Aerated autoclaved concrete (AAC) block is a substitution material that can reduce musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) from manual material handling.  It is a lightweight concrete block that can be used as an alternative to standard concrete masonry units (CMU) in certain applications, such as low rise loadbearing buildings, partition walls, infill walls, shear walls, etc.

 

Aerated autoclaved concrete (AAC) block is a lightweight building material used in commercial, industrial and residential sites in the place of standard concrete masonry units (CMU). It was introduced to the U.S. from Europe in the past two decades. AAC has several properties such as: a) the ability to provide thermal and acoustic insulation, b) lightweight, c) energy conservation, d) durable, e) fire and pest resistant, and f) versatile and easy to use.

Standard AAC blocks weigh approximately 30lbs and are usually 24" long. They are available in different shapes and sizes: 1) AAC standard blocks, 2) AAC "O" blocks, 3) AAC "U" blocks, 4) AAC open end blocks, and 5) AAC jumbo blocks (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Variety of AAC blocks (Photo courtesy of E-Crete)

AAC blocks are fabricated from a mixture of lime, sand, cement, gypsum, water and aerated agent. The exterior and interior walls are easy to finish, and they can be painted, plastered, tiled or left exposed. AAC is most commonly used for interior walls and structures of two stories or less.

AAC is considered to be environmentally friendly for several reasons. The manufacturing of AAC material does not release any harmful gasses or CFCs, and all waste products can be easily recycled. Also, AAC blocks greatly reduce the amount of energy required to heat a building. The material properties of this material allow it to behave like a thermal mass storeroom, storing solar energy and releasing it over time.

There may be an increase of productivity and labor savings due to the lightweight property of AAC.

Dan Anton, PT, PhD, ATC – Eastern Washington University, and Carlos Sanchez-Marin, DDS, MS – University of Iowa

• Residential Construction
  • Lay block or brick
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