Uso económico de composites de polímeros avanzados con hormigón en estructuras (Proyecto I+D: BRITE COMPCON)

The economic use of advanced polymer composites with concrete in structures (COMPCON R&D BRITE project)

This paper describes the R&D Project COMPCON carried on with european financial help. During 3.5 years the economic applications in structures of composites with concrete were studied. Composites offer various advantages, lightweight and long durability, but we need to better understand how it can be applied in building and civil engineering construction. A long span beam comprising a concrete top slab (compression) located within a GFRP permanent shutter and a hollow box shell beneath (shear and tensile) of CFRP+GFRP composite was developed. The viability of this structural solution and other concrete+composites combinations for efficient, durable and cost-effective construction were studied. It was shown that these beams could be simply and effectively manufactured using ?prepreg? composites, fresh resin factory pre-impregnated, manufactured in rolled thin sheets. It is applied on a free form mould in consecutive layers and then curing it in place under vacuum and moderated temperature (65ºC), suitable for construction site conditions.