The textile reinforcement of the concrete (textile reinforced concrete, TRC) refers to the use of meshes of various characteristics as a partial or total substitute for conventional rebar reinforcement. These meshes can be rigid or flexible, can be configured in various designs, with different spans, and can be made of different materials. The most advantageous possibility in this respect is the reinforcement with mesh made of composite material of a polymeric matrix and fibres, which in turn can be different materials such as glass, basalt, carbon, bio-based... Using this type of materials, it is possible to prevent corrosion problems associated with the use of metal reinforcement.
The main advantage of the use of this type of reinforcement is the possibility to produce very thin concrete elementsThe meshes are very thin and, if they are not made of steel, require very little coating to ensure their durability. durability. The manufacture of very thin concrete elements has technical, economic and environmental advantages. On the one hand, they take up less surface area and space, reducing the impacts related to their transport. On the other hand, they are lighter and more manageable and therefore safer. In short, the use of textile-reinforced concrete elements contributes to the development of the industrialised construction and to the reduction of carbon footprint in the sector.
Some examples of specific applications of textile reinforced concrete are solid panels, sandwich panels with concrete skin, pavements, pipes, tanks and other curved and warped structures. In addition, high-strength textile reinforced concrete can be used to improve the resistance of structures to impact and other dynamic conditions, as well as to earthquakes.
Despite all the advantages and potential applications we have discussed, it is still a very limited and difficult task. technology in development and both on-site experience and regulatory references to this product are very scarce.
For this reason, CTCON has made a firm commitment to this line of research and has already begun to carry out tests on a laboratory scale. We also hope to be able to to undertake new projects in the short term to test their feasibility on a real scale.
