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Background
| The CIDA/NRCan/CII Project
THE CIDA/NRCan/CII PROJECT
- Introduction
- Goal
- Purpose
- Activities
- Booklet on HVFAC
- Web Site
- Short courses
- Technology Assessment and Adaptation to the Indian Context
- Focused-Group Workshops
- Summary Reports on the Current Situation of Fly Ash and Fly ash Concrete in India
- Demonstration Projects
In 2002, the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) awarded Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) a contract to adapt and implement the High-Volume Fly Ash Concrete (HVFAC) technology in India. In the HVFAC, the amount of ordinary Portland cement required to produce high-quality concrete is minimized through proper mixture proportioning using large amounts of fly ash and judicious selection of materials and chemical admixtures. The HVFAC technology was developed at CANMET, Natural Resources Canada, in 1985, and has been studied extensively by the same organization for the last 15 years. CANMET has performed a large number of laboratory and field investigations in which fly ash and cement from numerous sources in Canada and the U.S.A. have been used. HVFAC has been used in a number of structures in Eastern Canada since the late 80's and, more recently, this technology has been used in Western Canada (British Columbia and Alberta) and Toronto, where case studies were documented.
The use of the HVFAC technology allows large volumes of fly ash to replace Portland cement in various concrete applications, thereby providing the multiple benefits of reduced CO2 emissions, improved cost-benefit ratios for infrastructure development, and reduced environmental impacts related to the disposal of fly ash.
Funded by the Canada Climate Change Development Fund and administrated by CIDA, the project is implemented by the CANMET-Materials Technology Laboratory (MTL), a division of NRCan, in partnership with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) as the Indian Lead Agency, and several other Indian partners.
The objective of the project is to significantly increase the use of fly ash in concrete. This would help India to meet increasing demands for concrete without increasing CO2 emissions and depleting natural resources for the production of clinker, and without negative economic impact. In fact, the economic impact would be positive given the potentially lower cost of the fly ash concrete compared to conventional concrete, and the longer service life fly ash concrete could provide to concrete structures. In addition to this, the implementation of a technology involving the use of large amounts of fly ash, an industrial byproduct, in concrete does not require any major investment, and will have significant beneficial impacts on the environment.
The project activities are designed to:
- Raise the awareness of the concrete industry, and the concrete users and specifiers of the benefits of using larger amounts of fly ash in concrete,
- Increase the level of technical knowledge specific to high-volume fly ash practice, and
- Provide India with the necessary tools and expertise to continue the transfer of the technology to a continuously growing concrete industry and to adapt the technology to a large number of different applications under various conditions.
The overall goal of this project is to strengthen India's ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to promote sustainable development in India.
The purpose of the project is to enhance the capacity and willingness of key stakeholders (Governments, Industry, R&D Organizations) to effectively use higher volumes of fly ash in concrete construction.
Widespread use of this technology will help to stabilize the rapidly growing production of clinker, the primary source of CO2 emissions in the production of cement, thereby stemming the growth in CO2 emissions associated with the production of this material.
The use of this technology will also improve the quality of concrete (longer service life and then lower repair cost), reduce the depletion of natural resources used in conventional cement production, reduce landfill requirements for disposal of fly ash, and reduce the costs and environmental impacts associated with this practice.
Consequently, the implementation of the HVFAC technology should provide benefits to both the private and public sectors that use concrete, to the fly ash producers (coal power generation industry), and to the general public in India.
In order to meet the project's goal and purpose, the following activities are undertaken.
Technical seminar series in major cities of India.
The one-day general seminars, open to large audiences, review the characteristics and various potential applications of fly ash concrete and HVFAC technology. The seminar series involves presentations by CANMET-MTL, CII, Canadian consultants, and selected Indian scientists and practitioners.
Two booklets on the HVFAC technology have already been produced and distributed to participants at seminars, workshops, courses and various meetings in India during the project. The booklets describe the properties and applications of the HVFAC technology. A third version of the booklet has been prepared integrating the results from the technology adaptation program and the results and lessons learned during the demonstration projects.
In order to disseminate the information through widely accessible electronic media, a Web site has been created.
The courses include lectures and laboratory demonstrations. Engineers from selected Indian partners are trained on the HVFAC technology at CANMET in Ottawa, Canada, and participated in the design of the course and the information package to be given in India. The Indian trainees participate as trainers in courses and workshops on HVFAC offered in India as well as the development of the demonstration projects.
Technology Assessment and Adaptation to the Indian Context
This activity is directed at assessing and adapting the technology to Indian materials and conditions for a range of potential applications and at resolving technical issues that create barriers against the full implementation of fly ash concrete and HVFAC technology in India. Laboratory development work on HVFAC technology with Indian materials is being carried out both at CANMET, and at the following recognized centers in India: Central Building Research Institute in Roorkee, the Structural Engineering Research Centre in Chennai, and the Bengal Engineering College in Howrah. The information resulting from this activity is disseminated through the seminars, web site and publications.
The half-day focused-group workshops are specifically designed for Central and State agencies directly involved in the construction and maintenance of public facilities such as the transportation authorities and public works departments, and is also directed towards other government agencies in a position to endorse the use of fly ash concrete and the HVFAC technology. The purpose of these workshops is to promote the use of the HVFAC technology by expounding on the technical, environmental and economical benefits resulting from its use.
Summary Reports on the Current Situation of Fly Ash and Fly ash Concrete in India
Existing data and information in India on the quality, availability, and use of fly ash in concrete, available from various private and public sector organizations, are gathered, reviewed and summarized. The reports, once completed are to be made public.
A demonstration project in this context is defined as the construction of HVFAC elements of sufficient size or number in the field or the production site. The demonstration project is to be representative of an actual full-scale project or production owned by the selected organizations. To be considered as an application of the HVFAC technology, the level of replacement of portland cement by fly ash used in the concrete has to be significantly higher (maximized) than the current practice. The main criterion for a demonstration project is a high probability of a full-scale construction by the owners following the demonstration project, given that all the requirements are met. Another critical aspect is the strong potential for significant CO2 emissions reduction associated with the use of the HVFAC technology for the full-scale project following the demonstration.
For each project, concrete mixture proportions are determined to meet the requirements using the locally available materials (cement, fly ash, aggregates, chemical admixtures) to be used for the demonstration project. Preliminary design and testing are performed either at CANMET, or in an Indian laboratory, in collaboration with the Indian partners. The concrete mixtures developed in the laboratory are then reproduced at the concrete batch plant or with the field-batching unit, with the same materials used in the laboratory. This provides an opportunity to make some final adjustments to the mixture proportioning when working with full-scale equipments.
Concrete sections or elements, large enough to be representative of an actual full-scale project are then made with the High-Volume Fly Ash Concrete developed in the above activities. As for any significant construction project, a proper QA/QC program is implemented for the various processes involved in the manufacturing, placing, finishing and curing of the concrete.
Proper monitoring of the performance of the HVFAC used in the demonstration project takes place for a designated period following construction.
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