Safstrip Engineering Design Software Available Free

Strongwell Corporation, in conjunction with the University of Miami’s Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Department, has published engineering design software for its carbon and glass fibre concrete structural rehabilitation product named Safstrip.

This free Safstrip design software is available on the Strongwell website.

Pultruded Safstrip Strengthening Strips are attached to deteriorating concrete structures using mechanical fasteners rather than adhesives, also known as the Mechanically Fastened Fibre Reinforced Polymer (MF-FRP) process. Safstrip was originally developed by Strongwell and the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Civil Engineering Department. The project was managed by Professor Larry Bank and was partially funded by the U.S. Army’s Engineer Research and Development Center in Vicksburg, Mississippi. The goal of the army’s program was to develop a concrete strengthening product that did not require extensive technical training, was not subject to weather conditions, and could be installed with simple hand tools. The army visualized a need to quickly and efficiently repair damaged bridges in battlefield areas so that artillery, armoured tanks and armoured personnel carriers could reach their target destinations without making time consuming detours. This military repair concept has been commercialized by Strongwell for use in rehabilitating vehicular bridge girders, decks, and abutment walls.

Safstrip has been installed on concrete bridges in Alabama, Missouri, and Wisconsin. Alabama A&M University used Safstrip to repair two concrete bridges in northern Alabama. Professor Larry Bank of the University of Wisconsin was involved in a bridge rehabilitation project in Wisconsin. Professor Tony Nanni of the University of Miami was involved in rehabilitating five bridges in rural Missouri while a professor at Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla, Missouri. Professor Nanni and his team are also responsible for creating the new Safstrip engineering design software which is now on the Strongwell website