Carbon Fibe Strengthening A Seaside

Project Location: 

A coastal villa in St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Project Background: 

Due to long-term exposure to marine salt spray, sea breeze loads, and tidal humidity, the villa has developed minor cracks in its beams and slightly excessive floor slab deflection. The goal is to improve its load-bearing capacity and durability without compromising the building's appearance or structural weight.

Reinforcement Solution: 

Carbon fiber will be bonded to the beams and floor slabs in the tension zone for reinforcement (matching the material properties of the highly corrosive coastal environment).

Core Issues and Reinforcement Objectives

Existing Issues:

* Crack width in the tension zone at the bottom of the beam reaches 0.2-0.3mm (exceeding the specification limit);

* Floor slab deflection at mid-span increases by 15% compared to the design value;

* Marine salt spray causes carbonization of the concrete surface and poses a risk of corrosion to localized reinforcing steel.

Reinforcement Objectives:

* Increase beam load-bearing capacity by 40%, seal cracks and inhibit their propagation;

* Restore floor slab deflection to the design allowable range;

* Enhance the structure's resistance to salt spray and moisture, extending its service life.

Apply Carbon Fiber

(1) Base Treatment: Grind the surface of the tension zone of beams and slabs to remove carbonized layers, laitance, and oil stains, exposing fresh concrete; Fill beam cracks with low-viscosity epoxy resin to repair locally damaged areas.

(2) Carbon Fiber Cloth Bonding:

Beam Bottom: Bond two layers of carbon fiber cloth (fiber direction parallel to the main reinforcement) along the beam length to cover the tension zone;

Floor Slab: Bond one layer of carbon fiber cloth in the mid-span tension zone, using a "strip" distribution to enhance local stiffness.

(3) Protective Treatment: After bonding, apply two coats of anti-corrosion protective adhesive to isolate from salt spray and moisture corrosion.

Carbon fiber reinforcement technology effectively addresses the issues of insufficient load-bearing capacity of beams and floor slabs and corrosion in marine environments for seaside villas without increasing structural weight or damaging the building's appearance. This not only improves structural safety but also extends the building's service life in coastal areas, making it an efficient solution for reinforcing tropical coastal buildings.