Rapid hardening concrete for airport runway repair: How TERNAL® Fondu delivers fast results
Chosen for urgent runway repairs at Tours Airport, Imerys’ TERNAL® Fondu is a calcium aluminate binder that enables the creation of a high-performance concrete solution that achieves rapid mechanical strength, outpacing traditional Portland cements in time-sensitive conditions.
When public works contractor T.A.E. company based in Fondettes in Indre et Loire was tasked with repairing runways and taxiways at Tours Airport in France’s Loire Valley; speed was critical.
With average operational losses of €100,000 per grounded aircraft per day, every hour of airport downtime carried a significant financial burden.
The team turned to Imerys and its TERNAL® Fondu – a high-performance calcium aluminate binder from Imerys – for its rapid-drying capabilities that allowed essential infrastructure work to proceed swiftly, even in winter conditions.
Calcium aluminate binders for high-performance concrete
TERNAL® is a range of calcium aluminate binders from Imerys, developed to provide specific benefits for even the most demanding of formulations.
Providing powerful performance across a range of applications and intended uses, TERNAL® gives customers access to a variety of benefits, including high mechanical strength and corrosion and abrasion resistance, as well as rapid hardening and fast drying.
How TERNAL® Fondu enables quick concrete setting below 10°C
TERNAL® Fondu is a cement-based solution that develops the mechanical strength of concrete at rapid speeds – even when the work is being carried out at winter temperatures below 10°C.
Calcium aluminate binders such as TERNAL® Fondu are unique in that they achieve mechanical strength of 30 MPa in just six hours, compared to the 28 days typically required for Portland cements, [...]That difference is invaluable when your client needs to resume operations as quickly as possible.
Because of its high-performance properties, including its rapid setting, TERNAL® Fondu should be tested and approved at the concrete mixing plant before use at the job site. This ensures that the concrete mixture is properly refined and controlled, ready for a quick and straightforward application.
Why Imerys is a trusted partner for construction companies
Imerys aims to be a Partner of Choice for its customers – developing mutually beneficial relationships based around innovative collaboration and applying expertise to help customers solve tomorrow’s challenges.
The performance capabilities of TERNAL® Fondu made Imerys an obvious partner for T.A.E. company in delivering this contract.
We needed a product that combined rapid implementation and drying time with a high-quality finish. TERNAL® Fondu was the obvious choice for this, [...] By partnering with Imerys, we were able to provide a quick, high-quality service to reduce financial impact on our client and deliver a successful brief.
Imerys and Denka announce strategic collaboration to power the sustainable construction roadmap of the concrete and mortars industry
At European Coatings Show 2025, Imerys will showcase its multimineral portfolio of sustainable solutions for Paints, Coatings and Building markets
Hall 3 - Booth 461
Fondag® Aerospace, Imerys’ latest innovation, is out of this world – delivering superior heat and abrasion resistance for rocket launchpads. Designed to meet the aerospace industry’s hardest demands, it can provide significant operational efficiencies for customers.
Imerys has just completed the acquisition of Société de Traitement Industriel des Minéraux (STIM), a French family business based in Monteux, near Avignon. STIM is a historic partner of about 20 years.