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NEW ERA OF CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY
CONCRETE CANVAS
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plenty of construction materials are being used in order to make desirable
structure considering economy. concrete is the most extensively used
material in construction.There are many advantages of concrete, but there is
one drawback is that, it is not flexible, when it is hardened and it is a
tedious process to make it in hardened state of 28 days curing as it takes
several methods of batching, mixing, compacting etc. To overcome these drawbacks,
A new construction material is in evolution called concrete canvas /cloth.
Concrete
Canvas (CC) is a flexible, concrete impregnated fabric that hardens when
hydrated to form a thin, durable, water proof and fire resistant concrete
layer. After spraying water in just 24 hours it turns into rock solid concrete.
CC allows concrete construction without the need for plant or mixing equipment.
Simply position the Canvas and just add water. CC consists of a 3-dimensional
fibre matrix containing a specially formulated dry concrete mix. A PVC backing
on one surface of the material ensures the material is water proof. The
material can be hydrated either by spraying or by being fully immersed in
water. Once set, the fibres reinforce the concrete, preventing crack
propagation and providing a safe plastic failure mode. Concrete canvas is
available in 3 thicknesses: CC5, CC8 and CC13, which are 5, 8 and 13mm thick
respectively.
Concrete
canvas is used in a variety of civil infrastructure applications, such as ditch
lining, slope protection and capping secondary containment bunds, internal
culvert repair and concrete canvas shelters. A number of concrete canvas
shelters can be used in disaster management. These shelters are earthquake
resistant and have design life of 20 years. Compared to traditional concrete solutions,
Concrete canvas is faster, easier and, more cost effective to install and has
the additional benefit of reducing the use of
materials up to 95% than conventional
concrete. It is fire proof, durable and Eco friendly as it produces less carbon
dioxide. It is part of new class of construction materials called Geosynthetic
Cementitious Composite Mats (GCCM). The speed and ease of
installation mean Concrete canvas is
more cost-effective than conventional concrete, with less logistical burden.
Thus Concrete Canvas is a
revolutionary product that has come into the construction field. In a country
like India where the natural calamities are very frequent, and resources are
limited, concrete canvas allows aid teams to construct solid structures in
emergency zones quickly and easily as it is a fabric shelter that, when sprayed
with water, turns to concrete within 24 hours. Concrete canvas replaces 150mm
of poured concrete with just 8mm for many surfacing applications, resulting in
material saving of 95% for a typical construction project. It saves cost as
well as time and should be implemented in india.
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Batch Rolls of Concrete canvas |
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Mechanism |