Method for creating an infrastructure

Abstract

A method for creating an infrastructure especially useful for construction projects requiring large amounts of filler material, comprising: (a) creating blocks made of compressed refuse; (b) reinforcing each block with a flexible sheet (e.g. plastic sheet, or e.g. plastic or metal network) or a plastic or metal band, or a combination thereof, wrapped tightly around said block; (c) arranging said blocks of compressed refuse one above the other, and/or one beside the other within a mold, upon a concrete floor or upon a plurality of spacing element which allow for the flow of molten concrete under said blocks, and spacing said blocks of compressed refuse a predetermined distance from the interior walls of said mold; (d) casting concrete in said mold containing said blocks to a predetermined height above the uppermost surface of said blocks.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method for creating an infrastructure, especially useful for construction projects requiring large amounts of filler material (e.g. building roadways, erosion barriers, sea walls, and the like). More specifically, the method relates to an infrastructure construction method wherein compressed blocks of refuse are created, reinforced, arranged with a predetermined spacing upon a cast concrete floor (or upon a plurality of spacing elements which allow for the flow of molten concrete under said blocks), within an external mold of a predetermined shape and dimension, and molten concrete is poured into said mold and infrastructure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The problem of the disposal of solid waste material is well known. Billions of cubic meters of solid waste material are produced yearly by people across the world. One of the most common methods of disposal is dumping the solid waste material into landfills. The disadvantage of this method is that it contaminates the environment, including underground water aquifers. Although recycling exists, recycling efforts target primarily metals, glass, and paper, and do not fully solve the problem of solid waste disposal. Furthermore, most of the world does not expend effort into recycling, leaving the problem of municipal solid waste disposal largely unremedied.

Simultaneously, the construction industry wastes money and ecological resources on building elements such as new concrete products, when cheaper, recycled substitute materials are available and would be equally effective. Furthermore, the construction industry wastes resources on the materials used secondary to the final construction product itself. To give a specific example, the construction of a molten concrete wall requires not only the concrete and metal reinforcement elements for the wall itself, but also material for the construction of the mold for said wall. Creating a single vertical molten concrete wall requires a mold having double (internal and external) walls, typically made from wood or iron. The concrete is poured between the external and internal walls in said mold. Another example is creating a cast concrete ceiling. Aside from the waste of labor time in erecting scaffolding to support the mold, and creating said mold to contain the molten concrete, there is also the waste of building materials used to create the scaffolding and the mold. Although rigid filler material would serve the same purposes in creating such walls or ceilings, unfortunately, there exists a considerable waste of natural resources for the materials used in construction projects.

Furthermore, the most common method of obtaining raw materials for construction projects, i.e., opening a quarry or open pit, is opposed by environmentalists because of the deleterious effect on the ecosystem. Thus, due to environmental regulations and concerns, the availability of filler materials, such as raw dirt are becoming increasingly difficult to obtain.

Surprisingly, the present invention provides an alternative method for the disposal of solid waste and for more environmentally friendly and cost effective construction filler materials, combined with the creation of an infrastructure. Said method uses construction elements that are useful for creating an infrastructure, and such as for building roadways, sea walls, erosion barriers, and the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method for the creation of an infrastructure, by filing empty spaces with a plurality of spaced apart blocks of compressed refuse, and with concrete that is poured to fill the spaces between the blocks thus fixing the blocks and forming the infrastructure. The blocks are made from refuse and from a minimum required wrapping or tying material for protecting the refuse in integral block units which could then be transported to a construction site and arranged with spaces. The method of the present invention is especially useful for construction projects requiring large amounts of filler material. The steps of the method comprise creating block made of compressed refuse (the refuse being used can first be treated for extracting from it valueable materials that can be recycled); reinforcing each block made of compressed refuse with a flexible sheet (e.g. plastic sheet, or e.g. a network sheet made of plastic, metal, or any other material suitable to wrap the block and protect its content as a one integral unit) or a band (e.g. plastic band, or e.g. metal band) or a combination thereof (i.e. between a sheet and a band), wrapped tightly around said block arranging said blocks of compressed refuse, one above the other, and/or one beside the other within a mold, upon a concrete floor or upon a plurality of spacing elements which allow for the flow of molten concrete under said blocks, and (preferably) spacing said blocks of compressed refuse a predetermined distance from the interior surface of said mold (to allow for the flow of molten concrete in the spaces between the blocks and the interior surface of the mold); and casting concrete in said mold containing said blocks to fill the spaces between and around the blocks, and preferably to a predetermined height above the uppermost surface of said blocks (such that the mold is filed and the blocks are covered by the concrete). According to the present invention the mold could be any space that can be filled with spaced blocks and then maintain a molten concrete casted into it, until its hardening.

According to the preferred embodiment, the blocks made of compressed refuse are spaced apart within the mold a predetermined distance from the interior surface of the walls of the mold, creating a continuous vertical space extending from the bottom to the top of said mold, and extending longitudinally along each interior mold wall, for creating the infrastructure's external walls, abutting said blocks. The blocks thus serve as an internal mold wall for the creation of said concrete wall, obviating the need for additional construction time and material to create an inner mold wall.

The top surface of the mold extends a predetermined distance above the top surface of the arrangement of the blocks, for creating a concrete top surface for the infrastructure during the pouring of the molten concrete.

Further in accordance with the preferred embodiment, the blocks made of compressed refuse are spaced apart within the mold, creating at least one continuous vertical space extending from the bottom to the top of said mold, and from one mold wall to an opposite mold wall, for creating at least one interior concrete wall within the mold during the pouring of the molten concrete. The internal walls of concrete provide additional structural strength to the infrastructure.

Still further in accordance with the preferred embodiment, there is created at least one intermediate horizontal layer of concrete upon predetermined layers of blocks when casting the molten concrete.

Further in accordance with the preferred embodiment, hollow tubes extend from the inner surface of the cement wall to the exterior surface of said wall, thus creating holes for releasing gases produced as a result of the decomposition of the refuse.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates an isometric view of the compressed block of refuse wrapped with a flexible plastic sheet.

FIG. 2 illustrates an isometric view of the compressed block of refuse wrapped with a flexible plastic sheet and bands.

FIG. 3 illustrates an isometric view of the mold containing the blocks before the casting of the concrete.

FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the infrastructure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention relates to a method for the creation of an infrastructure especially useful for construction projects requiring large amounts of filler material, such as the construction of roadways, erosion barriers, sea walls, and the like.

The method will be further described in detail as relating to FIG. 1-4. This description by no means intends to limit the scope of the invention, but to clarify and illustrate one of the preferred embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 1 illustrates the block of compressed refuse (1) enclosed by a sheet of plastic (2) which prevents the constituent elements of the block from dispersing, and adds clear and constant boundaries to the block of compressed refuse.

FIG. 2 illustrates the block of compressed refuse (1), enclosed by a sheet of plastic (2) wherein the block of compressed refuse is further reinforced by plastic or metal bands (3, 3′, 3″).

FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of the infrastructure before the casting of the concrete. The blocks of compressed refuse (1) are arranged within a mold (4). The mold extends to a predetermined height above the top surface of the blocks of compressed refuse, which creates a space (6) for the creation of a concrete top surface. The arrangements of the blocks of compressed refuse are spaced a predetermined distance from the walls of the mold, thus providing a space (6′) for the creation of concrete walls. The blocks therefore save the need for the construction of an internal mold wall, saving also significant time and materials savings. Similarly, the blocks may be spaced a predetermined distance from each other within the mold, thus providing a space (6″) for the creation of concrete internal walls. A vent hole (5) provides a path for the release of gases as a result of the decomposition of the compressed refuse material. The vent hole may serve as a location for apparatus to capture and utilize said gases, if so desired.

FIG. 4 illustrates a vertical cross sectional view of the infrastructure (12) after the pouring of the concrete having spacing elements (7,7′) placed between the layers of blocks of compressed refuse (1) and upon the floor of the mold (not shown). The spacing elements beneath the blocks, and the placement of the blocks a predetermined distance from the wall of the mold allows the molten concrete to flow within the spaces surrounding the blocks. This is creating the infrastructure's concrete floor (8), intermediate layer (9), side and internal walls (10,10′,10″), and top layer (11).

Claims

1) A method for creating an infrastructure especially useful for construction projects requiring large amounts of filler material, comprising:

a) creating blocks made of compressed refuse;

b) reinforcing each block with a flexible sheet or band, or a combination thereof, wrapped tightly around said block;

c) arranging a plurality of said blocks of compressed refuse one above the other, and/or one beside the other within a mold, upon a concrete floor or upon a plurality of spacing element which allow for the flow of molten concrete under said blocks, and spacing said blocks of compressed refuse a predetermined distance from the interior walls of said mold;

d) casting concrete in said mold containing said blocks to a predetermined height above the uppermost surface of said blocks.

2) A method for creating an infrastructure, according to claim 1, wherein the blocks made of compressed refuse are spaced apart within the mold, creating at least one continuous vertical space extending from the bottom to the top of said mold, and from one mold wall to an opposite mold wall, for creating at least one interior concrete wall within the mold during the pouring of the molten concrete.

3) A method for creating an infrastructure, according to claim 1, comprising casting at least one intermediate horizontal layer of concrete upon predetermined layers of blocks.

4) A method for creating an infrastructure, according to claim 1, comprising an additional step comprising affixing hollow tubes that extend from the inner surface of the cement wall to the exterior surface of said wall, thus creating holes for releasing gases produced as a result of the decomposition of the refuse.