The present invention relates to a device for connecting and separating masonry units, preferably bricks, which comprises a tubular body that fits the tubular shape of holes in the bricks. The device for connecting and separating comprises a portion that has a straight cross-section larger than the cross-section of the tubular body and disposed approximately midway along the length of the connector device, for separating the bricks that said device connects. The device also comprises at least one depression or channel along the entire length of the tubular body, the depression or channel acting as a spring. The connector allows walls to be assembled using only bricks and connectors so as to apply mortar ex post.

A method and an article of manufacture are disclosed for constructing, reinforcing, and repairing various structural elements such as columns, piles and the like using formworks that are reusable. The reusable articles of manufacture employed in the disclosed methods are or, if desired, may be permanently left in place. Same or similar methods and articles of manufacture may be employed to easily construct pipes of any desired diameter in a very short time.

A method of repairing and reinforcing a tubular fence post that is easy and safe to use, simple in design and inexpensive to manufacture, and is further portable, and highly efficient in repairing and reinforcing damaged posts, among other advantages. The method can include inserting a first stake having a plurality of vanes from a top open end of a tubular post, wherein the tubular post is damaged or compromised at a first location along its length. The method can further include positioning the first stake within the tubular post, such that the stake is positioned adjacent to the first location, thereby reinforcing the tubular post.

Methods are provided for repairing an existing structure to cover at least a portion of the existing structure with a repair structure. Such methods comprise mounting one or more standoff retainers to the existing structure; coupling one or more standoffs to the standoff retainers such that the standoffs extend away from the existing structure; coupling one or more cladding panels to the standoffs such that the panels are spaced apart from the structure to provide a space therebetween; and introducing a curable material to the space between the panels and the existing structure, the panels acting as at least a portion of a formwork for containing the curable material until the curable material cures to provide a repair structure cladded, at least in part, by the panels. Corresponding apparatus for effecting such methods are also provided.

Disclosed is a way of providing a surface processing method for concrete in which vitrifying is suppressed even when high-speed processing is performed. In a surface processing method of concrete, a surface of the concrete is irradiated with a laser beam so that a beam spot is scanned along a predetermined scanning pattern and the scanning pattern moves along the surface at a predetermined feed speed. When the beam spot repeatedly passes through a predetermined portion in the scanning pattern, an overlap ratio, which is a ratio of overlapping of a passage path of the beam spot over a passage path of the beam spot in an immediately preceding irradiation, is 90% or less.

A method is described for reinforcing to extend the life of a planted pole, including a metal planted utility pole at risk of, or damaged by corrosion. The method comprising delivering a flowable composition into the hollow of the planted pole, the flowable composition being capable of setting in the hollow at least proximate to the groundline to form a substantially non-flowable composition when set; the set composition comprising reinforcement supports, and being attached to the pole to provide additional support for the planted pole at least proximate to the groundline.

Methods, systems, and devices for mobility state estimation in a heterogeneous network are disclosed herein. User equipment (UE) includes circuitry to perform a mobility state estimation (MSE) operation to determine an MSE state for the UE, and a receiver to receive, from a cell in a heterogeneous third generation partnership project (3GPP) network, mobility state information corresponding to movement of the UE within the heterogeneous 3GPP network. The circuitry is configured to update the MSE state based on the mobility state information received from the cell. The UE may also include a transmitter to communicate the updated MSE state to the cell.

The present disclosure provides a grid fixing apparatus including a spacer-integrated retaining clip and a grid fixing method using the same capable of integrally forming a retaining clip and a spacer, forming a grid fixing apparatus to be tacked into an object through an anchor pin to firmly fix a grid reinforcement material to a surface or an outer side of the object, and fixing the grid reinforcement material in vertical and horizontal directions to precisely construct the grid reinforcement material and capable of being applied to all grid reinforcement materials manufactured in a lattice shape, such as a metallic mesh, a geogrid, and a textile grid made of a high-strength fiber, and being utilized in construction of a grid reinforcement material to which various binders such as concrete, mortar, a pavement material, and a finishing material are applied.

A method for repairing a multi-sided structure protruding from a first surface. The method comprises mounting a retainer to the first surface, coupling a first brace connector component of a first brace to a first panel, coupling the first panel to a primary retainer connector component of the retainer, coupling a second brace connector component of the first brace to a secondary retainer connector component of the retainer, and introducing a curable material into the space between the first panel and the multi-sided structure, the first panel acting as at least a portion of a framework for containing the curable material until the curable material cures to provide a repair structure cladded, at least in part, by the first panel.