Carbon fiber has been proven to strengthen, support, and stabilize concrete structures. We offer several solutions that are suitable for almost any concrete or masonry component with products that are high-strength, light-weight, and non-invasive.
Benefits of using SRS carbon fiber:
Visit Structuralrs.com to learn more about the technical data behind their products.
What CFRP is. Carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer is high-strength carbon fiber set in a structural epoxy. The fibers carry enormous tensile load while the epoxy bonds them permanently to the concrete, penetrating the surface for a monolithic repair.
Why it works. Concrete and masonry are strong in compression but weak in tension, which is why most failures show up as cracks and bowing. Carbon fiber adds the tensile capacity the structure is missing, the same role steel rebar plays, but applied to an existing structure with no demolition.
What installation looks like. We prep the surface, apply the epoxy, bond the carbon fiber fabric or straps to match the element, and let it cure. Most wall applications need no excavation and can be painted to match your finish.
How long it lasts. Carbon fiber is non-corrosive and permanent, and our work is backed by a transferable lifetime warranty.
For a bowing basement wall, carbon fiber straps add the tensile strength the wall is missing and stop the inward movement, usually with no excavation. Bowing walls are part of our basement and wall repair service, where we cover the full range of fixes.
Walls tend to fail due to a lack of reinforcing steel in the wall, the cores not fully grouted, or a surplus of soil pressure from expanding soils or excess water in the ground. For walls experiencing bowing, we use SRS-600UNI carbon fiber fabric. The carbon fiber fabric conforms to the shape of the wall to permanently stabilize and stop the further inward movement from occurring. The carbon fiber composite straps secure and stabilize the basement wall. The industrial-strength adhesive epoxy penetrates deep into the concrete while saturating the carbon fiber providing a secure attachment to the foundation. Excavation is not required for installation.
The SRS-600UNI composite straps have a design tensile strength of over 40,000 lbs to permanently stop inward movement related to the external soil pressure your basement foundation wall is experiencing.
SRS's carbon fiber fabric along with the industrial-strength epoxy adhesive provides a complete strengthening solution for cracks. This system prevents the cracks from spreading while reinstating the capacity of the wall. This solution also has a low aesthetic impact on your home or property as it can be easily painted or coated to match the existing finish.
Cracks in your foundation stem wall could be an indication that you require reinforcement solutions. When a crack or cracks form, moisture can get through to the reinforcing steel, and corrosion begins. As the corrosion accelerates, the condition of the surrounding concrete is compromised. To reinforce the foundation stem wall, we wrap the area with a bidirectional carbon fiber providing superior strength over the repair.
If the crack or cracks begins to grow or widen, your foundation stem wall could be showing signs of underlying structural damage. Call Ram Jack today to get a trained foundation specialist out to your property to inspect your foundation walls.
Carbon fiber is one of the ways we repair structural cracks. We inject the crack with epoxy, then bond carbon fiber across it so it cannot reopen. For the full picture on reading and repairing foundation cracks, see our structural crack repair page.
If you begin to notice cracks like the ones pictured below, the structural integrity of your property could be compromised. Cracks allow moisture to get through to the reinforcing steel, ultimately resulting in deterioration of the surrounding concrete.
To structurally reinforce any crack, the industrial-strength epoxy works as an injection material because of its extremely high bond strength. The epoxy bonds the crack together and then we apply the carbon fiber on top adding an additional layer of protection as well as waterproofing capabilities. This method provides a much more thorough approach to crack repair while ensuring the crack will not re-open in the future.
Carbon fiber on its own does not always hold a tipping retaining wall, so we pair it with tiebacks or anchors to restrain it. See our retaining wall repair page for how we approach leaning and failing walls.
Carbon fiber is an extremely effective way to reinforce, stabilize, and repair damaged or deteriorated retaining walls. To successfully arrest movement in a retaining wall, "restraint" has to be provided. We provide restraint by utilizing tiebacks or anchors to hold back the top part of the wall. If you just add carbon fiber straps to a wall that is tipping, the wall will continue to tip but as one reinforced section. Incorporating tiebacks and anchors into the repair allows the carbon fiber to withstand any movement between the tiebacks and the backfill, restraining the base of the wall.
Check out a recent job we completed using carbon fiber along with tiebacks to repair and strengthen a retaining wall on an elementary school playground in Happy Valley, Oregon.
Structural components are usually built with steel rebar to achieve the necessary tensile capacity for the intended loads. However, if the rebar is missing, becomes damaged, or starts to deteriorate, carbon fiber can be added to the existing component to increase the tensile capacity. Carbon fiber is a very popular choice for strengthening damaged or deteriorated concrete columns because when columns begin to fail, carbon fiber can provide strengthening systems that allow them to carry larger loads. Using carbon fiber is a non-invasive and sustainable method as opposed to traditional methods that require costly demolition and reconstruction of reinforced concrete columns.
Most concrete infrastructure that was constructed before 1977 lacks the adequate structural reinforcement to resist lateral forces and sustain gravity loads during a seismic event. These infrastructures are at risk for crumbling and collapsing in the event of an earthquake, presenting greater financial liability and safety concerns.
The benefits of using carbon fiber to rehabilitate concrete infrastructure include; non-invasive, non-corrosive, lightweight, cost-effective, high durability, easily conforms, high tensile strength, and it meets seismic requirements.
When making changes to any structural component of infrastructures such as a slab or a wall, one must think about the rebar or tensioning cables that need to be cut. In most cases, carbon fiber reinforced polymer can be used to transfer the stress that is around the opening and put it back to the beginning tensile carrying components.
Carbon fiber has a super-thin profile making it easy to install around mechanical components compared to traditional steel installations that are invasive and heavy. The fact that carbon fiber is 10X stronger than steel but significantly lighter adds a huge advantage when wanting to increase the load capacity of a structure but not wanting to add additional weight to it.
With infrastructure starting to become out of date and building materials rising in cost, carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) is more commonly being used to repair or re-purpose existing structures instead of building new ones. In most cases, strengthening with CFRP is the most cost-effective and timesaving solution compared to traditional methods. CFRP is not only more sustainable but has also been proven to increase the flexural and shear capacity of existing beams for increased loading.
| Carbon Fiber (CFRP) | Traditional (steel / rebuild) | |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 10x stronger than steel by weight | Strong but heavy |
| Excavation | Usually none | Often required |
| Disruption | Low (interior, fast) | High (demolition, downtime) |
| Corrosion | Non-corrosive | Steel can rust |
| Appearance | Paintable, low profile | Bulky, visible |
| Cost | Typically lower total cost | Higher (labor plus rebuild) |
Expansive, wet soils across the Willamette Valley and Puget Sound push against basement and retaining walls. The Cascadia Subduction Zone makes seismic strengthening of older concrete especially important, and high water tables drive cracking and moisture intrusion. Ram Jack West installs carbon fiber reinforcement across Oregon and Washington, including Eugene, Portland, Salem, Seattle, Tacoma, Bellevue, and surrounding areas.
Yes. SRS-600UNI straps are engineered with a design tensile strength of over 40,000 lbs and permanently stop inward movement.
It has a low profile and can be painted or coated to match your existing finishes.
For most wall applications, no excavation is required. Retaining walls may also need tiebacks or anchors.
Yes. It is non-corrosive and permanent, backed by our transferable lifetime warranty.
Carbon fiber is stronger by weight, non-corrosive, less invasive, and usually lower in total cost. The right choice depends on your wall's condition and movement.
It depends on the size and severity of the problem. Schedule a free evaluation for an exact quote.
Most residential wall jobs are completed in a day or two with minimal disruption.
Get a free, no-obligation evaluation from a Ram Jack West foundation specialist.
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