Reinforced Ferrocement and Acrylic mix question.

[philSweet]

I've been trying to figure out what a sampan has to do with a floating island made of concrete hexagons, then I realized I've been reading

hexagonal reinforced ferrocement concrete floating island

all wrong. Sorry for the distraction.

 

[Boucaneer]

Yeah, two different projects, both made from reinforced ferrocement.

Sampan was an addition as a practice and a useful vehicle with a flat hulled hull made from 12" styrofoam as a cheap place to crash out and live on when I get to India.

But both will use the same construction technique/method.

Cheers.

 

[WestVanHan]

There's a synthetic mortar mixes with a poly resin IIRC....was popular Downunder but in Florida? and bonds to itself.
I think there was fiberglass mixed in but not sure.

The developer's son still sold it as of a couple years ago and posted on here 2-3 years ago.

Can't recall the name but it's something like Ferro Ferra something. Give me a day or two it'll pop into my head.

 

[Boucaneer]

Thank you WestVanHan.

 

[WestVanHan]

Feralite

http://www.fer-a-lite.com/

 

[Boucaneer]

Thanks. It looks like a good product, not much information on their website, but it does sound good.

It would be difficult to ship to India concerning the weight and customs official and tax but probably a good product for a local project.

I think I had better learn to use Portland or Geopolymer as its both available in India.

Still if I could learn how to make my own Fer-a-lite like substance then that would be handy.

I could call it Fer-a-like. Lol

Still to learn the indredients would be fantastic.

 

[WestVanHan]

Best sticking with tried and true concrete but it's fun to consider options.

There was also this other stuff on the market-a synthetic concrete developed to house nuclear waste. But used no "cement".
Used fly ash which can be had for free as a waste from coal plants.

 

[Boucaneer]

Yes, fky ash is an ingredient in Geopolymer cement too, slightly stronger than ordinary ferrocement. Maybe known a P.P.C also.

 

[rwatson]

Yes, fky ash is an ingredient in Geopolymer cement too, slightly stronger than ordinary ferrocement. Maybe known a P.P.C also.

More importantly - makes concrete water proof against salt water.

"Pozzolana makes the concrete more resistant to salt water than modern-day concrete.[4] The pozzolanic mortar used had a high content of alumina and silica."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_concrete

 

[Boucaneer]

That's the name of the P word I was trying to remember. Pozzolana, that's it.

Good stuff, from the roman days, they used to get it from volcanic sites and use it in their construction.

I think that's what I will use. Pozzolana Portland cement. P.P.C.

Thank you rwatson. That's certainly gave me a direction in this plan.

 

[rwatson]

That's the name of the P word I was trying to remember. Pozzolana, that's it.

Good stuff, from the roman days, they used to get it from volcanic sites and use it in their construction.

I think that's what I will use. Pozzolana Portland cement. P.P.C.

Thank you rwatson. That's certainly gave me a direction in this plan.

looks like its easy to find in india

http://dir.indiamart.com/impcat/pozzolan.html

 

[Boucaneer]

Yes, I sent several request's for price quotes from Indiamart the other day to the companies that sell it, that's the thing with Indiamart the companies don't tend to get back to you.

Most Indian websites never put the prices of their products online, it doesn't seem to be in thier culture unlike western ones.

One price for Indians, another price for westerners, or what ever price they can squeeze out of the customer.

I will get an Indian friend to make the deal when I get there.

The usual rule of thumb is a third of western prices unless it something new and technological. Still it would be nice to get a good quote for a bag of P.P.C but then that's like asking an Indian to eat a holy cow. Lol

I will ask my Indian friends to find out for me, trouble is my good friends are illiterate and I can't email or text them. It may have to be done over telephone or wait till I get there.

Cheers rwatson.

 

[WestVanHan]

I was going to mention the fly ash/water proof part but got hung up on that other product name.
I'm into alternate architecture and that's what's used.

I've imported from all over Asia-if you want a response you need a website of some sort-make yourself look legit.

However you are correct in that there will be higher prices for gora.

 

[Boucaneer]

Yes, that's the way I think I will go. With P.P.C.
It seems pretty common and available enough.

If you like your architecture WestVanHan then you might like these boats in India, the superstructure is made from woven bamboo.

A guy I know called Grant Jepson, who used to build Sunseekers now makes them.
They are called Kettuvallis.