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Home > Archive > Architecture > December 2005 > Concrete in the tropics?
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Concrete in the tropics?
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| Sinisa Kolaric 2005-12-18, 5:22 pm |
| For folks in this NG who work in the tropical regions, what are your
experiences regarding the usage of concrete when building one-family
residences in the tropics?
Obviously, concrete has a large thermal mass, so excessive heat-radiation
during the night must be avoided, whether by design or insulation or any
other technique. Convential wisdom says that high-mass construction is to be
avoided in regions with small diurnal ranges (which includes a tropical
region on my mind).
In spite of this, I'd interested to hear comments on:
1) subterranean chambers made out of concrete, in the tropics. Any
experiences? My intention
would be to obtain natural cooling, due to contact of concrete with
surrounding soil. Is this realistic, that is, is it realistic to hope for
efficient cooling in this way?
2) outer shells of buildings made out of reinforced concrete (curvilinear
roofs and walls) - what kind of thermal insulation do you use to prevent
excessive heating due to strong tropical sun?
In the tropical region that I'm referring to, most dwellings are built from
low-thermal-mass materials like wood. However I'm wondering why not use
concrete. Thanks for any insights and comments,
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| "Sinisa Kolaric"> wrote
> For folks in this NG who work in the tropical regions, what are your
> experiences regarding the usage of concrete when building one-family
> residences in the tropics?
>
> Obviously, concrete has a large thermal mass, so excessive heat-radiation
> during the night must be avoided, whether by design or insulation or any
> other technique. Convential wisdom says that high-mass construction is to
> be
> avoided in regions with small diurnal ranges (which includes a tropical
> region on my mind).
>
> In spite of this, I'd interested to hear comments on:
>
> 1) subterranean chambers made out of concrete, in the tropics. Any
> experiences? My intention
> would be to obtain natural cooling, due to contact of concrete with
> surrounding soil. Is this realistic, that is, is it realistic to hope for
> efficient cooling in this way?
>
> 2) outer shells of buildings made out of reinforced concrete (curvilinear
> roofs and walls) - what kind of thermal insulation do you use to prevent
> excessive heating due to strong tropical sun?
>
> In the tropical region that I'm referring to, most dwellings are built
> from
> low-thermal-mass materials like wood. However I'm wondering why not use
> concrete. Thanks for any insights and comments,
Most of the homes I do on the islands off the coast of SW Florida are frame
construction, 2x6 studs packed with R-11.
If money is no objection then concrete would be the choice.
I say 'no objection' because it is prohibitively expensive to get concrete
out to an island.
Your best bet is to contact a designer that has extensive experience in the
exact location that you are speaking of as much of this stuff falls under
regional jurisdiction as to what your allowed to do.
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"Don" <one-if-by-land@concord.com> wrote in message
news:L_kpf.6731$3Z.5398@newsread1.news.atl.earthlink.net...
> "Sinisa Kolaric"> wrote
heat-radiation[color=darkred]
to[color=darkred]
for[color=darkred]
(curvilinear[color=darkred]
>
> Most of the homes I do on the islands off the coast of SW Florida are
frame
> construction, 2x6 studs packed with R-11.
> If money is no objection then concrete would be the choice.
> I say 'no objection' because it is prohibitively expensive to get concrete
> out to an island.
> Your best bet is to contact a designer that has extensive experience in
the
> exact location that you are speaking of as much of this stuff falls under
> regional jurisdiction as to what your allowed to do.
>
>
I heard that in some places reo was removed after inspection but before
pour.
Gives new meaning to Phuket.
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| "o8TY"> wrote
> I heard that in some places reo was removed after inspection but before
> pour.
What is reo?
> Gives new meaning to Phuket.
All manner of things are done at the appropriate times, some right and some
wrong.
If the rulemakers were more attentive this couldn't happen.
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| Sinisa Kolaric 2005-12-19, 6:21 pm |
| > I heard that in some places reo was removed after
> inspection but before pour.
What is "reo"? Reinforced concrete?
> Gives new meaning to Phuket.
Could you please clarify? :-) Are you saying that
due to non-conformance to quality standards, a lot
of concrete buildings were destroyed by tsunami
in Phuket? Or that concrete isn't suitable for such
regions? Thanks for your insights.
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| I just returned from central Mexico and the majority of the new building
were of cast in place concrete. I am also designing a condo and single
family housing development in San Felipe, Mexico and that is all concrete
too. Wood is too hard to get and the labor for concrete is much cheaper.
Several years ago, I spent a summer in Ecuador and if my memory serves me
correct, many if not most of those structures were concrete.
"Sinisa Kolaric" <null@foo.com> wrote in message
news:do4hgo$8dl$1@ss405.t-com.hr...
> For folks in this NG who work in the tropical regions, what are your
> experiences regarding the usage of concrete when building one-family
> residences in the tropics?
>
> Obviously, concrete has a large thermal mass, so excessive heat-radiation
> during the night must be avoided, whether by design or insulation or any
> other technique. Convential wisdom says that high-mass construction is to
> be
> avoided in regions with small diurnal ranges (which includes a tropical
> region on my mind).
>
> In spite of this, I'd interested to hear comments on:
>
> 1) subterranean chambers made out of concrete, in the tropics. Any
> experiences? My intention
> would be to obtain natural cooling, due to contact of concrete with
> surrounding soil. Is this realistic, that is, is it realistic to hope for
> efficient cooling in this way?
>
> 2) outer shells of buildings made out of reinforced concrete (curvilinear
> roofs and walls) - what kind of thermal insulation do you use to prevent
> excessive heating due to strong tropical sun?
>
> In the tropical region that I'm referring to, most dwellings are built
> from
> low-thermal-mass materials like wood. However I'm wondering why not use
> concrete. Thanks for any insights and comments,
>
>
>
>
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| marcenmoni@cpu-net.net 2005-12-19, 11:21 pm |
|
Sinisa Kolaric wrote:
> For folks in this NG who work in the tropical regions, what are your
> experiences regarding the usage of concrete when building one-family
> residences in the tropics?
>
> Obviously, concrete has a large thermal mass, so excessive heat-radiation
> during the night must be avoided, whether by design or insulation or any
> other technique. Convential wisdom says that high-mass construction is to be
> avoided in regions with small diurnal ranges (which includes a tropical
> region on my mind).
>
> In spite of this, I'd interested to hear comments on:
>
> 1) subterranean chambers made out of concrete, in the tropics. Any
> experiences? My intention
> would be to obtain natural cooling, due to contact of concrete with
> surrounding soil. Is this realistic, that is, is it realistic to hope for
> efficient cooling in this way?
>
> 2) outer shells of buildings made out of reinforced concrete (curvilinear
> roofs and walls) - what kind of thermal insulation do you use to prevent
> excessive heating due to strong tropical sun?
>
> In the tropical region that I'm referring to, most dwellings are built from
> low-thermal-mass materials like wood. However I'm wondering why not use
> concrete. Thanks for any insights and comments,
Concrete is used all the time in south Florida, in condos, commercial
buildings, etc. It's not a problem. Insulation is used under concrete
roofs and just inside concrete walls to help keep the heat out.
Underground concrete chambers can work, if you have terrain that allows
easy excavation. This is not possible in south east Florida with coral
bedrock. Is concrete more energy efficient for temperature and humidity
control? I'm not sure. The thing is, no matter the heat retention
differences between wood and concrete, building code requires certain R
values for walls and roofs, and these are generally made up with
insulation, independantly of the structural material. In other words,
insulation is more significant than the actual concrete or wood use.
Other critical factors (at least according to the code) are window
areas, overhangs, the efficiency of cooling and heating equipment, the
insulation in ductwork, where the cooling and heating equipment is
located.
Marcello
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| Sinisa Kolaric 2005-12-20, 11:21 am |
| <snipped>
A very useful post. Thanks.
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"Sinisa Kolaric" <null@foo.com> wrote in message
news:do7ape$seb$1@ss405.t-com.hr...
>
> What is "reo"? Reinforced concrete?
>
In these parts, reo is commonly used as an abbreviation for the steel used
to reinforce concrete.
>
>
> Could you please clarify? :-) Are you saying that
> due to non-conformance to quality standards, a lot
> of concrete buildings were destroyed by tsunami
> in Phuket?
It was a poor joke, but news of the tsunami arrived around the same time as
a report of shonky building practices in Phuket.
> Or that concrete isn't suitable for such
> regions? Thanks for your insights.
>
The hot weather can hasten the evaporation of moisture from the concrete
causing considerable shrinkage cracks, which often leads to premature and
unsightly corrosion of the undercovered reo (where placed). The use of CaCl
(accelerator) to hasten setting can accelerate the corrosion. In the tropics
it is probably best to use as dry a mix as possible subject to workability.
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