Research project CPC
Modular lightweight constructions made from prestressed carbon concrete panels
Project name Data-based extrapolation model for determining real operating load trains for (residual) service life analysis of railroad INFRA structural systems
Acronym CPC lightweight constructions
Project partner
Grantor Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action
Duration 3 years

Research field
M+M
(E+E > Energy + Environment
I+I > Information + Intelligence
M+M > Matter + Materials)
Project content
In terms of the challenges involved in ensuring growth and competitiveness and at the same time
climate protection, economic alternatives must be found, not least in the construction industry and in
particular in the field of solid construction, that meet today's requirements in terms of resource
efficiency, demountlability and consistently high quality in the area of production and assembly
technology. The combination of high-performance concretes with pre-stressed reinforcement based
on carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) represents an alternative here, which is being
manufactured by the company Vetra Betonfertigteilwerk GmbH as so-called CPC panels (CPC = “carbon
prestressed concrete”) and has already been used in initial projects. In addition to the optimized load-
bearing capacity, these CPC panels are a highly durable product against environmental influences.
The project idea is to shape these panels, which can be produced in “endless” format, using modern
technology and assembling them into ultra-lightweight components according to the structures known
from lightweight construction, which can be used, for example, as ceiling structures for building
construction. In addition to demountability, which forms the basis for the full reusability of the
components, the modularity and flexible usability of the components play a decisive role.
The overarching aim of the project “Modular lightweight structures made from prestressed carbon
concrete slabs” is to design a flexible and demountable solution for ceiling load-bearing systems made
of CPC slabs and is defined by the sub-project objectives listed below:
1. development of lightweight constructions made of CPC panel elements
2. development of a design model based on experimental and numerical investigations
3. sustainable development of manufacturing and assembly technologies
4. analysis of the project results and sustainability