Thesis Defense: Emily Walton
Thesis Defense Presentation By: Emily L. Walton
Advisor: Eric N. Landis
DEVELOPMENT OF A FLOATING LIGHTWEIGHT POST-TENSIONED CONCRETE PROTOTYPE FOR MARINE APPLICATIONS
Friday December 4th, 2015 at 2:30 p.m.
Advanced Structures and Composites Center, Room 258
Abstract: A post-tensioned, floating, lightweight concrete prototype was produced for the purpose of testing the long-term durability of a lightweight concrete mix in severe marine conditions and to demonstrate the viability of post-tensioning lightweight concrete for water-tight floating structures. A segmental concrete specimen 8.5 feet wide, 4 feet tall, and over 32 feet in length was built with five segments and four joints. The joints were coated with Sikadur 31 epoxy then post-tensioned together. To test the strength and water-tightness of the joints, the cavities were filled with water and the structure was subjected to a four-point bend. This applied stress to the structure as a whole and tested the water-tightness of the joints when they were subjected to both tensile stress and water pressure. Results showed that the epoxy joints performed similarly to monolithic concrete. After the in-lab testing, the prototype was transported to Treat Island for extreme environment testing, and, if successful, to be used as a test platform for future specimens.