Structure rehabilitation and enhancement

• US 8,479,468 B1
• Filed: 05/20/2008
• Issued: 07/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ises Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Ises Holdings, LLC
• Inventors: Abbasi, Seyed Hossein
• Primary Examiner(s): A, Phi
• Application Number:
  US12/154,069
• Time in Patent Office: 1,876 Days
• Field of Search: 52408-412, 523/091.6, 528/001, 527/991, 527/450.5, 527/451.9, 524/042, 428/418
• US Class Current: 52/408
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 2023/0251 by using fiber reinforced plastic elements
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 2023/0262 Devices specifically adapted for anchoring the fiber reinforced plastic elements, e.g. to avoid peeling off
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 23/0218 Increasing or restoring the load-bearing capacity of building construction elements E04G23/0203 and E04G23/0266 take precedence

Abstract

A system and a method for enhancement of structural integrity is provided where a reinforcement system in accordance with the present invention is coupled with a compression side of a structure. The reinforcement system includes a tension layer with a high tensile strength coupled with an exterior surface of a compression layer with high compression strength, with the tension layer directly coupled with the structure.

Claims

1. A method for enhancement of structural integrity, comprising:

providing a reinforcement system to contribute mechanical strength to a structure to increase load bearing capacity of the structure;

adhesively integrally bonding the reinforcement system that includes adhesively integrally bonded layers with continuity over an entire surface of the structure subject to load with a compression side of the structure with a polymer matrix, with the bonding of the reinforcement system comprising operational act of;

integrally bonding an integrally bonded, continuous tension layer comprised of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composite with a high tensile strength that is significantly higher than tensile strength of the structure to counteract tensile stress in the structure in areas with negative bending moment;

adhesively integrally bonding the tension layer directly with the compression side of the structure with the polymer matrix; and

integrally bonding a compression layer over an exposed, top surface of the integrally bonded, continuous tension layer with polymer matrix;

the compression layer having a high compression strength that is significantly higher than a compression strength of the structure to increase a bending resistance of the structure, with the tension layer having high tensile strength that is significantly higher than tensile strength of the compression layer to counteract tensile stress in the compression layer in areas with positive bending moments.

2. The method for enhancement of structural integrity as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the bonding of the tension layer includes the operational act of;

reaching and preparing a surface of a substrate of the structure;

applying and bonding a first layer of polymer matrix onto the substrate to prime the substrate;

integrally bonding one or more layers of FRP composite with polymer matrix over the first layer, with the first layer capable of fully bonding to one or more layers of FRP composite;

inserting anchors through layers and into the substrate; and

applying a final layer of the polymer matrix to the anchors to seal-off and encapsulate the anchors.

3. The method for enhancement of structural integrity as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

the bonding of the compression layer includes the operational act of;

applying an overlay onto the final layer, with the final layer capable of fully bonding to the overlay.

4. The method for enhancement of structural integrity as set forth in claim 3, wherein:

the bonding of the compression layer further includes the operational act of;

applying a sealer onto the overlay.

5. The method for enhancement of structural integrity as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

the operational act of preparation of the substrate is comprised of;

removing existing surface finishes, including any surface material not part of the substrate to expose a surface of the substrate;

reducing the substrate surface defects to obtain a proper substrate surface profile.

6. The method for enhancement of structural integrity as set forth in claim 5, wherein:

operational act of reducing the substrate surface defects includes;

patching substrate surface opening with material having physical characteristics at least equal to that of the substrate; and

removing protuberances.

7. The method for enhancement of structural integrity as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

the polymer matrix is a fluid precursor that cures under ambient conditions to form the polymer.

8. The method for enhancement of structural integrity as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the fiber reinforced polymer composite is comprised of one of a field saturated fiber reinforced polymer composite, pre-cured fiber reinforced polymer composite, and pre-impregnated fiber reinforced polymer composite.

9. The method for enhancement of structural integrity as set forth in claim 7, wherein:

the fiber reinforced polymer composite is comprised of a pre-cured fiber reinforced polymer composite.

10. The method for enhancement of structural integrity as set forth in claim 9, wherein:

fibers of the fiber reinforced polymer are saturated by polymer matrix.

11. The method for enhancement of structural integrity as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

one or more layers of fiber reinforced polymer composites are amassed layer-by-layer with a layer of the polymer matrix applied over each single layer of fiber reinforced polymer composite used.

12. The method for enhancement of structural integrity as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

fibers of material are saturated with polymer matrix to form the fiber reinforced polymer composites.

13. The method for enhancement of structural integrity as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

fibers of material are saturated with polymer matrix to form fiber reinforced polymer composite using the operational acts of;

saturating the fibers with polymer matrix to form the fiber reinforced polymer composite; and

placing the fiber reinforced polymer composite onto the layer of polymer matrix.

14. The method for enhancement of structural integrity as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

fibers within the fiber reinforced polymer composite are comprised of strands that have high tensile strength and elongation properties.

15. The method for enhancement of structural integrity as set forth in claim 3, wherein:

the overlay is comprised of composite material with high compression strength.

16. The method for enhancement of structural integrity as set forth in claim 3, wherein:

the overlay is comprised of high compression composite material.

17. A system for enhancement of structural integrity, comprising:

a reinforcement system that contributes mechanical strength to a structure to increase load bearing capacity of the structure;

the reinforcement system includes one or more integrally bonded layers that are continuous over an entire surface of the structure subject to load and adhesively are bonded with a compression side of the structure with a polymer matrix, with the reinforcement system comprising;

an integrally bonded, continuous tension layer that is a fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composite that has a high tensile strength that is significantly higher than tensile strength of the structure to counteract tensile stress in the structure in areas with negative bending moment;

the FRP composite is directly adhesively integrally bonded with the compression side of the structure with polymer matrix;

the exposed, top side of the tension layer is further integrally bonded with a continuous compression layer with the polymer matrix;

the compression layer has a high compression strength that is significantly higher than a compression strength of the structure to increase a bending resistance of the structure with the tension layer having high tensile strength that is significantly higher than tensile strength of the compression layer to counteract tensile stress in the compression layer in areas with positive bending moments.

18. The system for enhancement of structural integrity as set forth in claim 17, wherein:

the integrally bonded tension layer is comprised of;

a first layer of polymer matrix adhesively bonded over a prepared surface of a substrate of the structure;

one or more layers of FRP composite are integrally bonded over the first layer with polymer matrix;

with the first layer capable of fully bonding to one or more layers of FRP composite;

anchors inserted through layers and into the substrate; and

a final layer of the polymer matrix seals and encapsulates the anchors.

19. The system for enhancement of structural integrity as set forth in claim 17, wherein:

the compression layer is comprised of an overlay.

20. The system for enhancement of structural integrity as set forth in claim 17, wherein:

the compression layer further includes a sealer applied on top thereof.

21. The system for enhancement of structural integrity as set forth in claim 17, wherein:

the fiber reinforced polymer composite is comprised of one of a field saturated fiber reinforced polymer composite, pre-cured fiber reinforced polymer composite, and pre-impregnated fiber reinforced polymer composite.

22. The system for enhancement of structural integrity as set forth in claim 19, wherein:

the overlay is comprised of composite material with high compression strength.

23. A system for enhancement of structural integrity, comprising:

a reinforcement system that contributes mechanical strength to a structure to increase load bearing capacity of the structure;

the reinforcement system includes one or more adhesively integrally bonded layers that are continuous over an entire surface of the structure subject to load and are bonded with a compression side of the structure with a polymer matrix, with the reinforcement system comprising;

an integrally bonded, continuous tension layer that is a fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composite that has a high tensile strength that is significantly higher than tensile strength of the structure to counteract tensile stress in the structure in areas with negative bending moment;

the tension layer is directly adhesively integrally bonded with the compression side of the structure with a polymer matrix;

the tension layer, including;

a first layer of polymer matrix integrally adhesively bonded over a surface of a substrate of the structure;

one or more layers of FRP composites are integrally adhesively bonded with the first layer, with the first layer capable of fully bonding to one or more integrally bonded layers of FRP composites;

anchors inserted through layers and into the substrate with a final layer of polymer matrix to seal-off and to fully encapsulate the anchors, and with an exposed, top side of the final layer of polymer matrix integrally adhesively bonded with a continuous compression layer, which is finally topped with a sealer;

the compression layer has a high compression strength that is significantly higher than a compression strength of the structure to increase a bending resistance of the structure, with the tension layer having high tensile strength that is significantly higher than tensile strength of the compression layer to counteract tensile stress in the compression layer in areas with positive bending moments.

24. A method for enhancement of structural integrity, comprising:

providing a reinforcement system that contributes mechanical strength to a structure to increase load bearing capacity of the structure;

adhesively bonding the reinforcement system that includes adhesively integrally bonded layers continuous over an entire surface of the structure subject to load with a compression side of the structure with a polymer matrix, with the bonding of the reinforcement system comprising operational act of;

integrally bonding an integrally bonded, continuous tension layer comprised of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composite with a high tensile strength that is significantly higher than tensile strength of the structure to counteract tensile stress in the structure in areas with negative bending moment;

adhesively integrally bonding the tension layer directly with the compression side of the structure with polymer matrix; and

integrally adhesively bonding a compression layer over an exposed, top surface of the tension layer with polymer matrix;

the compression layer having a high compression strength that is significantly higher than a compression strength of the structure to increase a bending resistance of the structure, with the tension layer having high tensile strength that is significantly higher than tensile strength of the compression layer to counteract tensile stress in the compression layer in areas with positive bending moments;

the bonding of the tension layer includes the operational act of;

applying and bonding a first layer of polymer matrix over a prepared substrate to prime the substrate;

bonding the one or more layers of FRP composite over the first layer, with the first layer capable of fully bonding to the polymer matrix FRP composite;

inserting anchors through layers and into the substrate; and

applying a final layer of the polymer matrix to the anchors to seal-off and encapsulate the anchors.