Abstract: A composite material, particularly useful for prestressing concrete and in stay cables for cable-stayed bridges and other such uses where strength, corrosion resistance and resistance to fatigue failure are particularly important, comprises high strength wire strand coated and impregnated with an impermeable and strongly adherent epoxy based resin. The impregnated and coated epoxy increases the flexural stiffness of the composite against bending fatigue in the areas of the anchorages in dynamically loaded situations and reduces relative movement and rubbing of the wires of the strand so as to reduce fretting and hence fretting fatigue, the principal mechanism for failure in dynamically loaded strand.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 9, 1990
Date of Patent:
May 4, 1993
Assignee:
Florida Wire and Cable Company
Inventors:
Dale D. Proctor, Denny M. Bucy, R. Terry Johnson, Michael R. Bradley