Seismic Retrofit
Due to active fault lines, many buildings in British Columbia, Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick, Yukon, and other Canadian provinces require seismic upgrades to prevent potential damage or injury due to earthquakes. Carbon fibre strengthening can be a very effective method for seismic retrofits of buildings.
To do this, carbon fibre sheets are installed onto the walls, which makes the building earthquake resistant. The advantages of carbon fibre upgrades are:
- Save significant amounts of money and downtime compared to steel upgrades
- Material is light and large equipment is not necessary
- Minimal noise and vibrations during construction
Column Strengthening
To extend the functional service life of building columns, carbon fibre can be wrapped around the columns to increase rigidity. Pieces of fabric can be installed in layers and lapped to increase the length of the fabric. This not only strengthens the column but also weather-proofs the column from moisture intrusion and further corrosion, thus reducing the need for ongoing maintenance work.
Wall and Slab Strengthening (Interior, Exterior, Underground, Underside of Slab)
When a structural system requires repair because of design or construction defects, carbon fibre strengthening can often be an effective solution. Carbon fibre has a very high tensile strength and is also lightweight. When it is bonded to the exterior of a concrete wall or slab, it adds significant strength without adding much weight, which improves, increases, or repairs the performance and resistance of concrete structures. Carbon fibre doweling and plates can be applied to strengthen the interior or exterior walls, underground, or the underside of slabs, and the inside of columns.