24.05.2022 - The Aluminium Association

Visitors to the Perovsky Park of the Eastern Administrative District of Moscow will be able to learn about aluminium solutions that have become a symbol of the today's appearance of the Russian capital. The exhibition, held with the support of MOSGORPARK and the Aluminium Association, is timed to the 90th anniversary of the country's aluminium industry: on May 14, 1932, the first commercial batch of aluminium was produced by the Volkhov Aluminium Smelter. During this time, aluminium has become one of the most demanded construction materials, without which it is impossible to imagine the industry today. Every day, hundreds of thousands of specialists in all regions of Russia contribute to the industry's development.

The site was chosen intentionally: in this district of Moscow Moskabelmet Group, one of the largest producers of aluminium cable and wire products, is located. The products made by the company, which was founded during the reign of Nicholas II, are used in power engineering and public transport (metro, buses and trams), at infrastructure facilities and industrial sites, as well as in the construction of modern residential buildings.

IT DOES NOT GROW ON TREES

The first Vityaz-M tram cars with an aluminium interior appeared in Moscow relatively recently, in 2017. Today, more than 300 such models are being operated at the updated routes in the city. The tram maker, PC Transport Systems, is completing the development of a new model: the successfully proven aluminium interior of the tram from Krasnoyarsk Machine-Building Components will be supplemented with a full-aluminium body.

An important event for the city was the implementation of the Big Circle Metro Line project, the length of which will be 70 km and which will include 31 stations and three electric engine houses. For comparison, the current record is held by the Second Loop Line (Line 2) of the Beijing Subway, which is 57 km. Aluminium is used in the decoration for most of the existing stations, for example, Nizhegorodskaya, Lefortovo, Michurinsky Prospekt, Aviamotornaya, etc.

The Moscow Central Circle (MCC) has become an integral part of the city's transport infrastructure. Every day, more than 200 Lastochka electric trains made of all-welded aluminium bodies are operated on the MCC. Metal is also used in interior structures, for example, in the luggage racks made by SEGAL, a production facility in Krasnoyarsk.

The need to increase the share of electric transport in Moscow has been repeatedly stated by Maxim Liksutov, Deputy Mayor of Moscow, Head of Moscow's Department for Transport and Road Infrastructure Development. He noted that 90% of all harmful emissions in Moscow are generated by motor transport. The properties of aluminium, especially its lightness, make the metal indispensable in the design of environmentally friendly electric vehicles (bodies, components, cabling), as well as in the production of housings for electric charging stations. The widespread introduction of electric transport is facilitated by the development of the infrastructure of electric charging stations in Moscow and benefits for owners of electric vehicles, for example, free city parking.

ALREADY BUILT IN MOSCOW

Ductile but durable aluminium opens up new opportunities for architects and helps to create striking and unique facilities. No doubt, these include the unique pedestrian bridge that connects the old and new areas of the Moscow Zoo. In terms of shape, it resembles a swirling sea wave, the effect of which is created by aluminium alloy structures. It is noteworthy that the erection of the bridge, which took place in the historical centre of Moscow, was almost unnoticed by car owners and pedestrians: the structures were assembled using one crane at night.

Another landmark the city was the appearance of the Irina Viner-Usmanova Gymnastics Palace in 2019. The aluminium facade and anodised elements in the shape of a gymnastic band make the Palace look light, airy and smart. IPLAN, a company from the Moscow Region, which won the AlumForum Grand Prix 'Aluminium in Architecture', took part in the construction of the facility.

Continuing the subject of sports venues, we cannot fail to mention aluminium translucent structures for the construction of sports facilities. Thanks to the large-scale construction of state-of-the-art stadiums and the reconstruction of the Luzhniki, Russia was able to host the first ever FIFA World Cup in Eastern Europe in 2018. Five World Cup matches were hosted by the Spartak Stadium, the facade structures for which were developed by Bearing Systems from Novosibirsk and Realit from Obninsk, Kaluga Region. It is noteworthy that FC Spartak, one of the most popular clubs in the country, has been waiting to get its own stadium for almost 80 years.

Convenience and comfort were also provided by aluminium structures to the Ostankino Tower, the main symbol of domestic television. Until recently, the path to the TV tower, one of the main tourist sites in the city, was under a simple canopy. Now, instead of it, a covered pedestrian gallery of translucent aluminium structures has been erected in Ostankino.

The use of the 'winged' metal, as aluminium was once called for its indispensability in aircraft engineering and space exploration, is now being extended to the related areas. For example, products for the construction of airfield infrastructure, runways and prefabricated coatings made of aluminium plates were added to the solutions for aircraft construction. It also protects the metal from the weather impacts: to retrofit the Domodedovo airport, the roof of the overhead platforms for the airport rail link was made from aluminium tapes.

SCIENTIFIC CONTRIBUTION

Crucial for the integration of aluminium into all spheres of life are research institutions that develop new alloys to improve the strength and performance properties of the metal. Among them is ILM&T, the advanced domestic research centre, engaged in comprehensive research and development in the field of materials and products based on aluminium for aerospace engineering, shipbuilding, construction and other industries, including the engineering of products for 3D printing technology. The use of 3D printing with aluminium powders allows making upper limb prostheses with high accuracy, the parameters of which are modelled for a specific person.

Bauman Moscow State Technical University also focuses on aluminium. There, under the leadership of Professor Dmitry Onishchenko, the student team of the Formula Student programme develops bright and unique cars: the Crimea roadster and the Strela SUV.

An aluminium dome is installed over one of the oldest science and technology museums in the world, the Polytechnic Museum, located on Novaya Square (Lubyanka) in Moscow. The use of aluminium structures made it possible to develop not only a beautiful, but also a practical solution. Life-size models of satellites and airplanes can be hung from the museum's translucent domes and natural light will fall on the exhibits through the roof glass.

THE ART OF REINCARNATION

The ability to paint aluminium in any colours or give it a 'marble' or 'wood' texture is appreciated not only by architects and designers. Artists also actively use aluminium in their works. For example, Noah Delleda, an artist from USA, gives unusual shapes to aluminium cans. Nikos Floros from Greece presented portraits of the imperial family made from cut aluminium containers in Tsaritsyno. Not far from HPP-2 on Bolotnaya Embankment, there is Big Clay No 4 by Urs Fischer from Switzerland. Olesya Emelyanova uses the FoilArt weaving technique, and artist Olga Davydova presents a number of her paintings on aluminium panels.