Magazine "Mining Industry"
ISSUE No. 4 (46) - 2024
In the remote locations and wide temperature fluctuations typical of mining industry facilities, including those in the Far North, conventional concreting methods are inferior to the use of composite materials.
In this article, TECHPOLYMER shares its experience in replacing conventional concreting solutions with CONCRETE CANVAS (STO 56910145-025-2017). This roll-based geocomposite material consists of nonwoven geotextile layers stitched together, filled with a dry concrete mix and bonded to a geomembrane. It hardens when wetted and forms a concrete layer of the required shape. Concrete Canvas is manufactured in standard thicknesses of 5, 8 and 13 mm; the roll width is 2 m and the roll length is 20 m. The use of Concrete Canvas offers a number of clear advantages: (1) it significantly reduces logistics costs (the loading capacity of a standard Euro truck is 1 500 m2 of 8 mm thick Concrete Canvas); (2) it does not require heavy equipment (the weight of one roll of 8 mm thick Concrete Canvas is no more than 520 kg) or mixing equipment; (3) it is easy to use – it can be easily folded and cut.
The installation technology for Concrete Canvas is technically straightforward: the Concrete Canvas strips are laid with an overlap, secured with anchors and connected to each other using self-tapping screws or U-shaped anchors. After installation, the material is saturated with water. It hardens after wetting and forms a strong waterproof layer, reaching 80% of its design strength after 24 hours and becoming a monolithic concrete structure.
TechPolymer Concrete Canvas is used at mining industry facilities for various applications:
Tank farm bunds
To protect the environment in the event of oil product spills, tank farm bunds are lined. Constructing a concrete protective wall or concrete bund lining is a highly labour-intensive process. Using Concrete Canvas significantly reduces labour requirements and provides a strong waterproof coating of the required shape, allowing for sharp bends. Unlike concrete, the canvas can be used on highly saline soils because its bottom layer consists of a geomembrane resistant to aggressive environments.
Surface water drainage
TechPolymer specialises in drainage using composite Concrete Canvas: from manufacturing the high-strength material that makes up Concrete Canvas to carrying out construction and installation work at the site or supporting the implementation of the project as a whole. For example, during the construction of a section of a drainage ditch at the water intake facility of Irkutsk Polymer Plant LLC, a trial section of the drainage ditch was installed. Following installation and operation, an Acceptance Certificate was prepared recommending Concrete Canvas as a replacement for the reinforced concrete channels specified in the design.
Reinforcement of culvert pipe slopes
Concrete Canvas is also an effective alternative solution for reinforcing culvert pipe slopes. Installation is carried out without complex preparatory work in remote locations and can be performed using hand tools. The canvas layers securely hold the concrete mix within the material, prevent cracking and provide reliable protection against erosion and structural stability.
