Concrete

Giving edge to construction firms

Published

11 years ago

July 31, 2015

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Use of softwares in construction is very common but using specialised software tools like Tekla BIM for engineering and construction industry is giving edge to Indian firms.

Precast technology is a proven construction technology with many leading developers in the Middle East, Europe and the US having executed multiple projects leveraging the same. Besides speeding up the construction process, it also enhances the quality of final construction output and is a fast emerging alternative to the traditional construction practices.

Tekla India, a prominent technology firm providing Building Information Modelling (BIM) software for engineering and construction industry, announced a strategic alignment with Precast India Infrastructure Pvt Ltd (PIIPL), a leading precast company in India. Coming together these two industry leaders is of great importance for the Indian construction industry, as it seeks to move towards more advanced building methods, like precast concrete construction.

BIM
In order to avoid the delays in delivery, shortage of labour and boost product quality, developers and builders are fast adopting precast technology, as it allows for quality delivery at a faster pace and results in significant cost advantage for them. Precast construction enables developers to save up to 60 per cent time compared to projects using cast in situ construction methods. In other words, if traditional construction methods take one year to complete a project, the precast construction takes just about 4-5 months to complete a project of a similar scale. Tekla Structures makes it so easy to work on third-party applications and in parallel, its information-rich 3D BIM technology helps to augment project quality and delivery by reducing errors and improving reliability. It further enables to seamlessly generate construction deliverable documentation from the same 3D project model. Tekla?s technologies such as the open BIM tools are focused on optimising collaboration and smooth information flow between the software solutions so that managing construction of buildings becomes easier and smarter. Model for preconstruction: Quickly create accurate 3D model of job; Plan to pour: Use the 3D model to get organised, estimate and efficiently prepare to pour. Accurate concrete pour models: Tekla offers a purpose-built solution for concrete construction. One can use it at any stage of the design and construction process and have easy to use tools to create concrete models that behave like real concrete. Knowing the quantities: With Tekla, one can generate accurate quantities faster. Because all information are created in 3D, it is easier to adapt to changes in design during the bidding phase.

Rebar without clashes: With Tekla, one can model and visualise large amounts of fully detailed rebar quickly and easily. Fast clash detection lets one find and resolve faults before fabrication. One can produce placing drawings and schedules and foresee and avoid difficulties in installation.

With BIM technology, one or more accurate virtual models of a building are constructed digitally. They support design through its phases, allowing better analysis and control than manual processes. When completed, these computer-generated models contain precise geometry and data needed to support the construction, fabrication, and procurement activities through which the building is realised.

Why use BIM?
There are many benefits of using BIM. Companies that utilise BIM like Skanska and Barton Malow, have reported benefits for scheduling, estimation and risk analysis, more collaborative processes and better facility management. BIM also provides an opportunity to try out solutions in advance before building the structure on site with a constructable model, the structure can be prototyped virtually. Project parties can understand and review the design more easily, which guarantees its accuracy and completeness, visualise and evaluate alternatives in terms of cost and other project parameters. BIM has gathered compliments for improved communication between project parties and generally better quality.

For a concrete contractor, an accurate 3D Tekla model delivers benefit at every stage of the construction process. Quantity assessment is fast and accurate, giving better estimates. It helps to save time and money and reduces site errors which is very important.

Projects completed using Tekla technology
Mumbai Airport Terminal 1B building: The modification was undertaken to expand the terminal and modify the existing facilities to optimise the requirements for the coming decades and provide world class facilities to passengers. This terminal building is a marvel of design, engineering, and technology.

Mumbai?s Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport is the busiest airport in India, and caters to cargo and passenger flights. Pratibha Pipes & Structural Ltd and its associates used Tekla Structures software to model this complex framework, thus ensuring highly effective detailing and optimised fabrication of this exceptional structure.

Tekla Structures used for modelling and detailing of the entire structure. The main feature of the project was its shape, the shape of the rafter. Tekla Structures made it simple and easy to complete the project within specified time. It took around 15 days for the detailers to fix the geometry of the rafter as per the requirement of architect and client. "Placing the purlin on curvature of the main rafter and all welded connections was made easy with Tekla Structures to give aesthetic look to this massive structures, " says Ajay Kulkarni of then Pratibha Pipes & Structural (PPSL). He added, "Detailing of the model using Tekla Structures software made fabrication and erection easier and helped us fix our erection methodology for the structure."

Rabale Railway Station: Located in the planned city of Navi Mumbai, it is an extension to the Mumbai suburban rail network. The station is a cutting edge unique master-piece of architectural design. The station has futuristic design, form, and use of materials is enough to turn heads and make one pause in wonder. Tekla Structures 3D BIM technology was used by Techflow Engineers to model and detail such complex structures.

Tekla BIM
Tekla provides a BIM software environment that can be shared by contractors, structural engineers, steel detailers and fabricators, as well as concrete detailers and manufacturers. The highly detailed as-built 3D models created, combined and distributed with Tekla software enable the highest level of constructability and production control. Centralising building information into the model allows for more collaborative and integrated project management and delivery. This translates into increased productivity and elimination of waste, thus making construction and buildings more sustainable.

PIIPL
Precast India Infrastructures is a joint initiative between Bhate Raje Construction Company and Panchshil Developers. The company was founded in 2010 with a production facility in Wade Bolhai, on the outskirts of Pune.

Tekla
Tekla drives the evolution of digital information models to provide greater competitive advantage to the construction, infrastructure and energy industries. Established in 1966, Tekla has customers in over 100 countries, offices in over 20 countries, and a global partner network. Tekla Building & Construction is part of Trimble Buildings, a group focused on technology solutions that improve collaboration, efficiency and accuracy across the Design-Build-Operate (DBO) lifecycle of construction.

Concrete

Ultra Concrete Age

Prof. A. S. Khanna (Retd., IIT Bombay) on how Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) improves strength, durability and lifecycle performance.

Published

2 weeks ago

April 1, 2026

admin

The need of present time is stronger buildings, industrial or common utility buildings, such as Malls, Railway stations, hospitals, offices, bridges etc. For this, there is need of long durable, tough and stable concrete, which could stand under normal and seismic conditions. Tough railway bridges are required for bullet trains to pass without any damage. Railway tunnels, sea-links, coastal roads, bridges and multistorey buildings, are the need of the hour. The question comes, is the normal cement called OPC is sufficient to take care of such requirements or better combination of cements and sand mixtures is required?

Introduction

A good stable building structure can be made with a good quality of cement+sand+water system. Its quality can be enhanced by keeping the density of admixture higher (varies from 30 in normal buildings to bridges etc to 80). Further enhancement in the properties of various cements admixtures is made by adding several additives which give additional strength, waterproofing, flexibility etc. These are called construction chemicals…

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Concrete

NCB Signs MoU With Cement Manufacturer To Boost Construction Skills

Partnership to deliver nationwide training and certification

Published

2 weeks ago

March 31, 2026

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The National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCB) has signed a memorandum of understanding with a leading cement manufacturer to strengthen skill development and capacity building in the construction sector. The agreement was formalised at NCB premises in Ballabgarh and was signed by the Director General of NCB, Dr L. P. Singh, and the head of technical services at UltraTech Cement Limited, Er Rahul Goel. The collaboration seeks to bring institutional resources and industry expertise into a structured national training effort.

The partnership will deliver structured training and certification programmes across the country aimed at enhancing the capabilities of civil engineers, ready?mix concrete (RMC) professionals, contractors, construction workers and masons. Programme curricula will cover material quality testing, concrete mix proportioning, durability assessment and sustainable construction practices to support improved construction outcomes. Emphasis is to be placed on standardised assessment and certification to raise practice levels across diverse construction roles.

Practical learning elements will include workshops, site demonstrations, technical seminars and exposure visits to plants and RMC facilities to strengthen applied skills and on?site decision making. The Director General indicated confidence that a large number of professionals and workers would be trained over the next three to five years under the initiative. The partnership is designed to complement flagship government schemes such as the Skill India Mission and to align training outputs with national infrastructure priorities.

By combining the council’s technical mandate with industry experience, the initiative aims to develop a more skilled and quality?conscious workforce capable of meeting rising demand in infrastructure and housing. NCB will continue to coordinate programme delivery and quality assurance while industry partners provide practical exposure and technical inputs. The collaboration is expected to support long?term capacity building and more sustainable construction practices nationwide.

Concrete

JSW Cement Commissions Nagaur Plant, Enters North India

New Rajasthan unit boosts capacity to 24.1 MTPA and expands reach

Published

2 weeks ago

March 30, 2026

admin

JSW Cement has strengthened its national presence by commencing production at its greenfield integrated cement plant in Nagaur, Rajasthan, marking its entry into the north Indian market.

With this commissioning, the company’s installed grinding capacity has increased to 24.1 MTPA, while total clinker capacity, including its joint venture operations, stands at 9.74 MTPA.

The Nagaur facility comprises a 3.30 MTPA clinkerisation unit and a 2.50 MTPA cement grinding unit, with an additional 1.00 MTPA grinding capacity currently under development. Strategically located, the plant is positioned to serve high-growth markets across Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and the NCR.

The project has been funded through a mix of equity and long-term debt, with Rs 800 crore allocated from IPO proceeds towards part-financing the unit.

Parth Jindal, Managing Director, JSW Cement, stated that the commissioning marks a key milestone in the company’s ambition to become a pan-India player. He added that the project was completed within 21 months and positions the company to achieve its targeted capacity of 41.85 MTPA by FY29.

Nilesh Narwekar, CEO, JSW Cement, highlighted that the expansion aligns with the company’s strategy to tap into rapidly growing northern markets driven by infrastructure development. He noted that the company remains focused on delivering high-quality, eco-friendly cement solutions while progressing towards its long-term capacity goal of 60 MTPA.

The Nagaur plant has been designed with sustainability features, including co-processing of alternative fuels and a 7 km overland belt conveyor for limestone transport to reduce road emissions. The facility will also incorporate a 16 MW Waste Heat Recovery System to improve energy efficiency and lower its carbon footprint.

JSW Cement, part of the JSW Group, operates across the building materials value chain and currently has eight plants across India, along with a clinker unit in the UAE through its joint venture.