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K Block Lightweight Concrete is an engineered low-density material made from cement, sand, water, and millions of small air pores (bubbles). The small, strong air pores/ bubbles in K Block Lightweight Concrete are made using a proprietary foaming agent (K Block Foaming Agent) which flows through a foam generator - creating mechanically manufactured bubbles. This “foam” is then blended with a cement slurry or cement/ sand mix. It is these small air bubbles/ pores in combination with our own specially designed production equipment that give our lightweight material its unique set of properties

History:

K Block Lightweight Concrete is uses a production method based on cellular lightweight concrete (CLC). CLC was first developed during the 1920’s and describes a material that is made with the same materials as concrete - namely: cement, sand (sometimes), and water; but no coarse aggregate. Instead, the aggregate and some (or all) of the sand is replaced with very small air bubbles. While CLC has been uses in the world for more than 60 years, it has mostly been used for roof insulation and floor toppings. The key issue was lack of good production equipment, strong air bubbles that could take the rigors of a plant process and a lack of a production system/ quality control procedures.

Over the last fifteen years, K Block Technology has modified the CLC method, designed our own production equipment and foaming agent, and developed a unique and complete production system for making lightweight concrete. This system is what we refer to as K Block Technology.

K Block Technology: Key Features and Benefits

Using K Block Technology Production process provides the customer with some unique services and benefits; including:

1. A Complete System K Block provides customers with a complete production system from raw material evaluation/ selection, quality control procedures, troubleshooting help and problem solving training and support
2. Proprietary Production Equipment designed by K Block for lightweight concrete
3. Proprietary Foaming Agent Especially designed to produce small,strong air bubbles
4. Mix Designs based on the customers local raw materials
5. Technical and Production Training

Using the above unique items in the manufacturing process, lightweight concrete made with K Block Technology has the following features and benefits:

A. During Manufacturing

  • Consistent and uniform product produced quickly during manufacture (5-6 minute batch times)
  • High cement shear mixer, so minimal cement used to achieve desired strengths
  • Low product waste during manufacturing
  • No product settlement in the moulds
  • Low power requirements for production systems
  • Low production area
  • Green Manufacturing system
  • Minimal workers

B. Finished Product Performance

Feature Benefits:
Closed cell, small air bubble structure
  • Low Water Absorption
This feature generates many excellent features and benefits
  • Can use normal mortar [or grout] and normal
  • Easy to Use
    By using normal mortar/ plaster, contractors do not need special training or use special equipment to install K Block – they can use the same procedure/ equipment as they used for bricks/ normal weight blocks
  • K Block can be used in wet areas [ie. bathrooms]
  • No Problems using K Block in areas of high humidity or rain
    With low water absorption, K Block has no problems with moisture passing though the wall – so wall paper adhesion, electrical shorts, and moist walls are not potential problems. AAC blocks have high water absorption (typically 30-40%), so moisture can pass through the wall easily - causing various and troublesome problems
  • No need for a bottom course of normal weight block (as seen in some projects when AAC blocks are used)
  • Low In-Place Thermal Conductivity
    1% water in a material adds 5% to that materials thermal conductivity value. K Block has low absorption; therefore, its in-place performance is similar to lab results. Some lightweight blocks have high water absorption (30-40%) so in-place performance can be very different from what the laboratory results would suggest
  • Closed Cell Structure
  • Excellent Heat/ Fire Insulation:
    Since the air bubbles are not connected, heat is forced to travel from air to cement matrix many times - losing more energy than if it could travel through connected cells (as with AAC Blocks). Resulting in excellent insulation and fire ratings
  • Excellent Sound Protection
    Since the K Block air bubbles are not connected (closed cells), sound waves loss a lot of energy going from air to matrix many times, plus the value of air in reducing sound energy. – resulting in excellent sound protection. With open cell structures (like AAC blocks, and normal weight blocks), sound can pass from one cell to another without loss of much energy
  • Strong Air Bubbles
  • Little Settlement
    For other applications – this means K Block Lightweight Concrete settles very little in formwork or molds (ie. cast-in-place applications) and K Block is very stable when mixed, poured from high heights or pumped
  • Small Air Bubbles
  • Excellent Screw Adhesion (High pull-out strength)
    Since the air bubbles in K Block are very small (usually smaller than the thread of the screw) screws hold well – high pullout strengths. For other lightweight blocks, the air bubbles are large – so that if the screw moves (through load or vibration), the screw can break into a large air bubble and become loose

Uses:

Besides being used in building applications such as: lightweight block, roof insulation, and cast-in-place walls/ structures, its high fluidity, and ability to mould itself to any shape (without vibration) has made it an excellent material for filling underground pipes, mine voids, cavities in tunnels, and trenches.

Manufacturing Locations:

Lightweight Concrete can be manufactured on site using mobile equipment or in factories. For those projects needing site production, cement, sand [if needed], and water can be manufactured at concrete hatching plants and transported to the site in ready-mixed trucks; or, it can be manufactured on site. The foam is then either be added into the back of the ready-mix trucks or into the mobile production mixer. Once the foam has been added, the lightweight concrete can be pumped or poured to the desired location.

K Block Technology Co.,Ltd.

1583 Soi Ladprao 94 Ladprao Rd., Wangthonglang Bangkok 10310
Tel. : +662-559-2318-21, +6686-320-2414
Fax. : +662 559 2322
E-mail : sales@k-block.com