Structural Strengthening with Steel Jacketing System
CTech-LLC® Stela™ is a strengthening system based on steel jacketing method used to increase flexural ductility of existing reinforced concrete members while also increasing the members’ shear strength. This system is used when the loads applied to the RC members will be increased, but increasing the cross-sectional area of the members is not possible.
The Stela™ system can be applied using two retrofitting schemes:
- Total encasement
- Stage cage technique
In total encasement technique thin steel plates placed at a small distance from the column surface, with the ensuing gap filled with non-shrink grout or epoxy resin adhesive. In stage cage technique Steel angles are placed at the corners of the existing cross-section and either transversal straps or continuous steel plates are welded on them. As total encasement technique, any spaces between the steel cage and the existing concrete are usually filled with non-shrink grout or epoxy resin adhesive.
