INDUSTRIAL WORKS DIVISION
Matei Construct has successfully ended another contract regarding structural reinforcements with composite materials. The reinforcement works foresaw the use of over 450m of carbon-fiber blades and 200sqm of carbon-fiber fabrics. The composites were applied during the construction phase of Europa Business Center office building in Cluj-Napoca, Romania on ceilings and beams that during the construction process had to withstand additional loads from those estimated in the design phase.
The technology of reinforcing various structures with composite materials (reinforcing bars, strips and fabrics made of carbon fiber, as well as from glass, steel or kevlar) is relatively new to the Romanian market and little used within rehabilitation and structural reinforcement projects. These materials have been widely used since the 1950s in high-end technological fields such as aeronautics, mechanical engineering and military equipment, due to their outstanding mechanical performances.
Recently, composite materials began to be used in other sectors, notably in the field of structural reinforcement for concrete, masonry and steel structures for civil constructions, bridges, tunnels and historical monuments. The most important benefits of reinforcement systems with composite materials are: high resistance to traction, very good ductility, resistance to corrosion, flexibility, extremely low thickness and weight compared to all other mechanical properties.
Matei Construct is among the very few companies in Romania that have experience in the execution of works with composites, in particular with carbon fiber materials.