Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Processes
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-20
2001-02-20
Kent, Christopher T. (Department: 3635)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Processes
C052S745190, C052S742140, C052S414000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06189287
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates to a process for the production of a floor and more particularly the floor of a building.
This invention also relates to the floor, and more particularly a building floor, that is obtained according to the production process. The process for the production of a floor applies to any type of floor, for indoor or outdoor use.
A building floor is an indoor floor that is located inside a variety of different types of premises: industrial, agricultural, commercial, laboratories, hospitals, schools, garages, public places, etc. . .
A floor consists of at least three parts:
a first part, hereinafter called the form, which can be a floor that is prepared according to the rules of the art, or any older concrete that it is desired to renovate;
a second part with a support hereinafter called a concrete slab; and
a third part that is formed by at least one upper covering layer that is integral with the concrete slab.
These floors are to have considerable surface evenness and are to be almost free of random fissuring, cracking, etc. They should have as few joints as possible. Some of these floors are to withstand significant mechanical stresses, such as resistance to the running of conveyors, resistance to perforation under the action of heavy loads, compression strength, flexural/tensile strength, resistance to shocks in the event of heavy objects falling, and resistance to temperature variations. They are to have a long service life.
Floors are also to offer qualities of comfort, aesthetics, and ease of maintenance and repair.
In the case of floors that are to be renovated, it is necessary to limit the restoration work time and consequently business shutdown time. Actually, economic constraints require that the amounts of time during which the surfaces of a building are unusable as a job site be as short as possible.
In the case of new floors, the need to make a floor very quickly for a building under construction is increasingly felt. Economic constraints require that the building be put into service as quickly as possible.
1. Prior Art
The rules of BAEL (Béton Armé à l'Etat Limite [Limited State Reinforced Concrete]) of March 1992 teach that the contractual period for the hardening of a concrete slab is to be 28 days. This allows hardening of the concrete, which then attains enough mechanical resistance to allow the floors and buildings to be put into service.
Unified Technical Document DTU 26.2, requirement 1794, of September 1982, entitled “Chapes et dalles {grave over (a )} base de liants hydrauliques [Hydraulic Binder-Based Screeds and Slabs]” teaches that the detachable adhesive screeds are cement mortar works that are executed only after the support concrete has begun hardening at the earliest. These cement mortar screeds are trued up with a ruler, rough-cast, and optionally smoothed according to the desired surface condition.
The major drawback of the process for the production of the floors with these detachable screeds is the length of time required for production. After the concrete support is cast, the worker waits until hardening begins. Actually, it seems that, in practice, the minimum waiting period that is usually observed before doing anything else to the freshly poured concrete slab is longer than the waiting period until the concrete can withstand light mechanical stresses. The technical bias is that freshly poured concrete is too new to undergo the slightest mechanical stress and therefore to put into place one or more additional layers or to be put quickly into service.
In addition, after the screed is put into place, two to three surfacing operations, which take time, are still necessary.
2. Disclosure of the Invention
The object is to develop a very rapid process for the production of a multilayer building floor.
According to the invention, a process for the production of a building floor is characterized in that the following successive stages are carried out:
a) pouring of a concrete slab, of which
the composition of the concrete has an E/C ratio of between 0.4 and 0.7, and of which
once hardened at 28 days, the concrete attains a minimum compression strength that is greater than or equal to 10 MPa;
b) deposition of a first covering layer on the freshly poured concrete slab as soon as said slab can support the weight of a man walking thereon without being damaged, whereby said covering layer has a base of a self-smoothing or self-leveling composition.
According to a second aspect of the invention, a process for the production of a floor is characterized in that the following successive stages are carried out:
a) pouring of a concrete slab, of which
the composition of the concrete has an E/C ratio of between 0.4 and 0.7, and of which
once hardened at 28 days, the concrete attains a minimum compression strength that is greater than or equal to 10 MPa;
b) deposition of a first covering layer on the freshly poured concrete slab as soon as the concrete slab has reached a pressure resistance value of between 0.15 kg/cm
2
and 0.4 kg/cm
2
, whereby the covering layer has a base of a self-smoothing or self-leveling composition.
Technical bias is overcome by using a quick-setting concrete. The production speed is also increased-by inserting at least one covering layer that does not require a surfacing operation.
The expression “freshly poured” means that the concrete is beginning its hardening. The first covering layer that is inserted is applied after a minimum waiting period. One skilled in the art knows that high temperatures reduce the setting time and that, by the same token, the low temperatures of winter lengthen the setting times. The expression “freshly poured” means that between 20 and 25° C., the concrete takes on the order of 3 hours to begin to harden and that, at around +5° C., this period is on the order of 8 hours and can go up to 10 hours. Thus, after this variable period of about 3 hours to about 8 hours, the concrete slab can support the weight of a man.
The expression “without being damaged” means that the individual who produces the floor does not perforate the concrete. While walking, his feet may leave slight tracks on the surface of the concrete slab. The degree of hardening of the concrete is sufficient for the workers to be able to walk on the slab without leaving tracks.
This speed of execution is obtained due to the special compositions of the concrete. More specifically, the concrete is formulated to obtain minimum shrinkage, minimum sweating, and quick setting and initial hardening.
The concrete is characterized in that its E/C ratio is between 0.4 and 0.7 and preferably between 0.45 and 0.55.
The first covering layer is characterized in that it comprises a self-smoothing and self-leveling composition. Advantageously, it comprises in particular a hydraulic binder and an organic binder. This layer may have very significant resistance properties. In the following disclosure, it is called a wear layer.
According to a preferred variant, a second covering layer with an epoxy resin base and a hardening agent, preferably of the polyamidoamine type, are provided.
Advantageously, this product ensures the curing and the impregnation of the wear layer. Too, it is a product that also improves the mechanical resistance of the surface of the wear layer. Advantageously, it is also a finishing and aesthetic product.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
First, the form is prepared according to the rules that are given in the Annales de L'Institute Technique du Bâtiment et des Travaux Publics [Annals of the Technical Institute of Building and Public Works] No. 482 March-April 1990, Shell Series, 37 Paving Works. Various ways of:
preparing and compacting the foundation, constant over its entire surface,
leveling of the foundation,
placing a sheet of synthetic material over the foundation are imposed.
A concrete slab is poured onto the form. If the form is of poor quality, i.e., if it lacks cohesion, or if it has a low mechanical resistance, reference is made to the rules of the BAEL (Béton Ar
Guerinet Jean-Paul
Segretain François
Kent Christopher T.
Lafarge Materiaux de Specialites S.A.
Millen White Zelano & Branigan P.C.
Thissell Jennifer I.
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