WO2012073123A1

WO2012073123A1 - An innovative method for making frp-polymer concrete drain channels

Info

Publication number: WO2012073123A1
Application number: PCT/IB2011/050614
Authority: WO
Inventors: Anand Belhe
Original assignee: Anand Belhe
Priority date: 2010-12-03
Filing date: 2011-02-15
Publication date: 2012-06-07

Abstract

According to this invention, there is provided an improved method for making drain channels comprising the steps of making a drain channel mould using FRP; using said mould and filling said mould with polymer concrete; providing a rod for lifting, strengthening and anchoring into surrounding concrete before pouring o the polymer concrete; providing nuts for tightening said rod to adhere to said mould; providing an edge guard adapted to line the mould through its lateral vertical edges; providing an edge stiffener profile for abutting edge guard to said edge of said mould; and fitting a customized drain outlet before pouring of polymer concrete.

Description

AN INNOVATIVE METHOD FOR MAKING FRP-POLYMER CONCRETE

DRAIN CHANNELS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION:

This invention relates to the field of drainage systems and drainage channels.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:

A mould is a shaped cavity of metal or other material used to give definite form to fluid or plastic or other such material. Such a shaped cavity is very expensive to create as it is generally machined out of solid block of metal. The metal is machined on expensive CNC machines especially when there is a need to have very fluid, contoured shapes. Due to the expenses, moulds are generally permanent in nature.

By having innovative designs, moulds can create good products repeatedly. However there are limitations relating to Wear and tear of the mould, product life cycle, and reliability with respect to wear and tear.

Typically, if plastic injection molding has production cycle from about 30 sec. to 5 min. depending on the mould, machine and the product weight and volume, then, on an average, the time taken to produce plastic injection molded parts is about 1 minute. So, it has a production cycle time of 1 minute per product. This production cycle can extend up to some hours for polymer concrete by using mould. The closing and pouring times, can last from a fraction of a second to a few seconds, depending on the size of the mold and machine. The setting times, which dominate the process, depend on the maximum thickness of the part to be moulded. There exist various Molding methods. In general, the reinforcing and matrix materials are combined, compacted and processed to undergo a melding event. After the melding event, the part shape is essentially set, although it can deform under certain process conditions. For a thermo set polymeric matrix material, the melding event is a curing reaction that is initiated by the application of additional heat or chemical reactivity such as organic peroxide.

The molded product is often referred to as a panel casting.

For certain continuous processes, it can be referred to as a profile.

Time calculation for calculating Production Cycle Time for moulding of polymer concrete is illustrated below:

The time it takes to make a product using molding can be calculated by adding:

Twice the Mold Open/Close Time (2M)

+

Pouring Time (T)

+

Reaction Time/Setting Time (C)

(Chemicals/catalyst /filler resign)

+

Mould opening Time (E)

Where T is found by dividing:

Mold Size (S) / Flow Rate (F) Total time = 2M + T + C + E

T = V/R

V = Mold cavity size (cm cube)

R = Material flow rate (cm cube)

The total cycle time can be calculated using tcycle = tclosing + tsetting+ tejection

Several moulding defects have been observed and the defects along with their descriptions and causes are enlisted below.

evenness.

Composite(s) (materials) are made up of individual materials referred to as constituent materials. There are two categories of constituent materials: matrix and reinforcement. At least one portion of each type is required. The matrix material surrounds and supports the reinforcement materials by maintaining their relative positions. The reinforcements impart their special mechanical and physical properties to enhance the matrix properties.

This synergism produces material properties unavailable from the individual constituent materials, while the wide variety of matrix and strengthening materials allows the designer of the product or structure to choose an optimum combination. Engineered composite materials must be formed to shape.

The matrix material can be introduced to the reinforcement before or after the reinforcement material is placed into the mould cavity or onto the mould surface. The matrix material experiences a melding event, after which the part shape is essentially set. Depending upon the nature of the matrix material, this melding event can occur in various ways such as chemical polymerization or solidification from the melted state.

A variety of molding methods can be used according to the end-item design requirements. The principal factors impacting the methodology are the natures of the chosen matrix and reinforcement materials. Another important factor is the gross quantity of material to be produced. Large quantities can be used to justify high capital expenditures for rapid and automated manufacturing technology. Small production quantities are accommodated with lower capital expenditures but higher labour and tooling costs at a correspondingly slower rate. Most commercially produced composites use a polymer matrix material often called a resin solution. There are many different polymers available depending upon the starting raw ingredients. There are several broad categories, each with numerous variations. The most common are known as polyester, vinyl ester, epoxy, phenolic, polyimide, polyamide, polypropylene, PEEK and the like.

The reinforcement materials are often fibers but also commonly ground minerals. The various methods described below have been developed to reduce the resin content of the final product, or the fibre content is increased.

As a rule of thumb, lay up results in a product containing 60% resin and 40% fibre, whereas vacuum infusion gives a final product with 40% resin and 60% fiber content. However, it has been noticed in some cases that this ratio is further improved to even 10 to 15% resin and 85 to 90% fibers and fillers.

The strength of the product is greatly dependent on this ratio.

The mixture of different types of selected aggregates and polymer resin as a binder which gives strengthened but lightweight material is called Polymer resin concrete. Polymer Concrete (PC) is a composite material formed by combining mineral aggregates such as sand or gravel with a monomer. Rapid-setting organic polymers are used in PC as binders. Studies on epoxy polymers have shown that curing method, temperature and strain rate influences the strength and stress-strain relationships. The composition of PC is determined by its applications especially loading stress levels and ability to resist to corrosive environment. PC is increasingly being used as an alternative to cement concrete in many applications. For the past 50 years or more, the development of polymer concrete has been conducted in various countries. Today, polymer concrete is used for finishing work in cast-in-place applications, precast products, highway pavements, bridge decks, waste water pipes, Surface Drain Channels and even decorative construction panels. PC exhibits a brittle failure and therefore improving its post-peak stress-strain behavior is important. Hence, developing better PC systems and also characterizing the compressive strength in terms of constituents are essential for the efficient utilization of PC. In order to improve the compressive behavior carbon and glass fibers can be added to the PC matrix. Substantial experience and broader knowledge of the optimal compositions, properties and stress-strain relationships of the fiber reinforced PC is necessary with respect to design, production and quality control. However, the data on epoxy PC are rather limited, and there is an increasing interest in the deformation characteristics under working conditions.

The compressive strength of the material is 90 - 100 N/mm , compared with 20-

2 2

40N/mm . The flexural strength of the material is 20 - 25 N/mm , much higher than concrete at 2-5 N/mm . Polymer resin concrete channels are highly resistant to chemical attack. It can be used in most environments where acids and dilute alkalis are likely to be encountered. The material is not affected by hydrocarbons or road de- icing salts.

Polymer-concrete has some limitations as described below. It cannot take curves with or without changes. Mould costs are very high: Resin + sand + other fillers setting time 2-3 hours to come out of mould + cleaning of moulds. Hence, cycle time for each product is long; about say 3 Hours. Hence, in one shift, hardly 3 products per mould can be molded.

Batch production needs minimum quantity of material to be mixed. If number of moulds is not adequate, then there is a need to load other moulds for which no orders may have been placed. If one is manufacturing 100 mm width channel with 10 kg weight each but since they have only 3 moulds and the minimum quantity you can mix is 50 kg then they need to make another size product which will use the rest of the material. Also, the delivery times for the channels are very high due to this problem. 1 meter size is limitation of size, as the moulds cannot be made too large. They are very expensive. The number of Joints is too many with this limitation of size.

More the number of joints, more are the chances of leaking of joints. For example a 4 meter drain for Balcony will have 3 joints. Polymer concrete is porous. Coefficient of friction is higher than fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP). Strength is lesser than FRP. The aggregate size is small as the finish needs to be good. Lesser the aggregate size, more the Resin content and more is the cost. Recycled material usage is restricted due to finish. Mould is needed of high quality to make 1 piece of a million pieces. Due to this smaller non standard products cannot be developed.

Present invention describes an improved method for making drain channels that overcomes one or more drawbacks of the existing methods.

PRIOR ART: US patent no. 6,170,796 describes a mold for making a drainage channel to receive runoff from an athletic surface. Said channel includes a bottom wall and a pair of sidewalls extending upwardly from opposite sides of the bottom wall; a projection extending transversely outwardly from the exterior of at least one of the sidewalls and spaced at a predetermined distance below the open top for defining a height to which a subsurface layer is fracturable from the sidewall and spaced at a predetermined distance below the open top for defining height to which a subsurface layer is applied adjacent to the drainage channel. Said projection is fracturable from the sidewall which acts as a mechanical fuse to prevent vibratory or tampering machinery from damaging the drainage channel. There is also provided an elongate channel section having a bottom surface with planar reference surfaces end portions and said surfaces are coplanar with each other and spaced at predetermined distance below the open top of the channel supporting the opposed ends of the channel section in an aligned position. Further, there is provided a mold for making drainage channel sections is having aligned reference surfaces and also methods for molding the drainage channel sections and installing the drainage channel.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION:

An object of this invention is to make drain channels.

Another object of the invention is to make drain channels with drain outlets.

Yet another object of the invention is to make higher standard drain channels. Yet another object of the invention is to make FRP polymer concrete channels with no limitation of mould length.

Yet another object of the invention is to combines the best properties of FRP as well as polymer concrete to create a product which is superior in properties than the individual composites FRP and polymer Concrete with their respective limitations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:

According to this invention, there is provided an improved method for making drain channels comprising the steps of:

- first step of making a drain channel mould using FRP and also fitting of rods before pouring of concrete;

- second step of providing a rod for lifting, strengthening and anchoring into surrounding concrete;

- third step of using said mould and filling said mould with polymer concrete;

- fourth step of providing nuts for tightening said rod to adhere to said mould;

- fifth step of providing an edge guard adapted to line the mould through its lateral vertical edges;

- sixth step of providing an edge stiffener profile for abutting edge guard to said edge of said mould; and

- seventh step of fitting a customized drain outlet before pouring of polymer concrete. Typically, wherein said first step includes the step of making the mould of the shape of the drain channel to be made.

Typically, wherein the said second step includes the step of placing a plurality of rods at strategic intervals through the length of the mould.

Alternately, according to this invention, there is provided an improved method for making drain channels comprising the steps of:

first step of making a drain channel mould using FRP;

second step of filling said mould with polymer concrete;

third step of providing a rod for lifting, strengthening and anchoring into surrounding concrete;

fourth step of providing nuts for tightening said rod to adhere to said mould;

fifth step of providing an edge guard adapted to line the mould through its lateral vertical edges;

sixth step of providing an edge stiffener profile for abutting edge guard to said edge of said mould; and

seventh step of fitting a customized drain outlet before pouring of polymer concrete.

Irrespective of the size, shape, and / or process of making the mould, FRP can be used. Still alternatively, there is provided an improved method fro making drain channels comprising the steps of:

first step of making a drain channel mould using FRP;

second step of fitting rods to the said mould and filling said mould with polymer concrete;

fourth step of providing nuts for tightening said rod to adhere to said mould;

seventh step of filling said mould with polymer concrete to make a drainage channel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS:

The invention will now be described in relation to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figures la, lb, and lc illustrate the various layers and embodiment used in the moulding process for moulding drainage channels, with various locations for drain outlet;

1. Polymer Concrete

2. FRP 3. Rod for lifting, strengthening and anchoring into surrounding concrete

4. Nut for tightening

5. Edge guard

6. Edge stiffener profile

7. Customized drain outlet fitted before pouring of polymer concrete;

Figure 2a illustrates an M-channel mould and Figure 2b illustrates an isometric view of the M-channel mould; and

Figure 3 a illustrates an FRP channel with hopper; and Figure 3b illustrates an FRP channel mould.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS:

According to this invention, there is provided an improved method for making drain channels.

Figures la, lb, and lc illustrate the various layers and embodiment used in the moulding process for moulding drainage channels, with various locations for drain outlet; Figure 2a illustrates an M-channel mould and Figure 2b illustrates an isometric view of the M-channel mould; Figure 3a illustrates an FRP channel with hopper; and Figure 3b illustrates an FRP channel mould.

In accordance with this invention, there is disclosed a method of using channels with or without curves of any size (No limitation of size of mould or profile shape or process of making the FRP mould) as a mould which is the permanent skin for the final product which gives good quality of finish. Typically, said channels are FRP channels.

In accordance with yet another embodiment of this invention there is provided a first step of making a drain channel mould using FRP (2). Irrespective of the size, shape and / or process of making the mould, FRP can be used.

Pultrusion is the process of "pulling" raw composites through a die creating a continuous composite profile. The term pultrusion combines the words, "pull" and "extrusion". Extrusion is the pushing of material, such as a final product, through a shaped die. Where as pultrusion, is the pulling of material, such as fiberglass and resin, through a shaped die.

The pultrusion process starts with racks or creels holding rolls of fibre mat or doffs of fibre roving. Most often the reinforcement is fiberglass, but it can be carbon, aramid, or a mixture. This raw fibre is pulled off the racks and guided through a resin bath or resin impregnation system. Resin can also be injected directly into the die in some pultrusion systems.

This FRP profile is pinched and pulled by a "gripper" system. Either caterpillar tracks or hydraulic clamps are used to pull the composite through the pultrusion die on a continuous basis.

At the end of this pultrusion machine is a cut-off saw. The pultruded profiles are cut to the specific length and stacked for delivery. In accordance with yet another embodiment of this invention, there is provided an initial step of placing rod (3) first and then Polymer Concrete is poured for lifting, strengthening and anchoring into surrounding concrete. Typically, the rods are placed at strategic intervals through the length of the mould.

In accordance with yet another embodiment of this invention there is provided a second step of using a mould and filling said mould with polymer concrete (1). Typically, the mould is in the shape of the drain channel to be made.

In accordance with still another embodiment of this invention, there is provided a nut (4) for tightening said rod to adhere to said mould.

In accordance with yet another embodiment of this invention there is provided an edge guard (5) adapted to line the mould through its lateral vertical edges.

In accordance with yet another embodiment of this invention there is provided an edge stiffener profile (6) for abutting edge guard to said edge of said mould.

In accordance with yet another embodiment of this invention there is provided a customized drain outlet (7) fitted before pouring of polymer concrete.

ADVANATAGES

The present invention of improved method for making drain channels wherein

FRP channels are used with or without curves. There is no size or profile limitation for the mould and there is also no limitation of process to make FRP Channels.

FRP channels have permanent skin.

FRP channels have good quality finish.

The present invention allows us to make FRP polymer concrete channels with no limitation of mould length. Thus, the channels could be of any length without the limitation of moulds.

This invention combines the best properties of FRP as well as polymer concrete to create a product which is superior in properties than the individual composites FRP and polymer Concrete with their respective limitations.

Claims

I claim,

1. An improved method for making drain channels comprising the steps of:

- first step of making a drain channel mould using FRP;

- second step of fitting rods to the said mould and filling said mould with polymer concrete;

- third step of providing a rod for lifting, strengthening and anchoring into surrounding concrete;

- seventh step of fitting a customized drain outlet before pouring of polymer concrete.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the said first step includes the step of making the mould in the shape of the drain channel to be made.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said third step includes the step of placing a plurality of rods at strategic intervals through the length of the mould.

4. An improved method for making drain channels comprising the steps of:

- first step of making a drain channel mould using FRP;

- second step of filling said mould with polymer concrete;

- third step of providing a rod for lifting, strengthening and anchoring into surrounding concrete; - fourth step of providing nuts for tightening said rod to adhere to said mould;

5. An improved method for making drain channel comprising the steps of :

- first step of making a drain channel mould using FRP;

- seventh step of filling said mould with polymer concrete to make a drainage channel.