Brief
Discover how high-performance fiber-reinforced cementitious composites (HPFRCCs) could transform urban construction, reducing earthquake damage and risk to lives while promoting sustainable practices.
Insight
The potential impact of a major earthquake on the densely populated urban landscapes is of grave concern, with the looming threat of significant casualties and destruction of structures.
A 7.8 magnitude tremor on the San Andreas fault, for instance, could result in a projected 1,800 deaths and the destruction of 200 million square feet of buildings. Such grim projections, according to a recent study, even take into account the most modern and advanced structures, which have a failure rate of about 10%.
Amid this threat, civil engineers are exploring a new frontier in construction: high-performance fiber-reinforced cementitious composites (HPFRCCs). These composites feature tiny fibers made of steel or polymers, which improve the concrete’s structural integrity during seismic activities. The result is stronger, more flexible buildings that can potentially withstand earthquakes’ powerful forces.
Moreover, HPFRCCs have a dual advantage. They not only enhance structural strength and flexibility but also contribute to sustainability in construction. The concrete’s load-bearing capacity could reduce the need for additional materials like steel, thus shrinking both the carbon footprint and the size of the structural components.
Matthew Bandelt, associate professor of civil engineering and co-director of NJIT’s Materials and Structures Laboratory, leads a team studying these materials. They aim to better understand HPFRCCs’ performance under varying seismic loads, simulate the earthquake impacts on structures with HPFRCCs, and analyse the cost-benefit scenarios.
However, much remains unknown about the new materials’ system-level performance. Comprehensive risk assessments and mathematical models of different building configurations are essential to understand how the rates of damage change with the application of HPFRCCs.
With a considerable portion of the U.S. population at risk from earthquakes, Bandelt and his team’s research could transform urban resilience, making buildings safer and more sustainable. This could have profound implications for regions most vulnerable to earthquakes, currently underinsured or uninsured, and typically reliant on government support for disaster recovery. The findings could not only protect lives and structures but also foster stronger, resilient communities.
Highlight
- These composites feature tiny fibers made of steel or polymers, which improve the concrete’s structural integrity during seismic activities. HPFRCCs have a dual advantage. They not only enhance structural strength and flexibility but also contribute to sustainability in construction.
- The concrete’s load-bearing capacity could reduce the need for additional materials like steel, thus shrinking both the carbon footprint and the size of the structural components.
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