Post-Tension Plugs
Christian Wurtz is a young man with ideas. At this spring’s meeting of the Strategic Development Council, he introduced a new product he and partner John Schmidt have developed, the PT Plug to cap the end of a post-tensioning stressing pocket. To use, you first grind out the pocket with a special reaming tool, then epoxy the precast concrete PT Plug. He has tested the water-tightness of the PT Plug and found it able to keep out moisture much better than the typical field-applied patch.
Stainless Steel Screw Anchors
Carbon steel anchors embedded in concrete are vulnerable to rust and expansion that can damage concrete. But to be durable enough to cut into the concrete, hardened carbon steel serrated threads on the tip of the anchor are vital because they undercut the concrete as the anchor is driven into the hole, making way for the rest of the threads to interlock with the concrete. The mass of carbon steel in Simpson Strong-Tie’s stainless-steel Titen HD is too small to cause damage, providing a durable anchor in aggressive applications.
Dobies Make a Comeback
Dobies have been used to position reinforcing steel for many years but recently have been mostly replaced by plastic chairs. Atecon, a Mexican company, believes that to get accurate cover in slabs and foundations, the material to be used must be the most compatible with the structure being built: concrete. All of their economical dobies are made entirely or partially of concrete and hold the rebar in position before the pour and once the concrete is hard and becomes an integral part of the structure.
