JEC Composites Magazine
The World Economic Forum estimates that by 2030, 3 billion people will need access to adequate and affordable housing. Traditional building practices will not be able to respond adequately to such a demand. Composites have the potential to provide affordable solutions to some of this demand. On the other hand, in infrastructure, the American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) estimated in 2021 that among the 220,000 bridges in the United States needing major repair, some 80,000 needed full replacement. In Europe, estimates of a similar order regarding bridge replacement and repair exist. In addition, there are many tunnels which need refurbishing, again offering composites significant opportunities.
The demand is certainly growing and the capabilities and competitiveness of composites have been proven. The composites players in these markets have established a positive track record and are preparing for further growth. It’s clear that composites can provide unique solutions for a range of contemporary architectural challenges. Surely, it is time that architects and designers in the construction community recognised the potential for composites to become a mainstream product.
For this issue, we tried to give you a glimpse of these evolutions, from the United States to China, from design to structural, considering various techniques and presenting the changes in terms of norms and standards.
JEC Composites News
Daily updated, the web hub is the place to read the latest news of the composites industry in every sector of the composites industry. Hereunder a selection of news dedicated to Building & infrastructure:
ASTM composite materials standards proposals to support new-built infrastructure projects
ASTM International’s composite materials committee (D30) is developed two proposed standards that will have direct practical applications for new-built infrastructure. Both proposed standards are relevant to alternative non-metallic materials that are applied to concrete structures for civil and infrastructure uses.
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Cement coprocessing: a win-win solution for end-of-life composites
In June 2023, seven associations, representing a large part of the composites value chain, agreed that cement coprocessing offers a sustainable recycling solution, using 100% of end-of-life composite materials that can immediately be deployed at large scale and which is different from other promising composite recycling technologies that have not reached yet technical and/or economical readiness.
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Flexlight Shield 800 – a Serge Ferrari group innovation fabric that truly protects against fire
Fire safety has become more complex, given the multifunctional approach to new buildings, unforeseen events, climate change, and high footfall in commercial buildings. That is why a building’s safety must be factored in at the design phase using, among others, materials that meet flame retardant standards to prevent fires from spreading. A building’s exterior walls and their materials play a decisive role in fire protection, preventing fire from spreading from the outside in and vice versa, or from one floor to another.
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JEC Composites Web TV
The JEC Composites Web TV is a platform where hundreds of videos have been spotted by JEC Group’s experts to present materials, processes, applications, business cases… All the content reflects the innovative and customizable solutions from the composites industry. On the JEC Composites Web TV you can also find pedagogic videos to better understand the composites benefits, and discover JEC Group events, programs, webinars and podcasts. Hereunder a selection of videos dedicated to Building & infrastructure:
PINKBAR®+ | How we build safer
Using steel rebar is like playing a high-stakes game of Hazard Hopscotch. It’s hard to see, so it’s easy to trip on. And if you need to move it after a looong day of baking in the sun? Ouch. PINKBAR®+ Fiberglas™ Rebar, on the other, non-burnt hand, is a concrete reinforcement that improves the entire install experience. It’s lightweight, so it’s easy to move. It’s pink, so it’s easy to see. And since it’s not steel, it won’t get hot. Which is all… pretty cool.
University of Maine’s BioHome3D house 3D printed with MasterPrint®
“Researchers at the University of Maine on Monday unveiled what they say is a promising, climate-friendly response to the nation’s affordable housing crisis: the world’s first, bio-based 3D printed home.
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Composites Inside Building & Infrastructure – Bouygues construction
“With Composites you can reduce materials consumption” Nelly Constans Head of Research and Development @ Bouygues Construction Raphaël Drouillard Development Engineer @ Bouygues Construction
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