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

目前全球混凝土行业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。提出的探索研究计划将通过利用纤维增强聚合物（FRP）复合材料的独特优势来解决这些关键问题，作为在建筑行业采用再利用范例的潜在催化剂。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重新利用的资源。拟议研究的长期目标是促进建筑行业内的循环经济，以转移垃圾填埋场的废物，减少能源消耗，排放，以及与混凝土生产相关的有限自然资源的枯竭。该研究计划将侧重于四个短期目标：1)为解构的混凝土结构开发FRP加固技术，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 -混凝土模块化构件的性能，以方便拆卸和重组；3)开发新型FRP材料混凝土结构可拆卸连接型式；4)解决阻碍混凝土结构广泛再利用的后勤和技术障碍。本研究项目旨在创造与可持续设计相关的新知识，这一问题在很大程度上被忽视，但却至关重要。混凝土结构构件的再利用是相对未被探索的，如果能够克服技术和后勤方面的挑战，这将为建筑行业的重大破坏提供机会。在拟议的研究计划中，FRP材料的固有优势将首次被研究，其主要目的是在工业生态系统中实现混凝土部件的多代结构的重复使用。拟议的工作包括一些与FRP在建筑中的新用途有关的创新，以及混凝土结构的耐久性和状态评估。此外，该研究项目最终将产生新的设计指南，回收结构的库存和评级系统，以及状态评估方法。这项工作将给加拿大带来几个好处，包括：1)由于减少排放、能源使用、垃圾填埋和自然资源消耗而产生的环境效益；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)为愿意接受新的循环经济的颠覆性加拿大企业提供新的市场机会；4) HQP的培训，他们代表着具有独特技能、设计经验和专业知识，以及对可持续发展问题、耐久性和资产管理的理解的下一代工程师。

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.