This I-beam uses curved fillets to connect the tapered web to its
flanges. Earlier layups failed, since material could not be compressed
at the curved fillets, and air-gaps resulted. This layup succeeds because the fillets are pre-packed with long wedges. The wedges are permanently, integrally molded into the tapered I-beam. With the wedges in place, external pressure compresses the layup material against the internal resistance of the wedges. This compression squeezes out air bubbles and compresses resin, fibers and wedges into a strong monolith.
I-beam
The web and flanges are visible in a side view.
The wedges are laid out on a one-inch grid to convey the small scale of their cross-section.
No air bubbles are visible in the cross-section of web-flange connection when the wedges are embedded.
