Repair of Concrete Piles, Columns & Utility Poles with FRP

Repair of Concrete Columns & Piles

Concrete piles and columns often get damaged by corrosion of steel. Both prestressed concrete piles and reinforced concrete piles are subject to similar corrosion damage. When steel corrodes, the iron oxide that is formed occupies a larger volume than the steel from which it was formed. This results in expansion of the surrounding concrete that causes the concrete to crack in tension. This in turn accelerates the corrosion process and the concrete pile will deteriorate rapidly.

Corrosion Damaged Concrete Pile Repair with FRP

As shown here, PileMedic® laminates can be cut in the field to desired length, and wrapped around the concrete pile to create a jacket or shell of desired size. The jacket is then filled with grout, leaving a beautifully finished pile. The confining pressure offered by PileMedic® jackets adds tremendous strength to the pile. For example, a typical 4000 psi (30 MPa) concrete pile will become as strong as a 6000 psi (45 MPa) concrete due to the confinement provided by PileMedic® carbon or glass jackets.

This presentation at the American Concrete Institute Convention summarizes some of the development and advantages of the PileMedic® system. The presentation entitled "FRP Laminates for Post-Earthquake Repair of Columns in 2 Hours" was a part of a session entitled "Post Earthquake Repairs" that was held in the ACI Spring Convention, in March 2012 in Dallas. Please click here to watch a video of this presentation.

Tests of Earthquake-Damaged Concrete Columns Repair of Earthquake-Damaged Concrete Bridge Column with FRP

Many concrete piles and columns get damaged during earthquakes. In a unique study funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), a large concrete column was subjected to simulated earthquake motion, causing fracture of the longitudinal bars. Researchers from three major universities in the U.S. participated in this study. The objective of the study was to see if PileMedic® laminates could repair and restore the strength of the damaged column quickly. The column was repaired in 20 hours and the repaired column was as strong as the original concrete column. Please click here to watch a video of this test.