CABLE MADE OF FILAMENTS, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING SUCH A CABLE AND A CONCRETE-COMPOSITE STRUCTURE CONTAINING THE CABLE AND SAID STRUCTURE
20190152849 ยท 2019-05-23
Inventors
Cpc classification
C04B2103/30
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
C04B20/0068
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
International classification
C04B20/00
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
E04C5/07
FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
C04B24/28
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
Abstract
This invention discloses an apparatus and method for producing a cable made of filaments embedded in a binding material (322) containing the steps of spreading the filaments of a strand (302) of filaments to obtain a band (310) of filaments, wetting the surfaces of the filaments in the band (310), coating the surfaces of the wetted filaments in the band (310), shaping continuously the cross section of the band (310) for creating a cable containing filaments embedded in a matrix of binding material (322). The invention also discloses a method to produce a concrete-composite structure made of reinforcement framework embedded in concrete, and the concrete-composite structure produced by that method.
Claims
1. Method for producing a cable made of filaments embedded in a matrix of binding material, characterized in that the method contains the steps of spreading independent filaments of a strand (302) of filaments to obtain a band (310) of filaments, wetting the surfaces of filaments in the band (310), coating the surfaces of wetted filaments in the band (310) with a binding material (322), shaping continuously the cross section of the band (310) of filaments having surfaces coated with binding material (322) for creating a cable (326) containing filaments embedded in a matrix of binding material (322).
2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that choosing the filaments from a group consisting of carbon filament, aramid filament and basalt filament.
3. The method according to any of claims 1-2, characterized in that wetting is performed by a liquid emulsive dispersion (314), bathing the strip (310) of filaments in said dispersion (314) for at least 3-20 s, advantageously for 10 s.
4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that agitating the band (310) while bathing, and maintaining the temperature of said emulsive dispersion (314) between 15 and 24 C.
5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that said emulsive dispersion (314) contains anionic tenside on a base of acrylic acid-esther and having low viscosity.
6. The method according to any of claims 1-5, characterized in that choosing said binding material (322) from a group consisting of cement paste and geopolimer paste.
7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that using a dispersion as cement paste containing Portland cement, coal dust-ash and a liquid.
8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that said cement paste contains 85 w % Portland cement having a grain size of 5-20 m, coal dust-ash having a grain size below 10 m in a quantity of 5-30 w %, preferably 20 w % of the Portland cement, and a mixture containing water and a plasticizer in a base of poly carboxilate-ether in a quantity of 03-1.8 w % of the water and silicone oil as foam suppressor agent in a quantity of 0.05-0.2 w % of the water used.
9. The method according to any of claims 6-8, characterized in that coating the wetted surface of the filaments in the band (310) with the binding material (322) is performed by dipping the band (310) into cement paste, while moving the band (310) in the cement paste.
10. The method according to any of claims 1-9, characterized in that winding the cable (326) consisting of filaments embedded into a matrix of binding material onto a pulling reel (328).
11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that providing a vapourtight casing on the pulling reel (328) with cable (326) winded thereon.
12. Cable containing filaments embedded in a binding material made by the method according to claims 1-11, characterized in that the filament is chosen from the group containing carbon fiber, aramid fiber, basalt fiber or a combination thereof, and the binding material (322) is chosen from the group containing cement paste, geopolimer paste or a combination thereof.
13. Method for producing a concrete-composite structure made of concrete and a reinforcement framework embedded in the concrete, containing the steps of making a formwork, placing a reinforcement framework in the formwork, filling the formwork with liquid state concrete and allowing the concrete to set, characterized in that the method further comprising the steps of: outspreading independent filaments of a strand (302) consisting of filaments into a band (310), then wetting the surfaces of filaments in the band (310) consisting of filaments, coating the surfaces of filaments in the band (310) consisting of filaments having wetted surfaces by a binding material (322), shaping continuously of cross section of the band (310) consisting of filaments embedded in said binding material (322) to form a cable (326) containing filaments embedded in a matrix of binding material (322) and having a closed cross section, and placing the cable (326) in a formwork.
14. Method according to claim 13, characterized by creating a reinforcement framework using the cable (326) made of filaments embedded in a matrix of binding material (322) before the binding material (322) is set, and placing the framework in a formwork.
15. Method according to claim 13, characterized in that the framework made of the cable (326) containing filaments embedded in a matrix of binding material (322) is a straight section of cable (326) loaded by tensile force after placed into the formwork.
16. Method according to claim 14, characterized by roughening the surface of the framework and allowing the binding material (322) to set before placed in the formwork.
17. Method according to any of claims 13-16, characterized in that the filament is chosen from the group containing carbon fiber, aramid fiber, basalt fiber or a combination thereof, and the binding material (322) is chosen from the group containing cement paste, geopolimer paste or a combination thereof.
18. Apparatus for producing a cable (326) made of filaments embedded in a matrix of binding material (322), the apparatus contains idle rollers (316) for guiding the filaments, characterized in that the apparatus further contains a first unit (A) provided by a drum (304) having a breaking device (306) and being suitable for storing and feeding a strand (302) consisting of filaments, and a second unit (B) following the first unit, provided by an outspreading device (308) for outspreading the filaments of the strand (302) consisting of filaments into a band (310), and a third unit (C) following the second unit, provided by a tank (312) for receiving a liquid emulsive dispersion (314) for wetting the filaments of the band (310), and a fourth unit (D) following the third unit, provided by a tank (318) for receiving a binding material (322) for coating the filaments of the band (310), and a fifth unit (E) following the fourth unit, provided by a device (324) for shaping continuously the cross section of the band (310) of filaments having surfaces coated with binding material (322) to form a cable, and a sixth unit (F) following the fifth unit, provided by a driven drawing reel (328) for pulling the cable (326) having a shaped cross section.
19. Apparatus according to claim 18, characterized in that said outspreading device (308) is formed by blocks having square cross section.
20. Apparatus according to any of claims 18-19, characterized in that guide rolls (320) are arranged in the tank (318) for receiving a binding material (322) for coating the filaments of the band (310).
21. Apparatus according to claim 20, characterized in that the device (324) for shaping is formed as a drawing slit having a rounded, square or oblique cross section.
22. Apparatus according to claim 21, characterized in that the device (324) for shaping is formed as a pair of rollers rotating oppositely on the skirts of each other, both having circumferential grooves forming together the drawing slit.
23. Concrete-composite structure made by the method according to any of claims 13-17, characterized in that the filament is chosen from the group containing carbon fiber, aramid fiber, basalt fiber or a combination thereof, and the binding material (322) is chosen from the group containing cement paste, geopolimer paste or a combination thereof.
Description
[0057] The invention will now be described in details with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawing
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[0071] Steel reinforced concrete structures are dimensioned and designed according to different theories and standards, taking into account the materials and the safety levels. For example, a two support beam 102 shown in
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[0073] As shown in
[0074] In this specification, the term cable refers to the bundle of fibers made of carbon, aramid or basalt material, in which the fibers are coated with a binder, i.e. the space between the fibers is filled with that binder. For example, the carbon fiber is stable and light, but at the same time it is five times stronger than steel, twice as rigid as it is, and it has a weight about one third to that of steel. However, it is strong, flexible enough as well. Carbon strands are factory made from carbon elemental fibers having a thickness of 5-8 micron. There are different types depending on how many elemental fibers are contained. Regular markings are 50K, 48K, 24K, 12K and so on. The 50K carbon strand contains 50,000 filaments, about 0.5 mm thick and 8 mm wide, with a rectangular cross section. In the examples of the invention 50K carbon strand was used, but this does not limit the use of any type of strand. The breaking elongation of the carbon fiber is 1.5% versus 18% of hot rolled steel, and 10% elongation of cold drawn steel. The carbon filament has a modulus of elasticity of 242 Gpa, the concrete reinforcing steel has 200 Gpa. The yield strength of the reinforcing steel is 500 N/mm.sup.2, while the tensile strength of the carbon fiber is 4137 N/mm.sup.2. The tensile strength of steel tensioning strands used in pre-fabricated reinforced concrete structures is only 1770 N/mm2, which is significantly lower than that of the carbon strand. Mechanical properties of the carbon fibers differ significantly from the properties of concrete reinforcement steel used in reinforced concrete support structures, that is more favorable they are, and therefore, they offer a wide range of possibilities to replace them using the technology according to the invention.
[0075] The carbon elemental fiber can be replaced by aramid or basalt fiber according to the invention. The aramid elemental fiber has lesser specific weight than carbon fiber but has a tensile strength matching that of the carbon fiber, while the tensile strength of basalt fiber having a composition similar to the glass is about half of the strength of carbon fiber, but its advantage is that its tensile strength does not decrease significantly with a significant increase in temperature.
[0076] As mentioned above composites e.g. CFCM-like materials are tested for many years, but are not known either any composite CFCM cable placed in cement-based matrix and consisting of substantially parallelly arranged carbon fibers, nor its structural use.
[0077] The cable according to the invention is produced by a device and method according to the invention, so that a carbon strand is saturated by a binder, e.g. cement paste.
[0078] On a reel 304 in the unit A a strand 302 containing carbon, aramid or basalt fibers, in the illustrated embodiment made e.g. of carbon fibers, is available for the process, from which reel 304 the strand 302 is fed into the apparatus. Against a driven drum 328 providing pulling force, a braking unit 306 tensions the strand 302. The strand 302 is led by idle rotating rolls 316 in the apparatus.
[0079] Unit B outspreads the filaments of the 302 strand by means of an outspreading device 308. The outspreading device 308 consists of steel profiles of square cross-section in our experimental apparatus, but any other solution for spreading filaments known in the engineering practice is also suitable for this operation. A strip 310 of elementary fibers moves further from the unit B.
[0080] A dispersion 314 for wetting is disposed in unit C in a wetting tank 312, in which the strip 310 are pulled through.
[0081] Unit D is a container 318 for filling the strip 310 with a binder paste 322, e.g. cement paste, in which baffle rollers 320 are immersed in the binder paste 322. The strip 310 of stretched elemental fibers is saturated while advancing on the baffle rollers 320 so that the binder paste 322 is intrudes in between the elemental fibers. The length of the container 318 for binder paste 322 and the pulling speed of the strand 302 are adjusted so as to provide the required time for the corresponding saturation level. The binding of binder paste 322 can be retarded with known additives, e.g. by the addition of tartaric acid. Our experimental equipment was made with a 80 cm long cement paste 322 container 318, in which the pulled strand 302 was moved with a pulling force of 80-100 N, obtaining an average speed of 0.15 to 0.20 m/s. Each cross section of the strip 310 of elemental fibers thus stayed in the binder cement paste 322 for 8 to 10 seconds mean. The strip 310 of fibers has been perfectly saturated.
[0082] Unit E performs a cross-sectional shaping of the strip 310 of elemental fibers saturated with binder paste 322 by means of a forming device 324. The role of the forming device 324 is also to remove the excess cement paste 322 from the saturated strip 310. It is possible to make a formed 326 cable such that the forming device 324 conducts the saturated strip 310 of fibers in a shaping cross-section, which can be, for example, a square or rectangular or round slit. The forming device 324 contains preferably e.g. two rollers rolling on each other's skirt, each of which is provided with circumferential grooves forming a slit together. For example, a cable 326 of 6 mm in diameter with circular cross-section was made during our tests.
[0083] Unit F is a driven drawing reel 328 which pulls, and in this embodiment it is convenient to wrap the finished cable 326 still wet. The driven drawing reel 328 can be advantageously removed from the apparatus and can be transferred to the desired location of use with the reeled cable 326 thereon. The apparatus according to the invention may be made as an installed plant or as a mobile device. The whole apparatus as well as any of its units are exemplary and illustrate only the invention. The apparatus or its units can be realized in any desired embodiment.
[0084] In the first step of the process of the invention, the elemental fibers of the carbon strand 302 of non-bonded carbon fibers are spread out, i.e. the carbon strand 302 of the plurality of thousands of small diameter elemental fibers are appropriately loosened and spread out in order to intrude the binder paste in between the fibers. For example, a strand 302 consisting of carbon fiber of 50K used in our experiments was spread into a strip 310 having a cross section of 25 mm wide and 0.05 to 0.15 mm thick.
[0085] Subsequently, in the second step of the process, the strip 310 consisting of outspreaded elemental fibers is wetted in order to prepare the surface of the elemental fibers. An emulsifier is used for wetting, in which the elemental fibers are soaked for at least 5-8 seconds. For better wetting effect, the strip 310 is moved while bathing. In doing so, the temperature of the emulsifier is preferably maintained at a temperature of from 15 to 24 C. The emulsifier used in our experiments is an anionic surfactant based on acrylic ester based low viscosity 314 dispersion. This dispersion 314 conforms well to the Portland cement used in the concrete structures, so that it also has a pH value of 12-14. For surface preparation any other wettable material may be used if its properties are similar to the properties of dispersion 314 and fit into the highly alkaline environment.
[0086] In the next, third step of the process the strip 310 consisting of wetted filaments is saturated with a cement paste 322 binder material, in a preferred embodiment. Saturation is performed by immersion into the binder paste 322 and preferably by moving the strip 310 in the binder paste 322. The binder paste 322 e.g. cement paste used in the process of the present invention is a material containing Portland cement, coal dust-ash and a liquid, with a density of approximately that of honey, that is approx. 2.2 kg/dm.sup.3. The Portland cement type is preferably CEM I. 52.5 N-SR0, 85% of which has a particle size of 5-20 microns. Low particle size is an important factor to easier access in between carbon fibers. The added coal dust-ash is 5-30 weight %, preferably 20 w % of the cement mass, and its size is preferably below 10 microns. The liquid phase used is: water, polycarboxylate ether (PCE) based plasticizer agent in a quantity of 0.3-1.8% by weight of the water, and a foam suppressor agent containing silicone oil in a 0.05-0.2 w % quantity of the water. The bonding time of the cement pulp is an important condition, which may be slowed down by adding tartaric acid, for example. The cement paste 322 used conforms to the Portland cement binder of the concrete and a chemical bonding is formed between the two materials in a concrete-composite structure, when embedded. The established chemical bonding ensures that the cable 326 and the concrete behave together as a composite material. If a geopolymer is used as a binder of concrete instead of cement in the concrete composite structure, the strip 310 of elemental fibers should be saturated with geopolymer paste 322 instead of cement paste 322.
[0087] In the fourth step of the process the strip 310 of elemental fibers saturated with binding paste 322 is formed in its cross section so that the strip 310 of fibers saturated with cement paste 322/geopolymer paste 322 therebetween is merged in a cable 326 with desired cross-section, and the cable 326 saturated with binder paste 322 is ready for further use.
[0088] In our experiments we have made cable 326 having a cross section of a circle of 4 to 8 mm in diameter, using a 50K carbon strand 302, but cable 326 can be of any diameter.
[0089] The finished wet 326 cable is flexible and bendable. It can be made a straight bar, can be wrapped in any plane or spatial form, it can be folded, spun and threaded before solidification. This excellent feature allows it to be used for bearing tensile forces, shearing and twisting loads in support constructions or in other constructions made of concrete, according to calculations of dynamics.
[0090] One of the ways of using the 326 cable is to provide a concrete composite structure according to the invention, i.e. a arranging a wet, that is flexible 326 cable in a formwork to be filled, another way of use is creating prefabricated shapes, armatures or frames made of 326 cable allowed to harden before use. Generally, both uses are combined. Due to its low water/cement rate, the wet 326 cable must be protected against dehydration before use, for example, the reel 328 must be wrapped by a vapor barrier material carefully, i.e. by foil packaging. Use in wet condition should preferably take place within 3-5 hours counted from the the shaping operation.
[0091] In solidified state, the cable 326 is a solid, flexible, non-vulnerable fiber with a specific gravity of significantly less than that of steel. With static load, it acts linear flexibly until it breaks by brittle fracture. Unlike steel it does not show any yield. Its tensile strength generally exceeds substantially that of steel and it can reach 4000 N/mm2. Its modulus of elasticity and its elongation is less than that of steel. It has excellent fatigue strength, low creep and relaxation. Due to the properties of cable 326, it is an excellent material for the manufacture of armatures that can be used in supporting structures.
[0092] The cable 326 is suitable for the production of a concrete composite according to the invention, in which the concrete takes up the pressing load, while the tensile, shear and torsion stresses are taken up by the cables 326. In the concrete composite material, the bonding agent of the concrete and the binder material of cables 326 are bonded chemically to each other. During its application in supporting structures the co-working of the two materials is ensured, they do not separate from each other. Its behavior is similar to that of reinforced concrete supporting structures prior to any damage. The quality of concrete may vary according to static calculations. Preferably, high strength or ultra-high strength concrete is used.
[0093] When preparing the concrete-composite structure according to the invention, the concrete casting is done after arranging and tensioning of the wet cable 326 in the formwork. After-treatment of concrete is in accordance of the concrete technology.
[0094] The cable 326 saturated with binder material is suitable for subsequently reinforcing and providing corrosion protection of supporting structures e.g. reinforced concrete structures. Cable 326 bundles built in deepen groves or rollover of the support structure on its cleaned and adhesive padded surface, ensure the existence of structure and increase its usefulness.
[0095] Cable 326 is also suitable for the manufacture of armors or frameworks according to the invention. The framework made of cable 326 is a rigid frame that can be manufactured in any form for concrete composite supporting structures, artworks and other purposes.
[0096] The production of frameworks takes place by winding, stapling, spinning and stitching or by similar applying the wet-state cable 326 on to a preformed pattern. Following these operations, when the framework is almost solidified and movable, it is separated from the pattern, placed in a formwork and concreted in. If the perfect solidification has not yet occurred then we use auxiliary equipment adapted to the framework to move.
[0097] In the case of concreting in a frame made of the 326 cable before the binder paste 322 completely solidified, concrete and the bonding paste 322 of the wet 326 cable come with one another in a chemical bond. Thus, if the wet cable 326 is in contact with the liquid state concrete during concreting, the bonding of the cement crystals creates a perfect chemical bond, as the two materials, that is the cement-based binder and the binder of concrete form a crystal structure during the hydration of the elemental fibers, which results in perfect bonding. In case of two differently aged concrete this perfect chemical connection cannot be achieved at the level of crystal structure. This chemical bond also provides additional benefits, because there is no tension between the two materials. The shrinkage of the cement is the most intense in the early phase. If there is a large difference between the times of concreting operations, the shrinkage of the two layers will be significantly different and even separation may occur. By concreting in the wet cable 326 the stress due to shrinkage between two different materials having identical chemical properties at the same time, can be reduced to a minimum.
[0098] When transporting the framework to a distant workplace, it is protected from damage by a vapourtight casing avoiding dehydration and ensuring easy handling. After placing in the formwork, the packaging is removed. Depending on the nature of the framework, packaging can be made of wood, plastic, hard paper or plastic foil.
[0099] When planning for later use, the surface of the 326 cable to be used to make the frameworks is roughened still in fresh and wet state. Roughening may be, for example, sand blasting with quartz sand having a particle size of max. 0.3 mm. The purpose of roughening is to ensure that connection of concrete and the framework in the concrete-composite be performed even if the chemical bond between the components is created partially only or not at all. When constructing concrete composite support structures, the cables 326 are placed in the formwork in a raw and/or solidified state. After concreting and setting, such a structure is capable of carrying loads.
[0100] The frameworks can be made with a flat and spatial design.
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[0102] The frequency and arrangement of the cylindrical members 408 arranged on the surface of the second pattern 404 is such that winding the cable 326 thereto several times a stronger framework B1 can be created. The finished B1 armature is such that the parallel vertical bars 410 are joined by horizontal bars 412 running below and over as well.
[0103] In the third pattern 406 a lattice type framework C1 having bars 414 inclining in 45 in both directions can be made. This method enables the production of a fiber reinforced planar framework of cables 326 textured arbitrarily on a universal production pattern. The self-supporting framework can be removed from the pattern by separating it from its surface. The method is facilitated by temporarily removing the cylindrical members 408.
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[0105] It is also possible to make a statically perfectly self supporting framework D1, E1, F1 of cable 326, such as a framework F1 with circle, ellipse or polygonal cross-section.
[0106] Separation of frameworks D1, E1, F1 from spatial patterns 502,504,506, is done for example by folding the 502,504,506 patterns manually or by a machine operation and then being removed from the frameworks D1, E1, F1. Separation occurs when the framework D1, E1, F1 is sufficiently self-supporting. The tubular framework F1 of
[0107] In
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[0109] Construction of frameworks according to the invention and their formal appearance are exemplified here and do not limit their application possibilities.
[0110] Preparation of concrete composite supporting structures and its formative possibilities are presented in three examples by drawings.
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[0112] A schematic view of a spatial shell made of concrete-composite can be seen in
[0113] The method described above allows to track the force dynamics of any shells designed with computer design and by static calculations, and construction of a shell. The possibilities can only be limited by the imagination of the designer. The method disclosed further enables follow-up reinforcement of any curved and complicated wall structure, concrete structure, retaining wall, grain silo, reservoir and other structures by means of the concrete composite according to the present invention.
[0114] Concrete-composite technology can be a new and extremely important application area for the construction of small, medium-sized or large containers for short and/or long-term storage of radioactive waste. Its extremely favorable mechanical properties and chemical stability make it suitable for this task even in an aggressive environment. Building of non-corrosive containers can be used for long-term storage of hazardous waste.
[0115] The major advantage of the present invention as compared to the prior art solutions is that the present invention provides concrete-composite structures having a high load bearing capacity by smaller cross section, better heat resistance and practically unlimited lifetime, eliminating the disadvantages of prior art steel reinforced concrete structures by means of using the cable 326 according to the invention. This possibility is particularly advantageous for the purpose to build supporting structures exposed on environmental pollution and in areas with frequent earthquake where damaging of today's conventional steel-concrete structures can be eliminated only by significant maintenance costs. The concrete composite technology of the present invention is an excellent opportunity for contemporary and future architects and civil engineers to formulate their structural and formal ideas. Structures defined by up to date and computerized planning and modeling of dynamics can be advantageously implemented using the technology of the present invention. Cables 326 are also suitable for creating other concrete composite artworks, such as sculptures.