PIONEER IN SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGY

SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS – Polypropylene Fiber

Inspiration and sustainability are the core of Inspiral Architects. Driven to preserve the environment, we are utilizing long-lasting and sustainable building materials. Thereby, our architects and engineers have been using Polypropylene Fiber (PPF) for the past nine years.
A lightweight material that contains the utmost toughness and high permeability resistance. We are using fiber reinforced concrete, a cementitious composite material with dispersed reinforcement in the form of fibers.

The beneficial properties from PPF fabricates concrete to be abrasion resistant and durable. This makes PPF the most recommended material for those who want to implement sustainable architecture. We predominantly build with low carbon footprint materials such composite panels, bamboo, recycled timbers and rammed earth amongst others. Where it is essential to use concrete (itself not a sustainable material) we add a precisely-calculated mixture of PPF  to enhance concrete flexural and tensile strength.

LONGEVITY & LOWER CARBON FOOTPRINT

The synthetic fibers, such as from Forta Ferro and Contec have zero corrosive impact and will outlast the lifetime of steel which is prone to rust. We seldomly used good waterproofing because the fibers are highly-resistance to degradation. The fibers create three-dimensional reinforcement that is load resistance, impact resistance with exceptionally high flexural strength. These benefits avoid common problems when heavy loads are continuously involved.

PPF  can infiltrate all parts of the concrete which bind the mass of the concrete together. Creating quality concrete that diminishes plastic shrinkage cracking. The combination of additives and fibers ensures that water is well distributed throughout and stored. Thereby reducing bleed water and aggregate segregation. Producing the correct design mix will lead to accurate execution.

The concrete comes with the fibers already mixed in during the pour. Up to 20% less by using Forta Ferro fibers than the price of steel per m2 of steel-reinforced concrete. Preparing steel reinforcement is much less needed when large projects completion are done months earlier. The significant reduction of steel within a project, plus the reduction of cement, while still achieving the required MPA strength. In return, it contributes a huge improvement to the project sustainability and is more cost-efficient. Mixing PPF in the concrete assists our architects and engineers to achieve seamless distribution throughout the formwork. This results in complete reduction for vibration, effectively removing air bubbles and reducing honeycombing.

PROCESS & FORMATION

A specially formulated mix of the standard concrete ingredients of cement, sand and aggregate, carefully balanced input of key performance additives, fly ash and fibers. FORTA reinforced fibers has been one of Inspiral Architects main suppliers for fibers. Abiding by the American Society For Testing and Materials (ASTM), ASTM A820 is the standard for concrete mixture. PPF inside the mixture will approximately be 5%. With the strengths provided by PPF, the usages and applications of these building materials vary.

These unique fibers are one of the main components to provide full reinforcement. Easy to finish, colour blended fibers made of 100% virgin copolymer/polypropylene. Consisting of a twisted bundle of non-fibrillating monofilament and a fibrillating network fibre, yielding a high-performance concrete reinforcement system. The world-renowned underwriters’ laboratories have approved the fibers in place of steel.

The patented twisted-bundle technology allows the fiber to distribute quickly and uniformly without clumping or balling. The heavy-duty fibrils offer a non-fuzzy surface finish. This extra heavy-duty fiber offers maximum long-term durability, structural enhancements, and effective secondary/temperature crack control by incorporating a truly unique synergistic fiber system of long length design.

APPLICATION IN BUILDINGS – Sustainable Construction

PPF fiber is highly impermeable to water. Our suppliers make the perfect mixture for constructing groundwater, septic tanks and swimming pools. The material absorbs less than 0.01% of its weight in water during a 24-hour soak test. Mostly in unconventional construction, this material becomes steel replacement for up to 60%. Taking an important role in changes and performance of precast concrete such as in situ septic tanks. Common problems in earth-tremors areas such as water leakage and cracking will be prevented. Lower specification and amount of steel reinforcement is required thereby saving time and cost.

When it comes to slab construction, three-dimensional fibers are an alternative to wire mesh reinforcement in elevated slab concrete applications. Wire mesh placements and grip require additional provisions during concrete placement. This  justifies its easy and efficient usage. The three-dimensional reinforcement that enhances resistance to cracking, impact resistance and greater surface abrasion is inducing greater durability for roads and highways. Compared to conventional road construction, this material can have longer distances between joints.

Our team has been using non-corrosive fibers in a wide variety of air-placed concrete projects as a valuable performance-rated reinforcement that is extremely easy to add, mix, and shoot. In both above-ground artificial rock and waterscapes, underground tunnel linings and mining. FORTA-FERRO has also been used successfully in thousands of cubic meters of wet-mix shotcrete that was produced from pre-blended dry-bagged materials, primarily in underground tunnel projects.

ARCHITECTURAL PIONEERS – PPF Technology

We are proud to be architectural pioneers of this technology, being the first company in Indonesia to apply this. We have already completed more than 10 projects using this system and will continue to do so as it provides major benefits to construction. With the development of 3d printing construction, we are in no doubt that this can be applied here. Some of our projects include Royal Kamuela, Sundari Spa and Ulaman 2.

As Frank Lloyd Wright once said, ‘Form and function thus become one in design and execution if the nature of materials and method and purpose are all in unison.’ An upgrade or rectification in materials can have an influential impact on the overall building construction. An impact that initially seems trivial but brings massive betterment in terms of durability and sustainability in architecture.