Intermediate Anchor Assembly Liquid Ingress Protection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Intermediate anchors in post-tensioning concrete systems face challenges in inhibiting liquid ingress, which can cause corrosion, especially since they interrupt the protective sheathing of the tension member and are fully embedded in concrete.
Innovation Solution
The intermediate anchor assembly includes an encapsulated anchor with front and rear encapsulation extensions, a cap, front and rear tubes, and split seals to provide a liquid-tight seal and prevent corrosion, while allowing for tensioning and embedding in concrete.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If intermediate anchors are used to enable sequential concrete pouring in sections, then productivity is improved by allowing continuous construction, but the protective sheathing is interrupted and corrosion resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediate anchor assembly is divided into multiple sealed compartments: a front tube containing a front anchor, a rear tube containing a rear anchor, and an encapsulated anchor in between. Each compartment is independently sealed with split seals and adapter seals, creating multiple barriers against liquid ingress while maintaining the intermediate anchoring function that enables continuous construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The encapsulated anchor acts as an intermediary element between the front and rear anchors. It provides the necessary intermediate anchoring point for sequential concrete pouring while being fully encapsulated and sealed, thus mediating between the need for construction productivity and the need for corrosion protection.
2Strength
If the anchor is fully embedded in concrete for structural integration, then strength is improved by ensuring structural integrity, but access for maintenance and inspection becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor system is segmented into front, middle, and rear sections that can be independently accessed. The front and rear tubes extend beyond the concrete surface, providing access points to the encapsulated anchor system without compromising the embedded structural integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The front and rear anchors are nested within the concrete structure, while the encapsulated anchor is nested between them. This nested configuration allows the anchors to be embedded for structural integrity while maintaining access through the front and rear tube openings.
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 intermediate anchor assembly effectively inhibits liquid ingress, providing corrosion protection to the tension member at the interface between concrete pours, while allowing for intermediate tensioning and ensuring the structural integrity of the concrete system.
Implementation Method 1
a first split seal sealingly fit between the tension member and the distal end of the front tube and a second split seal sealingly fit between the tension member and the distal end of the rear tube
Data Source
AI summary
An intermediate anchor assembly includes an encapsulated anchor having a front and rear encapsulation extensions. The assembly includes a cap with an outer surface and a front tube with an inside diameter that is greater than the outer diameter of a tension member. The assembly includes a front adapter that sealingly couples to the outer surface of the cap and sealingly couples to the outer surface of the front tube. The assembly includes a rear tube having an inside diameter that is greater than the outer diameter of the tension member. The assembly includes a rear adapter that sealingly couples to the rear encapsulation extension and sealingly couples to the outer surface of the rear tube. The assembly includes a first split seal sealingly fit between the tension member and the front tube and a second split seal sealingly fit between the tension member and the rear tube.