Lightened Natural Lime Wall Lining with Mesh Reinforcement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Natural lime, despite its advantages such as non-toxicity, breathability, and fire resistance, is laborious to lay and lacks mechanical strength, leading to issues like prolonged drying times and susceptibility to cracks and weather degradation, especially when used as a wall lining.

Innovation Solution

A construction element comprising a first layer of thin stone or tufa supported by a layer of lightened natural lime, with optional withholding nets or honeycomb aluminium panels, allowing for rapid production and improved mechanical strength, and featuring a sandwich structure for enhanced thermal and acoustic insulation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If natural lime is used as wall lining material, then breathability and fire resistance are improved, but mechanical strength deteriorates and laying becomes laborious

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebreathability and fire resistanceVSAvoidmechanical strength
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses composite materials by combining natural lime with aggregates (such as granulated cork, natural or artificial fibres like polystyrene) to create lightened lime mixtures. This composite approach maintains the breathability and fire resistance of natural lime while improving mechanical properties through the structural support provided by the aggregate framework.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces mesh reinforcement as an intermediary element between the lime layers. This mesh acts as a mediator that provides mechanical strength and prevents crack formation without compromising the breathability of the natural lime, thus resolving the contradiction between mechanical strength and material permeability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Use of energy by stationary object

If lightened lime is used to reduce thermal conductivity, then thermal insulation is improved, but drying time increases and laying becomes more laborious

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethermal insulationVSAvoiddrying time
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by stationary objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs preliminary action by pre-drying the lime layers in a controlled environment before final installation. This allows the lime to achieve optimal drying without extending the overall construction timeline, as the drying process is initiated and managed in advance under optimal conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the composition and thickness of lime layers to optimize both thermal insulation and drying time. By adjusting the aggregate content, layer thickness, and composition ratios, the patent achieves improved thermal performance while controlling drying duration through optimized material parameters.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Use of energy by stationary object

If thick layers of natural lime (more than 2 cm) are applied to achieve insulation depth, then thermal insulation is improved, but surface uniformity deteriorates with depressions and protrusions forming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethermal insulationVSAvoidsurface uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by stationary objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing thick lime layers into multiple thinner sub-layers, each not exceeding 2 cm in thickness. This segmentation allows each layer to be applied uniformly without forming depressions or protrusions, while the cumulative effect of multiple layers achieves the required thermal insulation depth.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses mesh reinforcement as a dimensional stabilizer that spans across the lime layers, providing structural support in the third dimension. This mesh framework prevents surface irregularities by distributing loads evenly, thereby maintaining surface uniformity while allowing thicker overall insulation packages.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

4Use of energy by stationary object

If multiple layers (at least 4 layers for 8 cm insulation) are applied to achieve required insulation, then thermal insulation is improved, but laying complexity and time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethermal insulationVSAvoidlaying complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs preliminary action by pre-assembling insulation panels with integrated mesh reinforcement and optimized layer configurations. This pre-preparation reduces on-site laying complexity, as the panels can be installed as complete units rather than requiring sequential application and coordination of multiple separate layers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses composite materials by creating integrated panels that combine lime layers, aggregates, and mesh reinforcement into unified construction elements. This composite panel approach simplifies the laying process by reducing the number of separate operations required, while maintaining the required thermal insulation performance through the composite structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

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 enables rapid production of wall linings with uniform characteristics, improved mechanical strength, reduced drying times, and enhanced thermal and acoustic insulation, while minimizing the drawbacks of natural lime, such as fragility and laborious application, and offering cost and transport advantages.

Implementation Method 1

natural lime has a very poor thermal conductivity of about 0.54 W/mK... lime is used more and more often to produce thermal linings... to reduce the conductivity of the coated walls

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Implementation Method 2

enhanced thermal and acoustic insulation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAcoustic absorption: Acoustic Absorption

Data Source

PatentEP2877644B1Construction element for walls and wall lining and production method of the element
Publication Date: 2016.07.06 DE LUCA EGIDIO
  • EP2877644B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2877644B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

Construction element for walls and wall lining comprising at least one layer of lining material (11) and one layer of lightened natural lime (12) attached to the lining material (11) by drying to form a single body.