Arc is the brainchild of local architect Nick Stubbs, who wants people to be able to see beautiful places from above, where their origins and history unfold in unexpected ways. Nick also wanted to create something that did not sit permanently in the skyline, but which would instead rise and fall, leaving the cityscape largely unchanged.

Once inside the cabin passengers will be lifted as the masts pivot on a 3.2-metre diameter base in Millennium Square. The 360˚ views of Bristol’s historic sites will give a unique perspective with a pilot on-board to explain the City’s history.

Arc will bring a new iconic landmark, something totally unique and a global first. This is great news for Bristol, it will really put our city in the international spotlight once again.

For the construction, Arc will use carbon fibre composites for the huge masts that carry the glass cabin and are collaborating with local universities and structural experts to assess and design Arc’s complex mechanisms, including how Arc will move in different weather conditions. Power will come from solar panels located on the roof of its departure lounge and the energy will be stored in yacht batteries which will also recharge as the electric motors slow down.

Arc is estimated to generate up to £8.3m towards Bristol’s tourism market every year, £5m of which will be new revenue, supporting 118 high-quality jobs, especially pilots and engineers, marketing, curation and creative roles.

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The construction consists of a glass-filled thermoplastic PET which is combined with continuous glass fibres added in the 3D printing process, this unique combination offers high strength with extreme versatility and sustainability.

Sensors built into the design enable them to build a digital copy, these sensors can also predict and optimise maintenance, ensure safety and extend the life span. It can also incorporate new functionalities such as monitoring vital environmental aspects and improve the decision-making process for maintenance and inspection via dynamic real-time reports on the condition of the bridge.

FRP bridges are already known for having a longer life expectancy with lower life cycle costs compared to steel bridges. What’s new here is the use of a 3D printing technology, enabling us to print large scale continuous fibre reinforced thermoplastic parts. Using this new composite thermoplastic material, we will be ushering in a new era for sustainability and push the boundaries of bridge functionality even further. Maurice Kardas, Business Development Manager at Royal HaskoningDHV

In future, it’s hoped this technology will lead to more efficient bridge designs helping to deliver an optimised printing process which results in improved mechanical performance.

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The tower which has been installed in Taman Tasik Prima, Puchong is 70% lighter than a conventional steel tower whilst being 10 times stronger. In addition the company also said it was up to 50% faster to install and the anti-corrosive will contribute towards lower maintenance costs over the lifespan of the structure.

These features result in lower total cost of ownership of 20%. As the company gains more experience in the deployment of carbon fibre towers, customisation requirements will lessen, bringing the company closer to its target of 40% in TCO reduction.

The company’s next carbon fibre installation will be a rooftop structure in Bangladesh where it will provide a solution to building constraints. edotco is investing into high quality infrastructure and encouraging tower sharing where tenancy ratio has improved to 1.3 now.

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University of Stuttgart graduate Maria Yablonina developed a carbon-fibre fabrication process that uses small robots. These robots climb the walls and ceilings working together to pull carbon fibre filaments across a space, creating a simple structure.

The project is a form of “swarm construction” a modern fabrication process that involves teams of small robots that work together reaching areas and creating structures that larger industrial sized robots can’t.

ICD director Achim Menges told Dezeen.

We are only at the very beginning of exploring the true architectural potential of this fabrication system. But we are convinced that its main advantage is that you can build entirely new structures that would be impossible to materialise otherwise.

The next step is to increase the number of robots, allowing them to attach the carbon fibres to other surfaces which would allow for more complex creations.

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As part of the larger project, the existing locks II and III are replaced by a single new lock. Also, new sheet piling is installed along the canal sides and a more environmentally banks are being developed.

While smaller composite lock gates have been installed in the past, so far the number of installations have been limited. The use of the large composite lock gates (size of each part 6.2 x 12.9 m) in the Tilburg project, means a major breakthrough in the acceptance of composite technology for this demanding application. The individual gate doors need to have very high strength and stiffness, and are required to resist water in continued contact for over 80 years, whilst surviving any potential impact of ships in that time.

[quote_colored name=”” icon_quote=”no”]“Lock gates in composite materials are highly competitive in terms of cost compared to traditional material solutions based on steel and wood”[/quote_colored]

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The composite parts were designed, engineered and manufactured by FiberCore Europe using resins from Aliancys. The large parts have a relatively low weight (24 MT) which is significantly lower than comparable solutions in steel and wood (respectively 50% and 25% less). This makes the installation much easier, requiring simpler equipment and upfront preparation. Because the fact that the specific gravity of the gate material is fairly close to the one of water (unlike steel), the wear and tear on the pivoting points is greatly reduced.

Once the project is complete, larger vessels should be able to sail through this section much faster, which would mean less congestion and heavy traffic on main roadways. The improvements to the canal will also create additional economic opportunities in the south of the Netherlands, as businesses are increasingly using the canal network for delivery of products.

The post Worlds Largest Composite Lock Gates Installed in Tilberg appeared first on Composites Today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=32&v=SIorJpr784o

The carbon fibre material creates a light and very strong rope like rod that is said to be ten times stronger than iron. Using computer technology the position of the carbon rods were calculated to respond to the seismic force and motion generated from north to south, and east to west.

The lightweight carbon fibre composite has also been used on the inside of the building which features white draped fabrics that replicate the exterior. The green roof is topped with another Komatsu Seiren product called Greenbiz, a porous spongy ceramic panel made using the waste material generated from carbon fibre production.

The post Kengo Kuma Protects Office with Carbon Fibre Curtain appeared first on Composites Today.

Alongside new building renderings, the company shared pictures with Mashable on the progress being made on its “Theatre” complex, the new area where they plan on holding future product events. Due to space issues with their current campus, Apple typically rents out buildings for its press launches at venues such as the Moscone Centre in San Francisco.

Designed by U.K.-based architect firm Foster+Partner, the new underground theatre occupies around 120,000 square feet and can reportedly take around 1,000 people. The cylinder-shaped lobby at ground level matches the main campus building and is encased in glass which provides visitors with a 360 view of the surrounding area.

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The 80 ton roof which Apple believes is the largest freestanding carbon fibre roof ever made, was created by Dubai-based Premier Composite Technologies. It was assembled and tested in a Dubai desert before being shipped in pieces to Cupertino, California. The circular roof is made up of 44 identical radial panels averaging 70 feet long and 11 feet wide, and each connects to a small central hub positioned in the middle.

via: Mashable

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Robust self-healing composites called Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC) are based on an advanced material technology first proposed by Dr. Victor C. Li from University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Unlike the conventional concrete materials preferred in most field practices, ECC, which has reinforcing microfibers smaller than human hair, is relatively ductile in tension. Ductility is a direct result of strain-hardening response due to the formation of multiple closely spaced microcracks with average widths of less than 100 micrometers. Even under excessive loading conditions, crack widths remain constant.

Having cracks with widths at micrometer levels allows the researchers to add special attributes such as self-healing to ECC material. Despite the number of studies on self-healing materials development, recent popularity of the technology escalated very suddenly due to the repetitive repair and/or maintenance needs of deteriorating infrastructures.

Cracks heal themselves with the help of two main mechanisms: ongoing hydration reactions of anhydrous cementitious materials resulting in further calcium-silicate-hydrate gels and calcium carbonate precipitation. What is needed for these two reactions to take place is abundantly available for structures located anywhere in the world, water and air.

Despite the effectiveness of self-healing in ECCs with micron-size cracks, some critics question the “robustness” of the mechanism. One such robustness criterion is the “repeatability,” or multiple reoccurrence of crack closure. The other criterion is the “pervasiveness,” meaning that the mechanism should take place all over the structural element rather than being restricted to certain areas.”

With its inherent tight microcracking and self-healing behavior, ECC could be a new generation material solution to many mechanical and durability property challenges, substantially contributing to prolonged infrastructure functionalisation.

More information: Repeatability and Pervasiveness of Self-Healing in Engineered Cementitious Composites

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CERN, the renowned European Organisation for Nuclear Research discovered the Higgs particle back in 2012, now after a two-year shut down the accelerator is to be restarted this spring.

The lightweight carbon fibre components have been installed at the centre of the ATLAS detector, the component will carry the beam tube through which the particles will fly. The metal/CFRP structure was developed and produced by Teufelberger in cooperation with a German manufacturing partner. It offers several compelling advantages over its all-aluminium predecessor.

The new lightweight part will expand less at high temperatures, and because of its lower mass, absorbs less radiation. An aspect of particular importance is the safe transmission of loads between metal and fibre composite structures at the ends of the tube.

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