Carbon concrete - Innovation meets sustainability (lecture only accessible in German)
Michael Gowans - SOLIDIAN GMBH

Our contribution to the future of concrete construction is our solidian GRID carbon, a reinforcement mat made of carbon fibers and manufactured with innovative cutting-edge technology. If we compare our carbon mats with the classic reinforcement mat made of steel, our carbon fiber reinforcement has a significantly higher load-bearing capacity, does not corrode and also has an extremely lighter weight.
In some cases, these positive properties lead to significant cost savings in future new construction, maintenance and refurbishment projects. By reducing the thickness of the components, the consumption of water, sand and cement is reduced when using our carbon mats. The thus large potential for saving transport costs and CO2 emissions, make it a sustainable product.
In addition to the material's non-corrosiveness, high load-bearing capacity and light weight, its flat structure and ease of machining compared to structural steel mats are also features worth mentioning. This results in further advantages, such as the realization of thinner components, which allow slim construction and aesthetic design due to a lower concrete cover than conventional. This results in lower raw material usage and economical, space-saving transport to the construction site. Think, for example, of thinner façade components that mean larger usable areas in buildings with the same exterior dimensions.
The durability of the composite material also means much lower maintenance and refurbishment costs (material, effort, costs from loss of service). Thus, lower financial provisions are needed for future restoration measures. Therefore, the longer life of the buildings/components results in lower total cost of ownership.

Overview of possible applications:
- Precast elements in general, e.g. balcony slabs
- Facades, e.g. exposed concrete facades, sandwich walls, ventilated curtain wall panels
- Hydraulic structures, maritime structures, swimming pools
- Tunnel structures and linings
- bridge superstructures
- Infrastructure, e.g. sewage channels, impact barriers
- Structural strengthening measures, e.g. earthquake strengthening, floor slabs
- Maintenance and rehabilitation measures, e.g. parking garage rehabilitation, bridge rehabilitation, floor slabs
and some more ...

Material description solidian REBAR & solidian REMAT
solidian REBAR is a media-resistant, flexibly applicable, extremely load-bearing bar reinforcement made of either ECR glass or carbon fibers.
The use of non-corrosive bar reinforcement is particularly sustainable and economical and is suitable for all areas of application in which the components are permanently exposed to aggressive environmental influences, as is the case, for example, in parking garages, bridges (in each case frost/de-icing salt exposure) or near the coast (sea salt exposure). In addition, the ECR glass reinforcement bars do not conduct electric current or are non-magnetic and can therefore be used advantageously in high-voltage and electromagnetic environments. Since the materials do not rust, there is no need for a large concrete cover or a surface protection system to protect the reinforcement - unlike conventional structural steel. This has the advantage of making construction extremely sustainable, as sand, cement and water can be saved on slimmer components. In particular, the elimination of surface protection systems significantly minimizes primary energy requirements and CO2 emissions. In addition, the expensive multiple reapplication of the surface protection systems as part of the otherwise usual maintenance work is eliminated. The rods are available in a standard diameter of 4 to 16 mm and have a standard length of 6.0 m. Larger diameters and alternative rod lengths can be offered if required.
The solidian REMAT combines the positive properties of the solidian REBAR into a reinforcement mat. Here, the solidian REBAR are connected to each other via injection-molded crossing points. This means that even large areas can be provided with the high-performance reinforcement in a time-saving manner. In the case of the reinforcement mats, the bars have a diameter of 4 to 12 mm. The standard mesh has a size of 6 x 2.3 m and grid spacing of 150 mm. On request, solidian also offers individual designs of the reinforcement mats, e.g. alternative grid spacings.
solidian REBAR and solidian REMAT are resource-saving, efficient to install, low-maintenance, durable and recyclable - in other words, a building material of the future.

Typical applications at a glance:
- Bridge construction
- High-voltage or electromagnetic systems
- concrete slabs such as industrial floors, parking decks or driveways
- maritime applications
- facades and balconies