Concrete is one of the oldest building materials in the world, and yet engineers are still finding creative new ways to incorporate concrete into their industrial designs. At ETH Zurich in Switzerland, for example, one group of researchers recently built a prototype roof design using a curved concrete that’s just 5 cm thick on average.
As you might expect, creating an ultra-thin concrete roof with dramatic postmodern curves is easier said than done.
The project was made possible thanks to advanced computer algorithms that were used to distribute forces evenly across the roof’s curves and contours. Instead of using a foam or wooden mold, the researchers applied the concrete to a flexible net of steel cables which was stretched and bent into the desired shape. The roof also required a carefully-controlled concrete mix that could be sprayed on in an application process developed specifically for this project.
The end result is an eye-catching concrete roof that seems to defy the laws of physics.
At its thinnest point, the concrete is just 3 cm thick. Next year, the final version of the roof will be installed on an eco-friendly apartment complex in Zurich. The roof will also include a network of energy-efficient heating and cooling coils sandwiched between two layers of the ultra-thin concrete, and a photovoltaic solar film on top. Although the prototype design took about six months to get right, the researchers are hoping to build the final version in just eight to 10 weeks. It’s an ambitious plan that could help the research team land more contracts for their thin concrete designs in the future.
Stay tuned for more updates on the latest developments in concrete design and construction from the folks at Bergen Mobile Concrete!