Concrete Block Contact Faces for Wind Turbine Tower Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for manufacturing concrete building blocks for wind turbine towers require complex and time-consuming on-site concrete joint formation to address imperfections and irregularities, necessitating a watertight system and significant mechanical resistance, which prolongs the construction process.
Innovation Solution
A method where concrete blocks are produced using a reinforcement cage system, with contact faces aligned to eliminate the need for on-site concrete joints, using a simple adhesive like epoxy to secure the blocks, and passive or prestressing reinforcements for mechanical resistance, allowing for efficient assembly and lifting of blocks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If on-site concrete joint formation is used to address imperfections and irregularities, then mechanical strength and continuity are ensured, but construction time and process complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The contact faces of the blocks are pre-manufactured with precise geometry and surface treatment during the block manufacturing process. This preliminary preparation ensures that when blocks are assembled on-site, they can be directly connected with simple adhesive without requiring time-consuming on-site concrete joint formation, while still achieving the required mechanical strength and continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the parameters of the contact faces by providing precise geometric tolerances, specific surface roughness ranges, and controlled dimensional variations during manufacturing. These parameter controls enable direct block-to-block connection with adhesive, eliminating the need for traditional concrete joints and significantly reducing construction time while maintaining structural integrity.
2Reliability
If on-site concrete joint formation with watertight system is used, then continuity and watertightness are achieved, but process complexity and construction duration increase
Solution Approach 1:
Watertightness features such as grooves, channels, or sealing surfaces are pre-integrated into the block design and manufactured during the blocking process. This preliminary integration eliminates the need for complex on-site watertight systems and multi-step joint formation processes, while ensuring continuous watertight protection throughout the structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the structural connection function and watertightness function into a single integrated block design. The contact faces are designed to simultaneously provide mechanical connection through adhesive and watertight sealing, eliminating the need for separate joint formation and watertight system installation, thereby reducing process complexity while maintaining reliability.
3Strength
If traditional concrete joint formation is used to ensure mechanical strength, then structural integrity is achieved, but construction efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Reinforcement elements, prestressing tendons, or mechanical connection features are pre-installed or pre-integrated into the blocks during manufacturing. This preliminary preparation enables direct assembly with simple adhesive application, achieving full structural integrity without the need for time-consuming on-site concrete joint formation, thereby significantly improving construction efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the complex mechanical system of on-site concrete joint formation, formwork installation, and curing processes with a simplified system using pre-prepared contact faces and adhesive bonding. This substitution maintains structural integrity while dramatically reducing construction time and improving productivity.
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
This method simplifies the assembly process by eliminating the need for on-site joint formation, reducing construction time and costs, while ensuring mechanical strength and continuity through conjugate contact faces and optional reinforcements.
Implementation Method 1
a simple adhesive, such as epoxy, is sufficient to bond the blocks together at their contact surfaces
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3~5
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for manufacturing concrete construction blocks (6) for a wind-generator tower, made up of at least two consecutive blocks secured to one another by a contact surface of each of the two blocks, the manufacturing method comprising the following steps: pouring concrete into a first cage of reinforcements (10-1) so as to obtain the first concrete construction block comprising a first contact surface (9); and pouring concrete into a second cage of reinforcements (10-2) so as to obtain the second concrete construction block, the second cage of reinforcements being provided in a form (21) arranged such that the first contact surface (9) of the first block (6-1) makes up a wall for delimiting (26) the pouring of the concrete such as to form a contact surface (9) of the second block (6-2).