In-Deck Conduit Support Structure for Stable Concrete Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional in-deck conduit designs are vulnerable to damage and misplacement due to a lack of support prior to the setting of the concrete deck, and are susceptible to being stepped on or misaligned.
Innovation Solution
The in-deck conduit includes laterally extending support legs and a base flange to provide improved stability and support during installation, as well as internal passages with configurations that facilitate easier routing of wiring through the conduit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional in-deck conduit designs are used without additional support structures, then the installation process is simpler, but the conduit is vulnerable to damage and misplacement due to lack of support prior to concrete setting
Solution Approach 1:
The support legs and base flange are pre-integrated into the conduit body structure, providing necessary support functionality before the concrete is poured. This preliminary structural preparation ensures the conduit remains stable and properly positioned during the critical period before concrete setting, without requiring additional support structures to be added during installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The support legs and base flange are merged with the conduit body as a single integrated component. This combination eliminates the need for separate support structures and simplifies the overall installation process while providing enhanced stability. The integrated design ensures that the support function and conduit function work together as a unified system.
2Reliability
If the conduit body is made wider to provide more support surface area, then the stability improves, but the internal passage width for wiring reduces
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure extends in the lateral dimension through support legs that project outward from the conduit body, rather than increasing the width of the conduit body itself. This dimensional approach allows the support surface area to be increased without encroaching on the internal passage width, as the support legs provide stability from the exterior while the internal passage maintains its original dimensions for wiring.
3Ease of operation
If the entrance and exit directions are changed to facilitate wiring routing, then the ease of operation improves, but the structural configuration becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The conduit body features locally optimized entrance and exit orientations that are specifically designed to facilitate wiring routing. The entrance is positioned and angled to receive wires from the deck surface, while the exit is positioned and angled to discharge wires toward the base, creating a natural flow path for wiring installation without requiring complex internal routing mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
An in-deck conduit for installation on a form for a concrete deck can provide a passage for wiring or other components within the concrete deck. The in-deck conduit can have a body with a base end, a deck end, and an internal passage extending from the base end to the deck end. One or more support legs can extend from the deck end of the body laterally relative to the passage to support the body on the form.