Gabion reinforcement
Trials have been conducted in conjunction with the British Army to assess the effectiveness and ease of reinforcing existing gabion basket defences with Concrete Cloth (CC). The gabion trials concluded that CC was a rapid means of providing longer term repair and reinforcement to gabion defences, particularly if the geotextile has degraded substantially, significantly increasing their effective life span. The image below shows a multi level gabion wall, reinforced with Concrete Cloth
Sandbag defences
The British Army is currently using Concrete Cloth to upgrade frontline sandbag defenses in Afghanistan. The cloth has been proven to prevent the degradation of sandbags from incoming fire outgoing muzzle flash and environmental exposure.
A sandbag wall protected by Concrete Cloth easily withstood 900 rounds of 7.62 NATO, fired by a GPMG LR at a range of 100m . The wall showed little damage and negligible loss of fill. An identical unprotected sandbag wall was comprehensively destroyed in the same test. Live fire testing did not succeed in destroying the Concrete Cloth protected wall. Similar field tests conducted by the British Army in Afghanistan led to an order for 5500sqm for use in Forward Operating Bases.
Concrete Cloth can be used by frontline troops to rapidly upgrade any sandbag structure without specialist equipment.
Ground surfacing / Dust suppression
Concrete Cloth can be used to create a concrete surface for trackway, flooring and effective dust suppression.
Ditch lining
CC can be unrolled rapidly to form a hardened,water proof concrete ditch or tank. It will conform to a range of ditch profiles and curves and requires no specialist plant equipment. Joints can be sealed to withstand over 3m of water pressure.
Landing surfaces
CC can be anchored down by driving ground anchors directly through its surface. It will contain fuel spills and prevent dust clouding from helicopter rotarwash. A thicker variant of CC can be used to surface runways as the material can withstand the high temperatures from jet engines during take off.
Formwork
CC can be used to rapidly produce sacrificial formwork for pouring large volumes of cement. It can be used to form complex shapes with double curvature on site.
Spill containment and landfill lining
CC is very durable and both concrete and PVC have excellent chemical resistance. CC is ideal for lining containment bunds or landfill sites to prevent the leaching of hazardous chemicals.
Water proofing
CC can be used to provide a durable, water proof and structural lining for applications such as ponds or swimming pools. It is highly resistant to puncturing unlike conventional membrane systems and can be laid as a damp proof layer under floors or behind walls.
Building cladding
CC can withstand very high temperatures and can be laid vertically to clad buildings with a hard, weather proof and fire proof outer skin.
Boat ramps
CC can be rolled into the water and will set underwater (even in sea water). It rapidly sets to provide a surface with good traction. Multiple layers can be pegged together to form stronger ramps.
Erosion control
CC can be laid by hand to rapidly provide a durable weatherproof surface for reinforcing banks or unstable earthworks, both above and below the waterline. It can be transported in man-portable lengths that can be fixed to the ground by driving anchors or pegs directly through the cloth before it is set. It can be used as an alternative to Shotcrete, particularly if there is limited access for heavy equipment.
Roof repair
CC can be easily and quickly laid to conform to the shape of any roof using staples and nails. It can be fixed in severe weather conditions to provide a tough and extremely durable surface that is completely water proof.
Water and septic tanks
CC can be used to form tanks that can be folded up for transport and then inflated and set on site. The Cloth forms both the structure and water proof layer and is thus much easier to transport and install than conventional PP tanks.
Cycle track way
CC can be easily laid down by hand and enables a hardwearing smooth bike track to be rapidly created with the minimum of labour and equipment. CC is flexible enough to take up curves as well as straight sections of track.
Flood Defences
CC can be applied easily in difficult conditions to provide a waterproof barrier. It can be used to rapidly create or improve flood defences and will even set underwater. It is ideal for protecting awkwardly shaped areas.
DIY applications
CC has a huge range of DIY applications from paths, ponds and features, to emergency repairs.
