C³ – Carbon Concrete C.

The C³ – Carbon Concrete Composite project is currently the largest research project in German construction. Since 2014, with the help of a consortium of more than 140 partners, the composite material carbon reinforced concrete has been researched and developed in 61 joint projects and over 300 individual projects, and since 2006 it has been increasingly been used in practice.

Since the introduction of steel reinforced concrete, construction has hardly changed. With over 100 million cubic metres installed per year, steel reinforced concrete is Germany’s most important construction material. Due to corrosion, the life of steel reinforced concrete constructions remains far behind expectations  –  many structures live hardly any longer than us humans.

After water, the most frequently used material worldwide – concrete – has always led to high consumption of raw materials. In addition, the CO₂ emissions in new build and repair are enormous. The production of cement alone is responsible for 6.5 % of the total carbon dioxide emissions. This corresponds to around three times the quantity of CO₂ emitted by the global aviation industry.

In order to also master the major challenges of our time – environmental production and adapting to the consequences of climate change – in construction, all preconditions for a market launch of carbon reinforced concrete and subsequent establishing of carbon reinforced concrete construction are to be created by 2021.

To do this, the strategy of increasing networking is being pursued within the C³ project. In addition to the numerous technology and market-oriented objectives, the focus is on the development and continuation of a cooperative and at the same time constructive network. The interdisciplinary partner structure is reflected in the thematically necessary focal areas.