Human hair eyed for bridge and building repair

In Kentucky, a research team is evaluating the use of salon hair waste for suitability in building and bridge repair.

The work, currently being down by the “CatStrong” team at University of Kentucky’s College of Engineering, is looking closely at human hair because of its lack of seasonality and inherent strength.

“We are constantly searching for new materials. While fiber producing plants and trees only grow in specific geographical regions, human hair grows in any region humans live in,” CatStrong founder Issam Harik  tells newswise. Human hair is also quite strong, at about 30,000 pounds per square inch—about half that of steel rebar.

CatStrong has been researching the deployment of fiber reinforced polymer composites in bridges and buildings. “Sustainability has recently become a ‘buzzword’ seen on many products and websites,” Harik says. “But, for engineers, it has been and remains integral to optimizing material, energy and time, while minimizing cost and environmental impact.”

The American Road & Transportation Builders Association estimates 7% of Kentucky’s bridges—which amounts to more than 1,100—are “structurally deficient.”