and from a
construction site, to install a helical pile
foundation system compared to other
deep foundation systems. Fewer truck
trips mean less traffic, less pollution, and
less wear-and-tear on roads, streets,
and highways.
Noise during installation is also significantly lower than driven piles, there
50
is very little or no ground vibration, no

concrete is used, and there is no spoil
to remove. Due to their ability to be
removed and reused elsewhere, they
are sustainable and produce no muckaway saving considerable costs particularly where land is contaminated. Installation of helical screw piles does
not create spoils that have to be disposed.
Applications
Helical piling has been used for a
wide variety of applications throughout
the construction industry. Geotechnical
engineers have become increasingly
aware of helical screw pile foundations
and their applications.
Uses for helical piles include foundations for houses, commercial buildings, light poles, pedestrian bridges,
and sound walls to name a few. Helical
piles also are used as underpinning
elements for repair of failed foundations
or to augment existing foundations for
support of new loads. Helical piles can
be installed horizontally or at any angle
and can support tensile in addition to
compressive loads. As a tensile member, they are used for retaining wall systems, utility guy anchors, membrane
roof systems, pipeline buoyancy control, transmission towers, and many

other structures. In the electrical utility
market, helical piles are used as guy
wire anchors and foundations for transmission towers.
In residential construction, helical
piles are used for new foundations,
additions, decks, and gazebos in addition to repair of existing foundations.
Small and maneuverable installation
equipment and low mobilization cost
make helical piles ideal for sites with
limited access, such as narrow lots and
backyards.
The ability to install helical piles without vibration in low-headroom areas
within existing buildings has resulted in
their use inside many commercial buildings where new loads are planned.
Another example of how helical piles
have been used inside existing buildings is to support mezzanines or additional floors. Helical piles have been
used to support staircase and elevator
additions for satisfying new commercial building egress requirements for a
change of use. Helical piles also have
been used to support heavy manufacturing equipment within commercial
buildings
Another application of helical piles
is for underground structures and excavation shoring. Helical anchors are often
used as tie-backs in a variety of other
shoring systems, including sheet piling
and soldier piling.
Helical piling for deep foundations
has made great strides in recent years.
Advances in materials and equipment
have resulted in helical piling with a
wider range of capacities and applications. Larger hydraulic equipment enables the owners and contractors to
specify helical piling on projects where
higher foundation loads are required.
Equipment output torque capacities have
also increased which means higher helical piling design loads are achievable.
Helical piles are practical, versatile,
innovative, and economical deep foundations and are an excellent addition to
the variety of deep foundation alternatives available to the practitioner.
Foundation
Equipment:
Steadily Piling
on the Numbers
MB Bureau Report
t is often said that India never ceases

to amaze. Almost everything about
the country seems to be about variety. Take the climatic conditions prevalent in different parts of the country or
for that matter the varied geological formations. The soil too varies from place
to place. It is this variation that presents
unique challenges to construction contractors. Fortunately for them technology has also grown at a rapid pace and
today we have equipment available to
surmount every challenge. Take foundation equipment for example. Whatever may be the nature of the soil; these
mean machines are cut out for the task.
A niche market segment, the market for
foundation equipment has been growing at a steady pace in recent times,
thanks to the impetus provided to various core infrastructure projects.
52
Factors such as rising awareness

levels, tighter project completion deadlines, scarcity of labour and emphasis
on quality have also been driving demand
for foundation equipment. The market
potential for foundation equipment is
undoubtedly huge. It is a market that is
bound to grow big on the back of continued impetus being provided to infrastructure projects. One area which has
been driving consistent demand for
piling equipment has been that of the
various metro rail projects. Apart from
the ongoing project, the announcement of several new metro projects
including ones in places such as Kochi
and Patna comes as good news for
foundation equipment suppliers. Similarly, the signals of revival of power and
steel projects should also make the
suppliers happy, as these are sectors
where piling plays a key role.
In the increasingly environment conscious world of today, latest generation
foundation equipment have come as a
boon, since piling in itself is considered
one of the greenest ways to creating
foundations. With piling techniques large
scale excavations and therefore backfilling can be avoided. With India being
in the midst of it's biggest ever infrastructure development spree, and with
stricter green laws, the use of foundation equipment is expected to increase
substantially in the near future.
Large scale infrastructure projects are necessitating the need for large diameter piles
restoration of old buildings. With land

becoming a precious commodity, especially in metros, redevelopment projects
have opened up a huge market for various types of construction equipment
these days. Similarly, smaller piling rigs
are also being used extensively by the
railways these days for erecting poles.
Technology Intensive Field
With foundation equipment being
technology intensive machinery, it

comes as no surprise that it is one market segment where the turf wars are not
fought only on the basis of price, as is
the case with some other types of construction equipment. Manufacturers
are always on the lookout for introducing newer technology. Soilmec Foundation Equipments, which is a full spectrum provider for foundation equipments,
for example has been in news for its
Interesting Trends Emerging

There are some clear cut patterns
emerging in the Indian foundation equipment market that makes for interesting
reading. For example, the spurt in hydroelectric power projects in the Himalayan region and the North East has been
driving demand for bigger diameter
piles. Similarly, another key demand
driver has been the construction of various metro projects around the country.
On the other hand there has also been
a steady rise in demand for smaller
diameter piles too, driven primarily by
urban infrastructure projects such as
small flyovers and bridges, apart from
realty projects. Another market segment that has tremendous potential is
Urban infrastructure projects such as metros have been fuelling demand for piling equipment
53
machine featuring the 'Continuous

Flight Auger' (CFA) technology. The
CFA method allows for drilling on a
wide variety of soils, such as loose,
cohesive or dry. The technology is also
used for penetration through low capacity soft rock formations. The company's
models featuring CFA include models
such as the SF-50, SF-70, SF-120 and
SF-140. When it comes to large diameter piles, it offers the SR Series consisting of models, SR-40, SR- 50, SR- 60,
SR-70, SR-80, SR-90, and SR-100.
Soilmec India also offers the STM Line
consisting of STM-20 and STM-30,
models which can be mounted on heavy
duty trucks.
Another company that offers a wide
range of piling equipment is Mait India.
It offers the HR series consisting of
models, HR 800 CP, HR 800 THD, HR
300-570 CP, HR 260 CP, HR 260 THD,
HR 10 CP, HR 180 THD, HR 165, HR
120, and HR 100. It also offers the MC
Series which includes the MC 230, which

is a 60 ton class machine. The company's range of piling equipment can
be equipped with special kits for different foundation construction methods
including CFA, diaphragm walls, pile
driving, stone columns, drilled shafts,
and down the hole hammer.
Suretech Infrastructure is one more
leading name in the field offering a wide
array of foundation equipment. It supplies the IHC Fundex range of foundation products such as hydraulic foundation, large foundations rig machines,
rotary heads ring vibrators and power
packs. Some of the models in the
range include FN 14, F 12E, F15, and
Tubex TBX 35. Casagrande India and
Liebherr are some other top names that
offer foundation equipment.
Micropiles
While on one hand demand for larger
diameter piles is expected to pick up,
there has also been steady increase

demand for smaller piling rigs with pile
diameters ranging from 400 mm to
750mm, for projects such as commercial complexes, SEZs, metros and power
plants, etc. Micropiles which are smaller
diameter reinforced piles are usually
the preferred choice in difficult to access areas, so typical in urban India.
These machines are designed for maintaining low noise and vibration levels.
Moreover, only minimal site preparation
is required for micropiling. Manufacturers have been quick to seize the opportunity and cater to this growing segment. A good example is the 'CF' Series,
consisting of models, CF 2.5 and CF 6
by REL in association with TESCAR Srl
Italy. REL also offers other models
including the Revathi LHT Drill, Revathi
HHT Drill, Revathi RAM and Revathi
Scorpion, for the construction industry.
Another leading name that offers a
range ideally suited for micropiles is
Atlas Copco India. The company offers
the 'Mustang' Series which includes the
models- 13-F1, 4-F1, 4-F1D, 4-N2, 4N2D, 9-F1 and 9-F1D, which are designed for working in confined areas or construction sites where access is difficult.
Driving Demand
Realty and infrastructure development projects in confined urban areas have made micropiling popular
54
Transportation projects are one segment that is expected to keep driving

demand for ground engineering equipment in the country. With underground
construction and tunneling increasing,
as part of road projects, it is keeping
foundation equipment manufacturers
interested. One geographical area which
is witnessing hectic road building activities in recent times is the North East.
Several road projects are being planned
in difficult geographical terrain in the
region necessitating the requirement of
specialized foundation. Similarly, road
projects in the lower reaches of the
Himalayas, in locations such as Uttarakhand, Uttarpradesh, Himachal Pradesh
and Jammu & Kashmir, where several
road tunnels have been planned to
enable smooth flow of traffic even during heavy snowfall, comes as good news
to foundation equipment manufacturers.
become more common place, given

the spurt in infrastructure development
projects, requiring bored piles in the
range of 1000mm to 1500 mm, since
they are designed for taking on heavy
loads from 500 t to 600 t per pile, the
time has come for carrying out detailed
studies on the latest piling technologies so that there is an overhaul of
codal provisions keeping in tune with
changing times.
Growing Market
Adequate government incentives could give further push to growth rate of foundation equipment
Inadequate Incentives
Just as in the case with certain other
types of construction machinery, lack
of government incentive has often been
cited as a roadblock to faster growth
rate of foundation equipment market.
Industry experts have been lamenting
the fact that new techniques in the field

of foundation engineering such as
CFA, micropiling and rock socketing
do not find adequate resonance in the
codal provisions. The concerned agencies therefore need to come out with up
to date codes for recent technologies.
With large diameter bored piles set to
The next few years could see a phase of substantial growth for foundation equipment in India
56
Foundation equipment is a niche

market segment globally and it is no
different in the case of India. However,
India presents its unique set of challenges to suppliers. For example, transport of heavy equipment from one state
to another is an area of concern. Different tax and octroi structures in different
states present its own set of headaches to the suppliers. Then there is
the issue of codes not being up to date
keeping in tune with the advancements
in piling techniques. The availability of
qualified operators is another major
challenge in India.
There is however no denying the
market potential for foundation equipment in India. Key sectors that are expected to drive the demand in the near
future include the metro, port and power
projects. These sectors are among the
most buoyant among the infrastructure
sectors in the country. The gradual rise
in the number of big ticket rental companies is good news for the foundation
equipment industry. These rental companies with qualified operators could
be attracting a lot more smaller contractors towards using foundation
equipment. Manufacturers are also making a conscious effort towards bringing out fuel-efficient and eco-friendly
machinery, which has become imperative in today's world, where sustainable
construction strategies are being increasingly stressed upon. It won't come as
a surprise if the growth rate percentage
of foundation equipment were to be
rubbing shoulders with that of earthmoving or material handling equipment in the next five years.
Fly Ash Brick Making Machinery:

Sustainability Buzz Drives Growth Momentum
he last decade has been an

eventful one for the Indian construction industry. There has been
rising emphasis on sustainable building strategies. Environmental norms
are getting stricter and there have been
instances when even multi-crore projects have been stopped for violating
rules and regulations. The pressures of
the economy are also making an impact on the construction process. Contractors are under pressure to stick to
budgets, while also adhering to stricter
quality standards. Various stakeholders
constituting the construction industry
such as engineers, project managers,
builders, contractors, etc too have been
showing an inclination towards trying
out new technologies and concepts, if
it helps them to achieve these goals.
60
Fly ash bricks and blocks have been in

the forefront of this revolution.
Gone today are the misconceptions about Fly ash bricks and blocks.
A lot of it has got to do with the various
initiatives being promoted by reputable
organizations. A good example is the
thrust being provided to fly ash brick
manufacturing projects by the World
Bank, as a trustee of the Community
Development Carbon Fund (CDCF) in
recent times. Such initiatives have
spurred research on utilization of fly ash
and other types of industrial by products. Increased awareness has resulted in rising demand, which is expected
to further go up in the coming few years,
given the continued thrust to infrastructure development and the growth of the
realty sector. Meeting this demand has
been specialized machinery developed

for the purpose.
A massive increase in demand for
fly ash bricks has been projected given
the background of enormous affordable housing needs of the country.
India is estimated to consume about
100 billion bricks annually. This roughly
translates into 400 billion tonnes of
clay, which is in turn is about 6000 acres
of top soil that is made unfertile. India
has been a predominant consumer of
burnt clay bricks for several centuries
now. The country's brick industry is the
second largest in the world, after that of
China. Apart from the brick kilns contributing to pollution, the amount of fuel
that it used by them is also staggering.
Rough estimates point that the brick
industry in India consumes over 25 mil-
Almost all the power plants

keep a huge land area for
dumping ash. A very small
quantity of top ash is used by
cement or ready-mix industry.
The majority of the bottom ash
remains in the ash ponds. After
a certain period of time this
area gets filled up and the ash
continues to pollute. On the
other hand we remove the best
quality top clay soil for brick
production and completely spoil
the eco system
fillip to the demand for fly ash bricks and

blocks. This has ensured consistent
demand for fly ash brick machines.
While there are scores of players in the
unorganized sector offering machines
specifically for producing fly ash bricks
and blocks, what has been interesting
is the rising interest of global players
such as Hess and Columbia Pakona
Engineering in this area. The entry of
big name players bodes well for customers, as it would mean the entry of
newer technology. With the Eurozone
crisis hitting the European Union market hard, there are indications that several players from there are eyeing the
growing Indian market and pretty soon
the competition in the fly ash brick making machines market segment could
be intensifying.
Wide Variety
Manoj Kumar
Managing Director, Hess India
lion tonnes of coal annually. The alarm

bells have already been set ringing by
environmentalists and almost every
state government has woken up to the
potential of using industrial by products such as fly ash for construction
purposes. An estimated 20 million
tonnes of fly ash is being put to productive use in India currently for brick production. In this scenario, it is not surprising that demand for fly ash brick
making machines is expected to increase in the near future.
The increase in the number of coalbased power plants has been one of
the primary reasons for the rise in
awareness levels about fly ash, as it is a
by-product of these plants. With several parts of the country passing through
a phase of acute power shortage, the
government too on its part has been
taking steps to expedite the process of
India will add another 50,000

MW of electric power in the
next 5 years. 75% of these
power plants will be coal-based
thermal power plants
T.P. Soji
Senior Manager- Marketing,
Columbia Pakona Engineering Pvt Ltd
awarding new power projects, as well

as increasing the capacity of existing
ones. While there is no denying the increased utilization of fly ash generated
from power plants, leading players feel
that what has been tapped is just the tip
of the iceberg. Pointing out to a situation that is unique to India, Manoj
Kumar, Managing Director, Hess India,
observed, Almost all the power plants
keep a huge land area for dumping ash.
A very small quantity of top ash is used
Consistent Demand
While the rest of the construction
equipment manufacturers may be lamenting about the sluggish demand
patterns in the recent past, it is not the
case with fly ash brick machine manufacturers. The recessionary trends have
meant that there have been budget constraints that have led to contractors
thinking about ways and means to cutting down on overall project costs. The
tightening of purses has in a way given
Rising from the ashes: Potentially fly ash could build entire cities in the near future
61
The fillip to affordable housing projects could be the game changer fo

fly ash brick making machinery manufacturers
by cement or ready-mix industry. The

majority of the bottom ash remains in
the ash ponds. After a certain period of
time, this area gets filled up and the ash
continues to pollute. On the other hand
we remove the best quality top clay soil
for brick production and completely
spoil the eco system. According to him,
with the government taking steps to

boost housing and infrastructure development, they should look into this
matter and instruct all power plants to
supply ash to nearby manufacturers of
fly ash bricks. Manoj Kumar also felt
that subsidy for quality equipment will
give boost to this industry.
Competition is expected to rise in the near futire as many Indian brands are making their
presence felt in the market
62
Hess India has made rapid inroads

into the market with its range of concrete product machinery. The company
has developed systems for working
with fly ash and related products. It has
installed systems for leading companies such as Jindal and KJS, which are
capable of high quality products, while
also requiring lesser manpower to operate. Going into the details of the installations, Manoj Kumar said, In a plant
like Jindal we completely avoided
transportation and manual interference. The ash from the power plant directly reaches the Hess machine through
a closed conveyor. After the process of
batching, mixing and curing, the final
end product comes out in bundles for
storage and transportation. In a day,
Hess plants are capable of converting
around 400 tons of ash into building
materials. The company's machines are
also capable of working with GGBS
(Ground granulated blast furnace
slag)and pumice.
With demand for fly ash bricks on
the rise, manufacturers are buoyant
about future prospects. Elaborating on
the point, T.P.Soji, Senior-Manager- Marketing, of Columbia Pakona Engineering, another leading player in the field,
said, India will add another 50,000
MW of electric power in the next 5
years. 75% of these power plants will
be coal-based thermal power plants.
The company, with its factory based
out of Baroda offers a wide range of
machines capable of making fly ash
bricks and blocks. It has for instance in
its range, the SPM20 plant, which are
capable of manufacturing 50000 nos.
of fly ash bricks in a day. According to
T.P. Soji, it has already sold around 170
of these plants in India. SPM26, another
model from the company is capable of
manufacturing 80000 fly ash bricks in a
day. It also has in its range, the M1600
and SHP5000CPRO models capable
of manufacturing 125000 and 150000
fly ash bricks in a day, respectively.
The competition is expected to
intensify given the rise in demand for fly
ash bricks. Many Indian brands too are
making their presence felt in the mar-
Columbia Pakona Engineering also offers fly ash brick making machines
ket. Ashtec, for example, is a manufacturer that offers a wide range of fly ash
brick making machines. Similarly, Neptune is another brand that offers fly ash
brick making machines under its 'Neptune Lite', 'Neptune Vibro' and 'Neptune
Mega' series of machines. Sree Parijatha
Machine Works is another well known

name in the market.
Market Getting Organized
The rise in demand for fly ash bricks
and blocks is welcome news for concrete product machinery manufactur-
Manufacturers on their part are demanding extension of tax benefits, given the environment-friendly
work done by these machines
66
ers. As it is India has been witnessing

an influx of leading players offering concrete product machinery in recent times.
Fly ash brick making machines have
emerged as an exclusive market segment on their own in the past few years.
Leading global players have set the
ball rolling with their easy to operate
and install machines. Their entry bodes
well for an industry which is still unorganized to a large extent. The entry of big
name brands has meant entry of latest
technology machines. This in turn has
put the focus firmly on quality rather than
price. Today the turf wars are being
fought on the plank of productivity of
machines and not only on their price
tag. The emphasis on environmentfriendly building strategies is expected
to further intensify in the near future,
leading to sustained demand for these
bricks. Manufacturers on their part are
demanding extension of tax benefits,
given the environment-friendly work
done by these machines, for further
boosting sales. With demand for fly ash
bricks and blocks on the rise, steps in
this direction could become a reality,
sooner than later. This is one market
segment that could experience rapid
growth in the next decade, given the
continued impetus being provided to
infrastructure and affordable housing
projects.
Use of Human Hair as Natural Fiber

for Fly Ash Bricks
Darsh Belani1, Prof. Jayeshkumar Pitroda2, Dr F S Umrigar3
Student of first year M.E (C.E & M), B.V.M Engineering College, Vallabh Vidyanagar
Assistant Professor and Research Scholar, Civil Engineering Department,
B.V.M. Engineering College, Vallabh Vidyanagar-Gujarat-India
3
Principal, B.V.M. Engineering College, Vallabh Vidyanagar
1
2
Thermal industry waste - fly ash is generated in huge quantities. The large quantities of human hair, unfortunately, is not always well
managed or utilized. These wastes can be recycled, such as by incorporating in brick-making. This way the fly ash bricks are made a
greener building material and the discarded natural wastes can be re-utilized, avoiding otherwise wasteful landfill and harmful open
incineration. The aim of the present study is to investigate the strength and water absorption of fiber fly ash bricks made of human hair
fiber and fly ash. This study examined the various properties of fly ash bricks made by adding human hair to a fly ash brick mix. The fibers
were replaced within the range of 0.1-0.7% by weight of fly ash. In the present study, 8 different mixes of fiber fly ash bricks are tested for
parameters like: crushing strength, weight, water absorption and cost.
Fly ash generated during the combustion of coal for energy
production is one of the industrial by-products and it is recognized
as an environmental pollutant. Because of the environmental
problem of fly ash, a good deal of work and applications on
the utilization of fly ash has been undertaken world over. Fly
Ash bricks are made of fly ash, lime, gypsum and sand. These
can be extensively used in all building constructional activities
similar to that of common burnt clay bricks. The fly ash bricks
are comparatively lighter in weight and stronger than common
clay bricks. Since fly ash is being accumulated as waste material
in large quantity near thermal power plants and creating serious
environmental pollution problems, its utilization as main raw
material in the manufacture of bricks will not only create ample
opportunities for its proper and useful disposal but also help
in environmental pollution control to a greater extent in the
surrounding areas of power plants.
In this study, we have used Human Hair in fly ash bricks. Fiber
fly ash bricks are made of fly ash, lime, quarry dust, sand and
natural fiber.
Fiber Fly Ash bricks brick production in the central Gujarat region
of India.
Why Hair as a Fiber?
- It has a high tensile strength which is equal to that of a copper
wire with similar diameter.
- Hair, a non-degradable matter is creating an environmental
problem so its use as a fiber reinforcing material can minimize
the problem.
- It is available in abundance and also at a very low cost.
- It reinforces the mortar and prevents it from spalling.
Experimental Work
To carry out a Techno-economical study of Fiber Fly Ash bricks
main ingredients are: Fly ash, Lime, Quarry Dust and sand. In
addition to these major materials, other less utilized ingredient
like: Human hair which is available from hair saloon as a waste
Fiber Fly ash made bricks uses all ingredients which are having
a minimum negative environmental impact. Hence, Fiber Fly ash
bricks provides a better way for achievement of real sustainable
development & can be considered as bricks for the next generation.
Fiber Fly Ash bricks are advantageous over conventional clay
bricks as per following aspects: Less water absorption, less
weight, better finishing, high strength, less mortar consumption for
joints filling, less number of bricks required, reduced wastage.
Looking to these advantages, more and more stakeholders from
the construction industry are getting attracted towards using Fiber
Fly Ash bricks instead of clay bricks. But, it requires proper use of
a mix of various available ingredients so that quality is achieved
along with minimum investment.
The study has given findings in the form of different mixes for
68 The Masterbuilder - August 2013 www.masterbuilder.co.in
Figure: 1 Human Hair
material is also used. Table 1 gives information about source of

various raw materials for experimental work.
All above materials were prepared in different proportions to
create different mixes. The detail of above 8 different mixes is
given below in Table 3.
Experimental Results
b) By using the Human Hair As Natural Fiber, we can conclude

that improve the various properties of fly ash bricks. The
present study was done for finding most achievable,
economical as well as technically feasible mix for production
of Human Hair Fly Ash Bricks in the central Gujarat region of
India. From the results and cost analysis following mixes are
suggested as the most feasible one:
Above 8 different brick samples were used to find the important

properties like crushing strength, water absorption, weight. To
make the study from an economic point of view cost of each mix
was also worked out from the present market rates and with the
plant manufacturing expenditure. The results for these properties
are given in Table 4.
Sr. No
Ingredients
Sources
Fly Ash
(Class F)
A Maize Product, C/o A Sayaji Industries Pvt.

Ltd., Kathwada, Gujarat
Sand
Kheda, Gujarat
Quarry Dust
Sevaliya, Gujarat
Sludge Lime
Kosmbata, Gujarat
Human Hair
Various Hair Saloon, Vidhyanagar, Gujarat
Sample
Wt. Before Absorption of

Water in Kg.
% Water
Absorption
Cost/No.
2.719
7.82
3.22
B1
2.853
4.95
3.21
B2
2.905
5.08
3.21
B3
2.963
5.77
3.21
B4
2.897
6.00
3.21
B5
2.860
6.45
3.21
B6
2.763
7.05
3.21
B7
2.600
8.00
3.21
Table 4: Test Results for Different Mixes of Human Hair Fiber Fly Ash Brick
Sample
Table 1: Source of Raw Materials for Fiber Fly Ash Bricks
Average Crushing Strength (in N/mm)

7 Days
14 Days
21 Days
Characteristic
Test Results
( % by Mass)
2.456
3.062
4.386
B1
2.398
2.959
4.309
Silicon dioxide (SiO2)
62.22%
B2
2.872
3.387
4.594
Magnesium oxide (MgO)
6.09%
B3
3.875
4.343
4.957
Total sulphur trioxide (SO3)
3.00%
B4
4.789
5.895
6.765
Calcium Oxide (Cao)
5.30%
B5
5.700
7.400
7.756
Aluminum Oxide (Al2O3)
7.63%
B6
4.546
4.978
5.650
Ferric Oxide (Fe2O3)
7.63%
B7
4.198
4.622
4.960
Loss on ignition
0.13%
Sr. No.
Table 2: Chemical Composition of Fly Ash (Class-F) as Per Is: 3812 (Part 1)
Conclusions
a) According to the test performed it is observed that there is
increment in properties of fly ash bricks according to the
percentages of human hair fiber by weight.
Sample
No. of Bricks
Tested
Compressive Strength Test Results for Different Mixes of Human Hair Fiber Fly
Ash Brick
c) When fly ash is reduced from 0.10% to 0.70%, and human hair
fiber is increased from 0.10% to 0.70% and other ingredients
like sludge lime, sand, and quarry dust are kept constant.

In this case the weight of the brick is increasing, % water
Fly Ash
(Class F)
Sand
Quarry Dust
Sludge Lime
Human Hair as
Fiber
Total Percentage
60%
20%
10%
10%
--
100%
B1
59.90%
20%
10%
10%
0.10
100%
B2
59.80%
20%
10%
10%
0.20
100%
B3
59.70%
20%
10%
10%
0.30
100%
B4
59.60%
20%
10%
10%
0.40
100%
B5
59.50%
20%
10%
10%
0.50
100%
B6
59.40%
20%
10%
10%
0.60
100%
B7
59.30%
20%
10%
10%
0.70
100%
Table 3: Proportions of Ingredients of Different Samples for Fiber Fly Ash Bricks
www.masterbuilder.co.in The Masterbuilder - August 2013 69
Figure 2 :Different Mixes of Human Hair Fly Ash Bricks v/s Weight, % Water
Absorption
Figure 5 : Optimum Contents for Human Hair fly ash bricks
Engineering Department, B.V.M. Engineering College, Vallabh

Vidyanagar, Gujarat, India for their motivations and infrastructural
support to carry out this research.
Reference
Figure 3 :Different Mixes of Human Hair fly ash bricks v/s Compressive
Strength (N/mm2) at 7, 14, 21 days
[1] Chee-Ming Chan, Effect of Natural Fibres Inclusion in Clay Bricks:

Physico-Mechanical Properties, International Journal of Civil
and Environmental Engineering, March 2011.J. Clerk Maxwell,
A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism, 3rd ed., vol. 2. Oxford:
Clarendon, 1892, pp.6873.
[2] Jayesh Pitroda,Rajiv Bhatt, Indrajit Patel,and Dr. F.S.Umrigar,
Techno-Economical Study Of FAL-G Bricks-A Case Study,
National conference on Fly ash/Futuristic Materials in Civil
Engineering Construction For Sustainable Development, pp. 1-2,
2010.
[3] Jain D. And Kothari A., Hair Fiber Reinforced Concrete, Research
Journal of Recent Sciences, IISSN 2277 2502, Vol. 1(ISC-2011),
128-133 (2012)
Figure 4 : Different Mixes of Human Hair Fly Ash Bricks Compressive Strength
(N/mm2 ) at 21 Days V/s Cost (in Rs./No.)
absorption is decreased, crushing strength is increasing

compare to fly ash bricks (see figure -4).
d) Problems Encountered:

It is well said that: The taste of defeat has a richness of

experience all its own. During our research work we also
faced the problem of uniform distribution of hair in the fly
ash mix. So to overcome this problem we have adopted the
manual method of distribution of hair in the fly ash mix.
Acknowledgment
The Authors thankfully acknowledge to Dr. C. L. Patel, Chairman,
Charutar Vidya Mandal, Er.V.M.Patel, Hon.Jt. Secretary, Charutar
Vidya Mandal, Mr. Yatinbhai Desai, Jay Maharaj construction,
Dr. A. K. Verma, Head & Professor, Structural Engineering
Department, Dr. B.K.Shah, Associate Professor, Structural
Sample
Fly Ash
(ClassF)
Sand
Sludge
Lime
Quarry
Dust
Human
Hair
Fiber
B5
59.5%
20%
10%
10%
0.5%
[4] J.N. Akhtar and Sh. Ahmad, The Effect of Randomly Oriented
Hair Fiber on Mechanical Properties of Fly-Ash Based Hollow
Block for Low Height Masonry Structures, ASIAN JOURNAL OF
CIVIL ENGINEERING (BUILDING AND HOUSING) VOL. 10, NO. 2
(2009).
[5] Mohini Saxena, Asokan Pappu, Anusha Sharma, Ruhi Haque and
Sonal Wankhede , Composite Materials from Natural Resources:
Recent Trends and Future Potentials, CSIR- Advanced Materials
and Processes Research Institute, Council of Scientific & Industrial
Research, Habibganj Naka, Bhopal, India
[6] Pandian NS, Rajasekhar C, Sridharan, Studies on the specific
gravity of some Indian coal ashes, Journal of Testing Evaluation,
ASTM, 26 (1998)177-86.
[7] Shakeel Ahmad, Farrukh Ghani, J.N. Akhtar and Muzammil Hasan
(2011), Use of Waste Human Hair as Fibre Reinforcement in
Concrete, Journal, Institution of Engineers (India), Vol.91, February
2010
[8] Shakeel Ahmad, Farrukh Ghani, J.N. Akhtar and M. Hasan (2009),
Use of waste Human hair as fibre reifocement in concrete, Proceeding,
International Symposium on Innovation & Sus-tainability of
structures in Civil Engineering, ISISS, 2009, held at Guangzhou,
China (Paper No. 341) November 28-30.
[9] Yadollah Batebi, Alireza Mirzagoltabar, Seyed Mostafa Shabanian
and Sara Fateri, Experimental Investigation of Shrinkage of Nano
Hair Reinforced Concrete, Department of Civil Engineering, Babol
University of Technology, Babol, Iran, Iranica Journal of Energy &
Environment, Special Issue on Nanotechnology: 68-72, 2013,ISSN
2079-2115.
Recycling
Construction & Demolition

Waste Recycling: Need of the Hour
Bhavani Balakrishna
he construction industry is a
major contributor to solid waste
generation across the world. Surveys conducted in several countries
have found that the amount of waste
generated by the construction and
demolition (C&D) activity is as high as
20% to 30% of the total waste entering
landfills throughout the world. The management of construction and demolition waste is a major concern for town
planners and builders due to the
increasing quantum of demolition's rubble, continuing shortage of dumping
sites, increase in transportation and
disposal costs and above all growing
72
concern about pollution and environmental deterioration. If measures to

minimize and handle the C&D waste
are not developed and efficiently adopted, it may threat environment as well
as sustainable movement of the country. C&D waste minimization and handling are necessary in view of limited
landfill space and increasing quantum
of demolition waste.
As per a TIFAC survey in year 2000,
the total quantum of waste from construction industry was estimated to be
12 to 14.7 million tons per annum which
include wasted sand, gravel, bitumen,
bricks, and masonry, concrete. While
there are no exact statistics for the current scenario, it is estimated that approximately 30,000 tonnes of C&D waste is
generated daily in India.
Waste is generated at different stages of construction process. Estimated
waste generation during construction
is 40 to 60 kg per square meter. Similarly, waste generation during renovation/ repair work is estimated to be 40
to 50 kg per square meter. The highest
contribution to waste generation is due
to demolition of buildings. Demolition
of pucca and semi-pucca buildings, on
an average generates 500 & 300 kg per
square meter of waste respectively.
Recycling
Current Scenario
In general, 90-95% of the total construction material waste can be recycled and the recycling of construction
material can reduce the load on landfills which is around 25% of the total
waste generated in India. However, little has been done to manage and utilize C&D waste in a scientific manner.
More often, private contractors remove
C&D waste to privately owned low-lying
land for a price or dump it in an unauthorized manner along roads or other
public land. This increased unscientific
dumping is putting severe pressure on
scarce urban land and is resulting into
reducing life spans of landfill.
C&D waste is a subset of municipal
solid waste (MSW) and management
of MSW is a mandatory function of all
Urban Local Body's (ULB's) under the
'Municipal Solid Waste (Management
and Handling) Rules, 2000'. Paucity of
funds has not been an issue as the
Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) programme
of the Ministry of Urban Development
laid special emphasis on MSW management. However, despite huge investments and encouragement from the
Central Government to invest in and
adapt to the MSW (M&H) Rules 2000,
only four out of 45 municipal corporations that were granted assistance under
JNNURM for waste management have
been able to complete their projects.
The principal reasons reported for noncompliance were lack of technical knowledge, lack of community participation,
and financial resources. The Supreme
Court had suggested facilitating the
collection of small quantities of construction and demolition waste generated in the city by creating suitable debris banks ward-wise at different areas
throughout the city. Containers could
be provided at such locations and small
collection charge levied for receiving
such waste at such sites and for its onward transportation. Rates may be prescribed for such collection by the local
body. Contracts could be given for managing such sites. However, implemen-
In general, 90-95% of the total construction material waste can be recycled and the recycling of construction
material can reduce the load on landfills which is around 25% of the total waste generated in India
tation and enforcement of efforts have

been work.
There is lack of viable and sustainable business models in the sector to
enable private sector engagement under
public-private partnerships. The tendering procedures are not standard
and result oriented (as many private
sector operators underbid and underperform). There are insufficient incentives/penalties to ensure performance
in contracting for MSW projects.

On the other hand, there is limited
awareness of the recycling techniques
available in the country. Apart from the
recent buzz around green construction, client specifications do not make
special mention of use of materials recycled from waste and debris as imperative. Cost of disposal of waste from
construction industry to landfill also
has a direct bearing on recycling oper-
There is limited awareness of the recycling techniques available in the country
73
Recycling
Mumbai generates about 2300 metric tons of construction waste every day
ations. Lack of any penalty for dumping

or incentives to adopt recycling is another reason for this initiative moving at a
snail's pace.
Yet, there have been some initiatives
across the country that is worth mentioning albeit having a small impact.
During the 2010 Commonwealth
Games in the capital, Delhi Muncipal
Corporation set up a recycling plant for
C&D waste generated in preparations,
with 500 TPD capacity based on a public-private partnership model with
IL&FS Environment Infrastructure Services Limited (IEISL). Material after receiving is segregated, processed and
graded by size and used for making
pavement blocks and kerbstones, as
sub-base in road construction (certified by CRRI) and dirt/loose soil is used
for landfilling.
Recently, the South Delhi Municipal
Corporation announced that it is coming up with a construction and demolition (C&D) waste plant at Ghumanhera
in west Delhi to dispose of concrete
waste in an eco-friendly manner. The
plant will have a capacity to process
some 500 tonne of C&D waste per day.
It will recycle building waste like bricks,
mortars and cement blocks to produce
by-products like tiles, aggregate and
74
silt. The South Corporation has decided to install the C&D waste plant on its
own land on a public-private partnership model. SDMC officials said it will
take a year for the plant to become
operational as the entire tendering process will take two-three months. Once
that is done, it will take six-seven months
for the concessionaire to set up the plant
and make it operational. The private
concessionaire will also put in place a
transport network to collect waste from
the colonies in the limits of the corporation, where waste is generated. The
company will charge a minimum amount
from the waste generators for collecting and transporting the waste.
Mumbai generates about 2300 metric tons of construction waste every day.
In September 2005, the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai issued the
Demolition and Desilting Waste ( Management and Disposal) Guidelines but
due to lack of enforcement, demolition
debris still ended up in dumping
grounds. The Youth for Unity and Voluntary Action (YUVA) and City Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO
then came up with a decentralized solution for recycling debris into construction material such as bricks and interlocking pavers. An electric-powered ma-
chine basically used in pharmaceutical

and chemical industries has been modified for the purpose. Cement and water
are other inputs. The debris is sourced
from construction sites and is broken
down into particles, 30-40 millimeters
(mm) in diameter. The particles are
then powdered down by a pulverizing
machine. Special screens enable the
machine to ground the particles to
desired levels of fineness. Coarse
aggregates around 10 mm in diameter,
for example, require screens with large
gaps. The dust controller sections of
the machine filter out unwanted light
materials like wood particles and sundry other organic items. Cement and
water is then added to the pulverized
material to mould it to a brick-like
shape. Moulded bricks are then cured
(hardened by repeated wetting and drying) for 14 days and then sun-dried.
Laboratory tests show compressive
strength of blocks at 59 kg per square
centimetres which is quite high compared to burnt clay bricks and water
absorption ration at 9.8% well below
the allowed limit of 10%. Transverse
strength is higher than natural aggregates products. YUVA gets its debris
free and people who supply the waste
are given discounts on the products.
Recycling
expected to be set up in co-ordination

with a private entity.
According to the members of a citizens' group in Gurgaon named Malba
Hatao, the municipal commissioner of
the city has promised to earmark a site
wherein a construction waste recycling
plant can be set up soon along with
allotment of multiple transit dumping
sites across the city in coordination
with other civic agencies such as the
Haryana Urban Development Authority
(HUDA) and the Department of Town
and Country Planning (DTCP).
The Bureau of Indian Standards is
in the process of working out grading
for recycled material and organizations
like Central Road Research Institute
and Central Building Research Institute
are working on a suitable model for the
recycling of construction waste.
Pune Municipal Corporation has recently decided to reserve 18 acres of open land in the Yeolewadi village
Two community centres in Rapar,

Gujarat, one such centre in Mumbai,
and a few other buildings in the country's financial capital have already used
the recycled debris. However, most
builders say they can't use the recycled
debris till an authorised government
agency certifies it.
Pune Municipal Corporation has
recently decided to reserve 18 acres of
open land in the Yeolewadi village,
around 20 km from the city, to set up a
modern construction and demolition
(C&D) waste processing plant, with a

100 tonnes per day (TPD) capacity.
According to Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) statistics, with rapid urbanization and constantly increasing C&D,
the city generates an average of 125
tonnes of such waste every day, which
has been contributed to heavily by the
recent demolitions drives. This plant
will reprocess C&D debris and re-use it
in brick production. Cement, bricks, tar,
etc. will be segregated and processed
with modern machinery. The plant is
The C&D Waste processing plant has a 100 ton per day capacity
76
Need of the Hour

According to a report by Worldwatch
Institute, India is now among the top 10
countries generating the highest amount
of municipal solid waste due to growing urbanization and high consumption. C&D waste constitute a major part
and the situation is expected to worsen
with increased construction activities in
the near future. While most countries
across the world are adopting or have
already a formal framework in place for
recycling and use construction and
demolition waste, this is still virtually
non-existent in India.
Imposition of charge on landfill can
induce builders and owners to divert
the waste for recycling. Local bodies
should aim at establishing C&D recycling centers in the form of public private partnerships to achieve efficiency
and technical incompetency. It is also
essential that construction bodies create awareness among builders and contractors about the significance and the
technology available for recycling C&D
waste. While using certain percentage
of recycled materials should be a mandate for every construction project,
development of standards for recycled
materials would provide the users an
assurance of quality of material.
ACCESS EQUIPMENT:
A Niche Market Segment with

Immense Growth Potential
Although they do not get the kind of attention such as the likes of backhoe loaders or excavators, the arrival of different types of access equipment has brought in a steady revolution in the construction industry.
78
ifting men and material in construction sites has always been

an area that has presented its
own set of problems in India. It was
always an affair laden with its own risks.
Construction workers depending on
unsafe scaffolding used to be a common sight in the country, not so long
ago. Things have however, taken a turn
for the better in recent times, thanks to
the advent of specialized access
equipment. Aiding material lifts and
enabling men to reach difficult to
access areas have been a slew of new
types of equipment such as aerial work
platforms (AWPs), boom lifts, scissor
lifts and telehandlers.
The continued impetus being provided to industrialization and infrastructure development, along with the
rise in demand for warehousing has been
key factors behind this growth in demand.
The spurt in SEZ projects from around
a decade ago first signaled the advent
of these machines in a big way. Adding
to the demand has been rising demand
for quality warehousing space across
the country. Again policy initiatives such
as FDI in retail have had a positive impact
on this sector, proving good news for
construction equipment manufacturers.
With pre-engineered buildings (PEBs)
becoming the preferred choice when it
comes to industrial buildings and warehouses, the demand for access equipment has been on the rise.
Although they do not get the kind of
attention such as the likes of backhoe
loaders or excavators, the arrival of different types of access equipment has
brought in a steady revolution in the
construction industry. Whether it is roof
construction, HVAC installation, painting, plumbing, placing of components
for the faade, or electrical work, you
name it and these machines have made
them easier. One of the biggest advantages going in for them over ladders
and scaffolding is their flexibility, plus
safety. Access equipment in general
and aerial work platforms in particular
score over scaffolding since the latter
need to be set up in advance and don't
offer the kind of flexibility as the former.
Adding to their advantage is the fact

that contractors or building owners need
not worry about components getting
lost or misplaced at the work site.
Apart from the increased use of
equipment such as boom lifts and scissor lifts in infrastructure projects such
as in the case of airport terminals and
hangars, there are some other interesting areas emerging. Installation of rooftop solar panels for example, is one
good example. One more area where
these types of equipment can play a
crucial role is in that of placing precast
components. The growth of the access
equipment industry in the US coincided
with the boom in housing in that country, with low to medium height reach
access equipment being ideally suited
for the construction of two or three storied houses. A similar revolution awaits
them in India which could embark on a
massive low-cost housing spree based

on precast components in the near future.
Increase in Demand
The story of access equipment has
just begun in India. According to Ketan
Patel, Director, MACO Corporation India
a leading supplier of access equipment
in the country, only about 400 units are
being sold annually and that the machines that are most sought after include
electric scissors, AWPs and boom lifts.
While the numbers may appear measly, what it also reveals is the fact that
there is a huge untapped market waiting to be tapped. Suppliers are upbeat
about the future. The infrastructure projects are the ones that are using the
machines in huge numbers, though it's
through rentals. The concern for safety
has made the customer and the project
execution company to go in for such
Reaching for the skies: 1200SJP JLG Ultra Boom
79
The infrastructure projects

are the ones that are using
the machines in huge
numbers, though it's
through rentals. The
concern for safety has
made the customer and the
project execution company
to go in for such equipment
for working at heights
Ketan Patel
Director, MACO Corporation India Pvt Ltd
equipment for working at heights,

says Mr.Ketan Patel, whose company
deals with the complete 'Genie' range
of machines, from Terex. The wide product range it supplies includes AWPs
vertical lifts for single & dual person use,
vertical masts & runabout, boom lifts articulating & telescopic , scissor lifts
self propelled battery & diesel and spider lifts. Going into the details of the
market trends Mr.Ketan Patel observed
that, while the 12-15 m height range
machines are sought after in the industrial segment, in the case of the construction industry, 20m-30m access
range is in demand.
Another leading player that offers a
range of access equipment in India is
JLG. A globally well-known name, JLG
offers AWPs ranging in reach capacity
from 10 feet to 150 feet. The company
offers a wide range of products in India
including boom lifts, scissor lifts and
vertical lifts. The products have been
designed for varied applications including electrical installations, painting,
plumbing, routine maintenance and duct
work for HVAC, etc, to mention only
some. Just like its boom lifts, its vertical
lifts are used in a wide range of applica-
80
tions. The company offers both push

around and self-propelled vertical lifts
as part of its range. JLG additionally offers
electric and engine-powered scissor
lifts. While the former are known for its
longer runtime, the later is used for rough
terrain applications.
Multi Utility Machines
It has been seen that versatility
often is the key deciding factor in India
when it comes to the ultimate purchase
decision. Backhoe loaders for example
are known for their versatility and therefore extremely popular. Not only are
they used in construction sites, they are
also used in other areas such as solid
waste management and road building
works. There seems to be a fetish for
multi utility equipment in the country, a
category under which access equipment fit in perfectly. Not only are they
useful in construction sites, they are
also used in other industries. This versatility has been behind the rising popularity of AWPs. Latest models of AWPs
are not only easy to set up and operate,

they also require lesser personnel to
operate, a major issue in a country like
India, where labour shortage is fast becoming a stumbling block for contractors. Similarly, the case of telehandlers
also makes for interesting reading. With
these machines loads are palletized
adding to the safety factor. Till now carrying of loads inside construction sites
or for short distances were being typically done by pick and carry cranes in
India. Loads dangerously hanging from
the booms of pick and carry cranes could
soon become a sight from the past following the rise in popularity of tele-handlers. Telehandlers are also more versatile than the forklift since they also have
forward reach, unlike the later which can
only provide upward lift. It does not come
as a major surprise that several leading
names are today vying for the telehandler
market in India. JCB India for example,
offers two models under its 'Loadall'
Series - the 531-70 and the 540-140.
Manitou is another leading name in fray
Access equipment could play a key role in speeding up low-cost housing projects with
precast components in India
Reaching for the skies: Access equipment have revolutionized building

maintenance procedures
with its 'Maniscopic' tele-handler

range. Caterpillar is another top player
that offers telehandlers ranging in rated
load capacity from 3300 kg to 4999 kg.
The Safety Issue
One of the biggest challenges that
face the access equipment sector is the
cost. Since access equipment is used
only intermittently, world over contractors have rented them out. Even in their
biggest market, the USA, a majority of
access equipment is through rentals.
This is one area where India lags
behind, with the rental sector being still
at a nascent stage. However, things are
changing for the good with the steady
growth of the equipment rental sector.
With demand picking up, rental companies which earlier used to focus
mostly on cranes are now actively looking at offering access equipment, along
with trained operators. In fact, rental
companies that specialize in access
equipment are also emerging in the
Indian market. A good case in point is
the MTANDT Group with its 'Onrent'
option, which is a good example of a
company that specializes in AWP rental.
82
Scissor lifts have quickened the pace of construction
Another key area that is often

neglected in the Indian context is
safety. With most of the access equipment, particularly in use during construction of roofs or facades, working
at some height, safety is of paramount
importance. With the virtual absence of
strict safety regulations, it is one factor
that rental companies need to take seriously. The situation is quite different in
the case of access equipment, say as
compared to a crane. Whereas in the
case of the later the operator is the key
person and the safety of only one person is involved, in the case of a majority
of access equipment, the safety of the
operator, plus the person who is working on the aerial platform , who may not
be from the rental company, is involved.
This being the case rental companies
need to take upon them the responsibility and make sure that all safety norms
are adhered to at the construction site.
Rising Awareness Levels
There is no denying the fact that the
access equipment market in India is
still at a nascent stage. The awareness
levels about these types of equipment
are still low. Things are however gradually taking a turn for the good. With the
emphasis on quality and adherence to
strict project time schedules now
becoming the norm rather than exception, and with difficulty in finding labour
being another issue, contractors are
under pressure to use such equipment
more than ever before. There is growing realization on their part that investment in capital intensive equipment
tends to pay off in the long run. Manufacturers can also take heart from the
fact that once customers find out about
the benefits of using a particular type of
equipment, then there is virtually no
looking back in the Indian market. What
they need to do is to focus their efforts
towards offering value added services
such as training and technical support,
in order to generate positive word of
mouth. With the government giving continued impetus to industrialization, and
with the growing demand for warehousing and other commercial buildings, and the inevitable push for affordable housing, the market for access
equipment is all set to grow exponentially in the near future.
Access Equipment
Rental Scenario:
On the Verge of a Rapid Growth Phase

he Indian construction equipment industry's growth story over

the past two decades has been a
fascinating one. The industry faced its
share of growth pains early on in the
1990s. It was after the dawn of 2000
that the pace really picked up. Newer
types of machinery began to make in-
86
roads into the Indian market. The typical Indian contractor found an able ally
in construction equipment in order to
stick to stricter project completion deadlines and stringent quality standards.
However, in a predominantly pricedriven market, not all contractors were
willing to purchase construction equip-
ment. It is here that equipment rentals

came to their rescue and are still doing
so in a major way.
While earlier on the demand was
limited to construction equipment such
as backhoe loaders, pick and carry
cranes, excavators and vibratory compactors, these days access equipment
has also got added to the list. While

access equipment for material and personnel lifts may be commonplace in
developed countries, in India they constitute a niche market, at least for now.
Hire to Stay
The high capital investment that is
needed for access equipment is one of
the reasons for this type of machinery
being hired instead of being bought. It
makes economic sense for a lot of
medium sized and small contractors to
hire the equipment since they may not
use the equipment in all their projects.
This type of equipment is only used on
an intermittent basis. Hiring would also
mean cutting down on maintenance
and storage costs too. Another major
reason for contractors opting to go the
hiring route is because of the lack of
availability of adequate number of trained operators. At the end of the day
access equipment like the material lifts
and telehandlers need to be operated
by trained hands. This is an issue plaguing the entire construction equipment industry in general. Rental companies with their trained operators
therefore, offer the best option.
One of the key factors that have
been hindering the growth of the construction equipment rental business in
the country has been the low number of
organized players in the field. The continued thrust on infrastructure development has meant that today several projects are being implemented in the
rural areas of India. It is also a similar
story in the case of the real estate sector, where the focus has shifted to smaller
tier-II and tier-III cities and towns. This is
where the entry of larger organized players can make a major difference. Today's
contractor wants access equipment to
be available to him on rent from the
nearest destination to the project. Dealing with an equipment rental company
with a pan-India presence would make
for an economically prudent decision
for a contractor. This has been one key
factor that has been hindering the
growth of the rental business in the
country. However, things are taking a
Lack of adequate number of trained operators is an issue plaguing the rental sector
turn for the better from the turn of the

century. Many big names such as Quippo,
Maco Corporation and MT and T, are now
offering access equipment rentals.
Industry analysts feel that the construction equipment rental business is
on the verge of a phase of rapid growth.
The recent economic upheavals have
been in a way responsible for construction equipment rental companies get-
ting a push. This is because in the present scenario, project developers who
are already under pressure to stick to
tighter schedules and budgets would
be hard pressed to invest in specialty
equipment too. Additionally the project
developers of today are more aware of
the latest type of equipment that is
available and dealing with an equipment rental company would mean get-
The demand for metal and pre-engineered buildings spells good news for
access equipment rental companies
87
Equipment rental companies specializing in access equipment are expected to increase in numbers
ting access to the latest models.

Globally about 75% of the access
equipment is estimated to be bought
by rental companies. While exact figures are not available, the percentage
could be similar in the case of India too.

The entry of big name players has
meant that today customers have
access to the latest models of access
equipment, without having to worry
about locking up capital in costly

machinery. The entry of organized players could further push awareness levels about access equipment. With the
emphasis on strict project completion
deadlines and safety increasing, the
demand for access equipment is
bound to increase. It has been proven
that usage of access equipment could
speed up project completion times by
20%-30% in certain instances. Similarly, the usage of access equipment
has also been found to have drastically
brought down accident rates in projects sites. For example, the use of
aerial work platforms, instead of poor
quality scaffolds, which are common
on Indian construction sites, can help
in the avoidance of fall accidents. Similarly, contractors are finding out that
moving palletized loads with the help of
access equipment makes for a much
safer option since there is no danger of
the loads falling down or hitting any
other object.
More Players Expected
The usage of access equipment could speed up project completion times by 20%-30%
88
As mentioned earlier, one of the big-
Once there are right policy initiatives in

place, it would give the much needed
boost the access equipment rentals
market segment. In fact, despite being
a vast market, equipment rentals constitute only about 7% of the total construction equipment business. Just to
put things into perspective in some of
the developed countries, such as South
Korea and Japan, it hovers around the
70% mark.
Access equipment, being a niche
market segment, has seen the entry of
a relatively fewer number of large players, as compared to other types of construction equipment. The scene is set
to change in the near future, with several major players reportedly eyeing
the lucrative Indian market. This augurs
well for the access equipment rental
companies, who till now had a limited
choice, when it came to quality products from major brands. With equipment auction yet to pick up sufficient
steam in India, rental companies were
till now mostly dependent on cheap
imports or used equipment, both of
which came with risks of inadequate
service backup. The entry of more big
name players could change the market
for better for rental companies.
Sustained Growth Momentum
The multi-utility nature of access equipment has been behind their rapid rise in popularity stakes
gest challenges faced by the construction equipment industry in general and

particularly in the case of access
equipment is acute shortage of industry trained manpower. This is one area
that needs governmental intervention
in the form of action to incorporate
such training as part of regular academic curriculum or come out with
stand alone courses in ITIs. The availability of trained manpower to operate
access equipment could push con-
90
struction equipment rental companies

to look at these machines seriously,
apart from the machines such as backhoe loaders, excavators and cranes.
Another major issue that is being faced
by access equipment rental companies is the disparity in taxes between
states. This makes moving equipment
in a vast country like India a nightmare.
Rental companies have been grappling with these issues for long and it is
high time that they get some respite.
With the continued impetus on infrastructure development, and the consistent growth of the real estate sector,
there are hopes that things will gradually take a more positive turn. With contractors realizing the importance of access equipment in speeding up construction work, the demand for them is
expected to rise considerably in the
next few years, during the term of the
XII Five Year Plan (2012-17). The fact
that access equipment is also used by
other industries and sectors, apart from
the construction industry, is another plus
for rental companies. The entry of big
name players into the rental arena is
what promises to be the game changer.
They are the ones that are expected to
drive forward the momentum as far as
the sales of access equipment are concerned in the near future.
SEZs: Poised for a

Giant Leap Forward
Charles Darwin had aptly said: It is not the strongest of
species that survive, nor the most intelligent but the ones
most responsive to change.
Sadagopan Seshadri
Chief - Content Development, CE - Infrastructure - Environment
ost of the countries in the world

have ridden the SEZ/FTS vehicle in attracting FDI, increasingly international trade and attaining
overall economic development. Most
of them have succeeded while there
are also failures. The Game Plan is all
about how much & how quick a country, its government and enterprises are
responsive to change in demand. Can
India cash-in on this time-tested tool to
spur its growth trajectory?
Special Economic Zone (SEZ): The
Concept
Conceptually, Special Economic
Zone (SEZ) is a geographical region that
has economic laws different from a
country's generally applicable economic laws, with the underlying objective
of achieving an increase in economic
92
growth and activity through increased

foreign investment. SEZs have been
established in several countries across
the globe including the People's
Republic of China, India, Jordan, Poland,
Kazakhstan, Philippines and Russia.
(See Table 1)
Globally, establishment of SEZs have
revolved around achieving the following basic objectives:
-
Economic growth and development

through exports and backward integration
Foreign Investment
Infrastructure development
Employment generation
Up-gradation of managerial and technical skills

Achievement of these objectives th-
rough SEZs is typically facilitated through

the following :
-
Income tax Holidays

Hassle Free Environment
Exemption from Indirect duties and
taxes
No currency restrictions
Relaxed foreign investment norms
Excellent infrastructure facilities
It was early 2000 when the then

Union Commerce and Industry Minister, the late Murasoli Maran, undertook
a trip to China to get first-hand experience of how China had come to become the darling of foreign investors.
Included in his itinerary was a visit to
SEZs, which led the announcement of
SEZs in India through the annual ExportImport (EXIM) Policy of March 2000.
Ever since the concept has been part
of India's economic policy. There are

not only Greenfield SEZs, but also has
the erstwhile export processing zones /
Free trade Zones converted into SEZs.
The SEZ policy besides being an ambitious export booster for starters is planned for becoming a radical game changer for exponential growth in the exports,
FDI and infra by offering a trouble-free
business-friendly environment and world
class infrastructure. It allows the government to experiment with radical economic reform on a localized basis, introducing reforms that are difficult to implement at the national level, given the country's large size and social disparities.
India's SEZ policy can be looked at
as the logical outcome of developments
in India's export-import policy over the
years. Trade policy reforms in the last
decade have moved towards providing
an export-friendly environment
simplified procedures
better input availability
quality / technology up gradation
Improved competitiveness.
The Challenge
The main challenge to SEZs and
consequent achievement of high growth
rate in India lies in its policies 'being
dynamically responsive' to change in
international arena. This dynamic response should be reflected in all arms of
the government, working together to
make the implementation of this policy
a success. The last but not the least is
that the government putting in place all
connectivity infrastructure linking the
SEZs to markets, to sources of materials and to entry/exit points (i.e. Ports
and airports).
Having "taken note" Govt notifies

SEZ reforms
For 2012-13, the trade deficit grew
to USD 190.91 billion as against USD
183.3 billion in the previous fiscal.
SEZ, which were once a major attraction for investors, lost its sheen after
the imposition of minimum alternate
tax and dividend distribution tax in
2011 along with the proposals in the
Direct Taxes Code pending with Parliament. Therefore, in the supplementary
Foreign Trade Policy (FTP), the government announced several reforms.
With a view to boost exports, it announced several measures in foreign trade
policy (FTP) including extension of the
popular EPCG scheme to all sectors
and sops for Special Economic Zones
(SEZs).
93
Worldwide
SEZ Models
India
Shenzhen,
China*
Jebel Ali,
Dubai*
Hamriyah Free Zone,

Sharjah*
Poland*
Location
Spread across the country
Guang Dong
Province
35 Km from
Dubai city
Situated by the Hamriyah

Port, Sharjah
14 SEZs spread across the

country
Area
268 Sq. kms for 222

notified SEZs
327 Sq. Km
100 Sq.Km
24.5 milion Sqm

(Approx.)
26.7 sq. kms for all SEZs
Economic
Activity Focus
Manufacturing
Telecon Shoes
Textile Steel
Automobiles Services
IT/OTES/BPO R&D
Biotech Aviation
Hi-Tech Products
Real estate
Finance
Telecom
R&D
Trading
Light manufacturing
Heavy and light industries

involved in manufacturing,
processing and assembly
of goods for the local
market as well as for reexport
Semi Conductors Telecom

Automobiles
Fiscal
Incentives for
Units
100% corporate tax

exemption for first 5 years
100% exemption for No corporate

first 2 years on
Tax No
corporate tax
income tax
50% exemption for No other
duties
the next 3 years
100% foreign company

ownership
100% exemption from all
commercial levies
100% exemption from all
commerical levies
100% repatriation of
capital & profits
100% exemption from
Corporate & Personal
income taxes
Regional aid (public subsidy) of

between 50 and 65% of the
investment value provided
througha n exemption from
Corporate Income Tax (CIT) or
Personal Income Tax (PIT)
Companies investing in the SEZs
are often granted exemptions
from real estate tax by local
authorities and can count on free
assistance with all formalities
related to the intended
investment
50%
corporate tax exemption
for the next 10 years
Indirect tax exemptions
Stamp duty exemptions
Reduced loan
interest rates,
water/electricity
Charges
* Information based on secondary sources
Table 1 SEZs: Comparison of Models Used Globally
Rekindling investor interest

The Commerce and Industry Minister, Anand Sharma, introduced a set of
reforms for SEZs, including relaxation
of land requirement norms, introduction of graded scale for minimum land
criteria, offering an exit policy and
doing away with minimum land requirement for setting up an IT/ITeS SEZs.
The package of reforms and changed
norms come in the wake of disinterest
shown by corporate India to set up new
SEZs. Also, they come at a time when
existing players are either seeking to
exit their projects or trying to scale
them down. The SEZ scheme has not
been able to realise its full potential so
far. We have undertaken a comprehensive review of the SEZ Policy, Mr.
Sharma said while unveiling the new
Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) for 2013-14.
Mr. Sharma said the government
had taken note of the fact that there
are acute difficulties in aggregating
large tracts of uncultivable land which
is vacant'' to set up SEZ. We have
decided to reduce the Minimum Land
94
Area Requirement by half for different

categories of SEZs. For multi-product
SEZ, minimum land requirement has
been brought down from 1,000 hectares to 500 hectares, and for sectorspecific SEZs, it has been brought down
to 50 hectares, he said.
IT, ITeS et al
The Minister said that there would
be no minimum land requirement for
setting up IT\ITeS SEZs. The minimum
built-up area criteria, too, was eased.
Mr. Sharma said it had now been decided to allow transfer of ownership of
SEZ units, including sale. The minimum
built-up area requirement had been
considerably relaxed at one lakh sq. m.
for Mumbai, Delhi (NCR), Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Pune and Kolkata.
For class B-cities, minimum builtup area would be 50,000 sq. m.
For other cities, 25,000 sq. m. builtup area norm would be applicable. To
provide greater flexibility in utilising
land tracts falling between 50 hectares
and 450 hectares, it had been decided
to introduce 'graded scale' for minimum land criteria which would permit a
SEZ an additional sector for each contiguous 50 hectare parcel of land. He
said flexibility to set up additional units
in a sector-specific SEZ had been provided by introducing 'sectoral broadbanding' to encompass similar or related
areas under the same sector.
The 170 functional SEZs exportoriented enclaves have attracted investment of over ` 2.36 lakh crore, and
exports from them totaled ` 4.76 lakh
crore in 2012-13, a growth of over 2,000
per cent over the seven-year period.
The SEZs provided 10,74,904 jobs as
on March 31, 2013. The government
has so far approved 577 SEZs of which
389 are notified.
Now 'Road shows' too!
Concerned over the waning interest
in SEZs despite a revamp of policy, the
Commerce Ministry now plans to woo
foreign investors. The ministry is planning to take a team of representatives
from state governments, SEZ develop-
ers and other stakeholders to Japan,

Korea, Taiwan and Europe to revive
interest in the SEZs.
"We are working on conducting
road shows to tell investors that India is
a huge market for them with low labour
costs and good infrastructure. The general notion that it is difficult to conduct
business in India needs to be broken.
We intend to do that," a government
official said. The road shows are to
begin soon before which the ministry
intends to finalise the rules for the
revamped SEZ policy.
Finance Minister P Chidambaram
assured investors in North America
that New Delhi is committed to key economic reforms and fixing some issues
in the Indian system. On a road show in
North America to try and boost capital
flows into India, Finance Minister
P Chidambaram assured investors that
New Delhi is committed to key economic reforms and fixing some issues
in the Indian system. "Message is that
we are committed to key issues like fiscal consolidation, containing inflation,
improving the supply side, project implementation, independent regulators for
critical sectors. It is always useful to talk
to foreign investors," he told reporters.
The Minister, who was there to attend
the annual International Monetary FundWorld Bank spring meeting, has held
road shows in Toronto, Boston and
New York to attract foreign investors to
We are committed to key issues

like fiscal consolidation,
containing inflation, improving
the supply side, project
implementation, independent
regulators for critical sectors. It
is always useful to talk to
foreign investors
P Chidambaram
Finance Minister of India
India. "I think everybody recognises

that India is an attractive market. Everybody recognises that India is a market
in which you can do business and make
reasonable profit," said Chidambaram.
But "there are some draw-backs in our
system, which we need to fix".
On their part, the CEOs had voiced
concerns over "slowness of decision
making, obstacles to implementing
projects, some ambiguity in tax laws
and some ambiguities in policies."
Chidambaram also expressed confidence that India would soon achieve its
potential growth rate of eight per cent.
Exports of hi-tech products to be incentivised.
96
Noting that India's savings rate has

been between 30 and 36 percent, he
said this should translate into a growth
rate of 8 per cent. "If we continue to
grow at eight per cent for, say, seven
years or eight years or ten years, like
China did at 10 per cent for over ten
years, it compounds, and we become
a giant economy," he said.
Chidambaram said he believed in
the long run, it is in India's interest to
negotiate a bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US. In the absence
of a rule-based multilateral WTO regime,
"I suppose countries would enter into
free trade agreements," he said noting
that India had entered into such bilateral agreements with several countries
which by their very nature are "discriminatory."
"It isn't the best way. But it's second
best," he said.
Foreign Trade Policy: Key Highlights
Following are the highlights of the
annual supplement to Foreign Trade Policy announced by Commerce, Industry
and Textiles Minister Anand Sharma:
Several benefits for exporters of textiles, engineering and sports products.
Zero duty EPCG Scheme extended
beyond March 2013, now all export
sectors to get the benefit.
Specific export obligation reduced
by 10 percent to promote domestic
manufacturing of capital goods
134 sub-sectors of engineering included in 2 percent interest subvention scheme.
Certain type of duty credit scrips can
be used to pay service tax.
Exports to Norway and Venezuela
to get duty benefit.
126 engineering, electronics, chemicals, pharma and textiles items included in Focus Product Scheme.
Exports of hi-tech products to be incentivised.
Incremental Export Incentivisation
Scheme for exports to US, EU and
Asia to be continued in FY'14.
Import of cars/vehicles would also
be allowed at ICD Faridabad and
Ennore Port.
Textile
3%
Biotech
6%
Pharma
4%
N
21%
Others
23%
S
46%
IT/ITES
60%
E
6%
W
27%
Multi Product
4%
Figure 1 SEZs: Sector Wise Distribution
Govt sets up another task force to

suggest steps to further reduce
transaction cost for exporters.
Steps to be taken towards easing
documentation and other procedural simplification.
Sharma announces widening of items
eligible for import of handloom, made
ups and sports goods.
Govt announces 'package of reforms' for revival of investors' interest in SEZs.
Minimum land area requirement to
set up SEZ reduced by half.
Now no minimum land requirement
for IT'\ITES SEZs.
Govt permits transfer of ownership
of SEZ units, including sale.
Taking Account - As of now

Reflecting some recovery in the
global markets, India's exports grew for
the third month in a row, rising by 6.97
percent in March though on annual
basis it declined 1.76 percent to USD
300.6 billion in 2012-13. Exports had
entered positive zone after a gap of
eight months in January when it recorded a growth of 0.82 percent. Commerce Secretary S R Rao said exports
are gradually picking up and hoped the
current trend will continue.
"Export performance has started
picking up. For March, the export performance has picked by a slightly robust figure as compared to the previous two months. We do expect this trend
to continue and we would like to consolidate," Rao said. He said if the current trend continued, India's exports is
Figure 2 SEZs : State Wise Distribution
expected to grow by about 10 percent

this fiscal.
On trade deficit, Rao said that it has
come down slightly "which is a good
news. Given a very weak performance
for major part of the year, I think in the
last 3-4 months, we really covered a
good deal of ground which is not sufficient but certainly there is progress in
exports".
While announcing sops for exporters,
Commerce and Industry Minister Anand
Sharma said in 2012-13, India's exports
to Asia, Africa and Latin America touched
USD 195.27 billion, accounting for 65
percent of the total export basket.
"This is indeed a development with
significant import as South-South trade
is assuming a new dynamics.
"Apart from this, value added exports
have got a centrality in our export basket as engineering exports accounted
for USD 57 billion, textiles accounted
for USD 26 billion and pharmaceuticals
at USD 15 billion", he added.
SEZ Growth: FDI-Real estate- Infra' Link
Policies & regulations have major
effect on FDI. Real estate specifically in
terms of land size, infrastructure status
including connectivity & logistics and
Fiscal policies have a profound bearing on FDI & exports which are basic
thrust areas of SEZs. The achievement
of every other objective is linked to these
thrust areas being achieved in a sustained fashion. Therefore it is imperative that a Government utilize fully
the potential that the country holds while
putting up its customized need to investors at most attractive business conditions.

Having said so, it would be only prudent to consider and analyze these 'Make
or Break' aspects of 'SEZ for Growth' angle!
Understanding 'how & when' size matters?
International experience shows that
the size of SEZ's generally varies from 2
to 800 square kilometres. Size is influenced by the degree of self-sufficiency
and integration in the zone. However, a
minimum land area is necessary to support a desired level of economic activity. The areas of the zones are remarkably large unlike India. In China the
Shenzhen SEZ is 327 Sq. Km and Hainan
is 34,000 Sq.KM (Entire province is
declared as SEZ).
Detractors of the SEZ policy often
take issue with the minimum land area
requirements for sector-specific SEZs.
The point out to Chinese SEZs which
are massive, and point out that India is
going wrong in allowing sectors like IT,
gems & jewellery etc to have small sized
SEZs. The fact is, the development of
large, multi-product SEZs will requires a
lot of time. We have the example of
China where several big SEZ projects
were approved in the 1980s anticipating investment of approximately $30
billion. These SEZs became fully operational only towards the end of the
1990s because of the size.
The pertinent question is, can we
afford to wait that long? An IT SEZ, for
example, does not need large land area it
97
prudential norms has adverse effect on

the cost and availability of finance.
ECB Policy: SEZ is currently not included in the list of infrastructure / real
sector for the purposes of raising ECBs.
Therefore, developers cannot source
funds internationally at much lower costs.
Export of services: In the absence of
Export of Services Rules, certain sectors
though earning foreign exchange are
currently not en-titled to corporate tax
benefits. (Education, Medical Tourism,
Travel & Tourism, Training services etc.)
Freeing land size regulations is one basic hurdle crossed thus letting businesses choose
size per requirement, but of course with the right regulations in force
could very well work out of a multistoried

building. Therefore, a sector with lower
minimum land area requirement could
have an operational SEZ in a quicker
time-frame, even in cities where land is
scarce but manpower is available.
An IT SEZ could be developed and
made operational within a period of six
months from the date of notification. IT
companies are using SEZ units for
EPOs (Engineering Process Outsourcing). The world class technical training that these IT companies will be required to impart to its employees would
ignite knowledge revolution resulting into
exponential progression of our economy.
A McKinsey report 2005 concluded
that out of the total global market size
of $300 billion in IT and BPO industry,
the Indian IT and BPO industry share is
at $22 billion. The IT Specific SEZs in
India can help capture more than 50
per cent of this opportunity. IT SEZs will
play an important role towards this and
the policy must provide an enabling
environment. We have to see our requirements and the resources available to us and then refine our policy. A
one-size-fit-all approach may not be
the best one for India.
Thus, freeing land size regulations
is one basic hurdle crossed thus letting
businesses choose size per require-
98
ment, but of course with the right regulations in force.

Key Issues and Concerns
The success of any zone is strongly
attributed to the policy framework. An
attractive policy framework mainly covers areas such as fiscal incentives,
zone administration, preferential police
& procedures, labour laws, flexibility in
foreign investment and repatriation.
Governments have on a regular basis
made alterations, amendments to their
policies to come up with an attractive
framework to induce zone investment.
Many countries have also enacted overriding Special Economic Zones Laws/
Policies. The challenges to be met in
terms of proper business climate
would entail ease to do transactions of
all nature as pertinent to carry out business. This means an ease of borrowing
& sourcing of funds, trading goods &
services, rationality in tariffs & rules and
finally the right logistics for timely contracts' close outs.
Some of these issues that surface
causing concern need to be permanently solved without ambiguity or
uncertainty of policy reversals or service disruptions.
RBI Classification: RBI classification of
SEZ as real estate for the purposes of
Import Duty on DTA sales: Since goods

sold from SEZ to DTA are considered
import by DTA, full import duty is levied on such sale. In-stead of import
duty, duty foregone should be levied to
make SEZ units more competitive
against the DTA. By levying full import
duty on such sale, value addition done
by unit in the SEZ is also charged to
import duty.
Connectivity
Though the policy aims at creating
world class infrastructure within SEZs,
the need for connecting these islands of
excellence with other ports, airports and
other social infrastructure is not addressed. Strategic location and multi modal
connectivity with major trading destinations are critical factors for success of
SEZ's. In most cases, it has been observed that the zones are strategically
located giving the investors / units in
the zone an easy gateway to international trade. For example, the location
for Chinese SEZ's and FTZZs were consciously selected along the east coast
close to Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. These countries have served not only
as transshipment points for international
markets but also as consumption centres. Proximity to the seaports and airports of Hong Kong and Taiwan has
played a critical role in the growth and
success of these SEZ's. Like-wise, freeze
zones in Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand are located near the capital cities with
minimum distance from seaports and
airports. Middle East and Caribbean free
zones are also favourable allocated
case t o airports and seaports.
Events
India's Growing Construction Market

Receiving Global Attention
Unprecedented international & local response for The Big 5 Construct India the
mega building & construction show
he construction industry is a
major contributor to the country's
GDP (8% in FY12) and one of the
largest employment generator currently employing around 33 million people. While the Indian economy grew by
5% in FY13 as compared to 6.2% in
FY12, the construction industry grew by
5.9% in FY13 against 5.6% in FY12.
According to a PwC report prepared for
the organizers of The Big 5 Construct
India, India is expected to emerge as
the world's 3rd largest construction
market by 2020.
In the last decade, the country has
witnessed a tremendous housing boom
and over the span of five years, from 2012
to 2016, the real estate sector is expected
to account for 43% of the construction
spend in India. This segment is forecasted to achieve a CAGR of 13.6%
during this period. The PwC report estimates that the market for real estate
construction segment in India is likely
to aggregate to approximately US$ 380
billion over the five-year period, 2012 to
2016," stated Dushyant Singh, Associate Director - Strategy from PwC.
Leveraging this unprecedented
growth and opportunities for suppliers
of construction products offered by the
Indian market, Federation of Indian
Chambers of Commerce and Industry
(FICCI), Ministry of Urban Development,
Government of India and dmg events
are jointly organizing The Big 5 Construct India 2013, an international building and construction show to be held at
the Bombay Exhibition Centre in Mumbai
from 2nd to 4th September 2013.
The Big 5 is the largest event in the
building and construction industry in the
Middle East, South East and Central Asia
which last year attracted over 60,000
100
audited buyers of construction products

and is now launching in India.
The exhibition will showcase the
latest construction technologies from
around the world as well as a staggering range of local and international construction products from heavy machinery to fit-out products giving exhibitors
an opportunity to promote their products and meet face to face with buyers
from the largest projects in India. The
show has evoked overwhelming
response and has received confirmations
from 10 international country pavilions,
including Germany, Italy, Spain, Turkey,
UK, Iran, Greece, Taiwan, Korea & China.
In addition, leading companies from
countries like India, Thailand, Japan, UAE,
Oman, Vietnam, Singapore, France,
Australia, etc. have confirmed their participation.
Emerging technology trends are
redefining the Indian construction
industry and taking it to the next level
globally. Technology is emerging as a
catalyst of change as the industry grapples with challenges like escalating project costs and prolonged construction
periods. Technology holds the key to
address these issues and enables the
sector to react to changing market conditions effectively and efficiently.
Aptly, the show focuses on building products and construction technologies." As in other industries, widespread
deployment of advanced technology
products is helping the construction
industry to improve quality, timeliness
of project delivery and performance as
well as to address long-term sustainability and environment-related concerns.
Several companies would be exhibiting their products for the first time in
Construction in India offers

huge potential to those looking
to develop their business, and
the Big 5 Construct India would
be the perfect place to cultivate
new opportunities in the
region," said Muhammed Kazi,
Project Manager, The Big 5
Construct India. He added,
Thanks to the wonderful support from FICCI and the Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India, the event has
received overwhelming global
response and promises to be a
huge success.
Muhammed Kazi
Project Managar, The Big 5 Construct India
India. These products include innovative

technologically advanced polyurethane
products for water proofing, flooring and
roofing; the super stretch and wrap ultimate multipurpose rescue tape that
could be used to fix virtually anything;
seamless sculptural wall surface designs,
seamless contemporary resin floorings
and decorative resin wall panels; Crystal Marbels, Stawped & coloured concrete and Gypsum plaster; coloured SS
infra items; Physical Vapour Deposition
Coated Stainless Steel and the world's
first cementitious sealant which can be
Events
Mr. Vinay Mathur, Deputy Secretary General, Federation of

Indian Chambers of Commerce
and Industry (FICCI), said, The
Big 5 Construct India would provide genuine business opportunities by placing exhibitors in
front of product buyers from
some of the largest construction projects in India. Looking
at the tremendous response
received from leading international and domestic players, I
have no doubt that The Big 5
Construct India will be a runaway success.
Vinay Mathur
Deputy Secretary General, FICCI
used in wet conditions and also on

water immersed conditions.
Mr. Priyank Mistry, Manager, ARC A
Jindal Stainless Company, said, We
are launching PVD SS, and The Big 5

Construct India is the perfect platform
to launch this new innovative product.
According to Srikanth Srinivasan,
Associate President
Procurement,
Puravankara Projects Ltd, The Big 5 is
a must visit event for any professional
from the Construction industry and gives
valuable insight into the new developments and trends in the Construction
industry. It is also a great platform for
Sellers and Buyers to meet and explore
opportunities for doing Business. I have
attended the Big 5 in Dubai last year
and would definitely attend the Big 5 in
Mumbai in September this year and
would strongly recommend my colleagues
and peers from the industry to do the
same.
The winning combination of The Big
5 brand's reputation, industry-wide
database opportunities and FICCI's
commercial know-how expertise will
come together for three days of business and networking as The Big 5 Construct India reaches out to the market by
opening a highly organised and professional gateway through which global
suppliers will be able to showcase their
range of products to buyers from across
the country.
Mr. Mohammed Al Afari, AVP, Emirates
Steel, the Platinum Partner for the event
said, This is the first time we are spon-
Now, a
Water Chip for
Seawater
Desalination
soring The Big 5 in India, which will be I

believe an excellent exhibition and an
important event for us. He further added,
We have participated in other editions
of The Big 5 in other parts of the world,
and they all offered us many opportunities to showcase our products and promote our business. This time too we plan
to exhibit our range, including rebar, wire
rod and heavy sections. We believe tht
the event will be good for our business,
knowing it is taking place in a market
which, is growing every year and poised
for exceptional growth. Other benefits
of being at the show include making
direct contact with our end customers
and networking with new ones.
A series of free seminars, panel discussions and live interactive demonstrations will complement the show floor
activity providing participants with upto-the-minute information, trends analysis and best practice case studies to
improve the decision-making process
and encourage investment.
The leading names supporting the
event are as follows:
Platinum Partner: Emirates Steel;
Associate Partner: arc; Seminar Partner: Tekla and Knowledge Partner: PwC.
For more information about the
event, kindly contact Angelique Botes,
Marketing Manager, dmg events
Tel:
+971 4 4453770 Email:
angeliquebotes@dmgeventsme.com
Scientists from the University of Texas and Germany's University of Marburg

have developed a chip that separates salt from water. The prototype plastic
water chip contains a microchannel that branches in two, and utilizes a process known as electrochemically mediated seawater desalination.
That process commences with seawater being run into the microchannel, and
a 3-volt electrical current being applied. This causes an electrode embedded
at the branching point of the channel to neutralize some of the chloride ions in
the water, which in turn increases the electrical field at that point in the
channel. That area of increased current, called an ion depletion zone, diverts
the salt to one branch in the channel while allowing the water to continue down
another.
In its present form, the system can run on so little energy that a store-bought
battery is all that's required as a power source. Two challenges still remain to
be overcome according to the scientists. The first one being is that the chip as
of now only removes twenty five 25 percent of the salt from the water - 99
percent ought to be removed in order for seawater to be fit for human
consumption. Secondly, the system must be scaled up in order to be practical.
It presently produces about 40 nanoliters of desalted water per minute.
However, the scientists are confident that with further research, they can
rectify both issues.
102
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Fabric Structures
Analysis, Design and Construction of

Fabric Structures
Sonjoy Deb, B.Tech,
Civil Associtate Editor
he history of structural engineering can be viewed as

a movement towards lighter structures beginning with
heavy masonry arches and domes, transitioning in
the 19th century with the introduction of steel and iron,
and bringing us to the present modern world, where the
development of materials and methods continues to
improve our ability to create interesting and unique building
spaces. In this way, fabric structures represent the forefront of modern structural engineering; the result of centuries of building history and engineering knowledge. In
its short history, fabric structures have fascinated architects
and engineers alike. Architects appreciate their unusual
shapes and forms while engineers delight in their pure
structural expression. Appearing as sports arenas,
Fabric Structures
con-vention halls, or other publicly-exposed buildings, fabric

structures have often been regarded as iconic partly due to their
specialized nature and partly due to their short history or lack
of widespread precedential knowledge. The design and construction of fabric structures requires both the development of
new analysis methods and construction procedures as well as
an overall transformation in the way that designers work with
fabricators.
Fabric structures possess several advantages over conventional structures. Perhaps most importantly, fabric can span
large distances without incurring much weight on supporting
structure or foundation. They are capable of carrying large applied
loads while weighing very little in com-parison to steel or concrete
structures of the same spans. This reduction in weight and
material translates into shorter construction schedules and
overall cost savings.
History of Fabric Structure
The following is a brief review of selected structures and their
contributions to the (Source: Berger, 2005) advancement of
fabric structure design and construction.
(A) J.S. Dorton Arena, Raleigh, North Carolina
Designed by architects William Deitrick, Matthew Nowicki, and

engineer Fred Severud, the Raleigh Arena is often cited as the
first modern, large-scale, cable-net structure. The famous saddleshaped roof is made from a set of upwardly-curved cables,
which intersect with perpendicular downwardly-curved cables.
The upward cables span approximately 95 meters between
two intersecting and inclined parabolic arches (Vandenberg).
The cable-net roof supports a more traditional roof consisting
of rigid insulation and corrugated steel sheets, and creates a
30 meter diameter column-free plan.
(B) German Pavilion, Expo, Montreal, Canada
Designed with architect Rudolph Gutbrod, this structure covers a
total area of 8,000 square meters, spanning 130 x 105 meters
in two directions (see plan in Figure 4). The shape of the roof
is determined by a set of support masts, which vary in height
from 14 to 38 meters, and anchor points dispersed throughout
the site (German Pavilion, Expo 67, Frei Otto).
(C) U.S. Pavilion, Worlds Fair, Osaka, Japan
The U.S. Pavilion at the 1970 Worlds Fair in Osaka,Japan is one

of the first, large-scale air supported structures constructed.
The lightweight roof option was first considered because of the
sites poor soil conditions and high exposure to seismic activity.
Designed by architects Davis and Brody and engineered by
David Geiger, the 139 x 78 meter plan forms into the shape of a
super-ellipse, somewhere between ellipse and rectangle.
(D) Haj Airport Terminal, Jeddah International Airport,
Saudi Arabia
As the worlds largest roof structure to date, the Haj terminal
of the Jeddah International airport features a unique and
interesting radial tent design. It was designed by architect
Skidmore, Owings, Merrill and engineer Horst Berger in 1981.
Here again, one can see how fabric structures are efficient for
creating visual interest in a publicly exposed space. For this
project in particular, the properties of fabric chosen were of
special importance. Located in the middle of the desert, the tent
modules were designed to transmit daylight while protecting
Fabric Structures
Fabric Materials
Advances in the design of fabric structures often go handin-hand with the development of new, high-performance
materials. Materials used for structural fabric satisfy all of the
requirements of a typical roof, while maintaining only a fraction
of the weight, volume, and cost. These requirements include,
but are not limited to, coverage and protection from exterior
weather conditions, air tightness, waterproofing, fire-resistance,
durability, acoustic and heat-control.
A. Components of Structural Fabric
the huge number of people travelling through the airport on

their way to Mecca. The structure consists of 210 square tent
units, each measuring 45 meters along its edge cable.
Types of Fabric Structure
Though fabric structures come in varying size, scale, shape and
form, all of them consist of the same basic elements:
- A lightweight and flexible fabric membrane, tensioned for
stability and usually used as a roofing element,
- Flexible linear elements such as ties or cables, which are
commonly used at boundaries or edges, and
- Rigid supporting members such as masts, frames, rings,
arches, and edge beams, which usually transfer loads in
compression
Though there are a variety of ways to categorize tensioned
fabric structures, Lewis (2003) divides them into three main
groups:
(1) Boundary tensioned membranes,
(2) Pneumatic or air-supported structures, and
(3) Cable-nets or cable-beams.
As implied by their name, the most important and defining component of a fabric structure is the fabric material itself. Structural
fabric can be broken down into yarns, which in turn are made
of fibers. The basic element of fabric material is therefore the
individual fiber. There are a variety of ways to join fibers to create
yarn and a number of ways to weave yarn into fabric.
B. Behavioural Properties Of Fabric Materials
A proper understanding of elongation and elastic properties
of fabric materials is essential to creating a desired shape. The
application of new materials can be frustrating because if
one of the properties is not sufficient, it usually requires the
develop-ment of an entirely new fabric, with different yarns
and weaving techniques. Sometimes, the resulting new fabric
can have a totally different set of properties than the ones
previously specified. Conventional structures often require
lower factors of safety because the materials they use have more
dependable strength properties. In contrast, fabric materials
exhibit unreliable behaviour and low durability, as properties
can change drastically over time as a result of weathering, UV
degradation, and repeated loading.
Tearing and Tensile Strength
Tearing and tensile strength describe a fabrics ability to carry
load along the plane of the fabric. While tensile strength is a
measure of fabric stretching from opposite ends, tearing strength
refers to local failure, when forces are applied at one location in
opposite directions. The tear and tensile strength of fabric are
indirectly related; as tensile strength increases, tearing strength
decreases. This relationship is analogous to cutting a string; a
taut string is easier to cut than a slack one. Similarly, a fabric
that is capable of carrying higher planar stresses will tear more
easily.
Stretching and Dimensional Stability
As mentioned previously, the weaving process of fabric results
in a material that elongates and deforms a great deal. The main
way to mitigate this problem is to pre-stretch or pre-tension
the fabric. This can be done to the fabric as a whole before
installation or during the weaving process to individual fibers,
in which case the force in warp and fill fibers can be adjusted
to produce equal deflection in both directions. Fabrics tend to
have more strength in the straight, warp direction rather than
Fabric Structures
light-resistant additives in the fiber material or UV absorbers in

the coating.
Fire Protection
Fireproofing is a major consideration in the design of fabric
structures. Several common fire tests and standards exist for
fabrics and other textile materials. These include:- The National Fire Protection (NFPA) 701 - Fire Tests for
Flame-Resistant Textile and Films.
- The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
- E84 - Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials
(Flame Spread Test)
- E108 - Fire Tests of Roof Coverings
Translucency and Thermal Resistance
the crimped fill direction, and can often become dimensionally
unstable as a result of crimp interchange. Other factors can
affect the dimensional stability of fabric material. These include
changes in temperature and water content. Increases in temperature will increase fiber elongation as a function of the
materials coefficient of thermal expansion. Water is bad for
fabric materials for a number of reasons. In addition to promoting
freeze-thaw action, water also carries microorganisms that
degrade the material over time. For these reasons, water-proofing
is an important function of fabric coatings. Stretching and
dimensional stability are significant considerations because
fabric membranes must always remain in tension. If any section
of a fabric loses tension, it bags and flutters and can no
longer contribute to the load-resisting structural system.
Ultraviolet Radiation Protection
Many fabric structures degrade with exposure to UV light.
Though glass is not significantly affected, tests have shown
that polyester loses 20% and nylon 90% of its strength when
exposed for 110 weeks. UV protection can be achieved with
Fabric materials feature several properties that render them

effective in warmer climates. These include low insulating
ability, low thermal mass, high reflectivity of light, and low translucency. Translucency is an important material property of
architectural fabrics because it has both aesthetic and technical
implications: allowing natural daylight into a building space and
resulting in higher energy savings. Fabrics are available in a
range of translucency, from as little as 1% to as much as 95%,
though the most commonly-used fabric materials can only
achieve about 25%.
C. Comparison of Common Fabric Materials And Coatings
PVC Coated Polyester
PVC-coated polyester fabric is the oldest and one of the
most commonly used materials on fabric structures. It has a
high tensile and tear strength but low durability as it tends to
deteriorate from UV radiation. It also exhibits creep behavior,
losing significant levels of pre-stress over time and sometimes
requiring membrane re-stressing. Their tendency to retain dirt
PVC-Coated Polyester
PTFE-Coated Fiberglass
Base Fiber Tensile Strength
350-1200 MPa
3500 MPa
Weight
800 - 1100 g/m
-----
Strip Tensile Strength
3100-5800 N/5cm
1600 - 8800 N/5cm
Tear strength
Good
Poor
Stiffness
Moderate
High
Creep Behavior
Moderate
----
UV Resistance
Coating protects for 10-15 years
High resistance to UV degradation
Light Transmission
Up to 22% translucency
Up to 27% translucency
Fire Resistance
Good
Moderately good
Cost
$90-$150/m (fabric)
$400-$700/m2 (entire roof)
$60-$80/m2 (unfabricated)
$500-$1000/m2 (entire roof)
Strengths
Least Expensive Good Tear Strength
High durability
Weaknesses
Relatively low durability
Requires careful handling, highly susceptible to water damage and tear
Table 1: Comparison of PTFE coated fibreglass and PVC coated polyester
Fabric Structures
can be overcome with the application of fluro polymers on top

of the PVC coating. Though this material was popular in the
1960s, it has since been surpassed by glass fiber fabrics,
partly because many consider its low durability and lifespan of
10-15 years a barrier to application as permanent structure.
PTFE-Coated Fiberglass
Teflon-coated glass and silicone-coated glass fabrics have
considerably higher tensile strengths, but poor tear strengths
in comparison to PVC-coated polyester. They also exhibit less creep
and require minimal maintenance, though water damage is
sometimes a serious concern. Because glass is more susceptible
to brittle failure, PTFE-coated fiberglass must be handled with care
during transport. Silicone-coated fabrics are more flexible and
therefore less brittle than Teflon-coated fabrics. It is worth noting
that fiberglass is typically much more expensive than polyester
both as a raw material and as a finished roof application.
How Fabric Structures Work
Depending on specified boundary conditions and internal
prestressing, fabrics can either form into an anticlastic shape
with negative Gaussian curvature or a synclastic shape with
positive Gaussian curvature. The term anticlastic refers to
the opposing directions of perpendicular fiber elements. Joining
together to form a saddle-like shape, these elements exert
equal forces on each other and internally brace against
themselves. Synclastic shapes consist of elements that are
curved in the same direction like a balloon. In the design of
fabric structures, upwardly curved elements are usually called
ridge cables while downwardly curved ones are valley cables.
The minimum number of anchor points needed for any section
of fabric is four. Three points are insufficient because the
resulting surface is a simple, flat triangle; as mentioned in the
previous discussion about cables, fabric elements gain stability
with curvature. The four shapes consist of elements that are
curved in the point structure is therefore the most basic element
of a fabric structure. It can be created with an endless number
of boundary conditions and joined together to make a variety
of interesting shapes and patterns. Refer Figure below for four

point structure.
Analysis Methods - Theory and Methods For Shape-Finding
Analysis models for conventional structures assume a linear
relationship between applied forces and displacements. These
linear models can accurately describe a structures shape,
but are limited to a range of small displacements. Conversely,
the design and analysis of fabric structures requires a
thoroughly non-linear approach, modelling large deformation
behavior through the use of iterative numerical methods. The
Newton-Raphson method is a classical approach to the
analysis of nonlinear structures, which does not apply well
to the behaviour of fabric because convergence is slow and
sometimes does not happen at all. However, Newton-Raphson
works better when an initial estimate of shape or geometry is
specified. Newer analysis methods have been developed for
the direct application of analysing cable-net and tensioned
fabric structures. These include the Grid Method and the
Force Density Method, which are both used to estimate initial
system geometries before applying Newton-Raphson. Another
nonlinear analysis that can be applied to fabric structures is
the Dynamic Relaxation Method. The theory behind each of
these methods is described in detail in the following sections.
Methods used for structural analysis are:(A) Linear Structural Analysis
(B) Tangent Stiffness Method
(C) Grid Method
(D) Force Density Method
(E) Dynamic Relaxation Method
Construction Considerations
The constructor of fabric structures has a more important
role to play than those of conventional structures, because
they are dealing with relatively new materials, methods, and
technologies. Indeed, fabric roof design is often considered
so special that it falls under a separate contract from the main
structural system of a building; clients will even sometimes
appoint a different structural engineer for the fabric and for
the main structure. More often than not, the design of fabric
structure is limited by manufacturing capabilities. A fabric
contractor must therefore be chosen with care.
Types of Connections
Figure : Examples of Various Four Point Structures
The design of connections in fabric structures often requires

careful and thorough consideration. Unlike connections in
conventional buildings, they play a crucial role in the creation of
architectural form and concept, as the geometry of a fabric roof
is entirely dependent on the proper placement and design of
these connections. Furthermore, they are often exposed to view
and must therefore be constructed with aesthetics in mind. One
of the most important considerations when designing fabric
connections is the stress concentration that may occur in the
local area surrounding it. Being highly sensitive to concentrated
Fabric Structures
applied forces, clamps, cables, and seams should almost always

fully develop stresses into the fabric.
Patterning
Fabric patterning is the construction stage in which large fabric
rolls are cut into smaller, two dimensional sections. In the past
and up until the 1970s, procedures for patterning fabric were
based on physical models and hand calculations. Today,
fabricators use form-finding software as well as geometry
monitoring technologies to ensure accuracy in production. The
process of patterning becomes complicated when pre-stresses
are considered. Because fabric membranes are stretched
during installation to produce a certain state of pre-stressing,
sections must be cut smaller than their final dimensions, a
consideration commonly referred to as compensation. The
problem is further complicated by the multi-axial nature of
fabric material, which generally causes it to elongate more in
the fill direction than in the warp direction. Biaxial tests on fabric
materials help to determine the compensation factors to be
applied for the reduction of each pattern section.
Erection and Installation
Fabric structures are more vulnerable to failure during
installation because they are not fully stable until they have been
fully erected and tensioned. For this reason, installation periods
for these structures should be minimized and construction
sequences must be carefully planned. The materials in fabric
structure form a hierarchy in terms of stiffness and flexibility.
Fabric membranes are more flexible than the edge cables and
ties, which are still more flexible than the supports. Typical fabric
structures are assembled in order from stiffest to most flexible
element; beginning with rigid support members and ending
with the fabric membrane itself. In general, rigid frames or
masts are erected first, along with rings or structural units that
may be located at the top of vertical supports. These members
are usually held in place with temporary erection cables and
ties until cable and fabric panels are lifted up and connected.
Strips of fabric membrane are typically seamed together on the
ground and lifted as larger sections
Prestressing
by the designer, they constitute a big concern for the fabric

contractor. Pre-stressing is done for a variety of reasons. It can
control unnecessary flapping or flutter, which sometimes leads
to severe dynamic effects by imposing high forces on the overall
structural system. Pre-stress also helps to mitigate the effects of
ponding by decreasing the overall curvature of the membrane.
Perhaps most importantly, the pre-stress allows the membrane
to sustain a certain amount of unloading without losing tension
and going slack. Though high levels of pre-stress are desirable
for these reasons, there exists a practical upper limit as more
accuracy and effort are required in patterning and assembly
when pre-stress levels are very high. Typical pre-stress levels
range from 2 kN/m to 10 kN/m, depending on the fabric
material and the design loads. There are several mechanisms
employed to pre-stress a fabric membrane. These vary from
simple fabric clamps to tensioning cable and mast systems.
Conclusion
Fabric structures represent a new chapter in the history of
building structures. Capable of spanning large distances while
incurring very little weight on supporting structure, developments
in the design of fabric structure can dramatically change
the way we conceptualize permanent building construction.
Though fabric materials, computational analysis techniques,
and construction methods have come a long way since the first
modern fabric structure which was built fifty years ago, there
are still several challenges to be overcome before fabric can
be considered a viable option for the majority of new building
projects. However a better understanding of fabric structures
design and construction may one day allow for the extensive
and common application of fabric to permanent structures.
Reference
-
Armijos, Samuel J. Designing Fabric Structures. September 2008.

ArchitectureWeek. 25 January 2009 <http://www.architectureweek.
com/2008/0924/designl-1.html>.
Berger, Horst and De Paola, Edward. Tensile Terminal. Civil

Engineering November 1992: 40-43.
Berger, Horst. Light Structures -Structures of Light. Bloomington, IN:

Author House, 2005.
Bird, Walter. Role of the Fabricator - Large Fabric Structures. ASCE

Spring Convention and Exhibit. Dallas, TX: American Society of Civil
Engineers, 1977.
Bradshaw, Richard R. History of the Analysis of Cable Net Structures.

Structures 2005 2005.
Caner, A. and Hsu, R. Tensioned Fabric Shape-Finding. Journal

of Structural Engineering (1999):1065-1071. Drew, Philip. Frei Otto:
Form and Structure. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1976.
German Pavilion, Expo 67, Frei Otto. 28 April 2009 <http://www.

greatbuildings.com/buildings/German PavilionExpo_67.html>.
Huntington, Craig. Structures Using Uncurved or Minimally Curved

Tensioned Fabric Membranes.Structures 2008: Crossing Borders
(2008).
The Design and Construction of Fabric Structures, Rosemarie Fang,

B.S. Civil and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, 2008
http://fabricarchitecturemag.com/articles/0409_f2_structures.html
Though pre-stresses in a fabric membrane are typically specified
Fabric Architecture
The Future of Fabric

Architecture
Special Correspondent
apable of spanning large distances while incurring very little

weight on supporting structure,
technology developments in the design
of the fabric structure can dramatically
change the ways in which architecture
and construction is conceptualized.
Across the world, the AEC community
is increasingly adopting innovative
114
materials and processes that promise

a balance of aesthetics, utility, durability and sustainability. Recent developments in materials science have led to
the innovation of new, high-performing,
multi-functional fabrics that offer
designers and architects immense possibilities unavailable to previous generations.
The most commonly used fabrics

associated in tensile structures include
HDPE (High Density Polyethylene),
PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride), PTFE
(Polytetrafluoroethylene), ETFE and
Silicon coated glass. While fabric has
played a significant role as a building
material since centuries, the advent of
nanotechnology manipulation of mate-
Fabric Architecture
rial properties at the molecular level to

produce enhanced performance qualities has led to the creation of smart
materials and structures that are not only
are structurally integral, cost effective and
light-weight but also possess intrinsic
acoustic and thermal insulation properties and sense and react to external
environmental conditions. There is much
ongoing development of fabrics that have
design, structural properties or properties for managing flows of heat, air and
moisture. It is an area where there is a
lot of research right now and one that has
significant bearing on the construction
industry.
Fabrics with Photovoltaic Cells
The industry is witnessing immense
research on flexible amorphous PV panels, nano-tech films and solar fabrics on
lightweight tensile structures. The industry standard for flexible PV is roll-toroll manufacturing, in which sunlightabsorbing material is deposited on a
roll of substrate. A laser-scribing process
isolates individual solar cells. Full panels are formed from the isolated cells
through laser welding interconnects that
are printed onto the surface of the material. Panels are encapsulated with protective surface layers and laminated
onto various backing materials. In general, the roll-to-roll production line is
composed of vacuum deposition,
printing, laser scribing and welding
machines.
PowerFilm Inc. has been manufacturing and selling flexible solar panels
since the early 1990s. The flexible solar
panels are produced on plastic substrates as thin as 1 mil (0.025mm) through
a proprietary roll-to-roll manufacturing
process. Standard rolls are 330mm wide
and can be up to 732m long. The amorphous silicon used is cadmium free.
PowerFilm's silicon is extracted from
silane gas, so it is not subject to silicon
wafer supply constraints.
United Solar Ovanic uses a roll-toroll process to produce a triple junction
stacked solar cells on a stainless steel
substrate. At .4mm thickness, Uni-solar
panels have limited flexibility, and are
Recent developments in materials science have led to the innovation of new, high-performing,
multi-functional fabrics
generally specified for standing-seam

metal roofs or commercial membrane
surfaces. The standard width is 394mm
and up to 2500m long, but standard
lengths are 2849mm for 68Wp, 5007mm
for 124Wp, 5486mm for 136Wp or 144Wp.
Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics
is exploring the possibilities of attaching photovoltaic cells on its PTFE-coated
fiberglass membranes (SHEERFILL),
a product the company has been manufacturing for several applications since
1973. The SHEERFILL Permanent Architectural Membrane is comprised of
PTFE coated fiberglass fabric, which is
stronger than steel while weighing less
than 5 ounces per square foot. It also
transmits up to 15% of daylight without
the heat gain of traditional glazings.
FTL Solar has developed a method
that integrates thin film solar panels

into a lightweight tensile fabric that can
both shade your deck and provide clean
solar power for your home, business or
campsite. These solar fabrics do not
require any heavy mounting hardware
and can be installed as easily as putting
up a tarp. The applications are extensive, from shading parking lots to providing canopies for festival tents that can
in turn provide a clean renewable energy
source.
The sustainable design group called
SMIT (an acronym for Sustainably Minded
Interactive Technology) has been working on lightweight solar photovoltaic (PV)
panels for several years. SMIT's latest
development is Tensile Solar, which
offers low-cost, lightweight fabric structures with integrated thin film solar
The industry is witnessing immense research on flexible amorphous PV panels, nano-tech films and solar
fabrics on lightweight tensile structures.
115
Fabric Architecture
photovoltaic material to produce electricity as well as to provide shade with a

lightweight material. The PV materials
are modular, which allows individual
leaves to be replaced as needed.SMIT
offers a range of thin film materials for
use in their tensile structures, depending on the end user's needs and conditions. These can include amorphous
silicon for locations withpredominantly
cloudy conditions, CIGS for high efficiency, or organic PV for toxin-free,
completely recyclable PV materials.
Fabrics with Thermal Insulation
One of the chief properties of a fabric is its thermal insulation, which prevents excessive heat-loss from the body.
Tensotherm by Birdair Inc. is an innovative thin insulated composite roofing
material created from proven PTFE tensile membrane fabric that uses Lumira
aerogel. Incorporating Lumirainsulation
between traditional PTFE membranes
allows for dramatically increased thermal efficiency without adding significant
weight or creating a barrier to natural
light. Tension structures insulated with
Lumira aerogel offer wide range of thermal performance - from R2 (2.84 Wm2/K
through R24 (0.23 Wm2/K).
Similarly, AeroLite Fabric Pty. Ltd
has created a three-layer fabric composite called AeroLite to address the
need for greater thermal efficiency without sacrificing the thin profile necessary
for freeform design and translucency in
its fabric structures. A thin layer of
Aerogels SpaceLoft blanket sandwiched
between two layers of PTFE or PVC
Low emission fabric was used by in the Doha Showcase 2022 Stadium
helps boost the R value and can insulate very thin spaces. Initial studies have
shown it can reduce energy consumption from heating or cooling the interior
of a fabric structure by 30 to 70 percent,
depending on the climate. It is being used
in sports stadiums, recreational facilities, water parks and 'green' shopping
centers around the world.
Ferrari's Low Emission fabric is
coated on one side with a low emission
coating and coloured with an aluminium
pigment. It is designed to control solar
gain and light transmission by reflecting the majority of solar rays away from
the structure. It was used by the firm
ArchitenLandrell in the Doha Showcase 2022 Stadium.
Fabrics for Disaster Relief
Zetix made by Auxetix Ltd., Tiverton,
England has been primarily designed
for military applications but can be used

under conditions of natural disasters
like hurricane. Zetix comprises a series
of auxetic yarns, each yarn wrapped
using S or Z twist with a high-strength
cord and woven by weft insertion across
the warp. Off the loom, the weft becomes
the tensile element in the fabric. When
force is applied, the auxetic yarns deform,
opening thousands of small pores in
the fabric's surface. In so doing, they
absorb the peak pressures from the blast
wave and yet allow the rest to pass
through. At the same time, they catch
any airborne debris such as glass shards,
shrapnel or secondary fragmentation.
In simulated car bomb testing and grenade testing, Zetix has shown "remarkable resilience," sustaining negligible
damage after eight nearby grenade
blasts. The company claims that it is
the only material on the market that
automatically adjusts its strength and
thickness in response to explosive forces.
The basic Zetix fabric is made with a
Spectra-wrapped polyester monofilament and ballistic nylon but materials
such as Kevlar, Vectran, Hytrel,
Nomex, fiber optics or telemetric
materials may be used for specialized
applications.
Fabrics for Rainwater Harvesting
One of the chief properties of a fabric is its thermal insulation, which prevents excessive heat-loss from the body.
116
A moving and sustainable trend in

the industry is to design fabric structures to collect the water coming off the
Fabric Architecture
new way of thinking about a building

envelope. It is a dramatic alternative to
how a conventional facade is manufactured, functions and appears. It proposes
to replace the conventional "bulky" wall
with a composite of millimeter scale that
integrates climate control, power, lighting, and information display on a single
substrate. Through the deployment of
deposition printed organic photovoltaics
and organic light-emitting diodes onto
thin plastic layers, Smart Wrap is light
weight, energy-gathering, mass customizable and sustainable. It is applicable to commercial and residential
buildings on both large and small scales,
and can be mass customized for a range
of conditions and desired aesthetic programs, the printed pattern dictated by
the needs of the particular project.
The low points or inverted cones work like a funnel to collect water.
Fabrics that Purify the Environment
membrane much like a funnel and put it

to good use. The tension fabric structure at Arizona State University uses
approximately 45000 square meters of
PTFE membrane. The design consists
of a series of high and low points built
around a circle. The low points or inverted
cones work like a funnel to collect water.
Using software for tensile structures,
the client was able to determine the
amount of discharge coming off the
membrane so that one can properly
design drainage details.
PTFE and PVC membranes treated

with TiO remove significant volumes of
nitrogen oxide (NOx) from the atmosphere. In this reaction between TiO and
the air, both nitrogen and sulphur oxide
from vehicle exhaust emissions, are
decomposed to produce cleaner, purer
air. Companies like Birdair and Mak Max
Australia are combining titanium dioxide (Ti02) coated fabric with Kenafine
that lead to a cleaner, greener environment. Kenafine membrane is derived from
kenaf, a type of annual hibiscus herb
that absorbs more carbon dioxide than
regular plants and trees and therefore
grows more rapidly. Kenaf growth
reduces global warming by increasing
the recovery of harmful carbon dioxide,
and features no halogens that could
produce fluorine and chlorine upon
landfill disposal. The plant grows well in
a variety of climates and is farmed principally throughout China, India, Africa and
Australia, and through locations in North
America, including Texas, North Carolina
and Mexico.
Fabrics that are Smart and Intelligent

Smartwrap is an ultra-thin polymerbased material made by James
Timberlake and Stephen Kieran of Philadelphia architecture firm Kieran
Timberlake. The compound consists of
substrate and printed and laminated
layers that have been roll-coated into a
single film. The resulting film has the
capacity to change color and appearance, as well as to provide shelter, control interior climates, and offer light and
electricity. SmartWrap represents a
Future Outlook
PTFE and PVC membranes treated with TiO remove significant volumes of nitrogen oxide
(Nox) from the atmosphere.
118
Fabrics hold immense potential for

developing a more sustainable future
in the building industry. From energy
efficiency, acoustics to being greener,
cleaner, lighter, cheaper, fabrics are
certainly leading the way and this may
be just the beginning.
Tensile Fabric Structures:

Airport, Retail and Sports Infrastructure
Projects Sustain Growth Trend
MB Bureau Report
ndia has always been known for its

glorious tradition in architecture. From
the magnificent forts resting on the
hillocks of Rajasthan to the spectacular
temple architecture of South India, to
the Taj Mahal, the country is home to
several schools of architecture. The last
decade has seen tensile fabric structures make a dynamic contribution to
the contemporary architecture scene.
One of the key reasons for the rising
popularity of tensile fabric structures
globally is because of the increased
emphasis on sustainable building
strategies. Here is a technology that not
120
only allows project developers to build

beautiful, but also allows for freedom to
experiment, so far as aesthetics is concerned, while also enabling a durable
structure, that is easy to maintain and
long lasting.
While earlier they were a novelty,
these days tensile fabric structures dot
the skyline of most Indian cities. For
example, several airports, sports stadiums and shopping malls across the nook
and corner of the country have been
built using tensile fabrics. The typical
climatic condition in a majority of the
country, with hot summers, interspersed
with periods of heavy monsoon rains in

between, is another reason why tensile
fabric structures have huge market
potential in India. This type of climatic
pattern dictates the need for some kind
of shade protection against the sun and
rain throughout the year, something that
tensile fabrics provide, apart from their
other advantages. While there are no
authentic figures available about the
actual size of the market, but by rough
estimates, the market for tensile fabric
structures is pegged at around `150`200 crore and growing at a CAGR or
20%-25% in the recent few years.
one unbroken sweep, making them

ideally suited for covering large areas
as in the case of shopping malls, airport terminals and sports stadia. If the
cost per square meter area covered
using tensile fabrics is to be compared
with other materials, the latter wins hands
down. This is in addition to the fact that
designers can conjure myriad architectural ideas and implement those using
tensile fabrics.
Adding to the cost effectiveness is the
fact that tensile fabric structures also
score high when it comes to ease of
installation. Today construction techniques are available using which large
fabricated membrane panels can be
installed in quick time, shortening
installation schedules. Likewise, fabric
removal or replacement can also be
accomplished in quick time. Shortening of installation schedules could mean
substantial savings for contractors. Furthermore, the use of materials such as
photocatalytic membranes also reduces
maintenance costs due to their selfcleaning properties, adding to the costeffectiveness factor.
Increasing Numbers
The semi-translucent nature of tensile fabrics which allows for the entry of
plenty of daylight, while also being able
to span across large areas has made
them a favorite when it comes to

providing shades in sports stadia. The
unique properties of light reflectance
and transmission of tensile fabrics also
offer exciting possibilities for lighting
after dark. Directing lights under the
canopy to reflect off the underside is
one good strategy to use up-lighters.
Even more lighting can be achieved
under the fabric by shining lights down
on the fabric from above, all of which
makes them favourite with designers of
sporting arenas.
In a way, the boom started with the
2010 Commonwealth Games that were
held in New Delhi. The Jawaharlal Nehru
Stadium, with its 54,000 sq.m tensile
roof, one of the largest in Asia, became
some sort of a showpiece for tensile
fabric architecture. The Yamuna Sports
Complex in New Delhi is another sports
arena where tensile fabrics were used
in a creative manner during the games.
Similarly, the R.K.Khanna Tennis Complex is one more place in New Delhi
where tensile fabrics have played a key
role in enhancing aesthetics while also
offering shade to spectators. The
Chepauk Stadium in Chennai has also
gone in for a makeover with the new
design involving an extensive use of
tensile fabric structures. The D.Y.Patil
Stadium in Navi Mumbai is one more
cricket stadium where tensile fabrics
The cost factor

The economic uncertainties of the
recent past have also been in a way
responsible for project developers taking a serious look at tensile fabric structures as an option. Being a cost-effective
option, while also offering a sustainable
building method has been the USP of
tensile fabric architecture. For example, tensile fabrics are known for their
excellent span capability. While every
other possible roofing material requires
rigid intermediate support, it is not the
case with fabric structures. The fabric can
span from one boundary to another in
Architects can let their imagination run riot with tensile fabric structures
The JSCA Stadium in Ranchi is among the latest entrants to the

tensile fabrics club
have been used. Other recent entrants

into the club have been the Jharkhand
State Cricket Association (JSCA) Stadium in Ranchi, Usha Raje Cricket Stadium, Indore, where tensile fabrics have
been used.
Another application area where tensile fabric structures have made a mark
is in airport projects. A good example
for it is the Rajiv Gandhi International
Airport in Hyderabad, one of the first in
the country to use tensile fabric architecture. The other good examples are
the Sahar International Airport in Mumbai
and the Delhi International Airport, where
The swanky Hyderabad airport: Airport projects are driving demand for
tensile fabric structures
tensile fabrics have been used extensively by designers. With around 30

Greenfield airport projects in the pipeline, there could be a major spurt in
demand for tensile fabrics in the coming five years or so, when construction
work on most of them is expected to
begin.
Apart from airport projects, another
key market segment that has been driving sales of tensile fabrics is shopping
malls. The retail boom in India has been
to a large extent a driving force behind
the rise in the number of tensile fabric
structures. Large malls where tensile
fabrics have been used include the

Mantri Square in Bengaluru, Express
Avenue in Chennai, 10 Acres City Mall
in Ahmedabad, Evershine Millennium
Paradise, Mumbai and Dream Mall,
Mumbai, to mention only some. With the
continued thrust being provided to the
sector in the form increased FDI in
retail, it could only spell further good
news for tensile fabric manufacturers in
the near future. With the mall culture
spreading to smaller Tier-II and Tier-III
cities and towns, an increasing number
of tensile fabric structures could be
soon be dotting India's hinterlands.
Tight Competition
The retail revolution is bound to make suppliers happy
122
Companies specializing in tensile

fabric structures have quickly realized
that the Indian customer of today is much
more discerning and demanding as
compared to the one during the turn of
the century. Suppliers these days offer
an array of value-added services such
as detailed structural analysis, design
of support structures and periodic retensioning, to mention only some, as
part of the whole package. With India
emerging as a key destination for tensile fabric structures, the market is witnessing the entry of several global players. Garware Wall Ropes, for example,
supplies the world famous 'Synthesis'
range of textile fabrics of Gale Pacific in
India. Some of the other leading names
in the fray include, Ancon Enterprises,
Western Outdoor, Everest Tent Tech-
Technospan Structures Pvt Ltd.
The growing hospitality sector could emerge as a key customer in the near future
nologies, Taiyo Membrane India (TMI)

to mention only a few.
Demand Guaranteed
The early period of architects and
project developers testing waters with
tensile fabric structures is now well and
truly over. India has entered the growth
phase as far as tensile fabric structures
are concerned. The market presents
huge growth potential. The trends can
be clearly seen now. Airport projects,
for example, have emerged as a key
demand drivers. Similarly, designers of
sporting arenas have embraced tensile
fabric architecture in a big way. So is the

case with those designing shopping
malls. Apart from the demand for large
span tensile fabrics, there is also sustained demand emerging for relatively
smaller-scale projects such as parking
lots, swimming pool side shades, awnings, canopies, etc., to mention only a
few, these days.
What tensile fabrics have done is to
allow architects and engineers the freedom to conjure up myriad designs. Tensile fabric structures have become style
statements for many leading architects,
and this bodes well for their market in
Quality assurance is another challenge in a country like India, which is plagued by the issue of lack of
adequate number of skilled manpower in this specialized field
126
the future. The IT sector too has warmed

up to the idea of fabric membranes in a
big way. The hospitality sector is another
one that has the potential to emerge as
a major customer. The challenge before
manufacturers today is to respond to
demands of a wide range of tensile fabric products that are able to withstanding the different weather conditions
prevalent in the country, while also being
durable and easy to maintain.
Quality assurance is another challenge in a country like India, which is
plagued by the issue of lack of adequate
number of skilled manpower in this specialized field. There is an urgent need to
revisit the existing engineering curriculum and incorporate the latest from the
field of tensile fabric structures. Apart
from the engineering institutions, efforts
also need to be made to include study
on tensile fabric structures a part of
technical trade institutions such as ITI's
which produce a majority of the skilled
technicians in India. With the tensile
fabric revolution spreading to the smaller
cities and towns, another challenge faced
by suppliers is prompt service. With
competition increasing, suppliers have
been forced to do a rethink on their market reach. With consistent demand being
almost guaranteed, this is one market,
which is expected to generate a lot of
excitement for suppliers in the next couple of years.
Bionics in Membrane Architecture
Abdul Sathar TK, Managing Director

Technospan Structures Pvt Ltd
ionics is a scientific discipline that

systematically focuses on the
technical implementation and
application of designs, processes and
development principles found in biological systems. Bionics, also known as
biomimetics, unites the fields of biology
and technology and stands for a symbiosis of the two conceptual and working approaches. While basic biological
research draws on modern technology
and its methods and equipment, and to
a certain extent also poses questions
aiming at a deeper understanding of
biological functions and systems, bionics comprises the actual transfer of biological findings to the technological
domain. This is no direct transfer in the
sense of copying, but rather an independent, creative research and development process in other words, a
nature-inspired process of re-invention
usually involving several stages of
abstraction and modification en route
to application.
Biology has become indispensable
for architecture- but architecture has
also become indispensable for biology.
Today the claim that biology for architecture is frequently interpreted as
referring to the context of ecological
architecture, this interpretation inadmissibly narrows down the sense which
Frei Otto was referring 40 years ago.
Rather, the fundamental principle of natural architecture might be described as
the task of enclosing and spaces with
as little material as possible.
At first glance, the assertion that the
architecture has become indispensable
for biology may seem a surprising claim.
However, all living organism are composed of cells, and cells are fluid- filled
spaces surrounded by envelop comprising little material the cell membrane.
128
Frei Otto first used the term 'pnue' over

40 years ago to describe a structure of
this kind. A pneu is a structure with continuous envelope within a fluid. This
envelop is a non-rigid layer that is subject to tension and has a shape which
is determined by a fabulous net that is
either embedded in the skin itself or span
the interior of the pneu. The interior
contains a watery fluid that is under
internal pressure. As the term pneu is
colloquially used for gas filled structures. The word is firmly rooted in the
principles of the light weight constructions and thus reveals the origin of this
idea.
Minimal expenditure and opposite path
According to the principle of the
opposite path, our knowledge of how
shapes develop can now be transformed
to nature- and not to living nature alone,
but also in many cases, to the inorganic
realm of non-living natural phenomena.
Transferring our conclusions to living
organism and their products can be a
key factor in explaining their constructions.
Organisms are often described as
'functional' This terms expresses the
fact that they have become adapted to
their habitats and living conditions by
the process of evolution. This adaptation includes their expenditure of energy
and use of materials. However, living
organisms are constantly obliged to
engage in compromise because they
are not optimized for a given purpose,
but rather obliged to use their available resources organs, building
materials, etc. to adapt as well as to
possible to their current circumstances
and meet all their needs. Almost all
organs in the living organisms have
more than one function. This begin
with the cel membranes, the absorbing

envelope of the pneu- the membrane
encloses the cell and serves as a force
absorbing envelope, but also regulates
the transfer of substances and information. Structures with multiple functions,
of course, also occur in architecture.
Many structures serve both to carry loads
and to provide acoustic insulations.
The experiment shows that many
shapes found in living nature occur
automatically under a given set of
peripheral conditions. The problem of
minimal surfaces are a sub problem of
optimization which can be treated mathematically. Computers are important
tools for this task, but they are not the
dominant factor in experiments to
determine forms. When minimal surfaces
have complex edges, they may cease
to be symmetrical, and in many cases
the result may be the formation of more
than one minimal surface. This break in
symmetry which is predicable in simple
models, may be relevant for the biophysics of the development of living
organisms. There is never a single ideal
solution, there are always several equally
good solutions. All living organisms are
constructions with limited life span.
Unicellular organisms alone can attain
a species of immortality through their
capacity for unlimited cell divisions.
Multicellular organisms use a similar
method of cell divisions within their reproductive systems. While this allows
them to survive as a species, they are
subject to evolutionary change over long
periods.
Anyone can learn from the nature if
they can understand, interpret, and predict its phenomena. By building things,
we can show that our understanding is
essentially complete. There are always
possibilities of technology that allow us
to attain the complete understanding of

the shape- even the shape of biological
objects. Technical knowledge and
experimental development of shapes
help us to interpret the nature. This is
significant path of Opposite Path of biology. Thus, nature can then be harnessed
of purposes of architecture.
The same line of reasoning is always
necessary in bionics as well. Here nature
cannot supply immediate models in a
few instances, as the peripheral conditions of nature are frequently very different from those that are significant for
technology and architecture. Simple
analogies of shapes can lead to erroneous conclusions. However, if one stipulates certain peripheral conditions in an
experiment, one can allow 'nature' to find
suitable shapes on its own. A different
picture may present itself in bionics on
the microscopic and modular levels.
Imitating the structure of leaf surfaces in
plants whose leaves exhibits 'selfcleaning' properties wetted is now only
a matter of technology, while imitating
the process of photosynthesis may help
us to solve the energy problem in the
distant future. The general principles of
biology too can be harnessed for
advancement of technology. Principles
of evolutions are used in computer models for improving technical constructions.
which is highly relevant for architecture is the issue of biological origins of

the aesthetic perceptions of human
beings. The issue here is not that of the
perfections of nature or of a perfect
natural phenomenon. There are not such
things like a perfect jungle or a perfect
sunset. It is possible to speak a perfect
work or art. This need not confirm
exactly to the dictates of biology- a
sculpture of human body, for example,
need not be accurately proportionedto be regarded as perfect. But what is
perfection?. According to Frei Otto A
work of art of any kind tends towards
perfection if it is impossible to add or
remove anything without damaging the
work and reducing its artistic value.
It is possible to find a corresponding order in biology with regard to the
shape and architecture of living organisms. It is one of the achievement of Frei
Otto that he repeatedly reminded biologists that it is impossible to understand the shapes of living organisms
without such perspectives, However,
just architecture's third spatial concepts
has not reached its completion. The
study of the evolution of shapes in living organisms remains far from its goal
of a full explanation.
into 3.0 mm by 7.0 mm segments (the

gage length was 5 mm). They used a
scanning electron microscope for a precise measurement of the thickness of
the leaf wing membrane. The specimen
was attached to a designed fixture to
induce a uniform displacement by means
of a micro manipulator. An ARAMISTM
system based on the digital image correlation technique to measure the corresponding displacement of a specimen. The thickness varied at different
points of the membrane. The elastic
modulus differed in relation to the membrane arrangement showing a structural anisotropy; the elastic modulus in
the chord wise direction is approximately
2.65 GPa, which is three times larger
than the elastic modulus in the span
wise direction of 0.84 GPa. As a result,
the digital image correlationbased
ARAMIS system was successfully used
to measure the elastic modulus of the leaf
wing. In addition to membrane's elastic
modulus, it has been considered the
Poisson's ratio of the membrane and
measured the elastic modulus of a vein
using an Instron universal tensile machine.
The result reveals the Poisson's ratio is
nearly zero and the elastic modulus of a
vein is about 11 GPa.
Form Force and Mass

In examining the relative optimization of living constructions in biologyan issue that is the significant both for
evolutionary biology and ecology the
relationships between the nature of the
forces which act upon the constructions
and its required mass or energy are crucial importance. Frei Otto developed
measurable variables which allowed
him to determine the strength of a construction relative to its mass and thereby
to compare different constructions made
of different materials. Because biological objects are composed of different
materials, which are generally composite systems made of chemically heterogeneous substances, these variables
constitute an important tool for comparative studies.
Aesthetics
One largely unexplained question
A replacement for zip
Material property of Leaf(a comparison from nature with membrane construction)

Leaf wings are very specialized
flight organs consisting of the veins
and membranes. Therefore it is necessary from a bionic view to investigate
the material properties of a this leaf wing
experimentally. In the present study,
technicians have used a Digital Image
Correlation (DIC) technique to measure the elastic modulus of a beetle wing
membrane. Specimens were prepared
by carefully cutting a beetle hind wing
Inspired from the burr, a dry fruit plant seen in Indiana
Bionic invention in other fields

Velcro hooks and loops invented in
1948 by a Swiss engineer George de
Mestral.
In Automobile field- for aerodynamic
shape
DaimlerChrysler is using a new concept vehicle to examine the great
potential of bionics for automobile development, and has achieved outstand-
ing results for fuel consumption and emissions with a combination of pioneering
diesel engine technology and innovative
emission control methods.
To realise the Mercedes-Benz bionic
car, the engineers at the Mercedes-Benz
Technology Centre and the Daimler
Chrysler Research department have for
the first time looked for a specific example in nature which not only approximates
to the idea of an aerodynamic, safe,
comfortable and environmentally compatible car in terms of details, but as a
formal and structural whole.
The example arrived at was the
boxfish.
Shapes form Mushrooms
Inverted Conical Structures - an Inspiration from

(Nature) Colocasia Plans
With an accurately constructed

model of the boxfish the engineers in
Stuttgart were able to achieve a wind drag
coefficient of just 0.06 in the wind tunnel.
Inspirations from the nature
When we look in to any of the tensile
membrane structures we can see most
of them are basically developed by biologically inspired engineering.
Spider nets are best example for

cable net framed structures. Munich
Olympic stadium which was constructed in 1972 is one of the master
pieces of Frei Otto's works.Flexi glass
has been used for cladding the cable
frame structure.
Possibilities of multi-functionality or
variability of membrane structures
1. Solar Heating
Membrane structures and the
spaces they enclose offer significant
opportunities to reduce energy consumption in buildings and associated
carbon emissions. The nature and
behavior of this class of building differs
so significantly from that of conventional
buildings, it is important that appropriate predictive tools are available to
assist in their design. This paper reviews
the current literature on the environ-
130
mental behavior of membrane structures, presents new monitoring results

obtained from field testing of a full size
structure and proposes an approach to
modeling the thermal behavior of the system comprising the environment, a single skin membrane structure and the
space itencloses. Today, with the development of durable, high strength
coated synthetic woven fabrics, such
as PVC and PTFE coated pvc and glass
fibre, and the continued development
of sophisticated numerical methods for
form-finding and structural analysis, the
scale and durability of tensile membrane
structures have increased to a point
where they can outperform traditional
construction materials. Increasingly
complex permanent structures are possible and tensile membrane enclosures
represent an attractive architectural
option.
Current understanding of the environment created within the spaces
enclosed by membranes is limited and
represents a barrier to realising the full
potential of this construction technique.
Without the tools to quantify the degree
of thermal comfort that might be experienced by the occupants of membrane
enclosed spaces, the technique may be
disregarded for applications where it
might be perfectly suited, or adopted
for applications where it is inappropriate. The latter case is perhaps the most
serious, as occupant dissatisfaction
could leave the technique with a poor
reputation and a requirement for large
space heating or cooling energy inputs
to in order to achieve an appropriate
internal environment. At their most basic,
membrane structure scan provide buffer
spaces that protect buildings, or parts
of buildings, from the extremes of the
weather: a space that generally provides
good levels of natural daylight and serves
as an interface between a controlled
indoor environment and fluctuating nonoptimal outdoor climate. By protecting
conditioned spaces from solar radiation and the effects of the wind within a
large volume of enclosed air that is likely
to lie at a temperature that is intermediate between the conditioned and external environment, there is significant
potential to reduce the operation energy
of buildings and the associated carbon

emissions.
2. Thermal Insulation
The factors that control energy flows
through membrane structures differ
significantly from those in conventional
building structures. It is useful to understand what these differences are before
proceeding to review previous work that
has explored the monitoring of membrane enclosed spaces and simulation
of their thermal performance. Modern
membrane materials are superior in both
strength and durability to their canvas
predecessors and have enabled the
increase of the physical scale, and perhaps as importantly, the service life of
fabric structures. Because most fiber
materials experience significant degradation under weathering, the development of architectural membranes is
based upon the combination of high
tensile strength woven fibers, such as
polyester or fiberglass, with synthetic
coatings. The coatings provide air and
waterproofing of the tensile membrane
skin, whilst protecting the fibers from
the effects of UV radiation, abrasion and
atmospheric chemical attacks. Traditionally PVC coatings were used; however, early products were susceptible
to discoloration and had limited lifetime. The addition of PVDF top coats
helped to counter these limitations. More
recently coatings such as PTFE and
silicone have expanded the range of
fabrics available to the designer.
However, this article concentrates on
the popular translucent fabrics that usually employ PVC or PTFE coatings.
Energy flows through these typically
white or cream colored fabrics are dictated in large part by their optical properties. When light is incident on these
materials, part of the flux is reflected,
part is absorbed and the remainder is
transmitted. These indicate reflection from
the external surface plays a significant
role in controlling solar energy flows
incident on a membrane. Direct solar
gains, while smaller, are still significant
with typical transmission to the enclosed
space in the region of 5% to 10%.
In addition to this direct energy flow,
the membrane also influences indirect
132
energy exchange between the external environment and the enclosed

space whereby solar energy
absorbed by the membrane is transferred to the interior by processes of
convection and radiation. This is in addition to heat flows driven by air temperature gradients between the enclosed
space and the external environment.
An inevitable consequence of this
lightweight form of construction (the
thickness of architectural membranes
is typically about 1mm), is the very low
heat capacity of the building skin. This
means that, in comparison with conventional construction materials, the
membrane reacts extremely quickly to
external heat inputs, such as
absorbed solar radiation. Although
modeling the thermal behavior of such
a lightweight material does not represent an insurmountable problem per
se, it does imply a move away from the
way in which the construction industry
has traditionally represented building
fabric heat flows. To date, membrane
manufacturers have described the
thermal properties of their products
through use of the U-value, which is
appropriate for materials where heat
transfer is controlled by conductivity.
The U-value or thermal conductance,
U represents the amount of heat conducted through a material as the result
of a temperature difference of 1C
across its faces. This is expressed in
W/m2K and is calculated for a simple
single skin element.
3. Light transmission
One of the greatest benefits of tensile fabric structures is that they are
translucent. The woven base cloth
combined with the appropriate coating allows a light transmission value of
around 10-14%. This provides a very
comfortable level of illumination compared to the full brightness of outside.
Glass and polycarbonate are also
translucent, but the light levels under
the canopy are going to remain quite
similar to those outside, so on very bright
days, these materials offer little respite.
4. Sound Protection, Sound absorption /Reflection
As lightweight material with limited
mass, fabric roofs are acoustically relatively transparent, but provide a degree
of absorption and noise reduction. The
inclusion of an insulted layer greatly
enhances the acoustic attention of a
tensile roof, particularly for mid to high
frequency noise sources. This is particularly helpful for lessening the ringing
reverberant in din that can affect courtyard and atrium environments.
We generally think of fabric as
absorbing sound but unfortunately,
coated fabrics used for roofs and other
structures are not efficient soundabsorbing materials. Although it is true
that fabrics will exhibit reasonable soundabsorbing properties at lower (bass)
frequencies, at middle and high frequencies the fabric's sound absorption
is low. (Some coated fabrics can be
designed to provide good sound
absorption, but they are not impervious
so they cannot be used in external roof
or structure construction.)
Thus, other materials or installations
must provide sound absorption when a
coated fabric is used for an arena or
stadium roof, retail store, airport terminal or similar application. Coated soundabsorbing fabrics often are installed
beneath the impervious roof fabrics. The
distance between the exterior roof fabric and the interior sound-absorbing
fabric affects the sound absorption and
its relation to frequency. Avoid small
spacing between the two fabrics since
doing so limits sound absorption.
For large spaces, it often is not possible using coated fabrics alone to provide the required absorption for reverberation control.
To take advantage of a coated fabrics' ability to reflect sound, the structure's shape must play as great a role
as the fabric itself. Double-curved surfaces can reflect sound in many directions. Since the fabric does not provide
a 100% acoustical barrier, the shape
must be carefully designed.
Their sound reflectivity makes tensile structures especially suitable for
acoustic music performances, in which
it's important for sound to reflect back
to the artists so they may hear themselves. Properly designed saddle-shaped
surfaces both reflect and diffuse sound.
For amplified performances, the interior

of the tensile structure may need fabric
liners or other materials to absorb sound.
Because tensile structure fabrics reflect
the middle- and high-range sounds,
lower frequencies may go through the
membrane, making the sound too bright
for amplified music. A variance may be
needed for certain performances in which
the sound beyond the structure exceeds
municipal decibel-level requirements.
5. Adaptability and Convertability
Adaptable tensile structures are often
considered to be either completely
opened or completely closed. The current study is part of a research project
studying adaptable tensile structures
which demonstrate stable behavior
within a wide range of opened and closed
positions.
The construction of structures is an
extensive and complex single-piece
production in the economy. Only a wellbalanced consideration of all planning
criteria can ensure a project's success
in the long run. A structures design cannot be derived from production requirements only but it also grows out of the
context of location, climate, society and
human beings within an extremely creative process. Over and above its purely
functional suitability the sensible structure of a building can give a positive
impulse to future changeability aspects
as well as motivation and communication. This chapter presents construction
relevant design fields and their elements
as they arise from the planning of the
manufacturing processes. The versatile network of buildings will be analytically classified according the design
aspects of buildings structure as well
as the future changeability of manufacturing processes.
Due to the light weight property of
this structure there are unlimited possibilities for the large span structures without much columns and supports, hence
the adaptability of this kind of structures
are something which any other structure cannot provide. No other special
events space of this kind has the same
flexibility and adaptability: For example
in Millennium Domeat the same place
at a time dining for 3000, showcase pre-
sentation, conferences, top class parties and much, much more.

There are most of the stadium
roofs build with partial and fully covered also retractable roofs for the stadium courtyard, which cannot be imagined without any class and category of
the material other than membrane.
Convertibility refers to the variability of the building itself. We must distinguish between external and internal
convertibility:
- External convertibility means: variability of the outer shell of the building. This includes roofs which can
be extended or retracted, enlarged
or made smaller, raised or lowered
as well as variable outer walls.
- Inner convertibility means: variability of the building interior, say, by
moving or transporting walls, raising or lowering levels; open-plan
rooms with freely-variable functional
possibilities can be convertible.
Historical convertible constructions

Convertible roof constructions have
been built for centuries. There are various forms of historical retractable roofs
from the Roman vela to umbrellas
and the Tipi Tents of the Sioux Indians.
Reconstruction of the Roman
Theatre Velum. The basic type of the
vela consists of wooden poles and
vertical rods that are connected flexibly by ropes. The sails could be moved
parallel between the poles. By pulling
the ropes, the angle of the roof could
be adjusted according to the sun.
The oldest known picture of an
umbrella is from the 13thcentury B.C.
It shows the Assyrian ruler Assurbanipal

with a sun umbrella; Umbrellas have
been signs for power and wealth for a
long time. The construction principle has
not changed over centuries: A tension
loaded membrane, a central rod and
compression loaded ribs form one constructional unit.
The fabric lies on a cone shaped
structure made from wooden rods. At
the top of the tent, the smoke vent can

be adjusted according to the wind
direction. Moreover, the membrane can
be bunched to an individual height.
Buildings with a moveable roof that
can be retracted partly or completely are
very different from permanently covered
buildings in several respects. First of all,
two different states have to be considered in planning the interior of the building. Thus it can be necessary to design
the interior weatherproof. Moreover the
mobility of some parts of the building
requires the use of mechanical components from the field of mechanical engineering. The cooperation between
architects, civil engineers and mechanical engineers is one of the big challenges during the planning of a retractable roof.
6. Environmental Responsibility of
Membrane Structures
Most of the membrane materials
are environmentally preferable products (EPP) to the greatest extent possible. Also it Provide and promote stewardship of the earth's resources, promote good indoor environmental quality, and promote efficiencies in operational performance.
EPP's include products that have
low VOC content, high recycled content,
and are manufactured, fabricated, or
extracted within 500 miles of the construction site.
The present invention relates to a
porous adaptive membrane structure
that has movable membranes. The

structure can be made to change its
gas, liquid or particulate permeability in
response to surrounding environmental conditions. The application of this
invention is includes protective apparel
that is comfortable to wear wherein the
level of protection provided is based on
conditions in the environment. Hence,
the protective apparel is highly breathable and comfortable in a non-hazardous
environment but impermeable or only
semi permeable in a hazardous environment.
In a world of finite natural resources,
recycling is recognized as one of the
primary solutions to environmental
responsibility while higher quality reusable products have been given little recognition. Membrane material and
structures considers itself an environmental leader by utilizing products that
have significantly longer life cycles and
are in fact, reusable. Consider the following environmental advantages of the
Sprung Structure.
The architectural membranes
selected for use in Structures have significant life spans from 10 to 50 years.
Use of high quality membranes dramatically increases the time before a
replacement will have to be installed.
This reduces the amount of membrane
required to be manufactured, reducing
energy consumption from manufacturing thereby reducing impact to the environment. Comparably, membranes on
tent like products typically have a 5 year
life expectancy. This would require the
manufacture of a number of replacements to equal the life expectancy of
one architectural membrane Structures.
7. Ideas for a temporary limited use and
recyclable dismantling of membrane
structures
Due to the light weight property of
the membrane material and supporting
structure it is easy for the transportation, construction, dismantling etc.
Compared to any other construction
material. Also due the extra ordinary
lightness and same time better tensile
forces enable this concept to make
very large span structures to accommodate maximum occupancy with the
134
minimum structures and supports. Also

the durability and resistance against
the weathering and many other natural
causes which is always threat for other
construction material is another
advantage of the easy handling of the
membrane projects.
Membrane structures are all time
better for the event structures and
structures for the short time purposes.
Due to the safety of the structures,
adaptability, and easy installation and
dismantling membrane structure are
prominent in the field of ephemeral
architecture. It allows future generations to decide what they want to construct in their ideas and concept and
the type structure which they want to
have their life styles in the future.
Another important factor is the
recyclability of each items are using in
the membrane structures. After many
years the fabric can be recycled and
can be produced many other fine products like bags, hose hold articles, pvc
rods again can be used for the membrane structures, and many other use
full products. The steel used in the
structures can be used again for different projects or can be recycled for
the new steel products. Almost all the
items can be reused or recycled.
Aspects of energy reduction in fabrication, erection, maintenance and
support, removing or dismantling
including environmental responsible
recycling of membrane structures
The fabrication and installation of
the membrane structure is not complicated like the construction of civil
structures. Hence it does not need
much energy, equipment, man power
etc..like other building constructions.
The civil construction is time consuming and not pollution free as well. At
the same time we cannot replace the
whole civil constructions with membrane structures. There are certain differences are there off course in the
applications. But some areas still can
be replaced with metal roofing structures efficiently in terms of light weight
property and large span structures
without much supports.
The wide range of possibilities in
membrane structures in terms of unlimited forms can be developed with the

membrane structures, light weight
property, adaptability, eco friendliness,
durability, recyclability, simplicity of
maintenance, the membrane structures has reached in the outstanding
position in the construction industry.
Also the property of illumination
through the fabric allow diffused light
inside the structure, this helps to save a
large quantity of energy in lighting and
the extra ordinary u value and k value
enables this material to save air conditioning cost in the tropical and middle
eastern countries.
Mr. Abdul Sathar TK, M.Archineer
(M.St)- IMS eV Germany, Managing
Director of Technospan Structures
Pvt Ltd has 14 years of experience in
the membrane industry. Trained
under European experts in the
membrane designing and engineering field, designed and installed large
structures like football and cricket
stadiums, airports, shopping malls,
convention centers etc in India,
Middle east, Africa and Far East Asian
countries. Expert in world class
softwares from Germany for design
and calculation of membrane
structures.
Trendsetting Tensile Fabric Range

Now in India
ale Pacific Australia is a company with 50 years of manufacturing experience with production facilities in Australia, China and the
USA. The company is a trusted leading
global manufacturer and marketer of
specially designed sun protection tension structure knit fabrics spaning
architecture, agriculture and domestic
end uses.
Garware Wall Ropes is the distribution partner of Gale Pacifics 'Synthesis'
architectural tensile shade fabric range
for the Indian market. The advanced
polymer fabrics range for high-end
commercial and industrial applications
are used for varied applications. In
India, the globally famous 'Synthesis
Commercial 95' breathable shade fabrics and the new waterproof fabrics'Commercial 95 WP & AF230 WP' are
available in a full range of colours.
The Synthesis range also scores
high when it comes to sustainability
and environment-friendliness. Through
ongoing product development all
Synthesis knit fabrics are now Lead
and Phthalate free. Gale Pacific has
recently received independent environmental certification from Greenguard &
Oeko-tex. Its range of HDPE knit fabrics is fully recyclable.
The Synthesis tensile shade fabric
warranty is offered for the coated surface.

The light-weight and versatile range of
tensile fabrics, offer outstanding dura- Schools, Kindergartens and childbility and flexibility, apart from being
care centres
easy to work with. This unbeatable com- Public spaces
bination has made them a favourite
- Sporting facilities
with engineers and contractors around
- Resorts. Swimming pools, enterthe world.
tainment and restaurant precincts
The use of shade fabric is now also
- Car parking. Shopping centres, airbeing considered globally for energy
ports, car dealerships, private resiand water conservation. By blocking
dences
up to 98% of harmful UV rays and radi- Domestic properties. Roof tops,
ant heat entering buildings, the use of
courtyards and outdoor entertainenergy for air-conditioning can be greatly
ment spaces
reduced. Independent Australian and
- Township, residential & commercial
USA research into the use of exterior
property developments & art prowindow blinds has shown that can
jects
reduce the cost of energy use for airSynthesis fabrics are available in a conditioning up to 34 %. In Australia
wide range of colours that can blend shade protection on a number of rural
with literally any kind of natural sur- drinking water reservoirs significantly
roundings. The knit fabrics are sup- reduced the loss of water through evapplied with a 10 year UV degradation war- oration, reduced the growth of unwanted
ranty, while the coated fabrics a 5 year algae blooms, restricted animals &
birds access from contaminating the
water supply.
range is typically used for sun protection in the following installations:
For further details:

Garware Wall Ropes Ltd
Plot No-11, Block C-1, Chinchwad MIDC,
Pune - 411019,
Ph:+91-20-30780217,
Mob:+91-9370313237,
Email: pjpatil@garwareropes.com
Web: www.garwareropes.com
136
Tensonite:
A Leader in the Making
ensonite is fast emerging as a

leading name in the design, engineering, fabrication and installation of customized tensile and prefabricated structures. The company has
vast experience in the field of tensile
fabric structures. Formerly, Everest Test
Technologies, which has been in this
domain since 1992, the company is now
in the process of restructuring and incorporated a new name Tensonite Pvt Ltd.
The Managing Director of Tensonite,
Jayaprakash, is a professional with wideranging experience in the field. He is
doing his Masters of Engineering in
Membrane Structures in a German University. According to him, the reason
behind his success within the field lies
behind the understanding that he has
of three key requisite for clients - design,
schedule and price. Jayaprakash feels
that, repeat business comes from proven
performance. With the company, clients
get to deal with a single source which is
responsible from concept to installation. He further adds that the company's
commitment goes beyond project completion as maintenance support is an
integral part of Tensonite's services.
Combining expert design skills and
onsite knowledge enables the com-
Biogas Power Generation
pany to provide efficient and economical solutions. The dedicated in-house

erection team has already done several successful installations. The company offers a wide range of products,
including, Tents and Tensile Structure,
Domes, Biogas plant (a complete solution with fabric), Tent houses (cottages),
Marquee with full aluminium structure in
higher span, auditorium & amphitheatre
structures, and pre fabricated mobile
office. Among its latest product, offerings are ETPF and relief tent (HDPE tarpaulins).
Tensonite also provides consultancy
for architects and interior designers,
starting from the sketch board to cost
estimation. The company undertakes a
thorough study of aspects such as
form finding, membrane analysis, support structure's analysis and patterning, as part of its consultancy services.
The company uses high-quality fabric (membrane) from Europe and Japan.
The materials used for the primary
structure include MS steel-coated and /
or painted to prevent corrosion, appropriate grade, to resist corrosion. The
membranes used include, PVC coated
polyester fabric- with PVDF lacquer to
provide UV stability, Fire retardant and
Anti Dust property, long lasting fabrics

available in large selection of colours.
Tensonite provides comprehensive
pre-construction support. All tensile
structures are fabricated in its own facilities, providing superior control on product quality and delivery schedule.
Biogas Plant Project
Biogas typically refers to a gas produced by the breakdown of organic
matter in the absence of oxygen. It is a
renewable-energy source, like solar
and wind energy, which is most useful
nowadays. Biogas balloons from the
company are used to trap and store the
gas produced. The green spherical
domes resemble a nuclear power
plant. These power plants are located
in Tamil Nadu and use 300 tonnes of
poultry waste to produce 4 MW of electricity every day.
Tensonite Pvt. Ltd.
No. 33/5, 7th Cross, PIPDIC Industrial
Estate, Sederapet, Pondicherry-605111
Ph:+91-413-2677769,
Email: tensonite@gmail.com,
Web: www.tensonite.com
Biogas Balloon
A Frontrunner Makes Further Inroads
K K. Tiwari
Rajeev Shukla
Managing Partner
Ancon Enterprises
Managing Partner
Ancon Enterprises
ensile fabric structures is an area

counted among the fastest growing in the field of civil engineering
and architecture in India nowadays. One
name that has made a mark in this field
is Ancon Enterprises. The company is
counted among the pioneers in this
field, offering a wide array of products
such as tensile structures awnings, canopies, roller blind, poolside furniture,
outdoor furniture, polycarbonate covering domes, atriums, walkways, etc.
With a team of vastly experienced
professionals at the helm of affairs, the
company has been taking rapid strides
in this specialized field. The company
with its strict adherence to quality standards has been catering to a wide range
of clientele. It is therefore not surprising
that Ancon is the preferred choice these
days when it comes to executing tensile fabric structures.

Some of the salient features of the
company's products include:
-
High tolerance & strength

Durable longer functioning life
Efficient & reliable
Excellent withstanding capacity
Economical
Easy to install
Modifiable designs
Light weight
Corrosion resistant
According to the company, owing

of the unique flexible characteristic of
the architectural membrane, plus the
fact that the systems can be erected
with fewer support columns, more functional and aesthetically pleasing
spaces can be created. The company
offers customized solution, to catering to

the needs of various industries. It has
got the requisite expertise to create virtually unlimited distinct elegant forms.
The company also uses the most modern construction techniques, to install
large fabricated membrane panels in
quick time, there by shortening installation schedules. Likewise, fabric
removal too can be accomplished easily.
These light weight structures are
also a more cost- effective solution
than traditional building materials.
Another key benefit is the use of materials such as photo-catalytic materials
helps in prevention of temperature rise,
as well as reduced maintenance costs
due to their self cleaning properties.
Ancon Enterprises
Khasra No. 338/2, Near Tata Motors
(Delta Vechile), N.Highway - 8
Rangpuri, New Delhi - 110037
Mobile: 09818495244 / 9810810345,
E-mail: anconenterprises@gmail.com
Web: www.anconenterprises.com
138
Raising the Bar in Tensile Fabric Architecture
here has been a definite spurt in

the number of tensile fabric
structures in the country in the
recent past. The key reason for the
same are rising awareness levels and
the entry of companies with specialized expertiese in this field. Suntech
Tensile Structures is one of the pioneers in tensile membrane architecture
in the country, promoted by experienced engineering and management
professionals with over 15 years of
international exposure in the domain.
The company is the Indian arm of
Shade Arabia Group with its Head
Quarters in Kuwait and having operations in GCC, as well as Far East countries. Suntech offers a variety of outdoor application structures ranging from
small to very large structures such as
tensile canopies, car park shades,
architectural shades, large area solar
protection shades, awnings, blinds&
shutters, pool umbrellas, garden umbrellas, sail shades, modular tents,
swimming pool privacy fencings, walkways gazebos, etc.
The company works in association
with leading Project Management Consultants, Architects, Builders and Design
consultants, covering a gamut of applications like pavilions, cafeterias, atrium
roofs, food courts, walkways and sail
shades, to mention only some.
At the heart of Suntech Tensiles is a
hand-picked team of designers, engineers, architects, fabricators, fabric
suppliers, builders, project managers
and tensile fabric structure specialists
who brings enormous international experience and know-how to every aspect
of the job and helped define Suntech
Basalica - Cochin- Installed 2012
as one of the most trusted and truly

innovative names in modern tensile fabric architecture. The company has taken
rapid strides to be counted among
those specializing in this highly demanding field.
The company adopts a systematic
and planned approach for execution of
its projects. Every aspect of the project
is thoroughly analyzed in detail, right
from the design conceptualization stage,
engineering innovations, to fabrication
quality assessment, leading to flawless
construction standards. This approach
enables the company to provide endusers with a variety of aesthetic, freeform canopy designs.
Suntech Tensiles has strategic alliances with overseas firms, which enable
it to offer world-class products and service in India. It has a technical alliance
with a German-based company for
Ongoing Vip Pavillion For Kerala Tourism ( 15 Mtr

Cantilever Structure )
design and engineering for large area

projects. It also has another alliance
with an Australian company for supply
and design engineering of large span
HDPE shade structures.
Strict adherence to quality has been
one of the reasons for the rapid strides
taken by the company. The material used
by the company enables outstanding
dimensional stability and high tensile
strength. The material used is very durable, UV resistant, flame retardant, dust
repellent and requires minimal maintenance, making it the apt choice for a
wide range of shade structures.
CPWD - lakshadeep VIP Pavillion- Installed In 2011
140
Onoing Project Private Guest House

Door No.101, Canal Road, Girinagar,
Cochin - 20, Ph:+91-484-2314480,
Mob: +91-8086999000 / +91-9745999000
Email: suntechshades@yahoo.co.in
Web: www.suntechtensiles.com
MC-Special Plus Integral Waterproofing

of Concrete Using Hydrophobic Pore
Blocking Technology
ven in the case of excellent composition and compactness concrete consists of small voids.
The so-called capillary pores(on average 13-16 percent by volume) which are
due to agenerous addition of mixing
water. The additional mixing water is
used to obtain sufficient compactness
and workability. Owing to these capillary pores, concrete is always more or
less pervious to water or hygroscopic.
As opposed to conventional waterproofing products, MC-Special Plus
provides integral waterproofing properties by combining two characteristics
into one specially designed product.
These properties that give concrete the
extra edge in protection against water
ingress are:
1. Reduction of Capillary Pores:
Special additives in MC-SpecialPlus
make the concrete more workable (increases slump) at the same w/c ratio or
provide a reduction in w/c at the same
workability levels. This property helps
concrete achieve excellent compactability thereby reducing capillary pores.
2. Hydrophobic Pore Blocking

Mechanism: In addition to reduction
of capillary pores and the
DynamicSynCrystallization , MCSpecial Plus has special additives,
which on one hand causes contraction of capillaries and on the other
hand converts the water-absorbing
capillary forces into water repellant
capillary forces due to the hydrophobic effect of the constituent. Thus
water is pushed out of the capillary
poresand the concrete is kept dry.
A combination of the properties
above provide the concrete an efficient, reliable and durable waterproofing protection against rains, ground
water, moisture, dampness, humidity
etc. MC-Special Plus is an integral
waterproofing compound in powder
form, used for all types of concrete,
requiring water impermeability. It conforms with IS 2645.
Advantages
Following are a few advantages of
using MC- Special Plus as an additive
to concrete.
Water under pressure
Water and Moisture expelled

Hydrophobic
Capillary
Lining
Carpllary
Polymer plug
seals
capillary
Concrete
Polymer
globules
Hydrophobic Pore Blocking Mechanism
142
Resists water penetration and absorption

Makes the mix more workable (improves the slump)
Makes the w/c ratio reduction possible
Does not change setting time nor
adversely effect the reinforcement
Disperses rapidly and makes a homogenous mix
Free from chlorides
Provides an efficient and durable
barrier against rainwater, moisture
and ground water
MC-Special Plus is easy to use,

either in the concrete batching plant or
in a transit mixer at site. MC-Special
Plus should be added to the concrete
after all other components of the mix
have been added. Concrete should be
mixed for atleast a minute after addition
of MC-Special Plus. Dosage is economical at 1% by weight of cement or
atleast 3kg MC-SpecialPlus per m3 of
Concrete.
MC-Bauchemie (India) Pvt. Ltd.
Manufactures this product along with a
host of other construction chemicals in
technical and financial collaboration
with MC-Bauchemie, Germany. MCBauchemie (India) Pvt. Ltd. is an ISO
9001:2008 certified Company.

MC Bauchemie (India) Pvt. Ltd.
411, Arenja Corner, Sector 17, Vashi,
Navi Mumbai - 400703,
Ph:+91-22-27892856/27880803,
Fax:+91-22-27893870,
E-mail: Info.india@mc-bauchemie.com
Web: www.mc-bauchemieindia.com
Hydrophobic Pore Blocking Mechanism
Power: Solar
:
SUN
POWER
ENERGY FOREVER
Solar power meets the Indian twin objectives of long-term energy security and climate change
while simultaneously lowering tariffs over reasonable time periods as the sun supplies free energy.
Sadagopan Seshadri
Chief - Content Development,
'The Solar Context'

For nearly 4.6 billion years, the big
ball of light in the sky we know as the
Sun has existed. This miraculously mysterious source of light, heat, and most
importantly energy, was little under-
146
stood until much recently. As a source

of energy, nothing matches the sun. It
out-powers anything that human technology could perhaps ever be able to
produce. For every second, our closest
star provides us with enough energy to
power 500,000 years worth of our current energy demands.

Only a small fraction of the sun's
power output strikes the Earth, but
even that provides 10,000 times as
much as all the commercial energy that
Power: Solar
humans use on the planet.

The Bright Indian Sun Scene
India is endowed with vast solar
energy potential. About 5,000 trillion
kWh per year energy is incident over
India's land area with most parts receiving 4-7 kWh per sq. m per day. Hence
both technology routes for conversion
of solar radiation into heat and electricity, namely, solar thermal and solar
photovoltaics, can effectively be harnessed providing huge scalability for
solar in India. Such abundant source of
solar energy available to the country
should be harnessed to cater to light up
livelihood of the large poor and energy
starved population.
C-WET is implementing the project
for setting up 51 ground monitoring stations.
Centralized data collection, analysis and calibration of measuring sensors. (See Table 1)
Solar provides the ability to generate power on a distributed basis and enables rapid capacity addition with short
lead times. Off-grid decentralized and
low-temperature applications are advantageous from a rural electrification
perspective as well as for meeting other
energy needs for power, heating and
cooling in both rural and urban habitats.
From the view point of energy security, solar qualifies as the most secure
of all sources owing to its abundant
availability. Theoretically, a small fraction of the total incident solar energy (if
captured effectively) can meet the entire
country's power requirements.
Source: CEA, Planning Commission Report
Fig.-2: Coal deficit in India
Ground Measurements of Solar Radiation

Andhra Pradesh
Gujarat
Haryana
Madhya Pradesh
Karnataka
Rajasthan
Chhattisgarh
Ladakh
Maharashtra
Pudducherry
Tamil Nadu
6
11
1
3
5
12
1
1
3
1
6
Centre for Wind Energy

Technology - CWET
Proposed solar Irradiation 51 Sites
IMD Automatic Radiation
Station Network
Table - 1
While, today, domestic coal based

power generation is seen as the cheapest electricity source, future scenarios
do suggest that the situation could well
change. The renewables are all set to
occupy a credible role of occupying
some of the coal space. Coal will anyway be the major base load supplier
until 24/7 renewable supplies' proficiency becomes feasible.
National Power Crisis Shadow
Grim is a mild expression of the
Indian power generation and T&D situation. The challenges in the power sector continue. India is facing a power deficit of 9 percent, and this is likely to continue over the next years. In many states,
industries are facing upto 50 percent
power cuts. The gap between the power
purchase costs and the power tariffs
has severely constrained the finances
of state power utilities with net losses
estimated at around INR 88,170 crores
in 2012-13. India faced massive power
FIG - 1 Solar Map
black-outs in July, 2012 due to overdrawing and grid indiscipline.

India : The rationale of going 'Solar'?
Solar power meets the Indian twin
objectives of long-term energy security
and climate change while simultaneously lowering tariffs over reasonable time periods as the sun supplies
free energy. Until a 24/7 solar are commercialized Small-scale/ rooftop solar
power installations at the consumerend as also Off-Grid & Grid-connected
power at HT & LT need to be in conjunction with fossil.
Some of the factors likely to drive
this market include:
1. High power deficit
The India's power demand increase
is growing with economy but supply
has not coped with demand, deficit
Source: Kirit Parikh Committee - Sector-wisedieselconsumption
Fig-3 : Diesel consumption breakup in India
147
Power: Solar
Year
Weighted avg price of power

during Feb to May at power
exchanges in SR INR/unit
2010
5.78
2011
7.04
2012
9.06
Table-2 : Power prices on the Exchange

(Source: CERC, IEX)
and this share is expected to exceed by

90 percent by 2030. If the consumption
of diesel from power segment reduces
by 10 percent, it results in a saving of
around USD 450 million annually. (See
Fig 3)
3. Favorable Economics
Source: CEA, KPMG in India Analysis

Fig-4 : Comparison of power costs from different fuels
being 9 percent. Furthermore, power

procurement by the distribution utilities
has not matched the demand growth
due to financial stress and their lower
purchasing capacity. Capacity addition
is not supported by essential inputs
(fuel availability, land acquisition, timely
completion of evacuation infrastructure etc.). High quantum of power
shortfall is borne by industrial and commercial sectors. Solar power can displace certain amount of captive power
consumption based on diesel & gas.
2. Rising import dependence

Import dependence is currently 30
percent of energy requirements and
could rise to 59 percent in a worst-case
scenario by 2032.
Coal consumption coal is the primary
fuel used in power generation. Domestic coal shortage means imports which
will increase also due to blending constraints in the power stations. (See Fig 2)
Diesel consumption - India currently
imports more than 75 percent of its oil,
Asia's Biggest Solar-Thermal Plant Opens to Sell Cut-Price Power
At present, the variable cost of

power from diesel based generation is
upwards of INR 14 per unit. This is likely
to go up with rise in diesel price. Economics with respect to variable cost of
diesel is a key metric to assess substitutability - since solar installation can
then co-exist with diesel genset which
can provide power on demand when
solar power is not present. (See Fig 4)
Solar power currently is less than
INR 10 per unit and is likely to reduce
further making it economical to replace
a portion of the demand that is currently being met by diesel. Moreover,
the power tariffs, especially during the
peak periods are very high. For example, the short term power purchase
costs for utilities in the Southern Region
(SR) during February to May are comparable to solar power costs.
Further, from a consumer point of
view, the power tariffs for end-use
industrial and commercial consumer
are on the rise while the marginal tariff
rate of the higher slabs is already comparable to solar power.
4. Grid demand synergy
Parabolic troughs harness energy from the sun at the Godawari solar-thermal power plant,
near Nokh, Rajasthan, India
148
Solar power generation is highest

during the months of March, April &
May. An analysis of the load curve indicates that the power requirements during this period for the country are also
high. Further analysis of the correlation
between solar power generation and
the load curves for different regions
throughout the country demonstrates
Power: Solar
that the correlation for the whole country is on a higher side indicating the positive synergy between solar power viza-viz grid requirements. (See Fig 5)
Solar power can play an important
role in meeting the day-time power demand
5. Benefits of distributed generation
Source: KPMG
Fig-5 : Solar power generation profile and Western region grid demand
Fig-6: T&D loss trends in India
By encouraging solar power at consumer-end, the losses in the network

can be saved by the power utilities. (See
Fig 6)
A comparative analysis of solar
power tariffs and the delivered price of
power from short term market at the
consumer-end in the southern region
favors solar. The figure 7 shows the economics of solar power when compared
to delivered price of power that is procured by utilities from the short term
power market. Clearly, the difference
between solar and fossil in terms of
landed cost at the customer end is marginal.
Therefore, Power Utilities should go
all out for decentralized solar power
market both from an economics as well
as sustainability point of view. As shown
in the graph, when considered from the
perspective of marginal cost of power
and associated delivery cost to consumers, solar power is at break-even
without considering subsidies.
Solar power is approaching pareto
optimality in the decentralized segment.
(See fig 7)
Government Steps in
The Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar
Mission (JNNSM) one of the eight missions of India's National Action Plan on
Climate Change (NAPCC) has following mandate:
-
Fig-7: Delivered power price - Comparative analysis
150
Increase supply of gridconnected

solar power to 1GW by 2013, 10 GW
by 2017, and to 20 GW by 2022;
Promote offgrid applications equivalent to 2GW; distribute 20 million
solar home lighting systems in rural
areas; expand the area occupied
by solar thermal collectors to 20 million square meters by 2022; and
Create favorable conditions for solar
manufacturing capability.
Power: Solar
Till 2009
Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3
Total
1100
3000
16000
20000
Off-grid (MW)
2.4
200
800
10000
2000
Thermal collectors
(million m>2)
3.1
20
Solar lighting systems

(million)
1.3
Grid-connected (MW)
20
Note: Phase 1:2010-13); Phase 2:2013 - 17; Phase 3:2017-22

Table - 3 : Phase-wise (and total) target of JNNSM
Solar Power required to meet Solar RPOs (MW)

2011-12
2012-13
2013-14
2014-15
2015-16
2016-17
1465
3018
4659
6387
8204
10109
Table - 4
JNNSM Implementation is spread

over 3 phases in a progressive manner
in such a way that the solar arm of country's generation attains self-sufficiency
and meets 'grid parity' over a planned
timeline. (See table 3 for phase wise
target fixation).
To meet these targets and reach
sustainability status the GOI set up certain policy & Regulatory measures
alongwith incentivizing the sector
through exemptions.
Chief Policy and Regulatory Framework of JNNSM are:
-
Projected Solar Generation Capacity (GW)
35
30
30
25
20
15
The Requirement of solar power

capacity by 2017 is estimated to be
about 10000 MW. (See table 4)
This requirement is expected to
reach 30,000 MW by 2022.
10
10
5
0
2016-17
2012-13
Amendment of National Tariff Policy

for solar specific RPOs
Solar specific RPO - 0.25% in Phase
1 (2013) to increase to 3% by 2022
REC Mechanism
Encourage state specific solar policies
State-wise RPO Orders by Regulators
Exemption from environmental
clearance for solar power projects
2021-22
Solar power generation technologies

Bulk generation of power utilizing
Fig-8
Photovoltaic Array
Solar PV Modules
Battery
+
+
Solar
Inverter
Electricity
Board
Connection
AC Electricity
Load
String
+
+
Module Mounting
Systems
Combiner
Boxes
FIG-9
151
Power: Solar
Line Concentrators
Steam at 100
bar
and 390OC
Points Concentrators
Receiver
Receiver
Steam
turbine
G
Oil
at 395OC
Concentrator
Recalentador
Superheater
Oil or Steam
at 400OC
High pressure
water or steam
Condensator
Boiler
Sunlights
Receiver
Condensator
Secondary
Reflector
Fresnel
Reflector
Concentrator
Preheater
Oil
at 302OC
Absorber tube
Fig-10
solar energy is primarily achieved via

two methods:
In Photovoltaic (PV) based, application's a part of solar energy is directly

converted to electricity utilizing the photovoltaic cells. (A PV based power generation system with parts is in Figure 9).
1. Photo-Voltaic (PV)
2. Concentrated Solar Power (CSP)
ALL INDIA
36%
PV
7.8MW
2%
2%
8%
PV
1,416.8 MW
UTTARAKHAND
CSP
3 MW
PV
5MW
CSP
2.5 MW
DELHI
58%
1% 2% 3% 2%
PV
12 MW
PV
2 MW
45%
42%
55%
46%
1%
PV
2 MW
PV
824.09 MW
WEST
BENGAL
58%
PV
12 MW
42%
12%
JHARKHAND
ODISHA
21%
PV
24.2 MW
PV
4 MW
46%
28%
PV
7.25 MW
CHHATTISGARH
72%
21%
MAHARASHTRA
64%
36%
44%
47%
PV
14 MW
PV
22.5 MW
33%
KARNATAKA
33%
PV
15 MW
TAMIL
NADU
9%
ANDHRA
PRADESH
33%
Figure-11: The Geographical Solar Technology Spread
152
MADHYA
PRADESH
KEY
Gujarat Solar Policy Phase 1
Gujarat Solar Policy Phase 2
Generation Based Incentive
NSM Batch 2, Phase 1
Migration
Director RPO Project
NSM Batch 1, Phase 1
Demo Project
RPSSGP
REC Mechanism
Modular and scalable

Less sensitive to hot climates
No water or heating fluid need.
Low gestation period for project to
come online
In Concentrated Solar Power (CSP)

or thermal application, solar energy is
concentrated and converted to thermal
energy, heating up a process fluid, and
raising the mechanical energy, that is
then converted to electricity by turbines.
(See Fig 10)
CSPs generation project have higher
gestation time, and maintenance issues
in different formats of CSP available are:
-
PV
16 MW
38%
GUJARAT
CSP
5.5 MW
UTTAR
PRADESH
23%
61%
9%
15%
22%
9% 9%
PV
441 MW
3%
75%
PV
8 MW
RAJASTHAN
6%
HARYANA
PUNJAB
25%
Thin film and Crystalline cells are

two types of PV module technologies.
Major benefits of PV technology over
CSP are:
Parabolic Troughs (Mostly used: 88%

of world CSP is through parabolic
troughs)
Fresnel Concentrators (Second
mostly used method in India)
Parabolic Dishes with Sterling Engine
Central receivers/towers
The ambitious targets set ably supported by regulatory measures & guidelines could go a long way in India reaching the goals. Choice of technologies,
capacity allocation for them in each
phase, differentiated gestation periods
alongwith spelling out domestic content extent & specifics have been stipulated to avoid ambiguity.
Power: Solar
Phasing of Allocation
- Solar PV: PV projects Selection was
done in two batches of 150 MW and
350 MW over two financial years of
Phase 1 i.e., 2010-2011 and 2011-2012.
- Solar Thermal: Entire capacity was
selected in batch 1, in view of view
of the longer gestation period of
Solar Thermal Projects,
JNNSM Phase - I
Solar Thermal Capacity 500 MW
380
400
CLFR: A compact linear

Fresnel reflector
PTC: Parabolic Trough
Collector
300
200
100
100
10
10
0
Solar Tower
PTC
CLFR
Dish-stirling
FIG - 12 Technology Choice Grid Solar Thermal
Some of these factors are briefed

herein to highlight the due diligence
that has been put in.
Regulatory Features & Guidelines
Capacity allocation between technologies
- Capacity allocation between SPV and
Solar Thermal decided to be 50:50.
Maximum and Minimum Capacity

(Batch 1)
- For SPV- 5 MW as both maximum
and minimum
- For Solar Thermal - 100 MW as maximum and 20 MW minimum
Maximum and Minimum Capacity
(Batch 2)
- For SPV- 20 MW as maximum and 5
MW as minimum;
Applications per Company (Batch 1)
Bundled Power
Sale to Utility
NVVN
Electricity
Generation
Solar Radiation
Solar
Power
Plant
Applications per Company (Batch 2)

- For SPV: Capacity was limited to 50
MW; maximum three projects
through single applications
Domestic Content
Solar PV: Batch 1
- Crystalline Technology: Use of modules manufactured in India was
mandatory
- Thin film/ CPV : Was allowed to be
sourced from other countries
Solar PV: Batch 2
- Crystalline Technology: Using cells
& modules manufactured in India
mandatory
- Thin film/ CPV : Was allowed to be
sourced from other countries
Sale through state tariff policy or REC route
(I) FIT + GBI (PPA) (II) APPC + REC (non-PPA)
(See Figure 11 for The Geographical

Solar Technology Spread)
Solar Business model - India
Merchant Sale
Market Price + REC
Exchange
FIG - 13 Solar Business model
State
Target
Andhra Pradesh
1.35GW of solar bids submitted against a target of 1. 16GW

allocations in 2013
Gujarat
0.8GW installed by Dec 2012 against a target of 0. 5GW by 2014
Karnataka
0.125GW up to March 2014 and 0. 2GW up to March 2016
Kerala
0.5 GW by 2017 and 1. 5GW by 2030 (Draft policy)
Madhya Pradesh
0.3GW by 2014 (Draft plan)
Maharashtra
0. 2GW projects are announced, and plan is to add another

0. 2GW by 2015
Rajasthan
12GW by 2022
Tamil Nadu
3GW by 2015
Uttar Pradesh
1GW by 2017
Orissa
0.05GW for 2012-13, 5GW by 2020
Table 5: State solar installation targets (Source: State Electricity Commissions, MNRE)
154
For SPV: Only one application per

Company
For Solar Thermal: Company was
allowed to set up the proposed capacity through one application in
multiple locations.
Solar Thermal
- 30% of the Project Cost should be
India spend
Utility
IPP/Grid Sales
& Captive
Sales
In India, most of the projects are driven by the Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) as the REC and FiT is yet
to evolve. With increasing push by the
state authorities toward RPO, wider
acceptance and growth of solar-powered projects is expected. Figure 13
gives an overview of the widely followed
business models in solar industry in India.
Thus over the past year or so itself, it
has been seen that various states have
announced their solar installation targets (refer to table 5 & 6).
Grid Solar Power Installations Under the national programme, over
270 MW capacity projects connected
to the grid of which large projects were
125.0 MW, Small Plants 76.6 MW, Migration 50.5 MW while other schemes
being 21.5 MW.
Thus through the aegis of JNNSM,
the states have taken initiatives to
install over 760 MW capacity projects,
Power: Solar
and the overall achievement is already

over 1030 MW.
Typical performance of Solar PV
plants has shown capacity utilization
factors of over 20% as against German
figures of 13%, and this is encouraging.(see fig 14)
MWp
Gujarat
654.8
66.9
Rajasthan
510.25
20.2
Andhra Pradesh
21.8
2.2
Maharashtra
20.0
2.0
Tamil Nadu
15.0
1.5
Orissa
13.0
1.3
Uttar Pradesh
12.0
1.2
Karnataka
9.0
0.9
Punjab
9.0
0.9
Haryana
7.8
0.8
Uttarakhand
5.0
0.5
Chhattisgarh
4.0
0.4
Jharkhand
4.0
0.4
Delhi
2.5
0.3
Madhya Pradesh
2.0
0.2
Solar utility market - The utility-scale

market segment would be primarily
driven by the power purchase agreements signed by the distribution utilities for solar power procurement and
large-scale captive market installations.
Off-Grid Solutions - Solar companies should have a broad based focus
and include segments like off-grid
applications and other renewable technologies in their portfolio. This helps
also to optimize resources at times when
new projects may be uncertain. Decentralized market require customer specific solutions needing proper logistical
infrastructure providing quality performance at the lowest possible cost at
the consumer-end using an integrated
approach blending seamless delivery
across the value chain.
West Bengal
2.0
0.2
The overall strategies for this market are:
1686.44
100
State
Private sector role

With solar power costs spiraling
downwards, companies which are able
to secure low cost financing and ensure performance standards in the most
economical manner would benefit.
Grid Connected: Private sector has
played an important role in investing
and developing solar power industry in
India. Many grid-connected solar power
projects under the JNNSM and State
level solar programs are under operation/construction. The utility-scale market would continue to be driven and
defined by Government support.
Total
Table 6: An overview of State Status
Some Large Solar PV projects commissioned
40 MW Capacity Plants
- Reliance Power, Pokaran, Rajasthan
- Adani Enterprises Ltd., Kutch Gujarat
25 MW Capacity Plants
- Alex Asatral Power Pvt. Ltd. Patan,
Gujarat
- GMR Gujarat Solar Power Pvt. Ltd.,
Patan, Gujarat
- Louroux Bio Energies Ltd., Suren-
dranagar, Gujarat
Roha Dyechem Pvt. Ltd., Patan,
Gujarat
Sandland real estate Pvt. Ltd.,
Banaskantha, Gujarat
Sun Edison Energy India Pvt. Ltd.,
Patan, Gujarat
Tata Power Company Ltd., Jamnagar, Gujarat
Visual Percept Solar Projects P. Ltd.,
Surendranagar, Gujarat
30%
25%
CUF
20%
Target customer Identification based

on cost economics, existing power
tariffs & affordability.
Location Priority - Focus on locations
suitable for a rooftop program in
terms of solar insolation, policy support, power supply scenario etc.
Identify local tie-ups - based on market reach, technical and financial
capabilities.
Develop a USP - based on branding, performance, economics and
quality.
Financial Plus - Evolve new Business
models working closely with financial institutions for funding access
and onward lending. Solar rooftop
leasing models can drive wider
adoption of solar PV by consumers.
Distributed generation at consumer

end could drive solar power capacity
additions going forward. Hence market
segments such as
15%
10%
5%
0%
1
2
Jan-12
3
Feb-12
5
Mar-12
6
Apr-12
Rooftop market
Captive market
Diesel replacement market
Have to be fully tapped.

Rooftop Market
Average CUF in Rajasthan is likely to be over 20%

Typical CUF in Germany is 13%
FIG- 14 Typical Performance of 5 Mw Solar PV plants in Rajasthan
Solar power can be effectively used

to meet the consumption requirements
during the daytime.
155
Power: Solar
enabled Germany to become a global

leader in the solar PV space.
India has adopted FiT too. Hope it
replicates the German experience to
realize full potential of the rooftop market.
Solar diesel replacement market
Solar power can economically replace diesel fuel consumption. Diesel
power used in industrial and retail sector, as a back-up and full-time power
source where grid connectivity is scarce.
DG-sets operating for more than four
hours daily can economically use solar
power.
Attractive market segments from
scale and potential perspective are:
Source: NRLDC, NASA
Fig 15: Intra-day solar energy generation
A typical load curve of the peak

requirement from the Northern Grid and
the actual energy generation profile from
a solar power source. (See figure 15) :
Solar power can be effectively used
for power during the daytime. The energy
requirement for various consumer categories across a 24-hour time block during sunshine hours in India - shows that
around 30 percent of the total consumption is met during sunshine hours.
(See fig. 16)
Economics drives solar adoption
with Grid-interactive rooftop installations driving the solar in matured markets like Germany, Spain and Japan.
Germany, the market leader has more
than 80 percent of its total solar market
from the rooftop segment enabled by

an attractive policy regime.
Rooftop Solar - Learning from Germany
Germany has over 20 percent of its
annual electricity demand coming from
renewable-energy sources (2011). Furthermore, solar photovoltaic contributes
about 4.5 percent of the annual electricity supply, with an installed capacity
of 28 GW from solar PV. The Renewable-Energy Act passed in Germany
(2000), mandated targets for producing renewable energy and introduced
incentives in the form of preferential
feed in tariffs (FiT). A stable market program with the necessary infrastructure
support in terms of net metering - has
Solar powered telecom towers and

Solar powered agriculture pumpsets
Telecom towers
In India, a large number of telecom
towers are located in rural/semi-urban
areas with limited or no grid connectivity that depend on diesel gensets. These
towers are bound to increase with higher
subscriber penetration.
In fact, diesel consumption in telecom tower industry will increase from 2
Billion lpa (ie 3.5 p.c of India's annual
diesel consumption) to 3.5 Billion lpa
by 2020.
Based on grid power supply (EB
hours) and connected load, the price of
diesel power varies as INR 14 / kWh to
INR 30 / kWh (for low load towers in remote areas) making Towers with low
connected load and almost non-existent grid power supply as best candidates for solarization.
Based on the fact that around 50,000
towers are in the country today it is a
promising self sustaining market translating to 250 MW of solar PV capacity.
Solar Suitability in agriculture segment
India has 25 million pumpsets, with
18 million electric pumpsets and around
7 million diesel pumpsets. Based on economics, the diesel pumpsets can be replaced by solar offering 12,000-15,000
MW.
Source: A typical discom, KPMG in India analysis

Fig 16: Intra-day load curve of power consumption
156
Encouraging Reality
Some Key factors support renew-
Power: Solar
able growth (See table 7).

The tariffs seen in bidding/ auction
under JNNSM and State programs are
becoming comparable to the marginal
power tariffs applicable for industrial
and commercial consumers in some
Indian states.
The forecast is grid parity for solar
over 2016-18.
Government needs to recognize
necessity for developing an economic
rationale based on the long term mitigation of forex exposures due to enhanced energy security and lower dependence on energy imports that solar power
will enable.
And that too, forever!!
Challenging points to ponder:
The key challenges, to undisturbed
growth of solar power which once resolved, would give a boost to the sector
are as listed below:
GBI Notification
The GBI approved in Central Government Budget is yet to be notified details (value; subsidy cap/MW; term period
& maximum capacity for benefit availability; depreciation rate and other conditions clarification. Developers shall be
in comfort zone only then to invest.
Renewable Portfolio Obligations (RPO)
enforcement:
RPO enforcement in various states
remains weak adversely affecting REC
prices, trading at floor price since August
2012 hitting investor confidence.
Lenders may stop funding projects
taking the REC route, unless corrections are affected.
Gujarat plant LANCO
Grid Infrastructure
The government needs to boost the
grid and other infrastructure for exploiting the resource potential across the
country and strengthen the existing grid
infrastructure to support increased intake of renewable electricity.
Failing to do this will lead to grid
stability concerns as being observed in
the state of Tamil Nadu.
Poor health of distribution companies
The state utilities in poor financial
health have payables in excess of INR
1.2 trn (31 March 2012), from seven
major states due to widening gap
between average retail tariff and average supply cost, since tariffs remained
static for political reasons.
Following GoI measures states increased retail tariffs in April 2012-March
2013. 18 states have filed tariff petitions
with nine hiking tariff.
Factors
Remarks
Coal constraints
Supply constraints likely to persist
Gas constraints
Poor reserves and supply constraints
Large hydro issues
Limited resource, rehabilitation issues dominate
Nuclear constraints
Public concern, Nuclear liability bill issues
Cost competitiveness
Wind is now cost competitive with coal ; Solar costs have declined
by c70% over the past four years and we expect that by 2016-18,
solar will be competitive with new coal
Water Stress
India is now a water stressed country; situation is likely to worsen

further with economic growth and increasing population
Table 7: Factors supporting renewable growth (other than policy framework)
158
The tariff for conventional and renewable energy generators needs constant attention.
International Dispute on domestic content requirement
The GoI promoting domestic manufacturing and supply of solar systems
by stipulating domestic content requirements for the Phase I projects under
the National Solar Mission (NSM) has
given rise to International free trade
issues. The US raised the issue at the
WTO meeting in February 2013 for FTA
norms violation. Delay in a decisions
could delay project installations.
Thus, Clean energy too is now featuring in International disputes world over!
Author's Bio
The author leads our Delhi bureau. An
Engineer and qualified ADR professional
(NALSAR alumnus), Sadagopan Seshadri
has been a senior Contract Management
Professional in large national & International
Companies. His domain experience is in
Building Products, Cement plants and
Mega Power project execution. He has
been an expert visiting faculty and univ.
examiner for Contract Management at the
SSAA, IP University, New Delhi.
Being passionate about Environment
he has now turned to Landscape Projects
design teamed with like-minded architects
& engineers for sustainable landscapes
development He is vocal with his views on
these areas through his writings.
He can be reached at
design2xcel@gmail.com
Soil Compactors:
On Solid Ground
MB Bureau Report
he Indian road infrastructure sector has been having a topsy-turvy

ride in recent times. The economic ups and downs coupled with all
the bad press generated by issues such
as land acquisition, corruption, red tape
in clearance of projects, difficulty in finding bidders for certain stretches, etc,
have all been hitting headlines regularly. However, what cannot be denied
is the fact that development of road
infrastructure remains on top of the
agenda, for no government can hope
to rejuvenate the economy without a
world-class road network. Successive
governments have realized this fact
and have been pitching their might in
the direction. That the present government is serious about road projects is
evident from the recent deadline for
major infrastructure projects that the
Prime Minister, Dr.Manmohan Singh
has set. The Prime Minister's Office
(PMO) has recently in a release stated
that the deadline for mega infrastructure projects such as the elevated
160
Mumbai Rail corridor and 16 others

would be March 2014. Three expressway projects- Delhi-Meerut, MumbaiVadodara and Eastern Peripheral Expressway are part of these mega infrastructure projects. This is apart from
the thrust being provided to various
other highway projects in various parts
of the country. The Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) initiative
has also been responsible for the spurt
in road building works in the rural interiors of India. All this has helped keep up
the spirits of soil compactor manufacturers.
The market for soil compactors in

India has been growing at a steady
pace. An estimated 3500 units of compactors are being sold in India annually
in the recent few years, out of which
roughly about 50% are soil compactors. Whether it is asphalt compactors
or soil compactors, the thrust from manufacturers has been on machines that
will achieve optimum compaction with
the minimum number of passes. The
trend that has been witnessed in the
Indian compaction market is the movement towards vibratory compaction from
the earlier predominantly static rollers.
The technology helps send pressure

waves into the soil surface in different
directions leading to the particles
achieving a dense state of orientation.
Just as in the case of the other types of
construction equipment, contractors
have realized that the initial higher capital investment is bound to pay off in the
long run, given the cost savings achieved
due to the lesser number of passes.
Manufacturers are also focusing on coming out with machines that are fuel
efficient and require minimal maintenance, all adding to the good news for
contractors. With competition intensifying
suppliers are concentrating on coming
out with machines that would ideally
suit Indian working conditions, where
typically these machines would be put
through more number of work cycles,
as compared to the developed world.
Global players who have entered the
fray in India have been getting feedback from end-users and have been
focusing their R&D towards machines
that are specifically suited for India.
Tough Competition
A rapidly evolving market, India is
today on the radar of almost every leading global manufacturer of compaction
equipment. Competition is getting intense by the day and suppliers are
banking on innovative product features
and technology to woo customers. A
lot of focus is also on offering environment-friendly and fuel efficient engines
these days. A good example can be
found for this trend can be found in the
VM115 model offered by JCB India. The
soil compactor for the company features the ecoMAX engine while the heavy
duty centre joint and robust chassis
translates into excellent stability. The soil
compactor model also features a sloping bonnet which provides for unmatched rear and all round visibility to the
operator, apart from a robust, solid and
functional dashboard for superior control.
Wirtgen India, an acknowledged
market leader in road construction
equipment, manufactures the Series 311
model soil compactor in its plant near
Pune. The Series 311 model, which is
Almost all leading global players are in fray in the Indian market
part of the well known Hamm range,

features a 3-point swivel joint for optimum driving comfort, hydrostatic steering, and offers optimum ease of maintenance. The heart of the 11-ton compactor is a powerful Cummins 4-cylinder
diesel engine. The machine also features a 3-point pendulum articulated
joint, which enables superior steering
characteristics and directional stability.
One more name that has made rapid inroads into the Indian market is Case
India. The company offers vibratory soil
compactor models Case 1107 DX, Case
1107 DX-D and Case 1107 DX-PD. Ideally suited for working in Indian conditions, all the models feature a powerful
105 hp engine. The vibratory soil compactors of Case India are designed for
better fuel efficiency, all round visibility
to the operator and optimum compaction at a fewer number of passes.

Liugong India has similarly, come
out with a vibratory soil compactor
model the CLG611H BSIII, designed
keeping in mind the unique working
conditions of India. The model features
a cab that offers better visibility and ergonomically placed controls for the
Large scale realty projects are also driving demand for soil compactors
161
demand expected to pick up in the next

few years on the back of continued
thrust being provided to road construction projects, the market could witness
the launch of several new models in the
near future.
Wide Choice
Going up: The demand for soil compactors is on the rise
operator. The 3-grade absorption rubber used in the model helps in reducing
the vibration felt by the operator.
Another top global player that offers
vibratory soil compactors in India. The
Cat vibratory soil compactors offer high
compaction performance, speed and
gradeability and are available in the
operating weight range of 7240kg to
18843kg. They offer compaction width
ranging from 1676mm to 2134mm. The
gross power of the models ranges from
75 kW to 130 kW.
Volvo CE is one more top global
player in fray. The company's soil compactors are designed for varied applications such as in highways, utilities,
water retention structures and large residential, commercial and industrial site
preparation. Models on offer from the
company include the SD70, SD110,
SD160 and SD200, with capacity ranging from 5 Tons to 15 plus Tons.
Some other significant players in the
field include names such as Escorts
Construction Equipment (ECEL) which
offers vibratory soil compactors in the
capacity range 10 Ton to 12 Ton. With
Today the Indian contractor has a wider choice of compaction equipment to choose
162
While the recent times may have

been tough on construction equipment
manufacturers, the industry still is brimming with optimism. This is particularly
true in the case of road building machinery manufacturers since there have
been signals of spurt in road construction activities. In the case of vibratory soil
compactors, the demand is also coming from other areas such as large integrated residential townships and commercial building projects. This apart,
their need in other areas such as in the
case of airport runway construction. With
the emphasis on strict quality standards
to be maintained by road contractors,
the use of soil compaction equipment
is bound to increase in the near future.
With the government expected to come
out with steps to ensure fiscal prudence
and influx of fresh funds into infrastructure development, the pace of award of
road projects is expected to pick up
pace this year.
With competition becoming intense
manufacturers too are faced with challenges to innovate. The entry of several
global leaders in the field is a welcome
development, since it brings in latest
technology into the market. A good
example is available in the form of compaction measurement tools that are
now available for both soil, as well as
asphalt compaction equipment. Similarly, a lot of thought is being put into
operator comfort in order to improve
productivity of the machines. These
trends could mean that the next market
battles could be fought over technologies, rather than only price. All these
developments bode well for the Indian
customer who now has a wider choice.
With major players having gained a
solid presence in the Indian market, the
next few years could see them further
consolidating their position by bringing
out newer models.
Metal Roofing
Metal Roofing Systems:

The Preferred Choice
Sonjoy Deb, B.Tech,
Civil Associtate Editor
or years now, metal has been proclaimed throughout the

industry as the most versatile roofing material available.
Proponents sing the praises of metal: its strong, long
lasting, low-maintenance, recyclable, predictable and reliable
nature. Metal roofing also lends itself well to many design
elements currently used in todays architecture. Hips, valleys,
slope changes, transitions and dormers are all available to
the designer.
With metal roofing gaining ground as the roof of choice for
many commercial and industrial buildings, it is important that
owners know the benefits and downfalls of metal roofing
systems. Before making the choice to go with a new metal roof
system, many factors that will aid in helping one to choose the
right type of metal roofing for building must be considered.
Types of Metal Roofing
Metal roofing can be broken down into two main classifications
(A) Hydro-kinetic (B) Hydro-static
(A) Hydro-kinetic metal roofing:

Such roof systems are typically known as architectural style
metal panel systems. These systems are water shedding,
similar to the function of asphalt shingles, and do not
provide any structural integrity to the building. Hydro-kinetic
metal panel roof systems require moderate to steep slope
applications, and typically have a solid substrate, such as a
wood deck to provide stability to the system. A waterproofing
underlayment is installed beneath the panels to deter water
infiltration into the facility. The metal panels for these types of
systems can be purchased in many shapes and sizes, from
many different seam profiles, to metal roofing that resembles
shingles, tiles, and/or slate.
(B) Hydro-static metal roofing:
Hydro-static roof panels are a completely sealed panel system
that can add structural integrity to the building structure. In
many applications, these types of metal roofing panels act as
Metal Roofing
to environmental concerns. These two issues are influencing

demand for field-applied roof coatings that deliver cool roofs
for energy savings as well as sustainability. Three industry
programs are leading this trend Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating system,
Energy Star, and California Title 24
Newly Designed Coatings for Metal Roofs
One of the latest coatings designed for metal roofs are zincrich metal roof primers that improve adhesion of finish coatings
while encapsulating rust and inhibiting the development of
new rust.
both the waterproofing and roof deck structure, spanning from
joist to joist with no underlaying support. Due to the water-tight
integrity of this type of metal panel installation, these systems
can be installed on lower sloping structures. These panel
systems can also be exposed fastener, or concealed fastener
systems, with a variety of different seam profiles.
Both the above variety of metal roofing comes in any of the
Copper / Aluminium/ Zinc/ Steel / Titanium / Tin / Stainless
Steel / Galvanised Steel / Alloys metal.
Coating on Metal Roof
The Need for Coatings- Metal roofing systems with original
factory-applied coatings will experience coatings degradation
due to weathering and are recoated with an appropriate
maintenance coating to restore and extend the life of the
roof. Uncoated metal roofing systems experience galvanic
corrosion and are also candidates for roof lifecycle extension
by being coated with a corrosion-inhibiting coating system.
White reflective coatings have the added benefit of a cool
roof for energy savings.
Factors Influencing Current Demand for Metal Roof Coatings :
Energy shortages are driving the need for energy savings, and
the building industry is also experiencing a greater sensitivity
Polyurea is a relatively new two-component coating technology

that is well suited to metal roofing. It also has good elongation
and a high tensile strength, i.e., about 1,500 pounds per square
inch (psi) compared to 200 psi to 400 psi for other coatings.
Polyurea also results in a harder surface than other types of
coatings, so rain will wash dirt off the hard surface relatively
easily; it is easy to keep clean. Another new technology is
based on fluoropolymer coatings, such as Kynar, which promise
high reflectivity, durability, and excellent cleanability
Type of Substrate for Roof Coating & Type of Coatings:
Both factory-applied coated metal roofing systems and
uncoated metal roofing systems are ideal candidates for
roof coating restoration, including steel, aluminum, and
galvanized metal systems. An adhesion test is recommended
prior to coating. Some factory-applied metal finishes, such as
Kynar-500 and some coatings such as silicone, are surfaces
to which acrylic products may not adhere well, and a different
solution may be more appropriate. While acrylic coatings are
growing in popularity due to their environmentally friendly
attributes, polyurethane, silicone, and polyurea are used for
certain applications. Typically four products are used in a
metal roof coating system a cleaner, a metal roof primer, a
flashing grade sealant, and a finish coating.
Preferred Method of Applying Coating to Metal Roofs :
Typically four steps are needed to properly coat a metal roof.
Metal Roofing
because of the materials own heat and temperature. A top

quality roof coating both reflects infrared and UV of the sun
and emits absorbed heat. A white or light cool roof reduces
air-conditioning costs and stress on the roofing system and
can extend the life of the roof.
Panel Installation Procedure:- Panel installation method is
provided by each manufacturer separately, however for the
benefit of the reader method of installation as provided by
Valley Rolling metal roofing is briefely mentioned below.
Panel Installation - Panels should be started at the end of
the building, opposite from the direction of prevailing wind.
Suggested minimum overhang is 2 and minimum pitch is
3/12. For pitches less than 3/12, sealant is suggested. Girt
spacing should be no more than 36 for siding application,
and purlin spacing should be no more than 24 for roof
application.
Cutting and Drilling Steel Panel - Steel panels may be cut with
metal snips, electric or pneumatic shears, a portable profile
shear, or an electric nibbler. Some installers prefer using a
circular saw to cut metal panels. Refer Figure below.
Screw Placement - Generally, 1 screw fasteners are placed in
First, all loose coatings, heavy rust, debris, and fresh roof
cement must be removed, and the existing roof system must
be repaired such as replacing missing or loose fasteners
and metal panels as needed. Then the roof is power-washed
at 2000 psi with a cleaner, using an airless spray rig. Step two
is to prime the roof with a metal roof primer using an airless
spray gun followed by a wet film gauge to determine the
proper mil thickness has been applied. Step three involves
flashing fasteners, penetrations, seams, and lap joints with a
flashing grade sealant that can be brushed, rolled or extruded.
The final step is to apply the finish coating, using the airless
spray gun, followed by the wet film gauge to ensure proper
mil thickness. A typical dry mil thickness for the finish coating
is 18 to 25 dry mils, achieved in two to three coats. The
finished coating system serves as the top layer of the roofing
system. This is quite different from a paint film thickness of
approximately three dry mils
Effect of Coating Color on Temperature - White coatings offer
the highest reflectivity and emissivity, but other cool colors
have been introduced that are listed by the Cool Roof Rating
Council (CRRC). Reflectivity is the amount of solar energy a
roofing materials surface reflects. Emissivity is the amount
of absorbed energy a roofing material radiates from itself
the flat area of the panel at 24 on center, along the length of

the panel and next to each major rib approximately 1/2 from
the rib. If purlins are placed over 24 apart, stitching screws
are recommended on the lapping rib between the purlins.
Refer Figure below.
Lap Sealant - If roof pitch is less than 3/12, a side-lap sealant

is recommended. Caulk side-laps at the top of the rib. Seal
end laps across the width of both the top and bottom anels,
below the fasteners, and 1 to 2 above end of the overlap.
Refer Figure below.
Closure - 3 Closure strips are available in all panel profiles.
Metal Roofing
Woodfast (No.9)
1, 1 1/2,2,2 1/2,3
12 Hex Head
Panel to wood Studs (2x4, 2x6, etc)
Type S (No. 14)

1,1 1/2,2,2 1/2
5/16 Hex Head
Panel to Plywood (1/2, 3/4 5/8)
Stitch (No. 12) 3/4

1/4 Hex Head
Trim & Side Lap
Lap Tek (No.14) 7/8

Self Driller 5/6 Hex Head
Trim & Side lap
Tek (No. 12) 1, 1 1/4, 2, 2

1/2 Self Driller 5/16 Hex Head
Panel to metal purlin or decking
Closures are recommended under the ridge cap, endwalls

and panels at the eave, unless ridge venting is utilized. Silicone
caulking is applied to the top and bottom of the closure, and
will assist in keeping closures in place. Refer Figure below.
Benefits of Metal Roofing

The choice to install a metal roofing systems on your building
comes with many benefits. The following is a summary of
pros that a building owner can expect from choosing to install

a new metal roofing system:
- Metal roofing is very durable. Manufacturer warranties
range from 20 to 50 years for defects, and warranties
range on average from 20 to 25 years on the coating
finish.
- Because metal roofing is non-combustible, most roofing
applications receive a Class A fire rating. Ratings may
be lowered if the metal roofing systems is installed over
existing wood and other combustible substrate.
- Metal roofing can be selected in a variety of colors, shapes,
and sizes for pleasing building aesthetics.
- Minimal maintenance and upkeep is required for the
performance and long term integrity of a metal roofing
system. This leads to a low life-cycle cost analysis of
expenses pertaining to the systems over a metal roofs life
span. Additionally, concealed fastener type systems hide
the fasteners and clips that secure each panel.
- Metal roof systems reflect more of the suns radiant heat
than conventional asphalt based roofing components.
This leads to decreased heat loads that get transferred
into the building. Annual cost savings on heating and
cooling expenses can be 20 to 40 percent, depending on
application. Lighter metal panel colors can reflect up to
20% of additional radiant solar heat.
- Metal roofing systems are more capable to handle the
expansion and contraction caused by daytime heating
and evening cooling temperatures.
- These systems can be installed with ease and in certain
applications, can be installed directly over existing roofing
components.
Metal Roofing
- Concealed fastener type systems hide the fasteners and

clips that secure each panel.
- Metal roof systems are typically lighter in weight compared
to conventional asphalt roof components.
Demerits of Metal Roofing:Just as metal roofing adds plenty of benefits and positives
to the facility on which they are installed , several cons are
related to certain metal panel systems:
- Metal roofing is typically more costly to install that conventional asphalt based roofing components. A complete
life cycle cost analysis of the initial investment, and recurring
expenditure anticipated over the life of the system, should
be calculated prior to investing in a metal roof system.
- Exposed fastener systems require regular maintenance to
protect the seals where the fasteners penetrate the metal

roof panels.
- Increase in noise from rain on certain applications.
- Possible condensation at metal panels if not insulated
properly and/or voids are created in insulation exposing
metal panel system to interior conditioned air.
Conclusion
As a building owner, metal roof systems are just a few choices
of many for the building. Pros and cons of each system, along
with up front and life cycle costs should be analysed, as well
as aesthetics and future plans for the building before making
decisions on which roof system will be right for the particular
application.
Reference
-
-
-
-
-
http://www.structuretec.com
http://roofcoatings.org
http://www.mbci.com
http://www.classicmetalroofingsystems.com
http://www.valleyrolling.com
Perfect Combination of
Aesthetics and Durability
ulticolor Steels is an acknowledged industry leader in the

field of metal roofing, wall cladding systems, pre-engineered buildings (PEB) and a variety of insulated
sandwich panels, catering to the needs
of varied industries. The company offers
comprehensive solutions ranging from
174
design, manufacture, installation to completion. As a company with a strong R &

D focus, it has been a frontrunner in the
industry when it comes to introducing
innovative products. Latest in its line of
innovation is MULTISTAR PEB, the first
time that a company has come up with
the concept of designer PEBs.
What Makes MULTISTAR PEB Different?

So, what gives MULTISTAR PEB the
competitive edge, one may ask. The
answer lies in the fact that it offers the
perfect combination of aesthetics and
long- lasting performance. With this
PEB solution, the company has proved
that pre-engineered buildings need not
Louvers
be dull and drab affairs. Several factors

are behind this unbeatable combination of good looks and durability.
Firstly, the company offers 20 different types of roofing profiles. The amazing variety of shades on offer is every
architect's delight. Whether it is wall
claddings, roofing components or fas-
cia, designers can let their imagination

run riot and come up with mind-boggling
variety of eye-catching designs.
Apart from the focus on aesthetics,
a lot of focus has been on making PEBs
long-lasting and durable. This has been
achieved through some strong R & D
focus. All the different components,
such as the wall claddings and roof systems are screwless. Not only does it
add to the good looks but also ensures
no corrosion, apart from easier installation. The different types of wall claddings are also made up of technologically advanced corrosion resistant material such as Zam. This ensures that the
PEB structure's longevity.
The company offers several types
of screwless roofing systems including, (a) Standing seam lock, (b) Clip
lock and (c) Screwless tile roof, which
offer flexibility to architects and engi-
neers to try out a variety of designs when

it comes to PEBs.
The company offers an entire gamut
of services, right from conceptualization to specifications development,
design, engineering, manufacture, supply and installation of PEBs. Its highly
competent team utilizes modern design
software tools like Tekla and MBS to
come out with outstanding PEB solutions.

White House, 1/18-20,
Rani Jhansi Road, New Delhi - 110055.
Ph:+91-11-30511200,
Fax: +91-11-23513660,
E-mail: enquiry@multicolorsteel.com
Web: www.multicolorsteel.com
175
High-Speed Fold-Up Doors for

Industrial and Commercial Buildings
andhi Automations is considered a pioneer and an industry

leader in the field of entrance
automation systems and loading bay
equipment in India. The company
offers a wide range of products including, high speed industrial doors, sectional overhead doors, dock levelers &
dock shelters, aircraft hangar doors &
shipyard doors, motorized rolling shutters, tail lifts & scissor lifts and boom
barriers & gates. One of its top products is Traffic- High Speed fold-up door
with modular sections that is ideally
suited for industrial and commercial
buildings.
Salient features of Traffic- High
Speed fold-up doors include:
Sturdy, dependable and modular-the
ideal solution for medium and large
entrances
Fast moving functional and reliable
doors are what are needed in industrial
and commercial contexts. Traffic highspeed fold-up doors, are versatile and
solid ensuring long-lasting reliability. The
modular structure of the curtains,
assembled and joined by anodized alu-
minium extrusions, provides for a wide

range of polyester sections, and is
available in a variety of colours.
Wide, full-width window panels ensure
safer traffic and allow more light in
Their fast and easy replacement, in
case of accidental tearing, will save
money and time.
The alternating metal tubular structure there inserted ensure traffic high
wind-resistance.
Traffic doors are the ideal solution
for external entrances and effectively
operate in any situation, even when
strong winds are blowing, and in rooms
with high volume traffic.
Sturdy and dependable, traffic is
the intelligent door for medium and large
entrances.
Functional and cost-effective
Traffic is composed of a flexible curtain with modular sections inserted in
rugged, metal tubular structures. Curtain modularity allows for various arrangements either to suit different applications, or replace possible tearing or damage due to accidental crashes. Traffic
shows great versatility in that it can be
realized by joining flexible, blind sections with one or more wide transparent
PVC ones. Curtains are available in
their standard versions as well as in
strengthened versions, according to
different wind-resistance requirements.
Easy and quick installation
The crosspiece mounted over the
sturdy uprights, makes the installation of
the door easier. All transmission mechanisms are housed and shielded there.
Quick polarized wiring ensures quick
and accurate electric connections.
High safety and reliability
High Speed Fold Up Doors
176
Traffic sturdy, integrated structure can

withstand extremely heavy workloads.
High Speed Fold Up Doors
Its infrared photocells, located on the

uprights, ensure high safety standards.
On the safety edge a self-controlled
photocell device or a pressure-switch,
electro pneumatic system can be installed to activate the immediate reverse
of the curtain movement in case of contact with an obstacle. It is provided in
aluminium extrusion with a rubber
ledge and this is the standard version,
also suitable for all other DITEC doors.
High Performance Motor
The Modular counterweight balancing system with strong traction belts
enables the motor to work with minimum working stress. Moreover, the
counterweights ensure the curtain
safety holdback. The Emergency lock
release, available on both sides of the
door, provides for semi-automatic reopening of the curtain by releasing the
counterweight system.

Gandhi Automations Pvt Ltd
2nd Floor, Chawda Commercial Centre
Link Road, Malad (W,) Mumbai 400064.
Ph: +91-22- 66720200, Fax: +91-22-66720201
E-mail: sales@geapl.co.in
Web: www.geapl.co.in
Roofing: Shingles
Roof Shingles:
The Durable Alternative
MB Bureau Report
orld demand for roofing materials is forecasted to grow at

3.7 percent annually through
2016 to 11.8 billion square meters. Market gains are typically expected in developing areas like China and India. The
roofing industry in India is driven by
growth in the construction industry. Rise
in disposable incomes and willingness
to spend on better roofing standards due
to rising aesthetic sense among consumers has increased demand for highquality roofing materials like shingles.
Roof shingles are roof coverings
that are flat and rectangular shaped
arranged over the roof area in overlapping manner. The materials are laid in
rows from the bottom to the edge way
up into the top of the roof. Over 90% of
178
residential roofs in USA are with shingles, and they are being increasingly
perceived as high-quality roofing material in China and Asia Pacific.
Types of Shingles
Roofing shingles are of many types
such as asphalt, metal, wood and concrete. The latest to venture into the market are solar shingles.
Asphalt Shingles
Asphalt shingles are the most popular of shingles due to their relatively easy
installation and low cost. They are also
lighter and resistant to high-wind situations like storms and winter weather.
Another advantage of these shingles is
their availability in a wide variety of de-
signs and colors. Asphalt shingles have

a long life span and are suitable for virtually all sloped roof pitches, from shallow rise to vertical.
There are two types of asphalt based
shingles - the organic shingles and the
fiberglass shingles. For organic shingles, they are mostly made of waste
paper soaked in asphalt to make it
water proof. Then adhesive asphalt is
coated, and after this application, ceramic granules are embedded.
Fiberglass based asphalt shingles
have become more common than paperbased shingle. These shingles are very
light in weight, and it is fire resistance.
The manufacturing process for fiber
glass asphalt shingles starts with a tough
reinforcing "membrane" or "fabric. The
Roofing: Shingles
membrane used in fiber glass shingles

is called a "mat." A mat is made of fiber
glass, a "mineral"-based material. Several materials are added to the reinforcing fabrics as the shingles are being
manufactured. Fiber glass shingles use
only the stabilized coating asphalt. Finely
pulverized minerals, called stabilizers
or filler, are added to the asphalt to give
the shingle more "body" and "toughness,"
which ultimately increase the life of the
shingle.
Metal Shingles
Metal shingles come in aluminum,
lead, copper, zinc and tin. Due to their
long life spans and resistance to hair,
fire and wind, metal shingles are more
popular in commercial buildings. Metal
shingle roofs will not chip, rot, or crack
due to harsh environmental conditions.
The shingles are also relatively easy to
install and can be installed right overtop the existing asphalt shingle roof.
Installation costs may be higher than
asphalt shingles, but it is justified by
their longer life spans. Coated with coolroof rated and energy star qualified
metal roofing colors, metal shingles are
considered to be more energy-efficient
than asphalt shingles. Aluminum is one
kind of metal shingle that has a long
life-span but the only disadvantage it
has is it is much more expensive than
other types of shingle materials.
Solar Shingles
Solar shingles look and are installed
similar to other shingles. Solar shingles
Asphalt shingles are the most popular of shingles due to their relatively easy installation and low cost
can also use as a backup source of

electricity. While solar shingles are a
relatively new concept, the emphasis
on energy conservation, energy efficiency, and sustainability is expected
to boost the demand for solar shingles
in the near future.
Dow Solar's Powerhouse solar shingle systems are being sold as part of a
three-part solar roofing system, which
includes an array of shingles, an inverter
and an energy monitoring system. Dow
uses a type of solar cells and design
that are quite different from the vast
majority of the solar panels that sit on
residential rooftops today. Instead of
using silicon cells, which are thicker
and could crack under heavy weight,
Dow opted for ultra-thin and more pli-
Due to their long life spans and resistance to hair, fire and wind, metal shingles
are more popular in commercial buildings
able cells made with a mix of copper,

indium, gallium and selenium (CIGS).
Global Solar Energy in Arizona is supplying the CIGS cells to Dow, which
then assembles them into shingles at
its factory in Michigan. A knotty problem that Dow had to solve involved hiding the electrical wires for connecting
the shingles to one another. The wires
must fit within the thin profile of the shingles or else the solar shingles will stick
out next to the regular shingles. Dow
buried the wires within each shingle
and created a connector at each end to
string the shingles together.
Landmark Solaris from CertainTeed
Roofing is a brilliant energy-saving
breakthrough that puts cool roof technology to work. Landmark Solaris is a
Solar shingles can also use as a backup source of electricity
179
Roofing: Shingles
nomical alternative, especially when

considering their life cycle cost. Modern concrete tile designs can simulate
the appearance of traditional clay tiles,
wood shake, slate and stone. Like clay,
concrete tile surfaces can be textured
or smooth, tile edges can be uniform or
ragged, and architects may select tiles
of all one color, blended colors or combinations of two or more shades placed
in a uniform or random pattern. Lightweight concrete tiles are also available
in some regions of the country for reroofing applications where the roof
structure is insufficient to support standard weight concrete tiles.
Wood Shingles/ Cedar Shingles
Concrete roof tiles most often last the lifetime of a house
steep-slope, solar reflective asphalt

roofing shingle, which contains advanced
colored granules that reflect the sun's
rays and can reduce a roof's temperature by as much as 20% in the summer.
As an advanced hybrid roofing material, Landmark Solaris combines the
traditional beauty of asphalt shingles
with the ecological benefits of cool-roof
technology.
Concrete Shingles
Concrete roof tiles most often last
the lifetime of a house. These are Class
A fire rated and resistant to damage
from hail and high winds, typically achieving a minimum of a Class 3 hail resistance rating. Concrete tiles can sustain
winds in excess of 125 miles per hour
that would strip off most other roofing
materials. Testing has also shown concrete tile roofing systems, when installed according to building code standards, exceed current seismic load
requirements for building materials.
Concrete tiles have grown more competitive in price, due in part to the rising
costs of petroleum based products
such as asphalt shingles. Concrete
roof tiles offer an affordable and eco-
Resistance to rot is one of the most important properties to consider when

using wood shingles and shakes
180
The texture and colour of the wood

shingles and shakes has the ability to
create an individual building and enhance
unusual properties. They are also light in
weight, have a low rate of expansion and
contraction, and have the added benefit of being easy to install and maintain.
Wood shingles and shakes can
have high natural durability. Resistance
to rot is one of the most important properties to consider when using wood
shingles and shakes. However, erosion
may occur due to weathering, and therefore, it is necessary to protect them for
effectiveness and longevity. But using
good-quality wood shingles and shakes,
and installing them correctly, should result in a roof covering that will last over
20 years. In some cases, with preser-
Slate shingles are one of most popular shingles due to its

aesthetics and durability
Roofing: Shingles
Rubber Shingles are the newest type of material to be used in roofing
vative treated shingles and shakes, this

can be increased up to 40 years.
Slate Shingles
Although expensive, slate shingles
are one of most popular shingles due
to its aesthetics and durability. These
shingles are available in kinds of textures,
colors, features and styles. This makes
the slate roofing to be most sophisticated. They also provide better safety
against insects, fire and water rejection.
Rubber Shingles
These are the newest type of material to be used in roofing. It is equally
reliable with the usual roofing shingles
and also simulates the natural look off
traditional roof shingles. It is easy to install,
less expensive, resistant to fire, protects the roof from extreme elements
and is environmentally beneficial since
they are remodeled from used tires.
Market Scenario
As of 2011, roofing tiles covered an
area of 73 million square meter of roofing area in India. Concrete roofing is
the most popular form of roofing in India
accounting for 55% of roofing in the country while asphaltic roofing has only 0.70%.
However, the increase in the number of gated communities with villas and
bungalows and resorts is expected to
increase the market potential for shin-
182
gles in the country. Some of the global

leaders in the roofing shingles industry
who have a presence in India are GAF,
CertainTeed, IKO and Owens Corning.
CertainTeed entered into India in
2004. A Saint-Gobain company, Certain
Teed specializes in asphalt based roofing shingles that are waterproof, break
resistant, flexible and come with a lifetime warranty making them sustainable and innovative products. They are
suitable for retrofitting too. CertainTeed's
Landmark Solaris range of roofing shingles can reduce roof temperatures up
to 20% in summers. Solar reflectivity
and Thermal Emissivity values attained
by Landmark Solaris shingles have accorded it Energy Star certification. Another significant advantage of Landmark
Solaris shingles is that it substantially
reduces the 'heat island' effect.
Roofing Options in India and their
Respective Market Shares
Asbestos Fiber Cement Sheets
10.50%
Corrugated Galvanized Iron
13.50%
Color Coated Metal Sheets
0.40%
Aluminium Corrugated Sheets
0.50%
Asphaltic Roofing
0.70%
Red Mud Plastic
0.10%
PVC
1.70%
Reinforced Concrete Cement
55.00%
Clay Tiles
17.60%
Mumbai based, Shibam Ventures is

an authorized distributor and installer
of GAF in India. The company's shingle
for pitched roofs is waterproof and gives
a beautiful finish to the roof. The product adapts with technical efficiency and
aesthetically to all roofs, from a 20%
slope to a vertical surface. The shingles
are resistant against fire, atmospheric
aggressions (heavy rain, sudden temperature changes) and snow load. The
product is available in a varied weatherresistant colour range. This maintenance-free product has adhesive points
among sheets that guarantee resistance to the wind.
Made to Australian Standards,
Boral terracotta and concrete tiles are
manufactured to withstand harsh climatic conditions and marine environments. All Boral roof tiles are salt-safe
and frost resistant, making them suitable for any location, including coastal
areas. The extensive range and unique
design of individual tile profiles mean
enhanced flexibility in roof design to
complement a wide range of architectural styles and specifications. The density of tiles helps reduce external sound,
such as aircraft and road noise and particularly rain and hail. A tiled roof has a
sound reduction potential of 30 decibels compared to only 12 decibels for
steel sheeting. Further, there is none of
the creaking that come with the expansion and contraction of steel. Terracotta
and concrete roof tiles are non-combustible materials and proven performers in the face of fire, providing superior
protection against radiant heat from
bushfires.
The life of shingles is contingent on
following the installation instructions
provided by the manufacturer, which
can be different from one manufacturer
to another. The main criteria are proper
ventilation, underlayment and installation procedures. While the quality of
fasteners, clip-on systems, hardware
fixings and trimmings has increased
considerably allowing easy and seamless installation of shingles with the
least on-site time, manufacturers also
provide training, support and guidance
to their dealers and distributors.
SOLAR SHINGLES:
The Sun is Shining on the Solar Shingles Market

MB Bureau Report
he roof these days is expected to

do a lot more than just give shelter, the purpose it was originally
intended for. Today, there is technology
available that helps roofs to minimize
heat intrusion into buildings. Similarly,
the roof has also become integral in
generating electricity. Thanks to the
advances in photovoltaic technology,
almost any rooftop can be now converted into a solar power generator. As
newer technologies arrive, the roof,
while still looking like a roof is now able
to generate energy. Solar panels were
the first to arrive followed by solar shingles or solar tiles that have followed.
The arrival of thin film solar shingles has
revolutionized the rooftop solar energy
generation. While leading brands of solar
shingles may have been launched just
186
recently in the market, their story goes

dates back to the late 1990s. The
U.S.Office of Solar Technologies first
tried out an installation in an environmental center in Atlanta. The problem
with the early solar shingles was that of
low conversion efficiency. They were
barely able to manage a conversion
efficiency of about 10%. This was until
breakthroughs were made using other
types of material. In 2008, the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Lab came up with a thin-solar cell
made up of copper indium gallium
selenide(CIGS) which offered almost
20% conversion. This threw open the
door for further developments in the
field. Rapid strides have been made by
some leading companies in this specialized area. Good examples can be
found in the form of Dow and CertainTeed, a subsidiary of Saint-Gobain that

now offer commercially branded solar
shingles.
Looks & Installation
Two key factors have been behind
the success of solar shingles- aesthetics and relative ease of installation. Aesthetics has always been considered an
area of weakness for traditional solar
panels. Bulky panels which hovered
above rooftops are also considered
difficult to install, as compared to solar
shingles. The lightweight of solar shingles is another plus. The commercially
available solar shingles are usually 12
by 86 inches (300 by 2, 200mm) in size
and can be fitted directly on to the roof.
What this means is no structural rein-
forcement is required. Each solar shingle module weighs about 10 pounds

and can be easily installed. The best
part is that because of their deep, darkpurplish colour they mingle seamlessly
with the surrounding asphalt roof shingles, one of the major reasons for their
rising popularity. Their working mechanism is also quite easily explained. The
photovoltaic power is produced in the
form of direct current (DC). An inverter
converts this into alternating current (AC),
since homes are designed for the latter.
Big Names in Fray
The biggest name in solar shingles
is undoubtedly Dow's "Powerhouse" line.
The company has been offering shingles that are known to generate 12 watts
per square foot. It introduced the product line in 2010 before a wider rollout in
2011. The solar shingles system from the
company is designed in such a manner
that excess electricity that is generated
is supplied back to the grid. The Dow
Powerhouse system uses CIGS solar
cells. Reportedly, a typical cluster of
about 350 shingles could reduce household energy bills by as much as 50%60%. The product has been awarded
the 2012 Breakthrough Award for Innovation by Popular Mechanics. The product, which is backed by a 20 year performance warranty. Interestingly it has
been certified both as roofing, as well
as a solar product in the US.
The compact dimensions of Dow
Powerhouse solar shingles include a
reveal height of 10 inches; reveal width
of 22.8 inches and thickness of 0.5
inches. The solar shingles from the
company can be custom-designed to
merge with surrounding asphalt shingles. Ease of installation is ensured since
no on-roof wiring is required, and the
shingles can be nailed directly to the
roof deck just like traditional asphalt
shingles. According to the company,
which is a global leader in plastics, it
has designed the solar shingles with a
specially designed high transmission
tempered glass that can withstand sun
exposure, extreme temperatures, wind,
hail and other inclement weather. The
As compared to solar panels, solar shingles take lesser time to install
Dow Powerhouse system comes as a

total package that includes an inverter
for converting DC into AC power. Another well-thought-out feature of the system is a real time monitoring system that
enables homeowners to manage electricity usage in the best possible manner.
Another major player offering solar
shingles is CertainTeed. The company,
which is a market leader in building products and a subsidiary of Saint Gobain
offers the Apollo II line of solar shingles.
The grid-tied monocrystalline solar shingles blend perfectly with surrounding

asphalt shingles and offer energy efficiency similar to that of Dow Powerhouse. The solar shingles from CertainTeed are said to generate about 12 watts
of power per square foot.
CertainTeed says a typical installation will save homeowners 40%-70%
on their electric bills. Their Apollo products are available across the US but the
company recommends using one of
Solar shingles blend perfectly with surrounding roof tiles
187
It is only a matter of time before solar shingles hit sunny Indian shores
their authorized roofing contractors to

make sure they are installed properly. The
slim profile of the tiles means enables it
to offer an integrated look. The light
weight means that there is no need for
any structural reinforcement. The company has designed the shingles in
such a way that there is sufficient open
space beneath them that allows for
easy wiring and installation. It also helps
in avoiding pinching of wires between
the tiles and the roof deck. The system
also has to provision for incorporating
water channels, apart from having a
110 mph wind resistance rating.
Solar Panels vs Solar Shingles

The latest developments in the field
of Building Integrated Photovoltaic
(BIPV) systems are being watched
keenly in countries like India, where with
year-round sunny climate, they offer
excellent potential. However, solar shingles are yet to reach the shores of most
developing countries. In fact, their journey even in the case of the developed
countries has just started. The use of
solar panels though has been widespread in various parts of the world,
including India. Debates about the
Bulky solar panels are not going to go away anytime soon
188
effectiveness of solar shingles over

panels are still raging around the world.
Aesthetics is one area where solar
shingles score hands down. Speed of
installation is another area where shingles have an edge. For example, for a
typical household, while it takes about
24 to 30 hours for traditional solar panels to be installed, it hardly takes about
10 hours in the case of solar shingles.
This speed is significant since installation costs often constitute about 40%50% of the total cost of the system..
There is one area though, where solar
panels score over shingles. While solar
panels can be positioned in such a way
to receive optimum amount of sun's
radiation, in the case of solar shingles,
either the existing roof has to be at the
optimum angle or a new roof needs to
be built. Solar panels therefore, are considered a safer option if you are looking
for quicker return on investments. Plus,
they also need not be placed only on
the roof. Almost any part of the building
where sufficient sun rays fall, is ideally
suited for them, which is not the case
with shingles. Another factor that needs
to be taken into account when installing
solar shingles is significant heat intrusion. Since the shingles are placed directly over the roof, there are chances
of increase in temperature of the subsurface and subsequently heat intrusion
into the building.
How does one make the choice between the two then? For those who are
concerned about aesthetics or constructing a new house or ready to rebuild the roof, either partially or totally,
solar shingles are the ideal choice. For
all those looking for lower costs and
installing solar photovoltaic systems
on existing roofs, then solar panel systems make for a more practical choice.
What this means is that solar panels
are not going to disappear anytime
soon. However, with further advances
in technology which could further simplify requirements for installation, and
mass production, which could bring
down prices, solar shingles could well
replace solar panels completely, over a
period of time.
Saint-Gobain: A world leader in the

habitat and construction market designs
stablished in 1665 in France, the

Saint-Gobain group has around
200,000 employees in 64 countries and a sales turnover of 32 billion
Euros. It is one of the top 100 industrial
corporations in the world and a global
leader in the habitat and construction
market designs, providing innovative
and sustainable solutions. The Group has
four main sectors, namely construction
products, innovative materials, building
distribution and packaging and is a leading player in each of its businesses.
Saint-Gobain in India has eight companies, and this includes Glass & Grindwell Norton in innovative material's sector and Gypsum & Weber in construction products sector. The group places
great emphasis on developing its businesses and strengthening its presence
in the Indian market. There have been
continued investments in India to fuel
growth and provide state of art products to its customers.
Market for Shingles in India and role of
Saint-Gobain in creating this market
Saint-Gobain, through CeratinTeed,
its group company from USA is the pioneer and has been championing the
concept of Shingles in the Indian mar-
ket. A Shingle is a composite material,

made up of fiberglass reinforced, high
grade, mineral-stabilized asphalt mats,
which are overlaid with high strength
ceramic coated granules. It is about 4mm
thick and applied on sloping roofs of
concrete slabs or wooden decks. SaintGobain has been promoting the product through a nationwide product awareness drive, interacting with architects, builders and other influencers.
Saint-Gobain CertainTeed - The brand
and its history in India
Saint-Gobain CertainTeed is a leading manufacturer of roofing shingles
and exterior building products in the
USA. It has a legacy of over 100 years
and is one of the most respected brands
in the US, noted for its quality and customer satisfaction.
CertainTeed entered India in 2004
and is the market leader by far, holding
lion share in roofing shingles market.
Recognized for its advantages and
stunning aesthetic appeal, it is fast becoming one of the most preferred options
for sloped roofs. With over 10 million Sqft.
roofing application spanning all building segments, Saint-Gobain CertainTeed
is the only brand with a full-fledged
company base, office and personnel in

strategic locations across India. Recently, with the introduction of 'Vinyl wall
cladding system', CertainTeed is set to
reach new heights in the coming years
in the Indian construction arena.
The Product Range
Saint-Gobain has been promoting
its CertainTeed brand of roofing shingles from 2003 /04, through a nationwide product awareness drive, interacting with architects, builders and
other influencers. Over the years roofing shingles have seen a considerable
amount which has encouraged us to
introduce newer models and designs
into the Indian market. In the initial years
only a couple of models (with limited
colour range) were available as the
major diver for shingles was economy." The growing awareness and the
proof of performance in the toughest of
conditions across India, has created a
demand for better models with higher
warranties and specific tastes. The
Landmark AR range was soon introduced owing to its wide colour range
and more importantly its algae resistance and has since become our primary product range.
India and in particular, Kerala being
a unique market which has one of the
most diverse of Buying Power has
prompted us to introduce a wide array
of models catering to various price
points. This offers the customer a wider
choice and greater flexibility.
Some of the newer ranges of shingles
to be introduced are:
-
190
The 'Max Definition' colour series in

the 'Landmark' range which have
deeper hues and more contrast in
their colour spread.
The 'Presidential Shake and Presidential TL' series with a unique cross
cut patter designed to offer a woodshake appearance and available in
5mm and 10mm thick variants
The 'Grand Manor' series. The heaviest shingles in the range with a
unique shadow line design and random tabs meant to offer a Slate
like appearance.
The 'Landmark / Presidential' Solaris range. An energy star rated
solar reflective shingle with special
cooling granules which can bring
down the roof temperature by 25% 40% and thereby reducing energy
costs.
Application and Training

Following the correct application
protocol is the hallmark of a successful
project. A certain level of expertise is
required for application of CertainTeed
shingles. Saint-Gobain CertainTeed has
a well-trained dealer cum applicator
network across India. This necessitates for training to be a top priority. A
dedicated product manager and a
team of application engineers provide
refresher training to our dealer cum
applicators to ensure they are on par
with our quality standards. A trainingcalendar which has a combination of
classroom, and onsite training programs are carried out regularly to ensure that the applicators are constantly
updated, and the customers get the
actual benefit from this exercise.
The Green Initiative Solar Reflective
Shingles
Since its entry into India, CertainTeed
is on the path of setting a novel trend in
green, sustainable, lightweight construction materials for roofing. CertainTeed's
manufacturing plants are all located in
United States. The U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency has chosen
CertainTeed from more than 12,000
organizations for the prestigious Energy
Star award for Excellence. It is in recognition for leadership in energy management and reductions in greenhousegas emissions. CertainTeed is also
accredited by various green building
officialdoms like the US and Canadian
Green building councils. Several of its
products are energy star rated and also
Green Circle certified.
The Landmark Solaris range of roofing shingles from CertainTeed offer a
brilliant energy-saving breakthrough
that puts cool roof technology to work.
These roofing shingles can reduce a
roof's temperature by as much as 20%
in the summer.
The cooling of roofs happens due
to the advanced roofing granules used
by CertainTeed. They reflect solar infrared rays that are the source of heat gain
in the roofs. Solar reflectivity and thermal emissivity values attained by Landmark Solaris shingles have accorded it
Energy Star certification. Furthermore,
this product is endorsed by Cool Roof
Rating Council (CRRC) and also qualifies for credits/points in LEED, NAHB
and other "Green" programs. The reflective technology reduces Thermal
Shock, the expansion and contraction
of exterior building materials.
Another significant advantage of
Landmark Solaris shingles is that it substantially reduces the 'Heat Island' effect.
Generally, cities and suburbs have air
temperatures up to 10 degrees higher
than surrounding areas. Elevated sum-
mertime temperatures in these developed areas produce 'Heat Islands,

which are detrimental to human health
and the environment. The higher temperatures in these areas are due to displaced trees and vegetation, heating
up of the air trapped between buildings,
which reduce airflow and the waste
heat from vehicles and air conditioners,
which add warmth to air. There are two
primary strategies for mitigating heat
islands. They are by increasing vegetative cover and installing alternative roofing materials such as Landmark Solaris
shingles.
The other green products of
CertainTeed in India include Vinyl Sidings, an exterior wall cladding material
made of uPVC which also comes with a
lifetime colour-fade warranty and
'CoolStar', a membrane to be applied
on flat roof's which is waterproof as well
as solar reflective, contributing to significant LEED points. CertainTeed's green
commitments stretch even to resource
conservation in the manufacturing process. About 90% of the production waste
gets recycled. The packing needs are
met by recycled materials. These are
small steps in a big world, but to have
green thinking and growing is a commitment for CertainTeed every day.
Grindwell Norton Limited
Devanahalli Road, Via. OLD Madras Road,
Bangalore - 560049, India
Ph:+91-80-28472900-4,
Fax: +91-80-28472524,
Email: info@certainteed.com
Web: www.certainteed.com
Leading Roofing Shingle Manufacturers / Distributors Featured in This Edition
TRGINTERNATIONAL
SAINT-GOBAIN
Grindwell Norton Limited
Shibam Ventures & Building Materials (P) Ltd.
TRG International
Building Products & Solutions, 100 years in

Manufacturing Quality Roofing Products and Solutions
Authorized Importer and Distributor of GAF Roofing

Shingles for India
Authorized Distributor & Applicator of Designer

Roofing Shingles from Saint Gobain USA
Refer Page No.: 177
Refer Page : 181
Refer Page No.: 189
To know more on the products offered by the leading brands featured above write to: masterbuilderads@gmail.com
191
Pre-Engineered Construction in India:

A Way Forward!
he Indian Construction Industry

has witnessed a growth trajectory quite comparable to the development of the overall economic infrastructure of the country. The Indian PreEngineered Steel Buildings (PEB) market is experiencing robust growth fuelled
by infrastructure development and the
increasing popularity of PEB systems
in the industrial sector. Sectors such as
automotive, power, logistics, Pharma,
FMCG, and capital goods provide huge
growth opportunity for PEB in India.
While initially there was a big need
for construction of basic infrastructure
post-independence, the available technology at that time and strong British
legacy inculcated fascination with concrete and stone structures, symbolizing
strength of presence and permanence.
Over time, the need of the hour
evolved to a need 'within the hour' where
turnaround time and scalability have
become important for construction
across micro and macro projects for
private, corporate and institutional use.
This need-gap has been filled by preengineered steel structures. The erstwhile new and cost intensive concept in
India has now become a widely accepted
solution with proven benefits for construction in the Indian environment.
192
It has been an interesting journey

for the PEB industry over the last almost
three decades in terms of observing
the changing trends in the Indian construction industry. There have been times
when pre-engineered solutions were
not much in demand, but, gradually
with the due course of time, people are
becoming more aware and inclined
towards it.
The greatest challenge for prefabricated and pre-engineered buildings in
India is the perception shift from conventional construction to pre-engineered

steel structure. Though it's changing
over the years but the pace is still slow
and people are still not experimenting
that readily. People still tend to look at
the conventional methods of construction as the cheaper and the best method,
overlooking the long term benefits.
However, we are hopeful that just how
for the past decade, we have seen a
significant shift of industrial construction towards the pre-engineered steel
market, we will see in the coming time,
India infra and commercial projects shifting faster to pre-engineered structures.
Stemming from the PEB industry,
what is taking shape is the new Heavy
Engineering and larger Infrastructure
projects which is the next in line for the
infrastructural development of the
country. Projects like Airports, International terminals, power plants, ports
etc require heavy steel structures and a
different approach in comparison to
PEB. We see a wave which is likely to
become a trend soon, from here on, in
the Infrastructure division. Going with
our forecast, we, at Interarch, have
even set up a separate business division called 'Interarch Infrastructure'

which will only cater to the heavy structural needs and requirements. DAIL T3
is a good citation here.
Needless to say, the focus on the
Infrastructure in the 12th five year plan
is opening many doors for the development to take place at a fast pace. There
are investments happening in sectors
like retail, urban development, industrial, aviation, hospitality, as we speak.
Interarch has invest 150 Crore in
Gujarat and about 100 Crore in Tamil
Nadu, to set up another manufacturing
plant which will cater to the needs of
Southern region.
Thanks to the speedy progress of
the Metro rail system, the scope of PEB
is immense. Also, the increasing
emphasis on green building construction seems to be adding to the growth
of PEB in India. Many PEB manufacturers have developed high efficiency windows and insulation for roofs, walls,
ceilings & floors. The use of sky lights
and solar panels on rooftops will meet
daylight and captive power requirements, while, at the same time, reducing emissions and gaining carbon credits under clean development mechanism (CDM).
Many of the industry stakeholders
are scouting for adopting multiple business strategies such as venturing into
194
engineering design, project contracting, manufacturing heavy structural

steel buildings, and focusing on vertical integration whereas, merger &
acquisition strategy will support them
to grow inorganically and enable them
to broaden their geographic reach and
product portfolios.
The beauty of pre-engineered
building solution is its versatility across
sectors. This is further corroborated by
some of our projects wherein we have
had the privilege to work with some of
the most diverse set of construction
projects from agriculture, rural retail,
and healthcare to amusement parks. In
fact, many modern corporate parks
and commercial buildings are also now
turning to pre-engineered metal structures. The Reliance Corporate Park is
one such example. Being in the same
industry, I would also like to say that
housing construction spaces are also
getting fascinated by pre-engineered
constructions with customised solutions. Responses from private construction players has proven that the
precision and cost effective timelines
for delivery of PEB structures has led
to a higher level of demand over the
past few years.
Another vital aspect which works in
PEB's favour is the growing and much
needed thrust towards eco-friendly
construction. Metal building solutions
are inherently green products and have

a far smaller impact on the environment as compared to traditional brick
and mortar construction. The energy
efficient methods in producing steel
used for these structures, and the high
recycled content, help in substantially
reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Interestingly, even after demolition,
these buildings don't accumulate wastage like asphalt shingles, concrete,
brick and dust. The only by-product is
metal scrap which is 100% recyclable.
However, as I view the industry in
retrospect, I would term the current
period as a brand new opportunity for
Pre Engineered Buildings (PEB) and
Pre-Engineered Construction in India
with the new thrust on development of
infrastructure. PEB solutions are a perfect fit for large scale construction of
airports, ports, warehousing sites as
well as for power stations. The format of
these buildings as well as the required
timelines and quality of construction
are natural advantages. With the complete three sixty degree view of a building structure right from the engineering
to manufacturing at our plants and final
assembling at site, we have experienced great results within the infrastructure space.
The use of shade fabric is now also
being considered globally for energy
and water conservation. By blocking
up to 98% of harmful UV rays and radiant heat entering buildings, the use of
energy for air-conditioning can be
greatly reduced. Independent Australian
and USA research into the use of exterior window blinds has shown that can
reduce the cost of energy use for airconditioning up to 34 %. In Australia
shade protection on a number of rural
drinking water reservoirs significantly
reduced the loss of water through evaporation, reduced the growth of unwanted algae blooms, restricted animals &
birds access from contaminating the
water supply.

Interarch Building Products Pvt Ltd
E-mail: info@interarchbuildings.com
Web: www.interarchbuildings.com
Surya Thermex Rebars Launchee

Amidst Much Fanfare
urya Thermex Rebars - rolled out

of billets only - was officially
launched at a heavily-attended
conference venue in Mumbai on 27th
July 2013. Leading companies from the
field of construction, engineering,
structural /civil consultancy and contracting marked their presence at an
event which unveiled the first Surya
Thermex Rebar rolled at the company's
plant. The event also marked the official presentation of the Thermex Licence
to Surya Ferrous Alloys, amidst a resounding applause.
Surya Ferrous Alloys commissioned its bar mill in Wada, Sahapur
Road, District Thane in record 5 months.
The company is part of the Surya
Group, a 30-year old enterprise owned
and operated by the Garg family.
Besides rolling mills, the group has a
presence in the supply of raw material
for the secondary steel industry, ingot
manufacturing and induction units.
The USP of the plant is undoubtedly the installation of the latest Version
3 Thermex Quenching and Self-tem-
Raj Kumar Markan enthralls audiences with his

research on earthquakes and Indian rebar codes
pering system. The patented, German,

Thermex technology enjoys frontrunner status in the world for 'Quenching and Self-tempering' technology.
The technology enables production of
desired high-strength steel rebars that
meet all requirements of civil construction - yield strength ranging from 500MPa
or more, toughness, ductility, weldability
and excellent bend properties.
A sterling cast of industry professionals light the traditional Indian lamp at the official launch of Surya Thermex Rebars
196
Hanuman Prasad Garg, Chairman,

Surya Group was joined by a sterling
cast of industry professionals who
made the event special. G.R. Madan,
former Director of Mass Rapid Transit
System at MMRDA and currently
Principal Advisor - Projects to the Louis
Berger Group was the Chief Guest. The
key note speaker was Raj Kumar
Markan, who having spent over 50
years in the steel industry is considered
the father of Thermex in India. Presently
he is Chairman H&K Rolling Mill Engineers, Shailesh Bhandari, Managing
Director Electro-therm who has contributed immensely in designing and
developing metallurgical equipment also
addressed the packed conference hall.
G.R. Madan in his keynote congratulated Surya on joining the Thermex family. He said, I am delighted that yet
another rolling mill with modern and
relevant technologies has been commissioned. A large part of India falls
within seismic zones 3, 4 and 5, making
it imperative for steel rebars to have
high ductility. From the enlightening lectures on earthquakes that Mr. Markan
delivers, it is apparent that some of
India's top cities are built on fault lines.
Given this scenario we all will feel more
assured when high-strength, high-ductile
rebars with superior elongation values
of 18-25%, such as Surya Thermex
rebars, are used in structures.
Chief Guest, G. R. Madan, delivers the key note address
Amit Garg explains the superior qualities of Surya

Thermex rebars
Amit Garg, Director, Surya Ferrous

Alloys explained the quality control
measures adopted at the plant beginning with procurement of raw material
and concluding with re-bars that meet
the seismic requirements of India.
In his words: At every stage of the
manufacturing process we keep an
eye on quality. First our raw material is
sorted and graded so as to review its
quality. Sponge iron is procured from
multiple sources to ensure the least percentage of Sulphur and Phosphorous
content. Lollypop samples of the raw
material in its molten form are checked
in the spectrometer till we get the correct chemical composition. Only if the
Quality-in-charge signs the acceptance
report will the raw material in its molten
form proceed to the next stage where
essential alloys like Manganese, Silicon
and Aluminium are added.
Further, temperatures are checked
at all stages such as before pouring the
molten raw material into the ladle, before
casting, after casting, and finally when
the material reaches the roughing stand.
Mr. Bhandari noted: I am delighted
that Surya has opted for the best equipment available in the industry such as
Induction furnaces and caster from the

market leader, Electrotherm. Electrotherm furnaces are known in the industry for their efficient melting with the lowest power consumption coupled with a
rugged design and perfect after-sales
back up. The furnaces installed by us
are of the 24Pulse type that is the latest
in design and technology. Our caster HSMC - is already creating waves in the
market because of its high speed, sturdiness in design and features that have
been incorporated to assist hot billet
charging right from the word go.
Raj Kumar Markan delivered an
interesting presentation on destruction
caused by earthquakes globally as well
as on India's seismic vulnerabilities. In
his words: A lot is known about earthquakes, but a lot more needs to be
learnt. And unfortunately it is being
learnt the hard way. Earthquakes are
often described as natures' weapons
of mass destruction because earthquakes account for over 60% of deaths
caused by natural disasters. While it is
impossible to build structures that are
100% earthquake proof, one can
impart high ductility in rebars so that
they do not snap outright during an
earthquake, thus giving residents time
to escape the building instead of being
crushed to death.
In this connection I am happy to
note that Surya has installed the latest
Version 3 Thermex system at its plant.
The design improvements brought
about in the Version 3 systems enable
improved heat transfer for more precise properties in the rebars. Thermex
systems are installed worldwide ranging from Asia, Australasia, Europe,
Russia, Africa, Americas, and the Indian

sub-continent. The common aim of all
these systems is to meet the civil industry demand for high-strength bars (YS
ranging from 520 to 620N/mm2) with
excellent ductility (Stress ratio ranging
from 1.15 to 1.3 and elongation ranging
from 18 25%).
He concluded: Properties of a
Thermex 500 grade rebar exceed
those defined in the Indian Standard
and in fact meet international standards. This explains the success of the
Thermex technology worldwide, with
close to 200 Thermex installations in
the Indian sub-continent alone.
To accurately determine the yield
strength of its bars, Surya has installed
a state-of-the-art laboratory equipped
with an electronic universal testing machine with NABL accredited Extensometer. Thermex quality auditors visit
each of their installations twice every
year to review the status of the proprietary Thermex equipment as well as to
test the rebars.
All of the above mentioned quality
control measures adopted by Surya
ensure the following results:
-
Savings of up to 20% in the usage of

steel rebars.
Bars with 30% higher tensile
strength.
When the Indian Standard dictates
minimum 14.5% elongation, Surya
Thermex Rebars will give higher
elongation of 18 to 25 %, making
these bars suitable for seismic
zones 3, 4 and 5.
Surya Thermex Rebars have high
Thermal Stability and can be used
even at high temperatures of up to
600 C without any significant drop
in strength.
Surya Thermex Rebars have an
edge over other bars due to superior weldability on account of very
low carbon content.

Surya Ferrous Alloys Pvt. Ltd.
Shailesh Bhandari explains the induction process

installed at Surya
198
Hanuman Prasad Garg felicitates Ms. Radhika

Markan, Managing Director H&K India.
124, 1st Floor, Sky Lark,

Plot No. 63, Sector No. 11,
CBD Belapur, Navi Mumbai 400614
Ph:+91-22 27573081/82,
Email: suryaferrous@yahoo.com
'Monsoon Magic' - Special Discounts on the

Entire Range at Liugong India
he monsoon season has brought

with it good news for equipment
buyers who are on the look-out for
value propositions in the construction
equipment marketplace. In an effort to create excitement in the market, construction
companies are rolling out new launches,
upgrades, limited edition offers or even marketing and finance programmes. Usually
June heralds the monsoon season in
India, making buyers more conservative
to buy equipments. Hence to address
this issue and to provide a best solution,
Liugong, one of the leading manufactur-
ers of the construction equipment, has

rolled out an unique MONSOON MAGIC
offer. The main motive behind this scheme
is to provide more benefits to the customer during the monsoon as compared
to any other season.
The scheme will provide special benefits to the customers like upto sixty days
EMI holiday, tenure availability up to four
years and much more. The monsoon
scheme offer can be availed at all the
Liugong dealers till 30th September 2013.
The basic idea is to be more close to the
customers and to ensure that each cus-
tomer gets relief from the economic slowdown. The construction industry, which is
battling the worst slowdown in a decade,
has been trying new marketing efforts to
kick start demand. Liugong officials said
that this is part of the company's monsoon strategy and is gearing up to push
demand for equip-ments in the market.
According to Rohit Punjabi, Assistant Director, (Strategy Development &
Marketing), Liugong India Consumers
are always looking at some kind of incentive to purchase the machines. But it's not
just discounts but the entire package
which attracts a customer. We launched
this offer so that to benefit our clients by
giving more value for their money.

Liugong India Pvt. Ltd.
64, Okhla Industrial Estate Phase-III,
New Delhi-110020
Ph: +91-11-47272200
Fax: +91-11-47272220
E-mail: marketing-india@liugong.com
Web: www.liugong.com
ZENTRIVAL PL Waterproof Tile Adhesive
entrival PL is a present generation

tile adhesive specially formulated
for fixing of ceramic, other tiles and
insulation boards by thin bed method and
spot bonding method. The average bed
thickness can be as low as 1 mm and it
replaces the conventional bed thickness
of pat mortar of 15 to 20 mm.
Zentrival PL should be added to
water (not reverse) to obtain paste like
consistency. This mixture should be allowed
to stand for about 10 minutes to begin the
reaction before applying the same by
means of normal trowels. The surface
should then be combed with notched trowels to achieve savings in the material. The
tiles can then be placed in position by slight
twisting motion. The insulating boards
like polyurethane, polystyrene boards etc.
should be spot bonded. Tiles need not be
pre wetted & no batting of tiles is required
thereby avoiding the breakage.
No pre roughening of plaster is necessary as tile adhesive adheres even to
smooth surfaces and there is no wastage. Economy is derived from the fact
that output of tile layer is 2 to 3 times of
that in the conventional tile fixing. The
greatest advantage is higher bond

strength and the surface is waterproof.
The joints between the tiles can be
grouted by using Zentrival FM, premixed,
waterproof grout supplied in white colour
and can be tinted to any matching shade
by using universal stainers.
MC-Bauchemie (India) Pvt. Ltd. Manufactures this product alongwith a host of
other Construction Chemicals in technical and financial collaboration with MCBauchemie, Germany. MC-Bauchemie
(India) Pvt. Ltd. isan ISO 9001: 2008 certified Company.

MC Bauchemie (India) Pvt. Ltd.
411, Arenja Corner, Sector 17, Vashi,
Navi Mumbai - 400703,
Ph:+91-22-27892856/27880803,
Fax:+91-22-27893870,
E-mail: Info.india@mc-bauchemie.com
Web: www.mc-bauchemieindia.com
Spreading Zentrival PL-Flex
Using Notched Trowel
Application of Tile
199
Universal Launches
Engineering Consultant Course
Ranjit More
Managing Director,
Universal Construction Machinery & Equipment
niversal Construction Machinery & Equipment has always

been considered a trendsetter.
For the first time in India, Universal
Knowledge Centre has recently launched
a focused, short term course on Engineering Consultant keeping in mind the
acute shortage of trained manpower
required to operate specialized equipment. It has been observed that in sectors such as real estate, infrastructure,
industry, mining, civil works, etc, machines worth crores of rupees are being
used but due to unavailability of dedicated manpower to cater to daily needs
of maintenance, service coordination,
etc, results in heavy losses to builders,
contractors and project executors.
The mission of the company behind
introducing the course is to develop the
Equipment Consultant as a bond and
single point of contact between the construction equipment manufacturers and

project executors. The key objective of
the course is to train candidates on
applying engineering fundamentals and
analysis to planning, selection and utilization of construction equipment.
The course will equip the consultants with the requisite knowledge on
how construction equipment should be
selected and used to produce intended
quality in the most cost effective manner possible. According to the company,
in a nutshell the Equipment Consultant
is the answer to all questions related to
mechanization and they are the need
of the hour to complete projects within
time and budget.
There are several career options
available for equipment consultants,
such as being a freelance consultant,
part time consultant or a full time consultant. The demand for Equipment
Consultants is high in India. Several
thousands of Equipment Consultants
are required in the construction industry alone. Similarly, there is a huge
demand in the manufacturing sector too,
as the use of machines is increasing in
this area too. Additionally there is demand
for Equipment Consultants in the marketing sector too as they can play a role
by offering expert consultancy to buyers, manufacturers and contractors on
construction equipment.
Universal Construction
Machinery & Equipment Ltd.
Universal House, Warje Naka,
Pune- 411 058, Maharashtra (India)
Ph: 020-2523 0777, 6500 8033
E-mail: mkt@uceindia.com
Web: www.uceindia.com
200
Events: C3R
CCMA'S MAIDEN
REGIONAL CONFERENCE C3R:
A RESOUNDING SUCCESS
MB Bureau Report
he hectic pace at which construction technology has advanced

over the last two decades has been
nothing short of amazing. Perhaps
more megaprojects have been conceived and built during this time than
during the entire history of mankind.
Such have been the advancements.
While structures are still being built using
concrete, the ingredients that go into it
are now different. The growth story of
the global construction industry is in a
way a story of the evolution of concrete.
Leading this evolution has been the
advent of various types of construction
chemicals. The Indian construction
chemicals industry too has made rapid
strides in the recent past. The formation of the Construction Chemicals
Manufacturers Association (CCMA) has
been responsible for fast tracking the
growth rate of the industry. CCMA saw
perhaps for the first time in the country,
202
the coming together of top manufacturers belonging to the same industry,

under a single umbrella. The remarkable growth of CCMA can be gauged
from the fact that in a remarkably short
span of time, it has now on board over
40 member-manufacturers.
One of the primary objectives of
CCMA has been to further accelerate
the growth rate of the construction chemicals industry by regular conduct of
conferences, seminars and meetings.
As part of these initiatives it has already
conducted two very successful editions
of International Conference on Construction Chemicals (C3) in 2012 and
2013, in Mumbai and New Delhi respectively. Taking these initiatives a step
further, CCMA successfully hosted its
first Regional Construction Chemical
Conference (C3R) at The Grand Bhagwati Seasons Hotel, Rajkot, Gujarat on
August 9th, 2013.
The conference under the theme,

'Methods and Practices on the use of
Construction Chemicals', has provided
fillip to the already buoyant construction chemicals industry in Gujarat. The
conference was inaugurated by the
Chief Guest, Er.Pradeep Trivedi, President, Institution of Consulting Civil Engineers, Rajkot. The conference saw industry experts and research scholars
deliver thought-provoking presentations
on a variety of topics such as modern
waterproofing systems, repair & rehabilitation of concrete structures, chemical admixtures, tile adhesives and jointfillers, to mention only some. The conference also provided delegates an excellent opportunity to network with those
serving in similar domain.
In his welcome address, Samir
Surlaker, President, CCMA dwelt on
how there is an urgent need to bring in
changes in the BIS code so as to make
Events: C3R
the use of construction chemicals mandatory in all projects. He also outlined

the various steps being taken by
CCMA towards bettering the prospects of the construction chemicals
industry. Er.Pradeep Trivedi, the Chief
Guest on the occasion, appreciated
the work being done by CCMA and
observed the key role that construction
chemicals are playing in infrastructure
development and in the realty sector.
Upen Patel, Vice President , CCMA in
his keynote address provided delegates with an overview of the construction chemicals industry in India, vis-vis its size, potential, opportunities and
challenges. Rajesh Rajyaguru, Convenor, C3R proposed the vote of thanks
on the occasion.
The conference saw several eminent personalities drawn from the construction chemicals industry share their
knowledge and interact with delegates
on various topics. Sunny Surlaker, Head
Admixtures Division, MC-Bauchemie
Pvt. Ltd. spoke on 'The Importance of
admixtures in concrete and their role in
enhancing durability of concrete structures'. Another interesting paper presentation was on 'Repair and retrofitting of concrete structures', by Navin
Shewani, Sr.Manager, Sika India Pvt.
Ltd. The other speakers included
Dharmarajan, General Manager, Cementone India Pvt. Ltd., who spoke on the
Upen Patel, V.P. CCMA addressing the delegates
Left to Right: Dr. B L Maheshwari, (MD & CEO), Aquaproof Construction Chemical (I) Pvt. Ltd., Samir
Surlaker, President, CCMA, Chief Guest Er. Pradeep Trivedi, President, Institution of Consulting Civil
Engineers, Bhavesh Shah, Fairmate Chemicals Pvt. Ltd., Mr. Vivek Naik, Blackcat Enterprises Pvt. Ltd.,
A J Charles, Perma Construction Aids Pvt. Ltd.
'Use of SBR polymer in waterproofing

and structural repairs', and Bhavesh
Shah, Joint Managing Director, Fairmate
Pvt. Ltd., whose presentation was on
the topic, 'Practical aspects in waterproofing', which was followed by a practical demonstration. The lively question
and answer sessions between the
speakers and delegates, at the end of
presentations was among the highlights of the conference.
The conference saw the participation of over 200 delegates drawn from
across various parts of Gujarat. The

conference has come as a shot in the
arm for the construction chemicals industry in the state. With Gujarat being
the midst of an ambitious infrastructure
development program, C3R could not
have been timed better. The state's real
estate sector too has been surging ahead
in recent times. In fact, the Gujarat development model, with respect to infrastructure development and the real
estate sector is being widely emulated
in other parts of the country.
The conduct of regional conferences
in various parts of the country has been
high on the agenda of CCMA. The ball
has been set rolling with the Rajkot C3R
conference, which saw industry veterans share their insights on emerging
materials, methods and practices driving forward the construction chemicals
industry. The dates for the next edition
of C3R is already decided and it will be
held on March 21st and 22nd, 2014 at
Chennai.
Some other key initiatives of CCMA
include release of a handbook on the
usage of proper usage of construction
chemicals in collaboration with the Indian
Concrete Institute and conducting specialized training program for applicators
in collaboration with the Construction Industry Development Council (CIDC).
203
Roads: Report
Policy Initiatives to the Aid of Ailing Road Sector

MB Bureau Report, With inputs from ICRA
he Indian road sector which has

been going through one its rough
patches in recent times could be
headed towards recovery. Policy initiatives
such as the creation of Infrastructure
Debt Funds (IDFs) and the proposal to set
up an independent regulator could provide the momentum for the recovery. The
active role being played by India Infrastructure Finance Company Limited (IIFCL)
is also expected to bring in much needed
long-term debt funds into the sector.
The twists and turns taken by the road
sector make for interesting reading. On one
hand, there has been a slump in award of
projects with only 1,156 km of road projects being bid out by NHAI in FY13, as
compared to 6,491 km in FY12, according
to a recent release by investment information and credit rating agency, ICRA.
The original target set for FY 13 was
7,000 km out of which only 17% has been
awarded. Several factors, including, difficulty in raising funds, delays in getting
clearances, and general economic slowdown have been cited as reasons for the
slump. Going into details about the difficulties that are plaguing the road sector,
Mr. Rohit Inamdar, Senior Vice-President,
ICRA, observed, Around 18 projects,
which were awarded in FY12 could not
achieve financial closure till March 2013
due to uncertainty on land acquisition and
approvals as well as reluctance on the part
of banks to fund what are perceived to be
aggressively bid projects.
In case of many toll-based road projects which commenced, operations during FY12-FY13, the actual tolled traffic
during the initial period was significantly
lower than the projected traffic. Similarly,
some of the established stretches witnessed a decline in traffic because of overall weak economic environment. This coupled with higher interest burden resulted
in stress on debt servicing capability and
project return indicators. The same resulted
in turning lenders cautious while lending
to the road sector. Many lenders have
introduced stringent conditions like 100%
right of way, clearance, and significant
upfront contribution from promoters before
204
the sanction/ disbursement of the loan.

He also added that bank lending to the
sector was also constrained due to large
requirement of the sector which could hit
the internal sectoral exposure limit of some
banks, and the unsecured tag associated with the road projects. On the later
front, in March 2013, RBI has allowed loans
to PPP road projects to be treated as secured subject to certain conditions, which
is expected to improve lending to the sector to some extent. On the other hand, there
has also been some good news coming
in from the sector.
The performance on the project execution front has improved. Backed by
strong pipeline of projects under execution, the completion rate for NHAI projects increased to 7.9 km/day in FY13
from average of 6.2 km/day in FY12. However, concerns still remain on the projects
awarded in FY 12 in the absence of the
requisite right of way, clearances and inability to achieve financial closure.
The NHAI has decided to award road
projects only after substantial progress is
made on the land acquisition and clearance fronts. The process is not without its
difficulties, with capacity constraints faced
by NHAI and the opposition from land owners in several cases, leading to delays.
Adding to these pressures has been the
factor of having to get multiple clearances
from different authorities, which leads to
further delays. It is for this reason that the
Union Finance Minister's proposal to set
up a regulatory authority for the road sector is being eagerly awaited, since it could
streamline the clearance process and
put an end to the inordinate delays.
The NHAI is also taking steps to
attract investors into the sector, what with
projects on Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT)
basis getting lukewarm response in
recent times. NHAI's initiative in awarding
projects on Engineering, Procurement
and Construction (EPC) and Operate,
Maintain and Transfer (OMT) basis could
unbundle the execution, funding and simulate participation from the private sector.
Pointing out to new trends, Mr.Inamdar
explained, While interest for new BOT projects is weak, completed projects with established traffic are witnessing demand
from private equity and other global as
well as domestic funds. Some contractors
and developers are exploring the options
of divesting their stakes in the completed
projects to release their blocked capital
and then redeploy it towards newer projects.
Players with strong balance sheets
and the ability to raise funds stand good
chance to cash in on the positive signals
emanating from the sector. However, with
many road developers facing stretched
liquidity, the industry is likely to witness
both consolidation and exits in the near
future. The Government on its part is likely
to continue with its push to facilitate policies to facilitate higher private sector interest in the sector.
Mixer for Dry Mortar

Manufacturing
he dry mix mortar technology led to a drastic improvement in productivity in the application of high volume
productivity like masonry and vending mortars. The quality
of such a mortar depends on the quality of raw material, their
correct mixing ratio, the homogeneity of the mixture, etc.
The formulae for manufacturing variety of mortar such as
brick mortar rendering mortar, joint sealing- mortar, tile
cement and thin bed mortar are getting more and more
complicated led to the result of the new-generation mixing
technology of Toshniwal Twin Shaft mixer invented by Forberg
from Norway.
The advantages of the mixer in use are:

-
High degree quality mix achievement

Reduced mixing time
Improved process efficiency
Minimal maintenance
The design and the operation of the mixer where the

ingredients of dry mortar compound of varied particles size
with additives less than 100ppm randomly falls on top in a
fluidized zone to achieve homogeneous blend of rich mix
in a short duration, with this operation, the material causes
less wear on the mixer's paddles, hence the life span of the
mixer beyond one's expectation.
M/s. Toshniwal Systems & Instruments Pvt. Ltd.
267, Kilpauk Garden Road, Chennai - 600 010, India
Phone No: 91-44-26445626 / 26448983
Email: sales@toshniwal.net / Web: www.toshniwal.net
205
CE: International
SDLG: Top Chinese Brand

Reaches Out to the World
MB Bureau Report
SDLG, one of the leading earth-moving and construction equipment (ECE) brands in China, had recently
invited The Masterbuilder, for a visit to its manufacturing facility at Lingong Industrial Park, Linyi Economic
Development Zone, Shadong Province, in China. Team MB caught up with Wang Zhizong, CEO, Benoit Rimaz,
President Volvo Construction Equipment Investment (China) Co Ltd., and B.Sridhar, Head-SDLG Business-India,
to find out what makes this Chinese brand different from its numerous other counterparts.
here is an old English adage which

goes-'Be yourself, everyone else
is taken'. Perhaps no other company symbolizes this trait than SDLG. It
has been busy charting out its own, distinct success path in recent times. It is a
brand name that should ring a bell to
the readers of The Masterbuilder. We
had recently carried a feature on how
SDLG wheel loaders were making a
206
huge difference to the productivity of

Krishnapatnam Port in Andhra Pradesh.
A joint venture between Volvo Construction Equipment and China's Shadong
Lingong Construction Machinery Co,
which came about in 2006, SDLG has
become a globally well-known brand in
a remarkably short span of time. Its
growth story has been one of the making and projecting itself as being differ-
ent from other Chinese brands.

The products offered under the SDLG
brand include wheel loaders, excavators, compactors and backhoe loaders.
The coming together of the two companies has created a win-win situation
for both. While it has boosted SDLG's
internationalization progress, it has also
meant that Volvo gets to become a
stronger brand in China, while also
CE: International
ensuring that it's smooth sailing in several other markets. We see ourselves
as a Chinese brand that is reaching out
to the world, remarked Benoit Rimaz,
President Volvo Construction Equipment
Investment (China) Co. Ltd and Head
of Lingong Integration Office, China, as
he welcomed us.
Focus on aftermarket services
The sprawling manufacturing unit
consists of various sections such as
the components division, the excavators division, the wheel loader division,
the R & D center, the assembly shop and
an exclusive space meant for Volvo inside
the factory, among others. The SDLG
brand is now available globally in over
50 countries, including India. It has made
a steady foray into India where several
Chinese brands have already established a presence. Going into details
about the company's strategy, Benoit
Rimaz, explained, One of the things
that we don't want for SDLG is to go very
fast. Because we have seen many of
the other Chinese competitors go really
fast into different markets, give you
products at a good price and then forget about one important aspect- aftermarket service. Benoit Rimaz continued saying that this was something
that SDLG will not do since it wants to
establish a long-term relationship with
clients. The company is focusing on total
infrastructure. Giving the example of
India, he said that while there has been
an increase in orders, SDLG is not there
to make a quick buck and get out. It
wants to be a solid, long term player,
competing against the best in the
world, a strategy that has helped it project a different image from other Chinese players. These views were strongly
seconded by Wang Zhizhong, Board
Chairman and CEO, SDLG later during
his interaction.
Going into the logic behind the dual
branding strategy, Benoit Rimaz pointed out that the Volvo brand tends to
offer premium products and when we
looked at what we are missing, we realize that we are missing out on opportunities in several markets because of
this aspect, be it in India, Latin America
The SDLG brand is now available globally in over 50 countries, including India
or even China. That is where the SDLG

brand helps. It caters to a customer segment that has a different need. These customers may not want all the bells and
whistles; they are not willing to pay a
premium price. But at the same time
they need a machine. According to
Benoit Rimaz, SDLG machines fulfill the
need for entry machines. While these
machines may not have the premium
technology of a Volvo, they have a costeffective technology that enables them
to do the job at the end of the day
added Benoit Rimaz.
The company has a strong wheel

loader focus. In fact, with a production
capacity of over 30,000 wheel loaders
annually, it is one of the largest players
in the world. SDLG has also off late
begun to focus on excavators. Benoit
Rimaz while showing us around the
three assembly lines for excavators
said that SDLG offers excavators from
14T capacity to 40T. Amidst the din of the
factory's assembly shop, Benoit Rimaz
remarked, Wheel loader is where we
started. We have added excavators a
few years ago. It is something that de-
SDLG offers excavators from 14T capacity to 40T
207
CE: International
The state-of-the-art R&D facility in the premises boasts of a variety of testing equipment for key components, the latest in high-end 3D and a team of some of the
finest brains available in the industry
mands a different way of selling. We are

focused on establishing a strong dealership network. We have introduced
excavators in some markets, but then
again, it is sporadic, in a gradual manner. An excavator demands more attention than a wheel loader.
Streamlined production process
Corporate social responsibility (CSR)
initiatives are another area where SDLG
is setting examples. It s machines have
been used for rescue and rebuilding
operations in the aftermath of the recent
Sichuan earthquake in China. SDLG is
also part of a 'climate savers' initiative
with WWF. A strong R &D focus has
been further sharpened with the coming in of Volvo. The state-of-the-art R &
D facility in the premises boasts of a
variety of testing equipment for key components, the latest in high-end 3D and
a team of some of the finest brains
available in the industry. We take inputs
from our engineers around the world
and are constantly working on improving and developing products, said
Benoit Rimaz on the efforts.
The disciplined work environment
was another highlight of the factory
floor shop. Benoit Rimaz pointed out
that they are stringently implementing
lean manufacturing practices. Dwelling
on the topic, Benoit Rimaz observed,
As you can see all the processes are
streamlined. You cannot find a lot of
waste lying around. All the lines are well
208
organized. We take regular inputs from

the staff and try to improve upon the
system. The company started off with
TQM concept about four years ago and
has been constantly striving to improve
production processes. Apart from improving productivity the system has also
enabled the company to drill in the concept of safe work practices among the
workers.
India Plans
While the JV between Volvo and
SDLG may be only a few years old,
Shadong Lingong is a name that has
been familiar to the Chinese from the
1970s. Giving details about SDLG's
history, Wang Zhizhong, Chairman of
the company, in his interaction with us,
pointed out that the company started
operations in 1972 and he started out
with the company in 1975 as a worker
and grew to his current position. Initially,
a state-owned company, the rapid changes in China meant that it was chosen
among 100 odd enterprises that were
to be privatized during the change from
planned economy to a free market one
in the 1980s. Speaking about the company's growth plans for India, Wang
Zhizong observed, India and China
have been friends for over several centuries now. With the rapid infrastructure
development going on in India, it is a
key market for us.
The company has made a confident foray into the Indian market, with
its strategy of offering the 'whole package' than concentrate just on volumes.
In his interaction with us, B.Sridhar,
Head-SDLG Business, Volvo India stated
that its vision was to be the leader
among Chinese brands in India by
2015, a target towards which it has
already taken the right steps. We have
our head quarters in Bengaluru and are
in the process of strengthening our
dealer network. We already have about
15 dealerships in India. We have three
dedicated dealers dealing only with the
SDLG brand located in Gujarat, Andhra
Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, respectively.
These three don't handle any other brand.
Some of our machine configurations
are also customized for India, explained
Sridhar, rattling off details about how
SDLG means business in India. The
company which has already got major
orders in Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh
and Orissa and has a clear roadmap
charted out for the Indian market, is surely
a name to watch out for in the near future.
Apart from India SDLG has made
an impressive entry into many export
markets including countries in Asia,
Latin America and Africa and has been
growing business there. Production of
SDLG- branded machines has recently
started in Brazil. To begin with there will
be four SDLG crawler excavator models produced in a US$ 10 million purpose built-assembly hall within the
Volvo Group facility in Pederneiras in
Sao Paulo State in Brazil.
THE
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Interaction
Bekaert: Opening the Door to a Whole

New World of Possibilities with Concrete
he very name Dramix has become

synonymous with steel fibre reinforced concrete. Bekaert has
recently launched a brand new range
of Dramix fibres, while the existing range
of steel fibres has been rebranded as
the '3D' series. With its brand new range
of Dramix products, Bekaert is taking
steel fibre reinforcement to a whole new
level - stronger, safer, and more durable
and even more convenient to use. But
most of all, opening up a new world of
possibilities for you to create with concrete.
With the introduction of the new
products, Bekaert now offers specific
fibre type for literally any concrete reinforcement application, from common
application such as floors and foundations to the most demanding structures,
including rafts and piled supported floors.
Speaking exclusively to The
Masterbuilder, Ganesh Chaudhari, Sales
Manager South Asia & Middle East, gave
detailed insights into the company's
rebranding strategy, the new products,
application areas and future plans. Here
are excerpts from the interview.
To elaborate on our new and existing fibre range

The existing range of steel fibres
has been rebranded as the '3D' series.
It remains widely recognized as the best
solution currently on the market when it
comes to performance and costefficiency. We have now introduced two
new series- Dramix 5D and 4D fibres.
Engineered to perfection, and
boasting of a unique shape, the new the
new Dramix 5D and 4D fibres offered
previously unavailable levels of
anchorage, tensile strength and ductility, guaranteeing maximum performance.
At the same time, they enable the
building industry to use steel fibre reinforcement in a wide range of new appli-
You have redesigned and expanded your

Dramix range. Give us an overview of
the new products.
Till now, Bekaert had an existing
product portfolio consisting of steel fibres
for flooring and tunneling applications.
With the existing fibre range, we successfully tapped around 1.4% of the total
flooring construction market around the
world. With this new fibre range, we are
looking forward to tapping this untapped
98.6% remaining market for SFRC. Now
Bekaert is again leading the way and
taking steel fibre reinforcement to the
next level. With this new fibre range, we
are targeting developing new growth
opportunities for SFRC.
210
cations. Whatever your project, Dramix

provides you with the best possible
solution.
What advantage does the unique shape
of the new Dramix -5D and 4D fibres
provide?
As a pioneer in the field, Bekaert
decided to use all of its know-how and
expertise to take steel fibre reinforcement one step further. Because at
Bekaert, we believe steel fibres is now
more than ever the future of concrete
reinforcement. The unique shape of the
new Dramix 5D and 4D fibres already
speak for itself.
The Dramix 5D and 4D fibres have
better anchorage properties in concrete. With an appropriately high-tensile
strength wire chosen to match with this
increased anchorage of fibres in concrete, we are able to substantially
improve the performance of steel fibre
reinforced concrete matrix, even
achieving strain hardening in the process
which makes the Dramix 5D and 4D
fibres perfect for structural applications,
which were not easily possible, until now,
with the earlier generation fibres.
Tell us briefly about the application areas
of Dramix 5D and 4D fibres? How do
they score with respect to anchorage,
wire strength and ductility?
Dramix 5D and 4D fibres have
been specifically developed with structural applications of concrete in mind.
Dramix 5D fibre
Figure 1 The new Dramix fibre range
Unseen levels of performance The

Dramix 5D series provides us with the
ultimate in performance, with a unique
combination of a perfectly shaped hook,
a high ductility wire, and extreme tensile
strength. Its outstanding performance
in concrete makes the 5D the perfect
solution for structural applications,
Interaction
To the most demanding structures
including foundation slabs, rafts, and

even suspended structures. The 5D
offers excellent performance throughout the years even in the most demanding applications and in the most difficult circumstances.
Because of its unique features and
capabilities, the 5D series pushes back
the boundaries of what was thought
possible with steel fibre reinforcement.
Now the only limit to create with concrete
is our own imagination.
Dramix 4D fibre
The Dramix 4D series is designed

with optimal serviceability in mind. Tensile strength and anchorage are engineered specifically to affect cracks
between 0.1 and 0.3 mm, enabling you
to create durable and liquid-tight structures.
At the same time, the 4D series is
also the ideal solution for applications
where steel fibres are combined with
traditional reinforcement methods. Typical 4D applications include seamless
floors, Combislab, underwater concrete,
motorways, and harbor pavements.
Give us a few examples of recent
major projects where Dramix- 5D and
4D fibres have been used?
World over, close to 300 projects have
been already executed using the Dramix
5D and 4D fibres. In India, we cater to
crack-width designed liquid- tight,
jointless floors, which are achievable with
Dramix 4D fibres. We recently completed
a project in Gujarat with our Dramix 4D
fibre, which was a first for India, and we
hope to continue similar projects in near
future.
The mere addition of steel fibres to
concrete doesn't ensure success. The
212
other elements such as concrete mix

design, subgrade preparation, etc. Also
need to be considered. With quality
control onsite being an issue India, what
is the mechanism that you have in place
to make sure that all these aspects are
taken into consideration in a project?
The fibre quality is of extreme
importance when we talk about the
addition of steel fibres to concrete. But
it goes without saying that both the input
materials need to be of the best quality
for an optimum performance.
Over the last three decades, we at
Bekaert have been doing a lot of
research in this regard and have arrived
at some ways to ensure this performance. We often extend our help in other
aspects of construction such as mix
design, subbase preparation, detailing,
etc. via our application engineers at site
and work based on International Codes
and Standards to achieve quality construction.
The logistics sector is considered one
of the biggest consumers of SFRC.
Which are the other sectors that are
driving demand for SFRC floors in India?
The logistics sector still remains our
main focus area. Logistics is among the
fastest growing sectors in India today
with warehousing and related activities
currently accounting for about 35% per
Buildings and civil engineering works

Structural rafts ULS
Civil engineering structures
Bridges
Structural rafts SLS
Concrete roads
Buildings and civil engineering works
Slab tracks
Secondary reinforcement
Underwater concrete
Flooring
Heavy duty pavements
Jointless floors
Jointed floors
Hard stands
Bonded overlays
Flooring
Clad racks
Pile supported floor
Structural floors
Combi slab
Seamless floors
cent of the total sector. We plan to build

new areas of focus, nurture niche application areas and develop them in this
sector.
India is poised to enter an era of
precasting. With designers wanting
more complex shapes. How do you think
SFRC can satisfy their demands?
Precasting in India is at a nascent
stage. Once the Industry moves ahead
we will be able to gauge its needs in terms
of precast applications.
Repair is another growing market in
India. What role do you see SFRC
playing in this particular area?
SFRC is an excellent product for
repair applications in that it is inherently
an impact and fatigue resistant material. With our new Dramix 4D launched,
we foresee the possibility in floor repairs.
What are Bekaert's future plans for
India?
We are a learner in the market. Today
with over 6+ years of experience in the
Indian market we have reinforced over
2.5 million sq.m of flooring area with
Dramix fibres.
As the market will grow we will learn
from the market and continue to provide
solutions to suit the needs of our customers.
Flooring
Advanced Floor Coatings/Surfacing
Sameer Bhore
Project Manager, Multichem Group, Mumbai
uring the last thirty years, the

protection of concrete floors has
gone from essentially nothing
to a fairly sophisticated process of some
type of protective coating or surfacing.
The main purpose, of course, is to provide protection to the slab from deterioration or contamination, or to provide
some added benefit such as aesthetics, wear, non-skid, chemical resistance,
and ease of maintenance, physical performance, and a myriad of other properties. We must remember that no other
surface in a building/structure takes more
abuse than floors, regardless of the type
of building, whether it is domestic, industrial or commercial.
Most people don't batter an eyelid at
the idea of coughing up a few thousand
rupees for decorating their house, yet
they don't consider the importance of
their floors. Naturally, there are certain
aspects of a building or house that are

prioritized over other; usually those that
make prettier. Having high quality and
durable floor coating put in is really crucial for the safety and maintenance of a
house, or commercial/industrial building. Neglecting this can mean facing
major problems in the future. This article
discusses the importance of advanced
floor coating.
Floors are subjected to just about
every kind of abuse - impact, abrasion,
chemical attack, and thermal shock.
Concrete floors are not designed to
take this continual abuse. Concrete floors
are porous and tend to create dust from
wear and abuse. They are also subject
to abrasion and chemical attack. It's for
this reason that all concrete needs some
sort of protection regardless of where it's
located. The problem, in the overall picture, is to determine what type of pro-
Fig.1 Floorkrete Total Protection
214
tective material to choose for the various conditions.

This article does not concern resilient tile, ceramic tile, carpet, or wood,
which are placed on top of concrete
floors. These do add a benefit, but are
primarily used aesthetically for residential and highly commercial areas. We
are focusing on coatings that are bonded directly to the surface and offer
long-term protection and may or may
not have some aesthetic value.
The problem for most decision makers today, whether it is architects or
facility managers, is to choose the most
effective material and application that
will result in the best performance and
lowest life-cycle cost. It is increasingly
clear that these individuals must rely on
knowledgeable people to assist in proper selection, application, and maintenance of the floor coating. The flooring
specialist can guide the owner in proper material, application, and long-term
performance, thereby reducing the longterm cost of floor maintenance.
Total floor protection should be part
of any study or evaluation for new or old
concrete floor protection. The thorough
process for selecting a coating or topping system, the writing of a detailed
specification, and the preparation of
detailed application procedures and final
acceptance criteria will give the owner a
basis for choosing the right system.
There is a very complete selection process to narrow the search for the right
product and application for floor coatings. Remember, you must not only select the material, but also a total system
in terms of application, total thickness,
and aesthetics.
Flooring
Various Types of Flooring Systems:

Epoxy Floor Coating/screeding:
Epoxy floors and epoxy coatings
are becoming increasingly popular for
use as commercial and industrial flooring. There are a number of different types
of epoxy coatings that can be used on
floors, including self-leveling epoxy
coatings, self-dispersing epoxy coatings, mortar epoxy coatings, graveled
epoxy coatings, epoxy terrazzo coatings,
epoxy antistatic coatings, and vapor
barrier epoxy coatings. Each of these
types of epoxy coatings offers distinct
advantages when compared to the others. For understanding more about these
flooring systems, or to determine which
epoxy coating system is best for you,
please contact experts at Multichem
Group.
Our epoxy coatings are ideal for a
variety of types of commercial and
industrial buildings, including air plane
hangars, manufacturing facilities, distribution facilities, warehouses, residential garages, commercial garages, pharmaceutical plants, and laboratories. We
offer the application of epoxy floor paints,
which result in the creation of a hard
wearing, durable surface as well as epoxy
vapor barrier application to prevent
moisture penetration through concrete
subfloors.
Epoxy Coating Choices for Flooring:
Self Dispersing Epoxy Coatings for
Floors: This type of epoxy coating is
commonly used in areas that receive
frequent forklift or heavy truck traffic as
it has very good mechanical strength.
Another type of this durable epoxy coat-
ing is self-dispersing epoxy with quartz

sand. This type of epoxy coating is commonly used in food-processing industries or other locations where liquids are
present because it has good anti-slip
characteristics. FloorKrete EPS
Self-Leveling Epoxy Coatings for
Floors: Self-leveling epoxy coatings are
easy to install over new and old concrete floors as they level easily creating
a seamless and smooth surface. Selfleveling epoxy coatings can be used in
kitchens, dining rooms, storage places,
garages, warehouses, office buildings,
and more. FloorScreed EP (L) is one
such product for use in such areas.
Mortar Epoxy Coatings for Floors:
This is the strongest of all epoxy floors,
e.g. FloorScreed EP (H). This type of
epoxy coating is commonly used in
heavy industry applications and can
also be used to repair cracks before laying other types of epoxy floors. Graveled Epoxy Coatings for Floors: Graveled epoxy coatings are the most decorative epoxy flooring choice, and they
can be used for adding logotypes, brand
marks, and decorative details to floors.
Epoxy Terrazzo Floor Coatings:
This type of epoxy flooring is very decorative and easy to clean. Epoxy terrazzo
flooring, FloorScreed EP (T) is commonly
used in large areas, including hallways
and entrances of commercial buildings, schools, and office buildings.
Epoxy Antistatic Floor Coatings:
This specialized epoxy coating is
designed for use where static-sensitive
electronic components are in permanent use, and a static-free environment
is most important such as in laboratories, hospitals, and electronics equipStandards
Property
Range
2-120
Pot life(min)
2
Tensile Strength(N/MM )
DIN EN ISO 527
1-60
Elongation at break (%)
DIN EN ISO 527
6-1.000
Modulus of elasticity(N/mm2)
DIN EN ISO 527
0.1-2.500
DIN EN ISO 604
100
Compression strength(N/mm )
2
Tear propagation strength(N/mm )
DIN ISO 34-1
1-100
Shore hardness
DIN 53 505
A 20-D 80
Abrasion resistance (mg)
DIN EN ISO 547O-1
5-150
ment manufacturing plants. FloorShield

EDS is the product in this range.
Vapour Barrier Epoxy Coatings:
Liquid epoxy vapor barriers are applied
directly over concrete floors to provide
an impenetrable surface that reduces
vapor transmission to nearly zero. These
epoxy coatings are typically applied prior
to adding the final flooring surface, including sheet vinyl, tile, carpet, or hardwood floors
Epoxy Flaked Floor Coatings: This
is not exactly a type of epoxy flooring,
but rather a style of applying epoxy coatings. With this epoxy flooring technique,
multi-colored flakes or chips are added
over the epoxy coating while it is still wet
in order to provide a decorative finish or
look. FloorGuard EPV is the right choice.
Polyurethane Floor Coating:
Polyurethane floor coatings have
been in commercial use for more than
30 years. Flexible, hard and tough coating materials and formulated with polyurethane raw materials for application
in many different market segments.
Polyurethane coatings can be customized to yield property profiles that suit
the individual floors.
As shown polyurethane coatings
may range from highly elastic (for membranes, floors in sports facilities) to hard
and highly resistant to chemicals (for
chemical production plants).
Typical applications of polyurethane are:
a. One and two component primers
and sealers,
b. Floor coatings for sports facility's
Membranes, e.g. waterproofing
membranes,
c. Industrial floor coatings ranging from
tough yet flexible to hard depending
on the requirements of construction
and water protection regulations.
d. One and two component synthetic
resin mortars and colored sand mortars.
Instrumental in the success of polyurethane system in these applications
are the following properties:
-
Hard curing even at low temperatures
215
Flooring
Fig. 2 Polyurethene Floor Coatings
Fig. 3 Hangar Polyurethane Coating
Good adhesion
Adjustable hardness
Excellent chemical resistance with
hard coatings
Crack-bridging with elastic and
tough yet flexible formulation
Seamless application, also with elastic and tough yet flexible membranes
Hence PU coatings can be designed

to have wide range of requirements fulfilling capacities. For example, Floorkrete
PU polyurethane coating features the
following:
-
Polyurethane floor coating with

unsurpassed stain/chemical resistance
Excellent abrasion resistance
High wear resistance
High gloss to satin finish
Excellent gloss retention
Quick turnaround time
Variety of colors option or select
your own custom color
UV light resistant polymer coating
VOC Compliant
A polyurethane coating is generally

recommended for areas exposed to
chemicals with a need for cleanability
including:
Aerospace Industries, Hangars
Automotive Facilities, Auto Service
Chemical Plants, Clean Rooms
Furniture Plants, Meat Packers
Printing Plants, Dock Areas (excellent
wear non slip floor coatings)
Trenches, Military Facilities
Polyurethane Floor Coating Benefits:
Like epoxy, polyurethane is a thermosetting polymer as well and is considered a high-performance coating.
Of the different formulations available,
aliphatic polyurethane is the desired
choice for garage floors. Though they
are approximately 60% to 70% solids
depending on the manufacturer, a polyurethane coating is only about 2 to 3
mils in thickness and can't be adjusted
as with epoxy. Don't let the thinner dry
Top coat: 0.2~0.3 kg/m2
film thickness fool you, however. Aliphatic polyurethane has more flexibility
than epoxy, and it is this flexibility that
aids in absorbing impacts better. It is
also much more abrasion resistant, in
fact, some manufacturer's claim that
the wear resistance of polyurethane
over epoxy is almost 3 to 1. The resistance to chemicals is better than epoxy
as well and includes solvents such as
methylene chloride, which is the primary ingredient in paint stripper.
Another advantage of polyurethane
over epoxy is that it is U.V. stable. This
means that it won't be yellow like epoxy
does when exposed to small amounts
of sunlight. The surface of polyurethane
is not as hard as epoxy, but it is much
more scratch resistant, can tolerate
larger temperature swings and handles
humidity much better. It is also available in different finishes from satin to
very glossy. Though polyurethane has
many advantages over epoxy, it does
have less bond strength to concrete and
its thin dry film thickness will not work
well as a self-leveling coating to fill in
small cracks and divots in the surface.
Secondary flooring material: 1.5~2 mm

Primary flooring material: 1~1.5 mm
Primer: 0.2~0.4 kg/m2
Substrate like concrete, mortar, etc.
Fig. 4 Typical Flooring System
216
Cementitious Flooring Systems

This is yet another type of flooring
system available for floor protection. As
the name suggests, one of the binders
of flooring product is cement, with one
or more than one other resins included
into the product. These products are
normally more economical comparable
to epoxy and PU floor products.
Flooring
6
5
4
3
Epoxy
Flooring
Polyurethene
Flooring
1
0
A
A - Chemical Resistance | B - Compression Strength | C - Antiscratch

D - Whethering Stability | E - Enviormental Frendally | F - Impact Resistance
Cementitious flooring comes in a.

Self-Leveling flooring (Underlayment
and Topping), b. Screed c. Floor
Repairing Product.
Self-Leveling underlayment gives
smooth, flat surface-ready for floor
goods fast. Multichem's underlayments,
Level-Top can turn a rough, irregular
surface into one that is perfect for carpet, wood, ceramic tiles, vinyl virtually
any floor covering. Efficient application
and fast drying time keep you on
schedule. Level-Top provides a level

surface on otherwise out-of-level concrete slabs in apartments, commercial
buildings and homes worldwide.
For existing floors, or the floors needing revamp or new life, Level-Top
SuperHard provides flat surface.
Whereas Microtop (thin leveling product) provides thin repair of the floor.
Cementitious screed are manufactured
in single component, such as Floortop,
or in two components, such as
FloorScreed PL, all products based on

cement, fillers and resins.
Under FLOOR HARDNERS, there
are dry shake floor hardens in powder
form, meant for application in green
concrete floor, such as FloorHard M
and NM, and liquid form, used for existing concrete floors such as Floorhard
Crystal and Diamand.
DECORATIVE CONCRETE SYSTEM is yet another type of flooring systems, well famous in Advanced Countries. In India, now many flooring specialists have stated using the above
concept.
There are some more different
types of flooring products available for
floor owners to look for. Whatever is the
flooring product we look for, one should
always decide based on end usage of
the floor.

Multichem Group
1, Mahavir Gaurav Building, M.D. Kini
Marg, Bhandup Village, Bhandup (E),
Mumbai - 42
Ph: +91-22-25669137,
E-mail: info@multichemgroup.net
Web: www.multichemgroup.net
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218
Interaction
In conversation with: Surya Prakash,

president-elect of ACCE (I)
various initiatives that the body intends
to take for the betterment of the civil
engineering community and the association's steps to get the Engineer's Bill
implemented, among others.
Here are excerpts from the interview.
Tell us briefly about ACCE (I)'s vision
and mission.
Surya Prakash
President, Association of Consulting
Civil Engineers (India)
he Association of Consulting Civil

Engineers (India), formed in 1985,
has now grown into a nationally
recognized body with centres all over
India. With its main objective of encouraging and fostering ideals of the profession, it holds conferences, meetings
and seminars on a regular basis to enable
dissemination of knowledge among civil
engineers in particular and the society
at large. The Masterbuilder recently spoke
to Surya Prakash, the newly elected
President of ACCE (I). A Post Graduate
in M.S.Structures from IIT Madras and
the Founder Director of Hyderabadbased, Satya Vani Projects, Prakash,
whose term will lasts until 2015, brings
to the table around 28 years of rich experience in civil engineering.
Surya Prakash is also the FounderPresident of Pre-Engineered Structures
Society of India (PSI) is a truly multifaceted personality, who apart from
handling several prestigious projects,
is an author and a guest faculty in several top engineering institutions. During
the exclusive chat with us Prakash
spoke about his vision for ACCE (I), the
222
To tell you in a sentence the vision is

that every consulting civil engineer in
India should be connected and works
for the benefit of the fraternity and also
the profession. The mission is to improve
the visibility of our association all over
the country and also enhance the value
of our profession by branding it properly.
This brand building can happen by
enhancing the value of our association.
The association is already taking the
lead in doing good for consulting civil
engineers. So, if we enhance its value,
the brand value of all civil engineers will
also increase automatically.
How long have you been associated
with ACCE (I)?
My association with ACCE (I) started way back in December 1991. I have
been associated with ACCE (I) for
about 22 years out of the 28 years since
the body was founded.
The quality of engineering education
in India generally leaves a lot to be
desired, except perhaps in the case of
a few premier institutions like the IITs.
It is found that while we are churning
out engineers, a vast majority of them
are not employable. What are the initiatives that ACCE (I) is taking to
address this issue?
About 1 lac engineers are being produced by the various universities put
together annually in our country. One of
the major missions of the association is

to envelope all the students in civil engineering onto our fold.
We are taking steps in this direction.
We are for instance in the process of
signing an MOU with Engineers CADD
Centre (ECC). They already have a presence across several cities. They are
Hyderabad based organization with
centres located in various parts of the
country. Apart from offering training to
students, they will also offer them membership in our association. This tie-up
will help us reach so many students in
one shot. Apart from training, we will
also offer students, summer training,
internships and placement assistance
through this arrangement.
Will this initiative be restricted only to
IT training?
No. While the students will be coming for IT training to the centres, we will
be offering them training on varied topics. We will conduct workshops for the
students in project management, construction management, design, detailed
skills, quality, etc.
What is your student membership target you are aiming at?
My target for student membership
this year is 1000, i.e., for the period August 2013 to August 2014.
The moment a student joins the centre, he will be a member. We will keep
communicating with him at regular intervals of time. As he joins the profession he will become a real time member. This way our base will increase. We
also intend to form student chapters in
universities and colleges through such
initiatives.
ACCE (I) is well known in the south
and west. What are your plans for the
Interaction
northern and eastern parts of the country?
So, can we see the light at the end of

the tunnel in the near future?
We intend to increase our PR activities in the north and east. Using the
media is something that we are looking
at seriously in order to improve our visibility in these areas. I am also trying to
work with politicians so that it attracts the
attention of people. We are also working with other associations who have a
presence in these regions, like IAStructE,
IEI, ECI, etc. I am confident that these
activities will help us improve our visibility
in areas like Bhubaneswar, Guwahati,
Kolkata, Patna, Ranchi in the east and
in places like Delhi, Lucknow and Jaipur
in the north.
The Bill if you see is in the final stages. I don't see it happening during this
government's tenure. With the general
elections around the corner, they don't
have time for the Bill. What we need to
do is to get discussions on this Bill going
again, so that by the time the next government comes, we can push it strongly,
whichever party is in power. We are trying to take more people along and I
think we have sufficient time of about a
year to convince all the stakeholders.
We have been communicating to Presidents of various associations on regular basis. Good momentum has been
gained and we intend to keep it going.
Are you planning any specific training program for the unskilled workforce?
Not at present. For such training
programs I think we can work only in
association with other organizations
like CREDAI or the National Academy
of Construction (NAC), who are already
doing that. In fact, NAC had approached us already with a requirement.
We have told them that we will provide
them with the required manpower and
resources for training.
How hopeful are you about the Engineers Bill coming through?
We have been working in close coordination with other organizations on
the issue. There is no doubt in my mind
that Engineers Bill is something that
should happen and will happen. I agree
there have been some problems. It has
all been because of the mindset and
mental blocks of some of our own engineers. I want to go out and say that this
is required.
What has hampered the process is
that certain people put individual interest above the fraternity's interest. However, things are changing for the good.
We may meet the Ministry of Human Resources Development soon. We have
got the appointment and we have done
the necessary groundwork for the discussions. Now all that we need to do is
to explain and convince them.
224
What are the changes that you think

that will come about with the Bill?
The Bill will bring about more discipline in the functioning of engineers. The
Bill talks about having special registry
of engineers. So, there will be details
available of different categories of engineers in the registry such as professional engineer- structures, professional
engineer-geotechnology, professional
engineer-construction management,
etc. Once this legislation comes, it will
be mandatory on the part of all local
bodies to adopt the norms while engaging professional engineers. The Bill
will also make professional engineers
more accountable and responsible.
There will also be specific rules for renewing their license.
What impact do you see the Engineers
Bill having on the society at large?
It will definitely give people a sense
of safety. Nowadays we see so many
building collapses. There could be
issues related to serviceability, dampness, corrosion, maintenance, etc, which
could have led to such collapses. Even
25 year old buildings are collapsing.
On the other hand there are 500 old
structures that are still going strong because the processes involved in their
construction was right. The problem is
that we are not sticking to processes so
these failures are happening. With the

Engineers Bill there will be focus on all
these issue and there will be more sense
of security.
What are the other steps that you
intend taking to make ACCE (I) benefit
engineers?
There is one more step that we intend
to take to help consulting civil engineers.
In India if you see there will be about
100-200 consulting firms , with a turnover of more than ` 10 crore - ` 15 crore
and employing over 100 engineers,
forming the top of the pyramid, but the
rest of the consulting engineers, who
run into laces, do not earn enough to
own licensed software. This is an area
which we want to address. What we are
trying to do is to set up a remote centre,
to help our members with legitimate
software for AutoCAD, Staad, etc. Our
members can send their data to this
centre, it will be then converted using
any of these legitimate software and
they can then submit the final output to
their clients. This will mean that they need
not own their software.
Won't it lead to copyright issues?
We are talking to these companies
at the association level. We are telling
them that these are the days of cloud
computing and shareware, so why
can't members outsource their requirements. If companies can outsource their
services from the US to India in such
big numbers, why can't members outsource to a centre within India? This is
an area which can benefit consulting
civil engineers immensely.
Do you feel that the provisions of the
National Building Code are adequate?
Yes, I feel so. The book also says that
in case the structure is complex, and if
the codal provisions are inadequate,
do the study. One of our missions is to
improve the processes. We want to
bring out guidelines on the processes,
deliverables and counter checks during execution, so that our members are
aware of it and they will automatically incorporate them during project execution.
Interaction
Right now ACCE (I) has about 3000

members. By the end of your term,
what is the increase you are targeting?
My objective is to improve the quality of the members and not only the
quantity. I genuinely feel that if the quality improves, automatically more people will come in.
Are you considering tying up with professional bodies abroad?
Definitely. We are open to working
with any professional body, learn from
them and contribute to them, whatever
we can, if we share similar objectives.
What about steps to strengthen ACCE (I)'s
head office operations?
We definitely want to strengthen our

head office operations. But before that
we need to be financially strong. In order
to do that we will try and give annual
sponsorships to major companies. We
will be endorsing their brand.
structure segment we will endorse 5-6

brands. Similarly, in among cement
companies we may endorse 5-6 brands.
The companies stand to gain; since
they can tell people that ACCE (I) has
endorsed them.
How will you qualify the brands? You

can't be endorsing all of them?
What about representation in the BIS?
We have a committee. They will access and decide which brands qualify
for the endorsement. We will have different layers for the brands platinum,
gold, silver, regular, etc. We have appointed a brand sales company that
will position these brands. These
brands will be categorized under different segments. For instance, in the infra-
We already have been requested by

the BIS to suggest some experts in the
field from ACCE (I). We have already circulated the information among members.
Any other message that you may want
to share with our readers?
I request all engineers to be part of
ACCE (I), strengthen us and also, gain
strength from the association.
Entries Open in Two Million Dollar Sustainable Construction Competition

world in 2013/14 followed by a global phase in 2015. Regional
winners will be announced at Holcim Awards ceremonies in
late 2014 in Moscow (for region Europe), Toronto (North
America), Medelln (Latin America), Beirut (Africa Middle East)
and Jakarta (Asia Pacific).
The Holcim Awards is one of the most significant competitions in its field in
terms of reputation and international scope. The fourth cycle of the competition
offering a total of USD 2 million in prize money is now open for entries. The
competition seeks leading projects from industry professionals and bold ideas
from the "Next Generation" that contribute to sustainability within architecture,
building, civil engineering, landscape and urban design, as well as construction
materials and technologies. Entries must be submitted online at
www.holcimawards.org by March 24, 2014.
The Holcim Awards (main category) is open to architects, planners, engineers,
project owners, builders and construction firms that showcase sustainable
responses to technological, environmental, socioeconomic and cultural issues
with contemporary building and construction. Projects must have reached an
advanced stage of design, have a high probability of execution, and may not
have started construction before July 1, 2013.
The competition also seeks visionary projects and bold ideas for the "Next Generation" (young professionals and students category). All authors must be aged
between 18 and 30 years of age: (date of birth between July 2, 1982 and March
24, 1996), and the project may not have started construction before July 1, 2013.
Organized by the Swiss-based Holcim Foundation for Sustainable
Construction the competition is conducted in parallel in five regions of the
226
10 truly innovative Canadian sustainable construction projects

have won in previous award cycles and received support and
recognition on the global stage. These include the winning
projects "Greening the Infrastructure at Benny Farm" in
Montral, "Living with Lakes" in Sudbury and "Evergreen Brick
Works" in Toronto. The Holcim Awards are an opportunity to
celebrate the innovative and sustained efforts of Canadian
students, architects, engineers and project owners.
Internationally renowned architects and academics in juries
Independent jury panels of experts evaluate all entries against
the five "target issues" for sustainable construction which
cover economic, social and environmental performance as
well as contextual/aesthetic impact, and innovation/transferability. A full list of jury members is available at: www.holcima
wards.org/juries
More than 150 prize winning projects over ten years
Previous Holcim Awards prize winners in more than 40 countries
range from the provision of basic needs in developing
communities through to complex technical solutions.
The Holcim Foundation is supported by Holcim Ltd and its
Group companies in more than 70 countries and is
independent of its commercial interests. Holcim is one of the
world's leading suppliers of cement and aggregates as well as
further activities such as ready-mix concrete and asphalt,
including services.
Training
CIDC, Vijay Nirman

Join Hands to Make History
8000 Construction Personnel to be Trained Across the Country
The issue of acute shortage of trained Manpower has been plaguing the Indian construction industry for quite
some time now. In this scenario, the news of CIDC and Vijay Nirman joining hands to train no less than 8,000
personnel comes as a whiff of fresh air. Such initiatives have the potential to dramatically change the very
face of the Indian construction industry. The Masterbuilder investigates.
or a country as populous as India,

skilled labour actually should not
be an area of concern. However,
the ground realities are not so. The current situation that the country finds itself
is really ironic. While on one hand employment opportunities for the country's teeming millions have increased
manifold, on the other hand, there is the
story of several millions of workers sitting idle since they are short on skills. A
lot is made up of the India growth story,
as to how by 2025 about 70% of the
country's population will be in the working age. The question however, is how
many of them will be really 'employ-
228
able'? Perhaps in no other industry is this

stark contrast visible than in construction. The construction industry today is
grappling with a problem of acute
shortage of Manpower with employable
skills. With India's burgeoning urban
population, the need for quality infrastructure and real estate has become
massive. By 2020, about 35% of the
country's population is expected to live
in urban areas, a statistic that gives an
insight into the enormity of the problem.
The demand supply gap starts with
that of qualified civil engineers, down to
skilled technicians and the labour force
on construction sites. Various reasons
are cited for the acute shortage of labour,

whether skilled or unskilled. Government initiatives such as the Mahatma
Gandhi National Rural Employment
Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) are often
cited as a key reason why there has been
a stoppage of labour force coming in
from hinterlands, especially from the
states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The
root of the problem though lies in the
fact that India's vocational training system does not target the informal workforce. Even in the case of academic
institutions offering engineering degrees,
except for a handful, the quality of engineers being produced remains far from
Training
satisfactory. The fact that the graduates being churned out from a vast
majority of these institutions are not
industry-ready has hit the construction
industry hard.
CIDC Initiatives
In the midst of all this, there is one
organization that has been silently going
about offering training programs and
trying to make a difference, to the best
of its ability. The Construction Industry
Development Council (CIDC) has been
taking various steps in order to address
this serious issue. It has taken upon
itself to organize training programs in
collaboration with various other industry associations and organizations. CIDC
has been conducting training programs
for all levels of personnel from the construction industry, right from construction workers to top management professionals. It has been involved in offering several training programs in collaboration with leading educational institutions such as the Singhania University,
Mewar University and Teerthanker
Mahaveer University. The leading
industry body is also involved with training initiatives in the north east for the
Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DONER) and North East-
We are delighted to join hands

with Vijay Nirman for this training initiative. I am sure this is a
harbinger of more good things
to come going forward for the
Indian construction industry,
which has been grappling with
the issue of shortage of skilled
workers.
Dr. P. R. Swarup
Director General, CIDC
ern Council (NEC). Recently, BCCL, a

subsidiary of Coal India Limited (CIL) had
announced a tie-up with the CIDC for
training of over 5,000 unemployed youth
in Dhanbad, Bihar for free training in
vocational skills.
CIDC - Vijay Nirman Come Together
While CIDC may have been involved
with scores of training initiatives, however, there has been one recent development that could have far-reaching
implications for the construction industry. CIDC has joined hands with Vijay
Nirman, one of the leading construction companies in the country, to train
not less than 8,000 personnel of the
latter. It is for the first time in the country
that such a massive training assignment is being taken up in the construction industry.
Vijay Nirman has been a top name
in the construction industry for over
twenty-six years now having executed
more than 350 major projects in the fields
of marine, power, residential realty and
commercial realty sectors, among others. Breaking the news on the development, P.R.Swarup, Director General of
CIDC said, We are delighted to join
hands with Vijay Nirman for this training
initiative. I am sure this is a harbinger of
more good things to come going forward for the Indian construction industry, which has been grappling with the
issue of shortage of skilled workers."
Explaining the philosophy behind the
dramatic decision taken by the company, S. Vijay Kumar, founder and the
driving force behind its rapid growthThe
philosophy is actually very simple.
Wherever there is a repetitive nature of
job, we can train. The gap between
knowing and implementing needs to
be reduced.
The company is no stranger to the
field of training and education. In 1996
it had started the Sadhana school. It
had also started a construction supervisor training course as far back in 1999.
As per the present arrangement with
CIDC the 8,000 personnel are supposed
to finish their training by 2014, a challenging target considering the sheer
The process of mapping out

the delivery in the first phase is
going on. Everyone's training
requirement, from the Director,
right up to the bottom rung
worker, will be mapped out.
Everybody's roles, responsibilities, training needs and the gap
between requirement and what
is actually available will be analyzed. The respective training
program for each level of the
hierarchy will be structured,
ranging from 3 to 9 months
depending on the nature of the
gap.
S. Vijay Kumar
Chairman & Managing Director, Vijay Nirman
number of people to be trained. Apart

from its own employees, the personnel
to be trained will also include workers
from Vijay Nirman's sub contractors too.
However, Vijay Kumar is confident that
the target will be achieved. Giving outlines of the training program, Vijay Kumar
explained, The process of mapping out
the delivery in the first phase is going
on. Everyone's training requirement, from
the Director, right up to the bottom rung
worker, will be mapped out. Everybody's
roles, responsibilities, training needs and
the gap between requirement and what
is actually available will be analyzed.
The respective training program for each
level of the hierarchy will be structured,
ranging from 3 to 9 months depending
on the nature of the gap.
Another reason why Vijay Kumar is
confident that the initiative will succeed
is because of the fact that every person's training will be related to his job.
The reason this will work is because
Training
we are not going to change what you

are already doing. The focus here is on
how to improve the quality of work, productivity and safety in your particular
role. The staff will be given specific
reading material related to their respective topic and they will also have to
undertake mandatory tests every month.
CIDC is providing the trainers and the
course material for the training programs.
According to Vijay Kumar, the nature
of the training program, wherein training of personnel cutting across the
organizational hierarchy takes place is
the best model to follow. Tomorrow if a
junior engineer walks into the Director's
cabin and speaks about the latest technology and gives a suggestion, the
senior is in a way forced to learn what
the subordinate is talking about, since
otherwise he will cut a sorry figure
pointed out Vijay Kumar, speaking about
the inherent advantages of the model.
Interestingly this news comes at a
time when several companies in the
construction industry have been reluc-
tant to invest in training of their workforce,

fearing flight of trained manpower, what
with attrition rates being ever so high. In
Vijay Kumar's views such training programs will keep motivation levels of
employees high and are integral to
retaining good talent since they foster a
sense of belonging. According to him
as long as you respect and trust your
human resources, they are bound to
stay with the organization.
A Game Changer
This landmark collaborative effort
could be the potential game changer
that the industry was waiting for all these
days. It could mark the beginning of
streamlining of vocational training programs, especially for the unskilled and
lower rung workforce in the construction industry, which could put the industry on the fast track to growth. India
already has the example of neighbouring China, which has grown by leaps
and bounds, thanks to its focus on
vocational training programs. For the
NASA's
New Technology
Could Help Buildings
Survive Earthquakes
betterment of the industry let us hope

that other companies too will borrow a
leaf from the books of Vijay Nirman and
soon follow suit.
Editor's Take:
The coming together of CIDC and
Vijay Nirman for the initiative heralds
the dawn of a new era in the Indian construction industry. While earlier too
training programs were being conducted,
this is the first time that something on
this scale is being attempted. It is the
step in the right direction and worthy of
emulation from other companies. Vijay
Nirman has set the ball rolling for the
others. Instead of blaming the circumstances for the acute shortage of skilled
manpower, and doing nothing, the
company has found a solution. Such
training initiatives are the need of the
hour. Others desirous of doing something similar will now have the advantage of having a readymade blueprint.
Here's hoping others too jump into the
bandwagon in large numbers.
Engineers at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

claim that the have found a innovative way to keep structures from shaking
that could help buildings survive earthquake damage. The technology was
developed at Marshall Space Flight Center and successfully tried out on the
365-foot-tall Dynamic Test Stand that has also tested the Saturn V rocket and
the space shuttle.
"Not only could this technology be applied to existing structures that have
problems ... it could change the way buildings and other structures are
designed," Project Manager Rob Berry said in a NASA news release. "It could
have the ability to keep aircraft, ships and oil platforms steady during high
winds, waves and other weather events - anywhere where fluids and
structures coexist. We are currently in discussion with industry regarding
potential applications."
The patented technology, called fluid structure coupling, had its origin in
NASA's attempt to mute the dangerous vibration in launch vehicles with huge
liquid fuel tanks. Engineers designed a device to fit inside a fuel tank to calm
the vibrations during liftoff.To test their device, engineers went to the 4.5
million-pound building. They put a 14,000 pound water tank and large weights
on the top floor and moved the weights back and forth to make the entire
building sway. But when they turned on the new device inside the tank, NASA
says, "the movement was nearly completely stopped."
The device, which weighs less than 100 pounds, "controls the interaction
between the fluid and the structure," Berry said. In the test, the results were
equivalent to reducing the vibration of a 650,000 pound launch vehicle.
230
Demolition
Hydrodemolition - An Overview
Basil Manoj
oncrete is a robust product having high compressive

strength which makes it ideal for all kinds of permanent
structures. As its strength is a great advantage for any
construction, it poses problem when it has to be demolished.
Hydrodemolition is one of the latest non-mechanical methods
used for concrete demolition in an efficient manner. It is
highly regarded as a best demolition method due to its
various advantages. This method can be used for various
applications like concrete demolition, surface preparation,
concrete repairing, blockage clearing, creating opening or
recess in concrete, etc.
In this article, a general overview on Hydrodemolition method
is presented.
Technology
It is a technique of demolishing concrete structures using
high pressure water jet of upto 40000 PSI (2700 Bar).
Using this technology, we can demolish concrete of any
thickness quickly without damaging the reinforcement
steel. Aggregates may also be added along with water to
increase the demolition productivity.
Hydroblasting by manual method
Equipment
This system consists of engine-driven high pressure pump,
high pressure hose, gun equipped with spray nozzles, large
capacity water tank, etc. It is able to carry out Hydrodemolition
work 100m away from the equipment location.
The water jetting pumps ranges from 5 HP to 500 HP,
pressures from 1000 PSI to 40000 PSI and the flow rates from
20 GPM to 360 GPM. These pumps can be of stationary
type, skid type or trailer mounted type depending on its
capacity. The type and shape of the nozzle directly affects the
efficiency and effectiveness of the demolition operation.
Comparison
In the conventional method, with the use of jack hammers,
the time taken to demolish the concrete is considerably
very high. It also consumes huge energy, vibration, noise
pollution and causes unhealthy work environment during
its working.
Hydroblasting by robotic method
It works on the process of disintegrating the materials of

concrete using high pressure water jet. The water jet destroys
the bonding of cement and sand with the aggregates,
thereby causing disintegration. During the Hydrodemolition
process, the reinforcement steel in the concrete is unaffected
due to the high compression property of steel.
If demolition has to be done in hazardous areas or at
locations where access is not proper, hydro demolition is
possible using robotics and remote control technologies.
Robots are also used in areas where the demolition has to
be done on large scale.
Stationary Hydroblasting Equipment
Trailer mountedHydroblasting Equipment
Demolition
In case jack hammers are used for concrete repair work

or surface preparation work, it creates micro stress fractures
within the concrete, which significantly reduces the strength of
the concrete and also leads to delamination of the material.
Concrete surface preparation by Hydroblasting
In hydroblasting, aggregate and cementious components

of concrete are separated by destroying the bonding
of cement with the aggregate, and finally the aggregate
remains intact within the concrete. Significant improvement
in bond strength is obtained using the Hydrodemolition
method. The quality of the surface preparation ensures the
long-term success and durability.
Use in Concrete Repair
WheeledHydroblasting Equipment
For repairing the concrete, it is necessary to remove the

deteriorated concrete and prepare the surface. It is also
necessary to clean the reinforcement steel and embedded
items before restoration is done. Hydrodemolition method
Robotic Hydroblasting Equipment
In Hydrodemolition method, the effect of erosion is utilized

for demolition instead of compressive impact to remove
concrete. The concrete which is in direct contact with the water
jet is only removed and no micro fractures are developed.
When compared with conventional method of demolition
like jack hammer, diamond wire cutting and saw cutting,
hydro blasting is an efficient method.
Steel surface preparation by Hydroblasting
Use in Surface Preparation

Traditionally, surface preparation is being carried out using
sand blasting, grid blasting, chipping, etc. As these methods
are environmentally sensitive, the use of hydroblasting has
become an alternate method. Visually, the hydroblasted
surface is much different from the other surface produced
by the use of traditional methods. Hydroblasting can be
applied on variety of surfaces to remove surface materials
like mastic, rubber, curing compound, releasing agents, bond
breakers, leveling compounds, paint, thermoplastics, epoxy,
etc.
Prepared concrete surface using Hydroblasting
Demolition
Before
After
Blockage / Scale clearing in conduits using Hydroblasting
can be used for this purpose at ease expediting the repair

project.
Merits & Demerits
General
- Water is the main element utilized in this method which
is easily available.
- Minimal contamination to surrounding area.
- No damage to the reinforcement steel and embedded
materials.
- Minimal dust and noise pollution.
- High capital and maintenance cost.
- Trained and experienced operators are required.
- Creates fatigue to the operator within short period and
requires frequent rotation of operators.
For surface preparation:
- No vibration on the structure.
- Can be used in any type of structures either indoor or
outdoor demolition.
- Removes any type of deposits, scale, hulls, coatings
soluble salts and oils from the surface.
- Contaminant free surface after preparation.
- The sensitive areas such as welding and connection
joints are not damaged.
- Causes flash rusting in steel structures.
Safety
Hydrodemolition is a clean process which does not produce
silica dust during the demolition work and provide healthier
work environment. However, the fragments of removed
debris fly in all direction at high velocity during this operation
causing hazard at the demolition area. So, it is necessary
to shield the area with proper barriers.
As this method uses high pressure water jets which is very
dangerous and can cause serious injury and death, if it is
not handled properly. The operators should wear special
protective outfit fully covering their body to get protected
from the flying debris. To handle the high water pressure
Concrete demolition using Hydroblasting
during demolition, well trained and technically competent

operators should be involved in this operation.
Reference
Field Guide to Concrete Repair application procedures
Concrete Removal using Hydrodemolition published by
American Concrete Institute, ACI RAP Bulletin 14

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EDITOR'S COMMENT

Bidding Adieu to a Scholar and a

K.P. Pradeep, Editor-in-Chief

Your feedbacks are welcome and

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