The same properties that make carbon fiber perfect for aerospace, athletic, automotive and many other applications also makes it suitable in the construction industry. That is particularly true in precast concrete – large pieces of concrete that are fabricated in a manufacturing plant and transported to a construction site. Carbon fiber high strength, light weight and resistivity to corrosion make it an ideal reinforcing material.

 Since 2004, just about 300 projects representing nearly 15 million square feet of surface and deck area have been fabricated in the United States of which all contain carbon fiber grid as a reinforcing or strengthening material.

 Carbon fiber grid has been with success integrated into in numerous precast concrete products, which are marketed under the CarbonCast® brand.

The utilization of carbon fiber grid as reinforcement in precast concrete presents an assortment of benefits depending on the application. In most cases, they present advances over traditional steel reinforcing though preserving the commonly accepted benefits of precast concrete.

 Non-corrosiveness: Since carbon fiber will not oxidize, it will not stimulate corroding, staining or spalling as can occur with steel reinforcing. Therefore, precasters can reduce the quantity of concrete cover-three inches or more in the instance of some wall panels-that would have been necessary to protect the reinforcing.

Weight: As noted previously, the opportunity to reduce the quantity of concrete cover could lead to substantial weight reductions: upwards of 50% in wall panels and up to 8% in double tees. For architects and engineers, reduced weight leads to cost savings beginning with foundations and building superstructure and carrying over to lower shipping costs and crane expenses.

Thermal efficiency: The utilization of carbon fiber grid enables significantly improved thermal performance. Because carbon fiber has low thermally conduction, it reduces the transfer of heat or cold from outside to inside and the other way around. The insulating material embedded in the walls can render 100 percent of its valued performance without hot spots or cold spots. As a result, building proprietors can benefit from long-term energy preservations and a smaller investment in HVAC equipment.

Environmental friendliness: Carbon fiber grid reinforced precast products are generally more environmentally friendly than other envelope enclosure alternatives. They use localized materials and less concrete. Their thermal efficiency reduces HVAC consumptions and saves energy. They do not require VOC-emitting paints or coatings. And they last longer and can be recycled.

Naturally, carbon fiber grid costs nearly twice as much as conventional steel reinforcing it supplants. But that’s generally more than offset by decreases in concrete and chemical treatments that would have protected the steel, as well as lower HVAC demands and the possibility of reducing the building foundation and substructure.

In addition, precasters have had to reconfigure their fabricating processes to convert from steel mesh to carbon fiber. On the double tee product, this challenge in reality resulted in opportunity: precasters collaborated and engineered an automatic embedment machine that accelerates fabrication and enhances quality.

With the push for green, sustainable building products that can reduce the global carbon footprint, the use of carbon fiber grid in precast concrete is beginning to make an impact on the construction industry.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites