CONCRETE CANVAS concrete mats

In the early 2000s, a new and innovative product was born from the initial idea of developing stable, quickly deployable shelters for humanitarian disaster relief: CONCRETE CANVAS.

CONCRETE CANVAS is a concrete mat that established a new class of products known as geosynthetic cementitious composite mats (GCCM). CONCRETE CANVAS is a flexible concrete composite material that hardens in combination with water to form a thin, durable, dense and fire-resistant concrete layer. Essentially, it is actually concrete that comes in rolls. With CONCRETE CANVAS, concrete structures can be erected quickly and easily without the need for the plants and mixing equipment normally required for producing concrete. The rolls are laid and, if necessary for the specific application, joined together. Then only watering is needed to start the activation process.

Home Products Geotechnical construction materials, geotextiles & geosynthetics Concrete mats CONCRETE CANVAS concrete mats CONCRETE CANVAS concrete mats

Your advantages

Up to 95 % material saved compared to conventional concrete construction

Durable and highly resistant

Easy installation and fast construction process

Versatile use in many applications

General

The flexible CONCRETE CANVAS composite mats comprise a multi-layer combination of geosynthetics with a specially developed dry concrete mix.

This innovative material has a water-permeable top layer made of woven polyester fabric with high tensile strength, and a geotextile base layer with an additional PVC coating. Between these two layers, a dry concrete mix is introduced into a three-dimensional fibre matrix using a special production process. Once the concrete has set, the fine fibres strengthen the concrete core, reduce crack propagation in the long term and increase the breaking strength of the concrete layer. The concrete composite thus combines the advantages of geosynthetics with the robust properties of concrete.

CONCRETE CANVAS is delivered to the construction site in rolls and can be flexibly handled and laid in its uncured state. After water has been applied, the composite mats are 80% cured within just 24 hours and immediately form a stable, impermeable and robust concrete layer. In addition to its excellent robustness, the resulting concrete surface is characterised by good resistance to abrasion, fire and root penetration.

CONCRETE CANVAS / CONCRETE CANVAS HYDRO

CONCRETE CANVAS is the ideal product in situations where good erosion resistance and protection for exposed surfaces are required. Depending on how the sheets are overlapped and joined, the concrete mat can be used to achieve a good sealing effect, on a par with that of a geosynthetic clay liner (bentonite mat).

CONCRETE CANVAS HYDRO is the perfect solution for applications where the sealing effect of the CONCRETE CANVAS mat would not be sufficient and the installation of a conventional sealing layer is not possible or would be uneconomic.

CONRETE CANVAS HYDRO was developed especially for applications where the finished product needs to have a higher degree of impermeability. In the case of this innovative product, the concrete mat is bonded across its entire surface to a PVC membrane to form a combination seal. This additional membrane gives CONCRETE CANVAS HYDRO its outstanding sealing effect against liquids.

CONCRETE CANVAS HYDRO also has excellent resistance to a wide range of chemical substances, including oils, fuels, fermentation residues and acidic seepage water. It is also suitable for use in hazardous material storage facilities and tank farms.

CONCRETE CANVAS HYDRO sealing membranes can be thermally welded together on site by professional installers. The liner has a wide and clearly marked welding strip that makes it possible to thermally weld the overlapped areas with a double-track or triple-track air channel and to test them on site.

CONCRETE CANVAS cross-section

Water permeable surface
Dry concrete mix
3D fibre matrix
Waterproof underside (PVC-coated)

CONCRETE CANVAS HYDRO cross-section

Water permeable surface
Dry concrete mix
3D fibre matrix
Waterproof underside (PVC-coated)
PVC membrane

Functions

Erosion control

CONCRETE CANVAS mats have a resistant, durable and weatherproof surface thanks to the combination of geotextiles and concrete. The material is highly resistant to abrasion, making the product ideal for lining watercourses and channels. CONCRETE CANVAS is increasingly used as an alternative to shotcrete for protecting slopes, embankments and cuttings from weathering, falling rocks and surface erosion. Because the material is supplied in small rolls and is easy to lay, it can be used as erosion protection even in areas that are difficult to access, and can be installed without the use of heavy equipment.

Sealing

Thanks to their PVC-coated underside, the standard types of CONCRETE CANVAS already have a good sealing effect, on a par with that of a geosynthetic clay liner (bentonite mat). These mats are particularly suitable for all applications in the area of flowing water, such as canals, watercourses and channels. If more stringent demands are placed on the sealing properties of the concrete mat, the combination product CONCRETE CANVAS HYDRO is used. This has an additional geomembrane as a sealing liner on the underside of the mat and is suitable for use in sealing systems in settling tanks, storage tanks and retention basins. Sealing systems created with CONCRETE CANVAS do not require a protective top layer. This eliminates the need for additional excavation and subsequent covering with expensive fill material.

Protection

Once the CONCRETE CANVAS has cured, it provides surface protection with excellent resistance to mechanical loads. The material is particularly abrasion-resistant, has outstanding chemical resistance, good weather resistance and long-term UV stability. CONCRETE CANVAS can be used to protect petrochemical tank farms, ammunition depots, pipelines and flood protection systems. In sealing systems, the concrete mats also provide excellent protection against damage caused by rodents and burrowing animals.

Weed and vegetation suppression

CONCRETE CANVAS mats are suitable for effective weed control and the active suppression of vegetation. The mats are tested for root penetration resistance according to DD CEN/TS 14416:2005 and offer a fast, effective and durable solution for areas that need to meet challenging operational, health and safety requirements. The resistant concrete surface of the CONCRETE CANVAS is an effective vegetation barrier. The maintenance and care of surfaces that are difficult to access, such as areas next to railways and areas under solar panels, pipes or components, can be significantly reduced. The versatile mats have also proven successful as a vegetation barrier in sensitive infrastructure such as fence systems and perimeter protection.

Applications

Infrastructure projects

Concrete mats have a wide range of applications in road and traffic route construction. In groundwater protection, surface channels in and around traffic areas prevent harmful effects caused by the ingress of substances that are hazardous to water. Retention basins are constructed for the purpose of delaying the discharge of surface water and protecting the groundwater. Here, CONCRETE CANVAS mats are a good alternative to a mineral liner.

Channels next to traffic areas

Road base or track bed
CONCRETE CANVAS mat
Subsoil

Regenrückhaltebecken: 1. Einbindegraben | 2. Ggf. Schutzvliesstoff | 3. ggf. Ausgleichsschicht | 4. CONCRETE CANVAS Betonmatte

Rainwater retention basin

Embedding trench
Protective non-woven fabric, if required
Regulating course, if required
CONCRETE CANVAS mat

Embankment erosion control

CONCRETE CANVAS mat
Regulating course, if required
Subsoil

Dyke and dam construction

A classic area of application for concrete mats is in dyke and dam construction, where they are used to protect surfaces against erosion. Here, CONCRETE CANVAS mats are used to prevent the dyke material from being washed away, thus ensuring the durability and erosion resistance of the structure.

Dyke sealing

Crown
Assumed flood level
CONCRETE CANVAS mat

Landfill sites

In order to avoid environmental risks, landfills and disposal facilities must be constructed in such a way that they are durable and safe. The sealing systems of landfills and contaminated former industrial sites are subject to the strictest technical and regulatory standards.

Controlled drainage of the surface water is an important component of a properly functioning sealing system.

CONCRETE CANVAS mats are used here as a durable and erosion-proof lining for channels and for sealing retention and settling basins.

Channel at the foot of a slope with surface sealing

CONCRETE CANVAS mat
Surface sealing system
Waste

Sedimentation tank

CONCRETE CANVAS mat
Regulating course, if required
Embedding trench

Renovation of infrastructure

This field of application is concerned with the preservation of existing engineering structures.

With CONCRETE CANVAS mats, damaged or old surfaces can be renovated quickly and easily. This technique is suitable for both concrete surfaces and metallic surfaces. Typical renovation applications include the strengthening of precast concrete elements, concrete basins, old corrugated-sheet culverts and damaged gabions. Using CONCRETE CANVAS mats can significantly improve and extend the service life of existing infrastructure.

Renovation of culverts

CONCRETE CANVAS mat
Regulating course
Surface in need of renovation

Data

Properties	CC5	CC8	CC13	CCH5	CCH8
Product type	Concrete mat			Concrete mat with additional sealing
Thickness(mm)	5	8	13	5	8
Fields of application
Channels and watercourses	○	●	●	○	○
Dike and dam constructions		●	●	●	●
Retention basins*		○	○	○	○
Embankment erosion control	●	●	○
Vegetation prevention	●	○	○	○	○
Renovation of infrastructure	○	●	●	○	○
Petrochemical industry	○	●	●	●	●
Landfill sites	○	●	●	●	●

● suitable | ○ partly suitable (project-related assessment necessary)

*Depending on product-specific water permeability, overflow height, physical soil and climatic conditions, a controlled water supply may be necessary.

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Potential savings

Conventional mineral or geosynthetic sealing systems usually require protective and ballast layers. With CONCRETE CANVAS, these can simply be omitted. This allows significant savings in the earthworks to be made in terms of time, resources and costs. Concrete mats are therefore also an environmentally friendly solution, with no large volumes of material to be moved and no high costs for transporting sealing materials and fill materials.

CONCRETE CANVAS is industrially manufactured and subject to continuous quality monitoring. This guarantees a homogeneous concrete layer throughout the entire construction process with uniform technical properties and performance characteristics.

Up to 200 m² of CONCRETE CANVAS can be laid per hour.

Installation

CONCRETE CANVAS mats are quick and easy to install.

CONCRETE CANVAS is supplied in rolls and laid with an overlap. An overlap of just 10 cm is sufficient. The overlap can be dealt with in various ways, depending on local conditions and the desired sealing effect.

Überlappungsart	Mechanische Fixierung	Dichtwirkung	Aufwand der Herstellung
Verschrauben	hoch	mäßig	gering
Verkleben	gering	hoch	gering
Verschrauben und verkleben	sehr hoch	hoch	mäßig
Mörtel	mäßig	mäßig	hoch
Thermisches Verschweißen	sehr hoch	sehr hoch	sehr hoch

Please note

Lifting equipment that has a cross beam and is suitable for lifting loads of at least 1,600 kg is required on site for unloading and laying the liners. The rolls, which are packaged in the factory, must be stored in dry and weatherproof conditions.
The installation may be carried out only by trained personnel.
The subgrade must be flat, even and free of foreign bodies, surface water, rubble, roots, cavities and pointed or sharp edged stones. A regulating course of sand or a protective non-woven fabric can be installed if necessary.
The mats must be in direct contact with the subgrade to prevent ground bridges and soil migration beneath the layer.
The mats must always be laid without creasing and in the direction of incline.
To avoid undermining and wind loads, the concrete mat must be anchored at the edges and at the top of the slope.

Extra care must be taken in the area of pipe penetrations and connections.
Vehicles must not drive directly on the mats.
All overlaps must be fixed together using the recommended joining technique and, if necessary, be fastened to the substrate.
After fixing, the concrete mat must be adequately watered. Mats that have been hydrated can still be moved for another one to two hours.
The mats are 80 % cured within 24 hours and are then already functional.

Advantages