11. construction process...- soil loader - stacker/block carrier x 2 persons - mixer soil loader -...

Hydraform training manual copyright 2005 Page 45 Revision 24/1/07 Website

11. CONSTRUCTION PROCESS

11.1 Foundations

Below is one recommendation. Alternately seek advice from local engineers or follow common building practice.

Direction of bricks

Mortar

Concrete footing

Mortar is used in the foundation brickwork

Note: If it is necessary to step the foundations, use the Hydraform brick height in the step.


11.2 Floor / Surface bed

Compacted backfill

Concrete floor

Completed foundation block work

Concrete


11.3 Leveling the first course of bricks

Water level

Profile (50 x 50 mm Timber or Steel)

Hydraform training manual copyright 2005 8 Revision 24/1/07 Website

11.4 Beginning the first course

Set up corners first – always start with a half block Builders line

Mortar


11.5 Above the first course


11.6 Above Lintel Level

Mortar above and below lintel

Roof tie downs Mortar between blocks above lintel levels

Roof: Follow the normal local practice for roof design and construction


12. SERVICES AND FINISHES

For laying electrical conduits and wiring in your building, you may either have exposed casing running along the wall or run your conduits within the conduits within the conduit blocks. Conduit blocks are special blocks with semi – circular recesses in the top and bottom surfaces of the block.

You may however chase the masonry in order to fit conduiting as in conventional masonry, but you will have to plaster the chased area.

Other services such as plumbing and sewerage could be exposed. All pipes must be coated with water repellent paints and must have all joints sealed perfectly to avoid damage to blocks due to water leakage from the pipes.

Plaster all edges and corners externally. It is important to plaster the corner well beyond the joint.


Skirting should be higher than the first joint from the finished floor.

Skirting top should slope outwards – away from the wall. They should not be finished flat, and never sloping inwards.

12.1 Agrément specifications for finishes

� When building in South Africa with NHBRC approval, construction and finishes will need to be done in accordance with the Agrément specification. Agrément recommend both internal and external walls be plastered and painted.

� A full Agrément certificate is available from the www.agrement.co.zawebsite under active certificates


13. TROUBLE SHOOTING - CONSTRUCTION

13.1 If blocks are not sitting flush on each other and the interlock is not perfect when checked with a spirit level and plumb bob.

� The blocks have not been cleaned well enough. � The blocks must be cleaned with a brush & foreign particles scraped

with a blade. The interlock will thus be much easier. � The wearplates may need changing (block height must never exceed

118 mm see section 8, point 7)

Also check the blocks for dimensional accuracy.

13.2 In spite of all the precautions the masonry is not in plumb.

� If it is possible, remove the blocks and redo the masonry. � Otherwise take a flat hard plate of rubber, wood or steel, align it along

the wall and hammer against the wall to get the blocks in plumb.


13.3 If you find that some blocks appear to have sheared on loading.

� Probably the blocks have not been made to interlock (well) with each other: therefore the blocks are not in plumb necessary for safe load transfer.

� Re-do the masonry and make sure that the blocks safely transfer the load by being perfectly in level and plumb.

� Wearplates may need replacing, replace wearplates when block height is more than 118 mm, (see section 8, point 7).

13.4 If you find chunks of blocks coming off at places where the brick force was hammered.

� Probably the brick force has not been nailed in the center of the blocks. Instead the brick force has been hammered towards the edges. If this occurs along the entire vertical length of the joint such as a joint between a 220mm wall & a 115mm wall the masonry should be redone.

� If it is only one or two odd joints, the blocks should be repaired by pointing with a cement soil mortar.


13.5 If you find that some of your blocks in the masonry have got damaged on the surface even after having done the masonry with utmost care.

� The blocks probably got damaged during shuttering / deshuttering procedure or ladders were probably made to rest against them.

� Chisel out the damaged part and repair with cement – soil mortar. � However, in order to avoid such an occurrence altogether, it is a good

idea to cover the ends of the ladder & scaffolding material with a cloth.

13.6 If you find water seeping in especially near the skirting.

� The skirting has been finished at a joint in the masonry very close to ground level so the water manages to seep in.

� Increase or decrease the height of skirting so that it is not flush with the joint.

Otherwise, slope the top of the skirting away from the joint and seal the joint with a sealant or point it with soil cement mortar.

13.7 If you find water seeping in through the masonry joints

� The blocks are probably not interlocked properly in the enthusiasm to build faster.

� Re-do the leaking joints, Make sure to hammer the blocks in position.

� Seal the joints with a sealant or point with soil-cement mortar. � Avoid water running directly from the roof onto the walls, use correct

roof overhang or a gutter.


13.8 If you want to build another room next to an existing one.

� A planned expansion is much easier as you can use full blocks in the corners instead of half. These full blocks can also then become a part of the expansion.

� If your expansion is unplanned, chip off the plaster from the corner. Replace each ½ block in the corner with a full block with the ridge shaved. You now have a corner to start expanding from.

13.9 Precautions

As shown, when two block interlock one over another, the central recess and ridge of both the blocks do not touch while the side flanges of both the blocks touch each other transferring the load coming on the top block to the bottom. Hence, it is important that blocks are stacked “truly” so that actual load transfer can happen through both the side flanges.

Precautions

The first course is like a base or foundation for all the upper courses. Slight errors in the first course would compound in subsequent courses. It is therefore important that the first course is done to desired levels of perfection even at the cost of increase in time.


14. METHOD FOR PRODUCING ± 1500 HYDRAFORM BLOCKS PER DAY

An 8 man team (excluding sieving and curing) can produce 1 500 blocks per day if the following procedure is followed. A full team with curing and sieving is normally 9 – 11 people.

14.1 The soil must be sieved with a minimum of 2 days lead-time i.e. 1m³ per 100 blocks or 15 m³ sieved soil for one day production of 1 500 blocks/day. 2 men can sieve 15 m³ soil per day.

14.2 The water must be available close to the operation. Preferably by hosepipe from either a gravity fed tank or by municipal pipeline.

14.3 Cement must be stacked next to the operation. The full days’ supply must be stacked before any production begins. � 5% cement = 21 bags for 1 500 blocks. � 8% cement = 36 bags for 1 500 blocks.

14.4 The labour employed should not be weak old men or old women and most definitely not young girls. The labour should be healthy, strong men that are willing to work hard.

Mixing by hand: To run one machine, 8 men are required. This excludes the carrying of the cement to the production area, curing of the blocks, stockpiling and sieving of the soil. All activities other than running of the machine must be done by separate personnel. The block production team and function of each of the 8 men area as follows:

- Machine operator. - Soil loading by bucket. - Carrying blocks 2 persons. - Mixing of first mix. - Mixing of first mix. - Mixing of second mix. - Mixing of second mix.

The second mix is the most crucial mix, if the second mix is not always 100% ready, the machine will have to stop, and wait for the mixing to be completed. If the machine stops, production will fall by 4 blocks per minute. Therefore if the machine stops, between each and every mix for only 7 minutes to catch up, the production will fall by 30 blocks per mix. To produce 1 500 blocks per day 15-20 mixes are normally done. The production would drop by almost 600 blocks per day if there were a 7-minute delay per mix waiting for the second mix to catch up.


Pan mixer:If a pan mixer is being used then the labour complement numbers 7 as follows:

- Machine operator - Soil loader - Stacker/block carrier x 2 persons - Mixer soil loader - Cement and water loader - Mixer discharger

14.5 Production pay is normally the most effective method of paying the block production team. The team is paid a fixed amount per good quality finished blocks. The incentive will ensure production is maximized while ensuring the team will always have a goal to increase their daily pay. Example: 8 men X daily labour rate/1 500 blocks = value of labour for 1 block.

14.6 Curing is extremely important and should be done by a responsible person who is separate from the 8-man team. This person should also be used to carry the cement bags before production begins and also to prepare the ground for the newly stacked blocks.

14.7 Tools should be of good quality and there should be no shortage of tools forcing people to share.

14.8 Lunchtime- before the team goes on lunch, they should prepare the mix for after lunch, the cement bags should be placed on top of the soil ready to be opened and spread out over the soil. No mix must be left unused before lunch, if the cement has been mixed into the soil it must be used before lunch. The lunchtime must be strictly monitored, keeping in mind that 4 blocks production is lost per minute when the machine is not running. After lunch the full team should help to get the first mix ready.

14.9 End of the day- before packing up, the soil must be measured out for the following days first two mixes (without adding cement). The machine must be filled with Diesel and cleaned. The next morning there must be no delay, the machine should be ready to run within 10 minutes after work begins.

14.10 The blockyard should be set out properly with sufficient space to move freely. The blocks should be set out neatly to not waste space. 1500 blocks should take up approximately 1,8m x 12m.


15. BLOCKYARD LAYOUT FOR ONE MACHINE

HYDRAFORM MIDRAND BLOCKYARD (not to scale)

6 X 3 METERS ± 50M³

BLOCK

PACKING

AREA

BLOCK

PACKING

AREA

BLOCK PACKING AREA

BLOCK PACKING AREA BLOCK

PACKING

AREA

BLOCK

PACKING

AREA

COVERED MIXING AREA 6 X 2 METERS

½ BLOCKS

W T A A T N E K R

CEMENT STORE

1500BLCKS

1500BLOCKS

1500BLOCKS

1500BLOCKS

1500BLOCKS

1500BLOCKS

M7

1500BLOCKS

1500BLOCKS


INSTRUCTIONS FOR FITTING HYDRAFORM WEAR PLATES.

IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTES.

1. Switch off the machine before putting your hands, arms or any other parts of your body (with the exception of point 2) into or near the compression chamber. Switch off the machine before fitting the top or bottom ram heads.

2. When looking into the chamber to check tolerances of the top and bottom ram heads make sure that no other person is within a 20m radius of the machine. At all times keep your hands and arms clear of the compression chamber.

3. When the machine is running keep hands clear of the compression chamber and top and bottom rams as well as the top ram arm.

4. Check that no tools have been left in the chamber before starting the machine.

GENERAL NOTES:

1. Wear plates should be replaced as a set. 2. Every time wear plates are changed new bolts, washers and spring

washers must be used. 3. All bolts are made from high tensile steel. 4. The top ram head does not have to be removed if you are only changing

the wear plates.

INSTALLATION OF WEAR PLATES. (NB. REMEMBER TO TURN ENGINE OFF)

1. Remove existing bottom ram head (and top ram head if you are changing to a new mould). Please see section ‘Fitting of top and bottom ram heads’.

2. Remove old worn wear plates. For a 220 mould remove the front and back plates first and then the side plates. (Opposite for a 140 mould).

3. Clean the inside of the chamber and lightly oil. Dirt build up could result in the wear plates not lying flush against the chamber side.

4. Install new wear plates. � 220mm mould and 220 capping mould wear plates. Install the left

and right side plates first and then the front and back plates. The top of the plates must be flush with the top of the chamber.

� 140mm mould. Install the front and back plates first and then the left and right side plates. If the holes on the side plates do not line up with the chamber holes make sure that the left plate is fitted to the left side of the chamber and that the right plate is fitted to the right side of the chamber. The top of the plates must be flush with the top of the chamber.

� Make sure the hopper stopper and hopper slides are flush with the top of the chamber.


5. IMPORTANT. Note that the bolt lengths vary and the longer bolts should be used for fitting the hopper slide and stop onto the chamber.

6. Tighten bolts on the wear plates. Tighten bolts in an incremental manner alternating across the wear plate to get an even tightening process. Check inside the chamber to ensure no bolts are sticking out past the wear plates into the chamber.

7. Final tightening of wear plate bolts will happen after top and bottom ram heads have been fitted.

8. Fit the top and bottom ram heads.

FITTING OF TOP AND BOTTOM RAM HEADS.

1. Loosen the bolts connecting the bottom ram head to the ram head extension and connector. Do not remove these bolts.

2. Fit the bottom ram head with connector over the top of the bottom cylinder piston shaft. Slowly lower the bottom ram head down the chamber checking that you can see a clear gap between the wear plates and bottom ram head around the entire ram head. At no point should the bottom ram head touch the wear plates. Adjust the wear plates and the bottom ram head if the ram head is touching the wear plates. Once the bottom ram head freely moves up and down in the chamber without touching the sides you can tighten the bottom ram bolts connecting it to the connector and then tighten the cap screws onto the bottom cylinder shaft. To tighten these bolts wedge the ram in position using screwdrivers or wooden wedges then tighten the bolts and the cap screws on the bottom ram connector/extension.

3. Tighten all the side plate bolts again. 4. Remove all tools from the chamber. 5. Fit the top ram head. The top ram head connection should be able to

slide easily on the top arm connecting plate. When the top ram head has been connected bring the arm down.

6. Test your installation by making few blocks 7. Check that the ram heads are not touching the side wear plates. If they

are repeat from point 1. 8. Make about 100 blocks. 9. Check again that the ram heads are not touching the wear plates. If they

are repeat from point 1.

IMPORTANT NOTE.

If gouging into the wear plates occurs this is due to incorrectly fitted mould. There must be a tolerance (gap) all around the ram heads, corners included, of at least 1mm.


For the Hydraform Engine specifications and maintenance please contact the office and

quote your engine number

Tel: +27 11 913 1449 Email: [email protected]

11. construction process...- soil loader - stacker/block carrier x 2 persons - mixer soil loader -...

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