Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene concrete reinforcing bar

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12006259-B2
Application number	US-202017095871-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 12, 2020
Priority date	Nov 12, 2020
Publication date	Jun 11, 2024
Grant date	Jun 11, 2024

Abstract

A reinforcing bar comprising a core is provided. The core comprises ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene fibers aligned in an axial direction and a polyethylene matrix. The ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene fibers are bound in the polyethylene matrix. A shell comprising ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene tape surrounds the core in a radial dimension.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A reinforcing bar comprising:
a core comprising ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene fibers aligned in an axial direction and a polyethylene matrix, wherein the ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene fibers are bound in the polyethylene matrix; and
a shell comprising ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene tape surrounding the core in a radial dimension.

2. The reinforcing bar of claim 1 , wherein the polyethylene matrix comprises ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene.

3. The reinforcing bar of claim 1 , wherein
the core consists of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene fibers,
the polyethylene matrix consists of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene, and
the shell consists of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene tape.

4. The reinforcing bar of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing bar has a diameter of at least 5 millimeters.

5. The reinforcing bar of claim 4 , wherein the reinforcing bar has a diameter of at least 10 millimeters.

6. The reinforcing bar of claim 1 , wherein the ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene fibers have a tensile strength that is between 0.5 GPa and 1.6 GPa greater than a tensile strength of the ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene tape.

7. The reinforcing bar of claim 1 , wherein the ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene fibers have a Young's modulus that is between 30 GPa and 45 GPa less than a Young's modulus of the ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene tape.

8. The reinforcing bar of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing bar has a specific stiffness of between 75×10 6 m 2 s −2 and 115×10 6 m 2 s −2 .

9. The reinforcing bar of claim 8 , wherein the reinforcing bar has a specific stiffness of between 100×10 6 m 2 s −2 and 110×10 6 m 2 s −2 .

10. The reinforcing bar of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing bar has a specific strength of between 1,700 kN·m/kg and 3,300 kN·m/kg.

11. The reinforcing bar of claim 10 , wherein the reinforcing bar has a specific strength of between 2,000 kN·m/kg and 2,500 kN·m/kg.

12. The reinforcing bar of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing bar has a shear strength of between 0.14 GPa and 0.55 GPa.

13. The reinforcing bar of claim 12 , wherein the reinforcing bar has a shear strength of between 0.30 GPa and 0.50 GPa.

14. The reinforcing bar of claim 1 , wherein the ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene tape is alternatively laid at an angle of between 20 degrees and 40 degrees with respect to the axis of the reinforcing bar.

15. A supported structure comprising concrete and one or more reinforcing bars according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more reinforcing bars are embedded in the concrete.

16. A process for manufacturing one or more ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene reinforcing bars comprising:
aligning a plurality of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene fibers in an axial direction;
partially melting the plurality of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene fibers by applying heat and pressure to the plurality of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene fibers;
cooling the plurality of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene fibers to form a core comprising the plurality of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene fibers and a ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene matrix, the plurality of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene fibers bound in the ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene matrix; and
applying an ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene tape to the surface of the core.

17. The process of claim 16 , wherein the heat that is applied is at a temperature of between 110° C. to 190° C.

18. The process of claim 16 , wherein the pressure that is applied is between 10 MPa and 65 MPa.

19. The process of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene fibers have a tensile strength that is between 0.5 GPa and 1.6 GPa greater than a tensile strength of the ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene tape.

20. The process of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene fibers have a Young's modulus that is between 30 GPa and 45 GPa less than a Young's modulus of the ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene tape.

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Villette Thibault
• Nasser Waleed Al
• Abderrazak Traidia
• Al Shahrani Abdullah A

Classifications

• E04C5/07 Primary

  Reinforcing elements of material other than metal, e.g. of glass, of plastics, or not exclusively made of metal (metal elements with non-structural coatings E04C5/01) · CPC title

• C08J2323/06

  Polyethene · CPC title

• C08J5/046

  with synthetic macromolecular fibrous material · CPC title

• C04B2111/00379

  the oriented elements being fibres · CPC title

• C04B16/0625 Primary

  Polyalkenes, e.g. polyethylene · CPC title