An incredibly innovative development can speed time of medical, living and working quarters erection in forward operating bases and other deployed areas. Concrete Canvas has created Concrete Cloth, a pliable material that is impregnated with concrete filling which, once sprayed with water, will harden overnight into an impregnable, weather-and fireproof shelter. These rapidly-deployable shelters are shipped in polyethylene, airtight, water and rot-proof sacks in wooden crates and unfold by means of an electric fan that inflates the plastic inner shell -lifting the structure until it is self-supporting. This shell is secured with ground anchors at its base. The whole shelter is then hydrated by spraying with water (any water - even seawa-ter - just not sewage), which cures the concrete into the shape of the inflated inner shell within 24 hours. Concrete Canvas has developed two sizes: 25 and 54 metres2 floor space (which can accommodate up to 15 people).The British and Singaporean Ministries of Defence, the Royal Netherlands Army and Australian Defence Force have all taken delivery of Concrete Tent systems, and the company reports a contract in 2008 for 5500 metres2 of Concrete Cloth for sandbag defences used in Afghanistan.
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