Spray-On Blastproof Concrete with Tire Rubber Content

A sprayable rubberized concrete for blast protection is showing promising test results in an Australian first

A blast that reverberated throughout Australia’s only national blast simulation facility at the University of Wollongong (UOW) as shock loadings similar to a car bomb explosion from a distance of 20 meters hit walls sprayed with Protectiflex e rubberized concrete was “a complete success.” These words from Protectiflex developer and CEO of Flexiroc Australia Garry Bullock.

Protectiflex, a product of Flexiroc is a spray on cementitious mix made with tire-derived crumb rubber and composite fibers and designed to be blast, ballistic and fire-resistant. Up till now, Protectiflex walls have been used in either cast-in-place or precast construction methods.

“We were confident these tests would prove the spray-on composite creates blast-resistant walls,” Bullock said once the first test was over.

“It’s an absolute success. There’s only a small crack in the wall, and it has only moved 12 millimeters,” he said. The spray-on application can be applied to both new and existing walls and buildings to develop or enhance their blast, ballistic and fire-resistance ratings.

“This is the first time in the world this protective solution has been tested,” UOW engineering professor Alex Remennikov said. He added the ProtectiFlex blast tests demonstrated how spray-on retrofit could add strength and stiffness to concrete masonry walls, protecting occupants behind it from the blast loads.

Remennikov said Protectiflex was developed in Australia. It’s being tested in Australia, and it will be first in the world application for protecting Australian infrastructure from possible terrorist attacks.”

Tyre Stewardship Australia CEO Lina Goodman agreed, saying “this innovative product made from recycled tires could potentially save lives”. Source: Illawarra Mercury

© Scrap Tire News, March 2020