Stay Cable Attachment Member With Protective Casing for Fatigue Loads
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high fatigue load on stay cables and anchor bolts in wind towers poses a challenge, requiring careful handling to maintain the fatigue capacity of high-strength anchor bolts used for connecting stay cables to foundations.
Innovation Solution
An attachment member featuring a metal casing with a closed structure around the anchor bolt, which provides protection against damage and includes a concrete-filled tubular design to transmit compressive forces and offer corrosion protection, along with an adapter and end plate for secure attachment and pre-tensioning of the stay cables.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high strength anchor bolts are used for connecting stay cables to foundation, then the fatigue capacity is improved, but the anchor bolts become highly sensitive to damage and require very careful handling
Solution Approach 1:
A metal casing is provided around the anchor bolt before installation to protect it from damage during handling and installation. The casing acts as a protective barrier that cushions the high-strength anchor bolt against mechanical damage, allowing it to maintain its fatigue capacity without requiring extremely careful handling throughout the installation process.
Solution Approach 2:
The metal casing serves as an intermediary element between the anchor bolt and the external environment. It mediates the protection of the anchor bolt during installation and serves as a template for concrete filling, which provides additional corrosion protection. This intermediary structure allows the anchor bolt to function at its full fatigue capacity without being directly exposed to damaging factors.
2Ease of manufacture
If the anchor bolt is exposed during installation, then the installation process is simpler, but the anchor bolt is vulnerable to damage and corrosion
Solution Approach 1:
The metal casing is installed beforehand to protect the anchor bolt during the entire installation process. This pre-installed protective structure eliminates the need for special handling precautions while ensuring the anchor bolt remains protected from mechanical damage and corrosion throughout installation and operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution combines multiple materials and protective layers: a metal casing providing mechanical protection, followed by concrete filling that provides corrosion protection. This composite protective system ensures the anchor bolt is shielded from both mechanical damage and corrosion without complicating the installation process, as the casing itself serves as the installation template.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a protective structure is added around the anchor bolt, then the protection against damage is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The metal casing serves multiple functions simultaneously: it protects the anchor bolt from mechanical damage during installation, acts as a template for concrete filling, provides corrosion protection when filled with concrete, and serves as a structural element that can be integrated into the foundation design. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate protective components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective structure is merged with the foundation construction process itself. The metal casing is installed as part of the foundation forming process, and the concrete that would normally be poured into the foundation cavity is instead poured into the casing to surround and protect the anchor bolt. This merging of protection with the structural foundation eliminates the need for separate protective installations.
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 metal casing effectively protects the anchor bolts from damage and enhances their durability by distributing compressive forces and providing corrosion resistance, thereby improving the longevity and reliability of the tower's structural integrity.
Implementation Method 1
The metal casing has a closed structure and is arranged to transmit compressive force from the adapter plate to the end plate
Implementation Method 2
providing corrosion protection, along with an adapter and end plate for secure attachment and pre-tensioning of the stay cables
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The disclosure relates to an attachment member (1) for attaching a stay cable (3) of a tower (2) to a foundation (4) for the stay cable (3), the attachment member (1) comprising a first anchor bolt (11) arranged to be attached to the foundation (4); an adapter plate (13) arranged at one end of the first anchor bolt (11) so that the first anchor bolt (11) penetrates the adapter plate (13), wherein the stay cable (3) is arranged to be attached to the adapter plate (13); the attachment member (1) comprises an end plate (14) arranged so that the first anchor bolt (11) penetrates the end plate (14), the end plate (14) being arranged to come in contact with the foundation (4); and the attachment member (1) comprises a first metal casing (15) arranged around the first anchor bolt (11) between the adapter plate (13) and the end plate (14) for protecting the first anchor bolt against damages, the first metal casing (15) having a closed structure and being arranged to transmit compressive force from the adapter plate (13) to the end plate (14), wherein the stay cable (3) can be pre-tensioned using the first anchor bolt (11) and a first tensioning means (111) attached thereto. The disclosure relates also to a tower arrangement and a method for obtaining a tower arrangement.