Patent Application
20250223735
The present invention relates to a structure reinforcement fabric which provides structure reinforcement when used with a suitable resin.
All over the world, there may be loss of life and various property due to structures damaged as a result of earthquakes. In order to prevent the said loss of life and property, the structures should be demolished and rebuilt in accordance with earthquake regulations or reinforced against earthquakes. This is a priority for all countries located in a seismically active geography. However, in many cases it is not physically or financially possible to demolish and rebuild a structure. In this case, reinforcing the structures against earthquakes is almost the only option. In addition, for countries with a high stock structures which are weak against earthquakes, the use of structure reinforcement applications is one of the strongest measures to be taken against possible earthquakes, due to relatively low costs.
In the prior art, there are many methods and systems for reinforcing structures against earthquakes. Which standards should be met, the materials to be used and the effects of the materials on the reinforcement in the said methods and systems are explained in the “Regulation on Buildings to be Built in Earthquake Zones” in Turkey and in international guidelines such as Eurocode 8, ACI 440.2R, CNR-DT, fib-14. One of the systems included here is composite reinforcement systems consisting of a fabric and resin. Modulus of elasticity, thickness, strength and elongation at break values are considered as inputs in the design of fabric and resin systems.
Structure reinforcement fabrics generally have a structure in which fibrous structures are continuously produced. Fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP) are often used as materials for fabric production. Carbon fibers are often used as the fiber-reinforced polymer for fabrics in the prior art. However, the use of carbon fiber increases the fabric production and therefore the cost of structure reinforcement. Furthermore, carbon fiber production results in relatively high CO2 emissions. However, even when carbon fibers are used at the lowest ratio, a fabric that provides reinforcement over and above requirements for most applications is produced. Therefore, a material is used, which is overly strong and too expensive for many applications.
For this reason, in the art, there is a need for low-cost, environmentally friendly structure reinforcement fabrics that can be used for structure reinforcements.
The invention relates to a structure reinforcement fabric woven at a weft density in the range of 0.1-3 pcs/cm, comprising a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) yarn having a filament diameter in the range of 10-40 microns and a dtex value in the range of 900-4000.
The term “structure” used in the context of the invention includes all types of architectural works that at least require constructional activity. These works may include, but are not limited to, buildings, bridges, walls, pools, piers, bridges, tunnels, docks, and roads.
The field of application of the invention includes reinforcement of structures, particularly against earthquakes. It is mainly used to reinforce the bearing elements of the structure, such as columns, beams, slabs and masonry walls, and non-bearing elements, such as partition walls By applying the structure reinforcement fabric to the bearing/non-bearing elements of the structure with a suitable resin, for example by encircling/wrapping, the structure is reinforced.
The structure reinforcement fabric with PET yarns having the said properties has a significant production cost advantage over carbon fabrics. In addition, the structure reinforcement fabric with PET yam of the present invention has mechanical advantages over carbon fiber fabrics. While the elongation capabilities of the structure reinforcement fabric with PET yarn of the present invention are in the level of 20%, the elongation capability of carbon fiber fabrics is only around 2%. Its high elongation capability enables more horizontal movement of the applied structure. The seismic energy transmitted to the building is reduced by the horizontal movement and damage to the structure elements is prevented. Imparting high horizontal movement to the structure ensures that the structure remains undamaged in larger earthquakes. Also, even if the building is damaged, its load bearing ability can be maintained for a certain period of time, enough to prevent the loss of life. Another advantage of the invention is that it is more environmentally friendly than the prior art. It is possible to produce PET yarns with waste or recycled materials. PET fibers can be recovered by recycling PET bottles or vehicle tires. By ensuring that a structure remains undamaged in an earthquake and saving the energy needed to rebuild the structure, an environmentally friendly invention in many ways is realized by using low energy during its production and thereby emitting CO2 by means of allowing the use of recycled materials.
In one embodiment of the invention, the structure reinforcement fabric is woven together with at least one polymer from the polyolefin family with a high ductility level (elongation at break between 5% and 30%). PET yarns are extremely suitable for use with the said polymers. Depending on the type of polymer used and the frequency of use, the strength/performance of the structure reinforcement fabric can be adjusted according to the structure to which it will be applied. Polyamide 6, Polyamide 66, polyacrylonitrile (PAN), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene (PE) can preferably be used as high ductility polymers.
In one embodiment of the invention, the fabric is woven in one direction. Weaving the fabric in one direction increases the structure reinforcement performance of the fabric. Thus, a fabric is obtained without the need for cost-increasing applications such as coating the fabric that will be carried out to increase the structure reinforcement performance of the fabric.
The structure reinforcement fabric in the embodiments of the invention can be applied to structural elements by using a suitable resin of application, for example epoxy resin.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/016055 | Oct 2021 | TR | national |
This application is a national stage entry of International Application No. PCT/TR2022/051107, filed on Oct. 10, 2022, which is based upon and claims foreign priority to Turkey Patent Application No. 2021/016055, filed on Oct. 14, 2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/TR2022/051107 | 10/10/2022 | WO |
