INSULATING SANDWICH FAÇADE SYSTEM WITH TEXTILE REINFORCED CEMENT (TRC) COMPOSITES: STRUCTURAL CASE DESIGN AND LARGE-SCALE TESTING

Insulating sandwich panels with textile reinforced cement (TRC) composite faces can be lightweight and prefabricated with the dimensions of one full storey. Hence, they can facilitate the construction or (thermal) renovation process. This paper investigates their structural feasibility by means of large-scale mechanical testing and case study design. The mechanical response of the panels was simulated by a finite element model in Abaqus under different loads as prescribed by European standards. Bending tests on 2.2 m span sandwich plates validated the model predictions and confirmed the structural feasibility of TRC sandwich panels as large-span, self-bearing façade cladding.Paper 10