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Fire-Resistant Concrete06-17-09 | News

Fire-Resistant Concrete

Besides being fire-resistant, AAC also deadens sound, is energy efficient, is impervious to termites, is bulletproof and waterproof, generates no waste in its creation, and can be recycled, its fans say. It has been used in Europe, where it was invented, for more than 70 years.

The eco-friendly masonry material, called autoclaved aerated concrete or AAC, can withstand a 2,000-degree fire for four hours, according to Underwriters Laboratories?EUR??,,????'?????<

AAC is a mixture of sand, water, lime, portland cement and aluminum powder that is formed into blocks and cured in an autoclave, a sort of industrial pressure cooker.

A sort of concrete bread, it?EUR??,,????'?????<

But in California, wildfires aren?EUR??,,????'?????<

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The next International Building Code, slated to take effect in 2011, will permit use of AAC in more places that have minimal seismic activity. But even under those somewhat relaxed standards, most of California would not qualify. California is the only state that adopted the 2006 International Building Code without the companion housing code that includes acceptance of AAC in seismic areas. The two documents were meant to be applied in tandem.

Advocates say it may have saved some of the 80 homes destroyed in a recent wildfire. The material also is impervious to termites and is bulletproof and waterproof.