Fiberglass Composite Pad for Heavy Load Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current solutions for supporting very heavy equipment are either costly or degrade over time, and they fail to efficiently distribute high loads without breaking through the ground surface, leading to instability and reduced lifting capacity.
Innovation Solution
A fiberglass-based pad with a bi-directional grid core and closed cell foam, reinforced with fiberglass facesheets and infused resin, providing high load-bearing capacity and resistance to degradation, while reducing weight by up to 50% without compromising strength or stiffness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional heavy-duty support pads are used to support very heavy equipment, then load-bearing capacity is sufficient, but weight is excessive and cost is high
Solution Approach 1:
The pad employs a composite construction combining closed-cell foam core material with fiberglass reinforcement layers and resin infusion. This composite structure achieves high load-bearing capacity (supporting 90,000 kg or more) while reducing weight by up to 50% compared to traditional solid material pads, directly resolving the contradiction between strength and weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcement layers are strategically positioned at the top and bottom surfaces of the pad where bending stresses are highest. This localized reinforcement provides maximum strength where needed while keeping the core material lightweight, optimizing the strength-to-weight ratio.
2Reliability
If traditional support pads are used, then initial cost may be lower, but they degrade over time reducing reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The combination of chemically resistant closed-cell foam and fiberglass reinforcement creates a structure highly resistant to chemical degradation, water, and rot. This composite construction ensures long-term reliability in harsh environments while the automated resin infusion process manages manufacturing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The manufacturing process parameters are optimized through automated resin infusion, which precisely controls resin distribution and curing. This automation manages the complexity of creating a multi-material composite structure while ensuring consistent quality and reliability.
3Stress or pressure
If conventional pad structures are used, then ground contact area is sufficient, but ground-bearing pressure is too high causing the pad to break through the surface
Solution Approach 1:
The closed-cell foam core provides uniform compression resistance across the entire pad bottom surface, distributing ground-bearing pressure evenly. The fiberglass reinforcement layers maintain rigidity at the load-bearing surfaces, preventing localized failure while the overall structure distributes pressure to prevent ground surface breakthrough.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite structure combines the compressive strength of closed-cell foam with the tensile and bending strength of fiberglass layers. This allows the pad to maintain rigidity under high loads while distributing ground-bearing pressure uniformly across the contact area, preventing both ground surface breakthrough and pad structural failure.
4Stability of the object's composition
If heavy materials are used to increase pad weight for stability, then equipment stability improves, but the pad becomes more costly and harder to transport
Solution Approach 1:
The lightweight composite construction (foam core with fiberglass reinforcement) reduces pad weight by up to 50% compared to traditional solid material pads, making them easier and less costly to transport. The engineered composite structure maintains sufficient rigidity and stability to support heavy equipment without requiring excessive weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The optimized material parameters and structural design achieve the necessary stability for heavy equipment support with minimal weight. The high strength-to-weight ratio of the composite materials provides equipment stability without the penalty of excessive pad weight, improving transportation ease.
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 pad effectively supports loads exceeding 90,000 kg (100 tons) with reduced ground-bearing pressure, maintaining rigidity and bending resistance, and is resistant to chemical and water degradation, offering a cost-effective and durable solution for heavy equipment stabilization.
Implementation Method 1
The core may be formed by providing a plurality of foam structures and fiberglass material wrapped around the surface of each foam structure
Implementation Method 2
Resin is infused in the grid to produce a rigid unit which is the pad
Data Source
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AI summary
A pad is provided for supporting heavy loads and is capable of supporting loads of 100 tons or more. The pad has a core having a bi-directional grid formed from parallel fiberglass materials, with a first set of material at right angle to a second set of fiberglass materials and which grid surrounds a closed cell material, which is infused with resin to form a core. A fiberglass top surface, bottom surface and at least one sidewall is provided. The result is a pad able to distribute very heavy loads, is resistant to bending, durable and light weight.