invite responseComments 1 - 11 of 11 Search these comments
Dan8267
2014 Apr 21, 10:33am
That is so fucking cool. And it looks like a giant vacuum cleaner. It's only a question of time before some guy comes into the ER after accidentally falling penis first into this machine.
Tenpoundbass
2014 Apr 21, 10:56am
Well I don't like it! It's Frack-reteing.
It'll make my water orange, and the toilet singe my backside when I do a courtesy flush.
APOCALYPSEFUCKisShostikovitch says
What's wrong with using tactical nukes?
What's wrong with strategic nukes? GO BIG!
FNWGMOBDVZXDNW
2014 Apr 21, 11:51pm
Considering that concrete undergoes an exothermic chemical reaction when it cures, it is hard to imagine that the cement that comes out of this hypothetical separator will be ready for mixing up the next batch. It's a neat idea thought if it is at all practical, even if the cement portion has to be hauled away.
Why do thet say concrete has a life of 40-60 years? The stuff can last forever with some minimal care. There's plenty of Roman concrete structures still around. Do they think all the big dams need to be replaced every 50 years. Most demolition has nothing to do with the concrete problems.
New Renter
2014 Apr 22, 1:48am
Why do thet say concrete has a life of 40-60 years? The stuff can last forever with some minimal care. There's plenty of Roman concrete structures still around. Do they think all the big dams need to be replaced every 50 years. Most demolition has nothing to do with the concrete problems.
Perhaps the author meant to say structures built of concrete tend to be replaced every 40-60 years. That would make more sense as you are correct, even ancient Roman concrete is tough stuff.
Concrete in other applications however may not last as long. In a roadway 40 years is about right:
http://www.brighthubengineering.com/concrete-technology/45858-concrete-roads-vs-asphalt-roads/
curious2
2014 Apr 22, 3:37am
structures built of concrete tend to be replaced every 40-60 years.
That's what I understood it to mean. Also, the Roman technique of mixing ash into the concrete was lost until the 1980s, and there are many types of concrete now, so useful lifespans vary depending on (a) design/location/obsolescence, (b) era of installation, and (c) quality. Prototype 3D house printers use a proprietary concrete that includes plastic, and if the technology takes off there will probably be many options. The structure below didn't even last 40 years, though I don't blame that on the concrete per se:
Tenpoundbass
2014 Apr 22, 12:31pm
Why do thet say concrete has a life of 40-60 years? The stuff can last forever with some minimal care. There's plenty of Roman concrete structures still around. Do they think all the big dams need to be replaced every 50 years. Most demolition has nothing to do with the concrete problems.
It last 60 years because every sixty years, Developers tear down structures that were built to last an eternity, to rebuild with particle board, and Chinese drywall. The concrete slabs on those homes can't make it to closing before the foundation cracks.
"The ERO (short for “erosionâ€) robot uses water to disassemble concrete and then sucks all of the separate components--cement, sand, and aggregate--neatly into different packages for reuse. “High-pressure water jets attack the micro cracks on the concrete surface, making it come apart,†explains Omer Haciomeroglu, a student at UmeÃ¥ Institute of Design in Sweden, who designed the robot last year. "It leaves the metal rebar inside naked and ready for reuse."
Since all the materials can be separated on site, the process avoids the costs and pollution of transporting heavy chunks of concrete and metal to recycling plants. Haciomeroglu envisions a new business model: When a building comes down, the demolition crew could set up a station nearby to turn the materials into new prefab building blocks, and then those could be sold directly to someone constructing a new building in the neighborhood."
Or on the same site, in which case this concept might integrate well with 3D house printing.