BONDED OR UNBONDED
Sumiden Wire can offer our epoxy-coated strand with 3 different surface finishes.
1. FLO-GARD - A smooth surface finish without impregnated grit, for unbonded applications.
2. FLO-BOND (Coarse grit) - The same epoxy coating as FLO-GARD + impregnated sand particles for applications requiring high bond-to-concrete capacity.
3. FLO-BOND (Fine grit) - The same epoxy coating as FLO-GARD + impregnated aluminum dioxide particles for applications requiring bond-to-concrete capacity similar to uncoated strand.
CORROSION RESISTANCE
Epoxy-coated PC strand outperforms all other corrosion protection systems, including galvanized strand, in accelerated corrosion tests. The corrosion protection system can be used in external tendon applications inside box girders without additional grout pipes and grouting, providing lifetime inspection capabilities to the entire strand free length. When used in pretensioned concrete applications exposed to marine water conditions or deicing salts, such as piling, road deck panels and girders, epoxy-coated PC strand is unmatched as the most cost-effective, corrosion-resistant reinforcing steel.
FATIGUE PERFORMANCE
Epoxy-coated PC strand far exceeds other PC strand systems in side-by-side fatigue tests. Due to the exceptional adhesion between the steel wire surfaces and the epoxy, individual wire-to-wire contact and movement are essentially eliminated. Epoxy-coated strand is an ideal choice for fatigue sensitive applications, such as stay cables.
BITE-THROUGH WEDGE
Because of the uniform thickness and the high adhesion of the epoxy coating, anchoring of the strand can be performed without removal of the protective epoxy coating. Specially designed wedges with wider teeth spacing and deeper teeth profiles are needed for bite-through anchoring. By using these specially designed wedges, both the effectiveness of the corrosion protection system and the fatigue performance in the critical anchoring zone are greatly enhanced.
