Join us at JEC World 2025, March 4-6, to discover our innovation at the Innovation Planets Space . Developed for an innovative structural application in micro-tunnel linings, our patented sandwich structure consists of a hollow cylindrical alumina core wrapped in CMC skins.
As every year, we will be present at JEC World 2025 alongside IRT Jules Verne and IRT M2P, under the FIT Alliance Matériaux banner.
For this 2025 edition, IRT Saint Exupéry will be exhibiting at the Innovation Planets space at JEC. Designed for an innovative structural application in micro-tunnel linings, our patented sandwich structure features a hollow cylindrical alumina core wrapped in CMC skins.
This innovation was created for the storage of high-level nuclear waste (HLW) as part of the French Cigéo project, a geological storage facility led by Andra (the French National Agency for Radioactive Waste Management). In this context, Andra is exploring alternative materials to low-carbon steel for the fabrication of micro-tunnel linings to prevent hydrogen (H₂) production caused by corrosion while ensuring the physical integrity of the casing over a century-long period. With the support of their partners LCTS and Pyromeral Systems, IRT Saint Exupéry and Andra have designed and developed a fully inorganic casing.
The LCTS (Laboratory for Thermostructural Composites) led the state-of-the-art materials research and conducted part of the characterization studies, while Pyromeral Systems supported the project by providing access to its filament winding facility and supplying the PyroKarb CMC.
Description of the piece:
The development of the CMC lining began with the study of loading in a geological environment. The goal was to understand the stresses the material would need to withstand and adapt the design accordingly. This is how the sandwich structure was born, manufactured through filament winding and described as follows:
- A core made of alumina (composed of three segments) to construct the hollow cylinder.
- Internal and external skins made of ceramic matrix composite (PyroKarb).
This innovation is the result of a collective effort, and we are proud to showcase it at JEC WORLD 2025.
If you would like to meet us, please visit us at:
Hall 6 – Stand C107
March 4-6 – Paris Nord Villepinte
Alternatively, you can contact:
Maxime Box – Head of Technology Platforms IRT Saint Exupéry Bordeaux