Maintenance device for bridge reinforcing concrete
By using drip pipes and water circulation structures in the maintenance device for bridge reinforcement concrete, the problem of on-site casting and maintenance of ultra-high performance concrete reinforcements is solved, high-temperature curing and resource conservation are achieved, and the application scope of concrete is expanded.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202420593776.8
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-03-25
- Publication Date
- 2024-12-27
- Estimated Expiration
- 2034-03-25
AI Technical Summary
The prior art cannot effectively carry out on-site casting and maintenance of ultra-high performance concrete reinforcements, resulting in the problems of size mismatch and resource waste.
A curing device for bridge reinforcement concrete is designed, including drip pipe, insulation structure and water circulation structure. By covering the insulation structure on the surface of the concrete reinforcement member and using the drip pipe and water circulation structure to achieve high temperature curing, the quality and diversity of concrete reinforcement are ensured. .
It realizes high-temperature maintenance of on-site poured concrete reinforcements, avoids waste of resources, reduces costs, ensures the quality of curing, and expands the scope of concrete use.
Smart Images
Figure CN222251806U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of concrete curing, in particular to a curing device for bridge reinforcement concrete. Background Art
[0002] With the development of the economy and the passage of time, bridges need to be reinforced with concrete reinforcements due to aging, construction quality, and load-bearing capacity that cannot meet current traffic needs, so as to extend the service life of the bridge, improve the load-bearing capacity, and ensure traffic safety.
[0003] Ultra-high performance concrete has the advantages of light weight, high tensile strength, low permeability, high durability and good toughness. Its tensile toughness and resistance to adverse environmental erosion are better than ordinary concrete. Ultra-high performance concrete has been widely used in bridge reinforcements due to its excellent performance and advantages. The use of ultra-high performance concrete can significantly improve the strength, durability and stability of bridge reinforcements, reduce maintenance costs, and promote the safety and sustainable development of bridge projects.
[0004] In order to ensure the quality of ultra-high performance concrete reinforcements, the technical requirements of their maintenance construction party are to carry out maintenance under constant temperature conditions at a higher temperature. In order to effectively ensure the maintenance quality of high-performance concrete reinforcements, traditional ultra-high performance concrete reinforcements can only be installed in factory-produced configurations, usually as prefabricated parts. Traditional ultra-high performance concrete reinforcements cannot be cast on-site due to the limitations of maintenance conditions, which easily leads to problems such as size mismatch with the bridge to be reinforced and waste of resources, limiting their development. Utility Model Content
[0005] The utility model aims to provide a maintenance device for bridge reinforcement concrete, so as to solve the problem in the prior art that it is impossible to maintain ultra-high performance concrete reinforcement members cast on site.
[0006] In order to achieve the above purpose, the technical solution adopted by the utility model is as follows:
[0007] A maintenance device for bridge reinforcement concrete, wherein a concrete reinforcement component is provided below the bridge, and the concrete reinforcement component is used to reinforce the bridge, and the maintenance device comprises:
[0008] A dripping pipe, the dripping pipe is located above the concrete reinforcement component, and the dripping pipe is provided with a dripping hole, and the dripping hole is used to drip water to the concrete reinforcement component;
[0009] A heat-insulating structure, the heat-insulating structure is coated on the concrete reinforcement member; a drain port is formed on the heat-insulating structure;
[0010] A water circulation structure, wherein the water outlet of the water circulation structure is connected to the water inlet of the drip pipe, and the water inlet of the water circulation structure is connected to the drain outlet of the thermal insulation structure.
[0011] According to the above technical means, by coating the surface of the concrete reinforcement component with an insulation structure, high-temperature maintenance of the concrete reinforcement component can be achieved, and the concrete can be cast on site for construction, which ensures the quality of maintenance while realizing the diversified application of concrete and expanding the scope of use of concrete. In specific use, when the bridge needs to be reinforced, a concrete reinforcement component matching the bridge to be reinforced is cast on site under the bridge according to demand. After the concrete reinforcement component is initially solidified, the insulation structure is coated on the surface of the concrete reinforcement component, and then hot water is continuously and evenly dripped onto the concrete reinforcement component through the drip hole of the drip pipe. Under the action of the insulation structure, the concrete reinforcement component can be immersed in high-temperature hot water for maintenance, and the hot water can be recycled under the action of the water circulation structure, avoiding waste of resources, reducing costs, and ensuring the quality of maintenance. The concrete reinforcement component can be cast on site according to the size of the bridge, realizing the diversified application of concrete.
[0012] Furthermore, the thermal insulation structure includes a first thermal insulation layer and a second thermal insulation layer, which are arranged in sequence from the inside to the outside, a gap is provided between the first thermal insulation layer and the second thermal insulation layer, a water-permeable hole is provided at the bottom of the first thermal insulation layer, and the drain outlet is located at the top of the second thermal insulation layer.
[0013] According to the above technical means, the concrete reinforcement components are subjected to double-layer water-retaining and heat-insulating by means of the first insulation layer and the second insulation layer to ensure the quality of maintenance. In specific use, the first insulation layer is coated on the surface of the concrete reinforcement components after the initial setting of the casting. The top opening of the first insulation layer is arranged, and hot water continuously and evenly drips onto the concrete reinforcement components located in the first insulation layer through the drip holes of the drip tube, so as to facilitate the hot water to penetrate into the concrete reinforcement components, and the water-retaining and heat-insulating maintenance work of the first layer is carried out, thereby reducing the use of water, and the excess hot water in the first insulation layer enters the gap between the first insulation layer and the second insulation layer through the water-permeable holes, and the heat-insulating maintenance work of the second layer is carried out, so as to realize double-layer heat-insulating maintenance, and the excess hot water in the gap flows back to the water circulation structure through the drain outlet for recycling, thereby saving resources, reducing costs and improving the maintenance quality.
[0014] Furthermore, the first thermal insulation layer is a film.
[0015] According to the above technical means, the film not only has the characteristics of good sealing, weather resistance, durability, light material and easy installation, but also has high flexibility and plasticity, so that the film can adapt to objects of different shapes and sizes. The film as the first thermal insulation layer can effectively block the loss of heat and the evaporation of water vapor, thereby improving the thermal insulation effect.
[0016] Furthermore, the second thermal insulation layer is a thermal insulation film.
[0017] According to the above technical means, the thermal insulation film is mainly used to reduce the transfer of heat, and has the advantages of excellent thermal insulation performance, economical and practical, easy installation and maintenance, etc.
[0018] Furthermore, the water circulation structure includes a water storage barrel and a water pump; the water storage barrel is connected to the drain outlet, and the water storage barrel is connected to the water inlet of the drip pipe to form a circulating water circuit, and the water pump is connected in the circulating water circuit to provide circulation power.
[0019] According to the above technical means, a circulating water circuit is formed by a water storage barrel, a water pump, a dripping pipe and an insulation structure. When in use, the hot water in the water storage barrel enters the dripping pipe through the water pump to provide circulation power, and continuously passes through the top opening of the first insulation layer through the dripping holes of the dripping pipe and evenly drips on the concrete reinforcement component to soak and maintain the concrete reinforcement component. The excess hot water in the first insulation layer enters the gap between the first insulation layer and the second insulation layer through the water-permeable holes, which has an insulation effect. The excess hot water in the gap flows back to the water storage barrel through the drain outlet for recycling, which has good insulation effect, good maintenance quality, saves water and reduces costs.
[0020] Furthermore, the water circulation structure also includes a first water inlet pipe and a first water outlet pipe; the two ends of the first water inlet pipe are respectively connected to the drain outlet and the water storage bucket, and the two ends of the first water outlet pipe are respectively connected to the water inlet of the drip pipe and the water storage bucket; the water pump is located in the water storage bucket and is connected to the first water outlet pipe.
[0021] According to the above technical means, when in use, the hot water in the water storage barrel enters the dripping pipe through the first water outlet pipe through the water pump to provide circulation power, and the hot water in the gap between the first insulation layer and the second insulation layer flows back to the water storage barrel through the drain port and the first water inlet pipe for circulation. The first water inlet pipe and the first water outlet pipe increase the distance between the water storage barrel and the insulation structure and the dripping pipe respectively, which is easy to operate and has a wide range of use.
[0022] Furthermore, the water circulation structure also includes a second water inlet pipe and a ball valve water controller, one end of the second water inlet pipe is connected to an external water source, and the other end is connected to the water storage barrel, and the ball valve water controller is located in the water storage barrel and installed at the other end of the second water inlet pipe.
[0023] According to the above technical means, the second water inlet pipe and the ball valve water controller are used to add water to the water storage barrel and adjust the water level according to demand. The structure is simple, no personnel tracking is required, and labor costs are reduced.
[0024] Furthermore, the water circulation structure also includes a heater, and the heater is located in the water storage barrel.
[0025] According to the above technical means, according to the needs of use, the heater is used to adjust the water temperature in the water storage barrel so that the hot water can maintain a constant temperature and ensure the quality of maintenance.
[0026] Furthermore, the number of the drip holes is two or more, and the drip holes are evenly distributed along the length of the drip tube.
[0027] According to the above technical means, hot water enters the drip tube and drips through the drip holes under the action of gravity. The drip holes are evenly distributed so that the hot water can drip uninterruptedly and evenly.
[0028] Furthermore, the drip tube is made of a light and flexible material.
[0029] According to the above technical means, the drip tube made of lightweight and flexible material has a wide range of applications.
[0030] Beneficial effects achieved by the utility model:
[0031] The utility model can realize high-temperature maintenance of concrete reinforcement components by coating the surface of concrete reinforcement components with a heat preservation structure, thereby ensuring the maintenance quality and expanding the application scope of concrete. When in use, a concrete reinforcement component matching the bridge to be reinforced is first cast on-site under the bridge according to demand. After the concrete reinforcement component is initially solidified, the heat preservation structure is coated on the surface of the concrete reinforcement component. Then, hot water continuously and evenly drips onto the concrete reinforcement component through the drip holes of the drip pipe. Under the action of the heat preservation structure, the concrete reinforcement component can be immersed in high-temperature hot water for maintenance, and the hot water can be recycled under the action of the water circulation structure, thereby avoiding waste of resources, reducing costs, and ensuring maintenance quality. The concrete reinforcement component can be cast on-site according to the size of the bridge, thereby realizing diversified application of concrete. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0032] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the utility model;
[0033] Figure 2 For this utility model Figure 1 A magnified view of middle;
[0034] Figure 3 For this utility model Figure 1 Enlarged view of B.
[0035] Among them, 1-drip pipe; 2-concrete reinforcement component; 3-insulation structure; 31-first insulation layer; 32-second insulation layer; 33-water permeable hole; 34-drainage outlet; 41-water storage tank; 42-water pump; 43-first water inlet pipe; 44-first water outlet pipe; 45-second water inlet pipe; 46-ball valve water controller; 47-heater; 5-bridge.
[0036] The drawings are only used for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as limitations on this patent. In order to better illustrate this embodiment, some parts of the drawings may be omitted, enlarged or reduced, and do not represent the size of the actual product. For those skilled in the art, it is understandable that some well-known structures and their descriptions in the drawings may be omitted. The same or similar numbers correspond to the same or similar parts. The terms describing the positional relationship in the drawings are only used for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as limitations on this patent. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0037] It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the embodiments and technical features in the embodiments of the present application can be combined with each other, and the detailed description in the specific embodiments should be understood as an explanation of the purpose of the present application and should not be regarded as an improper limitation on the present application.
[0038] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the embodiments of the present application clearer, the specific technical solution of the present application will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. The following embodiments are used to illustrate the present application, but are not used to limit the scope of the present application.
[0039] In the embodiments of the present application, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise specified, "multiple" means two or more.
[0040] In the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the term "connection" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium.
[0041] In the embodiments of the present application, the terms "include", "comprises" or any other variants thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, article or device including a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also includes other elements not explicitly listed, or also includes elements inherent to such process, method, article or device. In the absence of further restrictions, an element defined by the sentence "comprises a ..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article or device including the element.
[0042] In the embodiments of the present application, words such as "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations or descriptions. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplary" or "for example" in the embodiments of the present application should not be interpreted as being more preferred or more advantageous than other embodiments or designs. Specifically, the use of words such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present related concepts in a specific way.
[0043] The technical solution of the present utility model is described in detail below in conjunction with the specific drawings.
[0044] In this embodiment, a bridge reinforcement concrete maintenance device, such as Figure 1 As shown, a concrete reinforcement component 2 is provided under the bridge 5, and the concrete reinforcement component 2 is used to reinforce the bridge 5. The maintenance device includes: a dripping pipe 1, the dripping pipe 1 is located above the concrete reinforcement component 2, and the dripping pipe 1 is provided with a dripping hole, and the dripping hole is used to drip water to the concrete reinforcement component 2; an insulation structure 3, the insulation structure 3 is coated on the concrete reinforcement component 2; a drain outlet 34 is formed on the insulation structure 3; a water circulation structure, the water outlet of the water circulation structure is connected with the water inlet of the dripping pipe 1, and the water inlet of the water circulation structure is connected with the drain outlet 34 of the insulation structure 3.
[0045] This embodiment can achieve high-temperature maintenance of the concrete reinforcement component 2 by coating the thermal insulation structure 3 on the surface of the concrete reinforcement component 2 after it is cast on site and initially set. The concrete can be cast on site, ensuring the maintenance quality while realizing the diversified application of concrete. Specifically, when in use, when it is necessary to reinforce the bridge 5, a concrete reinforcement component 2 matching the bridge 5 to be reinforced is cast on site under the bridge 5 according to needs. After the concrete reinforcement component 2 initially sets, the thermal insulation structure 3 is coated on the surface of the concrete reinforcement component 2, and then the hot water in the water circulation structure continuously and evenly drips onto the concrete reinforcement component 2 through the drip holes of the drip pipe 1. Under the action of the thermal insulation structure 3, the concrete reinforcement component 2 can be immersed in the dripping hot water for maintenance, and the hot water can be recycled under the action of the water circulation structure, avoiding waste of resources, reducing costs, and ensuring the maintenance quality. The concrete reinforcement component 2 can be cast on site according to the size of the bridge 5, realizing the diversified application of concrete.
[0046] In this embodiment, the thermal insulation structure 3 includes a first thermal insulation layer 31 and a second thermal insulation layer 32, which are arranged in sequence from the inside to the outside, and a gap is provided between the first thermal insulation layer 31 and the second thermal insulation layer 32. A water-permeable hole 33 is provided at the bottom of the first thermal insulation layer 31, and a drain outlet 34 is located at the top of the second thermal insulation layer 32.
[0047] In this embodiment, Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the concrete reinforcement component 2 is double-layered for water retention and heat preservation by the first insulation layer 31 and the second insulation layer 32 to ensure the quality of maintenance. Specifically, when in use, the first insulation layer 31 is a film, and the second insulation layer 32 is an insulation film. The film is coated on the surface of the concrete reinforcement component 2 after initial setting. The top opening of the film is set, and the hot water in the water circulation structure continuously passes through the top opening of the film through the drip hole of the drip tube 1 and drips evenly on the concrete reinforcement component, so that the hot water can penetrate into the concrete reinforcement component 2, so that the concrete reinforcement component 2 is immersed in hot water to perform the first layer of water retention and heat preservation maintenance work, reducing the use of water, and the excess hot water in the film enters the gap between the film and the insulation film through the water-permeable hole 33, which has a heat-insulating effect, and performs the second layer of heat-insulating maintenance work to achieve double-layer heat-insulating maintenance, and the excess hot water in the gap flows back to the water circulation structure through the drain port 34 to achieve the recycling of hot water, saving resources, reducing costs, and improving the maintenance quality.
[0048] Furthermore, as a preferred embodiment, the first thermal insulation layer 31 is a film; the film not only has the characteristics of good sealing, weather resistance, durability, light material and easy installation, but also has high flexibility and plasticity, so that the film can adapt to objects of different shapes and sizes. As the first thermal insulation layer, the film can effectively block the loss of heat and the evaporation of water vapor, thereby improving the thermal insulation effect.
[0049] Further, as a preferred embodiment, the second thermal insulation layer 32 is a thermal insulation film; the thermal insulation film has the advantages of excellent thermal insulation performance, economical and practical, easy installation and maintenance, etc.
[0050] In this embodiment, the water circulation structure includes a water storage barrel 41 and a water pump 42; the water storage barrel 41 is connected to the drain outlet 34, and the water storage barrel 41 is connected to the water inlet of the drip tube 1 to form a circulating water circuit, and the water pump 42 is connected in the circulating water circuit to provide circulation power.
[0051] In this embodiment, Figure 1 As shown, specifically, when in use, the hot water in the water storage barrel 41 enters the drip tube 1 through the water pump 42 to provide circulation power, and then continuously passes through the top opening of the film through the drip hole of the drip tube 1 and evenly drips on the concrete reinforcement component 2, thereby achieving the function of high-temperature immersion and curing of the concrete reinforcement component 2, and the excess hot water in the film enters the gap between the film and the thermal insulation film through the water-permeable holes 33, which has a thermal insulation effect, and the excess hot water in the gap flows back to the water storage barrel 41 through the drain port 34 for recycling, which has good thermal insulation effect, good curing quality, water saving, and cost reduction.
[0052] In this embodiment, the water circulation structure also includes a first water inlet pipe 43 and a first water outlet pipe 44; the two ends of the first water inlet pipe 43 are respectively connected to the drain outlet 34 and the water storage barrel 41, and the two ends of the first water outlet pipe 44 are respectively connected to the water inlet of the drip tube 1 and the water storage barrel 41; the water pump 42 is located in the water storage barrel 41 and is connected to the first water outlet pipe 44.
[0053] In this embodiment, Figure 1 As shown, specifically, when in use, the hot water in the water storage barrel 41 provides circulation power through the water pump 42 and enters the drip tube 1 through the first water outlet pipe 44, and the hot water in the gap between the film and the insulation film flows back to the water storage barrel 41 through the first water inlet pipe 43 through the drain port 34 for circulation. The first water inlet pipe 43 and the first water outlet pipe 44 respectively increase the distance between the water storage barrel 41 and the insulation structure 3 and the drip tube 1, which is easy to operate and has a wide range of uses.
[0054] In this embodiment, the water circulation structure also includes a second water inlet pipe 45 and a ball valve water controller 46. One end of the second water inlet pipe 45 is connected to an external water source, and the other end is connected to the water storage barrel 41. The ball valve water controller 46 is located in the water storage barrel 41 and is installed at the other end of the second water inlet pipe 45.
[0055] In this embodiment, Figure 1 As shown, the second water inlet pipe 45 and the ball valve water controller 46 are used to add water to the water storage barrel 41 and adjust the water level according to demand. The structure is simple, no personnel tracking is required, and labor costs are reduced. Specifically, when in use, the float of the ball valve water controller 46 floats on the water surface in the water storage barrel 41. When the water level in the water storage barrel 41 drops, the float of the ball valve water controller 46 moves down with the water level, thereby opening the ball valve water controller 46, so that the other end of the second water inlet pipe 45 is connected to the water storage barrel 41, so as to facilitate the external water source to be poured into the water storage barrel 41; when the water level in the water storage barrel 41 rises, the float of the ball valve water controller 46 moves up with the water level, thereby closing the ball valve water controller 46, so that the other end of the second water inlet pipe 45 is disconnected from the water storage barrel 41.
[0056] In this embodiment, the water circulation structure further includes a heater 47, and the heater 47 is located in the water storage barrel 41; Figure 1 As shown, specifically, according to the use requirements, the heater 47 is used to adjust the water temperature in the water storage barrel 41 so that the hot water maintains a constant temperature to ensure the quality of maintenance.
[0057] In this embodiment, the number of the drip holes is two or more, and each of the drip holes is evenly distributed along the length of the drip tube 1; after the hot water enters the drip tube 1, it drips through the drip holes under the action of gravity, and each of the drip holes is evenly distributed so that the hot water can drip uninterruptedly and evenly.
[0058] In this embodiment, the drip tube 1 is made of a light and flexible material and has a wide range of applications.
[0059] The serial numbers of the embodiments of the present application are only for description and do not represent the advantages and disadvantages of the embodiments. The above are only preferred embodiments of the present application, and do not limit the patent scope of the present application. Any equivalent structure or equivalent process transformation made by using the contents of the present application specification and drawings, or directly or indirectly applied in other related technical fields, are also included in the patent protection scope of the present application.
Claims
1. A maintenance device for bridge reinforcement concrete, wherein a concrete reinforcement member (2) is provided below the bridge (5), and the concrete reinforcement member (2) is used to reinforce the bridge (5), characterized in that: The maintenance device comprises: A dripping pipe (1), the dripping pipe (1) being located above the concrete reinforcement component (2), the dripping pipe (1) being provided with a dripping hole, the dripping hole being used to drip water toward the concrete reinforcement component (2); A heat-insulating structure (3), the heat-insulating structure (3) being coated on the concrete reinforcement component (2); a drainage port (34) being formed on the heat-insulating structure (3); A water circulation structure, wherein the water outlet of the water circulation structure is connected to the water inlet of the drip pipe (1), and the water inlet of the water circulation structure is connected to the drain outlet (34) of the thermal insulation structure (3).
2. A bridge reinforcement concrete maintenance device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The thermal insulation structure (3) comprises a first thermal insulation layer (31) and a second thermal insulation layer (32), wherein the first thermal insulation layer (31) and the second thermal insulation layer (32) are arranged in sequence from the inside to the outside, a gap is provided between the first thermal insulation layer (31) and the second thermal insulation layer (32), a water permeable hole (33) is provided at the bottom of the first thermal insulation layer (31), and the drainage port (34) is located at the top of the second thermal insulation layer (32).
3. A bridge reinforcement concrete maintenance device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first thermal insulation layer (31) is a film.
4. A bridge reinforcement concrete maintenance device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The second thermal insulation layer (32) is a thermal insulation film.
5. The bridge reinforcement concrete maintenance device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The water circulation structure comprises a water storage bucket (41) and a water pump (42); the water storage bucket (41) is connected to the water outlet (34), and the water storage bucket (41) is connected to the water inlet of the drip pipe (1) to form a circulating water circuit, and the water pump (42) is connected to the circulating water circuit to provide circulation power.
6. A bridge reinforcement concrete maintenance device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The water circulation structure further comprises a first water inlet pipe (43) and a first water outlet pipe (44); the two ends of the first water inlet pipe (43) are respectively connected to the water outlet (34) and the water storage bucket (41), and the two ends of the first water outlet pipe (44) are respectively connected to the water inlet of the drip pipe (1) and the water storage bucket (41); the water pump (42) is located in the water storage bucket (41) and is connected to the first water outlet pipe (44).
7. The bridge reinforcement concrete maintenance device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The water circulation structure further comprises a second water inlet pipe (45) and a ball valve water controller (46); one end of the second water inlet pipe (45) is connected to an external water source, and the other end is connected to the water storage barrel (41); the ball valve water controller (46) is located in the water storage barrel (41) and is installed at the other end of the second water inlet pipe (45).
8. The bridge reinforcement concrete maintenance device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The water circulation structure further comprises a heater (47), and the heater (47) is located in the water storage barrel (41).
9. The bridge reinforcement concrete maintenance device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The number of the drip holes is two or more, and the drip holes are evenly distributed along the length of the drip tube (1).
10. The bridge reinforcement concrete maintenance device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drip tube (1) is made of a light and flexible material.