Technical Committee 201-TRC
General Information
Cluster A
Subject matter
Looking backwards, man has tried to find the ideal material to solve his building tasks from the very beginning. The desire to improve particular properties of the natural building materials resulted in the first composites. A possible new supplementation to these materials is the textile reinforced concrete (TRC), combining the advantages of the ordinary steel reinforced concrete - high economic efficiency - and compensating its disadvantages - reduced required thickness because no corrosion protection is needed. Nevertheless, this material will not displace or replace the ordinary steel reinforced concrete. Its application is only useful in extremely thin and slender structures or for repair and strengthening of existing structural members.
However, to use the full potential of this new composite, fundamental questions regarding the failure and damage processes, durability aspects, production processes, supplementary applications as well as the bonding characteristics have to be solved.
Terms of reference
The committee work will have a duration of five years. The following working package/time schedule is proposed: (1) State-of-the-art report (year 1-2) (2) Recommendations for testing of yarn, textile, concrete and textile reinforced concrete (year 3-4) (3) Examples for application and design
Detailed working programme
The new RILEM committee should gain information on the current knowledge on textile reinforced concrete, including aspects of concrete reinforced with continues textile fibers. The use of these textile reinforced materials for repair and for the building of new structures should be investigated. The idea is to gain information on the design, load carrying characteristics, bonding mechanisms, durability aspects (long term behaviour) and possible applications of this new composite. The committee will first work on a state-of-the-art report (including aspects of matrix composure, textile fabrication and possible production processes). Based on this report a phase two will be initiated, which will include the following working packages: · Test methods and their interpretations · Comparative testing: round Robin tests · Analytical Modeling · Design concepts
Technical environment
There is no direct link to previous RILEM TCs. However, different congresses and symposiums showed a great interest in the development and possible use of this new composite.
Expected achievements
Compilation of existing know-how into a coherent single document, which could serve as a single guide for practicioners and researchers. In addition, the work of the committee will lead to enhancement of cooperation between researchers to further advance the infrastructure needed fo the application of this class of materials, by promoting testing methods and design procedures. The applications considered will be such as a cost effective pre-casting of formwork elements, load carrying, thin and slender structures and a material which can be used as a repair and strengthening kit on site.
Group of users
Academics, industrials and practitioners involved in the field of repair, architects and industrials and practitioners working on site.
Specific use of the results
The new materials can be used on site e.g. as permanent formwork , where cost-reduced constructions become more and more important. Furthermore this material can be used for repair and strengthening of existing structures. The results of the work will serve as a guide for development and use of building components reinforced with textiles. Such components, with the diversity in shape and application on-site or for precast products will also provide room for architects and engineers to provide innovative ways of designing concrete structures in a light and transparent way.
