Rethinking the Industrial Ecosystem for Concrete Structures: Innovative Applications for Advanced Composites in Construction

全球混凝土行业目前的发展轨迹是不可持续的，造成了大量的温室气体排放和垃圾填埋。拟议的探索研究计划将通过利用纤维增强聚合物（FRP）复合材料作为潜在催化剂的独特优势来解决这些关键问题，以采用建筑行业的再利用模式。这个概念被描述为一个工业生态系统，其中一代结构成为下一代结构的资源。拟议研究的长期目标是促进建筑行业的循环经济，以转移垃圾填埋场的废物，减少能源消耗，排放和与混凝土生产相关的有限自然资源的消耗。该研究计划将集中在四个短期目标：1）开发用于解构混凝土结构的FRP改造技术，以创造在工业生态系统中重复使用的机会; 2）研究可重构FRP混凝土模块化组件的性能，以便于拆卸和重新组装; 3）开发使用FRP材料的混凝土结构的新的可拆卸连接类型;以及，4）解决阻碍混凝土结构广泛再利用的后勤和技术障碍。该研究计划旨在创造与可持续设计的一个基本上被忽视但至关重要的问题相关的新知识。混凝土结构构件的再利用相对未被探索，如果能够克服技术和物流挑战，则为建筑业的重大颠覆提供了机会。在拟议的研究计划中，将首次研究FRP材料的固有优势，其主要目的是使混凝土构件能够在工业生态系统中重复使用多代结构。拟议的工作包括几个创新相关的FRP在建筑中的新用途，以及混凝土结构的耐久性和条件评估。此外，研究计划将最终导致新的设计准则，库存和评级系统的回收结构，和条件评估方法。 这项工作将为加拿大带来几个好处，包括：1）由于减少排放，能源使用，垃圾填埋废物和自然资源消耗而带来的环境效益; 2）与提高资源效率和降低生命周期成本相关的经济效益; 3）愿意接受新循环经济的破坏性加拿大企业的新市场机会;以及4）HQP的培训，HQP代表了具有独特技能、设计经验和专业知识的下一代工程师，以及对可持续发展问题、耐久性和资产管理的理解。

The current trajectory of the global concrete industry is unsustainable, contributing significant amounts of greenhouse gas emissions and landfill waste. The proposed Discovery research program will address these critical issues by exploiting the unique advantages of fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites as a potential catalyst to adopt a paradigm of reuse in the construction industry. This concept has been described as an industrial ecosystem in which one generation of structures becomes a resource to be repurposed for the next generation of structures. The long-term aim of the proposed research is to promote a circular economy within the construction industry to divert waste from landfills and reduce energy consumption, emissions, and the depletion of finite natural resources associated with concrete production. The research program will focus on four short-term objectives: 1) Develop FRP retrofitting techniques for deconstructed concrete structures to create opportunities for reuse within an industrial ecosystem; 2) Investigate the performance of reconfigurable FRP-concrete modular components designed to facilitate disassembly and reassembly; 3) Develop new demountable connection types for concrete structures using FRP materials; and, 4) Address the logistical and technical barriers preventing widespread reuse of concrete structures. This research program aims to create new knowledge related to a largely neglected, yet critical, issue of sustainable design. The reuse of concrete structural members is relatively unexplored, and provides an opportunity for significant disruption of the construction industry if technical and logistical challenges can be overcome. In the proposed research program, the inherent advantages of FRP materials will, for the first time, be investigated for the primary purpose of enabling the reuse of concrete components for multiple generations of structures within an industrial ecosystem. The proposed work includes several innovations related to novel uses of FRP in construction, as well as the durability and condition assessment of concrete structures. Additionally, the research program will ultimately lead to new design guidelines, inventory and rating systems for reclaimed structures, and condition assessment methods. This work will result in several benefits to Canada, including: 1) environmental benefits due to reduced emissions, energy use, landfill waste, and consumption of natural resources; 2) economic benefits associated with improved resource efficiency and lower life-cycle costs; 3) new market opportunities for disruptive Canadian businesses willing to embrace a new circular economy; and 4) the training of HQP which represent the next generation of engineers with unique skills, design experience, and expertise, as well as an understanding of sustainable development issues, durability, and asset management.