Flexible ConFlexPave concrete is tougher, thinner and lighter than conventional mixtures • •
11 hours ago under Building under Building Materials, Materials News ,News
Scientists at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University have University have developed a new concrete mixture that is stronger than traditional recipes but also flexible , which helps it reduce skid resistance once installed. The research team behind the cleverly named ConFlexPave ConFlexPave say say its unique properties mean it could cut installation time in half for new roads, parking lots, and other paved surfaces. The time savings come from the ability to precast slabs of ConFle!ave, which are thinner and lighter than traditional concrete mitures.
The secret to ConFle!ave’s strength and fleibility is the polymer microfiber it contains, which allows the slabs to bend under pressure without cracking. The new concrete was developed by a team working at "T#$%TC &ndustrial &nfrastructure &nnovation Centre '&(C) at "T# Singapore. *esearchers say the fleible concrete slabs will speed up construction timelines, as well as cut down on maintenance over time, making for a more sustainable product. "T# +ssistant !rofessor ang -n$ua, lead researcher on the th e st study udy,, sa said id th the e key to dev develo elopin ping g th this is ne net$g t$gene enerat ration ion bu build ildin ing g ma mater terial ial wa was s understanding how all the components interact with one another mechanically on a micro mic rosco scopic pic lev level. el. /0 /0ith ith de detai taile led d un unde derst rstand anding ing,, we ca can n the then n de delib libera eratel tely y se selec lectt ingredients and engineer the tailoring of components, so our final material can fulfill
specific requirements needed for road and pavement applications,1 said -n$ua in a statement.
ConFle!ave’s unique composition puts it in another category than traditional concrete mitures used in many building projects , which are heavy and prone to damage. /The hard materials 2in ConFle!ave3 give a non$slip surface teture while the microfibres which are thinner than the width of a human hair, distribute the load across the whole slab, resulting in a concrete that is tough as metal and at least twice as strong as conventional concrete under bending,1 said -n$ua. So far, the research team has tested slabs of the new fleible concrete that are the si4e of a tablet computer. 5ver the net three years, the team will scale up testing with larger installations on the %TC campus, where ConFle!ave will really be put through the paces 'from foot traffic as well as vehicles). 6ia rchinect Images via Nanyang Technological University and Shutterstock
!fficial "tatement from Nanyang Technological University
NTU and #TC test$bed new bendable concrete that is stronger and more durable !ublished on7 89$+ug$:;8<
New concrete to reduce time needed for road works by more than half
Nanyang Technological University %NTU "ingapore& scientists from the NTU$#TC 'ndustrial 'nfrastructure 'nnovation Centre %'(C& have invented a new type of concrete called ConFle!ave that is bendable yet stronger and l onger lasting than regular concrete which is heavy, brittle and breaks under tension. This innovation allows the creation of slim precast pavement slabs for quick installation, thus halving the time needed for road works and new pavements. &t is also more sustainable, requiring less maintenance. NTU Professor Chu #ian, 'nterim Co$)irector of the NTU$#TC '(C, said, /0e developed a new type of concrete that can greatly reduce the thickness and weight of precast pavement slabs, hence enabling speedy plug$and$play installation, where new concrete slabs prepared off$site can easily replace worn out ones.1 *r +oh Chwee, )irector, Technical "ervices )ivision of #TC and Co$)irector of the NTU$#TC 'C, said that the invention of this game$changing technology will not only enable the construction industry to reduce labour intensive on$site work, enhance workers’ safety and reduce construction time, it also benefits road users by cutting down the inconvenience caused by road resurfacing and construction works. /Through collaborations with universities such as "T# in research and development of disruptive technologies, %TC hopes to pioneer cutting$edge industrial infrastructure solutions to address challenges faced by Singapore and its companies such as manpower and resource constraints. 0e will continue to open up more of our buildings and estates to test$bed and if successful, implement such new solutions,1 =r >oh added.
-ow bendable concrete wor.s Typical concrete comprises cement, water, gravel and sand. 0hile this miture makes concrete hard and strong, it does not promote fleibility. Thus concrete is brittle and prone to cracks if too much weight is applied.
ConFle!ave is specifically engineered to have certain types of hard materials mied with polymer microfibres. The inclusion of these special synthetic fibres, besides allowing the concrete to fle and bend under tension, also enhances skid resistance. The key breakthrough was understanding how the components of the materials interact with one another mechanically on a microscopic level, said sst Prof /ang 0n$-ua from NTU1s "chool of Civil and 0nvironmental 0ngineering who leads this research at the "T#$%TC &(C. /0ith detailed understanding, we can then deliberately select ingredients and engineer the tailoring of components, so our final material can fulfill specific requirements needed for road and pavement applications,1 eplained !rof ang. /The hard materials give a non$slip surface teture while the microfibres which are thinner than the width of a human hair, distribute the load across the whole slab, resulting in a concrete that is tough as metal and at least twice as strong as conventional concrete under bending,1 he added. ConFle!ave has been successfully tested as tablet$si4ed slabs at "T# laboratories. &t will be scaled up for further testing over the net three years in partnership with %TC ? at suitable locations within %TC’s industrial estates and in "T# where there will be human and vehicular traffic. @@@-"A@@@
*edia contact2 Bester >ok =anager Corporate Communications 5ffice "anyang Technological #niversity -mail7 lesterkokntu.edu.sg a4el Tan +ssistant =anager, Communications %TC -mail7 ha4elDtanEtc.gov.sg
About Nanyang Technological University, Singapore + research$intensive public university, "anyang Technological #niversity, Singapore '"T# Singapore) has ,G;; undergraduate and postgraduate students in the colleges of -ngineering, Husiness, Science, umanities, +rts, I Social Sciences, and its &nterdisciplinary Jraduate School. &t has a new medical school, the Bee >ong Chian School of =edicine, set up Eointly with &mperial College Bondon. "T# is also home to world$class autonomous institutes ? the "ational &nstitute of -ducation, S *aEaratnam School of &nternational Studies, -arth 5bservatory of Singapore, and Singapore Centre for -nvironmental Bife Sciences -ngineering ? and various leading research centres such as the "anyang -nvironment I 0ater *esearch &nstitute '"-0*&), -nergy *esearch &nstitute "T# '-*&") and the &nstitute on +sian Consumer &nsight '+C&). *anked 8th in the world, "T# has also been ranked the world’s top young university for the last two years running. The #niversity’s main campus has been named one of the Top 8G =ost Heautiful in the 0orld. "T# also has a campus in "ovena, Singapore’s medical district. For more information, visit www.ntu.edu.sg
About JTC Set up in 8K
About the NTU-JTC Industrial Infrastructure Innovation I!" Centre Baunched in +ugust :;88, the "T#$%TC &( Centre was set up to promote the growth and development of economically viable and sustainable industrial infrastructure in Singapore. The centre will epand Singapore’s *IA scope in fields such as land reclamation, energy and water recycling, underground infrastructure design and construction, and novel construction methods and systems. Fully funded by %TC, the centre leverages o n "T#’s technological knowledge and engineering epertise with %TC’s infrastructure and business epertise. For more information, visit www.ntu$Etc$centre.ntu.edu.sg
