Review
Version 1
Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed
Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete: Structural Assessment and Retrofitting
Version 1
: Received: 16 May 2024 / Approved: 17 May 2024 / Online: 17 May 2024 (05:45:22 CEST)
How to cite: Di Sarno, L. O.; Albuhairi, D. Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete: Structural Assessment and Retrofitting. Preprints 2024, 2024051152. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202405.1152.v1 Di Sarno, L. O.; Albuhairi, D. Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete: Structural Assessment and Retrofitting. Preprints 2024, 2024051152. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202405.1152.v1
Abstract
With challenged early detection came the collapse of a school roof, initiating a storm of public mistrust and hundreds of schools under investigation in the United Kingdom. The culprit is a poorly understood material heavily used in the 1950s to mid-1990s, reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC). As a lightweight material with excellent insulation, RAAC was mainly used in roof and floor panels in many parts of the world. However, RAAC has a comparatively weak compressive strength, poor reinforcement anchorage, and high permeability and susceptibility to creep. The uniqueness of RAAC properties is exacerbated by poor manufacturing, negligent construction and maintenance as well as structural deviations from original design intent. Current guidance lacks in specifying RAAC management strategies beyond recommendations for periodic surveying. This paper delivers a state-of-the-art review of the material properties and structural performance of RAAC to recommend improved measures characterised by non-destructive testing methods and digital asset management. The reviewed literature targets understanding the influence of variable environmental exposure conditions, reinforcement condition, operational loading variations, structural deficiencies, and ageing, to predict their effect on the mechanism of RAAC failure. The established risk factors of RAAC are examined to inform of feasible response strategies against specific issues encountered in affected RAAC structures such as inadequate bearings, compromised transverse reinforcement, and environmental conditions.
Keywords
reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete; digital asset management; structural assessment; retrofitting
Subject
Engineering, Civil Engineering
Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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