Interlocked Sheet Structural Element for CFST Binding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Concrete-filled steel tubes (CFSTs) face challenges such as high manufacturing costs, quality control issues in steel binding, inefficient transportation due to hollow tubes, difficulty in achieving strong binding between steel and concrete, and weak attachment points for additional structures.

Innovation Solution

A structural element composed of interlocked resilient sheet material components forming an elongate open-ended core with ribs, allowing for customizable dimensions and interlocking mechanisms that eliminate the need for welding and bolts, enabling strong binding between steel and concrete and facilitating easy attachment of other structures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If custom manufactured tubes are used to achieve specific sizes, shapes, and strengths, then manufacturing precision is improved, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetube specification accuracyVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The structural element is divided into multiple interlocked sheet components that can be manufactured separately and then assembled. This allows standardization of individual components while enabling customization of the overall structure through different assembly configurations, reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention allows parameter customization through the interlocking mechanism where sheet components can be configured in different arrangements. By changing the parameters of individual sheets (size, shape, thickness) and their interlocking patterns, specific structural requirements can be met without requiring custom manufactured tubes, thus reducing cost while maintaining precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of manufacture

If hollow tubes are transported to site to be filled with concrete, then transportation cost is reduced, but structural stability deteriorates during transport

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransportation costVSAvoidtube stability during transport

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The sheet components are pre-formed and pre-interlocked into a stable structural configuration before transport. The interlocking mechanism is designed to maintain structural integrity during transportation, eliminating the need for hollow tubes that require filling on-site while ensuring stability throughout the transport process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Strength

If welding or bolts are used to bind steel components, then structural strength is improved, but manufacturing precision and quality control deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesteel binding strengthVSAvoidsteel binding quality consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention replaces welding and bolting mechanisms with a mechanical interlocking system using complementary shapes on sheet components. This substitution eliminates the quality control issues associated with welding inspections and bolt tightening consistency, while maintaining structural strength through precise mechanical engagement of the interlocking features.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Ease of manufacture

If smooth inner and outer surfaces are used in tubes, then manufacturing ease is improved, but binding between steel and concrete deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetube surface smoothnessVSAvoidsteel-concrete binding strength

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The sheet components feature localized surface modifications at the interlocking regions, creating rough or textured surfaces specifically where binding to concrete is required. The rest of the sheet surfaces can remain smooth for ease of manufacture, while the local quality changes at critical binding zones ensure strong steel-concrete adhesion without compromising overall manufacturing ease.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS10829934B2Structural element

Publication Date: 2020.11.10 LOUW ANDRIES AURET

AI summary

Disclosed is a structural element including of interlocked resilient sheet material components, with each sheet operatively forming a component by being shaped to provide an elongate base with two opposing edges from which a first extension and a second extension respectively extend, with the second extension extending further from the base than the first extension, with the first and second extensions being provided with complimentary interlocking means operatively enabling the extensions of one sheet material component to be interlocked with the extensions of another sheet material component; with the extensions of four sheet components being interlocked, each at a right angle with at least one extension of another one of the sheet components, operatively for four sheet components to provide the structural element with an elongate open-ended core with a plurality of elongate open-ended ribs spaced around the core with each rib being longitudinally aligned with the core.