Three ITB Students Create a Concrete Reinforcement Method Using Used Aluminum Cans
BANDUNG, itb.ac.id — Three ITB students have successfully created the Kalton Method (Cans – Aluminum – Concrete), an innovation in concrete reinforcement using used aluminum cans. Some of the improvements made by this method are the resistance of concrete walls to explosions and the absorption of mechanical energy (impact). The three students who created the Kalton Method are Jery Octavianus (Information Systems and Technology 2015), Agung Pratama (Electrical Engineering 2015), and Berri Dwi Putra (Chemical Engineering 2015). This research was conducted under the guidance of a lecturer from Water Resources Engineering, namely Dr. Ir. Agung Wiyono Hadi Soeharno M.Eng.
Kalton Method Research
The Kalton method is a reinforcement method similar to aluminum foam, particularly in terms of the aluminum material and the use of air cavities within the concrete. In the Kalton method, used aluminum cans are used as a substitute for aluminum and arranged in such a way that air cavities are created within the concrete wall.
During the research process, the concrete products used had dimensions of 60 cm x 60 cm x 18 cm. The samples in the study were subjected to different treatments to obtain data on the strength and mechanical energy absorption capacity (impact) of each sample. The samples were also separated into two groups: a control group and an experimental group, with four samples each.
The control group is a group of concrete samples that are not reinforced with aluminum cans. The following are the sample criteria that belong to the control group: sample 1A (reinforced with an iron frame and steel fiber), sample 2A (reinforced with an iron frame), sample 3A (reinforced with steel fiber), and sample 4A (ordinary concrete). Meanwhile, the experimental group is a group of concrete samples that have undergone reinforcement using the Kalton Method. The four concrete samples in the experimental group are sample 1B (reinforced with an iron frame, steel fiber, and aluminum cans), sample 2B (reinforced with an iron frame and aluminum cans), sample 3B (reinforced with steel fiber and aluminum cans), and sample 4B (reinforced with aluminum cans).
Then, both groups underwent compression and impact tests. The compression test was conducted to determine the amount of pressure the samples could withstand, while the impact test was conducted to calculate the amount of energy the samples could absorb. Based on the compression and impact test data for both groups, it was concluded that adding aluminum cans to create air cavities in the concrete increased the concrete's ability to withstand pressure and absorb mechanical energy.
Potensi Metode Kalton
The Kalton Method achieves several advantages over conventional methods. One advantage is its eco-friendliness, as the Kalton Method utilizes used aluminum cans, which are typically discarded as waste, as a substitute for aluminum. Furthermore, the Kalton Method is less expensive because the use of used aluminum cans reduces the volume of cement, sand, and gravel in the concrete. Concrete using this method is also lighter and absorbs more mechanical energy (impact).
The discovery of the Kalton Method represents a breakthrough, as no similar method has ever been applied to building construction in Indonesia. This makes the Kalton Method potentially patentable. Furthermore, the Kalton Method successfully offers greater reinforcement and greater mechanical energy absorption. This method could be commercialized as an alternative to meet Indonesia's growing concrete needs.
Source: ITB