JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #63 - March 2011 - 59

posite structures from hollow elements in a single cycle with one
Civil engineering

Construction

Winner: 3B Fibreglass (Belgium) Partners: P.C.R. SRL and architects King (Italy) and Roselli, Architetti of Rome (Italy)

rial. The final solution uses a damp-proof reinforced membrane finished in white for the flat roof, combined with a pultruded glass-reinforced plastic sheeting on a metal substructure for the curves and the down-stands of the skin. The material was produced in 22-metrelong, 1.40-metre-wide strips that are extremely light and can easily be handled on a busy construction site. It was a great chalThe concept is based on a large folding lenge to avoid showing joints for such a large skin wrapped around the modules consurface, which must not “move” when subtaining the rooms. This outer skin is made jected to extreme temperatures and weather of glass-fibre-reinforced composite mate- changes. The surface was also shaped to

Winner: Acciona Infraestructuras S.A (Spain) Partners: Saertex GmbH&Co.KG (Germany), Huntsman Advanced Materials GmbH (Switzerland), Glascraft Iberica S.L (Spain), Universidad de Sevilla (Spain) and Universidad Politcnica de Madrid (Spain)(Italy)

A composite bridge beam

mould. It combines moulding, forming and joining processes in a single step thus reducing costs, saving on energy and is suitable for mass production. The excellent formability of thermoplastic composite materials combined with a tried-and-tested injection moulding technology result in a high degree of design freedom, thus permitting the integration of multi-various functions in compact designs.

Ventilated facade for the new Sheraton Hotel at the Milan Malpensa Airport

The research and development stage lasted three years and the prototyping stage is in process. The FIT hybrid technology is an energy-efficient, highly-automated manufacturing process that provides real economic advantages to manufacturers. The innovation can be used in many market segments such as automotive, medical technology, sport and leisure, aerospace, and lightweight construction.

form bidirectional curves on the top of the roof, against the front line of the hotel, which is 420 meters wide and 14 m high. Though rarely used in building so far, this technology has the advantages of being light and precise, making it possible to manufacture sheeting lengths up to 22 meters with almost invisible joints. Reduced costs and construction times coupled with the inherent qualities and finish of the material were decisive in achieving the desired result. Overall, the cost of the installed cladding is very competitive.

Acciona Infaestructuras S.A and its partners have designed and manufactured a composite bridge beam made from a single piece (40 m long) and weighing only 25 t, which is half the weight of a concrete or steel bridge (minimum 50 metric tons). The beam required a “slenderness ratio” (ratio of depth to the length of the beam) of less than 1.2/40, combined with a maximum cross sectional thickness of 50 mm and a depth of 1,200 mm. The entire project took about 1 year to complete. Two more bridges will be delivered to Spain by the end of this year. Talks are in process with African countries to

No63 March 2011 / jec composites magazine manufacture and install 10 composite bridges over the next two years. These composite bridges offer more design freedom. No joints or assembly are necessary as the beam is made from a single piece. Compared with a concrete beam, which requires 28 days just for curing, the composite beam was ready for shipping in 15 days. No painting required. They are easy to transport, quick and easy to install on sites where high-capability cranes are not available. They provide better corrosion resistance than concrete and steel in coastal areas, and require less maintenance.

Special JEC Show 2011

JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #63 - March 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #63 - March 2011