Geotextile Net with Uniform Crystallinity for Traction Resistance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing geotechnical reinforcement solutions, such as plastic net structures, face issues with non-uniform molecular orientation and structural discontinuity, leading to suboptimal resistance to traction and increased production costs due to complex weaving or assembly processes.

Innovation Solution

A reinforcing product with a net structure made of plastic material, featuring first and second elements that are extruded and connected at join zones, then stretched to achieve uniform molecular chain orientation and crystallinity, resulting in a product with enhanced mechanical resistance and flexibility.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If plastic net structures are produced by extrusion and stretching, then production cost is reduced and manufacturing simplicity is improved, but molecular orientation becomes non-uniform and structural discontinuity occurs at nodes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidmolecular orientation uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-heating the plastic material to its melting point before extrusion, ensuring the material is in a fully molten state. This preliminary thermal preparation allows for uniform molecular orientation during subsequent stretching, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and molecular orientation uniformity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes physical parameters by controlling the temperature of the plastic material throughout the extrusion and stretching process. By maintaining the material at or above its melting point during extrusion and then controlling the cooling rate during stretching, the patent achieves uniform molecular orientation while keeping the process simple and cost-effective.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Strength

If plastic net structures are stretched to increase resistance to traction, then mechanical strength is improved, but spatial discontinuity in molecular arrangement occurs at node zones

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresistance to tractionVSAvoidstructural uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent exploits phase transitions by heating the plastic material to its melting point before extrusion, maintaining it in a molten state during the forming process, and then controlling the phase transition during cooling. This controlled phase transition ensures uniform crystallization and molecular arrangement throughout the net structure, including at the nodes, thereby maintaining structural uniformity while achieving high tensile strength through subsequent stretching.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #36Phase transitions

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 provides a geotechnical reinforcement product with improved mechanical resistance, uniform structural integrity, and reduced weight, capable of adapting to various terrain arrangements and maintaining structural continuity in low-temperature conditions, while ensuring high resistance to breakage and efficient application.

Implementation Method 1

heating the plastic material to its melting point and in a molten state to continuously form the first and the second elements

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMelting: Melting

Implementation Method 2

in a molten state to continuously form the first and the second elements by extrusion through a die

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectExtrusion: Extrusion

Implementation Method 3

the material forming the longitudinal elements is undistinguishable and in common with the material forming the transversal elements... attributing to the structure a greater resistance to traction with respect to a non-stretched net... molecular orientation which, as mentioned, is responsible for the increase in resistance to traction

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMolecular orientation:

Implementation Method 4

exhibit a structure having molecular chains oriented along the stretching direction, said stretched second elements exhibiting, along an extension thereof, a degree of polymer crystallinity

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCrystallization: Crystallisation

Data Source

PatentEP2551095B1Reinforcement product for geotechnical applications, process of manufacturing and use of the reinforcement product
Publication Date: 2016.09.21 TENAX SPA
  • EP2551095B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2551095B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2551095B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A reinforcing product (1) for geotechnical applications, having a net structure (2) made of a plastic material, comprising: a plurality of first and second elements (3, 4), connected at a plurality of join zones (5) to form a plurality of meshes of the net structure (2); the second elements are stretched along an extension thereof and exhibit a structure having molecular chains orientated along the stretching direction such that along a tract of the extension thereof comprising two or more consecutive join zones, the variation of the degree of crystallinity of the polymer forming the second elements is lower than 8%.