Market Assessment - A new ring-spring self-centering brace for protection of buildings and bridges against earthquakes

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This proposal is for a Market Assessment for a new self-centering earthquake resistant brace for buildings and bridges. These cross-braces eliminate the residual lean that is typically present in structures after a significant earthquake. These residual leans are strongly associated with structural damage and with the ability of a structure to remain operational after an earthquake. The mitigation of these residual drifts is particularly important for post-disaster buildings that must remain operational. The new invention solves the problems with previous self-centering braces which have prevented their wide adoption by the construction industry. The new brace uses a simpler internal mechanism to permit large building movements without structural damage, using traditional materials in a compact form. The primary anticipated end users for this invention are structural engineers who are responsible for the seismic design of buildings and bridges. They would be interested in this invention to make their infrastructure project (building or bridge) more resilient to earthquakes. The brace can be used for new construction or for retrofit of existing structures. A Market Assessment will be conducted using in-depth interviews with a total of 20 key stakeholders in earthquake prone regions in Canada, the US, and around the world. Interviews will be conducted by telephone and will focus on satisfaction/challenges with current solutions, general reaction to the technology value proposition, specific examination of proposed key benefits of the technology, potential market acceptance, cost comparison and value, and identification/characterization of end-users/sectors that represent greatest commercial potential and/or most likely point of market entry. An external Sector Specialist will review the findings of the research team, and author a specific section of the report relating to the findings of the stakeholder interviews and background data collected with respect to the key voice of the customer, business development, regulatory and commercialization issues relevant to the domain of the value proposition.