Bitumen-Bonded Cellular Glass Casting Compound for Road Construction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cellular glass casting compounds are not suitable for road construction due to low internal friction at high temperatures, leading to issues with roller compaction, uneven compaction, and deformation under dynamic loads, and are prone to abrasion and fracture.

Innovation Solution

A cellular glass casting compound composed of bitumen binder mixed with cellular glass gravel, where the bitumen completely encases the glass pieces, providing enhanced resilience and stability, allowing for compaction at higher temperatures and reducing water absorption, thereby improving frost resistance and durability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If cellular glass casting compound is used for road construction, then thermal insulation and sound insulation are improved, but resilience at high temperatures deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethermal insulationVSAvoidresilience at high temperatures
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the binding agent from cement to bitumen, which fundamentally alters the temperature-dependent properties of the casting compound. Bitumen remains flexible and resilient at high temperatures unlike cement which becomes brittle, thereby resolving the contradiction between thermal insulation and high-temperature resilience.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite material combining cellular glass chunks with bitumen binder. This composite leverages the thermal insulation properties of cellular glass while the bitumen matrix provides elasticity and resilience at elevated temperatures, simultaneously achieving both desired properties.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Productivity

If roller compaction is performed on hot casting compound, then processing speed is improved, but material deformation worsens

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing speedVSAvoidmaterial deformation
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the binder material from cement to bitumen, which allows the mixture to maintain its shape and structural integrity at higher temperatures. This enables roller compaction to be performed on hot casting compound without causing material deformation, thus improving processing speed while maintaining shape stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Weight of moving object

If foam glass chunks are used as lightweight aggregate, then weight is reduced, but compressive strength deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveweightVSAvoidcompressive strength
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a composite structure where cellular glass chunks serve as lightweight aggregate embedded in a bitumen matrix. The bitumen binder binds the chunks together and distributes loads effectively, enabling the material to maintain low weight while achieving sufficient compressive strength for road construction applications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The bitumen-bonded cellular glass casting compound enables compaction at higher temperatures, enhances frost resistance, and provides improved durability and resistance to deformation, making it suitable for road construction while reducing material damage and processing time.

Implementation Method 1

The bitumen binder (24) has at least a proportion of hard bitumen with a penetration between 1 and 25 [0.1 mm]. The bitumen binder completely encloses the cellular glass pieces of the cellular glass gravel.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdhesion: Adhesive

Implementation Method 2

during the cooling z. B. with light compaction equipment, such as. Vibroplate, is compacted

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVibration: Vibration

Data Source

PatentEP2657302B1Foam glass product for building structures and method of manufacture
Publication Date: 2020.02.19 O AESCHLIMANN AG
  • EP2657302B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

Foam glass-casting material for a building, comprises a mixture made of a bituminous binding agent (24) having at least a proportion of bituminous and a foam glass gravel (31) made of porous foam glass pieces. The foam glass molding compound is malleable in the hot state and is state hardened in cooled state. The foam glass pieces of foam glass gravel are completely enclosed and a void volume of the foam glass pieces are at least partly filled by the bituminous binding agent. Independent claims are also included for: (1) a structure comprising at least one layer made of a foam-glass molding material, in which the cooled layer of foam glass molding compound has an average compressive strength of more than 2.0 N/mm 2>, preferably 2.2-3 N/mm 2>; and (2) producing a foamed glass casting material, comprising storing the hot bituminous binding agent and foam glass gravel, supplying a plant at least with hot bituminous binding agent and foam glass gravel according to a predetermined ratio, and mixing the bituminous binding agent and gravel foam-glass by slow rotation of the mixing device (26) such that the bituminous binding agent at least partially penetrates into a void volume of the foam glass pieces.