Concrete stirrup apparatus, formwork assembly comprising the same and method of forming a concrete reinforced structure

Abstract

There is provided a formwork assembly. The formwork assembly includes a plurality of longitudinally-extending and laterally spaced-apart steel reinforcing bars. The formwork assembly includes a hoop reinforcement shaped to extend about the reinforcing bars. The hoop reinforcement is configured to provide shear strength to concrete poured into the formwork so positioned. The formwork assembly includes a plurality of receptacles circumferentially spaced-apart about, coupled to and radially inwardly-extending from the hoop reinforcement so as to promote a desired positioning or spacing of the reinforcing bars. The formwork assembly includes a plurality of spacers circumferentially spaced-apart about, coupled to and radially outwardly-extending from the hoop reinforcement. The formwork assembly includes a formwork shaped to extend about and be positioned in place via the plurality of spacers. There is further provided a concrete stirrup apparatus comprising said hoop reinforcement, receptacles and spacers.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A concrete stirrup apparatus comprising:
 a loop-shaped hoop reinforcement;   a plurality of receptacles circumferentially spaced-apart about, coupled to and radially inwardly-extending from the hoop reinforcement; and   a plurality of spacers circumferentially spaced-apart about, coupled to and radially outwardly-extending from the hoop reinforcement.   
     
     
         2 . A concrete stirrup apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of receptacles are configured to couple with and promote a desired positioning of a plurality of reinforcing bars, wherein the plurality of spacers are shaped to abut and/or position in place a formwork and wherein the hoop reinforcement is configured to provide shear strength to concrete poured into the formwork so positioned. 
     
     
         3 . A concrete stirrup apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the hoop reinforcement is made of fiber-reinforced polymer and/or one or more loops made of fiber-reinforced polymer. 
     
     
         4 . A concrete stirrup apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the hoop reinforcement comprises fiberglass and/or a plurality of fiberglass loops. 
     
     
         5 . A concrete stirrup apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the one or more loops are configured to have a shear resistance substantially equal to or greater than that of a steel reinforcing bar and/or wherein the one or more loops are configured to have a shear resistance which functions as a substitute for a steel reinforcing bar. 
     
     
         6 . A concrete stirrup apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the hoop reinforcement is D-shaped in lateral profile and wherein the hoop reinforcement is circular in top/bottom profile or wherein the hoop reinforcement is rectangular in top/bottom profile. 
     
     
         7 . A concrete stirrup apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of receptacles and the plurality of spacers are formed by and couple to the hoop reinforcement via an injection mold so as to form a unitary whole. 
     
     
         8 . A concrete stirrup apparatus according to  claim 1 , including an outer body within which the hoop reinforcement is positioned and via which the plurality of receptacles and spacers couple to the hoop reinforcement. 
     
     
         9 . A concrete stirrup apparatus according to  claim 1 , including an outer body within which the hoop reinforcement is positioned and wherein the outer body is formed via injection molding and/or comprises a plastic polymer material, a thermoplastic and/or a thermoset plastic. 
     
     
         10 . A concrete stirrup apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the outer body includes a plurality of outwardly-extending ridges positioned around an exterior peripheral surface thereof. 
     
     
         11 . A concrete stirrup apparatus according to  claim 1 , including an outer body within which the hoop reinforcement is positioned, the outer body having a top which extends within a first plane and a bottom spaced-apart from the top thereof and which extends within a second plane parallel to the first plane and/or wherein the plurality of receptacles extend between and/or are inwardly positioned from said top and said bottom of the outer body and wherein the plurality of spacers extend between and/or are inwardly positioned from the top and the bottom of the outer body. 
     
     
         12 . A concrete stirrup apparatus according to  claim 1 , including an outer body within which the hoop reinforcement is positioned and wherein the outer body has an inner peripheral surface that is outwardly convex in lateral profile. 
     
     
         13 . A concrete stirrup apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each said spacer is outwardly rectangular and convex with a radius of curvature which is equal to that of the hoop reinforcement and/or wherein each said spacer is coaxial with the hoop reinforcement. 
     
     
         14 . A concrete stirrup apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each said spacer is T-shaped in top/bottom profile. 
     
     
         15 . A concrete stirrup apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each said receptacle is shaped to receive at least in part a respective reinforcing bar or rebar, comprises a semicylindrical shell and/or is configured to receive a reinforcing bar with a radius of curvature substantially equal to or greater than the reinforcing bar. 
     
     
         16 . A concrete stirrup apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the hoop reinforcement is formed by hoops of fiberglass via pultrusion in which strands of said fiberglass are dipped in a bath epoxy and thereafter wound on a bobbin, with the strands of fiberglass so dipped and wound being thereafter heat cured, and with the bobbin thereafter being split and/or removed. 
     
     
         17 . A method of manufacturing or forming the concrete stirrup apparatus of  claim 1  to promote a desired positioning of reinforcing bars, promote or improve the shear strength of concrete adjacent thereto, and situate a formwork in place thereabout, the method comprising:
 forming said hoop reinforcement via pultrusion; 
 providing a mold shaped to form an outer body, said plurality of receptacles shaped to position the reinforcing bars in place and said plurality of spacers shaped to situate the formwork in place; 
 positioning the hoop reinforcement within the mold; and 
 injecting a thermoplastic or thermoset plastic into the mold so as to form said outer body about the hoop reinforcement, together with said receptacles and said spacers coupled thereto so as to form a unitary whole comprising said concrete stirrup apparatus. 
 
     
     
         18 . A formwork assembly comprising:
 a plurality of longitudinally-extending and laterally spaced-apart steel reinforcing bars;   the hoop reinforcement of  claim 1  shaped to extend about the steel reinforcing bars;   the plurality of receptacles of  claim 1  configured so as to promote a desired positioning or spacing of the steel reinforcing bars;   the plurality of spacers of  claim 1 ; and   a formwork shaped to extend about and be positioned in place via the plurality of spacers, wherein the formwork is shaped to receive concrete therein and wherein the hoop reinforcement is configured to provide shear strength to the concrete and/or promote or improve the shear strength of the concrete.   
     
     
         19 . A concrete stirrup apparatus comprising:
 an outer body shaped to extend about a plurality of steel reinforcing bars;   a first plurality of positioning members or spacers coupled to the outer body and configured to promote a desired positioning of the steel reinforcing bars;   a second plurality of positioning members or spacers coupled to the outer body and configured to promote positioning of a formwork thereabout; and   a plurality of outwardly-extending ridges positioned around a peripheral surface of the outer body.   
     
     
         20 . A method of forming a concrete reinforced structure, the method comprising:
 extending a hoop reinforcement made of fiber-reinforced polymer about a plurality of longitudinally-extending and laterally spaced-apart steel reinforcing bars;   promoting a desired positioning of the steel reinforcing bars via a plurality of receptacles circumferentially spaced-apart about, coupled to and radially inwardly-extending from the hoop reinforcement;   positioning in place a formwork via a plurality of spacers circumferentially spaced-apart about, coupled to and radially outwardly-extending from the hoop reinforcement; and   pouring concrete into the formwork, whereby the hoop reinforcement is configured to provide shear strength to the concrete and/or promote or improve the shear strength of the concrete so poured.