Problem
Concrete is the most affordable construction material for structural members of building available: 70% of the world population lives in concrete buildings . Indeed, over 50% of the annual construction budget in Europe is spent on refurbishment and remediation of the existing structures in order to prolong their service life . Developed countries spend a large percentage of their infrastructure budgets on repairs, maintenance and the replacement of existing and new structures, which points to significant inadequacies in past practice and current design and construction techniques. Concrete, although strong in compression, is weak in tension. For this reason it needs help in resisting tensile stresses caused by bending forces from applied loads which would result in cracking and ultimately failure. Currently known and used systems that are generating compressing concrete in the areas that are subject to tensile stresses are prestressing and post-tensioning. The well-known limit of prestressing is the tendons corrosion that happen because concrete loose alkalinity over time. Post tensioning has also recently show its limits: there are very strong suspect that the Morandi bridge in Genova Italy, failed because the pour grouting left the tendons exposed to corrosion with the well-known consequences in terms of life’s lost and economic impact.
Solution
Gemini Impianti has developed a technology (PAT / Pressure Activated Tendon) that remove all the downsides of the currently know prestressing / post tensioning methods making also possible generate multiaxial simultaneous prestressing that can actually generate full prestressed nodes. The PAT, can be used in any size of concrete structure and it can be actually used on in situ construction and as well for improve the behaviour to seismic and fire loads of existing structures and building, also contributing in improving environmental performances of buildings. The PAT techniques has been initially validated in lab test and against market requirements, receiving Letter of Interest from main Tendon producers in targeted markets.
Overall objectives
To deliver the European Green Deal, there is a need to rethink policies for clean energy supply across the economy, industry, production and consumption, large-scale infrastructure, transport, food and agriculture, construction, taxation and social benefits. To achieve these aims, it is essential to increase the value given to protecting and restoring natural ecosystems, to the sustainable use of resources and to improving human health. This is where transformational change is most needed and potentially most beneficial for the EU economy, society and natural environment. The EU should also promote and invest in the necessary digital transformation and tools as these are essential enablers of the changes. “
Since we have the capability to extend prestressing in smaller structures and we are able to apply multiaxial, we can make much smaller structures for the same load capacity. This mean less CO2 produced but as well less resource deployed.
Market scale up
Further steps to achieve commercial sales of PAT tendons are: finalisation of market analysis for the identification of tendon producers willing to test PAT approach-
