Super-light Structures with Pearl-chain Reinforcement

Steel structures are considered to be light compared to concrete structures. This paper presents a newly invented type of structure which is often light compared to steel structures, and therefore it is called "Super-light Structures", or SLS. The basic idea of SLS is to build a skeleton of a strong material, such as an ordinary concrete or a high-strength concrete, which interacts with a stabilizing layer of a light concrete, such as a light-aggregate concrete or a foam concrete. Pearl-chain reinforcement is a curved compression zone like a spine of a skeleton, designed as a chain of prefabricated segments of a strong material, assembled by one or more prestressing wires. By means of pearl-chain reinforcement, it becomes affordable to provide structures with a wide variety of shapes. This allows a more resource-economical design, because it removes practical hindrances for application of compression zones with optimal curved shapes. Some benefits of SLS with pearl-chains are: considerable savings on materials, energy, and CO2, reduction of costs, no scaffolding, cheaper moulds, faster assembly on site, improved durability, good thermal insulation, good indoor-climate, user friendly operation and maintenance, and increased safety for fire, earthquake, and explosions. This moves the limits for resource economic buildings, and enables great architectural freedom. This paper presents the new patented technology and possible applications of it.