From steel concrete to textile concrete –
how to get there?

Figure: M. Kimm

Challenges in the use of textile-reinforced concrete from a survey conducted in November 2020 among construction contractors, designers, precast concrete plants, textile manufacturers and scientists

Figure: M. Kimm

Forming reinforcement textiles

Figure: M. Kimm

Distribution of the mass of reinforcement used to date across the main fields of application based on project research (left); manufacturing processes used across the fields of application based on the survey (right)

Figure: M. Kimm

Figure: ITA

Textile reinforcements used based on application and building element geometry

Figure: ITA

Typical production processes and methods for complex 3D building element geometries using textile-reinforced concrete

Figure: ITA

There is an increase in the use of textile-reinforced concrete in Germany. Switching from steel-reinforced concrete is not entirely easy, however, since textile reinforcements made of glass fibers and carbon fibers have different requirements in terms of processing, design and recycling. The major challenges were identified in a survey conducted by the Institute of Textile Technology (ITA).

Joint research with and advanced education for companies – there is an increase in the use of textile-reinforced concrete in Germany. However, switching from steel-reinforced concrete to the new material is not entirely easy. Textile reinforcements made of glass fibers and carbon fibers have different requirements in terms of processing, design and recycling than the well-known structural steel. The major challenges were identified in a survey conducted by the Institute of Textile Technology (Institut für Textiltechnik; ITA) at RWTH Aachen University, and the results were used to draft a...