To the layman, concrete may all appear the same, but the truth is the concrete industry continues to evolve and innovate. As Archinect recently reported, researchers at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore invented a type of concrete that is not only bendable, but stronger than traditional concrete.
While that alone is amazing, the scientists’ creation, called ConFlexPave, is believed to be stronger and longer lasting than traditional concrete. Scientists believe the invention will allow for quicker installation on a wide variety of projects, reducing the time needed for roadwork most notably. It’s truly an amazing invention that seems too good to be true for those of us in the concrete business.
“We developed a new type of concrete that can greatly reduce the thickness and weight of precast pavement slabs, hence enabling speedy plug-and-play installation, where new concrete slabs prepared off-site can easily replace worn out ones,” said Chu Jian, a professor at the university, in a released statement.
As the university explained, ConFlexPave is engineered with certain types of hard materials mixed with polymer microfibers. These fibers give the concrete the ability to bend without breaking. This is different than traditional concrete that is made with cement, water, gravel and sand. While it’s incredibly strong, it is brittle and inflexible, while the ConFlexPave offers stability and flexibility in an all-inclusive package.
The university’s discovery came as the scientists learned how the components of the material interacted at a microscopic level. It’s truly an amazing discovery. How long it will be until something like this is used on a mainstream level is yet to be seen.
While we have to wait for bendable concrete, we know the traditional material still works wonders. Here at Templin Concrete Construction, we are comfortable working with any kind of concrete. We are especially proud of our walkway and paver services and have created numerous beautiful and functional designs for properties throughout the Cambridge region. If you have a concrete project you need help with, call us today at 612-388-1945 and let us help beautify your home or business.