Reinforced buildings to fend off attacks.

• Position: Engineering - Brief article

Most buildings are not constructed to withstand an unexpected explosion or impact. However, a researcher at the University of Missouri, Columbia, is working with the Army to test a method of retrofitting buildings to protect them in the case of a terrorist attack. Sarah Orton, assistant professor of civil engineering, has focused on using carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP), a fabric that can carry 143,000 pounds of force per square inch and has various applications to strengthen concrete buildings.

To protect a structure from an extreme event, CFRP can be used to increase the bending capacity of walls or columns. Previously, Orton invented an anchor that embeds in a column or joint to make CFRP more effective. In that work, she found that the anchors allow CFRP to reach its full tension strength rather than separating from the concrete at only about...