Textile Reinforced Concrete
Textile concrete is suitable for externally supported, or self-supporting applications. Where external loads have to be carried or countered, we make use of established reinforcing materials; these include A-R glass strands which we spin with e.g., PP fibres so that the composite yarns can be ultrasonically bonded to themselves, and if required to CemForce. We use FRG pultruded rods which we wrap with ribbons of CemForce and adhesively bond to the rods.
Preformed textile concrete can have ribbons of CemForce bonded to it to be ultrasonically bonded as a means of attachment to steel support frames. We also bond in wire or expanded metal tabs for welding or bolting to support frames. Where the steel is not “in” textile concrete it should be treated to prevent oxidation; where it is in textile concrete the relatively high tensile properties of textile concrete will contain the expansion force - prevention is better than cure. We are currently supplying premade steel mesh skeletons to which we ultrasonically bond CemForce - it’s today’s version of lathe & plaster.
Wearing our consultancy cap, we create “horses for courses” specs. for our clients; if required mechanical and environmental testing can be undertaken. We ship materials, partially manufactured substrates, and textile concrete or reinforced textile concrete artifacts to your destination, anywhere in the world.
This reinforced textile concrete bridge forms the entrance to Cemcrete’s Ideas Centre. To its left is Telford Street, Industria, Johannesburg; the Ideas Centre is to the right. The bridge is a low arch with abutments; because of the “party time” nature of the site, 10 × 10 mm pultruded FRG rods were used in the deck. It spans a textile concrete pond; in the background there is a textile concrete water feature...installation completed in 2000.