WO2013063623A1

WO2013063623A1 - Method of constructing a curved structure and apparatus for performing such method

Info

Publication number: WO2013063623A1
Application number: PCT/ZA2012/000078
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alethea Rosalind Melanie Hall
Original assignee: Alethea Rosalind Melanie Hall
Priority date: 2011-10-28
Filing date: 2012-10-24
Publication date: 2013-05-02
Also published as: AP2014007569A0; ZA201402799B

Abstract

This invention relates to a method of constructing a curved structure and apparatus for performing such method. More specifically, the invention relates to a method and apparatus fort he construction of dome-like structures, particulary for the application of constructing an aqueduct or viaduct. The method includes the steps of erecting a curved support base (30) and layering one or more moulds over the curved support base (30). The moulds (34) comprise outer walls defining an outer perimeter thereof and inner walls dividing an interior oft he mould (34) into an array of adjacent compartments, wherein the mould (34) is flexible so as to substantially conform to the curvature of the curved support base (30). Once the mould (34) have been laid over the curved support base, each of the compartments of the mould (34) are filled with a settable material such that on curing, and removal oft he support base (30), a curved structure made up of a plurality of individual in-situ casted block is constructed. Preferably, the moulds (34) include formations that enable the blocks cast in-situ therein to interlock.

Description

METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING A CURVED STRUCTURE AND APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING SUCH METHOD

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

THIS invention relates to a method of constructing a curved structure and apparatus for performing such method. More specifically, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for the construction of dome-like and/or arch-like structures, particularly for the application of constructing an aqueduct or viaduct.

Many different methods and/or apparatuses for constructing curved structures are known. The most well known methods are those made use of by the Romans to construct Roman arches with individual voussoirs, or wedge-shaped stones, locked in place under their own weight and/or by a keystone voussoir in the centre and topmost section of the arch. Although the compressive forces generated under the weight of the arch acting between the abutting faces of adjacent voussoirs is typically sufficient to hold the arch up under normal loading conditions, it may not be enough under seismic conditions. As a result, arches making use of interlocking voussoirs were developed to further enhance the ability of an arch structure to retain its form. CLARKE, US patent no. 758,417 teaches of such interlocking voussoirs. Although interlocking voussoirs have the effect of enabling the construction of more sturdy arch-like structures, the interlocking voussoirs are individually pre-cast and installed one-at-a-time making this method of construction unnecessarily time consuming.

LEE HYUNG HOON, Korean patent no. 101 , 157,638, attempts to address the drawbacks of the aforementioned prior art methods and teaches of a method in which a settable material is cast into a substantially linear mould having a plurality of individual block forming cavities. The individual blocks, while curing in the cavities, are interlocked to one another by an interlocking means such that on final curing, the individual blocks are removable from the mould. Flexure in the interlocking means, as well as sloping sidewalls of the individual blocks, enables the blocks, when suspended at a mid-point of an interlocked span of blocks, to move relative to one another into an abutting relationship to form an arch-like structure.

A disadvantage of this method is that as a result of the pre-cast interlocked blocks having to be lifted and then located in position, the number of blocks that can be moulded at a time is restricted to the weight that a crane or other lifting mechanism is capable of lifting. Furthermore, the lifting and locating into position of the interlocked blocks can be cumbersome and dangerous, especially during high wind speed conditions. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for constructing a curved structure that addresses the drawbacks of the known prior art methods and apparatuses.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided a method of constructing a curved structure including the steps of: (A) erecting a curved support base, the operatively upper surface of the support base coinciding in use with an operatively lower surface of the curved structure to be constructed;

(B) layering one or more moulds over the curved support base, the moulds having outer walls defining an outer perimeter thereof and inner walls dividing an interior of the mould into an array of adjacent compartments, wherein the mould is flexible so as to substantially conform to the curvature of the support base; and (C) filling the compartments with a settable material to construct, on the curing of the settable material, the curved structure made up of a plurality of adjacent blocks in each of the compartments of the mould. Typically, the curved support base is supportable along a springline on one or more supports, the curved support base in use spanning between the one or more supports. Preferably, the curved support base is an arch-shaped or dome-shaped curved support base for constructing an arch structure or dome structure respectively. Preferably, the supports are erectable prior to the erection of the curved support base such that the curved support base is erectable onto the supports, the supports being in use anchored at required locations and/or cast in-situ at the required locations. Where the supports are cast in-situ, support shuttering is erectable at the required locations into which the settable material is receivable. On the curing of the settable material and the removal of the shuttering, the supports are left behind.

The support shuttering may define one or more riser apertures for expelling air from the support shuttering as it is in use filled with the settable material, and/or to provide a visual means for indicating when the support shuttering has been completely filled with the settable material. Generally, the supports are foundations, or pillar supports or sidewall supports anchored on the foundations.

Where the supports are sidewalls, the sidewall supports may have a substantially vertical wall portion and a substantially horizontal foot portion, the curved support base being supported on the sidewall supports on the vertical wall portion, on the foot portion or at or near an interface between the vertical wall portion and the foot portion.

Preferably, the interface between the vertical wall portion and the foot portion is filleted and the vertical wall portion comprises of a height being greater than a rise of the curved structure thereby to define a void between opposing sidewall structures and an operatively upper surface of the adjacent blocks cured and set in the compartments of the mould. The void may be at least partially filled with the settable material such that the remaining void comprises a substantially flat operatively bottom surface. In one preferred embodiment, spandrels of the void are filled in such a way as to define a hollowing therein, thereby reducing the amount of settable material required and the overall weight of the curved structure constructed using such method. Preferably, the substantially flat operatively bottom surface of the remaining void is substantially horizontal and/or level. Most preferably, the void is an aqueduct or viaduct.

Generally, the supports may define one or more bores extending axially there along in which electrical cabling and/or plumbing is receivable, or for acting as ducting along which fluids are transportable.

The compartments of the mould may be arranged in rows and columns such that the mould divided by the inner walls has a honeycomb structure, and further wherein at least one wall of each of the compartments includes one or more hollow protrusions and/or hollow recesses such that any one of the blocks cured and set in the mould protrude into or are protruded into by one or more adjacent blocks thereby interlocking the blocks to one another. Typically, the rows of the mould are aligned circumferentially along the curvature of the curved support base and the columns are aligned axially with respect to the curved support base.

Generally, the inherent flexibility of the mould, on the layering thereof on the curved support base, enables the mould to distort and/or buckle to conform to the curvature of the curved support base. As a result, one or more of the blocks cast and set in the compartments of the mould have a dimension and/or area at the operatively lower surface of the curved structure being smaller than a dimension and/or area of the respective block at the operatively upper surface of the curved structure to form a plurality of keystone blocks that through abutment with one another retain the form of the curved structure constructed using such method.

Preferably, the distortion and/or buckling of the compartments of the moulds in use occurs primarily circumferentially along the curved support base. More preferably/ the walls of the mould are made from a lightweight sheet-like material having a gauge of 400 microns or less, thereby providing the mould with the required flexibility to conform to the curvature of the curved support base. It will be appreciated that, on the curing of the settable material, the mould may become integral with the curved structure constructed using such method. Furthermore, the integral mould may act as a plurality of expansion gaps between adjacent blocks and/or as reinforcement to the curved structure constructed using such method. Preferably, the sheet-like material from which the mould is made is a plastic- like material and the settable material from which the curved structure and/or the supports are constructed is cementitious.

The curved support base may be temporary shuttering being removable, on the curing of the settable material, from the cast and set blocks to leave the curved structure constructed using such method, the curved structure capable of supporting at least its own weight. Typically, the mould is temporarily secured in place on the curved support base by a securing means. Preferably, the securing means is rigging, pegs, posts, fasteners, strings, stays, tie bars or any other means. According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided an aqueduct transportation system constructed by using the method in accordance with the invention, the system including: a watercraft having a hull shaped and sized to substantially conform to the cross-sectional shape of the aqueduct; a means for introducing water to the aqueduct at an upstream location; and a means for removing water from the aqueduct at a downstream location, the watercraft being movable along the aqueduct by the flow of water in an upstream-to-downstream direction; wherein the water introducing and removing means and/or the locations thereof are substitutable with one another so as to together with the substantially horizontal and level aqueduct, enable a reversal of the upstream and downstream locations, thereby to propel the watercraft in first direction and an opposite second direction along the aqueduct. According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a mould for use in constructing a curved structure on a curved support base, the mould including: outer walls defining an outer perimeter of the mould; inner walls dividing an interior of the mould into an array of adjacent compartments, arranged in rows and columns such that the mould divided by the inner walls has a honeycomb structure, the compartments being fillable with a settable material to construct, on the curing of the settable material, the curved structure made up of a plurality of adjacent blocks in each of the compartments of the mould; at least one wall of each of the compartments having one or more hollow protrusions and/or hollow recesses such that any one of the blocks in use cured and set in the mould protrude into or are protruded into by one or more adjacent blocks thereby interlocking the blocks to one another; and wherein the walls of the mould are made from a lightweight sheet-like material having a gauge of 400 microns or less, thereby providing the mould with the required flexibility to conform to the curvature of the curved support base by distorting and/or buckling to such curvature; such that one or more of the blocks cast and set in use in the compartments of the mould have a dimension and/or area at an operatively lower surface of the curved structure being smaller than a dimension and/or area of the respective block at the operatively upper surface of the curved structure to form a plurality of keystone blocks that through abutment with one another retain the form of the curved structure constructed using such method. Typically, the rows of the mould are aligned circumferentially along the curvature of the curved support base and the columns are aligned axially with respect to the curved support base. Generally, the distortion and/or buckling of the compartments of the moulds in use occurs primarily circumferentially along the curved support base.

On the curing of the settable material, the mould typically becomes integral with the curved structure constructed, acting as a plurality of expansion gaps between adjacent blocks and/or as reinforcement to the curved structure constructed using such method. Preferably, the sheet-like material from which the mould is made is a plastic-like material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a curved structure following a first step of construction of a method in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the curved structure following a second step of the method of construction;

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the curved structure following a third step of the method of construction;

Figure 4 shows a side view of the curved structure of figure 3;

Figure 5 shows a magnified side view of that portion of the curved structure encircled by the magnifying window depicted in figure 4;

Figure 6 shows a perspective view of the curved structure following a fourth step of the method of construction; Figure 7 shows a top view of the of the curved structure of figure 3; and

Figure 8 shows a perspective view of the curved structure following a fifth step of the method of construction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A method of constructing a curved structure and apparatus for performing such method is described herein and illustrated in the accompanying figures with reference to the construction of a preferred curved structure in the form of an aqueduct. It will be appreciated that the method and apparatus described and illustrated herein may be used for constructing any type of curved structure, including arches, domes, culverts and tunnel linings.

Referring now to figure 1 , the method for constructing an aqueduct typically commences with the construction of foundations. The foundations may be pre-cast foundation blocks 10, 12 sunk into the ground 100, or cast in-situ foundation blocks 10, 12 cast into holes dug into the ground 100.

With reference now to figure 2 and figure 3, and on the final positioning or curing of the foundations blocks 10, 12, a temporary support shuttering 14 for receiving a settable, cementitious material therein is erected on each of the foundation blocks 10, 12. The support shuttering 14 acts as a mould having an interior conforming to the shape of the ultimate support 16 to be cast.

The support shuttering 14 defines one or more riser apertures 18 for introducing the settable material into the support shuttering 14 and/or for expelling air from the support shuttering 14 while the support shuttering 14 is filled with the settable material. Furthermore, the riser apertures 18 provide a visual means for indicating when the support shuttering 14 has been completely filled with the settable material. Although support shuttering 14 has been described herein as the preferred method of constructing the supports 16, it will be appreciated that the supports 16 may be constructed in many different ways, for example with a slip former, or they may be pre- cast and transported to the required location. When constructed in-situ, the settable material introduced into the shuttering or slip former preferably makes use of agitation, either by vibration or manual agitation with a "poker", to ensure full filling and removal of air pockets.

Once the support shuttering 14 has been completely filled with a settable material, and after the settable material has cured, the support shuttering 14 is removed leaving ' behind the sidewall supports 16 having a vertical wall portion 20 and a foot portion 22. To minimise stresses, the interface between the vertical wall portion 20 and the foot portion 22 is filleted 24, providing a high strength location on the sidewall supports 16 on which an arched structure is supportable. It will be appreciated that the support shuttering 14 comprises a number of tubes or pipes 26 passing through the support shuttering 14 so as to during the casting process, cast into the vertical wall portion 20 a plurality of bores 28 passing longitudinally there through for receiving electrical cabling or plumbing, and/or for acting as a duct through which fluid is transportable.

The next step of the method involves the erection of a curved support base or shuttering 30 spanning between the sidewall supports 16 and supported at the filleted interfaces 24 between the respective vertical wall and foot portions 20,22. It will be appreciated that the operatively upper curved surface 32 of the curved support base or shuttering 30 coincides with an operatively lower curved surface of the arched structure being constructed.

Thereafter, one or more moulds 34 are layered over the curved support base or shuttering 30. The moulds 34 have outer walls 36 defining an outer perimeter thereof and inner walls 38 dividing an interior of the mould 34 into an array of adjacent compartments 40 arranged in rows and columns such that the mould 34, divided by the inner walls 38, has a honeycomb-like structure. The rows are aligned in a circumferential direction relative to the curvature of the curved support base or shuttering 30 and marked with directional arrow "C" in figure 3. The columns are aligned in an axial direction relative to the curvature of the curved support base or shuttering 30 and marked with directional arrow "A". With reference now to figure 4 and figure 5, it will be appreciated that the mould 34, made from a flexible plastic sheet-like material, conforms to the curvature of the operatively upper surface 32 of the curved support base or shuttering 30. In order to conform, the mould 34 and/or walls 36,38 thereof must be capable of distorting and/or buckling such that the circumferential dimension Ύ" of the compartments 40 at the operatively upper surface 32 of the curved support base or shuttering 30 is smaller than the circumferential dimension "X" of the compartments 40 at an operatively upper surface 42 of the mould 34. Through research and development, it has been determined that the mould 34 is preferably made from sheet-like material having a gauge of 400 microns or less to provide the mould 34 with the required flexibility to conform to the required curvature.

Referring now also to figure 6, and with the mould 34 secured in position over the curved support base or shuttering 30, a settable, cementitious material is introducible into the mould 34 to fill each of the compartments 40. On the curing of the settable material and removal of the curved support base or shuttering 30, an arched structure 43 is left behind, holding up its own weight through abutment of a plurality of adjacent blocks 44 set and cured in each of the compartments 40 of the mould 34. It will be appreciated that the differing circumferential dimensions X,Y of the compartments 40 form trapezoidal shaped blocks 44, which as a result of their trapezoidal shape, act as a plurality of abutting keystones.

With reference now also to figure 7, and for the purposes of further retaining adjacent blocks 44 cast in the mould 34 in position relative to one another, each of the compartments 40 includes one or more hollow protrusions 46 and one or more hollow recesses 48 such that any one of the blocks 44 cured and set in the mould 34 protrude into or are protruded into by one or more adjacent blocks 44 thereby interlocking the blocks 44 to one another. Referring now specifically to figure 4 and figure 6, the vertical wall portion 20 comprises a height "H" greater than the rise height "h" of the arch structure 43, as measured with reference to a springline 50 of the arch structure 43. As a result, an initial void 52 is defined between inner surfaces of the vertical wall portions 20 and the operatively upper surface 42 of the mould 34. It will be appreciated that the operatively upper surface 42 of the mould 34 coincides with the operatively upper surface of the arch structure 43 constructed by the method herein described. It will be appreciated further that the springline 50 refers to the line where the vertical support for the arch structure 43 ends and the curvature of the arch structure 43 begins.

Spandrels 54 of the arch structure 43 are filled with a settable, cementitious material so as to form an aqueduct 56 having a substantially rectangular cross-section with a substantially horizontal, level and smooth aqueduct bottom surface 58 as illustrated in figure 8. For the purposes of reducing the amount of settable material used to fill the spandrels 54, and furthermore for the purposes of reducing the overall weight of the arch structure 43, the spandrels 54 may be cast with a hollowing 60 defined therein. The hollowing 60 in each spandrel 54 might also be used as ducting to transport fluids there through, or alternatively as a passageway for receiving electrical cabling or plumbing.

The arch structure 43 and aqueduct 56 formed therein is extendable in the axial direction "A" and capable of stretching for many kilometres. In one specific application of the aqueduct 56, it is envisaged that the cross-section of the aqueduct 56 conforms closely to the shape of a watercrafts hull, for example the hull of a barge. The barge is movable along the aqueduct 56 by the flow of water in the aqueduct 56. The flow of water in the aqueduct 56 may be controllable by introducing water into the aqueduct 56 upstream of the barge and/or removing water from the aqueduct 56 downstream of the barge, thereby causing the barge to travel in an upstream-to-downstream direction. With an aqueduct 56 constructed substantially horizontally and level, the direction of the barge is easily reversed by simple pumping water into the aqueduct 56 where it was previously removed and removing water from the aqueduct 56 where it was previously introduced. In so doing, the upstream-to-downstream direction is reversed.

In the fully constructed arch structure 43, the mould 34 is sacrificial and becomes with the arch structure 43. Primarily, the mould 34 acts or at least provides the required expansion gaps between the adjacent interlocked blocks 44 to prevent the arch structure 43 from cracking. It may of course, at least to a small extent, also act as reinforcing. Although the invention has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments and examples, it will be appreciated that many modifications or variations of the invention are possible without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. It will be appreciated further that the invention extends to a flexible honey-combed structure mould for performing such method. Furthermore, the curved structure and/or aqueduct may be waterproofed by being coated with a double liner of bubble protrusions sandwiched between layers of bitumen or other similar water proof material

Claims

1 . A method of constructing a curved structure including the steps of: (A) erecting a curved support base, the operatively upper surface of the support base coinciding in use with an operatively lower surface of the curved structure to be constructed;

(B) layering one or more moulds over the curved support base, the moulds having outer walls defining an outer perimeter thereof and inner walls dividing an interior of the mould into an array of adjacent compartments, wherein the mould is flexible so as to substantially conform to the curvature of the support base; and (C) filling the compartments with a settable material to construct, on the curing of the settable material, the curved structure made up of a plurality of adjacent blocks in each of the compartments of the mould.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the curved support base is supportable along a springline on one or more supports, the curved support base in use spanning between the one or more supports.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the curved support base is an arch- shaped or dome-shaped curved support base for constructing an arch structure or dome structure respectively.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the supports are erectable prior to the erection of the curved support base such that the curved support base is erectable onto the supports, the supports being in use anchored at required locations and/or cast in-situ at the required locations.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein support shuttering is erectable at the required locations into which the settable material is receivable so as to cast in- situ, and on the curing of the settable material and removal of the shuttering, the supports.

6. A method according to claim- 5, wherein the support shuttering defines one or more riser apertures for expelling air from the support shuttering as it is in use filled with the settable material, and/or to provide a visual means for indicating when the support shuttering has been completely filled with the settable material.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the supports are foundations, or pillar supports or sidewall supports anchored on the foundations.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the sidewall supports have a substantially vertical wall portion and a substantially horizontal foot portion, the curved support base being supported on the sidewall supports on the vertical wall portion, on the foot portion or at or near an interface between the vertical wall portion and the foot portion.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the interface between the vertical wall portion and the foot portion is filleted and the vertical wall portion comprises of a height being greater than a rise of the curved structure thereby to define a void between opposing sidewall structures and an operatively upper surface of the adjacent blocks cured and set in the compartments of the mould.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the void is at least partially filled with the settable material such that the remaining void comprises a substantially flat operatively bottom surface.

1 1. A method according to claim 10, wherein spandrels of the void are filled in such a way as to define a hollowing therein, thereby reducing the amount of settable material required and the overall weight of the curved structure constructed using such method.

12. A method according to claim 1 1 , wherein the substantially flat operatively bottom surface of the remaining void is substantially horizontal and/or level.

A method according to any one of claims 9 to 2, wherein the void is an aqueduct or viaduct.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the supports define one or more bores extending axially there along in which electrical cabling and/or plumbing is receivable, or for acting as ducting along which fluids are transportable.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the compartments of the mould are arranged in rows and columns such that the mould divided by the inner walls has a honeycomb structure, and further wherein at least one wall of each of the compartments includes one or more hollow protrusions and/or hollow recesses such that any one of the blocks cured and set in the mould protrude into or are protruded into by one or more adjacent blocks thereby interlocking the blocks to one another.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the rows of the mould are aligned circumferentially along the curvature of the curved support base and the columns are aligned axially with respect to the curved support base.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the inherent flexibility of the mould, on the layering thereof on the curved support base, enables the mould to distort and/or buckle to conform to the curvature of the curved support base such that one or more of the blocks cast and set in the compartments of the mould have a dimension at the operatively lower surface of the curved structure being smaller than a dimension of the respective block at the operatively upper surface of the curved structure to form a plurality of keystone blocks that through abutment with one another retain the curved structure constructed using such method.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the distortion and/or buckling of the compartments of the moulds in use occurs primarily circumferentially along the curved support base.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the walls of the mould are made from a lightweight sheet-like material having a gauge of 400 microns or less, thereby providing the mould with the required flexibility to conform to the curvature of the curved support base.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the mould, on the curing of the settable material, becomes integral with the curved structure constructed using such method, acting as a plurality of expansion gaps between adjacent blocks and/or as reinforcement to the curved structure constructed using such method.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein the sheet-like material from which the mould is made is a plastic-like material and the settable material from which the curved structure and/or the supports are constructed is cementitious.

22. A method according to claim 21 , wherein the curved support base is temporary shuttering being removable, on the curing of the settable material, from the cast and set blocks to leave the curved structure constructed using such method, the curved structure capable of supporting at least its own weight.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein the mould is temporarily secured in place on the curved support base by a securing means.

24. A method according to claim 23, wherein the securing means is rigging, pegs, posts, fasteners, strings, stays, tie bars or any other means.

25. An aqueduct transportation system constructed by using the method in accordance with any one of claims 13 to 24, including: a watercraft having a hull shaped and sized to substantially conform to the cross-sectional shape of the aqueduct; a means for introducing water to the aqueduct at an upstream location; and a means for removing water from the aqueduct at a downstream location, the watercraft being movable along the aqueduct by the flow of water in an upstream-to-downstream direction; wherein the water introducing and removing means and/or the locations thereof are substitutable with one another so as to together with the substantially horizontal and level aqueduct, enable a reversal of the upstream and downstream locations, thereby to propel the watercraft in first direction and an opposite second direction along the aqueduct.

A mould for use in constructing a curved structure on a curved support base, the mould including: outer walls defining an outer perimeter of the mould; inner walls dividing an interior of the mould into an array of adjacent compartments, arranged in rows and columns such that the mould divided by the inner walls has a honeycomb structure, the compartments being fillable with a settable material to construct, on the curing of the settable material, the curved structure made up of a plurality of adjacent blocks in each of the compartments of the mould; at least one wall of each of the compartments having one or more hollow protrusions and/or hollow recesses such that any one of the blocks in use cured and set in the mould protrude into or are protruded into by one or more adjacent blocks thereby interlocking the blocks to one another; wherein the walls of the mould are made from a lightweight sheet-like material having a gauge of 400 microns or less, thereby providing the mould with the required flexibility to conform to the curvature of the curved support base by distorting and/or buckling to such curvature; such that one or more of the blocks cast and set in use in the compartments of the mould have a dimension at an operatively lower surface of the curved structure being smaller than a dimension of the respective block at the operatively upper surface of the curved structure to form a plurality of keystone blocks that through abutment with one another retain the form of the curved structure constructed using such method.

27. A mould according to claim 26, wherein the rows of the mould are aligned circumferentially along the curvature of the curved support base and the columns are aligned axially with respect to the curved support base.

28. A mould according to claim 27, wherein the distortion and/or buckling of the compartments of the moulds in use occurs primarily circumferentially along the curved support base.

29. A mould according to claim 28, wherein the mould, on the curing of the settable material, becomes integral with the curved structure constructed using such method, acting as a plurality of expansion gaps between adjacent blocks and/or as reinforcement to the curved structure constructed using such method.

30. A mould according to claim 29, wherein the sheet-like material from which the mould is made is a plastic-like material.