IQE participates in a project for the development of new sprayed materials for the repair and rehabilitation of transport infrastructures
The current economic situation means that we have to reconsider usual scenarios of investments in new infrastructures, consolidating new options of repair and rehabilitation of existing assets. This option not only allows better use to be made of the public resources invested but also makes a sound contribution to the sustainability of our society, reducing consumption of raw materials and the emission of pollutants. In this context, the repair and rehabilitation of transport infrastructures, such as tunnels, bridges and embankments is of vital importance. not only because of the needs that we will be facing in a few years time when many of the infrastructures built during the years of the economic and building boom reach the end of their working life, but also because there is a social demand for the infrastructures that are built to be used appropriately. Society in general demands an end to the squandering of public expenditure. Given the hefty investment in resources that the construction of these assets entails, it is essential to invest in repair and rehabilitation in order to once again increase functionality and safety to acceptable levels. One of the alternatives that is used to structurally reinforce existing elements is the spraying of cement-based materials. In spite of the high potential of spraying techniques for rehabilitation, their widespread and efficient use is limited by obstacles that need to be overcome. At present we do not have sufficient know-how regarding material and technical means and the structural calculations required to carry out spraying reinforcement in one single layer that safety covers all the requirements established. INDUSTRIAS QUÍMICAS DEL EBRO S.A., within the MAPMIT project aims to respond to the aforementioned challenges, providing a scientific and technological leap forward that will allow the development of a new range of MULTIPURPOSE SPRAYED MATERIALS FOR REINFORCING AND MONITORING TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURES. Thus, together with new techniques for characterization and early-age monitoring, as well as the development of structural calculation considerations and methods, new solutions will be able to be developed for the reinforcement, repair and rehabilitation of existing transport infrastructures, increasing the overall sustainability of infrastructures. This project is funded by RETOS-COLABORACIÓN under the Spanish State programme of R+D+i addressing Challenges in Society, of the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and the European Regional Development Fund (Exp. RTC-2015-3185-4) in consortium with COMSA , S.A.U., the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) and the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC).
IQE’s commitment to the environment has led it to carry out research into the use of more eco-friendly raw materials
Industrias Químicas del Ebro S.A. is taking part in a research project for the recovery and use of agro-industrial waste, in this particular case, the ashes of rice husks. Rice husk is a waste product that is used as a fuel in the rice drying process, producing ashes of a siliceous nature that are difficult to manage and which can cause contamination due to washout into seas and rivers. The reuse of these ashes with a high siliceous content will consist of incorporating them into industrial processes such as those used to obtain inorganic additives such as zeolites and/or layered silicates which will be used to encapsulate active agents with great antioxidant and antimicrobial activity for fresh fish. This initiative seeks to improve the quality and preservation of fresh fish, a highly perishable food which is increasingly sold in packed formats. By increasing the quality of this product via its packaging there will be fewer losses due to expiration and less food poisoning incidents caused by consuming unsafe products. The aim of RIZEOPACK is to develop active packaging that is capable of improving the preservation conditions of packed fresh fish, reducing the growth of microorganisms and oxidative processes. This project is funded by RETOS-COLABORACIÓN under the Spanish State programme of R+D+i addressing Challenges in Society, of the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Exp. RTC-2014-3017-2) in consortium with the Technological Institute of Packaging, Transport and Logistics (ITENE), Maicerías Españolas S.A. and Blister&Pack S.L.