Mold Liner Plate Texture Control for Masonry Block Height
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Solution Overview
Problem
Concrete masonry units (CMUs) with textured surfaces often develop height discrepancies due to air pockets trapped between the textured mold surface and concrete, leading to structural instability, such as leaning, when arranged to form structures like retaining walls.
Innovation Solution
A mold assembly with moveable liner plates that form a mold cavity, where at least one plate has a textured surface, is used. The plate is moved to an extended position during vibration and compression, ensuring even concrete distribution and eliminating air pockets, thereby maintaining uniform block height.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If a textured surface is formed on the mold cavity wall, then the block surface acquires a desired stone-like texture, but air pockets are trapped between the textured surface and concrete, causing height discrepancies and structural instability
Solution Approach 1:
The mold cavity is pre-filled with a layer of concrete before the textured wall is inserted, creating a concrete base layer that prevents air pocket formation between the textured surface and the concrete, thereby ensuring uniform block height while maintaining the desired surface texture
Solution Approach 2:
A layer of concrete is introduced as an intermediary substance between the textured mold wall and the remaining concrete fill, serving as a medium that eliminates air pockets and ensures uniform contact and height across the block surface
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
This method ensures that the textured surface blocks are formed with consistent heights across all surfaces, preventing structural instability and ensuring that structures built with these blocks remain horizontal, maintaining stability and appearance.
Implementation Method 1
vibrating the mold assembly and dry cast concrete therein
Data Source
AI summary
A method of making a masonry block employing a mold assembly having a plurality liner plates each having a major surface that together form a mold cavity having an open top and an open bottom, wherein at least one liner plate is moveable between a retracted position and a desired extended position within the mold cavity. The method includes providing a negative of a desired texture on the major surface of the moveable liner plate, moving the moveable liner plate to a retracted position, closing the bottom of the mold cavity by positioning a pallet below the mold assembly, filling the mold cavity with dry cast concrete via the open top, vibrating the mold assembly and dry cast concrete therein, and moving the moveable liner plate to a desired extended position during the vibrating.