Synergies between technology and design

Ductility, fluidity, resistance, durability: Ductal®'s properties fulfill aesthetic requirements and improve performance. Ductal® enables designers to develop and realize new sculptural approaches to concrete forms.

One of the main properties of Ductal® is not expected of concrete: it is ductility; meaning that a Ductal® element can support major deformations without cracking. Ductal® achieves this major feat by progressively absorbing the energy applied and efficiently dispersing it throughout the matrix. It is therefore a material that is highly suitable for construction.

This amazing ability stems from technological innovation of highly efficient balance of compressive and tensile resistance. The result is the optimal combination of metal or organic fibers with the cementitious matrix, giving rise to a family of concrete products whose behavior is similar to elasto-plastic materials. In essence, Ductal® is concrete technology that possess both an incredibly high compressive and tensile resistance properties.

In addition, this revolutionary technology is easy to use by people that graduate from Lafarge's specialized Ductal® training courses. Its fluidity ensures it fits into the smallest spaces of support frames. Its surface appearance can also be altered to produce a wide variety of colors and finishes - from mineral concrete to stone, leather, crocodile, lace, or even Lego®.

Architectural creativity is no longer bound by heavy mass and weight restrictions: the properties of Ductal® allow much thiner, lighter, optimized structures and Form Factors.

Ductal® therefore enables designers to express their creativity more completely: slender elements, finesse, elegance and textures, are new avenues to explore once again.

This is Ductal®'s purpose: Use technology to serve creativity.