Shuttering Element Connecting Mechanism for Reinforcement Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing formwork elements face challenges in reinforcing joints due to interruptions in reinforcement at the interfaces between adjacent elements, leading to potential breaking points under mechanical loads, and the complexity of producing and handling G-shaped wire reinforcement cages makes installation inefficient and prone to errors.
Innovation Solution
The use of formwork elements with connecting elements that allow for easy insertion of steel rods from above, supported by a two-dimensionally deformed wire structure that holds the rods in place, eliminating the need for complex reinforcement cages and ensuring precise positioning and alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If G-shaped wire elements are used to create reinforcement cages, then reinforcement can bridge joints between formwork elements, but the production becomes complex and handling becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement system is segmented into separate components: formwork elements with integrated connecting elements, and separate steel bars that are inserted later. This eliminates the need to pre-assemble complex G-shaped reinforcement cages, allowing simple rectangular formwork elements to be combined with individual steel bars to achieve continuous reinforcement across joints.
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting elements are pre-integrated into the formwork elements during manufacturing, creating prepared receiving structures. This preliminary action allows steel bars to be easily inserted and positioned later without requiring complex pre-assembled reinforcement cages, simplifying both production and on-site assembly.
2Ease of manufacture
If steel bars are thrown into the formwork space, then reinforcement can be added without complex cages, but the position of steel bars becomes uncertain and may shift during concreting
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting elements serve as intermediary structures that facilitate the insertion and positioning of steel bars. These elements provide a controlled interface between the formwork and reinforcement, enabling simple insertion while ensuring accurate and stable positioning through their geometric design and integration with the formwork structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting elements are designed to automatically guide and position the steel bars during insertion. The geometric features of the connecting elements self-align with the steel bars, ensuring correct positioning without requiring additional alignment operations or complex handling procedures.
3Reliability
If steel rods are distributed over the cross section of formwork elements, then reinforcement coverage is improved, but the formwork elements become very heavy
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement system is divided into the formwork elements themselves and separate steel bars. The formwork elements contain only the lightweight connecting elements, while the heavy steel bars are added separately during assembly. This segmentation allows good reinforcement distribution without increasing the weight of the formwork elements that must be handled and positioned.
4Weight of moving object
If formwork elements are made shorter to maintain handling feasibility, then weight is reduced, but the length of reinforced structures must be increased by using more elements
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses standardized short formwork elements with integrated connecting elements that can be quickly assembled in sequence. The simplicity of the connecting elements and the ability to easily insert steel bars into each element enables rapid assembly, compensating for the need to use multiple shorter elements to achieve the same total length.
Data Source
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AI summary
The shuttering unit (2) has two laterally shuttering plates (4), which are spaced from each other. The shuttering plates are connected together by a connecting element (6), and are limited between the shuttering chambers which are filled with a filling material. One or multiple reinforced elements are inserted in the shuttering chambers. One or multiple wire structures (12) in the shuttering chambers, and one or multiple reinforced elements are fixed by shaped element (14) in a desired position.