Structural Strengthening at Kang Yin Garden Building with TYFO^® Fibrwrap^® Systems

A change in use of this building was called for by the new owner of the property. After a review of the proposed change, it was recommended that structural strengthening to be carried out at the affected locations. The applicator team who installed the TYFO^® SEH 51 system was totally new to the fiber-wrapping technique, and had to be guided carefully on-site during the application. The user-friendliness of the TYFO^® products allowed them to pick up the skill in a relatively short period of time and the project was in full swing right from day one.

The advantages of the TYFO^® SEH51, one of which it can be folded up like a cloth, and its lightweight property, were well demonstrated and appreciated by the new applicator who had been used to the traditional steel plate bonding method. Being extremely lightweight, it was very easy to maneuver the saturated fiber into position where working space was rather limited. The poor structural condition of the existing beams also precluded the option of using other traditional methods which would inevitably lead to further damage to the existing beams.

As the applicators were new to the application process, the owner requested an on-site test to ensure that the material have been installed correctly. In situ pull out test was specified for this project and one week after the installation of the system, the test was conducted in the presence of the resident engineer. The test result well exceeded the requirements stipulated in the local Chinese code.