Thermal Insulation Element with Tapered Ends for Concrete Wall Decoupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing thermal insulation elements for load-bearing concrete building parts, such as between a building wall and a floor ceiling, often create thermal bridges due to continuous reinforcement, making it difficult to achieve effective heat decoupling and load-bearing connections.
Innovation Solution
The use of linearly laid thermal insulation elements made of lightweight concrete with tapered end faces that deviate from perpendicularity, allowing for continuous force transmission and absorption of thermal expansion forces, along with reinforcement rods for shear force transmission, eliminates thermal bridges and facilitates easy installation by creating gaps for concrete compaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If continuous reinforcement is used to connect floor slab to load-bearing columns and exterior walls, then load-bearing connection is achieved, but thermal bridges are created that are difficult to eliminate
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement is segmented into discrete bars that pass through the thermal insulation element rather than forming a continuous monolithic connection. This allows the structural function to be maintained while breaking the thermal bridge, as the insulation can be continuous between the segmented reinforcement points.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal insulation element acts as an intermediary component between the floor slab and load-bearing structure. It provides a medium that simultaneously accommodates reinforcement passage and maintains thermal insulation, resolving the conflict between structural connection and thermal separation.
2Ease of manufacture
If thermal insulation elements with perpendicular end faces are used, then simple geometry is achieved, but difficult installation and concrete compaction
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal insulation element features asymmetric geometry with tapered end faces that are not perpendicular to the support surfaces. This asymmetric design creates gaps between adjacent elements that facilitate both installation and concrete compaction, while maintaining manufacturability through standardized molding processes.
3Reliability
If monolithic connection of floor slab to building components is made, then structural integrity is improved, but thermal bridges are created
Solution Approach 1:
The connection system exhibits local quality differentiation: at specific localized points where reinforcement bars pass through, there is structural connection; between these points, continuous thermal insulation is maintained. This local differentiation allows simultaneous achievement of structural integrity and thermal separation.
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 solution provides improved thermal insulation and load-bearing capabilities while reducing heat transfer and compensating for thermal expansion differences, ensuring a tight connection between building parts with reduced heat loss and enhanced stress damping.
Implementation Method 1
base body consists at least partially of a compressive force-transmitting and thermally insulating material, namely lightweight concrete
Implementation Method 2
thermal insulation element for thermal decoupling between load-bearing building parts
Implementation Method 3
having a shape that deviates from the perpendicular to the support surfaces... absorption of thermal expansion forces
Implementation Method 4
reinforcement rods for shear force transmission
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
This document describes a thermal insulation element for thermal decoupling between load-bearing building components made of concrete, namely a vertical building wall, and a floor slab above or below. The thermal insulation element has a base body to be laid linearly between the building components. This base body consists at least partially of a compressive force-transmitting and thermally insulating material, namely lightweight concrete, and has an upper and a lower bearing surface for vertical connection to the building components. Furthermore, the base body has two opposing short end faces designed to abut adjacent thermal insulation elements during linear installation by having a shape that deviates from the perpendicular to the bearing surfaces.