Air Liquide Column Strengthening
Column retrofit combining horizontal confinement, vertical carbon fiber reinforcement and engineered base anchorage.
Delta Structural Technology completed carbon fiber column strengthening at Air Liquide. The design combined horizontal and vertical reinforcement, assigning a distinct structural purpose to each fiber direction. The vertical component included development at the column base through carbon fiber anchors, making the anchorage detail part of the overall column-strengthening strategy.
- Market
- Industrial
- Services
- Anchored CFRP column strengthening
- Structural members
- Concrete Column Strengthening
Project challenge
The proposed design addressed both column confinement and additional bending resistance. Horizontal reinforcement was based on a target increase in the effective confined concrete strength, while vertical reinforcement provided a specified moment contribution at each column face. The base connection had to develop that vertical reinforcement, requiring the fiber layout and anchors to be considered together.
Project approach
Delta’s scope included staging, system scaffolding and preparation of the concrete column surfaces before composite application. The design assumptions described horizontal fiber for confinement and vertical fiber developed with FRP anchors at the base. The installation followed the construction drawings and system submittals. The reinforcement arrangement thus combined circumferential treatment with a longitudinal component rather than relying on a wrap in only one direction.
Delivery and coordination
The proposal identified engineering coordination through Hargrove Engineers & Constructors and called for confirmation of any special finish requirements. Site access, surface readiness and system submittals supported the installation sequence. The horizontal and vertical fiber components were linked to their different structural functions, while the base anchors established development of the longitudinal reinforcement.
Project significance
The Air Liquide project illustrates a column retrofit combining confinement, longitudinal reinforcement and base anchorage. Its defining feature is the different role assigned to each fiber direction. The case highlights why the geometry of a composite column detail must be connected to the desired structural contribution and the means of developing the reinforcement.
