Sunday, February 24, 2013

TP Over the Top


Friday, February 15, 2013

Ruredil - Fiber Reinforced Cement Matrix (FRCM)


Pellegrino Amato, Export Sales Manager of Ruredil (Italian manufacturer) makes comment on fiber reinforced cement matrix (FRCM) mock-up at presentation in NYC on 02-12-2013. 

Note: Our hands-on team seeks any project in North America where we can be hired to install these exotic materials.

Structural engineering solutions. What you see here is a sheet of carbon fiber as would be used on masonry (stone, brick). They also produce a system for concrete applications that uses a polyparaphenylene benzobisoxazole (PBO) mesh. PBO is a Japanese product used to make bullet-proof vests. This is not your garden variety masonry material. It goes beyond the technology of ferrocements in respect of thin structure. Think, canoe or kayak here.

The cement is pozzolanic (not Portland) and a magic to the system is the ability to manufacture nano-particles into the mix. This is not an epoxy system.

The material is well adapted to historic masonry structures for earthquake retrofit, with a high porosity for vapor transmission. The Ruredil crew in their presentation showed several projects where this has been proven out.

My recent escapade to Boston and back, driving across Long Island, CT & MA after the Nemo snow event, was in relation to my videotaping the Ruredil presentations (including the one in Queens, NY). Currently at work in my leisure time on editing 6+ hours into a 3-minute spot.

Technical information can be had from Patrick Morrissey of Conspec Associates.