Hardwire, LLC has announced that their proprietary high-tensile steel reinforcement products -- based on steel-belted technology commonly found in tires -- have been successfully implemented as solutions for structures and other infrastructure components seeking blast-resistance and blast-mitigation retrofit.

A family of reinforcements made from ultra-high strength twisted steel wire chords - 11 times stronger than a typical steel plate - Hardwire® affords end-users the ability to easily reinforce the interior and/or the exterior of a structure, making it ideal for upgrades to steel, wood, or concrete structures in both new construction and retrofit applications. In building applications, Hardwire® provides high strength (up to 8 kips/in) and high modulus (up to 30MM psi) in a very thin, ductile envelope. The product can be molded into or on virtually any structure or part.

A recent application of the technology is the high-profile facility named as a Terrorist target in Washington, D.C. Performed by Structural Preservation Systems Inc. of Baltimore, Md., the blast-resistance retrofit serves as a form of structural strengthening -- the process of upgrading the structural system of an existing building to improve performance or to increase the strength of the existing structural components. Selected for its durability, economy and ease of use, Hardwire® is being used in conjunction with carbon fiber for the upgrade project.

"With all the challenges we are facing today in obtaining carbon-based reinforcement systems, the Hardwire® system offers a timely solution," said Jay Thomas, Vice President of the Strengthening Division at Structural Preservation Systems. "Not only are the Hardwire® materials easily available, the design and installation process is simple and efficient."

George C. Tunis, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hardwire LLC, said fortifying facilities so they are blast-resistant or using the material in the design and installation of safe rooms is a natural extension and use of Hardwire®. According to Tunis, cost and availability of materials are likely to be the key factors that impact owners in the U.S. who seek to fortify elements of our infrastructure including buildings, tunnels and other structures.

"What makes Hardwire® such a compelling material for blast-resistant needs is its low cost and immediate availability," said Tunis. "Initial testing conducted with the U.S. Navy and the Army's Aberdeen Proving Grounds has shown that our composite reinforcements have the potential to provide superior ballistic- and explosion-resistance at new economics."

The general public is already familiar with the basic concept of Hardwire® because of the wide acceptance of steel-belted radial tires. Hardwire® and the steel belts in tires are made from the same wire metallurgy. Because of the global economies of scale afforded from mass production of steel belted tires, Hardwire® is produced at a small fraction of the cost of typical aramid and carbon reinforcements. The innovative system uses high-strength steel wires twisted together to form reinforcing steel cords that are twice as strong as the cables holding up the Golden Gate Bridge. Hardwire® may be used on the sides of beams and girders to provide additional shear strength or wrapped around columns and beam/column joints to provide confinement and additional ductility to provide increased flexural strength. The material may also be used on structural steel components to increase their tension and bending capacity. Hardwire, LLC also recently developed a highly-anticipated "steel-belted plywood" product that is expected to find extensive use in homeland security, safe room and military applications.

In terms of meeting our nation's growing security demands, Hardwire® has the following potential applications:

Tunis said that the development of blast-resistant protective panels has created great interest from U.S. military insiders, government contractors and other interested suppliers, as well as firms responding to an immediate need for modular protective structures. Further, Hardwire® has passed initial ballistics tests that require a multi-hit of 762-caliber steel jacketed rounds in a tight geometry at a material cost that is a small fraction of the current offering and nearly half-as-light as steel armor.

"Our testing of the Hardwire® material shows real potential for its application as reinforcement and strengthening for military vehicles, ballistic-proof housing and more," said Tunis. "Its (Hardwire®) light weight property is advantageous since steel armor is too heavy for the suspension of military trucks, and suitable composites are often too expensive or not available. Because of Hardwire®'s open construction, thermoplastic resins can be used to manufacture stronger, tougher and recyclable armor. The thermoplastic systems open the door to high throughput automotive process that will afford our military new economies of scale and massive capacity, taking advantage of our nation's existing automotive plastics processing capability. Our goal is to work to lower the cost of armor to the point where America can afford to better protect every solder."

According to Major General Norman Delbridge, U.S. Army Retired and a consultant to the engineering and construction community, the potential for Hardwire® in military applications is tremendous. General Delbridge is well versed to comment on the technology after a distinguished 36-year military career with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and final assignment as the Deputy Chief of Engineers. His observation on the use of Hardwire® in military operations is based on first-hand experience as a combat engineer commander in the Third Infantry Division (Korea) and Fourth Infantry Division (Vietnam).

"The ability of combat engineers to increase the strength of weakened or battle damaged bridge beams, floors and support columns to support combat vehicle loads in a matter of minutes or hours, as opposed to days, provides the tactical commander a heretofore unavailable advantage," said Delbridge. "In the same manner, the capability of Hardwire® to be molded into 'battle boards' and plywood in any desired configuration provides a quick, easy and very inexpensive means to armor vehicle beds and siding and building walls, floors and ceilings against blast and small arms fire. Considering the threats we face today, I know of nothing as light-weight, flexible and possessing the strength of steel which provides the same degree of protection -- and at a fraction of the cost of equal protection. I expect the same highly desirable capabilities would find numerous applications in the area of Homeland Security and Defense."

According to Mike Maher, Chief, Materials Application Branch, Materials Division for the Weapons & Materials Research Directorate at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland, the Army is always searching for novel materials that benefit the soldier.

"Our interest with the Hardwire® products lies in the material's high tensile strength and modulus, ease of lamination, and low cost," said Maher. "These properties lead us to believe that it would be a good candidate for armor applications such as up-armoring light tactical trucks and as a possible component in future armor systems. We also feel that a high elongation version of the material would be of significant benefit in a blast scenario. If successful, the Hardwire® products offer a low cost option across a significant number of Army applications."

There also is great potential for integrating Hardwire® as a solution for the Navy. In a recent letter, Roger Crane, Composite Materials Section Head for the Carderock Division of the Naval Surface Warfare Center in West Bethesda, Md., stated that there are several areas where Hardwire® could provide potential performance enhancements for ships. He further stated that Hardwire® could provide the Navy with a low cost, high stiffness material option that has the potential to reduce the weight and increase the internal working volume of structures, as well as protect sailors.

About Structural Preservation Systems
Structural Preservation Systems is a subsidiary of Structural Group, a diversified specialty contractor serving the United States. Identified by ENR Magazine as the United States' largest specialty contractor of concrete structural repair and strengthening protection services, Structural Group also provides reinforced concrete construction, post-tensioning, geotechnical, plus strengthening services, systems and products for commercial, industrial, energy and public customers. Headquartered in Baltimore, Md., Structural Group maintains operating centers throughout the United States. For additional information, please visit www.structural.net or call Brian Gallagher at 410-850-7000.

About Hardwire, LLC
Hardwire, LLC (www.hardwirellc.com) produces high-tensile steel reinforcements and thermally conductive mold fabrics for the infrastructure, transportation, military, composites, marine, energy, construction, piping, mining, and forest products industries. Hardwire products can be found in blast-resistant structures, marine laminates, concrete repair retrofits and flooring, reinforced wood products, and reinforced piping, and many other applications. For more information, contact George Tunis at george.tunis@hardwirellc.com, or (410) 957-3669.

Hardwire® products may be purchased directly via this website or though distribution at Composites One.