Concrete Canvas in the Wasatch Front

Concrete Canvas is a lightweight alternative to traditional poured concrete. Essentially concrete on a roll, it sets upon hydration to form a permanent, long-lasting waterproof solution.

Traffic from the proposed development will funnel directly onto Wasatch Boulevard, which is already overtaxed with cars during the winter and a popular outdoor recreational route for bikers, runners and walkers.

Preparatory Work

Concrete Canvas (CC) is a revolutionary new class of construction materials. It is a flexible, concrete filled geotextile that hardens on hydration to form a thin and durable water proof concrete layer. CC allows concrete construction without the need for plant and mixing equipment – it’s Concrete on a Roll!

CC is manufactured with high quality precast concrete and is available in a range of standard widths. It can be colored with a variety of coatings, such as masonry paint or oil-based chemical stains, to achieve any required aesthetics.

The material can be delivered in either a hard skinned shelter or a Nissen Hut shaped structure. Both are easy to deploy and can be installed by two people. The structures are supplied in a polyethylene bag and ISPM15 heat treated timber/ply panel crates for protection during transit. The CC is bonded to an inflatable inner and when fully inflated forms a hard shell, providing a level of security not possible with soft skinned tents and protecting stores, equipment and personnel.

CC is also a fire retardant and can be used in fire sensitive environments such as airports or oil refineries. It is a low mass and low carbon technology that uses 95% less material than conventional concrete for many applications. It offers exceptional abrasion resistance, freeze thaw durability and is highly resistant to aggressive chemicals including sulfates, chlorides, tanning oils, vegetable salts and most acid solutions. Ray Jameson

Site Preparation

Site preparation is a fundamental part of any construction project and must be carried out by professionals. Failure to complete this task can cause many delays and could also hinder the ability to obtain necessary building permits.

During this stage, a Geotechnical Site Investigation is performed to characterized the rock, soil and groundwater condition of the proposed site. This will provide valuable information and help to ensure that your structure is designed and built to withstand the intended loads. Many construction issues are caused by unexpected ground conditions that could have been discovered with a field investigation.

Once the site has been cleared, a comprehensive site plan will be created. This will show all of the access roads that will be used by both construction workers and vehicles. Having a detailed site plan will help reduce the time it takes to secure any necessary building permits and will also minimize the impact on the local community and environment.

Concrete Canvas CC is a flexible, concrete filled geosynthetic that hardens upon hydration to form a thin, durable, water proof concrete layer. It is essentially ‘Concrete on a Roll’ and can be installed up to 10 times faster than conventional concrete solutions, with much less logistical complexity. It is delivered in air tight, rot proof, ISPM15 heat treated wood/ply panel crates and is unrolled and inflated on site.

Installation

The Wasatch Front Regional Council is asking the public to provide their input on two draft development scenarios for a portion of 300 West between 1700 South and 2100 South in Salt Lake City. The region’s planning agency says this area is important to the broader Ballpark neighborhood and needs improvements to foster business growth.

The agency hopes to have a final decision on the plans by the end of the year. During this process, the public can review and comment on two draft scenarios and provide their suggestions by using the Wasatch Choices website.

CC is a concrete-filled geomembrane that has been engineered to deliver a high level of impermeability and can be inflated in the field, then hydrated, set and used. CC is more cost-effective than concrete and provides a quicker installation with less logistical complexity.

The CC system is being used in the Salt Lake County Wasatch Choices 2040 project to address congestion, safety and access for a wide range of activities and needs. This is one of the first projects in the country to integrate local land use and transportation planning, and to evaluate growth scenarios across interjurisdictional boundaries. It is a national model for the future of long-range transportation planning. Envision Utah and the Mountainland Association of Governments are working in partnership to help residents, local governments and UDOT address these issues.