Civil Engineering

TORAYCA™ carbon fiber is drawing attention as a new building material, replacing iron as it is lightweight, strong and does not rust.

TORAYCA™ carbon fiber is lightweight and strong, can be used with manufacturing methods such as impregnating resin in a carbon fiber textile and then curing it onsite, and eliminates the need for heavy machinery to attach metal panels. These advantages also make carbon fiber ideal for restoration/reinforcement applications.

In particular, restorations and reinforcements using carbon fiber were carried out across Japan after the Great Kobe Earthquake highlighted the importance of antiseismic reinforcement. In addition to having high specific strength and a high modulus of elasticity, carbon fiber does not rust and deteriorates less than metals in a corrosive environment, such as near the beach, etc.

TORAYCA™ carbon fiber restoration/reinforcements are largely divided into methods using textiles, and methods using cured and blanked sheets (laminates) produced by pultrusion molding. Both methods involve attaching textiles or laminates to a concrete surface or similar using epoxy resin, and curing it at room temperature.

Textiles that conform to any shape are suitable for smoke stacks, columns and other cylindrical or flexing members/areas, but attaching laminates is better for floor boards and other flat plates, as it eliminates the need for stacking multiple layers and saves time.

These methods are being developed and promoted by the groups such as the SR-CF Method Study Group and the Laminate Method Study Group, and are being increasingly adopted thanks to these study groups. Japan is particularly prone to earthquakes, so is currently leading the world in carbon fiber restorations/reinforcements, but these applications are also finding their way into Europe, America, Asia and other parts of the world.

Why TORAY Materials?

Our material solutions for civil engineering offer many processing, design and lightweighting benefits.

Lightweight

Advanced composites are stronger than steel, but up to 40% lighter than aluminum. The light-weight structure improves safety while reducing infrastructure costs.

Corrosion Resistant

Advanced composites are inherently resistant to corrosion and corrosive environments, making them ideal for metal replacement in civil engineering applications.

Easy to Handle

They are easy to work with in a small space, and can be applied without vacating.

Toray Composite Materials for Civil Engineering

Related links of Toray group company (External Pages)

Company Name Country Links
Zoltek

ZOLTEK

US, MX, HU Civil Engineering Applications
Toray Carbon Magic

Toray Carbon Magic Co., Ltd.

JP, TH Products