Natural-fire reinforcement for textile-reinforced concrete components
March 15, 2023 – Non-metallic reinforcements for concrete elements are currently often made from various synthetically produced fibres – for example from glass or carbon fibres. An ecological alternative to synthetic fibres is provided by flax or other natural fibres. These are widely available and are more sustainable, due, amongst other things, to their renewable raw-material basis, the advantages regarding recycling, and the lower energy requirements during production. This is where the researchers from the Fraunhofer WKI and Biberach University of Applied Sciences, in collaboration with an industrial partner, became active. Their goal was to demonstrate that reinforcements made from textile fibres are just as suitable for utilization in construction as synthetic fibres.
The research showed that textile concrete elements with a sustainable natural fibre reinforcement have sufficient bonding and tensile strength for use in the construction industry. This has been verified by researchers. They conclude that textile-reinforced components with natural fibre reinforcement can replace conventional reinforced concrete components in the future and improve environmental performance in the construction sector.
