Structural reinforced composite beam

Abstract

A beam assembly includes a plastic composite beam and a flitch plate, where the flitch plate is secured to the plastic composite beam to improve the strength and rigidity of the beam. The assembly may include a plurality of rods extending through holes defined in the flitch plate and the beam to compress the flitch plate and the beam and to create a frictional engagement between the flitch plate and the beam. The flitch plate may have a height that is less than the height of the beam, such that upper and lower surfaces of the flitch plate are recessed from the upper and lower surfaces of the beam. The assembly may include two beams with a flitch plate disposed laterally between the beams. The flitch plate may include projections or protrusions that engage the beams to secure the flitch plate to the beams.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A composite beam assembly comprising:
 a first plastic composite beam having a longitudinal length and top and bottom surface defining a height therebetween and first and second side surfaces defining a width therebetween; and   a flitch plate having a longitudinal length and having top and bottom surfaces defining a height therebetween and first and second side surfaces defining a width therebetween;   wherein the width of the beam is greater than the width of the flitch plate;   wherein the flitch plate is secured to the beam to provide additional stiffness to the beam.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the flitch plate is metal or fiber-reinforced resin. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a second composite plastic beam secured to the flitch plate. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the flitch plate is disposed laterally between the first and second composite beams. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the height of the flitch plate is less than the height of the beam. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the top of the flitch plate is recessed relative to the top surface of the beam, and the bottom of the flitch plate is recessed relative to the bottom of the beam. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a rod extending laterally through holes formed in the flitch plate and beam, wherein the rod compresses the flitch plate and beam against each other in a lateral direction. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the flitch plate includes a grip-enhancing feature to increase friction between the flitch plate and the beam. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the flitch plate includes a plurality of projections that pierce the composite beam. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the flitch plate includes a plurality of posts extending from a surface thereof, wherein the posts are received in corresponding structure of the composite beam when assembled. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the flitch plate includes a plurality of ribs extending from a surface thereof, wherein the ribs are received in corresponding structure of the composite beam when assembled. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the flitch plate has an L-shaped cross-section or a T-shaped cross-section having a long leg and at least one short leg, and the long leg and the at least one short leg each contact the composite beam. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the assembly the first flitch plate and the first composite beam are the only flitch plate and beam of the assembly. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a second flitch plate, where the composite beam is disposed laterally between the first and second flitch plates. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the first and second flitch plates are recessed inwardly from a laterally outermost surface of the beam. 
     
     
         16 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the flitch plate and the composite beam are clamped together with a clamp. 
     
     
         17 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the flitch plate and the composite beam are bound together with a band surrounding the flitch plate and the beam. 
     
     
         18 . The assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the hole in the flitch plate is in the form of a slot extending in the longitudinal direction to allow relative longitudinal movement between the flitch plate and the beam in response to longitudinal expansion and contraction of the beam. 
     
     
         19 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the flitch plate has a C-shaped cross-section having a long leg and two short legs, and the short legs are recessed from an outermost surface of the beam. 
     
     
         20 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the flitch plate has an I-shaped cross-section with a long leg and four short legs, and the short legs are recessed from an outermost surface of the beam. 
     
     
         21 . A beam assembly comprising:
 at least one beam member fabricated of a composite plastics material comprising a blend of polypropylene and polyethylene (PP:PE), but predominately polyethylene, with 5-50% glass fiber reinforcement; and   at least one flitch plate fabricated of steel or glass fiber reinforced resin material having a higher modulus of elasticity than that of said composite plastics beam member material, said beam member and said flitch plate being secured tightly together in side-by-side contacting relation and the resultant assembly having a higher load-bearing strength and stiffness than either the beam member or flitch alone or in combination but not tightly secured to one another.