3D Concrete Surface Forming with Flexible Sheet Liner

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for creating three-dimensional concrete surfaces are limited in versatility and require additional finishing steps, as they often rely on rigid forms and lack the ability to easily achieve diverse visual, acoustic, and haptic characteristics.

Innovation Solution

A method using a rigid form and a non-rigid sheet placed between the concrete and an auxiliary form, allowing for the creation of complex 3D surfaces by pressing the auxiliary form into the concrete, which can be made of various materials and designs to achieve different textures and appearances without additional finishing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If rigid forms are used to create 3-dimensional concrete surfaces, then structural stability is improved, but versatility and ease of achieving diverse surface characteristics deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidversatility of surface characteristics
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs flexible sheets (such as plastic sheets, fabric, or foil) as form liners that can be placed within the rigid form. These flexible sheets can be easily replaced, folded, or shaped to create diverse surface patterns and textures. The rigid form maintains structural stability while the flexible sheet provides the versatility needed to achieve different visual, acoustic, and haptic characteristics without requiring additional finishing steps.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Shape

If complex 3D surfaces are created using traditional methods, then surface characteristics are improved, but manufacturing complexity and additional finishing steps increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improve3D surface characteristicsVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies surface patterns and textures to the flexible sheet before the concrete pouring process. By pre-preparing the flexible sheet with the desired surface characteristics (such as embossing, patterning, or texturing), the complex 3D surface effects are achieved during the initial forming process itself, eliminating the need for subsequent finishing operations and reducing manufacturing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Manufacturing precision

If additional finishing steps are used to achieve smooth surfaces, then surface quality is improved, but productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurface qualityVSAvoidproductivity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible sheet acts as a form liner that directly imparts the desired smooth surface quality to the concrete during the pouring and curing process. By selecting appropriate flexible sheet materials and preparing them with suitable surface properties, high-quality smooth surfaces are achieved without requiring post-curing finishing steps such as grinding, polishing, or coating, thereby maintaining high productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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

Enables the manufacture of concrete structures with versatile visual, acoustic, and haptic characteristics, reducing the need for additional surface finishing and increasing productivity by allowing for the creation of smooth, high-quality surfaces without visible voids.

Implementation Method 1

pressing the auxiliary form with the sheet at least partly into the concrete

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure: Pressure Increase

Implementation Method 2

the sheet at least partly into the concrete

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDisplacement: Displacement

Data Source

PatentEP3484680B1Method and form arrangement for 3-dimensional concrete surface
Publication Date: 2022.06.08 MUOTOBETONI OY
  • EP3484680B1 patent drawingFigure 1~5
  • EP3484680B1 patent drawingFigure 4~7

AI summary

A method for creating a 3-dimensional concrete surface to a concrete structure includes using a rigid form (110), an auxiliary form (130) and a non-rigid sheet (120). The non-rigid sheet (120) is to be placed between an upper surface of concrete (140) poured to the rigid form (110) and the auxiliary form (130) that is at least partly to be pressed into the concrete (140), the non-rigid sheet (120) being placed before pressing the auxiliary form.