01.07.2008
Textile Concrete
Many modern buildings are made of steel reinforced concrete. However, after about 100 years it starts to crumble as the popular combination of concrete and steel corrodes. As a result, millions of buildings will require expensive repair work in the coming decades. New solutions are called for. One such solution is textile reinforced concrete. It is lighter, less expensive and, most importantly, stronger and more versatile. We take a journey into the world of modern building materials.
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Textile Concrete: Episode 12, 01/07/2008
Concrete Art
Textile reinforced concrete is a very versatile material, as Einhart Grotegut explains. He uses paintbrushes, spatulas and paint to give the new composite material that special artistic touch. The qualified mason, who studied architecture, is very familiar with concrete. But can he paint with it too? The artist gets the cement mix straight from the lab, mixes it with some water and then the creative process can begin. Grotegut’s works, worlds of association in textile reinforced concrete, are soon hanging at the Dresden University of Technology.
24.06.2008
Textile Reinforced Concrete Makes Architectural History
Kempten makes architectural history: The pedestrian bridge over the Rottach River is the longest textile reinforced concrete bridge in the world. But the new material has also been put to use in Schweinfurt.
17.06.2008
On the Career Ladder
Several years of intense research have gone into developing this high-tech material, but the uses of textile reinforced concrete are not restricted to large buildings such as bridges or concrete shells. Ralph can envisage slim, elegant chairs, concrete boats....
10.06.2008
Well Calculated
The final tests all went according to plan and now, after many years of development work, textile reinforced concrete is ready for real-life use, and the first orders have already been placed....
03.06.2008
Innovation in Everyday Use
World premiere in Oschatz: The first bridge made of textile reinforced concrete was built here for the Saxony State Garden Show in 2005. Pia pays a visit to the Oschatz Concrete Works, which broke new ground with this manufacturing process.
27.05.2008
Virtual Load
How high will the load-bearing capacity of textile reinforced concrete buildings be? Using a computer simulation the researchers are able to predict how any given structure will behave.
20.05.2008
New Cohesion
The concrete and fibreglass finally meet at the Otto-Mohr Laboratory in Dresden. A joist is used for testing.
13.05.2008
From Large to Small
Ladies and gentlemen, the first durability test: An experiment is conducted to test the strength of conventional steel reinforced concrete and textile reinforced concrete. And the winner is....
06.05.2008
Warp and Weft
Weaving, knitting, and stitching. The fabric used to reinforce the new material is made at the Institute of Textile and Clothing Technology using glass fibres or carbon fibres. The process plays the crucial role.
29.04.2008
A Success Story
Concrete is a success story that began 2,000 years ago in Rome with "opus caementitium". The Pantheon bears witness to the Roman art of concrete making. Why have so many Roman buildings survived to the present day?
22.04.2008
Spinning a Yarn in Dresden
The fibres used to make the textile reinforced concrete are spun at the Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research in Dresden. A fascinating fact: the glass fibres are eight times thinner than a human hair.
15.04.2008
Concrete and Fibreglass
Dresden: The students Pia and Ralph lead us beyond the architectural masterpieces to places that are crumbling. But it isn't just the capital city of Saxony where there are areas that need some attention.2008
The first series: The research diaries and interesting background information on the projects and the researchers themselves. Find out about humanoid robots, sinking coasts, and an animal invasion.-
An Animal Invasion
The "killer shrimp" & Co.: Is globalisation a threat to Lake Constance? -
The City of 5 Million
Are megacities mankind's future? How do people live and survive in them? -
Blue Wonder
Getting to the bottom of the deep blue sea: The role of the oceans. -
Textile Concrete
How can you make something heavy light? Textile concrete opens up new prospects. -
Sinking Coasts
Around 10,000 years ago, people lived where now there are crashing waves. -
The Human Machine
Can a robot learn how to see, hear or feel from humans? -
Rainforest
Between Nature and exploi- tation: Is it possible to re- concile the needs of man- kind with those of nature? -
Temple Restoration
Stone doesn't last forever. Can the temple complex of Angkor still be rescued? -
Run, Lola, Run
Seeking the perfect two-legged robot. -
Giant Dinosaurs
Why did the sauropods grow to be the largest land-dwelling creatures that ever lived?
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