Sika CarboDur and SikaWrap CFRP Structural Strengthening

Sika Vietnam is a wholly Swiss-owned subsidiary of Sika AG that has served the Vietnamese market since 1993, with factories in Nhon Trach (Dong Nai) and VSIP Bac Ninh and branches in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Da Nang. Its structural strengthening range helps owners extend the life of buildings and infrastructure when loads, functions or codes change, or when heritage structures must be reinforced without altering their form.

The system includes prefabricated Sika CarboDur CFRP plates in several sizes and elastic moduli for externally bonded or near-surface mounted strengthening, L-shaped CFRP plates for shear strengthening, prestressed CFRP plate systems for crack and deflection control, and SikaWrap carbon fiber fabrics bonded with Sikadur-330 or Sikadur-300 epoxy. A free Sika CarboDur FRP design software based on ACI 440.2 supports engineers. Customers are contractors, designers and owners of concrete, steel, timber and masonry structures.

• Sika CarboDur plates: prefabricated CFRP plates in multiple sizes and moduli for bonded or near-surface strengthening.
• L-shaped CFRP plates: shear strengthening of concrete beams as external stirrups.
• Prestressed CFRP system: controls cracking and deflection and improves fatigue and seismic resistance.
• SikaWrap fabrics: unidirectional carbon fiber fabrics such as SikaWrap-231 C for dry or wet application.
• Sikadur epoxy adhesives: Sikadur-330 and Sikadur-300 as primer, impregnating and bonding resins.
• CarboDur FRP design software: free tool based on ACI 440.2 with transparent calculations and automatic updates.

Factory owners in Vietnam could strengthen slabs and beams with CarboDur plates when installing heavier machinery. Contractors renovating old apartment blocks, schools or heritage buildings could wrap columns with SikaWrap to raise load and seismic capacity, and bridge owners could use prestressed CFRP to control cracking and deflection.

CFRP strengthening adds flexural, shear and seismic capacity with very little added weight and is far more economical than many conventional strengthening methods, according to Sika. SikaWrap-231 C fabric has a dry fiber tensile strength of 4,900 N/mm2 and adapts to beams, columns, chimneys, piles, walls, arches and silos. Local factories, branches and technical support shorten supply and design time.

Vietnam has a large stock of ageing buildings, bridges and industrial facilities that need upgrading for new uses, higher loads and updated codes, while demolition and rebuilding are costly and disruptive. Carbon fiber composites have become a standard retrofit option worldwide, and growing renovation of factories, apartments and infrastructure in Vietnam drives demand.

Sika Vietnam is wholly owned by Swiss Sika AG and has served Vietnam since 1993. Head office and factory in Nhon Trach 1 Industrial Park, Dong Nai, a second factory at VSIP Bac Ninh, and branches in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Da Nang, plus a dealer and retail network. Sika has merged with MBCC.