Creating Resilient Structures with Polymer Coatings

The first goal of our team is to design and develop highly cement mortar composites using novel patent applied for technology which has been shown to produce materials with high energy absorption, decreased modulus, higher tensile strength, and greater toughness than standard or ultra high performance concretes or fibercements. These materials will be used to produce NEMA Class 5 flood resistant building panels which are also capable of withstanding hurricane forces to comply with Florida and North Carolina State Building Codes, ASTM 1886E-05 and ultimately to meet FEMA 320/FEMA 361 standards. In order to achieve our design goals, we may further strengthen the panels by reinforcing them with interlayers and polymer coatings. We will strive to make our products acceptable to the building community. The panels will be able to be tapped, sawn, and screwed with standard jobsite power equipment without the need for diamond blades or water tables. Our second goal is to test the effectiveness of using field applied polymer coatings to solve issues of roof joist to wall framing attachment and foundation-rim joist wall framing to produce a continuous foundation to roof load pathway and to supplement standard hurricane and construction ties.