Locrete: an Introductory Presentation

Intro

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Locrete concept and element

Locrete construction process

Potential applications

Advantages

Contact information

Locrete is a patent-protected building system of precast, pre-stressed concrete elements.

It’s used in the construction of reinforced concrete walls and slabs.

Locrete’s versatility extends beyond the construction of homes and buildings, but also to retaining walls, highway noise barriers and fences, boundary walls, warehouse closures, tunnelling sides and roof as well as pavements.

Locrete concept and element Locre

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Locrete concept and element Locre

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The Locrete element has two circular sides and flat top and bottom surfaces.

The elements have a constant cross-section area and variable length spanning up to six metres and weighs ten kilograms per metre run.

Each element is reinforced with a pre-stressed 7mm nominal size steel strand laid along the length of the element.

The cross section configuration allows concrete and steel to structurally perform in an optimal manner.

Locrete construction process Build

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Locrete can be made to a maximum of 6 meters in length which means two people can carry an element - total weight of 60kg’s. The elements are literally “stacked” on one top of the other and held in place by the shuttering. Ready mix is poured into the column and shuttering removed when dry.

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Locrete elements are used to build ground beams, load bearing walls and suspended beams & slabs.

Walls can be single layer or double layer - to allow a cavity for placing insulation material in external walls or installing service networks in internal walls.

Slab elements are suspended on two opposite inner walls or on Locrete beams. Variable thickness of plain concrete is cast on the slab elements to form a solid slab that can, at six metres span, take up to 250kg dead load and 250kg live load, other than its own weight.

Locrete construction process: shuttering Build

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Cast-on-site columns are standard size and built by means of metal or plastic formwork that is designed and fabricated for multiple use in various projects.

Shuttering can be adapted to accommodate single and double walls.

Locrete elements can also be used as columns.

Locrete construction process: External walls Build

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Potential applications Applie

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The Locrete system is versatile and has many applications in the building industry, including:

Load bearing walls & structural slabs

› Retaining walls

› Highway noise barriers

› Boundary walls

› Planters and plant supporting posts

› Closures for warehouses

› Excavation shoring panels

› Tunnelling sides and roofs

› Pavements

Example Applications Applie

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The Locrete elements can be used as a roof and in place of wooden trusses thereby saving a significant cost on a house.

Lintels are not required in a Locrete home because the strength is in the wall and not the column, as in traditional building.

Example Applications Applie

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The Locrete system can be used for cantilevers and columns.

Example Applications Applie

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The Locrete system once plastered (rendered) looks like a traditional brick and mortar wall but is stronger.

Electrical conduits can be professionally set into the concrete.

Example Applications Applie

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This Locrete sample structure, illustrates the “raw wall” (grey log cabin effect), a plastered wall (white), a painted wall (blue), the element’s being used as a roof and as trusses, tiles placed on top of the roof elements and a planter with Locrete columns. Waterproofing is illustrated by the fountain.

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Advantages

Locrete shares with other products structural sturdiness, durability, fire resistance, sound, water and heat insulation qualities; however, it’s more as there are considerable:

MATERIAL SAVINGSInitial calculations show that the material saving on a Locrete home vs. a traditional brick and mortar home is between 10 – 15% of the total cost. Savings on construction materials range from 5% in the case of concrete and block-work to 25% in the case of plaster rendering. Further savings for example can be made on:

• lintels

• ceilings

• trusses and fascia boards

• concrete foundations

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Advantages

Locrete homes of 40m2 can take 7-14 days to construct, as opposed to a 40m2 brick and mortar house, which can take up to 3 months i.e. 12% of the time to build a better quality home.

TIME SAVINGSIn the video below it takes approximately 25 seconds to stack a 35cm (5 element) wall. A 2.3 meter high wall will take an incredible 6 minutes.

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Advantages

The Locrete construction process is easy for home owners or SMME companies to be able to build their own homes or projects. Jobs can be created for people with little training and a low skills base because:

The elements are easy to lift – it is even possible for two women to lift the elements and stack them.

Non-skilled labour/effort is required to stack the elements (80% of effort) – elements can only be stacked in only one way unlike a brick wall which needs to be laid straight. In this way the quality of the house and structure is not compromised.

Supports “peoples housing process” – people who are working can build on the weekend with minimal technical assistance.

On site

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Advantages

On a Locrete construction site the advantages include:

No formwork required on site

No steel benders are required beyond the few steel rods used in the columns

No heavy cranes required on site – costly and usually charged out by the hour.

Supervision of supervisor to low-skilled staff (and by implication cost) is SIGNIFICANTLY less

The walls of small house (shell) can erected within a day and windows and doors fitted into the openings immediately so there is no need for on-site storage and the associated security costs for frames and finishing.

Quality

Advantages

Locrete has superior quality over a brick and mortar wall

The elements cannot be stacked incorrectly and the walls act as a monolithic structure with the foundation making it seismically superior to bricks and mortar which will crack along mortar lines in the event of an earthquake.

The steel in the elements ensure the strength is in the wall and not the columns

Insulation can be placed between double wall cavities for additional insulation in cold areas and for winter conditions

Locrete Holdings Limited

For further information:

www.locrete.commail@locrete.com

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Coordinates & contacts