POLY-STORM
We protect what's most important so you can enjoy life.
PowerPolymer (Solutions') unique materials technology offers innovative ways to combat a broad spectrum of challenging obstacles in today’s ever-changing and complex society. They provide scalable chemical solutions that allow customers to meet and exceed their large-scale structural demands.
— John W., JWC Group
RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION
Protect lives and defend homes and communities against natural disasters with Poly-Storm.
- Storm shelters
- Blast resistant inserts
- Whole room systems (walls, doors, roofing, & anchorage)
Poly-Storm panels are tested and proven to protect people & buildings from the devastation of
- Surges, surface waves, & flooding
- Earthquakes
- Hurricanes
- EF-5 Tornados
- Fire
- Terrorist Attacks
Poly-Storm™ Testing Library for Residential Construction
PowerPolymer Solutions Lightweight Thin EF-5 Resistant Doors for Residential Construction
Our unique storm shelter systems with Poly-Storm™ technology are designed to resist missile impacts and wind pressures generated by EF-5 tornados at multiple critical locations. Our Poly-Storm™ designs have passed test criteria in accordance with FEMA 320 / 361 and ICC 500 Standards through the Department of Homeland Security.
- Doors, walls, roof, & anchors
- Tested to withstand 250 mph ground wind-speed tornados
PowerPolymer Solutions EF-5 Tornado Resistant Walls for Residential Construction
In comparison to carbon fiber reinforced polymer wall systems (CFRP or CF/E), our Poly-Storm™ walls localize impacts and quickly transfer impact energies through an internal self-healing, resilient lock mechanism. Consequently, while CFRP or CF/E wall systems dramatically fail after just one EF-5 impact, our Poly-Storm™ designs will protect you and your loved ones from otherwise cataclysmic certainty, impact after impact. PowerPolymer Solutions' thin, inconspicuous and very affordable shelters can be masked as a home office, a bedroom closet, or even a classy entertainment room.
Triple-Threat Residential Protection against Extreme Seismic-Tornado-Moisture Events
Tri-Hazards Resistance for Seismic-Tornado Threats in accordance with ASCE-07, FEMA P695, and IBC 2018
Our unique fundamental inlay has been validated as a multi-hazards mitigation system in scenarios of combined high seismicity, tornado (EF-5), and moisture (flooding).
Wood-framed shear wall structures incorporated with our technology, see figures and below, can alleviate soft story collapse, reduce inter-story drift ratios, and reduce accelerations (and consequent non-structural damage) in accordance with ASCE-07, FEMA P695, and IBC 2018.
Our uniquely formulated energy dissipation mechanism circumvents limitations of current seismic standards for residential constructions, including issues related to vertical uplift, insufficient energy transfer, and inadequate racking strength (with and without openings).
In addition, our methodology reduces timber usage as well as limits the number of wood fasteners and hold-downs during construction and implementation of our system.
Our approach ascertains new seismic design response modification factors, R-factors, for enhanced ductility and newly calculated story-force distributions.
Our studies further indicate that moisture constants for diffusivity and absorption percentage may be directly controlled, and reduced, using our thermodynamic processing techniques. The result is less moisture absorption during storm periods and flooding. The combined seismic-tornado-moisture resistant design is illustrated below.
Our unique fundamental inlay has been validated as a multi-hazards mitigation system in scenarios of combined high seismicity, tornado (EF-5), and moisture (flooding).
Wood-framed shear wall structures incorporated with our technology, see figures and below, can alleviate soft story collapse, reduce inter-story drift ratios, and reduce accelerations (and consequent non-structural damage) in accordance with ASCE-07, FEMA P695, and IBC 2018.
Our uniquely formulated energy dissipation mechanism circumvents limitations of current seismic standards for residential constructions, including issues related to vertical uplift, insufficient energy transfer, and inadequate racking strength (with and without openings).
In addition, our methodology reduces timber usage as well as limits the number of wood fasteners and hold-downs during construction and implementation of our system.
Our approach ascertains new seismic design response modification factors, R-factors, for enhanced ductility and newly calculated story-force distributions.
Our studies further indicate that moisture constants for diffusivity and absorption percentage may be directly controlled, and reduced, using our thermodynamic processing techniques. The result is less moisture absorption during storm periods and flooding. The combined seismic-tornado-moisture resistant design is illustrated below.
Pseudo-dynamic shear wall testing that incorporates our unique chemically tuned material layer, and
testing of a wood-framed structure protected by our inlay system.
testing of a wood-framed structure protected by our inlay system.
PowerPolymer Solutions Multi-Hazards Safe Room System
PowerPolymer Solutions' multi-functional safe room design incorporates moisture resistance during high storm periods and flooding, near-field seismic resistance during intense ground shaking through vibration control, and tornado resistance during EF-5 rated missile strikes from debris during 250-mph ground wind speed tornados.
Seismic Protection for Residential Structures
Bi-axial seismic loading (lateral-gravity loading) Reinforced Concrete (R/C) Seismic Shear Walls
Our technique that engenders a unique distribution of chemical bonds has also been validated for residential concrete structures located in regions of high seismicity. Specifically, bi-axially loaded reinforced concrete shear walls that had experienced substantial seismic damage were retrofitted using our unique PowerPolymer coating system. Our extensive experimental testing has validated the ability of our system to stabilize crack propagation via a unique energy dissipation mechanism.
The outcome of our testing: lateral load resistance of shear walls, severely damaged where only 40% of strength capacity had remained, suddenly increased by 100% following a significant increase in ductility and confinement at the critical wall base.
Our technique that engenders a unique distribution of chemical bonds has also been validated for residential concrete structures located in regions of high seismicity. Specifically, bi-axially loaded reinforced concrete shear walls that had experienced substantial seismic damage were retrofitted using our unique PowerPolymer coating system. Our extensive experimental testing has validated the ability of our system to stabilize crack propagation via a unique energy dissipation mechanism.
The outcome of our testing: lateral load resistance of shear walls, severely damaged where only 40% of strength capacity had remained, suddenly increased by 100% following a significant increase in ductility and confinement at the critical wall base.
Shear wall damage (view is on the plane parallel to the loading direction); C-IDA retrofit and surface modification of severely damaged R/C wall
Shear wall damage (view is on the plane normal to the loading direction); angled view of the wall being loaded near failure;
Hysteresis and Back-bone curves of the lateral load vs. deflection of the as-built loaded R/C shear wall (prior to retrofit)
Wall with large “bubble” near the base of the wall during loading, illustrating tremendous confinement and ductility, right before the test was stopped
Hysteresis of lateral load-deflection behavior, showing 100% increase in strength after C-IDA retrofitting at nearly 50% increase in displacement ductility
Tornado Protection for Residential and Commercial Structures
Tornado Safe Room Design in accordance with FEMA 320 / 361 and ICC 500
PowerPolymer Solutions' tornado safe room design includes a patent-protected inlay that can tremendously enhance the tornado building envelope in residential structures. See the wall and door test set-ups figures below, (a) and (b).
The thin inlay material, only approximately ¼ inch thick, has a unique chemical composition that has been fundamentally developed from basic science over the last 13 years (starting in 2008) and that allows the walls to withstand high-debris impacts generated by EF-5 rated 250 mph ground wind speed tornados. Our wind-borne debris impact tests were conducted at the National Wind Institute (NWI) at Texas Tech University and in accordance with FEMA 320 and 361, and ICC500 (International Code Council) standards, to meet both construction and testing criteria.
The inlay may be used to protect the wall and door elements of the storm room and is placed inconspicuously between the exterior plywood during construction. See images below.
In door panels, the inlay is placed inconspicuously between the exterior panel of a storm door (constructed using as thin as 18-guage steel) and an embossed veneer. Compared to conventional steel door and expensive carbon-fiber construction options, our unique lightweight functional chemistry-driven design is less than one half the cost; and, unlike carbon-fiber systems, our system passes EF-5 impacts with flying colors. See images below.
PowerPolymer Solutions' tornado safe room design includes a patent-protected inlay that can tremendously enhance the tornado building envelope in residential structures. See the wall and door test set-ups figures below, (a) and (b).
The thin inlay material, only approximately ¼ inch thick, has a unique chemical composition that has been fundamentally developed from basic science over the last 13 years (starting in 2008) and that allows the walls to withstand high-debris impacts generated by EF-5 rated 250 mph ground wind speed tornados. Our wind-borne debris impact tests were conducted at the National Wind Institute (NWI) at Texas Tech University and in accordance with FEMA 320 and 361, and ICC500 (International Code Council) standards, to meet both construction and testing criteria.
The inlay may be used to protect the wall and door elements of the storm room and is placed inconspicuously between the exterior plywood during construction. See images below.
In door panels, the inlay is placed inconspicuously between the exterior panel of a storm door (constructed using as thin as 18-guage steel) and an embossed veneer. Compared to conventional steel door and expensive carbon-fiber construction options, our unique lightweight functional chemistry-driven design is less than one half the cost; and, unlike carbon-fiber systems, our system passes EF-5 impacts with flying colors. See images below.
Test set-up of the storm room envelope, i.e., tornado-resistant wall and door panels; EF-5-level debris-impact wall panel tests using our C-IDA system: Pass; EF5-level debris-impact wall panel tests using high-strength PAN precursor carbon-fiber: Fail; EF-5-level debris-impact door panel tests using our C-IDA system: Pass (repercussed missile)
Ballistic & Blast Protection with Design-Efficiency Insulation
Tornado-Resistant and Energy-Efficient Commercial Tilt-Up Wall Constructions
(for commercial applications)
Our innovative materials system may also be utilized in thin tilt-up wall constructions for large commercial applications as a thermal-mechanical multi-functional layer.
Applied in thin multi-layer the precast concrete systems, our design: (1) enhances debris-impact resistance; (2) reduces thermal bridging (R-value); and (3) increases flexural capacity in thin concrete wall systems.
Using our system, thin precast concrete sandwich panels (PCSP) are able to retain full-composite action while remaining thermally insulative, engendering high R-value and mechanical energy transferability, in lieu of relying on industry-standard often-times three-inch thick extruded polystyrene (XPS).
Our manufacturing processing is also streamlined for efficient fabrication. Due to its large shear resistance, our materials system eliminates the need for transverse reinforcement and eliminates the otherwise subsequent thermal bridging. By supplanting the XPS foam insulation used in typical sandwich panel construction, our insulation-mechanical system: (a) dissipates energy through interfacial mobility; and (b) improves the R-value to at least R-10 (hr-ft2 – o F/ Btu) for ½-in inlay, vs R-5 per inch for XPS and about R-4 per inch for EPS to reduce energy costs by 5% – 20%. The image below shows debris-impact resistance from 250-mph ground wind speed tornados
Large Impact force transfer efficiency (lift)
(for commercial applications)
Our innovative materials system may also be utilized in thin tilt-up wall constructions for large commercial applications as a thermal-mechanical multi-functional layer.
Applied in thin multi-layer the precast concrete systems, our design: (1) enhances debris-impact resistance; (2) reduces thermal bridging (R-value); and (3) increases flexural capacity in thin concrete wall systems.
Using our system, thin precast concrete sandwich panels (PCSP) are able to retain full-composite action while remaining thermally insulative, engendering high R-value and mechanical energy transferability, in lieu of relying on industry-standard often-times three-inch thick extruded polystyrene (XPS).
Our manufacturing processing is also streamlined for efficient fabrication. Due to its large shear resistance, our materials system eliminates the need for transverse reinforcement and eliminates the otherwise subsequent thermal bridging. By supplanting the XPS foam insulation used in typical sandwich panel construction, our insulation-mechanical system: (a) dissipates energy through interfacial mobility; and (b) improves the R-value to at least R-10 (hr-ft2 – o F/ Btu) for ½-in inlay, vs R-5 per inch for XPS and about R-4 per inch for EPS to reduce energy costs by 5% – 20%. The image below shows debris-impact resistance from 250-mph ground wind speed tornados
Large Impact force transfer efficiency (lift)
- 2x4 experiences minimal damage
- panel remains intact
- R-15 insulation
- No thermal bridging
- Blast resistant
No Molecular Resistance
Poor Molecular Resistance
