At the beginning of the month, there was a breakthrough in the formula for steel-reinforced shotcrete/gunite which can not only make the substance sturdier, but also much more fire resistant than other forms of shotcrete. At Thorcon Shotcrete and Shoring in Littleton, CO, we are always intrigued by new advances in shotcrete engineering and unique stories of shotcrete application, so we are particularly excited to discuss this story. The team at the Ruhr University in Bochum, Germany, who developed the new formula, speculate that this breakthrough can make structures more resistant not only to fire, but also to explosions, which are an increasing concern in cities due to threats of terrorist activities.
Steel-fiber reinforced shotcrete, itself, is not a new product. Depending on the needs of the project, commercial shotcrete contractors might choose to use unreinforced shotcrete or apply gunite with a weldmesh reinforcement. Mixtures which already have steel fibers incorporated, though, can be applied with less labor and less construction time. Typically, this kind of industrial gunite is used for surfaces in tunnels or in certain flooring applications. The new formula from Germany, however, is unique in the sheer amount of steel and synthetic fiber being used—close to 100 lbs. of steel fiber per square foot—which “was thought to be impossible for shotcrete,” according to Phys.org.
The other major benefit of this advancement is that the protective shotcrete can be applied to complex geometric structures, which were difficult to safeguard so efficiently before. Previously, compounds which could provide this level of protection from explosions could only be applied in slabs, but as Thorcon’s own work with architectural shotcrete can attest, shotcrete and gunite can be applied to a broad variety of complicated structures, and used to create a stylized finish, not just an industrial one.
In a world where attacks on our infrastructure are an increasing concern, it’s good to see that advances in geotechnical engineering can keep us safe from a variety of threats, and that even shotcrete can play a part in defense against terrorism. Check out examples of our shotcrete and gunite concrete applications on our gallery page. We are proud to provide our services to nearby Denver, the rest of Colorado and a number of states in the surrounding region. Contact us today to get started on your custom shotcrete or shoring project.