Researchers from the University of British Columbia have developed seismic-resistant, fibre-reinforced concrete.

The material, called eco-friendly ductile cementitious composite (EDCC), is engineered at the molecular scale to be strong, malleable, and ductile, similar to steel.

Researchers say just a thin coating of EDCC is capable of dramatically enhancing the earthquake resistance of a seismically vulnerable structure.

They put the material through its paces in earthquake simulation tests, using intensities as high as the magnitude 9.0–9.1 earthquake that struck Tohoku, Japan in 2011.

“We sprayed a number of walls with a 10mm-thick layer of EDCC, which is sufficient to reinforce most interior walls against seismic shocks,” Salman Soleimani-Dashtaki, a PhD candidate in the department of civil engineering at UBC says.

“Then we subjected them to Tohoku-level quakes and other types and intensities of earthquakes—and we couldn’t break them.”

Other EDCC applications include resilient pipelines, pavements, offshore platforms, blast-resistant structures, and industrial floors.

EDCC will see its first real-life application in the next few months as part of the seismic retrofit of a Vancouver elementary school.

“This UBC-developed technology has far-reaching impact and could save the lives of citizens throughout the world,” said Advanced Education, Skills and Training Minister Melanie Mark.

EDCC combines cement with polymer-based fibres, flyash and other industrial additives, making it highly sustainable, according to UBC civil engineering professor Nemy Banthia, who supervised the work.

“By replacing nearly 70% of cement with flyash, an industrial byproduct, we can reduce the amount of cement used,” Banthia says.

“This is quite an urgent requirement as one tonne of cement production releases almost a tonne of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and the cement industry produces close to 7% of global greenhouse gas emissions.”

Watch the video of the material in action: