Eternit
Encyclopedia
Eternit is the registered trademark for fibre cement
. This has caused fibre cement to be known under the "Eternit" brand. Though, this is not to be confused, "Eternit" is only a trademark
for fibre cement.
Fibre cement is often applied in building and construction materials, mainly in roofing and facade
products because of its strength
and durability.
In fibre cement there is a fibre reinforcement
, which contributes to making the fibre-cement material even stronger and to better withstand tension
. Together with a carefully planned production process, fibre cement makes it possible to develop strong and long-lasting construction materials.
Today fibre cement
is considered as a material physically suited for construction products such as cladding and roofing. It is primarily due to its function, performance
and commercial value.
and 10% asbestos
fibres with water and ran it through a cardboard
machine. Originally, the fibres were of asbestos and the material was commonly used as siding
in house buildings due to its low cost, fire-resistance, water tightness, light weight, and other useful properties. After the discovery in the seventies that asbestos is harmful to health
and produces lung cancer
s years after professional or occasional exposition (asbestosis
), asbestos use was progressively prohibited and safer fibre alternatives, based on e.g. cellulose fiber
s were developed in the eighties and applied to secure the widely known strength of fibre cement.
Fibre cement were probably amongst the latest materials on the market to have contained large quantities of asbestos. The reason is that the asbestos fibres are intimately bound to the cement matrix and were first considered to be well immobilized in the cement and less prone to be released in the environment, suspended
in the air, and inhaled
in the lung
than in other materials or applications such as thermal insulation
or flocking in which bare asbestos fibres were used. However, asbestos fibres are inevitably released during machining
operations of the objects made of fibre-cement and by long-term erosion of the materials exposed to atmospheric weathering
and wind
when cement degrades
. Occupational health concerns and the protection of workers in the fibre-cement factories
have finally led to the progressive elimination of asbestos from these products.
s. The main application areas are roofing and cladding
. The list below gives some common applications.
Internal cladding:
External cladding:
Roofing:
Fibre-cement products have found a wide usage in various sectors of construction: industrial, agricultural, domestic and residential buildings, mainly in roofing and cladding applications, for new constructions and refurbishment
projects.
Fibre cement
Fibre cement is often applied in building and construction materials, mainly in roofing and facade products because of its strength and durability.-Material description:...
. This has caused fibre cement to be known under the "Eternit" brand. Though, this is not to be confused, "Eternit" is only a trademark
Trademark
A trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
for fibre cement.
Fibre cement is often applied in building and construction materials, mainly in roofing and facade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
products because of its strength
Strength
- Physical ability :*Physical strength, as in people or animals*Superhuman strength, as in fictional characters*A common character attribute in role-playing gamesConflict between persons or groups:*Virtue and moral uprightness...
and durability.
Material description
The term "cement" originates from the Latin word "Caementum", which signifies chopped stone. Cement describes a binding substance, which will react chemically with water and develop into a material hard as stone.In fibre cement there is a fibre reinforcement
Reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete is concrete in which reinforcement bars , reinforcement grids, plates or fibers have been incorporated to strengthen the concrete in tension. It was invented by French gardener Joseph Monier in 1849 and patented in 1867. The term Ferro Concrete refers only to concrete that is...
, which contributes to making the fibre-cement material even stronger and to better withstand tension
Tensile strength
Ultimate tensile strength , often shortened to tensile strength or ultimate strength, is the maximum stress that a material can withstand while being stretched or pulled before necking, which is when the specimen's cross-section starts to significantly contract...
. Together with a carefully planned production process, fibre cement makes it possible to develop strong and long-lasting construction materials.
Today fibre cement
Fibre cement
Fibre cement is often applied in building and construction materials, mainly in roofing and facade products because of its strength and durability.-Material description:...
is considered as a material physically suited for construction products such as cladding and roofing. It is primarily due to its function, performance
Performance
A performance, in performing arts, generally comprises an event in which a performer or group of performers behave in a particular way for another group of people, the audience. Choral music and ballet are examples. Usually the performers participate in rehearsals beforehand. Afterwards audience...
and commercial value.
Material history
Fibre-reinforced cement-products were invented in the late 19th century by the Austrian Ludwig Hatschek. Principally he mixed 90% cementCement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
and 10% asbestos
Asbestos
Asbestos is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals used commercially for their desirable physical properties. They all have in common their eponymous, asbestiform habit: long, thin fibrous crystals...
fibres with water and ran it through a cardboard
Cardboard
Corrugated fiberboard is a paper-based material consisting of a fluted corrugated sheet and one or two flat linerboards. It is widely used in the manufacture of corrugated boxes and shipping containers....
machine. Originally, the fibres were of asbestos and the material was commonly used as siding
Siding
Siding is the outer covering or cladding of a house meant to shed water and protect from the effects of weather. On a building that uses siding, it may act as a key element in the aesthetic beauty of the structure and directly influence its property value....
in house buildings due to its low cost, fire-resistance, water tightness, light weight, and other useful properties. After the discovery in the seventies that asbestos is harmful to health
Health
Health is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain...
and produces lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
s years after professional or occasional exposition (asbestosis
Asbestosis
Asbestosis is a chronic inflammatory and fibrotic medical condition affecting the parenchymal tissue of the lungs caused by the inhalation and retention of asbestos fibers...
), asbestos use was progressively prohibited and safer fibre alternatives, based on e.g. cellulose fiber
Cellulose fiber
Cellulose fibers are fibres of cellulose from any source, either natural or manufactured.-Textile:In the textile industry regenerated cellulose is used as fibers such as rayon, . Cellulose fibers are manufactured from dissolving pulp...
s were developed in the eighties and applied to secure the widely known strength of fibre cement.
Fibre cement were probably amongst the latest materials on the market to have contained large quantities of asbestos. The reason is that the asbestos fibres are intimately bound to the cement matrix and were first considered to be well immobilized in the cement and less prone to be released in the environment, suspended
Aerosol
Technically, an aerosol is a suspension of fine solid particles or liquid droplets in a gas. Examples are clouds, and air pollution such as smog and smoke. In general conversation, aerosol usually refers to an aerosol spray can or the output of such a can...
in the air, and inhaled
Inhalation
Inhalation is the movement of air from the external environment, through the air ways, and into the alveoli....
in the lung
Lung
The lung is the essential respiration organ in many air-breathing animals, including most tetrapods, a few fish and a few snails. In mammals and the more complex life forms, the two lungs are located near the backbone on either side of the heart...
than in other materials or applications such as thermal insulation
Thermal insulation
Thermal insulation is the reduction of the effects of the various processes of heat transfer between objects in thermal contact or in range of radiative influence. Heat transfer is the transfer of thermal energy between objects of differing temperature...
or flocking in which bare asbestos fibres were used. However, asbestos fibres are inevitably released during machining
Machining
Conventional machining is a form of subtractive manufacturing, in which a collection of material-working processes utilizing power-driven machine tools, such as saws, lathes, milling machines, and drill presses, are used with a sharp cutting tool to physical remove material to achieve a desired...
operations of the objects made of fibre-cement and by long-term erosion of the materials exposed to atmospheric weathering
Weathering
Weathering is the breaking down of rocks, soils and minerals as well as artificial materials through contact with the Earth's atmosphere, biota and waters...
and wind
Wind
Wind is the flow of gases on a large scale. On Earth, wind consists of the bulk movement of air. In outer space, solar wind is the movement of gases or charged particles from the sun through space, while planetary wind is the outgassing of light chemical elements from a planet's atmosphere into space...
when cement degrades
Concrete degradation
Concrete degradation may have various causes. Concrete can be damaged by fire, aggregate expansion, sea water effects, bacterial corrosion, calcium leaching, physical damage and chemical damage...
. Occupational health concerns and the protection of workers in the fibre-cement factories
Factory
A factory or manufacturing plant is an industrial building where laborers manufacture goods or supervise machines processing one product into another. Most modern factories have large warehouses or warehouse-like facilities that contain heavy equipment used for assembly line production...
have finally led to the progressive elimination of asbestos from these products.
Material usage
Fibre cement is a main component of long-lasting building materialBuilding material
Building material is any material which is used for a construction purpose. Many naturally occurring substances, such as clay, sand, wood and rocks, even twigs and leaves have been used to construct buildings. Apart from naturally occurring materials, many man-made products are in use, some more...
s. The main application areas are roofing and cladding
Cladding (construction)
Cladding is the application of one material over another to provide a skin or layer intended to control the infiltration of weather elements, or for aesthetic purposes....
. The list below gives some common applications.
Internal cladding:
- Wet room applications – tileTileA tile is a manufactured piece of hard-wearing material such as ceramic, stone, metal, or even glass. Tiles are generally used for covering roofs, floors, walls, showers, or other objects such as tabletops...
backer boards - Fire protectionFire protectionFire protection is the study and practice of mitigating the unwanted effects of fires. It involves the study of the behaviour, compartmentalisation, suppression and investigation of fire and its related emergencies, as well as the research and development, production, testing and application of...
- Partition walls
- Window sills
- CeilingCeilingA ceiling is an overhead interior surface that covers the upper limit of a room. It is generally not a structural element, but a finished surface concealing the underside of the floor or roof structure above....
s and floorFloorA floor is the walking surface of a room or vehicle. Floors vary from simple dirt in a cave to many-layered surfaces using modern technology...
s
External cladding:
- Flat sheets as base and/or architectural facing
- Flat sheets for e.g. wind shields, wall copings, and soffits
- CorrugatedCorrugatedThe term corrugated, describing a series of parallel ridges and furrows, may refer to the following:*Corrugated fiberboard also called corrugated cardboard*Corrugated galvanised iron*Corrugated plastic*Corrugated Frog...
sheets - Slates as architectural full and partial facing
- Underroof
- PlankPlankPlank may refer to:*Plank *Plank , an isometric exercise for the abdominal muscles*The Plank , a British comedy film with no dialogue*The Plank , a remake of the 1967 film...
s
Roofing:
- SlateSlateSlate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
s - Corrugated sheets
Fibre-cement products have found a wide usage in various sectors of construction: industrial, agricultural, domestic and residential buildings, mainly in roofing and cladding applications, for new constructions and refurbishment
Refurbishment
Refurbishment may refer to:*Refurbishment *Antiques restoration*Automotive restoration...
projects.