A Study on the Economic Benefit of Using

Lightweight Precast Hollow Core Wall

on Socialized Housing

By

Ted Jonathan S. Evaristo

Rogie L. Kolimlim

Jake Jason S. Yatco

A Thesis Submitted to the School of Civil, Environmental and Geological

Engineering (SCEGE)

In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Science

in Civil Engineering

Mapúa Institute of Technology

JUNE/2013
ii
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT vi

Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION 1

1.1.Problem Statement 2
1.2.Research Objectives 2
1.3.Design Norms Considered 3
1.4.Significance of the Study 3
1.5.Project Beneficiary 4
1.6.Scope and Limitations 4
1.7.Sustainable Development 5
1.8.Innovative Approach 5
1.9.Three Engineering Fields 6
1.9.1. Construction Management 6
1.9.1. Structural Engineering 12
1.9.1. Engineering Economics 15

Chapter 2: REVIEW OF LITERATURE 18

2.1.Environment and Urbanization 18

2.2. Lightweight Concrete 19
2.3. Precast Panel System 20
2.4. Housing Demand in the Philippines 20
2.5. Governance and Urban Development: Case Study of Metro Manila 21
2.6. Value Engineering in Construction 22
2.7.Ecowall’s Lightweight Wall Panel 23

Chapter 3: METHODOLOGY

3.1.Abstract 29
3.2.Introduction 29
3.3.Conceptual Framework 30
3.4.Methodology 31
3.5.Proposed Precast Hollow Core Wall System 34
3.6.Detailed Estimate of Conventional CHB and Ecowall 39
3.7.Project Schedule 50

Chapter 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 52

Chapter 5: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 54

iii
ACKNOWLEDGMENT 56

REFERENCES 57

APPENDIX 58

ANNEX A. BATAS PAMBANSA BLG. 220

ANNEX B. NHA STANDARD ROW HOUSE PLAN
ANNEX C: ARTICLE TYPE PAPER
ANNEX D: OBE ASSESSMENT SHEET BY PANEL MEMBERS
ANNEX E: ENGLISH EDITOR ASSESSMENTAND EVALUATION RUBRIC
ANNEX F: ACCOMPLISHED CONSULTATION FORMS
ANNEX G: COMPILATION OF ASSESSMENT FORMS
ANNEX H: PROJECT POSTER
ANNEX I: PHOTOCOPY OF RECIEPTS
ANNEX J: OTHER REQUIRED FORMS
ANNEX K: STUDENT REFLECTIONS

RESUME OF EACH MEMBER

iv
 LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE 1: Conceptual Framework 5

FIGURE 2: Ecowall Panel 12
FIGURE 3: Ecowall Test Report 15
FIGURE 4: STC Test Result 16
FIGURE 5: Ecowall’s Test Report on Compressive Strength 17
FIGURE 6: Analytical Framework 19
FIGURE 7: CHB vs Ecowall (Quantity of Materials) 30

v
 ABSTRACT

The rapid growth of the global population causes many social problems. One of these

is the lack of affordable housing. Hence, low-income families are forced to reside along

sidewalks, railroads, and other areas listed as danger zones. Government and private groups

around the world are innovating traditional ways of building safe yet cost-efficient houses.

This research provided a comparative analysis in using a Precast Hollow Core Wall Panel

and a Concrete Hollow Block as wall systems. It evaluated the two aforementioned wall

systems for the National Housing Authority’s socialized housing projects in terms of

economic benefits, cost-efficiency, and duration of construction period. The researchers

proved that the design of a lightweight precast hollow core wall as a wall system for

socialized housing is more cost and time-efficient.

vi
 Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

Metro Manila is one of the most populous areas in the world according to the Central

Intelligence Agency World. Its rapid population growth rate causes many social problems to

the Philippines. One of these is the lack of affordable housing. Hence, low-income families

are forced to reside along sidewalks, railroads, and other areas listed as danger zones.

Government and private groups such as the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating

Council (HUDCC), Gawad Kalinga (GK), and National Housing Authority (NHA) are

providing housing programs primarily for these homeless families to start a new life in an

atmosphere of peace and order.

The National Housing Authority (NHA) is a self-sustaining corporate institution

devoted to provide socialized housing for homeless families and informal settlers. The type

of socialized housing provided by the NHA often use hollow blocks as a wall system, but this

system usually consumes a lot of time and work to install. By applying precast hollow core

wall system, the researchers would like to improve the method of constructing the wall

system and to know how cost-effective it is in terms of labour, cash, materials and equipment

compared to the conventional Concrete Hollow Block. This study will show the advantages

and disadvantages of using a lightweight Precast Hollow Core Wall (PHCW) vis-a-vis

Concrete Hollow Block (CHB) as a wall system for socialized housing in the Philippines.

1
1.1.Problem Statement

Socialized housing requires cost reduction and increased rate of construction. The

researchers hypothesize that there is potential for the construction of socialized housing to be

more cost-efficient, hence this study which aims to design a lightweight precast hollow core

wall.

1.2.Research Objectives

This study will aim to improve the method of constructing socialized housing for the

National Housing Authority by forming a wall system that will not only speed up the

construction period but will also be more cost-efficient.

The Precast Hollow Core Wall will be applied to the existing wall design as an

alternative for the Concrete Hollow Blocks. This study will undergo an evaluation of a

standard row house using Precast Hollow Core Wall system and will use the conventional

Concrete Hollow Block using value engineering. The study aims to determine the advantages

and disadvantages of using Precast Hollow Core in terms of materials, labour cost,

workability and durability.

This study will ensure the safety of the people and to provide an economical well-

designed plan for the people without violating any design standards existing and recognized

in the Philippines.

2
1.3.Design Norms Considered

The structural and economical aspect of the design will be considered in this study.

The design should comply with existing structural codes and building codes in the

Philippines such as the National Structural Code of the Philippines (NSCP)and the National

Building Code (NBC). The cost of the design will also be a factor since it can highly affect

the whole project especially during the bidding process. Hence, the cost efficiency, aesthetic

value and safety of the housing project will be considered during the design process.

1.4.Significance of the Study

The major area of civil engineering involved in this study is Construction Management. It

will advocate the Precast Hollow Core Wall system to make the method of installing a wall

system faster, easier and more cost-efficient.

The minor areas of civil engineering involved are Structural Engineering and Economics.

Not only will the proposed design provide a durable, workable and suitable alternative for

Concrete Hollow Blocks in housing, but it will also reduce the total cost of constructing

socialized housing for future projects of the National Housing Authority.

3
1.5.Project Beneficiary

The main beneficiary of this project will be the National Housing Authority (NHA)

since their objective is to provide responsive housing programs primarily to homeless low-

income families with access to social services and economic opportunities with excellence

while ensuring corporate viability. With the application of the Precast Hollow Core wall

system, the NHA can provide more housing projects that can benefit more people.

This study will greatly reduce the impact to the environment since Ecowall’s panel is

classified as a sustainable material and uses by-products of agriculture industry as its main

components, thus reducing carbon footprint. This study will also benefit DATEM

construction by promoting their innovative approaches on construction methodology that

could potentially increase their sales.

1.6.Scope and Limitations

This study will focus on determining the amount of savings in the total cost of

constructing socialized housing by using the Precast Hollow Core Wall system vis-à-vis the

conventional Concrete Hollow Block wall system. The data, specifications, type of

installations and design of wall panels will be based from the National Housing Authority

(NHA) and other Precast Construction Companies near Metro Manila. The project’s estimate

will focus on the cost of main components such as formworks, reinforcing steels, concrete

and finishing that accounts for most of the total cost of a concrete structure.

4
1.7.Sustainable Development

A prerequisite to sustainable development is to have resources that will meet human

needs while ensuring the sustainability of the environment. This study will be able to provide

a sustainable development to

1.8.Innovative Approach

In this study, various methods were used in order to conduct the cost benefit analysis.

It will be an innovation of the traditional wall system which will make the method of

installing a wall system faster and easier. The use of precast hollow core wall will be a

suitable alternative for Concrete Hollow Blocks in socialized housing which is cheaper and

stronger.

5
1.9.Three Engineering Fields

1.9.1.Construction Management

Generally, construction management consists of planning, coordinating, and

controlling the project from beginning to completion. It specify the objectives and
plans of the project, maximize the resource efficiency, implementing different
operations and developing solutions for unexpected problems. For this study, the
efficiency of the resources was maximized for the erection of the wall structure.

Residential houses are for society including individual homes, apartments,

condominiums, and townhouses. The study will be recognized as part of the
residential sector in the construction industry.

The construction management field of the study includes delineation of scope,

budgeting, scheduling, setting requirements and selecting project participants.

The scope of the study is bounded only to wall construction and how will the
installation and design affect the cost and workability. As a recomendation, the
researchers strongly encourage further studies that will broaden the concept and
design of the study, and will surpass the borders of which this study is limited to.

The researchers based their budgeting from manuals provided by the National
Housing Authority. The National Housing Authority is the ideal beneficiary of the
study given that the agency’s priority is to provide responsive housing programs
primarily to homeless low-income families with access to social services and
economic opportunities with excellence while ensuring corporate viability. With the
application of the Precast Hollow Core wall system; this government-owned and
controlled corporation can provide more housing projects that can benefit more
people. NHA also covers the structural design of the houses in their projects,
especially wall design.

6
7
8
 The cost estimation was attained using Microsoft Excel in which the data were
based on bill of quantities provided by the NHA. The said bill of quantities was the

9
standard reference of the researchers to obtain valid results. Cost estimation includes
maximizing the resources efficiently through procurement of labor, materials and
equipments.

Scheduling of the construction was conducted using the program Microsoft

Project. The software enlist construction activities that are essential to the procedural
flow of the project. The activities encoded in the software reflect data from the bill of
quantities and labour costs provided by NHA and construction manuals provided by
DATEM Construction.

10
11
1.9.2.Structural Engineering

The structural design contains programming and feasibility, schematic design,

design development, and drawing documents.

This study developed a design for a wall system that will lessen structural
members such as columns and beams to minimize installation, construction time and
cost without affecting the strength of the structure and without violating the
provisions and regulations stated in the building code.

The needs, goals, and objectives must be determined for the structure.
Decisions must be made on the building size, number of rooms, how the space will be
used, and who will be using the space. This must all be considered to begin the actual
designing of the building.

For the programming and feasibility, seeing as the study will be focused on
wall system and will be occupied as a residential structure, provisions for fire
proofing, sound proofing, etc. must be considered.

12
 3D Models

In the schematic design of the study, sketches were drawn as preliminary view
on how the precast hollow core wall and the house as a whole.

All studies implementing to a project or construction analysis will require

research and investigation for the design development to determine what materials
and equipments will be used highly considering the cost.

The documents of the construction are the final drawings, codes, provisions
and specifications of the project. And after the preliminary sketches, the drawings
were then projected into 3D modelling softwares such as AutoCAD, Google Sketch
Up, etc.

The study innovated and improved the methods of construction in housing for
NHA through the use of an Ecowall Panel instead of conventional CHB wall. The
ecowall panel proved to be more cost and time-efficient. The data showed that using
Ecowall panels for existing NHA project is more efficient in terms of materials, costs
and labour compared to a conventional CHB wall.

13
 There is a substantial decrease in the time and cost without affecting quality,
thus improving the method of construction when Ecowall is applied as the wall
system compared to the conventional CHB wall.

Through the use of a Precast Hollow Core Wall as an alternative, the

researchers were able to apply value engineering by innovating a part of construction
maintaining all functions but reducing cost. Lastly, the researchers used the NSCP
(Section 7- Masonry) and the DATEM data as the basis for the design and proved that
the Ecowall system conformed to Building Code standards and is thus considered
safe.

14
1.9.3.Engineering Economics

Right now many Filipinos do not have a home due to poverty or natural
calamities that occur .The government department that is responsible for housing is
National Housing authority (NHA) and they have a mission which is “we provide
decent, adequate and affordable housing to the greatest number of people and ensure
the provision of community facilities and utilities and social services and economic
opportunities.

This mission will have an affordable housing which will create jobs and
fostering economic growth. In creating jobs the development of the community
creates a significant number of construction-related jobs, and new residents will result
additional jobs in other sectors growing forward. It will also attract both employers
and employees due to the fact that they understand the importance of affordable
housing in attracting and retaining a skilled workforce. It will also increase consumer
spending, building affordable housing increases the buying power to those involved
in its construction and those who occupy it afterward. Increasing government
revenues, the taxes and fees associated with the development of affordable housing
both during the construction and after the homes are occupied can represent
significant revenue for the state and local governments.

Due to their objective “to provide and maintain adequate housing for the
greatest possible number of people” they need a rolling budget to make more housing
projects and it is only possible by making profits on it. This project is done by
designing low cost housing for its target market. Low cost housing projects are
designed by using value engineering that will lessen the carbon footprint, will
improve the production and installation.

The rapid growth of the global population causes many social problems. One
of these is the lack of affordable housing. Hence, low-income families are forced to
reside along sidewalks, railroads, and other areas listed as danger zones. Government
and private groups around the world are innovating traditional ways of building safe
yet cost-efficient houses

15
 Value engineering is a systematic method of improving the value of a certain
material without affecting the cost. Value can therefore be increased by either
improving the function or reducing the cost. It is a primary tenet of value engineering
that basic functions be preserved and not be reduced as a consequence of pursuing
value improvements.

This research provided a comparative analysis in using a Precast Hollow Core

Wall Panel and a Concrete Hollow Block as wall systems. It evaluated the two
aforementioned wall systems for the National Housing Authority’s socialized housing
projects in terms of economic benefits, cost-efficiency, and duration of construction
period.

1200

1000

800

600
CHB
400 Ecowall

200

0
Portland Sand Gravel Rebar Rebar Plywood Lumber Nail (lbs.)
Cement (cu.m.) 3/4" 8mm 10mm (pcs.) (bd.ft)
(bags) (cu.m.) diam. diam.
(pcs.) (pcs.)

CHB vs Ecowall (Quantity of Materials)

The figure above shows comparison between the Concrete Hollow Block and
EcoWall panel of the amount of materials used. The CHB wall construction
consumed about 550 bags of cement, 50 cu.m. of sand, 40 cu.m. of ¾” gravel, 150

16
pcs of 8mm diameter rebar, 140 pcs of 10mm diameter rebar, 10 pcs of plywood,
1150 bf of lumber, and 10 lbs of nails. The installation of the EcoWall panel reduced
the material quantity by an estimated percentage of 70, using only 150 bags of
cement, 5 cu.m. of sand, 10 cu.m. of ¾” gravel, 150 pcs of 8mm diameter rebar, 20
pcs of 10mm diameter rebar, and 280 bf of lumber, making.the installation less
expensive and time efficient.

In this study, decreasing the volume of materials and replacing the materials
and structural members with an innovative design and property will also decrease the
cost and installation time of the wall system. Increasing the strength of the upper and
side portions of the wall eliminates the construction of beams and columns.

Value engineering is sometimes taught within the project

management or industrial engineering body of knowledge as a technique in which the
value of a system’s outputs is optimized by crafting a mix of functions and costs.

The wall system that has been proven to be cost efficient in the project for low
cost housing should be consider to be advertised and mass produced so that it can be a
normal hardware item and will be used to lower the price of building a normal house
in the Philippines,

. The use of an Ecowall panel reduced the quantity of materials for formworks

and scaffoldings. The results showed that the total direct cost of row house with

Ecowall panel is cheaper by almost 18% compared to the conventional method.

17
 Chapter 2

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

The following related literature provides an overview of the study through

presentation of supporting articles that provided the hypothesis and the factors taken into

account by the study.

2.1. Environment and Urbanization

In his paper “Shelter finance strategies for the poor: Philippines”, Gilberto M. Llanto

(2007) said that the Philippines’ rapid urbanization casts a serious challenge to providing the

urban poor with access to decent shelter. The urban poor lack access not only to appropriate

housing but also to affordable, tenured, serviced land, shelter financing, targeted and

sustainable subsidies and the means to provide their own shelter.

The Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) estimated that

the Philippine population will increase from 80 million in 2002 to 98.2 million by 2015. The

country has one of the highest urban growth rates in the world, averaging 5.1 percent

between 1960 and 1995. More than half of the population is in urban areas and this is

expected to reach 60 percent by 2010 if current trends continue. While official data indicate

that only about 20 percent of the 7.5 million urban households fall below the poverty income

line, this indicator alone does not capture the numbers of informal settlers living in dire

conditions.

18
 In addition, the rapid urbanization due to continuing in-migration from the rural areas,

high population growth and a relatively inelastic housing supply, particularly at the lower end

of the housing market, has contributed to the worsening situation in the Philippines. Labour

productivity has been low and recent economic growth has failed to create enough jobs for a

rapidly expanding labour force. The growth in joblessness has exacerbated the already

precarious situation of low-income households, driving them to join the swelling ranks of the

informal sector. The grim situation with regard to housing, especially for those in the

informal sector, has led the government to adopt a comprehensive approach that enlists

public–private sector participation as a major vehicle to address the problems in the sector.

2.2. Lightweight Concrete

In his paper entitled, “Study of Lightweight Concrete Behaviour”, Mohamad Shazli

Fathiet. al. (2004) stated that lightweight concrete can be defined as a type of concrete which

includes an expanding agent such that it increases the volume of the mixture while giving

additional qualities such as nailability and lesser dead load. As its name implies, lightweight

concrete is lighter than the conventional concrete and has lower density and thermal

conductivity.

Its advantages include the reduction of dead load, faster building rates in construction

and lower haulage and handling costs. In buildings, structural lightweight concrete provides a

more efficient strength-to-weight ratio in structural elements. In most cases, the marginally

higher cost of lightweight concrete is offset by size reduction of structural elements, less

reinforcing steel and reduced volume of concrete, resulting in lower overall cost.

19
2.3. Precast Panel System

In their paper entitled “Adaptable Housing of Precast Panel System in Malaysia”,

Asiah Abdul Rahima, Zuhairi Abdul Hamidb, IsmawiHj. Zena, ZulkefleIsmaila and

KamarulAnuarMohdKamarb (2012) identified some potential solutions to deliver quality

housing for Malaysians as well as to solve and to harmonize the architectural design with the

innovation of precast panel system in construction.

The authors mentioned that the design should focus on standardization of form and

dimension of the basic elements of construction systems, and on the use of building

components composed by dry assembled compatible basic elements in order to make

exchangeability and multiple reuse of building components achievable in practice and to

allow adaptability of constructions through reconfiguration. A new direction of architectural

programming for adaptable housing of precast panel system should be developed further,

based on the adaptability model proposed in the research. This can allow designers to

understand and to meet design standard and user needs.

2.4. Housing Demand in the Philippines

In her paper “The Dynamics of Housing Demand in the Philippines: Income and

Lifecycle Effect”, Marife M. Ballesteros (2002) revealed that there is a tremendous gap

between the demand and supply of housing because majority of Filipino households are

unable to pay for the cost of housing and land.

Ballesteros (2000) said that the high cost of urban land in the country is due to

constraints in the supply side of the market. While income is a major factor in housing

20
demand, other factors such as lifecycle, price of housing and financing availability also affect

demand. Estimates of income elasticity show that the demand for housing is highly

responsive to a change in income, but housing adjustments are confined to basic

improvements in housing facilities with minimal change on tenure. Ballesteros (2000)

emphasized that the path toward acceptable housing is constrained by several factors: first,

the ratio of unit housing cost to income is rapidly rising; second, there are a few low-cost

alternatives to homeownership in the formal market; and third, innovative housing finance is

limited and the microfinance schemes available suffer from liquidity problems and

bureaucratic delays. Thus, there is a need for the government to address the problems of

housing in a broader context. The issues are not only confined in providing households

income transfers through subsidies or in giving access to housing and security of tenure but

also in looking at the larger issue of urban development.

2.5. Governance and Urban Development: Case Study of Metro Manila

In their paper “Governance and Urban Development: Case Study of Metro Manila”,

Rosario Manasan and Ruben Mercado (1999) of the Philippine Institute for Development

Studies stated that Metro Manila faces a lot of challenges in terms of land use, housing, and

urban poverty and that the rapid urbanization for the past 30 years has altered Metro Manila’s

landscape as evident from the changes in the land use mix from 1972 to 1991. Manasan and

Mercado (1999) found that residential land use currently predominates land use activity in

the metropolis. According to the research, open space was the predominant land use three

decades ago. Recreation land uses including parks and sports area comprise only one percent

of total land area in 1991 compared to 20 percent in 1980. A large percentage of these lands

for open spaces and for other purposes have been used for housing.

21
 In addition, Manasan and Mercado (1999) emphasized that despite the large tract of

land currently allocated for residential use, housing is still a major problem as evident in the

increased demand for rental housing, the concomitant rise in rental rates, and the increased

number of informal settler households. High land prices and the low income capacity of

many families in the metropolis hinder many households to participate in government and

private housing projects. Thus, about half of NCR households do not own the land they

occupy. The number of informal settler families has been rising as many opt to build

substandard dwellings in private and public lands within the metropolis close to their source

of employment or livelihood.

2.6. Value Engineering in Construction

In “Appraisal of value engineering in construction in Southeast Asia”, Charles Y.J.

Cheah and Seng Kiong Ting (2005) said that the application of value engineering in

construction is credited with some success notably in public contracts in the United States,

however value engineering is still rarely applied in the Southeast Asian construction industry.

Their paper presented a survey that showed the extent to which value engineering

principles and practices are being applied in Southeast Asia. Although there is a strong belief

that future prospects of value engineering in the Southeast Asian construction industry are

positive, a number of impediments still stand in the way. In particular, more efforts are

required to educate industrial practitioners and owners on various aspects of value

engineering. Governments also have to play a lead role in promoting such initiatives.

In addition, introducing the use at a macro level and enhancing its effectiveness by

adopting new developments in allied disciplines can broaden the scope of value engineering.

22
All these factors imply that since its inception, value engineering has somewhat changed its

outlook towards a new and promising direction. Construction professionals need to keep

themselves abreast of these issues in order to elevate the status of their firms and the industry

as a whole.

2.7. Ecowall’s Lightweight Wall Panel

The Ecowall Systems Corp. with the partnership of Interform Technology Pte. Ltd. is

a corporation that made a breakthrough in the development of new technology for

manufacturing wall panel systems. The corporation concerns itself with the preservation of

the ecosystem through the use of alternative raw materials in manufacturing local products.

Light-weight composite wall panel

Figure 2 – Ecowall Panel

The wall panel is made of raw materials with reinforcements, core additives and

adhesion agents to provide a lightweight and high strength panel. The panel is held together

with a proprietary grout which has the same physical characteristic as the panel thus,

eliminating the cracks between panels. The panels are both strong and light allowing easy

23
handling and installation. Once installed, the smooth surface of the panel requires only a 2

mm thick of skim coat finish for painting and tilling works. The panel can be cut, nailed,

screwed or bonded like wood during onsite installation of conceal wiring, ducting and pipe

works.

System of Installation

Wall panel construction begins with the layouting and setting of lines to provide for

the alignment of the wall partition. The, wall panel will then be prepared by cutting the top

portion for grouting and mortar application.

After preparing the wall panel, aluminum studs or column stiffeners will be installed

followed by the installation of the panels. A standard Ecowall Panel measures 0.6 m x 3.0 m.

24
 The panel will be held together by a proprietary grout and expansion bolt holes will

be drilled to accommodate the restrain. Lastly, skim coat will be applied on the wall’s joint

and panel surface for finishing.

25
 Figure 3 shows a test result measuring the strength of a sample cylindrical concrete of the

Ecowallpanel.

Figure 3 – Ecowall Test Report

26
Figure 4 – STC Test Result

27
Figure 5 – Ecowall’s Test Report on Compressive Strength

28
 Chapter 3

A STUDY ON THE ECONOMIC BENEFIT OF USING LIGHTWEIGHT PRECAST

HOLLOW CORE WALL ON SOCIALIZED HOUSING

3.1. Abstract

The rapid growth of the global population causes many social problems. One of these

is the lack of affordable housing. Hence, low-income families are forced to reside along

sidewalks, railroads, and other areas listed as danger zones. Government and private groups

around the world are innovating traditional ways of building safe yet cost-efficient houses.

This research provided a comparative analysis in using a Precast Hollow Core Wall Panel

and a Concrete Hollow Block as wall systems. It evaluated the two aforementioned wall

systems for the National Housing Authority’s socialized housing projects in terms of

economic benefits, cost-efficiency, and duration of construction period. The researchers

proved that the design of a lightweight precast hollow core wall as a wall system for

socialized housing is more cost and time-efficient.

3.2. Introduction

This study focused on the comparison on the economic aspect of using available

precast hollow core wall provided by the different precast construction companies in the

Philippines. The cost of the materials was based on the latest material cost provided by the

National Housing Authority.

29
3.3. Conceptual Framework

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

CHB
Value Engineering
Vs. A Good Alternative
and for CHB
PHCW
Cost Efficiency & (Wall System)
-Cost Analysis
-Workability

Figure 1 - Conceptual Framework

Figure 1 shows the conceptual framework of the study. This shows the process that

the Concrete Hollow Block and the Precast Hollow Core Wall will undergo to determine if

the proposed wall system can be a better wall system than Concrete Hollow Block in terms of

cost and functionality.

30
3.4. Methodology

Statement of the
Problem

Objective Setting

Review of Related -Local

Literature -Foreign

Data Collection

Analysis of Data -Value Engineering

-Cost Benefit Analysis

Findings

Conclusion

Recommendations and
Further Studies

Figure 6 – Analytical Framework

The first and second steps of this study involved the formulation of the statement of

the problem and objectives, purpose and goals, respectively. After setting the objectives, a

collection of local and foreign related literature were gathered as sources of additional

31
information for the solution of the research problems and as secondary data for the cost

analysis process.

After gathering related literature for the study, the researchers requested ocular visits

to the Precast Manufacturing Plants of DATEM construction who had been the consultant for

the entire study on the Precast Hollow Core Wall. Another set of letters were sent to different

private and public groups to request for low-cost housing project plans as the basis of the

study. The National Housing Authority (NHA) provided the said project plans.

DATEM Construction and Ecowall Systems Corp. provided the design specifications

of the Precast Hollow Core Wall as well as the design of the structural members. The NHA

provided the labour rates and sample bill of quantities of an existing housing project as a

guide for the researchers.

The total cost of the socialized housing, estimated from housing project plan, was

compared to the total cost of the same housing plan with the wall system replaced with the

proposed lightweight precast hollow core wall.

The researchers redesigned the structural members such as beams and columns for the

proposed lightweight precast hollow core wall to allow installation while maintaining the

strength of the frame, and to comply with standards of the Philippine building codes. The

design of the slab and foundation remained the same. The design of the structural members

was approved by the construction company, DATEM Construction, using similar software

used by the researchers.

32
 The model of the row house was elevated and drawn in detail using Google Sketch

Up and AutoCad. Google Sketch Up was used to make 3D models of the lightweight precast

hollow core wall, the perspective of the row house, and the arrangement of wall panels in

view of the locations of windows, doors, etc. AutoCad was use to detail connections of

structural members and to layout the plan of the row house.

A miniature 3D model of the wall panels was then created in DATEM Construction

using the same materials used in the actual wall panel. The miniature model demonstrated the

properties of the wall panel for presentation purposes only.

33
3.5. Proposed Precast Hollow Core Wall System

34
35
36
37
38
 3.6. Detailed Estimate of Conventional CHB and Ecowall

1200

1000

800

600 CHB
Ecowall

400

200

0
Portland Sand (cu.m.) Gravel 3/4" Rebar 8mm Rebar 10mm Plywood (pcs.) Lumber (bd.ft) Nail (lbs.)
Cement (bags) (cu.m.) diam. (pcs.) diam. (pcs.)

Figure 7 – CHB vs Ecowall (Quantity of Materials)

39
A. Conventional CHB

1. Foundation

 Concrete Works (Class “B” Portland Cement)

Concrete Volume = [Surface Area x Lot Perimeter]

= [(0.2 m)(0.3 m)] x [79.8m]

= 4.79 m2

Cement = [Concrete Volume x (6.8 bags / m2 )]

= [(4.79 m2 ) x (6.8 bags / m2 )]

= 32.57 bags say 33 bags

Sand = [Concrete Volume x (0.46 m3 / m2 )]

= [(4.79 m2 ) x (0.46 m3 / m2 )]

= 2.2 m3

Gravel = [Concrete Volume x (0.88 m3 / m2 )]

= [(4.79 m2 ) x (0.88 m3 / m2 )]

= 4.22 m3

 Rebars (8 mm diam.)

Number of Horizontal Rebars = [(Perimeter / 0.4 m) + 1]

= [(79.8 m / 0.4 m) + 1]

=200.5 say 201pcs.

Length of Horizontal Rebars = [Bar Length x No. of Horizontal Bar]

= (0.3 m)(201 pcs.)

= 60.3 m

Length of Continuous Rebars = [No. of Cont. Rebars x Perimeter]

40
 = (3pcs.)(79.8m)

= 239.4 m

Total Length of Rebars = 60.3 m + 239.4 m

= 299.7 m

No. of 8mm diam. Rebar = [(Total Length of Rebars) x (1 bar / 6 m)]

= [(299.7 m) x (1 bar / 6 m)]

= 49.95 bars say 50 pcs.

 Formworks

Surface Area = [Perimeter x Depth of Footing x 2]

= [(79.8 m)(0.2 m)(2)]

= 31.92 m2

SFCA = [Surface Area x (3.28 ft2 / m2 )]

= [(31.92 m2 )(3.28 ft2 / m2 )]

= 343.41 say 344 SFCA

Lumber = (344 SFCA)(110 bf / 100 SFCA)

= 378.4 say 379 bf

Plywood = (344 SFCA)(40 sf / 100 SFCA)(1 sheet / 32 sf)

= 4.3 say 5 sheets

Nails = (379 bf)(12 lb / 1000 bf)

= 4.55 lb

41
2. Slab on Grade

 Concrete Works (Class “B” Portland Cement)

Concrete Volume = [Slab Thickness x Lot Area]

= [(0.075 m)] x [(7 m)(16 m)]

= 13.65 m2

Cement = [Concrete Volume x (6.8 bags / m2 )]

= [(13.65 m2 ) x (6.8 bags / m2 )]

= 92.82 bags say 93 bags

Sand = [Concrete Volume x (0.46 m3 / m2 )]

= [(13.65 m2 ) x (0.46 m3 / m2 )]

=6.28 m3

Gravel = [Concrete Volume x (0.88 m3 / m2 )]

= [(13.65 m2 ) x (0.88 m3 / m2 )]

= 12.01 m3

 Rebars (8 mm diam. @ 0.4 mm O.C.B.W.)

Number of Horizontal Rebars = [(7 m / 0.4 m) + 1]

=18.5 say 19 pcs.

Length of Horizontal Rebars = [Bar Length x No. of Horizontal Bar]

= (16 m - 0.15 m)(19 pcs.)

= 301.15 m

Number of Vertical Rebars = [(16 m / 0.4 m) + 1]

= 41 pcs.

42
 Length of Vertical Rebars = [Bar Length x No. of Vertical Bar]

= (7 m - 0.15 m)(41 pcs.)

= 280.85 m

Total Length of Rebars = 301.15 m + 280.85 m

= 582 m

No. of 8mm diam. Rebar = [(Total Length of Rebars) x (1 bar / 6 m)]

= [(582 m) x (1 bar / 6 m)]

= 97 pcs.

3. Lintel Beam

 Concrete Works (Class “B” Portland Cement)

Concrete Volume = [(0.5 m)(0.1 m)] x [32 m]

= 16 m2

Cement = [Concrete Volume x (6.8 bags / m2 )]

= [(16 m2 ) x (6.8 bags / m2 )]

= 108.8 bags say 109 bags

Sand = [Concrete Volume x (0.46 m3 / m2 )]

= [(16 m2 ) x (0.46 m3 / m2 )]

=7.36 m3

Gravel = [Concrete Volume x (0.88 m3 / m2 )]

= [(16 m2 ) x (0.88 m3 / m2 )]

= 14.08 m3

43
  Rebars (10 mm diam.)

Total Length of Rebars = (32 m)(2)

= 64 m

No. of 8mm diam. Rebar = [(Total Length of Rebars) x (1 bar / 6 m)]

= [(64 m) x (1 bar / 6 m)]

= 10.67 bars say 11 pcs.

 Formworks

Surface Area = [(32 m)(0.5 m + 0.5 m + 1 m)]

= 64 m2

SFCA = [Surface Area x (3.28 ft2 / m2 )]

= [(64 m2 )(3.28 ft2 / m2 )]

= 688.54 say 689 SFCA

Lumber = (689 SFCA)(110 bf / 100 SFCA)

= 757.9 say 758 bf

Plywood = (689 SFCA)(40 sf / 100 SFCA)(1 sheet / 32 sf)

= 8.61 say 9 sheets

Nails = (758 bf)(12 lb / 1000 bf)

= 9.1lb

4. Wall

 Total Surface Area = [(2.6 m – 0.5 m)]x[(79.8 m) + [(5)(7 m)(14 m)/2]]

= 192.08 m2

44
 Number of 4” CHB = (Total Surface Area)(13 CHB / m2 )

= (192.08 m2 ) (13 CHB / m2 )

= 2497.04 say 2498 pcs.

 Mortar

Cement = (Number of 4” CHB)(8.104 bags / 100CHB)

= (2498)(8.104 bags / 100CHB)

= 202.44 say 203 bags

Sand = (Number of 4” CHB)(0.675 m3 / 100CHB)

= (2498)(0.675 m3 / 100CHB)

= 16.86 m3

 Plaster

Cement = (Number of 4” CHB)(4.608 bags / 100CHB)

= (2498)(4.608 bags / 100CHB)

= 115.11 say 116 bags

Sand = (Number of 4” CHB)(0.256 m3 / 100CHB)

= (2498)(0.256 m3 / 100CHB)

= 6.39 m3

45
 Total Cement = 203 bags + 116 bags

= 319 bags

 Total Sand = 16.86 m3 + 6.39 m3

= 23.25 m3

 Vertical Rebars (10 mm diam. @ 0.8 m O.C.)

Number of Vertical Rebars = [(79.8 m / 0.8 m) + 1]

=100.75 say 101 pcs.

Length of Vertical Rebars = (2.1 m + 0.2 m – 0.075 m + 0.1 m)(101)

= 234.83 m

Number of Vertical Rebars = [(7 m / 0.8 m) + 1]

=9.75 say 10 pcs.

Length of Vertical Rebars = (1.4 m)(10 pcs.)(3)

= 42 m

Total Length of Rebars = 234.83 m + 42 m

= 327.33 m

No. of 10 mm diam. Rebar = [(Total Length of Rebars) x (1 bar / 6 m)]

= [(327.33 m) x (1 bar / 6 m)]

= 54.55 say 55 pcs.

 Horizontal Rebars (10 mm diam @ every 3 layers)

No. Of 4” CHB layers = [(2.1 m) / (0.2 m)(3)] + 1

= 4.5 say 5 rows

46
 Length of Horizontal Rebars = [Perimeter x No. Of 4” CHB layers]

= (79.8 m)(5 rows)

=399 m

No. of 10 mm diam. Rebar = [(Total Length of Rebars) x (1 bar / 6 m)]

= [(399 m) x (1 bar / 6 m)]

= 66.5 say 67 pcs.

 Total Rebars = 55 pcs. + 67 pcs. = 122 pcs.

B. Ecowall

1. Column (Stiffener)

 Concrete Works (Class “B” Portland Cement)

Concrete Volume = 4[(0.1 m)2 (3)(2.6 m)] + 6[(0.1 m)2 (4)(2.6 m)]

= 0.936 m2

Cement = [Concrete Volume x (6.8 bags / m2 )]

= [(0.936 m2 ) x (6.8 bags / m2 )]

= 6.36 bags say 7 bags

Sand = [Concrete Volume x (0.46 m3 / m2 )]

= [(0.936m2 ) x (0.46 m3 / m2 )]

=0.43 m3

Gravel = [Concrete Volume x (0.88 m3 / m2 )]

= [(0.936m2 ) x (0.88 m3 / m2 )]

= 0.82 m3

47
  Rebars (10 mm diam.)

Number of Rebars = 4(3) + 6(4)

=36 pcs.

Length of Rebars = [Bar Length x No. of Rebar]

= (2.6 m + 0.2 m – 0.075 m +0.1 m)(36 pcs.)

= 101.7 m

No. of 10 mm diam. Rebar = [(Total Length of Rebars) x (1 bar / 6 m)]

= [(101.7 m) x (1 bar / 6 m)]

= 16.95 bars say 17 pcs.

2. Beam
 Concrete Works (Class “B” Portland Cement)
Concrete Volume = [(0.1 m)2 (2)(16 m + 16 m + 7 m + 7m)]

= 0.92 m2

Cement = [Concrete Volume x (6.8 bags / m2 )]

= [(0.92 m2 ) x (6.8 bags / m2 )]

= 6.256 bags say 7 bags

Sand = [Concrete Volume x (0.46 m3 / m2 )]

= [(0.92 m2 ) x (0.46 m3 / m2 )]

=0.42 m3

Gravel = [Concrete Volume x (0.88 m3 / m2 )]

= [(0.92 m2 ) x (0.88 m3 / m2 )]

= 0.81 m3

48
  Rebars (10 mm diam.)

Length of Rebars = (16 m + 16 m +7 m + 7 m)(2)

= 92 m

No. of 10 mm diam. Rebar = [(Total Length of Rebars) x (1 bar / 6 m)]

= [(92 m) x (1 bar / 6 m)]

= 15.33 bars say 16 pcs.

3. Wall

 Ecowall Panel (Unit Cost = 870 pesos / m2 )

 Total Surface Area = [(2.6 m – 0.5 m)]x[(79.8 m) + [(5)(7 m)(14 m)/2]]

= 192.08 m2 say 193 m2

*Note:

 Total Direct Cost = Material Cost + Labour Cost

 Material Cost = Unit Cost x Quantity

 Labour Cost = 30% of Material Cost (NHA standards)

 Labour Cost (Ecowall Panel) = [Qty of Materials] x [1 panel/(0.6m x 3 m)]

x [1 day/4 panels] x [510 pesos/day]

49
3.7.Project Schedule

50
51
 Chapter 4

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The foremost concerns of this study were the time and cost for constructing the

walling system because these greatly affect the over-all cost of the project. Based on the plan

obtained from the National Housing Authority and the previous technologies that have been

done by the Housing Technology Development Office (Technical Services Group of NHA),

the researchers found a way to innovate the wall system of socialized housing. The

conceptualized method to innovate the walling system was materialized by using DATEM

Inc.’s Ecowall, a lightweight precast hollow core wall.

Based from the NSCP loadings and masonry section, the researchers, with the

guidance of Engr. Jhuno Rey of Datem Inc., innovated a walling system plan of the NHA

using an Ecowall panel. Ecowall is a load bearing wall with a compressive strength of 1400

psi which is higher than the CHB’s compressive strength (700 psi).

The project’s estimate of the original NHA plan (Conventional CHB) and the

innovated NHA plan (Ecowall) were focused on the cost of formworks, reinforcing steels,

concrete and finishing which are the components that comprise most of the total cost of a

concrete structure. The material costs were based from the detailed estimates of their

standard row houses provided by the National Housing Authority. The labour cost was

computed by getting 30% of the material cost. However, the labour cost of installing the

Ecowall panel was computed by averaging the labour cost of 1 foreman, 1 skilled worker and

2 labourers in installing 4 panels per working day.

52
 The foundation, slab on grade and the roof were considered to have the same amount

of materials because they have similar design. There were no columns present in the original

plan but there are stiffener columns on the innovated plan. The Ecowall did not need any

plastering because the precast panel already has a smooth finishing. The use of an Ecowall

panel reduced the quantity of materials for formworks and scaffoldings. The results showed

that the total direct cost of row house with Ecowall panel is cheaper by almost 18%

compared to the conventional method.

Microsoft Office Project was used to plot the time frame of construction activities

with their corresponding work duration and sequence. Time of work was based on the

amount of work done per man-hour. All the activities in the wall construction have similar

time duration, type of activities and sequence of activities.

Apart from the wall system construction, measure of materials, equipments and

labour were the same from excavation to clearing. For the conventional wall system, laying

of CHB, amount and installation of vertical and horizontal bars, and plastering were the

major activities which contributed to the differences in cost between the two wall systems

compared in this study. The use of the Ecowall panel as the wall system resulted to a time

difference of 26 days in construction compared to the conventional CHB thus confirming the

benefit in terms of time efficiency using the Ecowall system.

Using the Ecowall panel in the existing NHA project, the data showed that Ecowall

panels for existing NHA projects are more cost-efficient that the conventional CHB wall in

terms of material cost, labour cost, workability and durability.

53
 Chapter 5

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The study innovated and improved the methods of construction in housing for NHA

through the use of an Ecowall Panel instead of conventional CHB wall. The ecowall panel

proved to be more cost and time-efficient. The data showed that using Ecowall panels for

existing NHA project is more efficient in terms of materials, costs and labour compared to a

conventional CHB wall.

There is a substantial decrease in the time and cost without affecting quality, thus

improving the method of construction when Ecowall is applied as the wall system compared

to the conventional CHB wall.

Through the use of a Precast Hollow Core Wall as an alternative, the researchers were

able to apply value engineering by innovating a part of construction maintaining all functions

but reducing cost. Lastly, the researchers used the NSCP (Section 7- Masonry) and the

DATEM data as the basis for the design and proved that the Ecowall system conformed to

Building Code standards and is thus considered safe.

There are other methods and walling systems that can be used as an alternative for the

conventional CHB wall. Future researchers should contact the Accreditation of Innovative

Technology for Housing (AITECH) as it has a list of innovative technologies on traditional

housing construction systems which can be used as alternatives. The AITECH has new

technologies such as compressed earth blocks, pre-fabricated wall panels, cast-in-place

54
concrete wall panels, galvanized steel sheet wall panels which can also lower the cost and

difficulty of construction method, reduce labour and construction time, and minimize

material wastage.

Future studies should investigate the use of indigenous materials near housing

projects as construction materials to further lessen the cost of materials and delivery. Other

cost-efficient designs of housing system with the use of lightweight materials should be

developed in future research.

55
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This study will not be possible without the help and guidance of certain individuals
who, in their way, gave support and assistance for the completion of this study.

First, to our instructor, Engr. Geoffrey L. Cueto, for all his excellent advice which
helped us pull together our ideas that led us to completely understand this study. Engr. Cueto
has been our instructor since the beginning and without him; we would have never surpassed
all challenges that came with the conception of this study.

To Engr. Virgilio B. Santos, our thesis adviser, who helped us integrate the topics
related to our study and all ideas we had in the apprehension that we will never have just one
ideal topic. Also, Engr. Santos gave us the valour to pursue with our topic when we are in
baffle to decide.

To Mr. Romeo Reyes, Engineering Department - National Housing Authority, in his

contribution in providing data for the project cost estimation. Mr. Reyes was also the
representative of our thesis beneficiary, NHA.

To Engr. Jhuno Rey, one of the project engineers in DATEM Construction Inc., for
giving us the structural design, materials and data that we need for the Value Engineering
process of the study.

Engr. Ivan Marquez, one of our design professors, for lending us materials and giving
us lectures in design that helped us complete the structural analysis that is part of the study.

Lastly, to our friends and family with their undying support and of course to our God
almighty with His ubiquitous presence that gave us the right choices and the right people
who made this study possible.

56
 REFERENCES

1. Ballesteros, Marife M. The Dynamics of Housing Demand in the Philippines: Income

andLifecycle Effects. Philippine Institute for Development Studies, 2002.

2. Fathi, MohamadShazli. Lightweight Concrete Behavior. UniversitiTeknologi

Malaysia,2004.

3. Manasan, Rosario G. Governance and Urban Development: Case Study of Metro

Manila.Philippine Institute for Development Studies, 1999.

4. Lanto, Gilberto M. Shelter Finance Strategies for the Poor: Philippines. Environment

and Urbanization, 2007.

5. Rahima, Hamidb, Zena, Ismaila and Kamarb. Adaptable Housing of Precast Panel

System in Malaysia. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2012.

6. Charles Y.J. Cheah and SengKiong Ting. Appraisal of value engineering in

construction in Southeast Asia. International Journal of Project Management, 2005.

7. D.C. Fortuna. Estimating Handbook. CELJEN Printing Press, 1987.

8. National Housing Authority. Primer: accreditation of innovative technologies for

housing (AITECH). Quezon City: NHA, 2001.

9. Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines, Inc. (ASEP). National

Structural Code of the Philippines, 2010

57
 APPENDICES

ANNEX A. BATAS PAMBANSA BLG. 220

AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS TO

ESTABLISH AND PROMULGATE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF STANDARDS AND
TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ECONOMIC AND SOCIALIZED HOUSING
PROJECTS IN URBAN AND RURAL AREAS FROM THOSE PROVIDED UNDER
PRESIDENTIAL DECREES NUMBERED NINE HUNDRED FIFTY-SEVEN, TWELVE
HUNDRED SIXTEEN, TEN HUNDRED NINETY-SIX AND ELEVEN HUNDRED
EIGHTY-FIVE

Section 1. It is hereby declared a policy of the Government to promote and encourage the

development of economic and socialized housing projects, primarily by the private sector, in

order to make available adequate economic and socialized housing units for average and low-

income earners in urban and rural areas.

Sec. 2. As used in this Act, economic and socialized housing refers to housing units which

are within the affordability level of the average and low-income earners which is thirty

percent (30%) of the gross family income as determined by the National Economic and

Development Authority from time to time. It shall also refer to the government-initiated sites

and services development and construction of economic and socialized housing projects in

depressed areas.

Sec. 3. To carry out the foregoing policy, the Ministry of Human Settlements is authorized to

establish and promulgate different levels of standards and technical requirements for the

development of economic and socialized housing projects and economic and socialized
housing units in urban and rural areas from those provided in Presidential Decree Numbered

Nine hundred fifty-seven, otherwise known as the "Subdivision and Condominium Buyers'

Protective Decree," Presidential Decree Numbered Twelve hundred and sixteen, "Defining

Open Space in Residential Subdivision"; Presidential Decree Numbered Ten Hundred and

ninety-six, otherwise known as the "National Building Code of the Philippines"; and

Presidential Decree Numbered Eleven hundred and eighty-five, otherwise known as the "Fire

Code of the Philippines" and the rules and regulations promulgated hereunder, in

consultation with the Ministry of Public Works and Highways, the Integrated National

Police, and other appropriate government units and instrumentalities and private associations.

Sec. 4. The standards and technical requirements to be established under Section three hereof

shall provide for environmental ecology, hygiene and cleanliness, physical, cultural and

spiritual development and public safety and may vary in each region, province or city

depending on the availability of indigenous materials for building construction and other

relevant factors.

Sec. 5. The different levels of standards and technical requirements that shall be established

and promulgated by the Ministry of Human Settlements only after public hearing and shall be

published in two newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines for at least once a week

for two consecutive weeks and shall take effect thirty days after the last publication.

Sec. 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved: March 25, 1982. (P.B. No. 1880)

ANNEX B. NHA STANDARD ROW HOUSE PLAN