Title:
Towards Prestressed Thin-Sheet Glass Concrete Products
Author(s):
Gregor Vilkner and Christian Meyer
Publication:
Symposium Paper
Volume:
224
Issue:
Appears on pages(s):
21-32
Keywords:
aramid, fiber-reinforced concrete, glass concrete, prestressed concrete, textile reinforcement, thin sheets
DOI:
10.14359/13405
Date:
12/1/2004
Abstract:
Thin sheet concrete products are receiving increased attention because of the large number of potential applications. By using crushed glass as aggregate, a multitude of different esthetic effects can be produced, which again open up numerous architectural and decorative uses. Such thin sheets are most effectively reinforced with fiber mesh, whether made of polypropylene, AR-glass, or other types of materials. At Columbia University, a project is currently under way to explore the possibilities of prestressing thin sheet glass concrete products. There are numerous performance criteria that need to be satisfied by the fiber mesh material in order to qualify for the tasks on hand. Most promising to date are high-performance materials such as aramid and carbon fiber mesh. This paper discusses the elimination process by which the most appropriate type of fiber mesh was selected. Various technical problems of prestressing and anchoring the fiber mesh are pointed out, as well as other issues that need to be resolved, before such products can be mass-produced commercially.