14/10/2016
Structural Strengthening Structural Strengthening

Refurbishment and strengthening of structures is carried out due to various different reasons, including extension of the lifetime / service life, repair of accidental damages, improvement of the structure.

 

Carbon Fibre Strengthening

Fibre reinforced polymer materials such as plates and fabrics have been on the global market since the 1990s and are an elegant solution to solve structural strengthening problems. The strengthening systems can be applied to old or new structures, and on various substrates. They may be used separately or in combination with other refurbishment solutions such as repair mortars, corrosion protection, and protective coatings.

Structural strengthening solutions are used in many different types of structures, for example bridges, cooling towers, residential and industrial buildings or other infrastructure.

Why Structures Need Strengthening

There are many different reasons why refurbishment and strengthening of a structure may be necessary. Some of the most common motives for structural strengthening are:

  • Structural Improvement e.g. Traffic load
  • Structural Recovery e.g. Corrosion
  • Structural System Modification e.g. Removal of columns
  • Errors in Design and Construction e.g. Concrete quality

Example Success of Carbon Fibre Strengthening

Project: Carbon Fibre Plates, Hawle Bridge, M3

Problem: Hawley Lane Bridge started to show signs of excessive deflection under heavy traffic.

Sika Solution: Sika® CarboDur®Rods, Sika® CarboDur® Plates

Structural strengthening of a building
How to calculate how much carbon fibre is needed?

For flexural strengthening e.g. slab or beam, Sika have created a free software programme to allow users to calculate the most suitable product and quantity required to provide the strengthening required dependant on load, dimensions and structure shape.