Page 75 - Build 165

Magical mystery materials tour
Scienti c advances are enabling building materials that are lighter and stronger than traditional materials. While some are only possibilities, others are already in use.
BY TREVOR PRINGLE, ANZIA, BRANZ PRINCIPAL WRITER
WE CAN BECOME somewhat complacent in our work. Sticking with the familiar keeps the stress levels lower and in essence makes our life easier. This can be particularly so in the building industry where designers commonly work with a known or familiar type of detail and palette of materials and nishes.
This can mean that new options, materials or systems may not get the consideration they deserve as they are perceived as being too hard to research and ultimately get through the consent process. This is a pity considering a performance-based Building Code designed to allow innovation has been in place for over 25 years.
What’s in the pipeline?
What might we consider in the not too distant future? An internet search has turned up some potentially significant developments, with some already in use.
There are a range of di erent materials and composites:
● Graphene – a material extracted from
graphite that occurs as sheets or akes
Graphene sheets.
and is stronger and sti er than both steel and carbon bre although much lighter. The difficulty in producing it has been overcome by the US Oak Ridge National Laboratory, opening possibilities for its use in buildings.
● Carbon- bre balsa – a cellular composite material of unprecedented light weight and sti ness developed as a replacement
for real balsa wood, which is hard to
produce and expensive.
● Carbon- bre rope – an extremely strong
bre that could have the ability to permit lifts to rise to twice the current limits, allowing taller buildings.
● Thermoplasticcarbon- brecomposites– for seismic reinforcement. The carbon- bre inner material is covered with an
The future is now
Build 165 — April/May 2018 — 73
FEATURE SECTION