TRIAXIAL WEAVE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF STIFF STRUCTURAL MANIFOLDS FOR USE IN STRUCTURES AND WEAVING METHOD THEREOF

Abstract

Woven structures must be made of materials that are sufficiently flexible that they can be woven together. This often results in a finished structure that is also flexible. Thus weaving has long been considered inadequate for the production of buildings and other objects requiring high levels of stiffness. The present invention relates to increasing the stiffness of triaxial-weave woven structural manifolds. The present invention provides for a new type of triaxial weave that allows for structural members of greater diameter and stiffness that are still flexible enough to accommodate the geometry of the weave. The result is structures having approximately eight times the structural stiffness of conventional triaxial-weave woven structures.

Claims

1. A building material used in construction comprising a 2-2 triaxial weave.

2. The 2-2 triaxial weave of claim 1 comprised of woven members with a circular cross section.

3. The 2-2 triaxial weave of claim 1 where the intersections of the woven members are optionally secured with a fastener.

4. A three-dimensional structural members comprising a 2-2 triaxial weave.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a woven building following the prior art 1-1 triaxial weave.

[0027] FIG. 2 shows the fundamental repeating unit of the prior art 1-1 triaxial weave.

[0028] FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the prior art 1-1 triaxial weave.

[0029] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a woven building following the present invention 2-2 triaxial weave.

[0030] FIG. 5 shows the fundamental repeating unit of the present invention 2-2 triaxial weave.

[0031] FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the present invention 2-2 triaxial weave.

[0032] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a second example of a woven building following the present invention 2-2 triaxial weave.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0033] FIG. 1 shows an example woven building 101, comprised of woven members 102, intersecting each other at intersections 103. The fundamental repeating element of the 1-1 triaxial weave (prior art) 106 is also shown. The weave is terminated by a bounding member 104.

[0034] FIG. 2 shows a detail of the 1-1 triaxial weave (prior art) with structural elements woven members 202 and example intersections 203, and its fundamental repeating unit 206.

[0035] FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of the 1-1 triaxial weave (prior art) in a cross-sectional plane that is parallel and coincident with one of the woven members and perpendicular to the surface of the woven manifold, with structural elements woven members 302 and example intersection 303 also shown.

[0036] FIG. 4 shows an example woven building 401, comprised of woven members 402, intersecting each other at intersections 403. The fundamental repeating element of the 2-2 triaxial weave (present invention) 407 is also shown. The weave is terminated by a bounding member 404.

[0037] FIG. 5 shows a detail of the 2-2 triaxial weave (present invention) and its fundamental repeating unit 507. The smallest unit of the preferred embodiment of the weave of the present invention is shown in FIG. 5, with structural elements woven members 302 and example intersection 303 also shown.

[0038] FIG. 6 shows a sectional view of the 2-2 triaxial weave (present invention) in a cross-sectional plane that is parallel and coincident with one of the woven members and perpendicular to the surface of the woven manifold, with structural elements woven members 302 and example intersection 303 also shown.

[0039] FIG. 7 shows a woven building 701 having structural element woven members 702 and example intersections 703 where structural elements meet. Door opening 705 formed separate of the bounding member 704. Fundamental repeating unit 707 is also shown.

[0040] A fastener can be used to bind the intersections together more tightly to prevent the woven members from sliding against each other under structural load. Appropriate fasteners could be screws, cable ties, and rope or twine.

[0041] Woven dome buildings can be built top down, where the weave is started at the center of the building (usually the building's highest point) and as the weave is continued outward the roof is lifted with a crane. At some point when the downward curve of the manifold causes the woven members to be perpendicular or nearly so to the ground, they can be bent under the structure and this will often cause the structure to begin to support itself, lifting the weight off the crane. This method involves the expense of a crane. Woven dome buildings can also be built bottom up, by beginning the weave at the ground and continuing it upward until finally closing the weave at the center point (usually the highest point). Because the walls of the building do not obtain their stability until the dome is complete, the walls are often too weak to climb on as a substitute for scaffolding during construction. Thus scaffolding is also needed. The buildings can also be woven flat on the ground in a planar arrangement. If this flat weave method is chosen, several circumferential woven members around the perimeter cannot be including while still in the planar configuration due to the excessive circumference. Once the weave is complete (except for the circumferential members that cannot be added yet), the building can be erected. To erect the building, ropes are placed around the circumference of the building and winched tight until the circumference of the planar weave lifts off the ground and the whole structure becomes curved upwards at its edges. As it is desired that the edges curve downward instead of upward to lift the roof, the structure is then inverted. With the circumference ropes still in place, several ropes are tied to one edge of the structure and pulled across the structure causing the whole structure to flip over like a pancake being cooked. Now the woven manifold has its edges curved downward and the central area of the manifold is held above the ground by the edges of the manifold. The winches are further tightened to reduce the circumference and lift the roof. As the circumference approaches its planned value, the final few circumferential woven members can be woven into the pattern. Weaving the building flat is the preferred method as it avoids the expense and danger of using a crane or scaffolding. If fastener are used to further secure the intersections, the fasteners in the upper portion of the building can be placed before the winches are completely tightened so that the intersections can be easily reached from the ground without scaffolding.

[0042] The woven members can be made of any material that is sufficiently strong and flexible. Polyvinyl chloride irrigation pipe is a good choice given these requirements. The fundamental repeating unit of the weave of the present invention can be placed on the pattern of (inside the triangles of the pattern of) a geodesic dome of any class (class 1, 2, or 3) and any frequency or other patterns where the 5-edge vertexes are placed possibly in a more irregular pattern, with or without a 5-edge vertex in the center of the structure. Negative solid curvature in the manifold (or building shape) can be accommodated by 7-edge vertexes. The 5-edge vertexes are generally placed in areas of positive solid curvature.

[0043] If the woven building is spherical or ellipsoidal, it can be truncated at a level that leaves its widest point higher than its lowest point or ground level. This provides headroom to the occupants of the building when they are standing near an interior wall.

[0044] Most raw material that can be used as woven members is acquired in limited length and lengths must be joined together using a method that is suitable for that material. For polyvinyl chloride irrigation pipe, a solvent cement and telescoping ends are common and suitable. The lengths need not be joined to achieve the required length at the beginning of the process. Simplicity can be found in weaving only one piece at a time and joining them afterwards. In this way less length of material needs to be pulled through the weave and time and effort can be saved. Sometimes the material is sufficiently flexible that the pieces can be joined to extend the length before being woven and then a loop of the material can be formed to store the extra length until the head of the member can be woven along the appropriate path far enough to consume the added length.

[0045] The characteristic U-turn patterns that attach to the bounding member or door opening can be smoothly curved (as in the figures), bent in angular corners, or the members can be terminated without a curve and the dead end of the terminated member can be fasted to the bounding member or door opening. The U-turns must also be fastened to the bounding member or door opening in some way.

[0046] Some modes of structural deformation are facilitated by the woven members sliding against each other, and the traction produced by the weave may be insufficient to prevent this sliding movement. Thus for added structural stability, a fastener can be placed at each intersection. Screws, cable ties, rope, and twine are suitable fasteners.

[0047] To weave in a new length and thus extend a woven member, the end of the member is taken through the appropriate openings in the existing weave being mindful to pass appropriately over and under in the required pattern of the present invention.

[0048] Unlike conventional geodesic domes, the buildings of the present invention are particularly suitable for textile covering because of their smooth snagless surface.