Fiber-Reinforced Concrete for an Innovative Energy Storage Plant: From the Experimental Investigation to the Structural Design

The construction industry is a key sector worldwide thanks to its huge social and economic impact. Considering that concrete is the most used construction material all over the world, its role is of paramount importance, with the demand of more efficient concrete structures obviously promoting an increase in terms of sustainability in order to accompany the social and economic transition. This makes (High-Performance) Fiber-Reinforced Concrete – (HP)FRC a promising solution, allowing for more efficient harvesting and storage processes with the possible implementation of digital fabrication, and for structures with improved durability and increased service life. FRC systems represent a promising solution not also towards ordinary reinforced concrete systems, but also with respect to steel structures thanks to the lower maintenance demand for both durability and fire performance. In the present paper, the adoption of HPFRC for an innovative Gravity Energy Storage System is briefly described, starting from the material mechanical characterization, following with full-scale tests and structural design. The results highlight the efficiency of the structural system adopted, enabling significant reductions in traditional reinforcement, and the reliability of Model Code 2010 as a basis for design.