Mass Concrete Wall Construction

The heat takes several hours to travel through the wall before it is released into the home s living areas.

Mass concrete wall construction.

Mass wall panels are lighter and thinner than traditional stones. In heavy civil construction the florida department of transportation fdot sets the maximum temperature of concrete at 180 f. Mass concrete is defined by the american concrete institute as. Any volume of concrete in which a combination of dimensions of the member being cast the boundary conditions the characteristics of the concrete mixture and the ambient conditions can lead to undesirable thermal stresses cracking deleterious chemical reactions or reduction in the long term strength as a result of elevated concrete temperature due to heat from hydration aci 207 1r.

They have acoustic and thermal properties. Concrete walls can be insulated on the interior or exterior face or by embedding the material within the wall. This comes with the requirement that any mix considered mass concrete expected to have a core temperature greater than 165 f must have 35 to 50 fly ash or 50 to 70 slag. Concrete thermal mass walls are not only highly energy efficient and conducive to healthy indoor air but homes built with thermal mass walls require substantially less lumber and produce less construction waste than stick built homes.

The wall s exterior is dark coloured to attract the sun s heat. Interior installation using the rigid board batt or spray on methods is the least expensive method. The panels can be fixed in various ways. The insulation must be at least 50 on the exterior or integral to the wall to count.

Built in a day while t mass walls cost more than wood they also go up faster. Construction of concrete walls is a crucial phase in building construction. Although the thermal mass and inherent r value u factor of concrete masonry may be enough to meet energy code requirements particularly in warmer climates concrete masonry walls often require additional insulation. When they do there are many options available for insulating concrete masonry construction.

Delivered pre sealed using a sealant option to suit the individual environment application and budget and if needed can be anti graffiti treated. Historically in britain mass concrete designated early concrete with no reinforcement cast in situ using shuttering. A trombe wall is a north facing heavy wall made of concrete or some other thermal mass material located behind a layer of glass. Mass concrete structures include massive mat foundations dams and other concrete structures with a width or depth exceeding three feet or one meter 3 feet 1 m.