CaPreFloor

We know that cement production is responsible for around 8% of global CO2 emissions and that aggregates gravel and sand are also in danger of being depleted, or that further extraction will have enormously damaging environmental effects on fauna and flora. However, because it will not be possible to avoid building with concrete for the time being due to the increasing demand for construction services in the coming decades, we believe that our approach of mass reduction while maintaining economy and comfort has great potential.

We are convinced that the usually 30 cm thick concrete slabs in solid construction can really be reduced everywhere to a maximum of 10 cm (depending on the element type) by using lightweight, non-corrosive sheet structures - concrete elements prestressed with carbon - and thus make a real and measurable contribution to conserving resources and reducing CO2 emissions. The focus should be on prefabricated floor elements, because lower waste volumes during production, easier deconstruction and better reusability will significantly increase the sustainability potential of the construction method. Successful lightweight construction is based on the principles of small spans, avoidance of bending, high tear length of the materials used, prestressing and double curvature.

These Sustainable Blankets are developed and tested in a multidisciplinary approach. This includes the development of the manufacturing methods as well as the prediction and validation of the quality of the floors. In all disciplines numerical calculation models are used which are validated on scale models. Subsequently, the virtual ceilings are optimized for the various parameters as a whole and built and tested on a 1:1 scale.

The aim of the CaPreFloor project proposed here is nothing less than a revolution in building construction, namely to replace the worldwide standard of reinforced concrete floors in office, residential and hotel construction with lightweight but rigid carbon prestressed floor systems (Fig. 1 to Fig. 3). These should continue to meet all structural, fire, thermal and sound insulation requirements.