C-Fix Holding B.V. (Lange Kleiweg 60 F, GK Rijswijk, NL-2288, NL)
VAN DER HORST, Willem (Bickersgracht 56a, LG Amsterdam, NL-1013, NL)
| Claims 1. Method for manufacturing an element (1) from a solidifiable or hardenable binder mix, comprising the steps of: -providing a mould (4) which at least partly has the shape of the element (1) to be manufactured, -introducing a first quantity (2) of a solidifiable binder mix in the mould (4), -depositing a granular material (5) on top of at most part of said quantity (2) of a binder mix, -introducing a further quantity (2') of a solidifiable binder mix on top of the preceding quantity (2) of a binder mix and the granular material (5) deposited thereon, -solidifying the binder mix and thereby making the quantities of binder mix adhere to each other, -removing the element of adhering quantities of solidified binder mix and granular material in between said quantities of solidified binder mix from the mould (4). 2. Method according to claim 1, comprising the step of: -repeating several times the steps of introducing a quantity (2, 2') of a binder mix in the mould and of subsequently depositing a granular material (5) on top of at most part of a quantity of a binder mix. 3. Method according to any of the preceding claims, comprising the steps of: -providing an envelope which contains a granular material, -applying the envelope together with the granular material contained therein on top of a quantity of a binder mix, -applying a quantity of a binder mix on top of the preceding quantity of a binder mix and the envelope which contains a granular material. 4. Method according to any of the preceding claims, comprising the step of: -removing the granular material (5) from the element (1), such as by squirting with water, washing away under water and the like, after solidifying the binder mix. 5. Method according to claim 3 and 4, comprising the steps of: -after solidifying the binder mix, removing the granular material from within the envelope so as to form a channel or tunnel and the like. 6. Method according to any of the preceding claims, comprising the steps of: -applying a mould (4) having a narrowing shape, -positioning the mould (4) on a bottom, -after solidifying the binder mix, removing the mould (4) in upward direction. 7. Method according to any of the preceding claims, comprising the step of: -applying a granular material (5) such as a mineral. 8. Method according to any of the preceding claims for manufacturing an element for use in marine applications, such as coastal defense works, embankments and the like. 9. Method according to any of the preceding claims for manufacturing an element having improved sound attenuating properties. 10. Element (1) manufactured according to the method of any of the preceding claims, comprising a body of a solidified binder mix which comprises slits, crevices, and/or tunnels and the like. 11. Element (1) according to claim 10, wherein the slits, crevices, tunnels and the like (3) open out on the surface of the body. 12. Element (1) according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the slits, crevices, tunnels and the like (3) are partly filled with a granular material (5). 13. Element according to any of claims 10-12, wherein the slits, crevices, channels and the like have dimensions ranging from several millimetres to several decimetres. 14. Element (1) according to any of claims 8-13, wherein the body comprises interconnected layers (2, 2') of a solidified binder mix, said layers enclosing slits, crevices, tunnels and the like (3). |
The invention is related to the field of elements which can be used for different purposes; as an example, reference is made to the use in protecting structures against wave attacks. Such structures include amongst others blocks which are positioned on dikes, embankments, piers and the like. The block shapes or other shapes have a wave breaking effect, which is desirable for defending the sand, clay or other material which form the bulk of the dike and the like. Other shapes are also included, for instance plate shapes and the like. In the past, use has been made of concrete elements. Although such elements provide a sufficient protective effect, nevertheless they exhibit some disadvantages as well. A serious disadvantage has an ecological background. This will be clear from the fact that such blocks have a very limited capacity for growing living matter thereon, such as sea weeds, algae, little animals like small crabs and the like. In practice, the series of blocks which are available at the waterline of a dike etc. merely constitutes a barren territory which provides no suitable habitat for such organisms.
The object of the invention is therefore to provide an element which can be manufactured in an efficient way, and which has surface structures which are beneficial for obtaining particular effects which are less easily obtained by fully closed and smooth surfaces. An example is an element for embankments, dikes, piers and the like which is able to combine the desired protective function with a satisfactory behaviour from an ecological view point. Another example is an element which for instance provides sound attenuating properties. This object is achieved through a method for manufacturing an element from a solidifiable or hardenable binder mix, comprising the steps of:
-providing a mould which at least partly has the shape of the element to be manufactured,
-introducing a first quantity of a binder mix in the mould,
-depositing a granular material on top of at most part of said quantity of a binder mix,
-introducing a further quantity of a binder mix on top of the preceding quantity of a binder mix and the granular material deposited thereon,
-solidifying the binder mix, -removing the element, consisting of adhering quantities of solidified binder mix and granular material in between said quantities of solidified binder mix, from the mould.
In the method according to the invention, it is possible to arrange open spaces, be it of limited thickness, within the element. These openings may take the form of slits, crevices and the like, and are quite suitable for stimulating biological growth of organisms such as plants en small animals. Alternatively, an element of this type may be used for sound attenuating properties, in case the openings are selected in such a way that they are effective as for instance Helmholtz resonators. The openings may have dimensions which range from several millimetres to several decimetres. The openings are obtained at the location of the granular material, which has been collected at several locations along the height direction of the element. The position of these locations can be influenced by suitable alternating layers of the binder mix and amounts of granular material, such as sand. As mentioned before, by means of the method according to the invention, crevices, slits and the like may be obtained. It is however also possible to form channels, panels and the like within the element. This is accomplished by the steps of:
-providing an envelope which contains a granular material,
-applying the envelope together with the granular material contained therein on top of a quantity of a binder mix,
-applying a quantity of a binder mix on top of the preceding quantity of a binder mix and the envelope which contains a granular material.
The number of intermediate positions of the openings can be influenced in the aforesaid manner. This can in particular be accomplished by: -repeating several times the steps of introducing a quantity of a binder mix in the mould and of subsequently depositing a granular material on top of at most part of a quantity of a binder mix.
In this connection, adjustments can be obtained by varying the thickness of the binder mix layers through pouring a specific amount of said binder mix in the mould each time, and also by adjusting the thickness of the amount of granular material. The uncovered surface parts of the binder mix layers are allowed to adhere to each other, in such a way that the desired coherence of the element is obtained. The granular material itself will exhibit little tendency to adhere to the binder mix. Thus, after the element has been removed from the mould, this material will be loosened out of the crevices, slits, tunnels and the like which have formed in the element under the influence of the material. The granular material can simply be removed from these spaces by for instance squirting or washing out with water, leaving free the openings.
The shape of the mould which is used in the process according to the invention can be varied as well. With the aim of simplifying the production process, the method according to the invention comprises the step of steps of: -applying a mould having an upwardly narrowing shape,
-positioning the mould on a bottom,
-after solidifying the binder mix, removing the mould in upward direction.
For instance, the mould may be lifted by an overhead crane, by a fork lift truck and the like, in case elements such as blocks with dimensions having an order of magnitude of a cubic meter are being manufactured.
A binder mix comprises a binder material, filler material, sand and aggregate. The binder material may for instance consist of asphalt or cement. The granular material may be of several types, including minerals such as sand, clay, aggregate, shells, porous rock and the like The invention is furthermore related to an element, such as a marine element or a dampening element manufactured according to the method described before, comprising a body of binder mix which comprises slits, crevices, tunnels and the like. In particular, those slits, crevices, tunnels and the like open out on the surface of the body so as to promote biological growth or to fulfill other functions such as providing dampening effects. The elements may for instance function as reef elements. They can be friendly to a marine environment, such as for fish and the like. The body comprises interconnected layers of a solidified binder mix, said layers enclosing slits, crevices and the like.
As mentioned before, the elements obtained according to the method of the invention may for instance be used in a marine environment. However, this example does not limit the use of the elements in question. For instance, the elements may also be used as a sound attenuating or dampening elements, whereby effective use is made of the dampening effect of the slits, crevices, tunnels and the like which are formed in these elements.
The invention will now be explained with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawings. Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a finished element according to the invention.
Figure 2 shows a step of the manufacturing process according to the invention. Figure 3 shows the step of demoulding. Figure 4 shows a semi-finished product. The example of an element 1 according to the invention as shown in figure 1 is carried out as a slightly tapering block. This block consist of several binder mix layers, such as asphalt mixture layers 2, between which open spaces in the form of slits or crevices 3 have been left over. The block 1 thus is able to promote ecological growth of living organisms which may settle within said openings. The block 1 is obtained using a mould 4 as shown in figure 2, which has a similar slightly tapering shape as well. Said mould is initially positioned on a bottom. Subsequently, a first layer 2 of a binder mix is poured into the mould. Directly thereafter, as shown in figure 2, an amount of a granular material, in particular sand 5, is deposited on the asphalt mixture layer 2, leaving however free an area 6 of the asphalt layer.
Subsequently, a further binder mix layer 2' is poured onto said first binder mix layer 2 and sand 5. At the location of the area 6 which is not covered with sand 5, the binder mix layers 2, 2' are fused together. However, at the location of the sand layer 6, no adherence between adjoining binder mix, such as asphalt mixture layers 2, 2' occurs.
After the asphalt mixture layers have hardened sufficiently, the semi- finished product is demoulded as shown in figures 3 and 4. The crevices, slits 3 etc of said product are still filled with sand. Finally, the sand can be removed by squirting this from the crevices by means of for instance a water spout, resulting in the element as shown in figure 1 described before.
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