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Repair of Beams and Slabs with SPiRe®+

PATENT PENDING

Cut your slab repair time by 90%

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Introducing the Game-Changing Sustainable SPiRe®+

Following the successful launch of the Sheet Pile Repair (SPiRe®) system 7 years ago (in 2018), SPiRe®+ is our latest patent-pending solution whose applications are only limited to one’s imagination. This is a truly sustainable product that not only offers an infinitely long maintenance-free service life, but it also offers huge time and cost savings during the construction and installation phase of the project.

These panels are made with high-strength non-corroding Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) and are installed as easily as the original SPiRe® system.  The panels are 3-ft (914mm) wide and are available in 12-ft (3.66m) and 18-ft (5.49m) lengths; other lengths can be special ordered for each project. The wall thickness is 0.20 in. (5mm). The panels weigh 3.2 pounds per square foot (15.5 kg/m2). The panels are flat on one face and have protruding T profiles on the other face.

Repair of Slabs

Concrete beams and slabs often corrode when exposed to harsh environments, coastal salt spray, etc. The slab shown here is a typical case from an industrial plant where chemical fumes and spray have taken a toll on the slab causing severe corrosion of the reinforcing steel. Conventional techniques for repair of this slab require building a scaffolding, sandblasting the concrete, placing new reinforcing bars and guniting new concrete. These are very time consuming tasks in normal conditions and become especially difficult when the area below the slab is cluttered by decades-old equipment whose operation cannot be disrupted — as was the case in this plant.

These repairs can be completed in a fraction of time using the new SPiRe®+ system as explained below.

Advantages of the SPiRe+ for Beam and Slab Repair

The repair system presented here offers significant advantages over conventional repair methods. While the benefits may vary from project to project, some of the key benefits of this system include:

Eliminating or minimizing traffic disruption and road closures in repair of bridge girders and decks

Eliminating the need for patching of damaged concrete and surface preparation

Significant savings in repair time

Reducing potential construction errors since the reinforcing elements are built into the panels

Providing a permanent impervious barrier encapsulating the host beam and slab to keep moisture and chemicals out, thus prolonging the service life of the host structure, and

Being a long-lasting repair since the panels include no corroding materials (e.g. steel).

Front and back face view of SPiRe+ panels
Front and back face view of SPiRe+ panels
SPiRe+ panels have grit-coated surfaces for better bonding to concrete
SPiRe+ panels have grit-coated surfaces for better bonding to concrete

Here are some of the benefits of the new disruptive SPiRe®+ that encompasses so many features into a single product:

  • It can serve as a rigid stay-in place form
  • The unique T profiles physically grab and interlock into concrete, making the panel to act as an integral part of the wall or slab system
  • The grit-coated side bonds perfectly to concrete, allowing the flat portion and the T profiles to act as the reinforcing elements for the concrete
  • It is a reinforcing element equivalent to #5 Gr. 60 bars at a spacing of 2.5 in. (15mm, 400MPa bars at 60mm); this is far more tension capacity than what most slabs require thus the panels eliminate the need for all reinforcing bars! In rare cases when the strength is not adequate, additional reinforcing bars can be added to the panels prior to installation.
  • The panel and the T profiles are non-corroding, providing a long maintenance-free service life
  • The panels are waterproof and eliminate the need for waterproofing on retaining walls or if the girders are crossing a body of water
  • The impervious panels keep water and oxygen away from the host structure, significantly reducing the corrosion rate
  • In repair of ports and piers, the SPiRe®+ panels can be installed underwater without the need for any coffer dams
SPiRe®+ panel is equivalent to #5 Grade 60 steel bars at a spacing of 2.5 inches (15mm, 400MPa bars at 60mm)
SPiRe®+ panel is equivalent to #5 Grade 60 steel bars at a spacing of 2.5 inches (15mm, 400MPa bars at 60mm)

Repair of Slab with SPiRe®+

The slab shown here is constructed of a series of prestressed joists; exposure to the coastal breezes has caused significant corrosion of the prestressing tendons. The steps of the repair include:

  • Remove loose rust from the reinforcing steel
  • No significant surface preparation or patching of the damaged concrete is needed; the rougher the surface, the better for bonding of the old and new concrete!
  • Bolt the SPiRe®+ panels to the underside of the slab to create a 2-3 inch (50-75 mm) annular space between the slab and the panels.
  • Adjacent 3-ft (910 mm) wide panels can be installed and the edges of these panels will overlap by 4 inches (100 mm)
  • Pump concrete or grout in the annular space; this an be done from below through grout ports that we supply and can be screwed into the panel or from above by coring holes in the slab.
  • In this simple operation, the SPiRe®+ panels serve as stay-in-place form, as the reinforcing bars for the slab and as water-proofing membrane to prevent the slab from future corrosion. The smooth surface of the SPiRe®+ provides an ideal finish look for the slab; if desired, the surface can be painted or stuccoed.

Corroded Slab Being Repaired with SPiRe®+
Corroded Slab Being Repaired with SPiRe®+

Papers, Case Studies & Projects

Click here to download a paper that describes the evolution and many uses of SPiRe+ (Download Paper).

Note: The project below showcases the use of the original SPiRe® system for repair of a deck in Galveston, Texas. Another video shows the use of SPiRe®+ in repair of a timber seawall in New York. As additional videos for repair of slabs and beam become available, they will be posted here.