Concrete Product Ornamental Surface Layer Air Bubble Mitigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Trapped air bubbles at the interface between the pigmented slurry and concrete in concrete products lead to weakened ornamental surface layers, damage during handling, and adverse effects on the natural appearance and service life of manufactured stone veneer, cementitious siding, and roofing tiles.
Innovation Solution
A concrete product comprising an ornamental surface layer, an intermediate strengthening layer with a cementitious material, water reducer admixture, and reinforcing fibers, and a concrete substrate layer, which acts as a buffer to prevent air bubbles from reaching the surface, enhancing the product's strength and appearance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If concrete is vibrated into the mold cavity over pigmented slurry, then the ornamental surface layer is formed, but air bubbles become trapped at the interface between the slurry and concrete
Solution Approach 1:
A bonding layer is introduced as an intermediary between the ornamental surface layer and the concrete substrate. This bonding layer acts as a mediator that prevents air bubbles from becoming trapped at the interface, allowing the concrete to be vibrated into the mold cavity over the pigmented slurry without creating harmful air pockets between the layers.
Solution Approach 2:
The concrete product is divided into three distinct segments: an ornamental surface layer, a bonding layer, and a concrete substrate layer. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function while preventing air bubbles from migrating between layers, as the bonding layer creates a continuous barrier that eliminates the harmful interface between the surface layer and substrate.
2Manufacturing precision
If the ornamental surface layer is made thin to achieve natural appearance, then the aesthetic quality improves, but the layer becomes more vulnerable to damage during handling and installation
Solution Approach 1:
The bonding layer is applied beforehand as a cushioning protective layer between the thin ornamental surface layer and the concrete substrate. This prior cushioning protects the fragile surface layer from damage during handling, installation, and shipping, while allowing the surface layer to remain thin enough to achieve a natural stone appearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The concrete product uses a composite structure combining three different materials: ornamental pigmented slurry for the surface layer, a bonding material for the intermediate layer, and concrete for the substrate. This composite construction allows the surface layer to be thin and aesthetically pleasing while the bonding layer and substrate provide the necessary structural strength and protection.
3Ease of manufacture
If air bubbles are present in the ornamental surface layer, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but the product requires scrapping or has reduced service life
Solution Approach 1:
The bonding layer serves as an intermediary that prevents air bubbles from becoming trapped between the ornamental surface layer and concrete substrate. This allows the manufacturing process to remain relatively simple with standard vibration procedures, while the bonding layer ensures that no harmful air bubbles reach the surface layer, thereby guaranteeing product reliability and extended service life without requiring scrapping.
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 solution results in a bubble-free, robust, and aesthetically superior concrete product that resists damage during handling and installation, with improved durability and natural appearance, allowing for the use of cheaper raw materials and stiffer concrete in the substrate layer.
Implementation Method 1
a water reducer admixture comprising a hydroxylated carboxylic acid and a polycarboxylate plasticizer
Implementation Method 2
an intermediate strengthening layer... which acts as a buffer to prevent air bubbles from reaching the surface
Implementation Method 3
a polymeric binder
Data Source
AI summary
A concrete product is provided having a body including an ornamental surface layer, an intermediate strengthening layer and a concrete substrate layer. The intermediate strengthening layer functions as a buffer between any air bubbles remaining in the concrete substrate layer and the ornamental facing layer following curing of the product.