|
(11) | EP 3 992 365 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (54) | METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING AN OBJECT MADE OF REINFORCED CONCRETE |
| (57) Method for manufacturing an object (16) made of reinforced concrete and provided
with a wall (18) in which a porous block (11) is arranged to form a porous portion
in that wall, wherein the method comprises the following steps: step 1: providing a mould (19) and a concrete reinforcement (14) and a porous block (11); step 2: placing the concrete reinforcement (14) and the porous block (11) into the mould (19); step 3: pouring concrete into the mould (19), characterised in that the porous block (11) is placed into the mould (19) by suspending the porous block (11) from the concrete reinforcement (14). |
[0001] The present invention concerns a suspension device for suspending a concrete clinker and its use and a method for manufacturing an object made of reinforced concrete.
[0002] In particular, the invention concerns the manufacturing of concrete objects from reinforced non-porous concrete with cavities therein for collecting water, such as, for instance, gutter elements for collecting rainwater around parking places and allowing that water to seep slowly into the soil.
[0003] Such gutter elements are known, for example, from BE1019086. These have drainage openings in their side walls such that collected water can slowly infiltrate into the soil.
[0004] However, a layer of plastic geotextile must be applied to the outside of such gutter elements during installation to prevent sand from the soil from washing up through the drainage openings into the gutter element, as this may impair the proper functioning of the gutter element and cause soil subsidence around the gutter element.
[0005] The use of geotextiles is undesirable because it entails costs and because it is difficult to remove the geotextile completely when the gutter element is removed, such that it partly remains behind in the soil.
[0006] To avoid the need for geotextile, gutter elements and other underground concrete objects have been developed in which the drainage openings are formed by porous concrete clinkers that are permeable to water, but not to sand, and which are poured into the walls.
[0007] However, it is not easy to place such porous concrete clinkers in a mould for casting a non-porous concrete object. In the concrete industry, such a mould is usually called a formwork.
[0008] The porous concrete clinkers must be placed relatively accurately at a desired position in the mould in order to guarantee a sufficient distance, usually at least 3 cm, from the concrete reinforcement such that the concrete reinforcement cannot corrode by soil water.
[0009] Of course, it should also be ensured that the surfaces of the porous concrete clinker located on the inside and the outside of the walls of the concrete object, are not covered by a layer of non-porous concrete, because this prevents the throughflow of water.
[0010] Also, the manner of fixing the concrete clinkers in the mould must be such that it does not interfere with the removal of the concrete object from the mould.
[0011] In order to prevent or reduce these drawbacks, the invention concerns a suspension device for suspending a concrete clinker, wherein the suspension device comprises on a top side one or more first hooks for suspending the suspension device from a concrete reinforcement, wherein the suspension device comprises a support structure for placing a concrete clinker thereon, wherein the support structure is located lower than the one or more first hooks and wherein the suspension device comprises two or more connecting elements which connect the support structure to the one or more first hooks.
[0012] By means of such a suspension device, a porous concrete clinker may be placed in the mould in an easy manner, simply by suspending the suspension device from a concrete reinforcement by means of the one or more hooks, and placing a porous concrete clinker on the support structure.
[0013] It is noted here that terms above, below, higher, lower, horizontal and vertical are to be understood in an orientation of the suspension device in which it is in use.
[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the support structure has a first dimension in a first horizontal direction and a second dimension in a second horizontal direction which is perpendicular to the first horizontal direction, wherein both the first dimension and the second dimension are at least 10 mm, and preferably at least 20 mm.
[0015] As a result, the support structure has sufficiently large dimensions in two horizontal directions at right angles to each other to allow a porous block to be stably placed thereon.
[0016] In a preferred embodiment, the support structure comprises at least three support points, i.e. highest points, for supporting a concrete clinker, wherein the at least three support points lie in the same horizontal geometric plane but do not lie on the same straight geometric line, and in which their greatest mutual distance both in the first horizontal direction and in the second horizontal direction are both at least 10 mm and preferably at least 20 mm.
[0017] In a further preferred embodiment, the support structure has a support surface or a set of support lines for supporting a concrete clinker, wherein said at least three support points form part of the support surface or of the support lines.
[0018] In a preferred embodiment, the suspension device comprises exactly two said connecting elements and exactly two first hooks, wherein each connecting element connects the support structure with a separate first hook.
[0020] In a preferred embodiment, the suspension device comprises one or more spacers which project, at least partially in horizontal direction, and which are arranged at their projecting ends to rest against a concrete reinforcement or to be hooked or clamped around a concrete reinforcement.
[0021] Preferably, these one or more spacers are attached or attachable to the first hooks or to the support structure or to a said connecting element.
[0022] Preferably, these one or more spacers project beyond the one or more connecting elements, in other words beyond a geometric body formed by a vertical projection of the support structure.
[0023] In a preferred embodiment, the suspension device comprises a releasable coupling piece for coupling to one another the connecting elements on a vertical position between the support structure and the one or more first hooks 7.
[0024] This provides the suspension device with more rigidity. Also, in the case of deformable connecting elements, a concrete clinker located on the support structure may be clamped, such that the concrete clinker can less easily fall off the support structure.
[0026] In a preferred embodiment, the coupling piece has two opposite ends, wherein said end is provided with a second hook for hooking the end to a concrete reinforcement, in particular to a vertical reinforcement element.
[0027] This has the advantage that the concrete clinker can also easily be placed and secured in a specific horizontal position into the mould.
[0029] Such an end of the coupling piece extends beyond a vertical projection of the support structure.
[0030] In a preferred embodiment, the coupling piece is provided at both ends with a second hook, with the convex side of the second hook facing outwards, and provided with a third hook at a position between the centre of the coupling piece and each of the two second hooks, to hook around a connecting element, wherein the convex side of the third hook is facing outwardly, preferably wherein the coupling piece is made from one piece of metal wire, bent to form the second hooks and third hooks.
[0032] In a preferred embodiment, the suspension device is designed for clamping a concrete clinker. As a result, the concrete clinker is positioned more stably on the suspension device. This can, for instance, be obtained by means of the one or more spacers and/or the coupling piece.
[0033] In a preferred embodiment, the suspension device is made of corrosion-resistant material. This refers to material that is not being corroded or not significantly corroded by air and soil water.
[0034] This prevents the formation of a cavity due to corrosion of the material of the suspension device, along which water can reach the concrete reinforcement and could corrode it.
[0035] A number of metals, whether or not provided with a surface treatment, and plastics are particularly suitable.
[0036] Preferably, the suspension device is made of metal because it is undesirable for ecological reasons and subsequent recycling to introduce plastic into concrete objects and/or into the soil.
[0037] In a preferred embodiment, the one or more first hooks and the support structure and connecting elements are made of metal wire and more preferably, the entire suspension device is made of metal wire.
[0040] In a preferred embodiment, the one or more first hooks and the support structure and the connecting elements are made together from one piece of metal wire.
[0041] In a preferred embodiment, the support structure extends from a first said connecting element to a second said connecting element in a first horizontal direction, the support structure comprising one or more metal wire sections, wherein in the one or more metal wire sections the metal wire extends in a horizontal direction which deviates from the first horizontal direction.
[0042] As a result, in a simple manner, also with a single piece of metal wire, a support structure is obtained which extends in two horizontal dimensions at right angles to each other, such that a concrete clinker can stably be placed on the support structure.
[0043] The invention further concerns the use of a suspension device according to the invention for positioning a porous concrete clinker in a mould for forming a concrete object, wherein the suspension device is suspended from a concrete reinforcement which is located in the mould.
[0044] In order to prevent or reduce the said drawbacks, the invention further concerns a method for manufacturing an object made of reinforced concrete and provided with a wall in which a porous block is arranged to form a porous portion in that wall for the passage of water through that wall, wherein the method comprises the following steps:
step 1: providing a mould and a concrete reinforcement and a porous block;
step 2: placing the concrete reinforcement and the porous block into the mould;
step 3: pouring concrete into the mould and allowing the concrete to harden,
where the porous block is placed into the mould by suspending the porous block from the concrete reinforcement.[0045] By suspending the porous block from the reinforcement, it is obtained in an easy manner that the porous block can be placed at a desired position, and in particular at a desired vertical distance from the concrete reinforcement.
[0046] In this case, no recesses in, or protrusions on, the walls of the mould are required to serve as an attachment point or support point for the porous concrete clinker, such that the walls of the mould may be designed in a simple manner.
[0047] In a preferred variant, the mould comprises a mould wall to serve as a boundary for a wall of the concrete object to be formed, wherein an accessory is positioned between the porous block and the mould wall, wherein the accessory is elastically deformable, in particular compressible, and encloses a volume.
[0048] Preferably, the accessory is clamped between the mould wall and the porous block. This is preferably obtained in that the mould comprises two opposite mould walls, wherein the porous block and one or more accessories are clamped between the two mould walls.
[0049] These preferred variants at least partially prevent concrete from getting between the porous block and the mould walls because, after all, the said volume of the accessory is in that location and shields a surface of the porous block and/or because a surface of the porous block is pushed against a mould wall.
[0050] This prevents the porous block from being covered by layers of non-porous concrete, as a result of which the porous block would not be able to perform its function.
[0051] The elasticity of the accessory also keeps the porous block exactly in its desired position and pushes it against the mould wall, such that it cannot move during the pouring of the concrete into the mould.
[0052] Preferably, the accessory extends from the second mould wall to the porous block. Preferably, said volume occupies at least 50 % of the space between the second mould wall and the porous block.
[0053] In a preferred variant, the concrete reinforcement comprises one or more vertical reinforcement elements, wherein the porous block is positioned in horizontal direction relative to a vertical reinforcement element by means of a spacer which is hooked to the vertical reinforcement element or is otherwise attached.
[0054] Vertical reinforcement elements are understood to mean those parts of the concrete reinforcement which, when the concrete reinforcement is placed into the mould, extend at least partially vertically.
[0055] In this variant, a desired position of the porous block relative to the concrete reinforcement is obtained not only in vertical direction, but also in horizontal direction.
[0056] In a preferred variant, the porous block is suspended from the concrete reinforcement by means of a suspension device according to the invention described above. The one or more first hooks are herein hooked around an element of the reinforcement and the porous block is placed on the support structure.
[0057] In a further preferred variant, the spacer forms part of the suspension device. As a result, a porous block can easily be positioned in a mould by means of a single suspension device, both in vertical direction and in horizontal direction.
[0058] In a further preferred variant, the porous block is clamped between two connecting elements of the suspension device, such that there is less chance that the porous block will move relative to the suspension device.
[0060] In a preferred variant, the object is an object for temporarily storing water underground and/or transporting it and/or allowing it to infiltrate into the soil, and preferably an object with at least one side wall, wherein such a porous block is arranged in the side wall. More preferably, the object is a gutter element with side walls, wherein such porous blocks are arranged in the side walls.
[0061] It is noted that the support structure is a platform on which a concrete clinker can stably be placed.
[0062] In order to clarify the invention, a preferred embodiment of a suspension device, a method and a use according to the invention is described below, with reference to the following figures, wherein
Figure 1 shows in a perspective view a suspension device according to the invention, taken apart into parts;
Figure 2 shows in perspective how the suspension device of Figure 1 is used ;
Figure 3 shows a concrete gutter element;
Figure 4 shows in perspective a temporary situation in a method for manufacturing a gutter element according to Figure 3;
Figures 5 and 6, respectively, show a side view according to F5 and a top view according to F6, respectively, of the state of Figure 4.
[0063] The suspension device 1 shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprises two main components, i.e. a base part 2 and a coupling piece 3.
[0064] The base part 2 is made from one piece of bent galvanised steel wire. The coupling piece 3 is also made from one piece of bent galvanised steel wire.
[0065] The base part 2 comprises at the bottom a support structure 4, which is made by bending the galvanised steel wire in a zigzag in the horizontal plane. This support structure 4 has a length L of 22 cm and a greatest width B of 11 cm, and comprises sections 5 extending in horizontal direction at an angle of 67° with the longitudinal direction I.
[0066] Two connecting elements 6 extend upwards from the support structure 4. The connecting elements 6 each terminate at their top in a first hook 7. A bent portion 8 is arranged in the connecting elements 6 at approximately 60 % of their height.
[0067] The coupling piece 3 has two ends, each of which is provided with a second hook 9 which is S-shaped and which has an inner portion 9a which is convex and an outer portion 9b which is concave. Between its ends and the centre of the coupling piece 3, the coupling piece 3 is also provided with two third hooks 10. The third hooks 10 are arranged at a mutual distance which substantially corresponds to the distance between the bent parts 8 in the connecting elements 6 of the basic part 2.
[0068] As shown in Figure 2, with the aid of the suspension device 1, a concrete clinker 11 can be suspended from horizontal reinforcing elements 12 and vertical reinforcing elements 13 of a concrete reinforcement 14. The parts 15 of the coupling piece 3 extending from the third hooks 10 to the ends of the coupling piece 3 form spacers to keep the suspension device 1 and a concrete clinker 11 placed thereon at a desired distance from the vertical reinforcing elements 13.
[0069] For this purpose, a concrete clinker 11 is placed on the support structure 4. Due to the width B of the support structure 4, which is obtained by the sections 5 of metal wire running in zigzag, the concrete clinker 11 can be stably placed thereon. Subsequently, the third hooks 10 of the coupling piece 3 are hooked around the bent parts 8 of the connecting elements 6. As a result, the concrete clinker 11 is slightly clamped between the connecting elements 6, such that the concrete clinker 11 can less easily fall off the support structure 4.
[0070] Subsequently, the first hooks 7 are hooked around a horizontal reinforcing element 12 of a concrete reinforcement 14, and the second hooks 9 are hooked with their convex portions 9a around vertical reinforcing elements 13 of the concrete reinforcement 14.
[0071] The concrete clinker 11 is now stable at a given position in the concrete reinforcement 14. The outer portions 15 of the coupling piece 3 herein act as a spacer in order to ensure a certain distance between the concrete reinforcement 14 and the concrete clinker 11. Alternatively, the outer concave portions 9b of the second hooks 9 can be placed against the vertical reinforcing elements 13 of the concrete reinforcement 14 and clamped therebetween to thereby act as a spacer between the vertical reinforcing elements 13 and the concrete clinker.
[0072] Such a suspension device 1 is particularly useful in the manufacture of reinforced concrete objects provided with a wall in which a porous block is arranged. An example of such an object is a gutter element 16 for collecting water and allowing it to slowly infiltrate into the soil, as shown in Figure 3.
[0073] Such a gutter element 16 mainly consists of a bottom 17 and upright side walls 18, wherein the side walls 18 are partly made of porous concrete because porous concrete clinkers 11 are embedded therein. These porous concrete clinkers 11 are water-permeable.
[0075] As usual when making concrete objects, a mould 19 is used in the manufacture of the gutter element 16, which is filled with concrete. In Figures 4-6 a portion of such a mould 19, in particular a portion for forming a side wall 18, is shown.
[0076] First, in the mould 19, a concrete reinforcement 14 is placed, which consists of horizontal and vertical reinforcement elements 12, 13. For the time being, only a first mould wall 20, which defines the inner surface of the side wall 19 to be formed, is present.
[0077] Subsequently, by means of suspension devices 1 described above, porous concrete clinkers 11 are arranged into the mould 19, wherein these suspension devices 1 with the porous concrete clinkers 11 placed thereon are suspended from the horizontal reinforcing elements 12 and hooked around the vertical reinforcing elements 13. The suspension devices 1 are designed such that the porous concrete clinkers 11 are located against or very close to the first mould wall 20.
[0078] Next, on a second mould wall 21, which defines the outer surface of the side wall 18 to be formed, elastic rubber blocks 22 are fixed at positions corresponding to the porous concrete clinkers 11. These elastic rubber blocks 22 have the shape of a truncated pyramid.
[0079] Subsequently, this second mould wall 21 is placed as is necessary to complete the mould 19, pushing the rubber blocks 22 against the porous concrete clinkers 11. This also results in the porous concrete clinkers 11 being pushed against the first mould wall 20.
[0081] Subsequently, the mould 19 is filled with liquid concrete. This concrete will not be able to get between the porous concrete clinkers 1, and, on the one hand, the rubber blocks 22 or, on the other hand, the first mould wall 20, due to the force exerted by the elastic rubber blocks 22 on the porous concrete clinkers 11. As a result, the concrete cannot cover the surfaces of the porous concrete clinkers 11 which are later needed for the passage of water.
[0082] When the concrete has cured, the various parts of the mould 19 are detached from the gutter element 16 in a known manner, such that the desired gutter element 16 is obtained.
[0083] The volumes where the rubber blocks 22 were located in the mould 19 during the manufacture of the gutter element 16, together with the concrete clinkers 11, now form passages for water. As a result, water can flow through the side walls 18 of the gutter element 16, which are otherwise impermeable.
1. Method for manufacturing an object (16) made of reinforced concrete and provided with
a wall (18) in which a porous block (11) is arranged to form a porous portion in that
wall, wherein the method comprises the following steps:
step 1: providing a mould (19) and a concrete reinforcement (14) and a porous block (11);
step 2: placing the concrete reinforcement (14) and the porous block (11) into the mould (19);
step 3: pouring concrete into the mould (19),
characterised in that the porous block (11) is placed into the mould (19) by suspending the porous block (11) from the concrete reinforcement (14).
2. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the porous block (11) is suspended from the concrete reinforcement (14) by means
of a suspension device (1), wherein the suspension device (1) comprises one or more
first hooks (7) for suspending the suspension device (1) from the concrete reinforcement
(14), wherein the suspension device (1) comprises a support structure (4) for placing
a porous block (11) thereon, wherein the support structure (4) is located lower than
the one or more first hooks (7) and is attached to the one or more first hooks (7).
3. Method according to claim 2, characterised in that the suspension device (1) comprises one or more connecting elements (6) which connect
the support structure (4) to the one or more first hooks (7).
4. Method according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the support structure (4) has a first dimension (L) in a first horizontal direction
(1) and a second dimension (B) in a second horizontal direction which is perpendicular
to the first horizontal direction (I), wherein both the first dimension (L) and the
second dimension (B) are at least 10 mm, and preferably at least 20 mm.
5. Method according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterised in that the suspension device (1) comprises exactly two said connecting elements (6) and
comprises exactly two first hooks (7), wherein each connecting element (6) connects
the support structure (4) with a separate first hook (7).
6. Method according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterised in that the suspension device (1) comprises a coupling piece (3) for coupling to one another
two or more connecting elements (6) on a vertical position between the support structure
(4) and the one or more first hooks (7).
7. Method according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterised in that the concrete reinforcement (14) comprises one or more vertical reinforcement elements
(13), wherein the porous block (11) is positioned in horizontal direction relative
to a vertical reinforcement element (13) by means of a spacer (15), the spacer (15)
being part of the suspension device (1).
8. Method according to claim 7, characterised in that the suspension device (1) comprises one or more spacers (15) which project, at least
partially in horizontal direction, beyond the one or more connecting elements (6)
and which are arranged at their projecting ends to rest against a concrete reinforcement
(14) or to be hooked or clamped around a concrete reinforcement (14).
9. Method according to claim 6 and claim 7 or 8, characterised in that the one or more spacers (15) are formed by the coupling piece (3).
10. Method according to any one of claims 2 to 9, characterised in that the one or more first hooks (7) and the support structure (4) and the connecting
elements (6) are made of corrosion-resistant metal wire, and preferably of stainless
steel wire or galvanised steel wire.
11. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the mould (19) comprises a mould wall (20, 21), wherein an accessory (22) is positioned
between the porous block (11) and the mould wall (20, 21), wherein the accessory is
elastically deformable and encloses a volume, wherein the accessory (22) extends from
the second mould wall (21) to the porous block (11).
12. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the porous block is a porous concrete clinker (11).
13. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the object (16) is an object for temporarily storing water underground and/or transporting
it and/or allowing it to infiltrate into the soil, and preferably is a gutter element
(16) with side walls (18), wherein such porous (11) blocks are arranged in the side
walls (18).
14. Use of a suspension device (1) for positioning a porous concrete clinker (11) in a
mould (19) for forming a concrete object (16), wherein the suspension device (1) is
suspended from a concrete reinforcement (14) which is located in the mould (19), wherein
the suspension device (1) comprises on a top side one or more first hooks (7) for
suspending the suspension device from a concrete reinforcement (14), wherein the suspension
device (1) comprises a support structure (4) for placing a concrete clinker (11) thereon,
wherein the support structure (4) is located lower than the one or more first hooks
(7) and wherein the suspension device (1) comprises one or more connecting elements
(6) connecting the support structure (4) to the one or more first hooks (7).
15. Use according to claim 14, characterised in that the suspension device (1) comprises one or more spacers (15) which project, at least
partially in horizontal direction, beyond the one or more connecting elements (6)
and which are arranged at their projecting ends to rest against a concrete reinforcement
(14) or to be hooked or clamped around a concrete reinforcement (14).
REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION
This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.
Patent documents cited in the description