Concrete Canvas

Thecanvas is formed with a PVC backing to render water proof and the cement is thetype able to set underwater.  The fiberthen acts as reinforcement.

Its obvious use, cement tentsnotwithstanding, will be slope protection and ditch lining related toroadwork.  Present methods are generallyunsatisfactory and often need excessive earth movement.  This will lend itself to a whole range of newstrategies for civil engineering.

For example, we can suddenlyproduce a berm or dike to the maximum stable slope configuration and thensimply cap it with a concrete canvass that is then extended down into any erosionalzones.  The berm then remains dry throughall weather conditions and thus retains structural integrity.

Such strategies can easily slashthe earth moving bill for earthen structures in half.

It is also obviously a greatsolution for retaining ponds as mandated for the mining industry that are vulnerableto damage from excess water seepage. Again we are looking at not building grossly over engineered structures.

Concrete Canvas

2MAY 18, 2011

http://nextbigfuture.com/2011/05/concrete-canvas.html

Concrete Canvas was covered back in 2005 in Wired. 

BBC News -Concrete Canvas allows aid teams to construct solid structures in emergencyzones quickly and easily. It is a fabric shelter that, when sprayedwith water, turns to concrete within 24 hours.

* It is available in 5, 8 and 13 millimeter thicknesses.

* It is ceramic and will not burn

* Once hydrated it remains workable for 2 hours and hardens to 80% strength in24 hours. Accelerated or retarded formulations can be produced as specified.

* It uses 95% less material than conventional concrete

* It can be used for fast shelters, roofing, retaining walls, basement lining,weed inhibition, flood defense, water tanks and many other applications

TheConcrete canvas website

A bag weighing 230 kilograms (approximately 500 pounds) inflates into a shelterwith 16 square meters (172 square feet) of floor space.Cost is estimated at £1,100 ($2,100), while an equivalent-size Portakabin (atype of portable building widely used in the United Kingdom) costs about £4,000($7,700). The same-size tent costs about £600 ($1,150).

Concrete Cloth featured in the April edition of ExternalEnvironment Product Review

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