Concrete Canvas
Concrete impregnated fabric
Concrete Canvas (CC), is a flexible, cement
impregnated fabric that hardens when hydrated to form a thin, durable, water and fire proof concrete layer. CC allows concrete construction without the need for plant or mixing equipment. Simply position the Canvas and just add water.
CC consists of a 3-dimensional fibre matrix containing a
specially formulated dry concrete mix. A PVC backing on one surface of the Canvas ensures the material is completely water proof. The material can be hydrated either by spraying or by being fully immersed in water. Once set, the fibres reinforce the concrete, preventing crack propagation and providing a safe plastic failure mode. CC is available in 3 thicknesses: CC5, CC8 and CC13, which are 5, 8 and 13mm thick respectively.
Concrete canvas key facts:
Easy to use: CC is available in man portable rolls for
applications with limited access or where heavy plant equipment is not available. There is no need for mixing or measuring, the concrete is premixed and cannot be over hydrated. It will set underwater and in sea water. Rapid: Once hydrated, CC remains workable for 2 hours and hardens to 80% strength within 24 hours. Accelerated or retarded formulations can be produced to meet specific customer requirements. Environmentally friendly: CC is a low mass, low carbon technology which uses up to 95% less material than conventional concrete for many applications. It has minimal impact on the local ecology due to its limited alkaline reserve and very low wash rate.
Concrete canvas key facts:
Flexible: CC has good drape characteristics allowing it to take
up the shape of complex surfaces including those with a double curvature. Unset Canvas can be cut or tailored using basic hand tools. Strong: The fibre reinforcement prevents cracking, absorbs energy from impacts and provides a stable failure mode. Very high early strength is a fundamental characteristic of CC. Durable CC is chemically resistant, has good weathering performance and will not degrade in UV. CC has an expected life of over 50 years. Water proof The PVC backing on one surface of the Canvas ensures that the material is completely water proof and chemically resistant. Fire proof CC is fire-safe, does not contribute to the surface spread of flames, has a low level of smoke development and minimal hazardous gas emissions.
Concrete canvas applications
Ditch Lining
CC can be rapidly unrolled to form ditch or tank lining.
It is significantly quicker and less expensive to install than conventional concrete ditch lining and requires no specialist plant equipment. The 30m ditch shown above was lined in 45min.
Concrete canvas applications
Slope protection
CC can be used as slope stabilisation and other
erosion control applications such as temporary and permanent slope protection, retaining walls, boulder fences, low level bunds and river bank.
Concrete canvas applications
Pipeline protection
CC can be used as a coating for overland or underwater pipeline protection, providing a superior tough rock shield. In remote areas it can be used to coat steel pipe on site without expensive wet concrete application plants.
Concrete canvas applications
Mining Applications
CC can be used as an alternative to poured or
sprayed concrete or as a quick way of erecting strong permanent or temporary blast and vent structures. CC has been successfully used in Mpumalanga, South Africa.
Concrete canvas availability
Bulk rolls
Bulk rolls weigh 1.6T and are supplied on 6 inch cardboard tubes which can be hung from a spreader beam and unrolled using suitable plant equipment
Bulk rolls provide the fastest method of laying CC and have the additional advantage of reducing the number of joints required.
Concrete canvas availability
Batched Rolls
Batched rolls are supplied on 3 inch cardboard cores with carry handles designed as a 2 to 4 man lift. All CC thicknesses can be supplied batched to custom lengths for a small additional charge.
Concrete canvas hydratation
Spray the fibre surface with water until it feels wet to touch for
several minutes after spraying.
CC cannot be over hydrated and an excess of water is always recommended. CC will hydrate and set underwater. CC has a working time of 1-2 hours after hydration. Do not move CC once it has begun to set. CC will set hard in 24 hours but will continue to gain strength for years. If CC is not fully saturated, the set may be delayed and strength reduced. If the set is delayed, re-wet with a large excess of water. Do not jet high pressure water directly onto the CC as this may wash a channel in the material.
Concrete canvas hydratation
If the ground surface temperature is between 0 and 5C and rising, Concrete Canvas should be covered with plastic sheeting immediately after hydration. CC may exhibit a delayed set at very low temperatures. If the surface temperature is expected to fall below 0C in the 8 hours following hydration then use warm water (>15C) mixed with CC accelerant (dissolve 200g/1000lt) and cover with plastic sheeting. It is important to only use accelerant supplied by Concrete Canvas Ltd. As some admixtures may delay set or impair performance of CC. It is not recommended to install CC if the ground surface temperature is likely to fall below -4C within 24 hours of initial hydration. It is not recommended to install CC on frozen ground as the ground may move significantly when it thaws, creating voids underneath the set Concrete Canvas.
