GB2548840A

GB2548840A - Thermal block and methods of construction

Info

Publication number: GB2548840A
Application number: GB1605218.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Staponkiene Natalija
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2016-03-29
Filing date: 2016-03-29
Publication date: 2017-10-04
Also published as: GB201605218D0

Abstract

An insulation block comprising an insulating layer 23, an inner layer 25 disposed on one side of the insulating layer and an outer layer 21 disposed the opposing side, wherein strengthening rods 27 pass through the inner layer and partially through the inner and outer layers. The inner and outer layers may be expanded clay concrete or aerated concrete. The insulation layer may be expanded polystyrene. The strengthening bars may be basalt fibre reinforcement bars or rebars. The block may include an oxide facing layer 29. Blocks may be stacked, for example to construct a building wall (see Figure 6). Insulating tape may be used between stacked blocks. A method of interlinking or stacking blocks and a method of manufacture is also claimed.

Description

Thermal Block and Methods of Construction

Field of the Invention

The present application relates to the field of construction, and in particular methods and products used in the construction of buildings.

Background to the Invention

Many places are facing a lack of housing and so need to build new homes. These homes need to be both affordable and quick to build in order to fulfil demand. At the same time many countries, including Great Britain, are trying to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and cut down on the energy that they waste. One way of doing this is to increase the amount of insulation in new homes. Therefore there is a need for a new construction material and method that enables homes to be built quickly and cheaply, whilst at the same time increasing the energy efficiency of new homes.

Currently, most homes are built of traditionally used materials such as standard bricks, concrete blocks or other such materials. These bricks are commonly formed from clay, sand and lime. They provide very little insulation and have to be joined together using a substantial amount of mortar. This process is both unduly costly and takes a significant amount of time and skilled labour. Moreover these bricks offer little to no thermal protection. Additional insulation is required in houses built using traditional bricks and this can be expensive and is time consuming to install.

Aspects of the invention are set out in the independent claims and preferred features are set out in the dependent claims.

According to one aspect, there is provided a block comprising: an inner layer; an insulating layer; an outer layer; and strengthening rods, wherein the strengthening rods pass through the inner layer, the insulating layer and the outer layer; wherein the inner and outer layers are disposed on opposing sides of the insulating layer.

In an embodiment the inner layer and outer layer comprise expanded clay concrete. The layers may be of the same composition for ease of production, or they may be of different compositions tailored to the specific requirements of an environment.

In an embodiment the insulating layer comprises polystyrene. This may be EPS. In another embodiment the insulating layer may comprise a suitable insulating material.

In an embodiment the strengthening rods comprise basalt.

In an embodiment the interface between the layers is substantially flat.

In an embodiment the block incorporates an air exchange element for providing ventilation from the inner layer to the outer layer of the block.

In an embodiment the block forms a corner block with the outer layer extending around two sides adjacent to one another.

There is also herein described a method of interlinking the block with a flooring unit by positioning the flooring unit in a groove formed into the block and then applying a mortar so that the flooring unit creates a tight and strong bond with the block.

There is also herein described a method of interlinking multiple blocks vertically, wherein thermal insulation tape is applied to the top of a block and then another block is placed above the first block, on top of the insulation tape. In one embodiment the insulation tape is only used on the insulating layers. In another embodiment the other layers are bonded using mortar.

There is also herein described a method of interlinking multiple blocks horizontally, wherein insulating foam is applied to the side of a first block and then a second block is placed next to the first block so that the two blocks are joined by the insulting foam. In one embodiment the insulating foam is only used on the insulating layers. In another embodiment the other layers are bonded using mortar.

There is also herein described a method of manufacturing the blocks, wherein the block is formed in a cast on a vibrational table, the method comprising: pouring a liquid formulation of expanded concrete mix in the cast up to the level of thickness required of the inner layer; adding the insulating layer on top of the inner layer; incorporating the strengthening rods into the block; pouring a liquid formulation of expanded concrete mix in the cast up to the level of thickness required of the outer layer.

In an embodiment of the method, after the liquid formulation is poured to the level of thickness required of the inner layer the table is vibrated.

In an embodiment of the method, after the insulation layer is added the table is vibrated.

In an embodiment of the method, after pouring the liquid formulation to the level of thickness required of the outer layer the table is vibrated.

In an embodiment of the method, the facing layer is added to the outer layer before the expanded concrete mix has fully set.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following specific description, which is given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a block according to an embodiment;

Figure 2 shows a block according to another embodiment;

Figure 3 shows a flow diagram representing the method of manufacture of the blocks according to one embodiment;

Figure 4 shows an array of exemplary block shapes;

Figure 5 shows the blocks laid in a horizontal course; and Figure 6 shows the blocks placed vertically on top of one another.

Specific embodiments are described below. The skilled person will appreciate that these embodiments are not intended to be limiting and other embodiments and variations on the details set out below that fall within the scope of the claims are envisaged and could be provided within the abilities of the skilled person. Furthermore, features described below may be provided independently of other features unless otherwise stated.

The new construction material described herein is a thermal block that provides both structural support and a greater level of thermal insulation. Figure 1 shows that the thermal block is formed of four main parts. A first layer is an inner layer 15, preferably formed of expanded clay concrete. The second layer is an insulation layer 13, preferably formed of polystyrene, preferably expanded polystyrene, and the third is an outer layer 11, preferably formed of expanded clay concrete or aerated concrete. The composition of the expanded clay concrete may advantageously be of between % and 3Λ a mix of quartz sand (known as sharp sand) and granolithic screed (known as grano) and between V3 and V* cement. Water can then be added to form the liquid formulation. The inner and outer layers sandwich the insulating layer. The interface between each of the layers is substantially flat. This makes the production of the blocks both efficient and inexpensive. A fourth element of the thermal block comprises strengthening rods 17, or rebars, preferably formed of basalt fibres.

Figure 2 shows another embodiment in which the outer layer of the block is also covered in a facing layer 29 that may comprise an oxide layer. The facing layer may preferably be formed of one part granolithic screed, one part quartz sand, one part cement and 1/100 part plastiziser where for every 1m2 area being covered 200g of a pigment, preferably an oxide pigment, is used. Water can then be added to form the liquid formulation.

The blocks are manufactured in boxes that act as casts to hold them in shape until the blocks are fully set. These casts may be placed on top of a vibration table. The vibration table is used so that the liquid materials used are kept substantially flat during production by the repeated use of the vibrating functionality. It may be advantageous to produce eight blocks at one time. In one embodiment granite concrete is used for kneading the surface layer.

The liquid formulation of the expanded concrete for the inner and outer layers must be created prior to the manufacture of the blocks.

The steps involved in the process used to manufacture the blocks are shown in figure 3. After the boxes are placed on top of the vibration table the liquid formulation of the expanded concrete is then poured in to the desired level corresponding to the desired thickness of the inner layer 31. The insulating material forming the insulating layer is placed on top of this 33. At this point the basalt rods, and/or other mineral plastic fittings, may be incorporated into the block 35. These should be at least 50mm away from the edge of the block and at least this same distance away from one another. The rods can be pushed through the insulating layer, or alternatively a channel can be cut in the insulating layer to aid the insertion of the rods. The insulating layer can be manufactured with a channel for the rods. The final outer layer of the block is formed by pouring the liquid formulation of expanded clay concrete, on top of the insulating layer, to the level of the desired thickness 36. This preferably covers the edge of the basalt rods so that the basalt rods are fully contained within the block.

At each stage the table may be vibrated in order to settle and flatten the liquid surfaces and the interfaces between the layers. Preferably this may be for between 45-120 seconds after the first layer 32, for between 10-20 seconds after the insertion of the insulating layer 34 and for a final 15-30 seconds after the final layer has been applied 37. A trowel or alignment ruler may be used to level the final layer further.

The facing layer must be applied to the outer layer before the concrete has fully set 38. This enables the facing layer and the concrete to form a strong bond whilst also being cost and time efficient.

The elements set out above form a thermal block that incorporates insulation within it so that no other insulation is required. In turn, this can expedite the building process. The basalt rods have a low thermal conductivity and also act to increase the tensile strength of the block. This means that the block can withstand a larger amount of tension and can be used in many types of buildings. The use of basalt rods also reduces heat loss from the building. The rods may advantageously be 350mm in length and 6mm in diameter so that they are fully encapsulated within the block and provide strengthening to the blocks.

The inner layer of the thermal block also forms the inner lining of the structure being built. This means that an interior finish, such as plaster or even paint, can be applied directly to the rear layer of the block. As the thermal block eliminates the need for additional insulation and lining to a structure this means that the walls can be thinner than if traditional building materials were used. This means that the floorplan of the structure can be increased making the building more space efficient. Moreover, the blocks have a lower density than traditional building materials and therefore structures formed from the thermal blocks weigh less. This means that the foundations do not need to support as great a weight and so can be quicker and cheaper to create.

Figure 4 shows some of the many shapes of thermal block that may be used when building a structure. For example cuboid blocks 41 will form the basis for most of the structure, however corner blocks 44, having an outer layer formed of two sides disposed at 90° to each other and meeting at a particular corner, can be used at the vertices of the structure. Other blocks that incorporate air exchange elements 42 can also be used. In particular, blocks incorporating passages for air to pass therethrough from the inner to the outer surface can be provided to enable ventilation within a building. Optionally, half blocks 43, interior corner blocks 45 and blocks for use in openings 46, such as doors and windows, can also be provided for building structures of various shapes and dimensions. A typical standard cuboid block preferably has dimensions of approximately 150mm (height) X 300mm (width) X 400mm (depth/thickness). The inner layer is preferably around 100mm thick. The insulating layer is preferably around 200mm thick. The outer layer is preferably around 100mm thick. More preferably the blocks have dimensions of 152mm (height) X 303mm (width) X 380mm (depth/thickness). This is preferably comprised on the inner layer having a depth of 80mm, the insulating layer having a depth of 180mm and the outer layer having a depth of 120mm. In one embodiment the facing layer is 40mm thick and the inner layer is 40mm thick. Therefore, the sum of these two layers is 80mm thick. The strengthening rods preferably have a length corresponding to the depth of the block. There are preferably 2-8 rods in a standard block and more preferably there are 3 rods in a standard block.

Figure 5 shows the blocks laid in a horizontal course with the gap between the blocks filled with insulating foam spray 56. This further helps increase the insulation of the building. It also joins the blocks together strongly. Although mortar may be used to ensure the strength of the join between the concrete sections of the blocks, it cannot be used to join the insulating layers together.

This reduces the amount of mortar required in the build. As adding mortar can be an expensive and time-consuming task minimising this reduces both the build time and build cost of a building. This also makes the construction significantly quicker and cheaper than a build using traditional materials whilst providing an increased level of insulation in the building.

Figure 6 shows the blocks placed vertically on top of one another with insulating tape 68 being used to separate one course from the subsequent course. This further helps increase the insulation of the building. It also joins the blocks together strongly. This reduces the amount of mortar required as the use of mortar is restricted to bonding the concrete part of the blocks together. This also makes the construction significantly quicker and cheaper than a build using traditional materials whilst providing increased insulation.

Some blocks can be formed with a large groove in the rear portion of the block. This groove may go the entire way to the insulating layer. This groove is formed so that additional upper floors can be introduced above the ground floor. The groove is shaped so that a floor unit can fit within the groove. The floor unit can have masonry mortar applied so that it becomes set tightly within the groove.

Any system feature as described herein may also be provided as a method feature, and vice versa. As used herein, means plus function features may be expressed alternatively in terms of their corresponding structure.

Any feature in one aspect of the invention may be applied to other aspects of the invention, in any appropriate combination. In particular, method aspects may be applied to system aspects, and vice versa. Furthermore, any, some and/or all features in one aspect can be applied to any, some and/or all features in any other aspect, in any appropriate combination.

It should also be appreciated that particular combinations of the various features described and defined in any aspects of the invention can be implemented and/or supplied and/or used independently.

The above embodiments and examples are to be understood as illustrative examples. Further embodiments, aspects or examples are envisaged. It is to be understood that any feature described in relation to any one embodiment, aspect or example may be used alone, or in combination with other features described, and may also be used in combination with one or more features of any other of the embodiments, aspects or examples, or any combination of any other of the embodiments, aspects or examples. Furthermore, equivalents and modifications not described above may also be employed without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined in the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. A block comprising: an inner layer; an insulating layer; an outer layer; and strengthening rods, wherein the strengthening rods pass through the inner layer, the insulating layer and the outer layer; wherein the inner and outer layers are disposed on opposing sides of the insulating layer.

2. The block as in claim 1 wherein the inner layer and outer layer comprise expanded clay concrete.

3. The block as in claim 1, wherein the insulating layer comprises polystyrene.

4. The block as in claim 1, wherein the strengthening rods comprise basalt.

5. The block as in claim 1, wherein the interface between the layers is substantially flat.

6. The block of claim 1, wherein the block incorporates an air exchange element for providing ventilation from the inner layer to the outer layer of the block.

7. The block of claim 1, wherein the block forms a corner block with the outer layer extending around two sides adjacent to one another.

8. A method of interlinking the block according to claim 1 with a flooring unit by positioning the flooring unit in a groove formed into the block and then applying a mortar so that the flooring unit creates a tight and strong bond with the block.

9. A method of interlinking multiple blocks, according to claim 1 vertically, wherein thermal insulation tape is applied to the top of a block and then another block is placed above the first block, on top of the insulation tape.

10. A method of interlinking multiple blocks, according to claim 1 horizontally, wherein insulating foam is applied to the side of a first block and then a second block is placed next to the first block so that the two blocks are joined by the insulting foam.

11. A method of manufacturing the blocks of claim 1, wherein the block is formed in a cast on a vibrational table, the method comprising: pouring a liquid formulation of expanded concrete mix in the cast up to the level of thickness required of the inner layer; adding the insulating layer on top of the inner layer; incorporating the strengthening rods into the block; pouring a liquid formulation of expanded concrete mix in the cast up to the level of thickness required of the outer layer.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein after the liquid formulation is poured to the level of thickness required of the inner layer the table is vibrated.

13. The method of claim 11 or 12, wherein after the insulation layer is added the table is vibrated.

14. The method of any of claims 11-13, wherein after pouring the liquid formulation to the level of thickness required of the outer layer the table is vibrated.

15. The method of any of claims 11-14, wherein the facing layer is added to the outer layer before the expanded concrete mix has fully set.

16. An apparatus substantially as described herein in relation to the figures.

17. A method substantially as described herein in relation to the figures.