Abstract: A building construction and method using tension support members includes a support structure for bearing a compressive load; a support beam borne by the structure; at least one enclosure cell and at least one tension member for suspending an enclosure cell from the support beam.

Abstract: A fastener assembly 10, in respect to forces which are subsequently applied, after the installation thereof, when forces is applied in one direction, this fastener assembly 10 is self adjusting incrementally, as needed in travel or actuation; yet when a force is applied in the opposite direction, this fastener assembly 10 is not self adjusting and there is no travel or actuation.

Abstract: A device (1) is disclosed for anchoring one end (2A) of a stay (2) to a base (3), this end (2A) of the stay (2) comprising at least two strands (2B) which diverge from its longitudinal axis (2C) in such a way as to come to be anchored in the device (1), these strands (2B) each being made up of a core wire (2D) and a protective sheathing (2E), the device itself being intended to be positioned and immobilised in translation in a bore (3A) provided in the base (3), this device (1) comprising a first rigid unit (4), which:

Abstract: An intermediate anchorage for a post-tension system including an anchor member, a tendon extending through an interior passageway of the anchor and a sleeve formed of a heat shrink material and extending over the unsheathed portion of the tendon. The sleeve is affixed in heat sealed compressive contact with a surface of the anchor member and with an exterior surface of the sheathed portion so as to maintain the unsheathed portion in a liquid-tight environment. The sleeve can be a tubular member, a split tubular member or a wrapping material. The anchor member is an encapsulated anchor having a tubular extension extending outwardly therefrom such that the sleeve is secured in sealed compressive contact with the tubular extension.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for positioning mild steel reinforcing bars within a precast, moment resisting frame of a building. The apparatus includes a hand-receiving access component that can be installed within the concrete beams that make up the building frame so as to permit convenient access to the reinforcing bars that are slidably carried within bar receiving passageways formed within the concrete beams. Additionally, the apparatus includes a bladder-receiving component that can be installed within the concrete beams that make up the building frame in a manner to permit an expandable bladder to be conveniently positioned within the cable receiving passageways formed in the beam. When in position within a cable-receiving passageway, the expandable bladder spans the interface between the beam and the column and effectively prevents grout from entering the cable passageway during the grouting step.

Abstract: An anchoring device not accessible from one of its sides can be produced by making a cavity (11) of a particular shape and using tendons (4), each of which has an end portion (41) of adapted shape. The cavity may be made in different ways, especially by concreting an anchor member (1) having an opening (12) at one end, the anchor member and the cavity it contains each having an adapted shape. After the anchor member has been concreted and the tendons inserted in the cavity, the cavity is filled with an embedding mortar in order to block the ends of the tendons therein.

Abstract: The present invention provides a device for enhancing the load carrying capacity of new or existing, spanning, structural lumber. The device consists of a perforated steel strap, attached at both ends of a spanning structural member by means of standard fasteners such as nails, screws or bolts and running parallel to the long axis of the member either on the bottom or along the side. The strap is then tensioned by means of a central expanding device such as opposed wedges. The tensioning of the strap has the effect of adding tensile strength to the bottom chord of the spanning structural member as well as supporting the center of the member, thereby increasing the load carrying capacity. The device could be attached to new structural lumber before installation to either reduce the size of the member needed for a given span or to increase the spanning capacity for a given size of lumber.

Abstract: A reinforced or prestressed concrete structure is strengthened and/or restored by attaching a strip-shaped tensional member thereto. Prior to attaching the tensional member, a central portion thereof is prestressed. Then, the tensioned central portion is bonded to a concrete surface of the concrete structure by a first adhesive having a high deformation modulus. Thereafter, the non-prestressed end portions of the tensional member are bonded to the concrete surface by a second adhesive having a low deformation modulus, whereby the second adhesive is substantially less deformable than the first adhesive.

Abstract: A tension member, for use as a tendon or tether for a tension leg platform consisting of a plurality of carbon fiber filaments (6) gathered into a plurality of strands (5) in which the filaments (6) run against one another, around which strands there is arranged a sheath (16). The tension member comprises pressure-resisting spacers (7) having recesses (9, 11, 12, 14; 25, 26, 28, 31) wherein the strands (5) are laid singly so that they can move in the longitudinal direction unobstructed by each other and the spacers (7).

Abstract: An intermediate anchorage system including an anchor member with an interior passageway, a tendon extending through the interior passageway of the anchor member, an elastomeric seal having one end affixed to the anchor member and extending outwardly therefrom, and a rigid ring member detachably received within an opposite end of the seal. The ring member has an inner diameter greater than an outer diameter of the tendon. The opposite end of the seal is in liquid-tight compressive contact with the exterior surface of the tendon when the ring member is detached from the seal. The interior passageway of the anchor, the seal and the ring member have an inner diameter, when joined together, which is larger than the outer diameter of the tendon so as to allow the anchor member, the seal and the ring member to slide along the length of the tendon.

Abstract: A guide or deflecting unit for a tension member at a structural component of a structure extending outside of the cross-section of the structure. The tension member extends with a change of direction over a deflection point formed at the structural component. The guide or deflection unit is composed of a tubular shaped piece of a deformable material which surrounds the tension member and whose contour is shaped in the longitudinal direction such that its wall thickness decreases from the middle toward the ends in accordance with the curvature of the required deflection. The predetermined curvature is obtained when tensioning the tension member by the contact thereof with a wall of a straight receiving opening.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for positioning mild steel reinforcing bars within a precast, moment resisting frame of a building. The apparatus includes a hand-receiving access component that can be installed within the concrete beams that make up the building frame so as to permit convenient access to the reinforcing bars that are slidably carried within bar receiving passageways formed within the concrete beams. Additionally, the apparatus includes a bladder-receiving component that can be installed within the concrete beams that make up the building frame in a manner to permit an expandable bladder to be conveniently positioned within the cable receiving passageways formed in the beam. When in position within a cable-receiving passageway, the expandable bladder spans the interface between the beam and the column and effectively prevents grout from entering the cable passageway during the grouting step.

Abstract: An intermediate anchor having a wedge hole is placed at a concrete construction joint. A sheathed tendon is inserted through the intermediate anchor. Following setting of concrete poured on a bearing side of the concrete construction joint, the sheathing of the tendon is cut circumferentially around the tendon in a wedge hole of the tendon. The sheathed tendon is then tensioned. This tensioning creates an exposed portion of the tendon in the wedge hole. A tension holding wedge is placed in the wedge hole so as to grip the exposed portion to hold the tension. Seals on the bearing side and a stressing side of the concrete construction joint seals the exposed portion.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for positioning steel reinforcing rods within a precast, moment-resisting frame of a building. The apparatus includes a uniquely configured hand-receiving component that can be embedded within the concrete beams that make up the building frame to permit access to the steel reinforcing rods that are slidably carried within rod receiving passageways formed within concrete beams. The apparatus also includes a uniquely configured-bladder receiving component that can be embedded within the concrete beams that make up the building frame and is so constructed and arranged as to permit as expanable bladder to readily be positioned within the cable receiving passageways formed in the beam during the grouting of the interfaces between the beams and the columns.

Abstract: An apparatus for retensing a pre-stress structure. The apparatus includes a tensing apparatus installed at a rear portion of a precast strand support fixing member exposed from both ends of a prestress structure such as a precast beam for repeatedly tensing a precast strand having a stress loss. A checking member provided at the retensing apparatus for visually checking a stress loss in the tensed precast strand for thereby implementing an easier tensing of a reinforcing strand which is needed when fabricating a prestress structure and retensing an internal reinforcing strand even when a prestress loss occurs for thereby repeatedly retensing a deformed prestress structure.

Abstract: Top plate tie-down arrangements are used for securing the roof of a structure against damage caused by high winds, earthquakes, and the like by anchoring the top plate of a wall to a foundation slab. An anchor for use in a top plate tie-down arrangement has a self-tapping thread on one end that allows it to be threaded into a hole drilled into the slab. The upper end of the anchor, which protrudes through a sill plate, is threaded to engage a connecting nut that ties the anchor to an elongated vertical fastener attached to the top plate. The lengths of various portions of the anchor and of the hole into which it is threaded are selected so that the sill plate is captured between the connecting nut and the slab.

Abstract: A composite reinforcing structure for reinforcing a structural member, a method of making the structure, and a method of using the structure to reinforce a structural member.

Abstract: An anchoring device not accessible from one of its sides can be produced by making a cavity (11) of a particular shape and using tendons (4), each of which has an end portion (41) of adapted shape. The cavity may be made in different ways, especially by concreting an anchor member (1) having an opening (12) at one end, the anchor member and the cavity it contains each having an adapted shape. After the anchor member has been concreted and the tendons inserted in the cavity, the cavity is filled with an embedding mortar in order to block the ends of the tendons therein.

Abstract: A large number of existing reinforced concrete structures, such as buildings and bridges, if subjected to abnormal loads, such as those expected during earthquakes or bomb blast, may experience significant inelasticity in their critical regions. It is economically not feasible to replace the entire existing infrastructure with new and improved structures; retrofitting provides the only solution to the problem of seismically and otherwise structurally deficient existing structures. A new retrofitting process has been developed to improve strength and deformability of existing reinforced concrete columns. The process involves determining column critical regions, identifying critical stresses that may lead to brittle shear and/or compression failures, determining external prestressing to overcome some of these stresses and to provide lateral confining pressure to improve the ductility of compression concrete.

Abstract: Construction modules made of concrete or other cementitious materials, as well as walls made from such modules, are shown and described. The modules bear internal passages through which cables, rods, or other elongated members may be extended. The members may then be tensioned to affix the modules together, and also to place the individual modules in compression and thereby enhance their strength. The tensioning members can be anchored to the members at opposing ends of a wall, and/or they may be affixed inside the passages within the members by flooding the passages with cement, grout, or other suitable adhesive materials. The modules may be formed with insulation, electrical boxes/wiring, furring strips, and other such features so that these features will be pre-installed when the modules are assembled into a wall.

Abstract: An anchoring device not accessible from one of its sides can be produced by making a cavity (11) of a particular shape and using tendons (4), each of which has an end portion (41) of adapted shape. The cavity may be made in different ways, especially by concreting an anchor member (1) having an opening (12) at one end, the anchor member and the cavity it contains each having an adapted shape. After the anchor member has been concreted and the tendons inserted in the cavity, the cavity is filled with an embedding mortar in order to block the ends of the tendons therein.

Abstract: In order to anchor, reinforce, affix or keep together construction or machine parts, construction members, construction works or parts thereof, or at least to apply a force component, the invention involves a looping anchor or retaining element including several supeposed belt layers or plies.

Abstract: A hold down device and method for connecting two building elements of a building comprises an elongate member, typically in the form of a rod or a cable, that is connected between the two building structures. A tension compensator, which includes a housing, is mounted to the elongate member to compensate for wood shrinkage of the building. One end of the elongate member penetrates the housing and is releasably connected to the housing by means of a gripping assembly which permits only one way movement of the elongate member into but not out of the housing to resist tensile forces between the two points of the building but allow the elongate member length to be adjusted as the distance between the two points decreases due to wood shrinkage. An urging mechanism urges the end of the elongate member further into the housing if the tension on the elongate member falls below a predetermined level. The urging mechanism, in some embodiments, has to be put under compression.

Abstract: The present invention is a prestressing system for wood elements and structures and a method from prestressing wood beams. In its most basic form, the system for prestressing structures comprises a plurality of members arranged in a predetermined configuration, at least one non-metallic prestressing tendon, having a material stiffness less than that of steel, disposed in such a manner as to fasten together the members, and stressing means attached to at least one end of the prestressing tendon to exert a tensile force on the tendon and an equal and opposite compressive force drawing the members together. In the preferred embodiment, the tendons are manufactured from fiber reinforced plastic and the members are arranged in side by side relation to form a deck. The deck includes a series of aligned holes through the members, through which the prestressing tendons pass and are secured and prestressed.