UHPC Side Form Members for Concrete Girder Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing of large scale concrete girders faces challenges such as increased form deformation and costs due to the need for heavy steel forms and high tensile forces from reinforcing bars, which can lead to bearing failures and inefficiencies in the manufacturing process.
Innovation Solution
The use of Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC) side form members that serve both as forms and structural components, eliminating the need for separate form members and allowing for increased tensile forces without bearing failure, by integrating reinforcing bars and connection rods within the concrete placing space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If steel forms are used to prevent deformation under concrete placing pressure, then form stability is improved, but form weight and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the form member and structural member into a single integrated component. The UHPC side form members serve dual functions: containing the concrete during casting and providing structural reinforcement in the final girder. This eliminates the need for separate steel forms, reducing weight while maintaining stability through the high strength-to-weight ratio of UHPC.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameter from traditional steel to Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC). This material substitution enables the form to achieve sufficient strength and stability without requiring heavy steel construction, thereby reducing form weight and manufacturing cost while maintaining the necessary structural integrity during concrete placing.
2Strength
If large amounts of reinforcing bars or tendons are placed to meet design strength, then concrete girder strength is improved, but bearing pressure on longitudinal ends increases causing bearing failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from conventional concrete to Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC), which has superior compressive and tensile strength properties. This allows the use of reduced amounts of reinforcing bars and tendons while still meeting design strength requirements, thereby reducing the bearing pressure on longitudinal ends and preventing bearing failure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite construction using UHPC as the base material combined with reinforcing bars and tendons. The UHPC provides the majority of the structural strength, while the reinforcement elements provide additional tensile strength. This composite approach achieves high strength requirements with reduced reinforcement quantities, minimizing bearing pressure on the longitudinal ends.
3Manufacturing precision
If separate form members are installed to form traverse side surfaces, then manufacturing precision is improved, but manufacturing time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the form member and structural member into a single integrated component. The UHPC side form members are prepared in advance with the exact geometry and reinforcement details required for the final girder, eliminating the need for separate form installation and removal operations. This integration maintains manufacturing precision for traverse side surfaces while significantly reducing manufacturing time and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-preparing the UHPC side form members with the required geometry, reinforcement bars, and connection details before the actual girder casting. This advance preparation ensures that when the forms are installed, they immediately provide the precise geometry needed for the traverse side surfaces, eliminating the need for time-consuming on-site formwork adjustments and reducing overall manufacturing time.
Data Source
AI summary
A concrete girder includes a pair of ultra high performance concrete (UHPC) side form members, each having a lower flange and a web perpendicular thereto, extending in the longitudinal direction and being prepared with UHPC by using a precast, the pair of UHPC side form members being disposed in parallel so that lateral side surfaces of the lower flanges are successively positioned; and concrete placed in a space between the pair of UHPC side form members so that the placed concrete is integrated with the pair of UHPC side form members to form both traverse side surfaces thereof and the lower flange forms a lower flange thereof.