This thesis explores the quality of hand-manufactured carbon-epoxy IsoTruss® grid structures for use as reinforcement in concrete piles. Large IsoTruss® grid structures were manufactured and embedded in 14.0\" (35.6 cm) diameter concrete to create IsoPiles™. The IsoPiles™ were designed to have flexural characteristics similar to steel reinforced concrete piles of equal diameter. Bending stiffness was matched based on the longitudinal members. A method for comparing transverse steel reinforcement to helical IsoTruss® members was developed, along with equations to facilitate the design of IsoTruss® structures with rounded nodes.
Compression tests were performed on 3.0 ft (0.91 m) long sections taken from the ends of each of the two 30 ft (9.14 m) long IsoTruss® grid structures manufactured. Fiber volume fraction, void fraction, and cross section area inspections were performed on IsoTruss® samples to determine quality. The strength, stiffness, and fiber volume fraction data obtained from these tests are compared to values obtained previously [1] for the same consolidation method. The quality of hand-manufactured large IsoTruss® grid structures was quantified by performing microscopic inspection of the members, by testing the reinforcement cage in compression, and by testing short section of IsoTruss® and steel reinforced concrete piles in compression. Compression tests were performed on short sections taken from the ends of the IsoPile™ specimens. These were compared with compression tests performed on equivalent steel-reinforced piles to evaluate the viability of the IsoTruss® as reinforcement in concrete piles.
Insufficient tension on the fiber during manufacturing and insufficient radial compression during the cure resulted in an average fiber volume fraction 13% lower than previously obtained, causing the ultimate compressive strength and Young's modulus of the IsoTruss® reinforcement cages to be 51% and 22% lower, respectively, than previous data. The IsoTruss®–reinforced piles had an ultimate compressive load that was within 4% of the ultimate compressive load of the steel-reinforced piles.
","abstract_html":"<p>This thesis explores the quality of hand-manufactured carbon-epoxy IsoTruss® grid structures for use as reinforcement in concrete piles. Large IsoTruss® grid structures were manufactured and embedded in 14.0" (35.6 cm) diameter concrete to create IsoPiles™. The IsoPiles™ were designed to have flexural characteristics similar to steel reinforced concrete piles of equal diameter. Bending stiffness was matched based on the longitudinal members. A method for comparing transverse steel reinforcement to helical IsoTruss® members was developed, along with equations to facilitate the design of IsoTruss® structures with rounded nodes.</p> <p>Compression tests were performed on 3.0 ft (0.91 m) long sections taken from the ends of each of the two 30 ft (9.14 m) long IsoTruss® grid structures manufactured. Fiber volume fraction, void fraction, and cross section area inspections were performed on IsoTruss® samples to determine quality. The strength, stiffness, and fiber volume fraction data obtained from these tests are compared to values obtained previously [1] for the same consolidation method. The quality of hand-manufactured large IsoTruss® grid structures was quantified by performing microscopic inspection of the members, by testing the reinforcement cage in compression, and by testing short section of IsoTruss® and steel reinforced concrete piles in compression. Compression tests were performed on short sections taken from the ends of the IsoPile™ specimens. These were compared with compression tests performed on equivalent steel-reinforced piles to evaluate the viability of the IsoTruss® as reinforcement in concrete piles.</p> <p>Insufficient tension on the fiber during manufacturing and insufficient radial compression during the cure resulted in an average fiber volume fraction 13% lower than previously obtained, causing the ultimate compressive strength and Young's modulus of the IsoTruss® reinforcement cages to be 51% and 22% lower, respectively, than previous data. The IsoTruss®–reinforced piles had an ultimate compressive load that was within 4% of the ultimate compressive load of the steel-reinforced piles.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["McCune, David Thomas"],"institution":"Brigham Young University - Provo","degree_name":"MS","degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":null,"date_issued":"","date_published":null,"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:27:34Z","subjects":["IsoTruss","composites","reinforced concrete","piles","Civil and Environmental Engineering"],"languages":["English"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/278","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["McCune, David Thomas"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2005-03-17T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Brigham Young University - Provo"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["MS"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["IsoTruss","composites","reinforced concrete","piles","Civil and Environmental Engineering"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["English"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/278","https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/context/etd/article/1277/viewcontent/ETD_CISOPTR_298.pdf"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering and Technology; Civil and Environmental Engineering"]},{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This thesis explores the quality of hand-manufactured carbon-epoxy IsoTruss® grid structures for use as reinforcement in concrete piles. Large IsoTruss® grid structures were manufactured and embedded in 14.0\" (35.6 cm) diameter concrete to create IsoPiles™. The IsoPiles™ were designed to have flexural characteristics similar to steel reinforced concrete piles of equal diameter. Bending stiffness was matched based on the longitudinal members. A method for comparing transverse steel reinforcement to helical IsoTruss® members was developed, along with equations to facilitate the design of IsoTruss® structures with rounded nodes.
Compression tests were performed on 3.0 ft (0.91 m) long sections taken from the ends of each of the two 30 ft (9.14 m) long IsoTruss® grid structures manufactured. Fiber volume fraction, void fraction, and cross section area inspections were performed on IsoTruss® samples to determine quality. The strength, stiffness, and fiber volume fraction data obtained from these tests are compared to values obtained previously [1] for the same consolidation method. The quality of hand-manufactured large IsoTruss® grid structures was quantified by performing microscopic inspection of the members, by testing the reinforcement cage in compression, and by testing short section of IsoTruss® and steel reinforced concrete piles in compression. Compression tests were performed on short sections taken from the ends of the IsoPile™ specimens. These were compared with compression tests performed on equivalent steel-reinforced piles to evaluate the viability of the IsoTruss® as reinforcement in concrete piles.
Insufficient tension on the fiber during manufacturing and insufficient radial compression during the cure resulted in an average fiber volume fraction 13% lower than previously obtained, causing the ultimate compressive strength and Young's modulus of the IsoTruss® reinforcement cages to be 51% and 22% lower, respectively, than previous data. The IsoTruss®–reinforced piles had an ultimate compressive load that was within 4% of the ultimate compressive load of the steel-reinforced piles.
"]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application:pdf"]},{"key":"dc:source","label":"Dc Source","values":["Brigham Young University - Provo"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Manufacturing Quality of Carbon/Epoxy IsoTruss (R) Reinforced Concrete Structures"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["McCune, David Thomas"],"dc:date":["2005-03-17T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description":["Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering and Technology; Civil and Environmental Engineering"],"dc:description.abstract":["This thesis explores the quality of hand-manufactured carbon-epoxy IsoTruss® grid structures for use as reinforcement in concrete piles. Large IsoTruss® grid structures were manufactured and embedded in 14.0\" (35.6 cm) diameter concrete to create IsoPiles™. The IsoPiles™ were designed to have flexural characteristics similar to steel reinforced concrete piles of equal diameter. Bending stiffness was matched based on the longitudinal members. A method for comparing transverse steel reinforcement to helical IsoTruss® members was developed, along with equations to facilitate the design of IsoTruss® structures with rounded nodes.
Compression tests were performed on 3.0 ft (0.91 m) long sections taken from the ends of each of the two 30 ft (9.14 m) long IsoTruss® grid structures manufactured. Fiber volume fraction, void fraction, and cross section area inspections were performed on IsoTruss® samples to determine quality. The strength, stiffness, and fiber volume fraction data obtained from these tests are compared to values obtained previously [1] for the same consolidation method. The quality of hand-manufactured large IsoTruss® grid structures was quantified by performing microscopic inspection of the members, by testing the reinforcement cage in compression, and by testing short section of IsoTruss® and steel reinforced concrete piles in compression. Compression tests were performed on short sections taken from the ends of the IsoPile™ specimens. These were compared with compression tests performed on equivalent steel-reinforced piles to evaluate the viability of the IsoTruss® as reinforcement in concrete piles.
Insufficient tension on the fiber during manufacturing and insufficient radial compression during the cure resulted in an average fiber volume fraction 13% lower than previously obtained, causing the ultimate compressive strength and Young's modulus of the IsoTruss® reinforcement cages to be 51% and 22% lower, respectively, than previous data. The IsoTruss®–reinforced piles had an ultimate compressive load that was within 4% of the ultimate compressive load of the steel-reinforced piles.
"],"dc:format":["application:pdf"],"dc:identifier":["https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/278","https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/context/etd/article/1277/viewcontent/ETD_CISOPTR_298.pdf"],"dc:language":["English"],"dc:publisher":["Brigham Young University - Provo"],"dc:source":["Brigham Young University - Provo"],"dc:subject":["IsoTruss","composites","reinforced concrete","piles","Civil and Environmental Engineering"],"dc:title":["Manufacturing Quality of Carbon/Epoxy IsoTruss (R) Reinforced Concrete Structures"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["MS"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:27:34Z"}