SOLUBLE GLASS CIVIL ENGINEERING APPLICATION BASIC AND TUTORIALS

1. Acid-proof Material
Soluble glass can be used as binding material to prepare acid-proof plaster, acid-proof mortar, and acid-proof concrete which are commonly used in anti-acid projects.

2. Heat-resistant Material
Soluble glass has a good heat resistance that can bear a certain high temperature and its strength does not increase. Thus, it can be made into heat-resistant concrcte and mortar.

3. Coating
Soluble glass solution can be used to paint building materials or immerging porous materials. It can enhance the density and strength of materials and increase their resistance to weathering when infiltrating into the materials.

But the solution can not be used to paint or immerge gypsum products because soluble glass can react with gypsum to generate sodium sulfate crystals which will expand in pores and destroy the gypsum products.

4. Grouting Material
Soluble glass solution and calcium chloride solution are injected into soil alternately, and the two solutions will cause chemical reaction to precipitate silicate gel which can cement or fill the pores of soil and prevent the infiltration of water to increase the density and strength of soil.

5. Water-proof Plugging Material
Soluble glass solution mixed with sand or cement can make setting and hardening occur quickly, for repairing or plugging structures. Moreover, mixed with various alum solutions, soluble glass can be used as water-proof agent for cement mortar or concrete.

BUILDING GYPSUM CHARACTERISTICS BASIC AND TUTORIALS

Compared with other binding materials, building gypsum has the following characteristics:

1. Fast Setting and Hardening
The setting time of building gypsum changes with the calcination temperature, grinding rate and impurity content. Generally, mixed with water, its initial setting needs just a few minutes at room temperature, and its final setting is also within 30min.

Under the natural dry indoor conditions, total hardening needs about one week. The setting time can be adjusted according to requirements.

If the time needs to be postponed, delayed coagulant can be added to reduce the solubility and the solution rate of building gypsum, such as sulfite alcohol wastewater, bone glue activated by borax or lime, hide glue, and protein glue; if it needs to be accelerated, accelerator can be added, such as sodium chloride, silicon sodium fluoride, sodium sulfate, and magnesium sulfate.

2. Micro-expansion
In the hardening process, the volume of building gypsum just expands a little, and there won’t be any cracks. Thus, it can be used alone without any extenders, and can also be casted into construction members and decorative patterns with accurate size and smooth and compact surface.

3. Big Porosity
After hardening, the porosity of building gypsum can reach 50%-60%, so its products are light, insulating, and sound-absorbing. But these products have low strength and large water absorption due to big porosity.

4. Poor Water Resistance
Building gypsum has low softening coefficient (about 0.2-0.3) and poor water resistance. Absorbing water, it will break up with the freeze of water. Thus, its water resistance and frost resistance are poor, not used outdoors.

5. Good Fire Resistance
The main component of building gypsum after hardcning is CaS04*2H20. When it contacts with fire, the evaporation of crystal water will absorb heat and generate anhydrous gypsum which has good thermal insulation. The thicker its products are, the better their fire resistance will be.

6. Large Plastic Deformation
Gypsum and its products have an obvious performance of plastic deformation. Creep becomes more serious especially under bending load. Thus, it is not used for load-bearing structures normally. If it is used, some necessary measures need to be taken.