An analytical model for sandwich panels made of textile-reinforced concrete

• TRC sandwich panels are an attractive option for use as modern building envelopes.
• Using TRC leads to reduced concrete usage and slender panels.
• Construction with TRC meets the demands of sustainable building concepts.
• Derivation of new calculative models for thin-walled TRC-sandwich panels.
• Suitable connectors are required to enhance the load-bearing capacity.

Textile-reinforced concrete (TRC) is a composite material that consists of high-strength, fine-grained concrete and non-corrosive textile reinforcements, which are mainly fabricated of AR-glass or carbon fibers in order to design filigree and lightweight concrete structures. In order to investigate the load-bearing behavior of sandwich panels with thin TRC-facings and resilient insulation cores applied for self-supporting façades, a series of tests have been performed at RWTH Aachen University. The present paper summarizes the results of the experimental investigations and presents an analytical model that enables a realistic calculation of the load-bearing-deflection behavior of the panels tested in Aachen.