Project description
Reinventing concrete for a sustainable future
As our cities grow and their infrastructure ages, the need for durable and sustainable concrete has never been more urgent. Drawing on a fusion of innovative technologies, the EU-funded EnDurCrete project aims to create concrete with remarkable mechanical properties, self-healing capabilities and self-monitoring abilities. By integrating low-clinker cement, nano and micro technologies and hybrid systems, EnDurCrete promises enhanced durability, high mechanical properties and self-healing capabilities. Testing in tunnels, ports, and offshore structures will prove the concrete's extended lifespan (+ 30 years) and reduced cost (− 35 %). With an expected economic value of EUR 1 billion and the creation of thousands of high-quality jobs by 2025, EnDurCrete aims to ensure widespread dissemination and lasting impacts on developing robust business models.
Objective
The main goal of Endurcrete Project is to develop a new cost-effective sustainable reinforced concrete for long lasting and added value applications. The concept is based on the integration of novel low-clinker cement including high-value industrial by-products, new nano and micro technologies and hybrid systems ensuring enhanced durability of sustainable concrete structures with high mechanical properties, self-healing and self-monitoring capacities. Among key technologies there are: nano-enabled smart corrosion inhibitors, self-sensing carbon-based nanofillers, multifunctional coatings with self-healing properties and sensorised non-metallic reinforcement systems. Innovative design concepts will be developed for smart installation, disassembly and re-use of the new green pre-cast and cast in place elements aiming at enabling easy recycling and re-using approaches.
The functionality of the developed concrete structures will be proved under severe operating conditions supported by experimental and numerical tools to better understand factors affecting durability and capture the multiscale evolution of damage as well as to enable service life prediction.
Demonstrators will be tested in working sites of tunnels, ports and offshore structures, in order to prove the enhanced durability (+40%, i.e. +30 years) and decreased cost (-35%) of the new concrete systems in such critical applications.
Innovation aspects such standardization, life cycle assessments, health and safety and training activities will be performed. Finally, in order to maximize the exploitation of findings and ensure dissemination and impacts beyond the project duration, business models and plans for the proposed solutions will be developed.
The Consortium, led by HeidelbergCement and involving 16 partners (6 SMEs), will have a strong economic and social impact (1billion € and 6900 high quality jobs by 2025), considering concrete markets and related applications. The foreseen project duration is 3.5 year
Fields of science
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwaste managementwaste treatment processesrecycling
- engineering and technologymaterials engineeringtextiles
- engineering and technologymaterials engineeringcoating and films
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensors
- engineering and technologycivil engineeringarchitecture engineeringsustainable architecturesustainable building
Programme(s)
Topic(s)
Funding Scheme
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinator
69120 Heidelberg
Germany
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Participants (17)
Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
47 316 Gorazdze
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16129 Genova
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75015 PARIS 15
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28033 MADRID
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1366 LYSAKER
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Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
1366 Lysaker
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6340 Baar
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1000 Ljubljana
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2400 Mol
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7491 Trondheim
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60121 Ancona
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638 00 Brno
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
1031 Budapest
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
14122 Irakleio
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
31032 Casale Sul Sile Tv
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
46110 GODELLA
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
10000 Zagreb
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.