CARBON FIBER for Structural Strengthening of Concrete or Wood

Structural Strengthening of Concrete or Wood Using Carbon Fiber

If you are concerned about the structural integrity of a building that you are considering purchasing, or that you already own, a solution might be the use of carbon fiber for its high strength, its ease of installation, and a diminished project down-time for the structure. For example, if you desire to increase live loads on a floor, gluing two to four-inch wide thin, flexible carbon fiber strips to the bottoms of the beams and/or the floor will increase structural strength.   Or if there is a concern about the integrity of the columns supporting a floor then a carbon fiber wrap might be the solution.  Thin carbon fiber sheets are glued around the columns and saturated with a low viscosity epoxy resin.  If aesthetics is a concern then a coating may be applied over the surface.

4 inch carbon fiber strips

Carbon fiber wrap

Carbon fiber uses:

            Increased live loads on floors

            Installation of heavy machinery in buildings

            Changes of building utilization

            Aging of existing construction materials

            Fire damage

            Removal of slab sections or openings

            Design or construction defects

Most often carbon fiber repairs will need to be designed by a structural engineer and installed by a competent specialty contractor. Instead of an expensive replacement solution, carbon fiber is a repair solution for your investment.