Construction
Wet-mix shotcrete, a technique used to build tunnels or for other civil works, requires the use of accelerating additives. For over a decade now IQE has supplied these accelerating products or the raw materials to produce them to leading companies in the additives for construction industry.
IQE produces alkaline type set accelerators, based on sodium silicate, grouped under the trade name of NASIL®, or based on sodium aluminate, marketed under the trade name of ALNA®.
Over the last few years, IQE has developed a range of alkali-free set accelerators, both in solid form and in aqueous solution, grouped under the name of AKF®. These products arise from the need to use environment and worker-friendly products. At the same time, they increase the durability and quality of concrete structures, compared with the use of alkaline accelerators that reduce the mechanical resistance of shotcrete.
Together with this series of set accelerators in aqueous solution, IQE produces powdered aluminium hydroxide, marketed as GELOXAL® 10. This product can be used both as a raw material for the manufacture of alkali-free set accelerators and as a powdered accelerator for the manufacture of special fast setting mortars.
Another raw material required to manufacture alkali-free accelerators is aluminium sulphate. This product, both in solid form and in aqueous solution, is produced at IQE under the trade name of SUFAL®.
The product, NASIL® 3.3 is used as a consolidating agent for floors and building foundations in combination with dibasic esters or sodium aluminate. In addition, in recent years it has been used in the process of filling the segments in tunnels excavated using TBM.
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