14-month single-partner project (01.09.2023 - 31.10.2024)

France is the leading pleasure boat builder in Europe, and the second largest in the world. In 2020, there will be over 1 million boats registered in maritime waters in France.

Given that the average lifespan of pleasure boats is around 35 years, we need to consider their recyclability. The end-of-life of pleasure boats is a major environmental issue, requiring careful management to avoid any aesthetic, obstructive, ecological or water pollution problems. A number of initiatives have been launched in France to facilitate the dismantling and recycling of materials from pleasure boats. While wood and metals can be easily recycled, composite materials are difficult to recycle.

GC-COM - Feasibility study on the incorporation of composite materials from pleasure boats into a civil engineering application

This project then proposes to grind these composite materials to obtain fibers and powders that can be reincorporated into civil engineering applications such as slabs or shear walls. The following tests will be carried out in our laboratory to qualify and analyze the products manufactured and study their compatibility with current construction and safety standards.

We will be carrying out : 

• Optimization and characterization of Fiber and Powder Concrete (FPC)
• Optimization of FPB formulation to achieve the lowest environmental impact
• Characterization of FFP in fresh and hardened states
• Study of fiber orientation in FPB

If this feasibility study proves its worth, we expect to be able to pursue our research on a larger scale, offering a sustainable way of recycling composite waste while reducing the environmental footprint created by the construction industry in response to society's demands.

Funding

This 14-month project is funded by the Normandy Region to the tune of 143,000 euros (100% of the project budget).