New Concrete Developed in Ky. Could Save Lives

Researchers at the University of Kentucky and a Georgetown company have developed a quick-setting concrete that could help engineers and first responders stabilize structures in emergency situations. The product is called Tekcrete Fast.

“This is a material that’s sprayed on. It’s a dry mix, single bag. And it basically develops structural strength in a matter of minutes. In 15 minutes it will develop the same strength that Portland cement would take two weeks to develop,” says Tom Robl , associate director at UK’s Center for Applied Energy Research.

UK holds a joint patent on Tekcrete with Minova North America. 

Tekcrete is meant as a quick response to infrastructure damaged by a natural disaster or act of terrorism. It could also work for coal mining accidents.

“It’s currently undergoing evaluations in a number of locations in underground mining applications, and we just got word last week that a civil engineering firm would like to begin trialing this material,” says Minova VP Waverly McFarland.

The research took around three years through a project for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.