International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395 -0056

Volume: 02 Issue: 09 | Dec-2015 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072

Study of Canvas Concrete in Civil Engineering Works

(1)Vaseem Akhtar,(2) Amit Tyagi

1M.Tech Student ,CE Engg. Department, RIT Roorkee,Uttrakhand, India
2M.Tech Student ,CE Engg. Department, RIT Roorkee,Uttrakhand, India

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Abstract— The Cost as well as the time taken by structural reinforcement, ground stabilization, ballistic
the construction work has always attracted protection and sterile concrete shelters. It is available in
attention of Civil Engineers to be supplemented by 3- thickness; CC5, CC8 and CC13which are 5, 8 and 13 mm
some economical and rapid settling construction thick respectively.
material. This paper focuses the advantages of using It comes in a small bag which is easy to carry and it can be
Concrete canvas or Concrete cloth for Rapid and fast easily laid anywhere we want. The main property
construction of structures like canals shelter house which gains the most of the attention is that it can be made
and many other which are made for temporary into home within 24 hours. With just basic three steps that
purpose. This material has a wide range of is
applications throughout the building and civil - Transport/ delivery.
engineering industry. In the paper the engineering - Lying as required.
properties of the material (concrete canvas) is also - Curing/ watering
discussed. This material being ceramic , fire And the structure is ready to use in a minimum time . It is
resistant and water proof in nature. requires minimum labor as well as minimum
construction cost and provide the high performance and
durability.
Key Words: Concrete Canvas, Cement, Concrete
Canvas Shelter, PVC, Ceramic, etcetera 1.1. History:
It’s a recent innovation in the concrete sector. Even many
I. INTRODUCTION
of the people had not heard about this product and it’s also
Concrete Cloth is a unique proprietary material because
not so famous in the general market because of its short
of which its fire and water proof. Concrete Cloth (CC)
time in the construction field. But rapidly it’s gaining
is a flexible cement impregnated fabric that hardens on
market and will be one of the major products in the
hydration to form a thin, durable Water proof and fire
coming time because of its performance.
proof concrete layer. CC has a number of applications
The British Army just placed a sizeable order for an
in the c ivil and construction sectors. Other applications innovative new material that combines the flexibility of
for CC include Roofing, Asbestos Containment, Water fabric with the structural performance of concrete. Unlike
Tanks, Flood Defenses, Shot Crete Replacement, Tunnel anything else on the market, this revolutionary technology
Lining, Retaining Walls, culvert, weed inhabiting, enables the use of concrete in a completely new way. The
basement lining, Erosion Control, Building Cladding, product, called Concrete Cloth, was developed by a British
engineering company called Concrete Canvas. It will soon
and Etcetera
be used to enhance frontline defenses in Afghanistan.
CC consists of a 3- dimensional fibre matrix containing a
specially formulated dry concrete mix. A PVC backing on The story behind its inception is somewhat unusual. Four
one surface of the cloth ensure the material is completely years ago, we entered a competition run by the British
waterproof. The material can be hydrated either by Cement Association. At the time, we had no idea that our
spraying or by fully immersed in water. The hydrophilic entry for a rapidly deployable emergency shelter would
fibers on the opposite surface aid hydration by result in the launch of our own technology development
company. Our research has now included trips to disaster
drawing water into the cement. Concrete cloth can be
zones around the world, including Uganda and New
used to rapidly create waterproof, fireproof, fiber- Orleans.
reinforced thin concrete forms across a wide range of
applications: rapid track way or landing surfaces,

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 International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395 -0056
Volume: 02 Issue: 09 | Dec-2015 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072

frontline in Afghanistan to validate its performance in the

field. As a result of these trials, the UK Ministry of Defense
has just awarded Concrete Canvas a contract to supply
5500 m2 (6600 yd2) to the frontline.
1.2. Storage:
A CC should be stored in dry conditions away from
direct sunlight. CC is supplied in rolls packaged in PE
sacks. Once the sack has been opened, the cloth must
be kept dry and will gradually lose flexibility and
performance if exposed to the air for a number of
Figure 2: CC used to sandbag protection in defenses weeks. The rate of degradation is dependent upon
humidity levels.
Four years later, the concept has matured into a
technology that has applications far beyond emergency 1.3. Cutting:
shelter. Following development funded through a snap off’ type disposable blade is the most suitable tool for
combination of private equity investment and grants, the cutting CC before it is hydrated or set. When cutting dry
company relocated to a dedicated production site in South CC, a 20mm allowance should be left from the cut edge due
Wales, UK, where we have begun volume production of to lost fill. This can be avoided by wetting the CC prior to
Concrete Cloth and Concrete Canvas Shelters. cutting.CC can also be cut using handheld self sharpening
powered disc cutters..
The British Army quickly saw potential uses for this new 1.4. Method of Hydration:
material and started trials using Concrete Cloth as a It can be hydrated using saline or non-saline water.
method of reinforcing sandbag defenses. This solution, The minimum ratio of water to concrete cloth by weight
shown in Fig 2, reduces degradation of sandbag walls in should be 1:2. Concrete cloth cannot be over hydrated so
harsh environments such as Afghanistan, where the an excess of water is recommended. Concrete cloth should
combination of wind, sand, and extreme temperatures be immersed in water at least 90 seconds.
mean frequent repairs to frontline defenses. In addition,
damage is caused by incoming fire and outgoing muzzle
flash. Concrete Cloth is completely fireproof and has I.5. MAJOR USES
performed very well during range trials where it was In Civil Engineering it’s mainly used in works like:
tested with small-and transported medium-caliber 1) Construction of temporary structures at relief camps
weapons. The material comes in 10 m (33 ft) rolls to or in temporary shelter house.
eliminate the need for heavy lifting equipment and plant 2) Lining of canals where water is to be flowed for the
machinery. This is a big advantage when operating in fields for uses of construction works.
remote areas where most supplies have to be by 3) In making the fencings of the house it’s used over the
helicopter. The material is then simply unrolled over the barbed wire to provide the additional strength and
sandbag wall, secured using battens, and sprayed with security.
water. A durable and hard wearing surface is produced 4) It is use to prevent the soil erosion at slope in hilly
within 24 hours. Key to the success of the material is the areas.
fibers that form a reinforcing matrix within the Concrete 5) It’s also used as water proofing agent over the
Cloth. These provide a stable failure mode, absorb energy, warehouse’s roof as well as over the houses in rainy
and help maintain the structural integrity of the concrete conditions.
when impacted. A ballistic projectile will pass through the In Military works it’s used in many operations:
cloth, but crack propagation is limited. The sand in the 1) It’s used to provide a strong layer over the sand
sandbag is therefore retained within the concrete shell. In bunkers to provide additional strength.
contrast, standard sandbag cloth will typically tear, and 2) In construction of runways and helipads for the
the fill is lost very quickly. fighter planes as well as helicopters.
3) In construction of military camps over the war front.
In January 2008, a small quantity was used on the

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 International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395 -0056
Volume: 02 Issue: 09 | Dec-2015 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072

4) It can be used to repair damaged and unstable gabion directly apply a thin, uniform, protective concrete covering
walls to provide long-term protection. to the slope surface and can be applied in all weather
5) It’s also used in making the flooring for various conditions. CC is fixed by short nails and provides a strong,
other purposes. waterproof, surface stabilizing covering enhanced by
internal reinforcing Fibers. CC can used in conjunction
2. APPLICATIONS with full length soil nails to increase the stability of
slope surfaces by providing similar slope protection
Canvas concrete have many applications in various filed, measures. CC can also be used to cover landslide scars or
some of them is given below cut slopes. Holes can be cut to allow vegetation growth.
Study of Canvas Concrete in Civil Engineering Works
2.3. KEY FACTORS
2.1. Concrete Canvas Shelters: 1) Easy To Use: CC is available in man portable rolls for
Concrete Canvas Shelter is one of the major uses of applications with limited access or where heavy
concrete cloth. They are rapidly deployable and require plant equipment is not available. There is no need for
only water and air for construction. mixing or measuring, the concrete is premixed
Concrete Canvas Shelters (CCS) are more operational and cannot be over hydrated. It will set underwater and in
and financial then conventional tented shelter. They sea water.
provide a hardened structure from the very first day of 2) Rapid: Once hydrated, CC remains workable for 2 hours
operation. They provide much better environmental and hardens to 80% strength within 24 hours.
protection, security and very improved medical capability. Accelerated or retarded formulations can be produced
They have a design life of over 10 years, whereas tents get to meet specific customer requirements.
worn out very rapidly and have to be removed at a 3) Flexible: CC has good drape characteristics
very short time period. Concrete Canvas Shelters Save allowing it to take up the shape of complex surfaces
effort and cost. including those with a double curvature.
The key to Concrete Canvas Shelter is the use of The unset Cloth can be cut or tailored using basic hand
inflation to create a surface that is optimized for tools
compressive loading. This allows thin walled concrete 4) Strong: The fiber reinforcement prevents cracking,
structures to be formed which are both robust and absorbs energy from impacts and provides a stable failure
lightweight. Concrete Canvas Shelter consist of a mode.
revolutionary cement based composite fabric (Concrete 5) Durable: CC is chemically resistant, has good
Cloth) bonded to the outer surface of a plastic inner which weathering performance and will not degrade in
forms a Nissen-Hut shaped structure once inflated UV. They have a design life of more than 10 years in
shelters. Each shelter is lined with a flame retardant
.2.2. Slope Protection: fiber reinforced polyethylene inner with a B1(DIN 4102-
Slope weather protection is important to control soil 01 05/98)fire rating.
erosion down slope as a result of direct rainfall and 6) Water proof: The PVC backing on one surface
surface runoff. Protection can be a permanent ensures that the material is completely water proof
Slope covering or a temporary measure until the and chemical resistant.
excavation has been backfilled. Uncovered slopes 7) Fire resistant: It’s a ceramic and will not burn.
undergo surface raveling and gull eying, leading to 8) Adaptable: CC is currently supplied on 1.1m wide rolls.
instabilities and safety concerns. Soil erosion is There are 3 variants available as standard:
normally prevented by applying a thin concrete skin. CC4, CC8 and CC13, which are 5, 8 and 13mm thick
However, this is difficult to apply uniformly and often respectively. CC can be manufactured up to
breaks apart. Plastic sheeting covers are disturbed by 20mm thick.
strong winds, water flows or site damage and meshes 9) Workable: It can be made into shelter by only 2
do not provide the same level of direct weather people in less than 1 hour and can be made ready
protection. for use in just 24 hours. It’s a semi-permanent
Concrete Cloth (CC) provides a quick means to structure without the associated cost and time delays.

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 International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395 -0056
Volume: 02 Issue: 09 | Dec-2015 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072

3. CONCLUSIONS

The study shows that it’s a good material for use at

temporary as well as permanent purposes Specially in
Tunnel Lining, Defense uses, Water proofing, Fencings,
and Construction of military runways, and from cost
effective point of view Concrete Canvas/cloth is a
competitive alternate product of concrete. Its being
ceramic is of great help as because of it its highly fire
resistant and because of the three layers present its water
proof.

REFERENCES

[1] Concrete Cloth - Its Uses and Application in Civil

Engineering,http://www.nbmcw.com/articles/concr
ete/28977-concrete-cloth-its-uses-and-application-
in-civilengineering.html.
[2] History and overview of fabric formwork: using
fabrics for concrete casting, Volume 12, Issue
3,pages 164–177, September 2011.
[3] Managing Process Model Complexity via Concrete
Syntax Modifications, IEEE Xplore ISSN: 1551-
3203, Volume:7 , Issue: 2 ), pp 255-265.
[4] [4] Concrete Canvas Ltd. , London, United Kingdom.

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