Flexible ConFlexPave concrete is

tougher, thinner and lighter than

conventional mixtures

11 hours ago
under Building Materials,News

Scientists at Singapores Nanyang Technological University have developed a new

concrete mixture that is stronger than traditional recipes but also flexible, which helps it
reduce skid resistance once installed. The research team behind the cleverly
named ConFlexPave say its unique properties mean it could cut installation time in half for
new roads, parking lots, and other paved surfaces. The time savings come from the ability to
precast slabs of ConFlexPave, which are thinner and lighter than traditional concrete mixtures.

The secret to ConFlexPaves strength and flexibility is the polymer microfiber it contains,
which allows the slabs to bend under pressure without cracking. The new concrete was
developed by a team working at NTU-JTC Industrial Infrastructure Innovation Centre
(IC) at NTU Singapore. Researchers say the flexible concrete slabs will speed up
construction timelines, as well as cut down on maintenance over time, making for a
more sustainable product. NTU Assistant Professor Yang En-Hua, lead researcher on
the study, said the key to developing this next-generation building material was
understanding how all the components interact with one another mechanically on a
microscopic level. With detailed understanding, we can then deliberately select
ingredients and engineer the tailoring of components, so our final material can fulfill

specific requirements needed for road and pavement applications, said En-Hua in a
statement.

ConFlexPaves unique composition puts it in another category than traditional concrete

mixtures used in many building projects, which are heavy and prone to damage. The
hard materials [in ConFlexPave] give a non-slip surface texture while the microfibres
which are thinner than the width of a human hair, distribute the load across the whole
slab, resulting in a concrete that is tough as metal and at least twice as strong as
conventional concrete under bending, said En-Hua.
So far, the research team has tested slabs of the new flexible concrete that are the size
of a tablet computer. Over the next three years, the team will scale up testing with larger
installations on the JTC campus, where ConFlexPave will really be put through the
paces (from foot traffic as well as vehicles).
Via Archinect
Images via Nanyang Technological University and Shutterstock

Official Statement from Nanyang Technological

University

NTU and JTC test-bed new bendable concrete that

is stronger and more durable
Published on: 17-Aug-2016

New concrete to reduce time needed for road works by more than half

Nanyang Technological University (NTU Singapore) scientists from the NTU-JTC Industrial
Infrastructure Innovation Centre (IC) have invented a new type of concrete called ConFlexPave
that is bendable yet stronger and longer lasting than regular concrete which is heavy, brittle and
breaks under tension.
This innovation allows the creation of slim precast pavement slabs for quick installation, thus halving
the time needed for road works and new pavements. It is also more sustainable, requiring less
maintenance.
NTU Professor Chu Jian, Interim Co-Director of the NTU-JTC IC, said, We developed a new
type of concrete that can greatly reduce the thickness and weight of precast pavement slabs, hence
enabling speedy plug-and-play installation, where new concrete slabs prepared off-site can easily
replace worn out ones.
Mr Koh Chwee, Director, Technical Services Division of JTC and Co-Director of the NTU-JTC
I3C, said that the invention of this game-changing technology will not only enable the construction
industry to reduce labour intensive on-site work, enhance workers safety and reduce construction
time, it also benefits road users by cutting down the inconvenience caused by road resurfacing and
construction works.
Through collaborations with universities such as NTU in research and development of disruptive
technologies, JTC hopes to pioneer cutting-edge industrial infrastructure solutions to address
challenges faced by Singapore and its companies such as manpower and resource constraints. We
will continue to open up more of our buildings and estates to test-bed and if successful, implement
such new solutions, Mr Koh added.

How bendable concrete works

Typical concrete comprises cement, water, gravel and sand. While this mixture makes concrete hard
and strong, it does not promote flexibility. Thus concrete is brittle and prone to cracks if too much
weight is applied.

ConFlexPave is specifically engineered to have certain types of hard materials mixed with polymer
microfibres. The inclusion of these special synthetic fibres, besides allowing the concrete to flex and
bend under tension, also enhances skid resistance.
The key breakthrough was understanding how the components of the materials interact with one
another mechanically on a microscopic level, said Asst Prof Yang En-Hua from NTUs School of
Civil and Environmental Engineering who leads this research at the NTU-JTC IC.
With detailed understanding, we can then deliberately select ingredients and engineer the tailoring
of components, so our final material can fulfill specific requirements needed for road and pavement
applications, explained Prof Yang.
The hard materials give a non-slip surface texture while the microfibres which are thinner than the
width of a human hair, distribute the load across the whole slab, resulting in a concrete that is tough
as metal and at least twice as strong as conventional concrete under bending, he added.
ConFlexPave has been successfully tested as tablet-sized slabs at NTU laboratories. It will be
scaled up for further testing over the next three years in partnership with JTC at suitable locations
within JTCs industrial estates and in NTU where there will be human and vehicular traffic.
***END***

Media contact:
Lester Kok
Manager
Corporate Communications Office
Nanyang Technological University
Email: lesterkok@ntu.edu.sg
Hazel Tan
Assistant Manager, Communications
JTC
Email: hazel_tan@jtc.gov.sg

About Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

A research-intensive public university, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU
Singapore) has 33,500 undergraduate and postgraduate students in the colleges of Engineering,
Business, Science, Humanities, Arts, & Social Sciences, and its Interdisciplinary Graduate School. It
has a new medical school, the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, set up jointly with Imperial
College London.
NTU is also home to world-class autonomous institutes the National Institute of Education, S
Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Earth Observatory of Singapore, and Singapore Centre
for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering and various leading research centres such as the
Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute (NEWRI), Energy Research Institute @ NTU
(ERI@N) and the Institute on Asian Consumer Insight (ACI).
Ranked 13th in the world, NTU has also been ranked the worlds top young university for the last two
years running. The Universitys main campus has been named one of the Top 15 Most Beautiful in
the World. NTU also has a campus in Novena, Singapores medical district.
For more information, visit www.ntu.edu.sg

About JTC
Set up in 1968, JTC is the lead government agency responsible for the development of industrial
infrastructure to support and catalyse the growth of industries and enterprises in Singapore.
Landmark projects by JTC include the Jurong Industrial Estate; the Jurong Island for energy and
chemical industries; business and specialised parks such as Airport Logistics Park of Singapore,
International Business Park, Changi Business Park, Seletar Aerospace Park, CleanTech Park and
Tuas Biomedical Park; a new work-live-play-&-learn development called one-north; and the Jurong
Rock Caverns, Southeast Asias first commercial underground storage facility for liquid
hydrocarbons. JTC also develops innovative space such as JTC Surface Engineering Hub, JTC
MedTech Hub @MedTech Park and JTC Food Hub @ Senoko, which incorporate innovative
features and shared infrastructure to enable industrialists to start their operations quickly and
enhance productivity.
For more information about JTC, visit www.jtc.gov.sg

About the NTU-JTC Industrial Infrastructure Innovation (I) Centre

Launched in August 2011, the NTU-JTC I Centre was set up to promote the growth and
development of economically viable and sustainable industrial infrastructure in Singapore. The
centre will expand Singapores R&D scope in fields such as land reclamation, energy and water
recycling, underground infrastructure design and construction, and novel construction methods and
systems. Fully funded by JTC, the centre leverages on NTUs technological knowledge and
engineering expertise with JTCs infrastructure and business expertise.
For more information, visit www.ntu-jtc-centre.ntu.edu.sg