The Sheathing Solution: Strengthening Infrastructure for Optimal Construction and Road Safety Outcomes
Pre-stressed concrete plays a vital role in modern-day construction projects, and sheathing is an essential component to ensure its strength and longevity. Sheathing ducts’ primary functions are to protect the pre-stressing tendons from corrosion, ensure that these tendons are positioned correctly within the concrete, and assist in transferring the pre-stressing forces to the concrete, making the structure stronger and more durable. This process of strengthening infrastructure has many applications, including constructing multi-story and oddly designed concrete buildings, contributing towards road safety in the building of bridges, and more.
Today, we will briefly discuss the uses for various types of sheathing and how it contributes towards road safety and strengthening infrastructure and mention a few benefits of using pre-stressed concrete.
Applications for Sheathing in Construction Projects
For pre-stressed concrete, sheathing is typically a corrugated tube made of steel, plastic, or other materials. It is usually 2cm to 15cm in diameter and it is available in a variety of lengths. Regular steel and plastic tubes have both their advantages and drawbacks; however, it is generally agreed that galvanized steel sheathing is a strong, durable product that will last for decades and is often a preferred choice for construction projects.
That said, sheathing is not only meant for pre-stressing concrete. Sheets of corrugated sheathing manufactured to certain specifications and lengths can be used for the construction of stockpile tunnels for various industries, including mining. They are excellent for enclosing domestic homes, livestock outhouses, and storage barns. They are also beneficial in the construction of sturdy, durable culverts for roads, increasing the strength of the structure and optimising road safety.
5 Benefits of Using Pre-Stressed Concrete for Construction
Circling back to sheathing ducts and the importance of using pre-stressed concrete to complete successful construction projects, here are a few advantages of using the product for successful outcomes:
- Cost Efficiency: The weakest points and most expensive parts of concrete structures are their joints. These joints are expensive to mould and maintain. Pre-stressed concrete structures require fewer joints, which saves on initial construction investments and reduces maintenance costs over time. Moreover, this method requires thinner slabs, resulting in lower volumes of concrete per pour.
- Ideal For Large Urban Construction Projects: Pre-stressed concrete is a popular choice in commercial and multi-story projects. Since it is stronger and needs less support, it is the perfect product for structures, such as shopping centres and parking garages. Its longer span length between support columns allows for greater usable flooring areas.
- Resistance to Stresses and Cracking: With the ability to be more resistant to the impact of shock, stresses, and cracking, pre-stressed concrete structures have immense endurance, durability, strength, and longevity. For these reasons, they are typically used for long expanses like bridges and fly-over highways to ensure the safety of road users.
- Fire Resistance: Another benefit of any concrete product is that it is fire-resistant. When constructing properties, be they for domestic, business, or consumer use, if it is for human inhabitancy or storage of flammable goods, it is important to know that structural integrity will typically hold in the event of a fire.
- Environmentally Friendly: If correctly manufactured with superior products, pre-stressed concrete only needs to be poured once, whether on- or off-site. With galvanised steel sheathing ducts to secure the tendons within the structure, the chances of premature erosion or rust are minimised, regardless of the environmental conditions. This will ensure that the structure will last longer with little or no maintenance, making this solution more eco-friendly than alternative construction techniques.
Do it Right through Armco Superlite
As the leading manufacturer, supplier, and distributor of superior corrugated steel products throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, we offer regular and galvanised steel sheathing products for all applications.
If you require steel products for your next project, contact us and arm yourself with Armco.