Composite Anchor System for Concrete Reinforcement Bonding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for reinforcing concrete, such as using reinforcing fibers or steel plates, face issues like delamination, high installation time, damage to the concrete, and aesthetical concerns, and prior art anchors fail to maintain the reinforcement strip's maximum capacity due to weak bonding with the concrete.
Innovation Solution
A novel composite anchor system incorporating a fiber component with high tensile strength, partially integrated into an adhesive resin, is used to securely attach a reinforcement strip to a concrete structure, featuring a bonded bottom portion for insertion into a slot and a non-bonded top portion for surface attachment, enhancing bonding strength and ease of installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a reinforcing sheet is merely adhesively attached to the concrete, then the installation process is simple and quick, but the edges of the reinforcing sheet become delaminated or debonded from the concrete
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor is divided into multiple functional segments: a bundled portion for insertion into the concrete hole and a splayed portion for surface attachment. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function - the bundled portion provides anchoring strength while the splayed portion maintains bonding with the reinforcing sheet, preventing delamination.
Solution Approach 2:
The anchor is made from composite materials consisting of multiple fiber types (carbon fibers, aramid fibers, glass fibers) bonded together. This composite construction provides both the strength needed for anchoring into concrete and the flexibility needed for surface bonding, resolving the contradiction between simple installation and reliable bonding.
2Reliability
If anchors are hammered and joined into the concrete to secure the edges of the reinforcing sheet, then the bonding strength is improved, but the installation time increases significantly and the anchors protrude from the surface
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor is pre-formed with the bundled and splayed portions already constructed and prepared for installation. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for on-site hammering and assembly operations, significantly reducing installation time while maintaining the bonding strength provided by the pre-configured anchor structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The traditional mechanical hammering process is replaced with a chemical bonding process. The splayed portion of the anchor is secured to the concrete surface using bonding material, eliminating the need for mechanical hammering operations and associated protruding elements, thereby reducing installation time and improving surface finish.
3Reliability
If holes are drilled through the concrete to pass the reinforcing sheet, then the reinforcing sheet can be secured through the concrete, but the drilling process damages the concrete and is time consuming
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of drilling holes that damage the concrete, the invention uses existing slots or openings in the concrete structure. The anchor is inserted into these pre-existing openings, converting the potential harm of drilling into a beneficial anchoring mechanism that preserves concrete integrity while still providing secure attachment points for the reinforcing sheet.
4Strength
If steel plates are attached to the concrete surface, then the concrete structure gains reinforcement strength, but the weight of the steel plate creates weight issues and the reinforced concrete becomes substantially thicker
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcing sheet is made from composite materials (carbon fibers, aramid fibers, glass fibers) rather than traditional steel plates. These composite materials provide equivalent or superior reinforcement strength to steel while being significantly lighter in weight, thereby maintaining the strength improvement while avoiding the weight penalty associated with steel plates.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcing sheet is implemented as a thin flexible composite sheet rather than a rigid thick steel plate. This thin-film approach provides the necessary reinforcement strength while minimizing the added thickness to the concrete structure, thereby avoiding the space reduction problem associated with thick steel plate reinforcements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The novel anchor system significantly increases the load-bearing capacity of concrete structures by maintaining the reinforcement strip's maximum strength, reducing debonding, and simplifying the installation process while being aesthetically pleasing and cost-effective.
Implementation Method 1
A portion of the anchor is designed to be connected to the reinforcement strip. The remaining portion of the anchor is designed to be attached to the concrete structure. A bonding material is inserted into the hole containing the bundled portion of the anchor so as to secure the anchor in the hole in the concrete structure.
Data Source
AI summary
An improved anchor for securing a reinforcement strip to a concrete structure.