Kamis 26 Sep 2013 09:47 WIB

Australian engineer: Indonesia can benefit from new generation of materials

Infrastructure development in Jakarta (illustration)
Foto: Antara/Fanny Octavianus
Infrastructure development in Jakarta (illustration)

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - Professor Stephen Foster outlined the practical uses of the new generation of materials in structures, Steel Fiber Reinforced Concrete (SFRC) and Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC), in a seminar on Wednesday, September 25.

SFRC is shotcrete (spray concrete) with steel fibers added. In Australia, work is underway on standards development of SFRC for structural applications. Meanwhile, UHPC can provide environmentally sustainable alternatives to the use of conventional concrete in construction with strengths exceeding 150 MPa (Megapascal) and fracture energies of more than 2,000 times that of conventional concrete.

“UHPC has been used in concrete bridges recently constructed in Malaysia and I believe this can and should be used in Indonesia too”, said Foster, according to publication from Australian Embassy in Jakarta. 

Foster is the Head of School, Civil and Environmental Engineering at The University of New South Wales. He has considerable experience with SFRC and UHPC research.

Foster said that Indonesia’s infrastructure could benefit from new research into next-generation construction materials. He continued, Jakarta’s bridges, flyovers, and high-rise buildings could be built using new concrete materials that are both stronger and more environmentally friendly. 

“Indonesia’s infrastructure demands are rising as the economy continues to grow,” said Australia’s Ambassador to Indonesia, Greg Moriarty. “We hope Australian engineering expertise and research can be used practically to benefit infrastructure planning and development.”

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