Hardcore Designs Structure for Offshore Drainage System
NEW CASTLE, Del. and BRUNSWICK, Maine - July 26, 1999 - Advances in composite technology are revolutionizing major industrial markets such as transportation, oil and gas production and civil and marine infrastructure. An example is the first composite offshore storm water drainage system in Long Branch, New Jersey, designed and built by Hardcore Composites, a division of Master Builders, Inc. These composite outfalls were part of a major beach replenishment project for the Army Corps of Engineers. The Corps found the winning composite design to be more economical and structurally superior to the existing timber system. Hardcore expects the system installation will be completed by August 1999.
This groundbreaking project demonstrates the increased competitiveness and technical advantages of composite solutions in civil infrastructure. To achieve the extraordinary strength and weight specifications, Hardcore teamed with Brunswick Technologies (BTI), a leading innovative manufacturer of composite reinforcements and producer of heavyweights in the world. BTI engineered a unique hybrid reinforcement that combines carbon with glass fibers for Hardcore's composite system.
"Without the teamwork of BTI on the development of the hybrid fabric, this project would not have been possible," explained Scott Hemphill, VP of Hardcore Composites.
"Carbon is making its way into BTI heavyweights and these growth industrial markets," explained Martin Grimnes, BTI CEO and Chairman. Although the company has designed lightweight reinforcements with carbon and glass for several years, the heavyweight hybrid sets new standards in the composite industry and opens new design/fabrication opportunities for BTI customers. "We've developed a product that blends the best properties of lower priced glass with the superior strength properties of higher priced carbon for a more cost-effective and technically advanced composite solution."
System Design and Installation:
In early 1997, working with the general contractor, Weeks Marine, Inc., of Cranford, NJ, Hardcore proposed a unique composite design that won over the conventional alternatives. The high strength and lightweight offshore composite cradles, 75 in total, and 168 composite pilings (64 glass and 104 carbon/glass hybrids) support over 500 feet of storm water pipes ranging from 5.5 to 8 feet in diameter and weighing more than 48,000 pounds.
The system is built to withstand 200-year storm forces and a hostile ocean environment. To install, piles were driven using a special jig for placement of the cradles. Once in place the cradles and piles were filled with concrete to hold them together structurally.
Why Composites are Superior:
Compared to traditional materials such as wood, steel and concrete, composites offer significant benefits in design, particularly weight-to-strength properties, labor and tooling costs, environmental concerns, corrosion resistance and U.V. stability. When combined with Hardcore's simplicity of design and fabrication process, and rapid installation, they are the hallmarks of this innovative application.
These benefits are the major reasons for the rapid growth of composites as replacements for traditional materials, and are crucial when designing systems for ocean conditions and other applications where weight and corrosion factors are key.
Environmental advantages of composites are also significant. Unlike the previous timber design, Hardcore's composite structures are not treated with toxic preservatives that leach into water and do not require the continual maintenance or replacement due to corrosion and marine organisms.
Innovative Manufacturing Process:
Hardcore fabricated the cradles and pilings using SCRIMP(R), an easy and quick resin infused molding process for constructing large structures. BTI's unique heavy weight reinforcements reduced the number of layers needed to achieve the required performance resulting in fewer labor steps and less resin. Hardcore also teamed with two other leading composite supply companies, Dow Chemical for the resin and Johns Manville for the polyfoam core.
Today composites are used in diverse applications and are ideally suited for environments affected by corrosion, weight/strength and insulating properties. They include the more traditional applications such as boats, tanks, snow boards and wind blades and the growth opportunities in offshore oil/gas (e.g., topside structures and subsea protection equipment), civil and marine infrastructure (e.g., bridges, guard rails, pilings and fender systems) and transportation (e.g., truck/bus bodies and railcars).
Hardcore Composites, a division of Master Builders, Inc., designs and manufactures large-scale composite structures for the marine and civil infrastructure markets. The company recently completed a new 108,000 square foot state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, which includes a production laboratory and office space for its 51 employees in New Castle, Delaware.
Contact: Brunswick Technologies, Inc., Lisa Sheprow, 207-729-7792. Please call for photos.