Pre-cast Concrete Structure With Post-tensioning Ducts

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Solution Overview

Problem

The construction of concrete structures for natural gas terminals is inefficient due to the traditional method of pouring concrete in place, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive, especially with the increased demand for terminals to process growing natural gas supplies.

Innovation Solution

The use of pre-cast concrete components with post-tensioning ducts and poured in place concrete bodies, where pre-cast components such as columns, caps, and floor sections are assembled and reinforced with steel members, and a poured in place concrete body is added to create a structure with isotropic load-bearing strengths, allowing for faster construction and reduced labor.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If concrete is poured in place for all structure components, then the structure achieves isotropic load-bearing strength, but construction time increases to six months

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveisotropic load-bearing strengthVSAvoidconstruction time

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The structure is divided into pre-cast concrete components (columns, caps, floor sections) that are manufactured separately and then assembled on-site. This segmentation allows parallel production of multiple components, dramatically reducing overall construction time while maintaining structural integrity through controlled joints and connection details.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Concrete components are pre-cast in controlled environments before being transported to the construction site. This preliminary action allows for optimized curing conditions, quality control, and simultaneous preparation of multiple components, eliminating the sequential pouring process and reducing total construction time from six months to a fraction of that duration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If traditional in-place concrete pouring is used, then structural integrity is achieved, but labor requirements increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidlabor efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the structure into factory-produced components, the labor-intensive in-place pouring process is replaced with more efficient pre-casting operations. The pre-cast components are manufactured using automated forms and curing processes, then assembled using crane operations and connection detailing, significantly reducing the total labor hours required while maintaining structural integrity through engineered joints.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The manual labor-intensive process of forming, pouring, and curing concrete in-place is replaced with a mechanized pre-casting system that uses automated forms, vibration tables, and controlled curing environments. This substitution of mechanical systems for manual labor dramatically improves productivity while ensuring consistent quality and structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If pre-cast components are used to reduce construction time, then construction efficiency improves, but achieving isotropic load-bearing strength becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconstruction efficiencyVSAvoidisotropic load-bearing strength

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The pre-cast components (columns, caps, floor sections) are merged into a unified composite structure through carefully designed connections and joints. The assembly process integrates multiple components with isotropic reinforcement patterns, and the post-tensioning system unifies the structural behavior across component boundaries, achieving overall isotropic load-bearing strength while maintaining the construction efficiency benefits of pre-casting.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The structure utilizes composite construction combining pre-cast concrete components with post-tensioning steel tendons and grout infill. This composite system allows the pre-cast elements to work together as a unified structure with isotropic properties, as the post-tensioning reinforces the joints and connections between components, ensuring equal load-bearing capacity in all directions while preserving the speed advantages of pre-cast construction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

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

This method significantly reduces construction time and labor while providing structures with isotropic load-bearing capabilities, suitable for supporting compressors that require equal load-bearing capacity in all directions, thus addressing the inefficiencies of traditional concrete construction methods.

Implementation Method 1

a post-tensioning tendon extending through the post-tensioning duct

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPost-tensioning: Tension

Data Source

PatentUS10557264B2Methods and apparatuses for constructing a concrete structure

Publication Date: 2020.02.11 TINDALL CORP

AI summary

Various implementations comprise methods and apparatuses for constructing a concrete structure. An apparatus according to one implementation includes a structure comprising a pre-cast concrete component that includes at least one post-tensioning duct, a post-tensioning tendon extending through the post-tensioning duct, and a poured in place concrete surface disposed above and coupled to the pre-cast concrete component.