Shape memory alloys (SMAs) may be used for static rock splitting. The SMAs may be used as high-energy multifunctional materials, which have a unique ability to recover large deformations and generate high stresses in response to thermal loads.

A splitting apparatus comprising a first splitting blade having a smooth top with a width X and a shoulder angle of less than the friction angle, relative to a point in the middle of the top, and a second splitting blade disposed opposite the first splitting blade, the second splitting blade having a smooth top with a width Y and a shoulder angle of less than the friction angle, relative to a point in the middle of the top.

A splitting apparatus comprising a first splitting blade having a smooth top with a width X and a shoulder angle of less than the friction angle, relative to a point in the middle of the top, and a second splitting blade disposed opposite the first splitting blade, the second splitting blade having a smooth top with a width Y and a shoulder angle of less than the friction angle, relative to a point in the middle of the top.

The invention provides a block splitter device comprising first lower and second upper opposed block splitter assemblies. The block splitter assemblies have a centrally located depression extending the length of the assembly and two or more first forming blades. One forming blade is disposed to the right of and one forming blade is disposed to the left of the center depression. The forming blades have forming surfaces with first and second forming edges. The forming surface of the first block splitter assembly is opposed to the forming surface of the second block splitter assembly.

Process for the realization of manufactured articles in stone material, characterized by comprising the following steps of: providing a block or flat sheet of said stone material, and gluing a support in a flexible material on a surface of said sheet, carrying out the cutting or sectioning of said sheet to obtain a laminated panel with a determined minimum thickness, carrying out the winding of the mentioned laminated panel on a roll or similar curved surface to obtain the crushing of said panel into irregular chunks or parts; carrying out the impregnation or spreading on said crushed panel with polymeric materials or thermosetting resins; recomposing the planarity of said impregnated panel thus obtained.

A method of fabricating a sheet of a crystalline material, the method includes splitting the crystalline material along crystallographic structural planes into a plurality of crystalline elements before sorting the plurality of crystalline elements into a first size, a second size and a third size. The method further includes placing the first size crystalline elements along an adhesive surface of a substrate; and then broadcasting the second and third sizes of the plurality of crystalline elements against the adhesive surface between the placed first size.

Shape memory alloys (SMAs) may be used for static rock splitting. The SMAs may be used as high-energy multifunctional materials, which have a unique ability to recover large deformations and generate high stresses in response to thermal loads.