A PRESTRESSED KEVLAR STIFFENING SYSTEM: A NEW APPROACH TO REHABILITATION OF LARGE STRUCTURES

THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO DEVELOP A LIGHTWEIGHT, LOW-MAINTENANCE, AS WELL AS ADJUSTABLE STIFFENING SYSTEM WHICH CAN BE USED IN THE REHABILITATION OF STEEL STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS SUCH AS BRIDGES AND INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS.PRESENTLY, THE COST OF INCREASING THE LOAD-CARRYING CAPACITYOF AN EXISTING STEEL STRUCTURE IS VERY EXPENSIVE. E.T. TECHTONICS PROPOSES TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM BY USING A PRESTRESTRESSED STIFFENING SYSTEM OF KEVLAR 49 AND E-GLASS/POLYESTER RESIN. THESE MATERIALS HAVE EXCELLENT CORROSION AND FATIGUE RESISTANCE AS WELL AS BEING LIGHTWEIGHT. THE DESIGN EMPHASIZES THE INCREASE IN STRENGTH AND STIFFNESS PROVIDED BY THE SYSTEM AS WELL AS THE EASE OF ERECTION. THE OBJECTIVES OF THE RESEARCH WILL FOCUS ON THE ADVANTAGES DERIVED FROM USING A SINGLE PRESTRESSED CABLE SYSTEM VERSUS A DOUBLE PRESTRESSED CABLE SYSTEM. IT WILL ALSO ADDRESS WHETHER E-GLASS/POLYESTER RESIN POSTS AND CONNECTIONS OFFER ANY ADVANTAGES IN COMPARISON TO SIMILAR COMPONENTS IN STEEL.THE PHASE I EFFORT WILL INVOLVE AN INVESTIGATION INTO 3 MAJOR AREAS; MATERIALS, GEOMETRY, AND CONSTRUCTION. PHASE II WILL INVOLVE FULL-SCALE TESTING OF THE SYSTEM AT THE CENTER FOR ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY FOR LARGE STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS (ATLSS) UNDER JOHN W. FISHER AT LEHIGH UNIVERSITY. IF THE RESEARCH IS SUCCESSFUL IN PHASES I AND II, AN ECONOMICAL LIGHTWEIGHT, LOW-MAINTENANCE STIFFENING SYSTEM CAN BE BUILT WHICH PROVIDES INCREASED STRENGTH AND STIFFNESSTO AN EXISTING STEEL STRUCTURE. POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS INCLUDE THE REHABILITATION OF EXISTING STEEL BRIDGES, OFF-SHORE DRILLING PLATFORMS, AND INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES.