Terrace Coating a Boon for the Structure: Dr.G.Subramanian (Lecture: 01)

Описание: Terrace Coatings a boon for integrity of the Structure
According to structural engineers, the lifespan of any concrete structure ranges from 75 to 100 years. There are various factors, which may alter this age range. For example, the life of an apartment is 50-60 years while independent homes have a higher lifespan. Since all apartment buildings have common amenities and a lot of shared facilities, the usage of such buildings will be more. However, if maintained properly, the average lifespan could be improved by 10%-20%.

However, experts are of the view that concrete apartment buildings in India last only for 30 to 50 years compared to the expectation of 70 to 80 years. The short life span is an economic burden for not only owners and residents but to the nation as a whole. According to Azmal Zaheer Khan, a major factor influencing long-term service life of concrete structures is the nature of weather conditions.

Sri.Alimuddin Rafi Ahmed, the chairman and managing director of International Land Developers group, is of the view that adverse conditions like ground contamination, high temperature, humidity, fluctuating temperatures and relative humidity can cause damage and reduce the life span of a structure. "I do not have to say here that if you want your apartment to remain in a fine condition for close to half a century, treat it with care.
What causes homes to age?
A house is a concrete structure made of other earthly elements that are bound to deteriorate over time. Moreover, extreme weather, environmental conditions and rigorous usage, damage the structure in its own way. This is another reason why your home should be planned and constructed, according to the weather conditions in the region, as a poorly-designed structure will fall apart sooner.

Other major components of a home, such as power cables, water pipelines, flooring, window and door hinges, water-proofing, wall texture and paint, etc., are also prone to damage over time. Moreover, if the construction quality is poor, the home will age way before time.

How to increase the lifespan of your home?
There are some measures that residents can take, to improve the average age of your home:
Since weather conditions play a pivotal role in altering the age of the building, you need to prepare your construction beforehand. For example, buildings in coastal areas have to face intense heat and humidity. Similarly, some cities receive higher rainfall than average, which may result in seepage, cracks and dampness in the structure. All these factors have to be considered, during the construction of the building. Water-proofing of walls, good quality exterior paint and regular maintenance, can help you to increase the longevity of the structure.
How to protect the exterior walls of your home during monsoons
Opt for sustainable materials rather than fancy ones, as it will help you in designing your home more efficiently. It is always advisable to buy locally-built things, as it will suit the local conditions better. This can also improve the lifespan of the structure.
Do not use metal or any material which can get corroded if you live in a coastal area. This is because the salt content in the sea breeze will cause the metal items to corrode. If you have a balcony, opt for wooden railings, rather than metal ones.
Make sure you use the right kind materials for construction, as it can increase the average lifespan of your home.
Thermal comfort by Using Surkhi concrete:
With an exponential increase in Urbanization, Thermal comfort is achieved at the cost of increased GHG emissions at an exchequer of rise of earth’s surface temperature. So we need to promote cool roof and passive ventilation concepts to achieve thermal comfort. Thermal comfort can be achieved Using Surkhi concrete.
Surface preparation: Wash the surface thoroughly with water.
Preparation of Surkhi Fermented water - mix broken bael of wood apple or trefoil. Mix gallnut powder. Mix Jaggery in water. Stir mixture adequately. The fermented water is stirred twice a day for a consecutive 5 days.
Application of Surkhi roof insulation option - Prepare a mixture of (lime concrete) lime, sand and broken brick chips in 1:1:2 ratio. Lay 100 mm thick base layer of lime concrete and smoothen surface using aluminium screed. Allow the lime concrete layer to dry for 24 hours. Cure the lime concrete with fermented water by spreading it over the surface of the laid lime concrete for 4-5 days. Prepare the cement mortar mix using cement and sand in the ratio 1:4. Lay 50 mm thick layer of cement concrete over the surface of the laid lime concrete. Lay cement slurry over cement mortar & tiles over cement slurry. Lay red cement slurry over Mangalore tiles for filling joints & gaps, if any. This ensures 5ºC temperature decrease inside the house.
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