A wide range of innovative carbon fibre solutions for the construction and reinforcement of civil engineering infrastructures, buildings and various structures (silos, parkings, etc.), made from various materials (reinforced concrete, masonry, cast iron, steel, wood…)
Reinforcement around holes
- Carbolam® plates externally bonded
- Or Near Surface Mounted reinforcements
Pre-stressed reinforcements
Pre-stressed CFRP plates or rods can be used on a wall, a slab or bridge to increase resistance and decrease deformation
Contact
Seismic reinforcement
«Cross of Saint André» pattern, from either ;
- Carbolam® plates
- Carboglulam® pre-assembled plates
Reinforcement around holes
- Carbolam® plates externally bonded
- Or Near Surface mounted reinforcements.
Ceiling or slab reinforcement
Carbolam® plates externally bonded to reinforce the ceiling of a RC structure (building, parking, bridge…)
Contact
Beam reinforcement
3 different levels of beam reinforcement are possible:
- Level 1: Carbolam® plates can be used to reinforce a beam
- Level 2: Epsilon fabrics can be used for additional shear resistance
- Level 3 : Carbocore® CFRP anchors can be used for higher loads transmission
Pillar reinforcement
3 different levels of pillar reinforcement are possible, to replace or reinforce corroded irons, or to sustain higher loads:
- Level 1: Epsilon fabrics can be used to contain the pillar
- Level 2: Carbolam® plates can be used in addition to fabrics as flexural / buckling reinforcement, either externally bonded or Near Surface Mounted
- Level 3: Carbocore® can be used for higher loads transmission on bottom and top of pillars
Door or window lintel reinforcement
When creating an opening in a wall (door or window), 3 different levels of reinforcement are possible:
- Level 1: Carbolam® plates can be used on the lintel
- Level 2: Epsilon fabrics can be used for additional shear resistance
- Level 3: Carbocore® CFRP anchors can be used for higher loads transmission
Near Surface Mounted reinforcement
Carbolam®, Carborod®, Carbosquare® or Carbospire® invisible reinforcements for slabs, walls or pillars.
Near Surface Mounted (NSM) reinforcement are an effective way to reinforce a RC structure with minimum efforts and visual impact, or in case of limited space.
It also minimize the risk of debonding between CFRP & concrete
Use of composites for the reinforcement of civil structures
Since the 1990s, thousands of structures around the world have been repaired and reinforced with carbon laminates (usually plates or rods), and installed on bridges, car parks, buildings, industrial installations, silos, dykes, chimneys, etc.
Today, the use of pultruded composite carbon fibre reinforcements on concrete structures is a recognised and effective reinforcement method, proving to be much more efficient than the use of steel plates (which are heavy and vulnerable to corrosion).
Epsilon Composite is one of the pioneers of these modern reinforcement techniques and has supplied most of the world’s major building sites with solutions such as CARBOLAM®, CARBOROD®, CARBOGLULAM® and CARBOCORE® solutions, which allow :
- The repair or strengthening of concrete, steel, cast iron or masonry elements that have deteriorated over time
- The reinforcement of undersized beams and floors (better flexion resistance).
- The reinforcement of load-bearing elements of buildings undergoing superimposed loads.
- Anti-seismic compliance of structures located in high-risk areas to be ensured.
Examples of structures such as this: bridges, plates, slabs, vaults and containers, or structures with a high radius of curvature.
Epsilon solutions:
A common solution for reinforcing concrete structures is the application of carbon fibre textiles, which does not provide optimal mechanical properties. In the 1990s, CARBOLAM® was developed using Epsilon Composite’s unique technology and expertise in carbon pultrusion and epoxy matrices.
CARBOLAM® are flat laminates made from unidirectional carbon fibre combined with a polymer resin and protected by a peel-ply strip on each face, thus ensuring that the yield of the fibres used is maximised.
The use of different carbon fibres (high strength, high modulus, and very high modulus) makes it possible to offer different grades of CARBOLAM® depending on the required stiffness.
CARBORODs are circular pultruded rods that operate on the same principle as CARBOLAMs.
With a variable diameter (between 3 and 20mm), they can also integrate a peel-ply strip to ensure better anchoring and to protect the rod until it is installed.
Carbolam® case study : widening the Westgate bridge in Melbourne to add extra traffic lanes
CARBOCORE® anchoring systems
CARBOCORE® is a composite anchoring system that allow to transfer tensile loads and improve the performance of fabric reinforcements, such as Epsilon Fabrics. They can also be used in combination with bonded CARBOLAM® plates.
They allow a stronger connection between strengthening elements and the old substrate, and eliminate any risk of corrosion which would normally occur when using steel connectors.
CARBOCORE® anchors are divided in 2 parts:
- A part made to be anchored into concrete with a resin filler. As this part is already cured in our factory, its installation will be greatly facilitated.
- A “whip” part, made for stratification with textile fabrics.
CARBOCORE® anchoring systems can go through any section of an element to reinforce or any adjoining element. In this case, both ends of the CARBOCORE® are made of whips and can be stratified with the composite parts they are linking.
CARBOGLULAM® beams
Adhesive bonding assembly of CARBOLAM® plates makes it possible to obtain CARBOGLULAM® beams, following a process patented by Epsilon Composite.
These beams make it possible to produce thick reinforcements, with a variable thickness over the length and by integrating radii of curvature if necessary.
Example of construction project using Epsilon Composite solutions : refurbishment of Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu grandstands
